Illustrations Photography

ILLUSTRATIONS PHOTOGRAPHY HAS MOVED ITS BLOG!!

2010-07-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

The Illustrations Photography Blog has a new and improved look (and location) but all the same great photos and information! Please come check it out....

www.illustrationsphotos.com/blog

See ya there......

Project 365 - Day 192. Da Boys | Delafield Family Photography

2010-07-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

Rob and I are both transplants to Wisconsin (courtesy of GE) but we've been here long enough for it to feel a lot like home. The biggest drawback to the area is the distance to our siblings and all of their kids (and grandkid). We REALLY miss having that kind of family around and feel badly that our children aren't growing up with day to day interactions with their cousins.

When our nephew Ryan decided to come to Marquette last year, we were thrilled! Of course, he's a typical college student and busy with his studies, his footy (soccer) and his friends but we still love to know that he's nearby. He came to spend 4th of July with us and this weekend had Corey over for a boys weekend. They went to see Star Wars in concert, played tons of Wii, stayed up later than Corey's EVER stayed up and had a great 'ol time. It was really special for Corey and for us. We can't imagine a better role model for our kids and we're so blessed to have Ryan around. Now if we could only get the rest of the family to join him.....

Project 365 - Day 191. Art in the Park | Delafield Event Photography

2010-07-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

Today I photographed the Lake Country Art Festival. It's a huge event with loads of arts, crafts, and family fun. I took pictures of the workers (the Lake Country Women's Club members), the art, the parking...but my favorites, as always, were the pictures of the kids.... It was a hot, steamy day but a lot of fun!

Project 365 - Day 190. Bon Soir! | Wisconsin Event Photography

2010-07-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

Rob and I went on a mini vacation tonight. First we headed to Mexico (ok, so it was La Fuente) for a yummy meal outside and then we headed to Paris (ok, so it was the Bastille Days Festival). Maybe not as glamorous as it could have been but hey....we did make it outside our area code so that must count as some kind of vacation, right???

In case you're wondering where that was taken...

See, I TOLD you we went to Paris!

Chalk artwork on the street:

This used to be one of Corey & Lilly's "Music Together" teachers, Mr. Will. He also does folk performing with a guy on a washboard. We've seen them before in Delafield but were surprised to spot them on the big stage in Paris....er, Bastille Days.

Project 365 - Day 189. Good Bye PB | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-07-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

This past week or so has been just a crazy, crazy time. Between house renting, catching up on editing, kids schedules, etc...it's just felt a bit more stressful and heavy than usual.

One of my big underlying stressors is probably not a huge deal in the big scheme of things but seems big to me. Peanut Butter. Ya see...last Friday, Emma grabbed a piece of Lilly's sandwich off her plate and had a bite. It was PB&J. She immediately started acting funny...making gaggy type noises, grabbing at her tongue, refusing to drink, and getting red splotches all over her face. Very weird. After calls to my friend and the on-call nurse, we decided I was ok this time but it seems there's a strong likelihood that Emma is allergic to peanuts. :-(

I now have an Epipen and an appointment with an allergist. But the major change....no more peanut butter. Seriously....my son regularly eats THREE peanut butter sandwiches for lunch and Clare and Lilly choose PB&J 6 out of 7 days a week for their lunch. Not to mention the fact that I am not a dieter or a health food nut so I've never been a label reader and am totally clueless about how to protect my baby. I'm trying not to think too much about it until the appointment (the 26th) but it's been hard. Safety First is my mantra and the idea that she's living in an unsafe environment and will have all these extra dangers in the world really makes me sad. And scared.

Project 365 - Day 188. House For Rent | Delafield Family Photographer

2010-07-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

I had an agenda for the day. It started great...kids to camp, Emma to bed, complete client gallery from last week, pick up Clare, feed kids, pick up Epipen (a story for another day), pick up Corey and Lilly, feed more kids, get kids down for rest, comple.....SCCCRRREEEAAACCCHHHH.

Then the phone rang. And rang. And rang. Turns out Rob put a listing on Craigs List today for our old house which our renters are moving out of at the end of the month. The rest of my day....all about Meadowside Ct. I went over tonight and did two showings and got two applications! Fingers crossed that one of them is a winner!

In the meantime...if you know anyone interested in renting a lovely house.....

Project 365 - Day 187. Will Power | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-07-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

One of our regular family things to do in the summer is to take a walk around our neighborhood. We live at the top of the hill and to do the circle loop is quite a challenge of ups and downs (particularly for the 7 and under crowd). Tonight Lilly rode her scooter around for the first time. Scared the crap out of me! She's much braver than I am, that's for sure! We brought the wagon for Clare and Emma but Clare was more interested in pulling than riding. It was pretty impressive what she did manage to do and even more impressive how committed she was to pulling that big 'ol wagon up those hills!!

Project 365 - Day 186. Having Fun! | Racine Event Photography

2010-07-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

Ok...I must admit that I'm not great at taking photos of my family when we go to events because, as I describe it to my hubby, I have trouble actually taking photos while still being in the moment. I don't have a point and shoot camera so even my version of snapshots are RAW images shot in Manual Mode. I have to think about the light and my settings every time I press that shutter (except for my occasional iPhone shots!).

This weekend (with the exception of the fireworks), I've taken my "old" camera. It's a DSLR (a Nikon D70) and I was always very happy with it. It's not as fancy or as high quality as my D700 but I recommend it to people all the time...it's a GREAT camera! I consider it my "back up" now though and rarely use it but because we were going on the boat the other day and then to a busy parade today, I opted to go for it. I also have a less high quality but very versatile lens on it which make it easier for on the go. Well, I really loved using it again. There's something about it to me that I actually like more and I'm going to have to figure out exactly what that is but regardless I found myself having fun taking these pictures AND staying in the moment! You may just be seeing more from this camera on 365....

Some shots from us at the Racine Parade:

And some shots of Rob's buddy's kids:

Fun Day...Long Weekend....Tired Family!!!

Project 365 - Day 185. Firework Frenzy! | Pewaukee Event Photography

2010-07-04T20:51:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!! We spent the evening on Pewaukee Lake and were treated to a mix of Delafield's fireworks and an extremely impressive home show. Very fun!

I got very different shots shooting the Delafield fireworks from a distance over the lake.....

And the smaller (but fantastic) fireworks very close over my head!

Hope you all had great celebrations, too! We're off to the Racine Parade tomorrow so look forward to some parade shots....

Project 354 - Day 184. On The Water | Okauchee Family Photographer

2010-07-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

We had a really nice afternoon out on Okauchee Lake. We don't get out on boats often so it's a real treat for all of us. It was fun to see two of my client's homes from a different perspective, too!

My mom, Corey, Lilly and Clare braved the waters...Rob and I stayed dry with sleepy Emma.

And this was our Captain...Mom's friend, Lary, who graciously hosted us for the afternoon and gave us a great tour of the lake!! Fun day and now lots of tired kids (and grown-ups) around...

Project 365 - Day 183. An American Girl | Hartland Children's Photography

2010-07-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

Today I got to spend some time with this sweet girl. She's a classmate of Corey's and just as nice as can be. I really enjoyed getting to know her and her Mom better. Thanks, Angie!

Project 365 - Day 182. The Little Black Book | Wisconsin Boudoir Photography

2010-07-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to share one quick pic today because I'm hosting Bunco tonight and after a few drinks and lots of laughs, I'm not sure I'll be up for it later.

I'm going to share some more in a later post but here's a quick sneak peek of the Boudoir Album I got delivered today. This is an upgrade from the The Little Black Book actually....my client opted for a custom cover. Love it!

Project 365 - Day 181. Our Summer Ritual | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

I definitely do NOT have a green thumb. I've mentioned this before but just in case you've forgotten...it's true. There are no live plants in my house. Hence my immense pride in my veggies. Last year I attempted hanging flowers and....well....it didn't end well.

This year I tried again. Really...it's just two plants and they look so nice! How hard could it be!? I'm taking this commitment VERY seriously because there is no doubt in my mind that if I kill these off before school is back in session that I will definitely be cut off from purchasing any annuals ever again!

So each day I take my little helpers (Clare and Emma) and we the girls have some nice watering time while I deadhead my plants. I'm proud to say that after about 4 weeks, they are going strong!!!! YEY! And the girls and I have some nice times with it too so that makes it all worth it!

Project 365 - Day 180. Dinner Done & Dusted | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Yes....this is EXACTLY why bath time follows dinnertime.

Project 365 - Day 179. Whatever Makes You Happy | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-28T20:47:00.000-07:00

Today was ALL about Photoshop! I made my first boudoir album and WOW if it doesn't look great! I don't toot my own horn often but I must admit that I'm very proud of this and SOOOO wish I could share it with everyone! Unfortunately, you're just going to have to trust me.

I just finished getting it uploaded to the online gallery for my client to see and then was about to go into my late night photo-panic when I realized...HEY...I took THREE pictures today on my iPhone. So, yippee! I don't have to panic after all.

Here's my little wonder-girl who (at 20 months) can now count to 10! NO IDEA who taught her that but I'm very proud. Anyway...she has a ton of personality and really loves a lot of things. One of them is umbrella's. I can't explain it but she's a Huge fan.

So, here she is hanging out in the car with her Thomas Umbrella.

Just another day with the Johnsen's.

Project 365 - Day 178. To Each Her Own - A Sneak Peek | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

You may remember this family...they've been blogged before here.

Today we were after an outdoor family shoot. I think they are a GREAT example of What To Wear to a family portrait session! Mom wanted to keep it casual (which I love) and went for personality. The older daughter is all about horses and the younger daughter chose her favorite dress. Mom and Dad wore stuff that matched but are also something you would catch them wearing on a Sunday afternoon. I think they look fantastic!

Thanks, Kathi! Lots more great ones to come....

Project 365 - Day 177. Caught In The Act | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's the shifty eyes. Maybe it's the fact that he has twice as many chips on the board as his opponent. Maybe it's the extra cards he's hoarding next to him.

Not sure what it is, but something tells me this boy is cheating.....

Project 365 - Day 176. Branching Out to Boudoir - A Sneak Peek | Wisconsin Boudoir Photography

2010-06-25T12:28:00.000-07:00

I've considered doing boudoir sessions before so when I was asked recently to do one, I was so excited! I spent loads of time researching and learning over the past weeks to prepare and felt pretty confident going into it and even better coming out of it! The Brave Lady and I had a lot of fun together and I can't wait to get to work on the The Little Black Book we're creating to give her hubby for his 50th birthday!

Don't be surprised it you see some Boudoir offerings coming soon!!! This may seem a little out of whack with children's and family photography but in my mind, it's actually totally consistent. I don't want to do these for 20 year old models. I want to make the average Mom out there (like you and me) feel gorgeous and sexy! So, for me, this is just another way I can be your "family photographer!" Think about it......and let me know if you'd like more details!

I can't decide if I like the color or b&w better on this one! Wish I could share more but, for obvious reasons, I'm going to keep these one "under covers". :-)

Project 365 - Day 175. Craft Time | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

It's not every day that bedtime goes smoothly. And with my husband away for 9 days and my mom busy working a crazy week, this is the part of the day I dread the most. Today, Clare and Emma were quite tired so they went down a bit earlier than Corey and Lilly and I was really pleasantly surprised to see that the activities they chose to do were a wood bead craft and then a game of Sequence. They (usually) have a great relationship and I love to witness these spontaneous moments of niceness.

Project 365 - Day 174. Lovely Lacy - A Sneak Peek | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

Meet baby Lacy. You met the rest of her family several weeks ago here.

I had plans to meet Lacy several weeks ago but...life happens...and so here we are. We had a short but sweet session this morning and she was just adorable. We even managed to get a smile in amidst the noise of three other kids and the World Cup! Not ideal conditions but certainly adorable photos!

Enjoy your sneak peek, Kara!

Project 365 - Day 173. Homemade Textures | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

So, when I started my hunt today (ok...tonight) for a photo....I had an idea! I have pretty wild granite countertops. They came with the house and wouldn't be my first choice but I don't hate them enough to change them either. And today I found they have an additional purpose.....texture!

What's a texture? A texture is an overlay on a photo that gives it a different look....generally an edgy, urban look. Here....let me show you:

Here is a before picture I took last week:

And here is my photo of the day, my countertops:

And here's the textured outcome. What do you think?

Kinda fun...I like this look for teens. Fun to play with anyway!

Project 365 - Day 172. iFamily | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-21T18:31:00.000-07:00

We bought our Mac last fall and we've quickly become an avid and devoted iFamily. We now have an iPod, an iTouch, an iPhone and, as of this past weekend, iTV. Lilly loves to listen to music and do learning apps on her iTouch and even Clare (age 3) can navigate all around, play games, listen to music, watch videos... Heck, even Emma says "iPot."

Have you seen those Apple bumper stickers on cars these days? Well, we don't have one (yet) but every time we see them, Rob and I have a good chuckle imagining a car driving around with a Microsoft symbol on it. Nah....don't think we'll be seeing that one.

What is a Storyboard? | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

I was also asked today: What is a Storyboard?

A Storyboard is a collection of images put on one print that is mounted. It can then be framed as one piece.

Here are a couple of samples but there are a ton of design possibilities....you select the full size that you want, the images you want to include, background color, text (which is optional), etc. They're completely custom designed for you!

Project 365 - Day 171. What Is A Standout? | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

I got asked today...What is a standout?

So here are my photos for today....samples of a standout. A standout is similar to a canvas in that it is a stand alone print that can be hung directly on your wall. It is a print that's been mounted on a thick foam board and finished with a black edging. They are an attractive alternative to a canvas particularly because they are much cheaper. You can also get these with a linen finish which gives a texture similar to the look of canvas.

Here is a standout I have on my wall of Lilly:

Project 365 - Day 170. WOWZA Maternity Sneak Peek | Oconomowoc Maternity Photographer

2010-06-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so....WOW!

For those that are Facebook followers, you may recall that I put a request out for a brave mama-to-be to have birth photos taken. The deal is that this lucky, open-minded mom would get a maternity session, birth session AND a newborn session as a Thank You for letting me be there to photograph the baby's birth.

Well, stay tuned for more of this family since they are expecting their TWINS in late August / early September and yes....I'll be there!!

Today was actually the first time we'd met face-to-face and we did so at the most beautiful property! It was SO hard to pick just a handful of favorites to share because there were so many but here they are. LOADS more to come Neelye. Thanks so much to you all for trusting in me. We're going to have a great time!

PS I'm still looking for one more birth model so if you or someone you know is expecting later this year and potentially interested, contact me for more info! Thanks!

Project 365 - Day 169. Fun In The Sun Sneak Peek | Okauchee Children's Photographer

2010-06-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

Beautiful location. Beautiful kids. Beautiful day (for everything except photography).

In the end, beautiful pictures! Thanks, Mary Ann!

Project 365 - Day 168. | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

I don't do designer. I've never paid more than $40 for a purse. I buy what I like, not what I think others will be impressed by.

But that's for my wallet and keys.

My beloved Nikon D700 and "the beast" deserve something better. They deserve to be well protected while still looking gorgeous. Hence, my Kelly Moore bag (compliments of Mom for my birthday). It took months to arrive but after only having it a week, I'm already loving it.

I'm loaded up for my shoot tomorrow (and praying for nice, grey skies the next TWO mornings, please). Look, even The Beast lens fits in nicely. :-)

Project 365 - Day 167. Moms Night Out | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a rare treat...a night out with a fantastic group of women. We had a few drinks, a delicious meal, and a ton of laughs! No pretenses, no judgements, no children...just 5 real women having a great time together. THANK YOU, gals....I needed that!

