So excited to share this session with you....one of my favorite sessions to date. It is so honest. so fun. so full of love. This session was conjured from a place of an honest desire to freeze life with a series of photographs. It is exactly what lifestyle photography is all about and why I can't stress enough that at some point in your lifetime everyone should have a lifestyle session. Even if it is with your own point and shoot. It is not about the pose. the contrived smile. the perfect outfit. It is all about the moment. the interaction. the emotion. the snippets of life that go by way to fast. These are the kind of moments that should be recorded on film. Not that the poses aren't important. But capturing life (and you) just as it is....These are the images that have the power to make you smile on your dreariest of days. The images that will remember the moments that grow hazy in your mind over time. This is what will stop your great-grandkids in their tracks someday, and pause for reflection, as they smile and visualize how vivid your life was. This is the root of what photography is all about.

Meet Deb and Amanda.

Deb is a long time friend of mine who I adore incredibly so and Amanda is her beautiful daughter. For years, Deb has been lamenting that she wanted to set up a session with her daughter but as we all know life always has a way of, well, getting in the way. Finally, this year as Deb's birthday was approaching, she came to me and said 'let's do this'. With a glimmer in her eye, she planned to fly her daughter into town for a visit for her birthday, deciding to keep the session a surprise. When Amanda arrived, she had a little birthday gift for her mom....An empty picture frame, with a simple title on it 'the girls'.... I love when life has unexpected parts of the plot that make for the perfect story. Amanda had no idea that a session had been planned and yet she had this desire for pictures of her mom and her as well. Perfection. Oh how I adore these two...


When Deb and I were planning her session, we discussed what were things that she liked to do with Amanda. What were some of the everyday moments that she loved most with Amanda. "Pretty much just cooking, laughing, hanging out, and walking the dog....to me that is a perfect day with Amanda". And so that is exactly what our session entailed...I came over and snapped away as they cooked a delicious meal together.




Deb you are beautiful and your spirit is so full of life. Only you could make cooking look so fun!


Ahhh, fresh basil!



Yumtown.





I love that this session was on Deb's actual birthday and so glad I could be there to document, as well as, celebrate!




After cooking, eating, and partaking in a bit of wine and cake, it was time to move on to the part of the session that involved the other girl in Deb's life 'Bella'. We planned to head outside to take Bella for a walk but Deb first gave me a tour of her home. Every little detail is so true to Deb and the fun spirited amazing person she is. I had to snap a few images of her home....

She lives on a golf course and this is her view. J.E.A.L.O.U.S.


And for those of you that know Deb and her crazy quest to adopt and protect the eagles, it would make perfect sense to see that she has a terrarium set up with a little miniature eagle statue.....everything in her life reflects how awesome she is.

These next few are some of my favorites of Deb...


Deb is very sentimental and has a serious appreciation for photographs and family heirlooms and she has a 'shrine' of sorts set up to her family history in her guest room. This was the last formal portrait her and Amanda had taken....definitely overdue for some new pics!!


Deb + Amanda. I love you. Enough said.


And now it was time for Bella to join the party...

yes, even Bella, got her toes done...








My favorite of the entire day...


There is no bond quite like the one between a mother and her daughter. Deb and Amanda, thank you for letting me capture you. The beautiful spirits you are.


Thanks for sticking it through to the end....definitely a long post, but a good story takes time to tell. ~Jen