December 5-on-5: Trimming the Tree

Every year I purchase a new Christmas ornament for each of my children, so that from the time of their very first Christmas to their eighteenth, they garner a pretty little collection that they will someday use on their own tree in their own home.

By far, my daughter, has been the most enthusiastic ornament lover in our family. Her excitement each year as she goes through her box of ornaments elicits memories of my sisters and I gathered around our very own boxes ohhhing and ahhhing over the ornaments our mom had hand picked for each of us. I remember the excitement I always felt when we would begin the Christmas decorating and nothing was better than going slowing through my box of ornaments enjoying every single one like they were brand new treasure.

This year the tree decorating was left to just 3 of us, but Lauren couldn't stand not having her two older brothers' ornaments on the tree, so she went through their boxes, too, exclaiming with joy over each one that was her "favorite". 

Our tree decorating definitely has different dynamics these days, but I'm completely thankful for the joy Lauren brings and the child-like wonder. It is a good reminder of days gone by and of new to come.

 To see more un-posed photography that documents daily life in 5 photos head on over to the wonderful Amy Thelen, a Portland, Oregon Family Photographer

November 5-on-5 Shipshewana

Last week my mom and I took my two youngest to Shipshewana, Indiana.  When I was a young girl a Shipsee trip was an annual event. My mom would take my sisters and I to the outdoor flea market. We would spend hours wandering the aisles looking for treasures to spend our small bits of money on.
When we eventually conquered the myriad of sellers and their stalls, mom would make one final stop downtown. We would head to Lolly's to pick up fabrics that she most likely couldn't find anywhere else. 

So in a show of great tradition keeping, we made it our last stop (well almost our last, we bought huge soft pretzels to eat on the way home).  Lauren's first  stop was at the wooden boat that was full of remnants.  She has plans for some pajamas for her dolls and need a couple pieces of fabric. There were so many beautiful pieces that it was hard for her to narrow down what to buy. Eventually, though she made her selection and we moved on to investigate the rest of the store.

It was a wonderful day showing my kids around Shipshewana, taking them to our favorite shops, eating out at one of our favorite Shipsee restaurants, and walking down memory lane with my mom.

 For more documentary photography head on over to Nicole Austen, she is an Orlando, Florida Family Photographer and she tells her life stories with gorgeous photographs.

September 5-on-5: The Braces Edition

Last month Lauren's braces adventure began.  For weeks she had a mountain of questions and what if's. So when the actual day arrived there was a little anxiety due to the unknown. I could tell she was a bit nervous about the whole procedure and the resulting hardware that she would have in her mouth.

If it had just been braces I don't think she would have been so unsure, but because of some bite issues she has she ended up needing a herbst appliance along with the braces.  It was that added hardware that made her question.

Thankfully the staff is wonderful at her orthodontist's office.  They made her feel very welcome and assured her that it wasn't going to be bad.  Our time went quickly and an hour later she had the beginnings of her new smile.

Now almost a month later, she has adjusted to having a whole lot of metal in her mouth.  It wasn't as bad as she had imagined (she has an amazing pain tolerance) and she knows that even though it isn't the easiest thing to get used to, she will see the benefits of it down the road.

 For more storytelling images continue the circle by visiting my friend Melissa who is a St. Charles, MO documentary family photographer.

A Beautiful Five Years- Britton Michigan Documentary Photographer

It was a beautiful summer evening. Perfect for capturing the details and love of Zach, Debbie and their daughter.  An added bonus was that it was Debbie & Zach's  5th wedding anniversary, what could be more special than to document this time in their lives. 

We kept it simple and all about who they are right now.  What follows is a beautiful story of a family. A story that is unique to them.  It involved playing with water, tossing pears to their dog Birch, feeding the neighbors fish, making amazing bruschetta, capturing the beauty of their two-year-old daughter, and celebrating their anniversary in the very spot they were married five years ago.

In essence it tells of their love, their commitment, and their connection to one another.  It's their life, their love, their story.

 

 

Are you interested in a relaxed family photo session that tells the story of your family?  Visit me at Sycamore Lane Photography to find more information and details on how you, too, can have your beautiful memories preserved for generations to come.

Kalnbach Family Documentary Session- Hillsdale, Michigan Photographer

Documentary photography is completely about telling stories, so when Beka suggested we go fishing for their session I couldn't have been more happy.  It was an activity that she had done before with her children, so I knew it would be perfect for capturing the memories of her family at this stage in their lives.

It was a beautiful evening and the kids were having so much fun.  They weren't being made to sit still and look at the camera. They were free to move and play and catch fish.  We were tear and frustration free!

 The beauty of a documentary session is that if the kids tire of doing your slated activity we can always move on to something else.  We decided a trip to the play ground was the perfect filler before we headed to their house to make s'mores.

 As soon as we got to their house Beka and the kids changed into their pj's and then s'more making began.  Who wouldn't want these photos for their keepsake boxes, photo albums, or wall art.  None of these were staged.  I didn't ask the children to do anything.  The following is childhood in all it's beauty!

If you are interested in learning more about documentary photography head over to my website Sycamore Lane Photography to read more about it and check out my available packages/pricing.