Oh yeah, and a big thank you to our volunteer chauffeur...hope we didn't scare you away! :-)

Sneak Peek in a new fav location! | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-06-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

I just got home from a mini-session and I think I have a new favorite location! So many different looks all in one little space. Perfect! Even better that I had such a cute model to work with, too! Here's just a couple of my favorites!

Thanks for sticking with me tonight Lauren and Julie....glad we made the right choice and the weather ultimately cooperated! Here is your big sneak peek. I must admit...I've already edited the entire gallery! I just couldn't resist and with the fun location, beautiful girl, and perfect light....well, it was frankly the easiest editing job I've ever had. Fun, fun.

Project 365 - Day 166. Enlightened | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

We're on day 3 of summer vacation and already the kids were going a little nuts. Luckily summer camp starts next week or I'm just not sure we'd all survive the summer unscathed!

Today I had a mission to get these kids out for an experience that did not require batteries or electricity. Specifically, I needed to get Corey away from his Wii and DS!! He was pretty grumpy about the whole idea and not pleased that he was going to have to endure 30 minutes in the car without his DS but I pushed on. I explained to him the importance of doing something other than video games. To which he responded that he'd be happy to go out if we were going where HE wanted to go....Chuck E. Cheese!

I started the conversation again and informed him that we all needed a bit of enlightenment today. Then I said "I'm not discussing this any more, I'm turning up the music and getting happy now so we can all have fun." To my surprise, it worked. We enjoyed the ride through the countryside, spotted these miniature horses, and arrived at the farm ready for strawberry picking.

Everyone enjoyed it and did great. We also picked some peas, played on the playset, fed goats, and had fun. Phew!! We're home now and Corey's back to the Wii but at least he got a little bit of something else in his day.

BTW, one would think that since the big adventure was strawberry picking that I would, in fact, have a photo of my kids picking strawberries. I agree...it would be great. But with four kids ages 1-7, sometimes you just have to make a call. Enjoy the moment or take a picture. Today I opted for enjoying the moments. It was a good call.

Project 365 - Day 165. Growing-Part Two | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

I am definitely not a green thumb. If you've been to my house, you probably noticed that I don't have any plants in my house. Really...none. And if you've given me a plant in the past....well, the truth is that I killed it. Not on purpose, of course. I try...it's just not meant to be. Kids, yes....plants, no. I'm very happy that my house is nicely landscaped with perennials that put up with my lack of care. I love to see my neighbors flowers all around their homes but it's just not going to happen at this house.

I have found, however, that I REALLY enjoy growing vegetables. I'm doing it on a pretty small scale but I find it so rewarding to walk outside, see the growth, and ultimately pick and eat the veggies. So, when I saw these little babies starting to grow, well it just made my day!!

{i heart faces} weekly challenge - babies

2010-06-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

I haven't been very good at participating in the weekly challenges lately. Things have just been a bit crazy lately and some things had to give. But this is such an easy week...the only hard part is picking the ONE baby shot that I love to submit because I really have A TON! So, I'm sticking to my most recent newborn session and decided on this one...

to see more adorable baby pics, check out:

Project 365 - Day 164. One Year Later | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a really cool day for me in my evolution as a photographer. One year ago I was still doing modeling sessions and one of my earlier maternity and newborn sessions was with the family that I had a session with yesterday. It was so fun to see little Patrick a whole year later! When I went back to look at my blog, I saw that Mom's maternity session was my first ever blog post for Illustrations Photography and Patrick's newborn shots was just a couple of weeks later. It's been a busy year and I'm so grateful for all of you...people who are actually reading my blog, looking at my pictures, and trusting me to take images of your family! Thank you for all your support!!!

Love, love, love this shot:

Project 365 - Day 163. Red & White | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

Our day was FULL of red and white. We were all dressed in our red and white gear, the kids all donned England accessories, the house was decorated in white and red and our TV was tuned to see England win!!! Alright....we'll settle for a draw but only because they were playing USA. Next time....it'd better be a win, guys!

Project 365 - Day 162. Bring It On! | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

My first exposure to the World Cup was when I was pregnant with Corey and we were living in England. In England, you can't help but catch the World Cup Fever and it was awesome!!! I would get up early to watch games, listen to them in the car if I had to, go to pubs in the middle of a work day....anything to catch a game. We were even a few minutes late to our 20 week scan because we had to wait for our game to end first.

I was ridiculously excited about the World Cup. I mean, I got a ton of chills and even a few tears during the pre-game speeches and hand shaking. I watched every minute of that game with a smile on my face.

Poor Rob. World Cup in the USA just is NOT comparable. The good news is that he'll be over there for 8 days during the series so at least he'll get some of the excitement. The rest of us? We'll we're having to create our own excitement!

And, hey, Corey needed a haircut anyway. It was easy to convince him once I suggested we attempted a St. Georges cross on his head. I'm a rookie, but you get the idea! We're going to find red hairspray tomorrow to give it the full impact.

GO ENGLAND!!!!

Project 365 - Day 161. Taming The Beasts | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

I had the BEST Mommy day today. Truly. I mean, I have a lot of good moments with my kids but it's not that often that I get a full day of FUN with my kids that I absolutely enjoy from start to finish. True, I got no work and no housework done today but at 7pm, my house was quite and everyone under this roof had a smile on their face. Perfect.

It was Corey and Lilly's last day of school and they had early release so we spent the afternoon at the Zoo. We hadn't been in a long time and really it was the first time Emma's been since she was old enough to "get it" and WOW...did she get it! She loved every minute...as expected. She's a real animal fan anyway but when she saw those spider monkeys swinging back and forth and got to look a cheetah in the eye? ...pure joy. We went out for a nice dinner afterwards and all enjoyed a nice drink (4 kiddy margaritas and a beer, please.) and some great time together. We sang loudly in the car. Laughed about silly butt jokes. Nothing special and yet....something SO special. Wish Rob could've been around to share it with us but in every other way, an absolutely perfect day and a great way to start the summer!

I sure love these guys!!!!

Project 365 - Day 160. The Good With The Bad | Hartland Children's Photographer

2010-06-09T19:34:00.000-07:00

Corey and Lilly both had their end of year picnics today but, unfortunately, at different parks. They decided that I should go to Corey's first. I arrived to find a less than enthusiastic little boy. Not sure what happened but my best guess is that he ran really hard for the first hour so by the time I got there he was overheated. It was hot today but not THAT hot. He sat under a tree for a bit but just couldn't shake it and eventually asked to go home. Yes, my school and friend loving boy wanted to leave a park full of his friends. Clearly something was wrong. So we went.

We went to Lilly's picnic of course. Lilly was her usual happy gal who was happy to be hanging on the bars. This picture pretty much sums up their day.

Project 365 - Day 159. Movie Time | Hartland Children's Photographer

2010-06-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

We're in the countdown to the end of the school year. Today, Lilly's class had a "movie" that one of the Dad's from class created with the kids. It's such a nice keepsake for the kids and a good laugh!

Project 365 - Day 158. Panic | Delafield Family Photographer

2010-06-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

This isn't the first time this has happened. My busy day draws a near. I get sleepy. I look forward to crawling into my bed. I start to close down what I'm working on... and then it hits me. Project 365.

Really....who would notice if I miss ONE day? Heck, a lot of people would probably appreciate me not adding another item to their status update list. Maybe I should just skip today. and then it hit me. Guilt.

So, out comes the Nikon and in sets the panic. Until that aha moment when I figure out my photo of the day.

Phew. 158 days and counting....

Project 365 - Day 157. Shiny, Happy People | Hartland Family Photographer

2010-06-06T18:37:00.000-07:00

Today I had the honor of photographing some wonderful families at the annual Wisconsin Upside Down picnic. I attended last year as a "back-up" photographer...doing more candids than portraits to supplement what the other portrait photographer was capturing. It was so wonderful to come back this year and see so many faces that I remember from last year (and some more from Kelly's Upside Down Ball) and to see how they've grown over this past year.

Without question the weather was weird today but that didn't matter. Everyone enjoyed a delicious picnic, kite-flying, silly relays, and great company! Thanks for letting me be a part of it, everyone!

