the most perfect family photo (and a very merry christmas to you).

 

(card credits:  main card background: Purdue Avenue Etsy shop; frame: kitschy digitals; leaves and red gems: design by dani.)

almost a month ago, before sickness and the hecticness of the holiday season bombarded our home, we sat down one sunday afternoon to take a candid family photo.

how did I do it?

well, for starters, I begged my family.  told them it was all that I wanted for christmas.

then I told them that they could wear whatever they wanted.

then I told them to bring something to do.  bring a book to read, a toy to play with, or a doll to hold.

I wanted candid…

then I set up my tripod, put my remote on my camera, checked the settings, then had to add my bounce flash to get the lighting just right.

then we were in business.

106 pictures later…

we got it.

and by “it”, I mean four that I could stitch together to make my perfectly candid family photo.

took merrill from here:

took lynn from here:

(the peyton + me combo here was a close second for the final cut..)

took ashley from here:

(for the record, this is the most pleasant expression I got out of ashley the whole 10 minute ordeal.)

and, well, peyton and I were perfect together here:

and we got this masterpiece:

(you know, after photoshop magic…)

and for your enjoyment, consider it a christmas gift from me to you, a couple of outtakes:

because sitting on the couch is SO overrated.

from my family to yours:

Merry Christmas!!!

post family

here is a sweet family whose pictures I took on black friday.

( I would MUCH rather be doing this, than fighting for my life at a store when I should really be asleep…)

beebe family

ryker and drake are like my nephews at this point.  I think their family are my best customers!!

my friend, and their momma, tracked down this awesome orchard in fruit heights.  the owner is a generous, kind man, who lets photographers use his orchard at no cost, anytime.  all he asks is that we don’t hurt his trees.  what a kind man!!  you don’t find many people who just let you use their property these days.  where we entered his property, there isn’t even a gate, just a sign posted, telling us the rules.  at other access points to the orchard, there are gates, but get this, no locks on them.  amazing. 

sadly, he does warn that if people continue to break these rules, he will have to close it.  so sad that some people cannot show their thanks in appropriate ways.

it was a gorgeous place, wish we would have been there at a better time for lighting.

the kapetanovs

this is my darling friend and her husband, and believe it or not, their puppy.

(I am so lucky to have such good-looking friends!)

(they are also great people, I am not completely shallow.)

thor is my first pet to photograph, and he did well!  just like babies and small children, he really seemed to get a hang of the whole bit by the end of the session.

I just love kylee and cory.

my friend savannah.

this is my gorgeous, fun, funny, friend savannah and her family.

I will just say it right now, but these pix were so hard to narrow down!!  I kept finding more and more favorites…  seriously, you will understand soon.  she and her hubby are so cute together, and then there’s her adorable kids…

she makes me think about cutting my hair, she makes me laugh, and she is so fun to be around!

enjoy your picture overdose.

davis family

this is my cute friend cindy.

we once ran track together.

she is still darling, has a kind husband, a son with dimples that KILL me, and a sweet little girl that cracked me up with her serious ways.

snowbasin and mother nature cooperated awesomely to provide us with a beautiful backdrop.

here’s some of my favorites: