Mango Street Photography

let me preface this post by saying that i remember hanging up the phone after talking to melissa during the planning stages of her session, looking over at andrew with a huge smile, and saying “this is going to be amazing!” the zgonc family lives on property that has been in melissa’s family for years. to put that statement into perspective for you, her 92 year old grandfather told me during the session that he has lived there for 60 years! i think it is so beautiful that the very spot where she grew up is where her 2 daughters are making their memories as well. enjoy a gimpse~

before we took family photos, melissa wanted to be sure i captured a few frames of her grandfather. i love these of him in his favorite spot in his work room.

we’ll kick off the family pics with my favorite. wouldn’t this look great as a big print??

i had a great time with your family–thanks for inviting me into your setting and giving me the privilege of capturing your story!

i vividly remember the moment when we found out that our friends allen and mandi were expecting because i teared up thinking about what amazing parents they were going to be. their love for each other and their commitment to the Lord is undeniable, and andrew and i both are so thrilled for them as they enter this new stage of life as parents. it was a huge treat to meet landon and to document the beginning of his life. enjoy a glimpse~

i loved that landon was awake when i arrived as it gave me a chance to catch these fun expressions!

their home is so cozy~

i love this one of landon sleeping on mandi.

baby feet need no caption.

we ended the session in landon’s nursery…

baby yawns. one of my favs.

i love that landon is totally chillin’ out in this shot. and notice the sweet initials hanging over landon’s crib. mandi made them, and i thought they turned out so well–love the creativity!

until next time~

one of the many things i love about my job is that every day is different. each family i photograph has a personality, background, and story that is their own. i so enjoyed getting a glimpse into alex, lyuda, and roman’s story as they are still in their first year of living in the states after moving from ukraine! in fact, they took andrew and i out to dinner after their session (thanks again, guys!) and shared about their time here in america, and they even (very patiently) taught us some russian phrases. there is something so amazing about hearing another language, it gives me goose bumps. maybe it’s the simple reminder that the world is so much bigger than my circle, but i think there is also something tremendously wonderful about the beauty of language. back to the session. since roman was about to celebrate his 2nd birthday, this session was all about him and capturing life at age 2. enjoy a peek~

one thing i learned very quickly is that 2 year olds like to be on the go. roman definitely kept me on my feet, but i had a blast!

at some point, i think every little boy dreams of driving a train~

roman had such a great smile. when he was having a great time, everyone knew it!

i love that this picture shows roman holding onto both of his parents–such a picture of the partnership and teamwork that goes into parenting.

~

thanks again, guys, for everything! for sharing dinner with us and for giving us a glimpse into your story. we loved it!!

i had been hearing from mutual acquaintances about how fun this family is for the last couple of months, so when our session finally rolled around earlier this week, i was geared up for a great time. these kids did not disappoint! the wynns were amazingly comfortable and enthusiastic in front of the camera, and don’t get me started on how these 3 siblings interacted together–so loving and considerate. yes, i’m gushing, but it was great. i could go on (obviously), but i know you’re here to see the pics. without further ado~

one thing i thought was so cool about this session is that the mom let her kids choose their own outfits. it was great because they were comfortable in what they were wearing, their clothes showed a little more of who they are individually, and they looked wonderful!

i could easily take photos of this girl all day. not only is she absolutely gorgeous, but emily was the picture of serenity living in the midst of 2 brothers. i wish we could have chatted a bit more as i discovered she shares my love for reading~

another tidbit about this session? shot at their house–love love love it!

meet chris. after he told me that he was indeed not the family clown, i very quickly discovered otherwise. i had a fabulous time watching his energy and summer excitement, and i think this photo is so “him.”

this is a very musical family, and andrew is no exception. he knows how to rock it on the drums!

i’m pretty sure andrew had this smile on his face the entire time i was there.

so one great thing about doing a family session at your house is it is super easy to incorporate your dogs. well, you may have noticed a few dog shots in past posts, but it wasn’t until this session that i thought it would be fun to capture the process. these top two photos are so absolutely priceless, i almost like them better than the “official” shot. thoughts?

thanks again, guys! i had such a wonderful time with you~

when i pulled up to their house and saw their youngest sitting on the steps waiting for me, i knew i was in for a great morning. from the minute i arrived, this family welcomed me into their home, introduced me to their dogs, and made me feel like one of them. their enthusiasm for life was so much fun to be around and capture. enjoy their sneak peek~

we started here: gotta include the classic shot in front of the house…

i love natural emotions~

no one, dogs included, in this family was camera-shy.

when i asked the boys what they loved to do, the oldest said, “playing catch with my dad.” i love what that says about his relationship with his parents.

their youngest son, definitely the one who keeps the family laughing, wanted to do a series of goofy faces. love these.

chilling out in the living room~

the end.~

more sessions coming soon!