Project 365 - Day 156 Bookworms | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-06-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

Books are such a great thing. I love to read but approach them in fast or famine style. I'm definitely not a buyer of new books though...well, I'll buy travel or coffee table books but not novels or kids books. I'm a huge fan of libraries and book swaps and if I am going to buy books, it's likely going to be from a garage sale. Even more than I love to read, I love to watch my kids read. Anytime they select a book and sit down to spend time with it by choice, my heart warms. Silly but true. Emma has just started to do this. She carries about 6 books, one by one, over to a big chair ("seat"), drags herself up onto it, and will sit for a pretty long time flipping through her books. (sigh)

Project 365 - Day 155. Mixing It Up | Hartland Event Photographer

2010-06-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

As my regular readers (sometimes called stalkers or voyeurs :-) know, I like a new challenge and events are a great way for me to expand my skills.

Tonight I had a chance to use "the beast" quite a bit while taking shots of a group who came together for a good cause and some fun tennis. The tennis mixer was sponsored by Four Winds Subdivision and was held at Lake Country Athletics to raise money for the community's Relay For Life team.

For any locals...they're also holding their garage sale in support of the same cause so check it out Saturday if you get a chance! I'm planning on heading over.

Here's a couple shots of one of the organizers of the fundraiser. Oh, and she's also a great friend and a regular reader....

Project 365 - Day 154. Playdate | Delafield Childrens Photographer

2010-06-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

Today we had a friend of Clare's over from school. We also had her mommy and her adorable sister who I've been eyeing up as a model for my new hats for some time now!

We had a nice visit, a good lunch, and of course, some very sweet pictures....

Thanks for coming to play, girls!!!

Project 365 - Day 153. Transitions | Delafield Childrens Photographer

2010-06-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a tough week (or two). I'm working on transitioning Emma from two naps to one. Yesterday went awesome and I thought....gosh, that was easy. Well, I was wrong. Today was a bit rough and I had one very tired little lady on my hands. I had to finally put her to bed at 5:30 tonight because she just wouldn't consider doing anything else. Poor girl. Fingers crossed that poor mom doesn't have to get up with her at 5:30 tomorrow morning.....

{yes, she does have a black eye. She crashed into the headboard on my bed the other night while doing her gymnastics.}

Project 365 - Day 152. Playing With The Big Boys | Delafield Headshot Photographer

2010-06-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

Not surprisingly, I love kids. I love to play with kids. I love photographing kids.

However, I must admit that getting a chance to photograph grown-ups is a really nice change of pace. It's not that kids are hard, but adults are incredibly easy, relatively speaking.

Today I had the opportunity to photograph a few local executives. They were looking for headshots for their website and marketing materials. It was a straightforward job, a nice group and no one cried or had to be bribed with a dum-dum.

Turns out playing with big kids is actually pretty fun, too!

Project 365 - Day 151. In Memory Of | Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Photographer

2010-05-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

Today is obviously a day to remember.

In a special way, I'm also remembering one of Heaven's newest angels, baby M. who was born into eternal life this morning. My thoughts and prayers are with her family tonight.

Project 365 - Day 150. The Replacement | Delafield Childrens Photographer

2010-05-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

After my turn in the tent last night, we decided it was time to end the camping expedition for this weekend. In order to distract the kids from the missing tent, we set up the new plunge-pool in the back yard. It worked and everyone enjoyed a nice swim to cool off before heading to sleep in their own beds tonight.

Project 365 - Day 149. Growing | Delafield Childrens Photographer

2010-05-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

So far, it's been a great Memorial Day weekend. We had an impromptu campfire party last night in the driveway before Rob and the kids (sans Emma) camped out. Normally I'm the camper and I did have to do the tent set up on my own but with Emma still a bit sick and not sleeping well through the night, I got the indoor sleep duty.

Today we had a big shopping trip for some remodeling at our rental property and then spent the afternoon enjoying the beautiful day. The girls helped me clear out our two garden areas and I then planted our tomato and pepper plants with Lilly's help. It occurred to me that this summer might be a bit easier now that the kids are becoming bigger helpers and Emma loves to be outside so, even though I have to keep a close eye on her, she's generally pretty happy to just be out. She even helped me with the weeding today!

We grilled out both nights which is such a great thing in my mind (even though I'm the griller) and we are all just generally getting into the summer swing. Yey! Now we're looking ahead to parties the next couple of days. Ahhh....perfect.

Project 365 - Day 148. Roughing It | Delafield Childrens Photographer

2010-05-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

Guess what we're doing tonight?

Project 365 - Day 147. Rules Shmules - A Sneak Peek | Germantown Newborn Photographer

2010-05-27T19:55:00.000-07:00

It's gospel in newborn photography, truly, that the session MUST take place within the first 14 days of babies life...really the first 10 days is best and the sooner the better. Why? Because newborn babies sleep A LOT and they're also very curly in the early days so easier to maneuver and get into lots of cozy, cute poses. It's the rule and you won't find many photographers who stray from this.

Well...rules shmules! Today I had the wonderful honor of photographing this GORGEOUS little newborn girl and (gasp) she was born on May 4th! That's right, people...she's over 3 weeks old! But, hey...life happens and it's where we were so we went with it and you know what?! That little sweetie slept the entire session. She let me move her, put hats and headbands on her, and only opened her eyes for about 30 seconds at the end so I could get a really quick shot of her eyes. Her skin was flawless and everything about her was dreamy. I loved every minute of it!!! Thanks for sharing your beautiful new daughter with me, Jenny! Enjoy your sneak peek...

Project 365 - Day 146. Picnic Pics | Delafield Children's Photographer

2010-05-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

Today was Clare's last day of preschool for the year. She's pretty disappointed, I must say. Poor girl is stuck at home with me every day now. :-)

To celebrate the end of year, All God's Children had a family picnic at the start of class. It was beautiful out and a nice time. Unfortunately, not great pics of my own kids today but I did have a bit of fun with a couple of the other little beauties sitting next to us....

Project 365 - Day 145. Cooking it Up

2010-05-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

I had a great opportunity tonight....a cooking class at Ceriello's Fine Foods in Delafield. It was a really fun night with a group of great women and delicious food. Perfect.

I learned a lot and had a delicious meal with some terrific gals....what could be better?! Oh yeah...wine. Well, we had that too.

Project 365 - Day 141 - 143. The SPActacular Lost Days

2010-05-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

My first break away from all the kids in almost 4 years warranted a break from facebook and the computer! And good thing since my iPhone was even on vacation in our wooded retreat. As we drove in I received a call that was quickly dropped and that was it. By the time I was back in service range on Sunday the battery was dead. Destiny, I'd say.

So here's just a few pics from my weekend away with my great friend Kim at the gorgeous Sundara Spa. It turns out the don't actually allow cameras there so I had to limit my shots but you get the idea....

Project 365 - Day 144 (I think). Welcome Home

2010-05-24T20:59:00.000-07:00

I'll post a few pics separately of my lost days from the weekend.

When I left on Friday, I told all the kids that I would be home when they woke up on Monday. The truth was that we were planning to be back right around 6 but since that's a hectic time in our house, I decided I would probably be more relaxed if I just waited an hour and came home after everyone was in bed and the chaos had settled. But since I didn't have cell service while I was away and hadn't spoken to anyone since Friday at lunchtime, I was looking forward to getting my good night hugs in and came straight home at 6.

Today was a nice day catching up with the kids. It was only a weekend and basically everything is the same as it was on Friday.

That is with the notable exception of Emma! That little girls vocabulary is growing every day and over the weekend she began saying a super important word...."Emma." She says it very clearly and even in response to "What's your name?" SO CUTE!!!! She's also just started putting words together so I woke this morning to a "No Mommy" (No is a new word too) and to a "Daddy potty wee-wee". That girl is brilliant and I adore her to no end. The other three are pretty spectacular too. :-) It's good to be home.

