One more — super cute — Operation Love Reunited Session! April 22, 2009

After our full day of OpLove sessions (by the way, a huge thank you goes out to Ryan Edick for driving all the way from Manhattan to help out!!), I headed over to visit one last family while I was in Leavenworth. And I love how these turned out.

These photos are all taken in their living room, backyard or front porch area. I absolutely love capturing kids being kids… and it helps when they’re in a place that’s familiar to them. Add in two beautiful blue-eyed kiddos and we have the makings of an awesome photo shoot. :)

Their dad is coming home soon, and I can’t imagine how excited he must be to get back to his beautiful wife and kids.

Look at this face! I couldn’t help but say “awwww!” out loud at every photo. I couldn’t decide which expression is cutest (seriously, a baby boy who smiles right into the camera?!), so I’m giving you three to view. :)

And big sister with her super cute ponytails was just as adorable:

Making handprints:

And the whole family, ready for a certain soldier’s arrival home… :)

Sally, thank you so much for letting me meet your family and capture some images for your soldier. I’m so excited for you to be reunited soon. :)

 

Blog readers, stay tuned. I have an awesome senior portrait session, a newborn, several engagements, some more great seniors and a wedding (yes — it’s officially wedding season!) coming your way in the next few weeks. :) Get excited!

 

The photos and other content of this publication do not imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense.

Weekend with the In-laws March 16, 2009

You’ve heard all the jokes about them. You’ve seen it in sitcoms. You probably heard horror stories before you got married. You might have even made a few comments about your own… yes, I’m talking about in-laws. And, fortunately, I don’t have ANY jokes, sitcom situations or horror stories to share about mine. I have been extremely blessed with the best in-laws in the world. If I was a lottery-playing type of girl, I’d say that I won the in-law jackpot. :)

We headed out of Kansas City on Friday evening to spend a weekend with the wonderful people I’ve called my family for the last year and a half. Our weekend included lots of food (Jeri is an awesome cook!), lots of dogs (of course!), and lots of random family time.

Some highlights include… practicing golf swings in the backyard:

Planting potatoes… yes, potatoes.

Cartwheels:

And, uh, Riverdance? :)

Spinning:

Quality time with dogs:

I’m going to try to make some stop-motion videos with our footage from the cartwheels, jumping and spinning. I’ve been wanting to try that for a while, so I’ll post here if it’s a success. :)

Coming soon… Miss Piper the Boston Terrier gets a post of her very own!

Operation: Love Reunited Session in Leavenworth February 22, 2009

Last week, my brother went back to Iraq to finish his tour. It was so nice to spend time with him while he was home on leave, and I feel like through his deployment, I can understand a little bit better what the families who are experiencing military deployment go through during that time. I am even more excited about my participation in the Operation: Love Reunited program, where photographers offer free sessions to families during a deployment. 

This weekend, I got to meet another wonderful military family through the program. Both parents are active duty Army, stationed in Ft. Leavenworth. When Jen e-mailed me to do a portrait session of them to send to her husband, who is currently deployed in Baghdad, I was excited. I love these surprise portrait sessions — I send an album directly to the deployed soldier, who usually doesn’t know that it’s coming! It’s such an awesome way for me to give back to the men and women who sacrifice so much — including precious time with their families — for our freedoms.

I met the family in their Leavenworth home, since it was too cold outside for an outdoor location. With sessions in the home, I like to capture families doing what they do best — spending time together! So we started off with Mom reading a book to the kids (their dad’s favorite one!).

And we even got a few close-ups of the kids by themselves to send to Dad! I love these, and I’m so excited to send him portraits of his beautiful children!

I can’t decide which of the next two photos I love more. She is just the most precious girl! These are definitely some of my favorite kids’ portraits.

And some sister-brother bonding!

I love this classic headshot of Mom! I’m sure her husband will, too. :) It’s no wonder the kids have beautiful smiles — look where they got it from!

Mother-daughter photos just never get old, especially not with two lovely ladies. :)

Such great smiles! I love everything about this — from the joyful smiles, to the American flag print in the background…

The bear in the photo below is “Daddy Bear” and it plays a recorded message from Dad to daughter!

Jen, thank you for scheduling a session with me. It was a joy to meet your family, and I can’t wait to send the surprise package to your husband!

If you know a military family who is going through a deployment, send them my way for more information about an Operation: Love Reunited photography session!

