We have a new member of our family.. I have had a feeling that I was going to be getting another cat.. we’ve always been a two dog, two cat house and there have been free kitten signs going up all over the little town outside of Ann Arbor I live in… but each time I’ve driven by I have thought no, there is going to be a kitty that needs me.

Thursday night Jason, Anne and I met for their engagement session (oh man just wait - what fun and what GREAT pictures I cannot wait for the wedding and for Anne and Jason to move back to town!!) and as the sun was setting I found the perfect little hill with the sun setting and the clouds being just right to shoot the last image of the evening.. we stopped the car and from the bushes came the prettiest little poor starving young cat, maybe five months old, I have ever seen. She mewed piteously and rolled about at our feet as we finished up. “If you can just wait a few more moments.” I told her “You will come home with me.” The only house anywhere was desperately up for sale (please buy me) the sign said and no sign of humans anywhere. Poor Scout (I named her immediately upon her hopping in the car with Anne) obviously hadn’t eaten in, well maybe more then a week she is all skin and bones. Anne and Jason were wonderful and understood me not giving them proper hugs goodbye as Scout was already ensconced in my lap and I called Sean on the way home to give him the news (as always he was understanding and just like me cannot turn away something that is in need.)

She is fitting in mostly well with the other beings in the house Loki is a teasing her a bit and she tends to swat first ask questions later BUT she isn’t using any major claws so I think we’re out of any worry that we’ll have any trouble

and she most perfectly is sitting on the edge of my desk so I can pet her with one hand but keep processing with the other!

Have a lovely weekend everyone (more sessions up soon! promise)

Donella showed Ares yesterday how to treat the flag. How one must treat it with respect and how it must not touch the ground.

The very aim and end of our institutions is just this: that we may think what we like and say what we think. -Holmes

and have a safe and happy long weekend!

I was so eager to take little Ella’s picture that I actually showed up a day early in a rainstorm her parents were very sweet and kindly told me to just come back the next day for our actual appointment, I did and the weather showed up as well, a beautiful sunny afternoon just for us.

It has been a while since I’ve done portraits with the light and there were so many that came out wonderfully I almost blogged them all. beautiful.

Every once in a while I get these it’s a good time to be alive moments, and downloading the entire Pixies album Doolittle onto my wee xbox and rocking out to this monkeys gone to heaven, Crackity jones and I bleed, is sure one of them.. I can’t sing, and my guitar skills are negligible but I can rock out with rock band and love it.  honestly the best stress reliever in the world if sitting still in silence for ten minutes isn’t your thing

and if you haven’t heard the album download it, and rock out in your car at least

honestly, it is not the most exciting thing to watch your dad and his fiance hold hands for two hours but Alex and Lydia were so sweet, just the best kids, the very sweetly allowed me to include them in the pictures a bit

I am always surprised about how I can go to some of the same places and walk around a city I grew up with and still find things that are new and wonderful.. maybe it’s the people with whom I am with.

Danielle and Pat met me in Ann Arbor with Pat’s two children and we walked Ann Arbor and found new places and the most lovely light.. I even got some wonderful portraits of the kids too! (I’ll post those soon). Danielle and Pat I had so much fun and cannot wait for the wedding, here is a sneak peak at a few of your engagement session images!

Sometimes I need to stretch my wings a bit, and every time I decide to jump out and take a bit of a risk I am always happier for it. (and so are my subjects ) I used to do more experimental things, I called it personal work. I want to incorporate that more into everything I do because the more I think about it the more I realize all my work is personal work, it’s all part of my soul and sharing that in a session just makes that session all that much more meaningful.

Remember to stretch and grow and when that fear hits you because you aren’t sure or you haven’t seen it before, be reminded as I am every day from my good friends and some amazing photographers, fear is the mind killer. make that leap, the world is a lovely blur, embrace it.

I was commissioned by Sylvia for two very special sessions, both for a fathers day surprise. This is the first, so many images I can’t pick just one to share so I’ve put together a slideshow.

(please feel free to turn the music up, push the play arrow and enjoy)

Sylvia has the most amazing kids. Ava is so full of joy and so much fun and Golden is amazing, a sweet and thoughtful boy. Both of them (all of them) so much fun to create with.

I wanted to do a redesign and I couldn’t find anyone to do it (though I am still looking I haven’t given up) so I did it myself the snazzy flash banner to come soon, baby steps. Hope it is pleasing to you all it’s very pleasing to me.

(plus pictures can be a touch bigger too!)

On another note I just wanted to add as I watch the nightly news that just because someone isn’t exactly like you or me or her or him does not mean that they are bad, just because someone may worship differently or think differently or be from a different place, that doesn’t mean they aren’t good, kind, people. Lets not let fear guide us, lets let love maybe get a bit of a leg in.. maybe it’s time for a change..

Kelly has been waiting LONG enough to see the photos that we got at our four student senior photo fun day. I love them, and this is for sure a case of last but NOT least! So much fun to work with you Kelly I love how the images turned out!

The bus was just cool and so is that tee shirt!

Some mirror fun!

more jumps, personally I don’t get tired of them!