Project 365 - Day 140. Half Way There | Delafield Lifestyle Photography

2010-05-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

Today was a milestone. Not for me, exactly...but for my beloved Toyota Sienna. It turned 100,000 miles.

I am not and have never been a "car person." My favorite car ever was my Jeep Wrangler but it was obviously not very practical so had it's down sides but was fun for a couple of years. Rob and I share our lack of interest in cars and therefore just chose cars that were economical and made sense for us.

Before kids I absolutely SWORE that I would NEVER be caught driving a minivan. I just couldn't imagine that being the best choice for anyone. I mean, really....even someone who doesn't get excited about cars can get more excited about an SUV with a third row than a minivan.

Imagine my surprise when I was internet car hunting from England before we returned back to the states with our nearly one-year-old Corey and I actually got a tad bit EXCITED about a Sienna.? I test drove all the mini-vans but I was already sold on Toyota and to this day, it is the BEST car I have ever owned. It just makes my life easier and if a car can do that, I'm all for it!! I have no interest in an upgrade, no interest in a newer model, no interest in that "new car smell"....I want to get every last mile out of this baby and I figure I'm only about half way there!

Project 365 - Day 139. Spring Sing | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

Today was Clare's first time performing in front of an audience. Well, unless you count her standing on top of upside down storage bins in our basement singing to the rest of the family. But since I don't count those...today was her first. She's one of the youngest kids at the school so I was prepared to cut her a bit of slack, but she did great. She had a couple of songs that she belted out and kept right up with and a couple others that didn't seem to interest her so she just stood there and hung out till those were done. I consider any showing that doesn't involve tears a huge success so I was completely pleased!

After the show, Clare came to sit with me, Corey and Lilly and said "Now I have to do my Spring Sing on the stage." :-) I think she was a bit disappointed to learn that her "stage" was just her taped name on the carpet in front of all these chairs. I guess that Talent Show last week set her expectations to lights and microphones. Poor girl.

Here she is "sticking her back to someone else's back" in Sticky, Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum!

Project 365 - Day 138. Kiss YOUR Brain | Hartland Children's Photography

2010-05-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those rare days that I got to go into the kids' school. I LOVE having a big family but one of the definite drawbacks is that I'm not able to be as involved with Corey's and Lilly's activities/classes as I would like to be. But when I get asked to take photos, well I can't say no to that! So, today with the help of a great friend and neighbor who watched the little girls, I was able to go in and take some quick snaps of a couple of the Kindergarten classes with their wonderful teachers.

After we finished, Lilly asked if I would stay a bit longer so I did. I sat down and listened to several of the kids read their Journal entries for the day. What smart kids!! Next they talked about word similarities like...if we know how to spell "spot" then we know how to spell "plot". Next, they had a little dance (as you do in the middle of the day) and then went on the internet to find a recipe for the bread they were about to make.

I was in awe. Seriously...the internet wasn't even a vision when I was in Kindergarten and now these kids watch on the Smart Board as Mrs. Atilano Google Searches with their help. Amazing! What was most impressive to me though?? Mrs. Atilano. She has a way of talking to those kids that is so sweet and respectful. When reviewing their journals, she would find a word that the kids attempted and ask the class what sounds they were using. Frequently the word was misspelled but she had an awesome way of making it a learning while congratulating them on their efforts because they picked another sound that would have worked. Those kids have learned so much this year and not the least of which is confidence.

Another great thing Mrs. Atilano does is tell the kids to "kiss your brain" when they do something good. They then kiss their finger and touch it to their forehead. It's adorable! Well, Mrs. Atilano...I'm your biggest fan and I think you should DEFINITELY Kiss Your Brain!

Project 365 - Day 137. Leaving it to the Pros | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

I'm excited about how much I've learned about photography over the past several years. I spend A LOT of time reading about photography, participating in photography forums, studying for my certification and, obviously, taking pictures. My confidence has grown tremendously. I used to be a nervous wreck after each session until I could upload my shots and confirm that I had a few that would work. Now I just find it hard to "cull" (or weed out) to get the selection down to a manageable number for my families to view.

That confidence goes right out the window when it comes to flowers though. I'm pretty clueless on the whole macro thing and really avoid taking shots of flowers (with the exception of the occasional bouquet that my Dad sends me). Today I decided to give it a whirl, though. I love, love, love the smell of lilacs and my only complaint is that they don't last long enough. I figure they're so pretty that it would be hard to have a BAD photo of them.

{i heart faces} challenge - "Faces & Flowers"

2010-05-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a hectic couple of weeks so I've had to skip my {i heart faces} competitions lately but I'm happy to be back!

This weeks challenge is about flowers and faces. This is a simple shot but I've always loved the pop of color from that flower and, of course, the beautiful smile on this little sweeties face. Nothing fancy but a shot I really like.

Check out more flowers and faces at:

Project 365 - Day 136. Bike Rider Corey | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

Because we live at the top of a hill, we haven't tried teaching Corey to ride a bike the past couple of years. He's 7 1/2 now though and we didn't want him to go another summer without knowing how so Rob took him up to the local school parking lot this morning. 30 minutes later they were back and Corey had done 3 laps around the lot! We've been back a couple more times and he's done great! I'm so proud of him!

Sadly, he doesn't share our excitement. He says he's not going to tell his friends because he thinks they'll tease him that he didn't already know how to ride his bike. :-( Oh well...we're having a private family celebration today....just us and our blog followers.

Project 365 - Day 135. Sneak Peek of my new BFF | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

I'm off for a date night but wanted to post a quick sneak peek of my FIRST BFF!!! I had a great time playing with you, Z, and am so happy that I'll be lining your families home with more beautiful photos of you and your big sister! Thanks for everything, Laura! Enjoy your sneak peek!

Project 365 - Day 134. Out 'N About | Hartland Children's Photography

2010-05-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

Finally a warmer day! We celebrated this evening by taking the kids into Hartland for the Out 'N About activities. We had a nice time just walking the streets, snacking on treats, and getting to do some fun activities like face painting, painting medallions, and a scavenger hunt. The best part for the kids was running into so many of their friends and classmates. It was a real community event and very nice.

Project 365 - Day 133. Reflections | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

So, I was trying to think of what to take my photo of today when I remembered that one of the photography forums I just joined has a weekly challenge and this weeks theme was "Reflections".

I thought for about 30 seconds while Emma was on my lap flipping through a book and then remembered this book...one of Emma's favorites because it ends with the best reflection around!!!

Project 365 - Day 132. Blossoms | Delafield Family Photography

2010-05-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

Back on a cold morning in early December, Corey and Lilly boarded the bus and Clare asked me, "Why can't I go to school?" I started to answer that it was because she was 2 and too young when I recalled hearing that the preschool Corey and Lilly went to was now accepting younger kids. A half hour later I was on the phone with the Director and the next Monday she was a student at All God's Children Preschool.

We were both very excited. When Corey and Lilly were young, we had lots of activities and playgroups. Clare and Emma didn't have that. Clare really didn't know any kids her own age and rarely interacted with kids aside from her brother and sisters. I was quite nervous to send her off but she's really loved every minute of it. She's still a bit shy there but has come into her own A LOT! I love to peek in at her in her classroom when she doesn't know I'm there. Next week she'll be doing her first school performance and I can't wait!! Lilly was the star of the show when she did the same spring sing 3 years ago and, as witnessed last week, she still loves the spotlight. I can't wait to see how Clare's personality shines through. Regardless, I know that sending her there has been a blessing in so many ways and watching her blossom is definitely one of them.

Project 365 - Day 131. Off to School | Delafield Family Photography

2010-05-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Lilly told me yesterday that she needed a picture of herself with her school bus for something at school. That's as much info as I had so I told her no problem...we'll take the picture tomorrow morning. Little did I know that it would be pouring rain and blustery winds! Yuck! So, we loaded up everyone into the van (Clare in her pjs and me in a ball cap so you know it was BAD!) and drove across the street to wait for the bus. I wasn't going to risk my camera getting soaked taking a picture outside the bus so I jumped on after Lilly and grabbed this quick shot. Hope it works....