This also helps me meet my goal for #81 on my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days (don’t worry, even though I’m crossing that item off, I’ll still be doing may more OpLove sessions!).

My Birthday Weekend February 9, 2009

My family came to Kansas City for my birthday this past weekend. It was such a special and fun weekend, since my older brother was home for a 2-week leave from his deployment in Iraq — just in time for my b-day! :) We ate at Jeff and I’s favorite local restaurants, took my sister-in-law on a quick tour of the best spots in KC, playing the rowdiest and loudest game of Catchphrase (ever), and had plenty of time to just hang out!

On Saturday, we did a quick drive through some of the more notable neighborhoods and districts of Kansas City. When we arrived at Union Station in downtown KC, we went in to show Justin and Leslie the awesome architecture and classic beauty of the old train station. 

There’s something so timeless about hand-holding in an old beautiful train station…

And I just love this old-school diner inside the station. Who wants to do a retro-style engagement session here??

I can’t get over how ornate and beautiful the restoration on the grand hall area was — check out the ceiling, and this amazing chandelier! 

Leslie has penny souvenirs from all over — so when she saw a machine in Kansas City’s Union Station, we couldn’t miss that opportunity. :)

For the longest time, I have wanted to convert all of our old home videos to DVD — it’s even on my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. Well, my family beat me to it! They even surfaced these long-lost tapes of my little brother as a baby and my older brother and I as elementary and middle school-aged kids (and even a few from my high school cheerleading days — yikes!). We watched some of them this weekend. I love home videos, but this was just a real treat — video that I have NEVER seen and didn’t even know existed. Maybe it’s because I’m in the business of preserving memories… but that just makes my heart happy. :)

That’s my younger brother on the screen in the crib. So cute! Thanks for crossing off #4 for me!!

 

Petey was reunited with his brother, Bruce, who is Justin and Leslie’s miniature schnauzer. They were SO good together all weekend (a first for them) and it was so awesome! They were just the best little pals, and so cute! They liked keeping watch all weekend (Petey is the little guy!). Jeff took these cool shots:

I have no idea what prompted this next photo (or the 5 or 6 that followed…), but my little (okay, younger) brother and I are quite a pair. I think he looks a little like Edward from the Twilight movie in this shot, minus the hair. Just don’t tell him that, because he is against Twilight with every ounce of his being. :) As for me, I just look mad. I don’t have a very cool serious face… and my sweatshirt isn’t as cool as Jacob’s popped collar. ;)

Oh, siblings. I love family time! Thanks for coming to KC everyone… and making my birthday so special! :)

My brother, the stylish. January 13, 2009

My younger brother is a sophomore in high school, but way beyond his years in his sense of humor, insight, style and coolness. :) He’s always been a source of entertainment and we’ve always been close (we spent a lot of summers together, me teaching him Phonics and feeding him Spaghetti-Os… yeah, I was such a cool sister! Ha ha!). Anyway, he came out pretty great and it’s always fun to see Jacob. 

We were back in my hometown area last weekend, when he happened to be getting ready for his high school’s Snowball Dance. I talked him into a few photos before he left, and he agreed (that’s why I love him!). So we captured some very Sinatra-esque photographs and then he was off! :)

I call this one Man of Mystery. :)

And my favorite! The moon was SO bright that night, and I desperately wanted to catch him in the moonlight,  but instead, I opted for headlights! :) The outdoor photos are taken with the car headlights pointed out into the yard. It’s a good thing my family lives in the country! 

Thanks for being such a good sport, Jakey. :)

The votes have been cast! October 31, 2008

I know you’ve all been anxiously awaiting the announcement of our Christmas Capture Contest winner! Well, the voting was tough. The entries were all compelling — so compelling, in fact, that I couldn’t even choose the winner myself. Since quite a few of the entries came from people I know personally or have worked with in the past, I wanted to have completely objective voting. So I took out all of the identifying information from the entries and sent the finalists on to about 20 of my friends, family members and clients. They voted on their top choices, and let me tell you — it was close. So close that we’ve decided to offer a second-place prize as well!

(Drumroll please…)

 

The top-voted entry of our 2008 Christmas Capture Contest is the family of Dean Purkeypile, submitted by Melinda. Here’s what she wrote about this family:

I would like to nominate Dean Purkeypile’s family for the Christmas Contest.  Dean is fighting for his life with Leukemia.  As Christmas approaches, memories surface of past Christmases and family.  I remember the profound joy of spending time with family that included Dean. As my cousin, Dean made up the Purkeypile family which enveloped all with a kind word and laughter.  As a Christian man, Dean lives his life in faith. In life, loving is a gift we can give to each other. During this Christmas time, I believe a gift I can give back to my cousin is the gift of love…a portrait of his wife and family, especially his little grandson, Max.

