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Smyrna Family Photographer

Smyrna Family

We had a great time during this session.  It was a beautiful afternoon with lots of Fall colors and more use of the purples that I love so much.  Mom & Dad were easy going and the kids were just perfect.  I love that I got to “shoot” another middle schooler and that it was the same day he got braces!  What a milestone day for him and I’m glad I got to capture this family before these kids grow any bigger!

This brother and sister did whatever I asked but still were free to have a good time and be themselves so we got some fun candid moments of them together.  That is what I mean by perfect. 🙂

Smyrna Family Photographer

 

 

ourtown photographer

Meet the September 2012 Our Town Monthly Cover family, The Thomsens of Vinings Estates.  With ALTA tennis starting today all around Atlanta, it was a great time to feature this fun tennis family on the cover.

ourtown photographer

We multi-tasked for this session.  Not only did we get a great shot for the cover of a magazine, we also marked the occasion of adding a new puppy to the family.  Rue, a little black mixed-breed, was adopted from a shelter just a few days before this picture was taken and is sure to be a long time family member.

Thirdly, we shot to have portraits of Grace with her new puppy and family.  Grace is graduating 8th grade this year and we plan on having some great images for her 8th grade feature page in the yearbook.

Photographer’s Tip: Even if your school does not feature 8th graders like hers does, you can mark that milestone of graduating middle school with a family photo session.   Think of how much he or she will change before the next time they get professionally photographed which is usually during their Senior Year of High School.

What to Wear: Grace has a wonderful unique style and she originally pulled together pieces from the new 2012 Adidas Adizero line that looked terrific.  The red and black that you see in our cover was a back up.  Because you always go with what looks best on Mom first, we decided that the yellow was too much and the black with a blue tennis court backdrop was the way to go.  The pops of red here and there add some color and most importantly it is a more classic image that they can hang in their home and enjoy for years to come.  You want to reflect your personal style in a classic way so that it stands the test of time.

 

ourtown photographer

 

At the closing table when they purchased their home in 2000 the seller leaned over and said “you don’t realize it now but the best thing about your new home is the neighborhood”.  12 years later Angie and Mark Thomsen agree that Vinings Estates, Smyrna neighborhood, has meant more to them than they could have could ever have imagined.

Raising children Grace (14) and Maxmillian (11) keeps the family constantly on the go. Participating in Smyrna Soccer, where Mark has served on the Board of Directors for 6 years, both children have developed good physical skills especially in endurance running as evidenced by Grace winning her age group at last fall’s Silver Comet Trail Half-Marathon….a path she knows well having regularly visited it since being pushed in a baby jogger by her Mom and Dad. The entire family has completed the Peachtree Road Race a combined 30 times.

Fortunately for Mark his position as a VP Business Banker with PNC Bank supporting their Cumberland/Galleria/Smyrna branches keeps him in the area most days and involved with community organizations including the Smyrna Optimist Club.

Another family passion is tennis ! Mark and Angie both captain several neighborhood teams, including Mixed and Men’s Doubles. Angie’s women’s team LOVE (Ladies Of Vinings Estates) won the ALTA City Championship last fall.

Angie is a Stay at home Mom, who likes to cook, bake, and entertain, she is Senior Sales Consultant for Thirty-One Gifts – a line of personalized tote products as a home based business. Who finds most of her time is spent driving and going to sporting events, since the entire family participates in several sports, sometimes it seems like a juggling act to get everyone where they need to be.

Both children attend Eastside Christian School and the family attends Trinity Anglican Mission church on DeFoors Hills Road in Atlanta.

Recently they acquired a black Lab/Jack Russell puppy (RUE) from Atlanta Humane Society who joins their mixed terrier (GIZMO) rescued 6 years ago.

— From Our Town Monthly | September 2012

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I have to laugh when I think about the conversation with the Mom of these kiddos when we were planning our location.  “You have three.  You know how they will be, right?”  Do I ever!  I’ve got 2 boys and girl also with just about the exact same age differences.  I assured her they would poke and annoy each other no matter where we were and there wasn’t much that could change that!  These kids were actually terrific and I don’t remember any pokes, kicks or bunny ears…but I am immune to it anyhow so I could be wrong.

I’ve watched these three grow up and I can’t believe how big and gorgeous they are.  All three are going to be heart-breakers very soon.

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Photographer’s Tip:  What to Wear – The Mom of these children picked out clothing that reflects her more traditional style but still works well in a more urban setting.  You would think that she had seen my last post: What to Wear for Summer.   Dress up your girls to make them look great and coordinate the boys – you can never go wrong with Jeans or Polo Shirts.

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Marietta Family

american baby atlanta american baby atlantaIt was a gray morning in Smyrna when we met to commemorate this little beauty’s first birthday with her own portrait session.  We still had a great time despite the weather  and I loved getting to know her Mom and Dad.  I found out we had a lot in common.  This Dad moved to America when he was 3 years old and my husband moved here when he was four years old.  They were both born in Manchester, England.  (So, as much as I call Andy a Yankee because he grew up in Chicago he says he is more of a Redcoat!).  I have to share the T-shirt all three of my children have been wearing through the years.  We need to find this little girl the same thing.  We didn’t have the shoes, though.  They are awesome!

Made in America with British Parts

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Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!  It was fun to capture you as a brand new one year old!

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american baby atlanta

I can’t believe it is the last Day of April!  This little man is already a month old so I better share him quickly before he gets any bigger.  He has already changed so much and I love seeing his daily happenings on Facebook and Instagram!

I was so honored to help photograph this sweet boy.  His Mom is the very talented wedding photographer, Liana Lehman Hall.  I can remember holding my own newborns and at a week old I could already see the changes and growth in them (especially their heads!).  It is cliche now but it really does go so fast.  The same thing must have happened to Liana as she put the call out to her Atlanta Newborn Photographer friends to come [quickly] and help her out.  Even when you are a photographer it is often easier to hand over newborns to get the best images.  When you are Mom they smell you and don’t want to sleep as well.  I went with my friends, Alice, Elizabeth and Jenny to capture Atticus and he couldn’t have helped us out any better than he did.  I had planned on being more of a prop and position-er but did manage to catch several pictures of him with mostly my 100 mm lens (and usually one handed!).

I loved the colors in the above hat and had to take it off the orange dinosaur in the nursery for Atticus to wear.  He was a good sport and didn’t mind at all!

~ Behind the Scenes look at us during Atticus’ newborn photo shoot.  Thanks to Jenny and Alice for the photos. ~

Don’t you love the name Atticus?

“When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness sake. But don’t make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion faster than adults, and evasion simply muddles ’em.”

– spoken by Atticus Finch, by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

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Check out the deadlines for Kotori Jewelry if you need a gift for Mother’s Day.  If you are interested and have not had a recent session with me, contact me asap to see if  I can fit in one more before this deadline (I’m a sucker for Mother’s Day).  The best part is it is on sale!  These pieces are such great quality and are waterproof and UV resistant.  The copper drop chain is really popular right now – I wear mine all the time.

Click the Kotori Catalog link below to see previews of the fashion jewelry.  Let me know if you are more interested in sterling silver and I can provide that as well.

Kotori Catalog Preview

Whatever you do, don’t forget Mom (or Grandmom)!