In all the excitement, Lilly forgot her coat AND her rest towel. I told her she'd have to go without but then realized after I pulled in the garage that Corey had left his backpack in the car, too. So, off we drove to school chasing the bus. I hope this project wasn't about how we save on gas by carpooling! :-)

Project 365 - Day 130. Rosey Day | Delafield Family Photography

2010-05-10T18:32:00.001-07:00

Alright...the truth is that it's been a rough couple of weeks. For several reasons that I won't bore you with but the reality is that this isn't my normal reality and it's getting me down!

Having said that, my Dad and his wife sent me this beautiful bouquet of roses for Mother's Day and it's definitely added some well-needed brightness and cheer around here. Good timing, Dad.

Project 365 - Day 129. Mama Mia! | Delafield Family Photography

2010-05-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Oy vey! Today was an EXCELLENT reminder for me as to why people hire professional photographers!

All in all, today was like most Sundays...cooking, yard work, kids...but there were a few perks. We ate dinner in the dining room which is always a nice change. (Not sure why we don't do that more but we don't.) Of course I had lovely school made gifts from the kids. And my big request....to get some photos that actually had me in them. Don't get me wrong...I HATE to see myself in photos. Who is that old lady anyway? BUT, for the sake of the kids, I think it's important to at least have an occasional photo of me with them. My goal was some shots of MY mom with the kids, a shot of me and my mom, and a family shot. HUGE ambitions, in retrospect. The family photo attempt was a complete disaster but an impromptu 2nd try at least got a shot with no one in tears. And I did manage a shot with each of the kids so that was nice. Of course that means that most of my shots were not actually taken by me but by my mom or Corey! Although, I did do the set-up so that they both got their first try at manual exposure. My mom even had to learn how to back-focus and she did great! So, in the end...a successful mother's day and lots of family photos. :-)

For a few more shots of today, check out this short video:

Happy Mother's Day!!

Project 365 - Day 128. Screen OD | Delafield Childrens Photography

2010-05-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

Seriously...can a kid OD on screen time??? We have quite strict rules about how long they get to watch TV each day and they're only allowed to play with the Wii and DS on weekends. But holy crap did Corey get a lot of catch up in today!!! Granted it was an ugly day outside but that boy was on his Wii for several hours straight...breaking only when I insisted on a potty break or food. Then when we ventured out to dinner, the DS was in hand. If he wasn't such a smart and social boy the rest of the week I'd be pretty darned worry about him.

Project 365 - Day 127. Progress | Delafield Newborn Photography

2010-05-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

Well, bummer. Today's photo was supposed to be a sneak peek of a lovely little girl but unfortunately Mother Nature had a different plan for us. Another day, I guess....

Instead, a shot of a couple frames I have up in the hallway to Clare and Emma's room. The top shots are not mine. I had those taken of Clare when she was a couple of weeks old. I had my first DSLR then but zero confidence and not much skill yet. I was still shooting in Auto most of the time...only branching out to Aperature mode on occasion.

The bottom ones I took of Emma over 1 1/2 years ago now. They're not my best...I keep getting better....but it's a nice reminder every time I walk down that hall of my growth. And I'm SOOO glad that I at least was able to photograph ONE of my kids as a baby. Can you imagine if I never got to know my camera until after they were grown?! What a shame that would have been!!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Project 365 - Day 126. Proud Mama | Hartland Children's Photography

2010-05-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

Tonight Corey and Lilly "performed" in their first Talent Show. I spent A LOT of years being really terrified of public speaking so I thought it would be a good way to give them a little time on stage while they're young and hopefully keep them comfortable with the idea through their lives....if that makes sense? Lilly was definitely more enthusiastic than Corey but he had to admit that he did kind of enjoy it after it was all done. I was SO proud of them! Very nervous, but very proud!

The lighting was VERY difficult so a crap photo but it's a big moment so it's my photo of the day anyway!

BTW, they did a poem adapted from a Marlo Thomas song "When We Grow Up".

Lake Country Pet Photography

2010-05-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

Hey...I get it! Those furry friends are part of the family too! So, why not include them in your family portraits. Or, better yet, schedule a session just for your pet.

Illustrations Boutique - Photo Jewelry

2010-05-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

Below are some samples of the beautiful photo jewelry now available from Illustrations Photography featuring your favorite faces! Contact us for specific pricing . . .

Project 365 - Day 125. Capturing Corey | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-06T08:06:00.000-07:00

{Yesterday's pics that I wasn't able to upload}

I realize that Corey is my least photographed kid. Not for any reason other than he's the least likely to tolerate me and he's generally off playing Wii or playing with our neighbor. The girls just seem to be more accessible and willing.

I made it a point to catch Corey today after Church School. They had Bible Bingo so he'd won some prizes and was happy to show me his new bracelets and whistle (and his friend's autograph). While he had a smile on his face I coaxed him over to the nearest stone wall and captured a quick shot. I can't get over how grown up he's getting. Although it was only about an hour later that he was crying like a baby so I guess we're in a transition phase.

He's such a smart and sweet boy and I adore him.

Project 365 - Day 124. Lovely Lilly | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

When Lilly went to get her teeth pulled last week, the dentist told me that she was likely going to be a candidate for early orthodontia. I never had braces so I don't know much about them but coincidentally Lilly and I went to a Kentucky Derby party this weekend and ran into two friends' kids who recently got braces. Ever since then, Lilly has been thinking of what colors she'd like to get. It's hard to image that little smile with all that metal attached. I'm sure she'll still look lovely though. Different, but still lovely.

Project 365 - Day 123. Wishing This Day Away | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

Pretty much all of today was crappy. You know how that goes? Nothing tragic, just nothing too great either. I should have gone back to bed at 8am after talking to the police about tenant issues and screaming at a crow as he attacked the birds nest attached to our house. Yes...I was sure by then that it wasn't going to be my day.

It was a nice day, though. And at least Zach was able to enjoy it. Who's Zach? "Our" cat, of course. Well, not really OUR cat but the closest we come to one...he's the brother of "our dog", Chester. You get the idea.... We just borrow pets from our neighbors. It's cheaper, easier, and we don't have to worry about them when we go out of town. To be fair, sometimes Zach forgets that he doesn't live here too. He spends more time on my deck than I do so I think that earns me some kind of pet-mother points, right?

Project 365 - Day 122. Spring Smiles | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh. I LOVE nice weather. It was a gorgeous weekend and I loved it! I did 3 haircuts on the deck and mulched our front yard and it felt wonderful. I even set up a little tent for Corey and Lilly to have their reading time in today. I'm so ready for summer. Unfortunately the kids had lots of tears today for various reasons but I did get a few shots of Lilly smiling so that's what we'll go with today.... She looks so different to me with her new bottom teeth and her new haircut!

Project 365 - Day 121. Moving On | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-05-01T20:36:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to see Emma perk up a bit today. She LOVES to be outside and seemed to really thrive playing outside this afternoon. Finally...it seems this bug she had is moving on. Unfortunately, it seemed to move right into Clare. :-( Hopefully she'll be better tomorrow and it'll be moving out after that.?

Delafield Children's Photography | Project 365 - Day 120. Sick Baby

2010-04-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

My babe had a fever all yesterday and through the night. It broke this morning but Emma still wasn't herself today. She spent most of the day moaning and clinging to me. By the end of the day she was perking up so hopefully we're over the hump. I hate to see any of my kiddo's like this.

fix-It Friday #8

2010-04-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

It's fix-it Friday at {i heart faces} and I had to do this one with a sick, clingy baby attached to my chest. Not my best work but the best under the circumstances. :-)

I started with the RAW file in lightroom to do some color and clarity adjustments and then switched to Photoshop for cloning out of all the signs.

Here's my fix:

And here's the original:

Want to have a play? Head on over to:

Project 365 - Day 119. Remembering Angels | NILMDTS Photography

2010-04-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight I attended the Spring Memorial Service at St. Joe's. All of my Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep sessions so far this year have taken place at St. Joe's and I've developed some great relationships there. I attended, though, on an invitation from the first family that I worked with in January. I was SO touched that they thought to include me. Honored, really.

It was a beautiful service but also very difficult. So many families who've lost so much. I truly can't imagine what that would be like.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of those families and particularly with Baby Jasper's amazing Mom and Dad.

Introducing Our New BFF Program!

2010-04-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

The best compliment I've received since I started doing photography came from a client last winter when she said she would be sending me her Christmas photo card because I'm "her family photographer." Those words made me feel so good and also made me realize that that is exactly what I want to be....YOUR family photographer. I LOVE getting to know you and your kids and I want to watch them grow! Correct that, I want to CAPTURE them growing and fill your house with beautiful images of your kids over the years.

With that in mind and as I head into my 2nd year of business, I'm introducing a new program called BFF. Ok, so I don't have to be your ACTUAL Best Friend Forever, but I would like to be your Best FOTO Friend Forever! What do you think??

Here's how it works....You pay a one time fee to cover your family and it entitles you to all of the following benefits FOREVER:

~ 20% off Session Fees
~ 15% off all print orders
~ Discounted digital images (see here for details)
~ The option of a mini-session anytime at 40% of a full price session
~ No purging of images
~ First notice of all Special Events / Promotions and BFF discounts applied ON TOP of sales/promos

So what does it take to become a BFF of Illustrations Photography? There is a one time fee for an immediate family with up to 3 children* for $149.

HOWEVER, if you purchase your BFF membership when booking your 2010 session, you can get all of these great lifetime benefits for just $99! You'll see this paid off in your rewards in No Time!!

* If your family is larger, just add $50 per additional child.

Digital Image Pricing

2010-04-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

High-Resolution Images with a print release may be purchased as follows:

All edited proofs from the session - $600
   BFF price - $450

After a $200 print purchase*
  5 Images - $200
  Single Image - $125
   BFF price - $75

After a $400 print purchase*
  All edited proofs from the session - $300
   BFF price - $250

Custom Photo Montage DVD - $150

* Excluding discounts and credits

Project 365 - Day 118. On Your Mark... | Hartland Children's Photography

2010-04-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

The highlight of the girls' day today was a surprise visit with Chester (also known as "our dog" but he actually lives with our neighbor). We went there to pick up Corey and Lilly and Chester was also there for a pick-up so the three of them had a fun time racing around the grounds. Clearly Chester won (hence he's not in the picture) but it doesn't look like Clare and Emma were bothered about that little detail.

Project 365 - Day 117. My first self-portrait | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty impressed that it took me 117 days to become so desperate that I opted for a self-portrait!

I was in the car on my way back from Clare's gymboree class kicking myself for not having taken her picture there (to be fair it was behind a closed door) and wondering what I was going to do NOW. I pulled down the shade to block the sun, opened the mirror flap to wave to the kiddos and Emma said "MAMA". So, I said..."ok...I'll shoot Mama today". She responded "I see? I see?" Sure, you can see, Emma. And therefore, so can all of you.

By the way, is there anyone out there?????

Project 365 - Day 116. Monday, ToothDay | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day all around. Only 2 of the 4 are featured here but it was big for everyone.

First, Emma. My sweet little social butterfly. A friend offered to watch her today and with the draw of "babies" and "doggy" there was no holding Emma back from her first play date. Kelly is a friend of mine but a stranger to Emma but that didn't matter to her. She acted like she was just glad to be out and let me leave without even looking back. She played, had lunch, even a nap and was happy to see me when I got back, but gave Kelly the biggest smile and wave as we left. The other three kids were so shy at that age that it still surprises me how confident she is. I love it!!! And was so grateful to Kelly for helping us out of a hectic afternoon!

Corey. The big kid but also Mr. Sensitive. He had his first of 2 appointment to attack his 4 fillings. He survived it but the first hour wasn't pretty. Luckily for me, Rob was the chosen to parent to sit in the room with him and all ended well but he definitely had some huge fear of the unknown.

Clare had her first cleaning and check up today and handled it like an absolute pro! Very proud of how brave she was.

Finally, Lilly. She had to have her bottom two front teeth extracted because her permanent teeth were coming in behind those (shark teeth). I was probably as nervous as she was about it. I mean I've had my share of fillings but "extractions" just made my tummy churn! My only experience with those were when I had my impacted wisdom teeth pulled and it wasn't fun. She was totally confident about the whole thing all week and as we drove to the dentist and Corey refused to eat because he was just way too nervous, she was just fine. Cool as a cucumber....right up until they called her back. Well, then the tears came and the mantra..."I want to go home. I want to go home." It was a bit rough but after about 10 minutes of that and the dentist talking her through what he was going to do (not a shot...a much gentler procedure known as an injection of sleep water), he told her that the more still she was, the easier it would be and I could physically feel her relax. As he was doing the injection, she was actually getting more and more relaxed. Heck, she even smiled!!! I couldn't believe it! When we finished we checked our hands and the only marks left behind were from me squeezing HER hand. Such a tough girl!

SOOOO glad to have this day behind us.

Project 365 - Day 115. Good Night, Sweethearts | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-25T18:20:00.000-07:00

Clare and Emma started sharing a room when we got back from our spring break vacation and for the most part it's going great. This has become our bedtime ritual...a big girly hug in Clare's bed before Emma moves into her crib. Such a sweet moment that is a great way to end their day. Note the dummies that Emma has. (A dummy is what we call pacifiers in our house. It's an English thing and since it became a daily word to me when Corey was born over there, it's just stuck.) Corey only ever had one and when it got lost or misplaced....well, it was a HUGE issue! Clare and Lilly didn't use them but with Emma I remembered what I'd learned from before. ONLY use them at bedtime or really stressful times (airplanes, shots, etc.) and have LOTS of them. I think I'm currently up to about 8. This is great...she'll take any of them. But, she's also evolved into insisting on going to bed with at least 3 of them. One for her mouth and one for each hand. She'd take more if I let her but so far we're sticking to three. Anyway, the other thing to note is that I finally cut Emma's hair tonight. It was at bath time and she was moving around so it's not perfect but looking much better!!

Good night little ladies.

Project 365 - Day 114. Best Birthday Party Ever | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

Lilly went to a birthday party today. Let me clarify that....she went to "the best birthday party ever" today. It was at Kid-Do's (a kid's hair salon) and she got her hair, nails, and make-up done. Sounds like a great day for any girl! It was quite surprising to see all the Red and Blue hair when I arrived to pick her up. :-) They all looked great and had a blast! Happy Birthday, Grace!!

Here's a REALLY QUICK little video I did of the few shots I got during cake eating and of Lilly afterwards. Enjoy!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Project 365 - Day 113. Budding Artists | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

I'm headed out to my photography seminar so just have a quick minute but wanted to share a couple pictures from today's outing to Gymboree. This time for Family Art. Emma is amazing. I swear she follows instruction better than some three year olds I've seen. She's just eating it up and, once again, it was great bonding time.

Happy Friday!

Project 365 - Day 112. A Daisy of A Day | Hartland Children's Photography

2010-04-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

I had a really great Mommy day.

Not surprisingly, as I've gotten more into my photography, I've been a bit less "present" for my kiddos. Particularly the little ones who see me get distracted through the day in a way that I never did when Corey and Lilly were my only little ones. In many ways, there's been a lot of benefit to mommy having a passion of her own outside the house, but there have been sacrifices and my involvement in playgroups and outings is definitely one of them.

Recently I bid on and won a 6-week gold membership to Gymboree at a silent auction. Today I realized that I should really get on top of that since summer will be here soon and I'll struggle to find time to get to a class without the big kids. As it turned out, there was a class today so we jumped into action and managed to get there. Well...didn't we have the BEST time!! Clare loved to run around and Emma? Well, Emma just couldn't stop smiling, dancing, running, climbing, did I mention smiling?? As a Mom, what could be better than seeing that pure joy on their faces. Priceless, as they say.

After I dropped the exhausted kiddos into bed for their naps, I ran out to get a few errands done (and a quick pedi). Came home to grab the rested kids and get Corey off the bus and then we headed to school for Lilly's Investiture Ceremony for Daisy Scouts. They started by walking in with daisies in their hands and singing "Make New Friends, And Keep The Old". Very sweet.

Rob is gone. My Mom was babysitting tonight so I was on my own getting everyone fed, cleaned, read, brushed, and into bed but I didn't mind today. It was a daisy of a day and I was grateful for all the little smiles.

Project 365 - Day 111. Helping Hands | Delafield Family Photography

2010-04-21T17:44:00.000-07:00

Rob is heading down to South Carolina tomorrow for 3 full days of sun, golf, friends, drinking and no kids. Yeah...I'm more than a bit jealous. He must be having a tinge of hubby guilt too since he came home early to replace my brake pads that have been making noise for a couple months now.

I'm grateful though. So grateful that I decided to make it my photo of the day. But then I went out to the garage to find something even better....Corey getting a lesson on tire removal, jacks, wrenches. He looked so cute with his little greasy hands.

Lucky me...a hubby who can fix my car AND take advantage of a teaching moment. Love that. Love him. A little less so because he'll be having a better weekend than me but still quite a bit. :-)

Project 365 - Day 110. Babies Coming Home | Delafield Family Photography

2010-04-20T19:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like there will be babies at our house again. Baby birds, that is. We spotted this little Mama this afternoon and realized she'd chosen our home to be her home. I think that's kinda neat. And, as always, I can't wait to get pictures of her babies!! Could be tough though. Her perch is over 20 feet off the ground. If I take out a screen, I can lean out the window to get a view of her but I'm still a good 8 feet or so below her. I love a challenge.

Project 365 - Day 109. Coffee | Delafield Portrait Photography

2010-04-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

I spotted this sign in my friend's kitchen tonight and knew I had my shot.

I have had a funny relationship with coffee. My whole life, I never had any interest in it. At. All. I loved the smell and I even liked coffee flavored candies or ice cream but coffee itself did nothing for me. That is until my little Emma arrived. With every child I had changes in my taste buds. Is that normal? I mean, I know I'm supposed to have pregnancy cravings and I did....like my true NEED for Arby's roast beef sandwiches when I was pregnant with Lilly. I'd never had one before and don't think I've had one since but I had about 2 a week there for a while. But I digress. The changes I'm talking about came AFTER the baby was born. Just new foods that I didn't like before but now I did. Well, after Emma...after 37 years of not liking coffee....all of a sudden I really liked and wanted coffee. I'm not an addict but if I miss my one cup in the morning, I think about it. I mean I really notice that I missed it. Weird.

I like that I like coffee though. Every once in a while some of the girls in the neighborhood get together for a cup on a random morning and I'd hate to miss those just because I wasn't a coffee drinker! Phew. Just in time, I'd say!

Project 365 - Day 108. Maternity Sneak Peek | Whitefish Bay Maternity Photography

2010-04-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

When we first moved back to this area after Corey was born, I was desperate for fun kid activities that were tolerable and social for me too. I found several but THE BEST place for both me and Corey was My Gym. We just always had a good time there and I was continually impressed with the creativity of the activities and the fun factor that the teachers brought to the environment. Over the couple of years we went there (before they sadly closed), we built a great relationship with one of those teachers, Kara. Kara is now the proud mother of 2....soon to be 3...and I had the opportunity today to meet all her boys and see her in all her loveliness. I really enjoyed my time with them and can't wait to meet the newest member of their fun young family!

This baby is definitely surrounded with love:

The big brothers having fun:

There are loads of gorgeous shots...can't wait to share them, Kara! Thanks so much!

Project 365 - Day 107. A Day With "The Beast" | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

I still affectionately refer to my new, very large lens as "the beast". It's so big that I end up not using much. Well...today was my day to give it a good test run! I went on an Architecture Walk in the Third Ward of Milwaukee this afternoon so took lots of pics of stuff I wouldn't normally even notice. Then tonight we headed back downtown to see Ryan's soccer game. It was really cold but still fun. They lost but it was a good game.

I have lots of pics to edit but here's just a couple from my day and the new lens. It's an adjustment but I'm becoming a fan.

project 365 - Day 106. vacation | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

I spent most of the day feeling like I REALLY needed a vacation. I know what you must be thinking....geez, didn't she just get back from a vacation????!!! No. I did not. I DID just get back from a trip with the whole gang to Orlando but let me clear...that was a trip, not a vacation. I'm quite sure that any full time Mom could tell you the difference. Don't get me wrong...Orlando was great and I really enjoyed the family time but when you're still responsible for meal planning, diaper changes, clothing selections, tidying up, etc....well, it just doesn't qualify as a vacation. And today? Well, I needed one.

Ok, well that was 6.5 hours ago and since then I've been out with my hubby for the first real date night in WAY too long and you know what? I feel like I've had a vacation. So, with that, I'm done for the day. A quick picture of my adventurous baby (about to go down the slide) who is sure to be my first child in a cast, and I'm off to rest after my well-needed vacation. :-)

It's Fix-It Friday!

2010-04-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

It seems like ages since there's been a Fix-It Friday. Maybe it's just because I enjoy them so much! I was thinking that I really didn't have time for this today but then I saw the shot and knew it could be gorgeous so here I am with my fix.

And here is the original:

I did my fix in Photoshop CS2. I first adjusted the curves and levels to get the brightness and contrast fixed and then ran the CoffeeShop Perfect Portrait action. Within that action, I could brighten her eyes, smooth her skin, add color pop and a bit of "urban grit" to the background.

I LOVE the composition of this shot and the background and of course the girl is beautiful so how it could not turn out well. I expect a lot of great fixes to this one....I'm off to have a look now.

You can check out other fixes at:

Project 365 - Day 105. Lollipop, lollipop | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

Clare has been potty trained for a long time. I can't even remember exactly when because she just decided herself one day and that was it. She did have a little harder time with poops but nothing a lollipop bribe couldn't cure. Problem is, 8 months later....she still needs a lollipop every time she goes poop.

Thank goodness for DumDums.

Project 365 - Day 104. Bedtime Quality Time | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-14T19:40:00.000-07:00

I brought my camera up to Lilly's room for her book time tonight. She cracks me up. She was SO worried at the beginning of the school year that she would never learn to read and she still claims that she doesn't know how. Meanwhile, she reads GREAT and I couldn't be more proud of her. Tonight she read her nightly "baggie book" to me but also a book she wrote today about Clare's birthday. It was very sweet. Oh...and aren't her PJ's great?? Grandma gave Clare and Lilly those for their birthdays....they're from Vietnam and beautiful!

Corey has been trading his book time for lego-time the past couple of evenings. He goes in phases with his interest in lego's but apparently he's "on" at the moment. He really wanted me to take picture too after he knew I'd been in taking Lilly's picture. And, of course, I was more than happy to oblige. Anytime, baby. Anytime!

Project 365 - Day 103. Sicko's | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

Generally speaking, we're a very healthy family (knock on wood). The last couple of weeks have been a bit rough on us though. We've had various stomach bugs running their courses through all of us except Corey. Today it's Emma who's on her second day of whatever Clare had for the four days before that. I'm looking forward to getting back to a healthy household!!! Soon!

Project 365 - Day 102. Kindergarten Kicks | Delafield Children's Photography

2010-04-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Because of the little girls, I rarely get to spend time with any of the kids at school. I feel bad about it and wish I could be there more but it's just one of those things I've learned to accept.

Today both Clare and Lilly had their birthday celebrations at school so I ran around a bit crazy all day but managed to be there for each of their mini-parties. At Lilly's, I even managed to get the camera out.

There's no doubt about it...Kindergarten is awesome. Even better when you have the super-cool Mrs. Atilano as your teacher! And even better when it's your birthday...Lilly felt like a rock star!