The runner-up portrait package goes to the Hathaway family, submitted by Carolyn. Here’s what Carolyn had to say:

I would like to nominate the Hathaways.  My family has known this family for a few years, they are an Army family and we lived at the same post in California and now they are also at Ft. Leavenworth.  Eric (the husband) has been deployed and will be returning in November.  Kristin (the wife) has been at home with 3 children. They are an amazing family, but there has been a lot of transition for them!  They moved to Ft. Leavenworth summer 2006, and then he deployed not too long after that.  And now they’ll be moving again within 2 months of his return.  They are a very generous family, and have supported me over the past year.  And I’d love to see them get this picture chance!  They’ve been apart for so long, and everyone has changed, but getting some beautiful pictures taken (it really warms my heart to think of Kristin & Eric getting pictures of just the two of them as well), would be a great “bringing the family back to together” time.

 

I’d like to thank everyone who submitted entries for the contest! For our winning submissions, please send an e-mail to me[at]ericamay[dot]com for more information on how to help them set up their sessions!

To my fantastic contest voting committee – you’re so appreciated! Thanks for participating in this project to give families lasting reminders and precious memories. Thank you for your time!

 

In the spirit of family togetherness, here’s a shot of our puppy Petey before we knew he was ours! He was so tiny! :) I don’t have kids yet, but I can’t even imagine how much I’m going to love their little faces someday… I loved this puppy from the very first time I saw him. :)

Christmas Capture Contest — coming soon! October 5, 2008

There’s just one week left to get in your entries for the ericamay photography Christmas Capture Contest… nominate a family for a free portrait session, just in time for Christmas.

In case you missed all of the details the first time, click here to read the original post.

E-mail your nominations to Erica – me[at]ericamay.com!

The spirit of giving: 2008 Christmas Capture Contest September 22, 2008

 

“I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their hearts freely…” — Charles Dickens

 

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. I love the warm and cozy feeling of being by a fire, drinking cocoa, all wrapped up in a fuzzy blanket. I love the Christmas carols, the holiday cheer, and the ringing of the Salvation Army bells. I love the spirit of charity, of reaching out to a neighbor and of making little kids’ eye sparkle on Christmas morning. I love spending time with family, baking cookies, stuffing stockings, and coming together to celebrate. I love what the celebration and the day itself represents — the birth of Jesus Christ.

 

This year, I want to share the Christmas cheer. I want to give of myself in a way that not everyone can. I want to make a difference in a family’s life, by preserving memories, capturing smiles and forever sealing the family bond that shines through during the holidays. And I need your help.

The first ever ericamay photography Christmas Capture Contest is a chance for you to nominate a deserving family for a chance to win a free family portrait shoot. It’s a way for you to honor a family, by helping me give the gift of memories. There’s nothing quite like capturing the joy in a child’s face, the warmth in a parent’s arms, and the bond between parents and children, brothers and sisters.

 

So, here’s what you will do:

1. Send me an e-mail that includes:

Your name and contact information. The nominated family’s name and contact information (e-mail, phone and address). A description of the family, including names (of everyone) and ages (of children). A note about why they deserve a family portrait session this holiday season.

Please e-mail all entries to this address:   me[at]ericamay.com   (replace the [at] with @)

2. All entries must be received by midnight on Sunday, October 12th.

3. A trusted group of my dearest friends and family will review, narrow down the options, and choose one winning family. The family will be notified and an announcement will be made on the blog before October 30th! The package will include a free 1-hour family portrait session, a disc of the edited images, and 2 framed 11×14 prints.

4. The family portrait session has to take place in the Kansas City area, and be scheduled before mid-November (so they have their photos before the holiday season!).

Please make sure that the family you nominate is either in the Kansas City area, or could be here for a family portrait session. If you’d like to nominate your own family — please do! All entries are welcome — the more, the merrier. Invite your friends, family and co-workers to nominate families in the area as well!

 

As the holiday season approaches, what can you do to help give back to your community? My suggestion: start right here.

 

(Photo: my brother and his wife last Christmas!)

 

 

#8: Visiting Granny September 1, 2008

A few miles from Mansfield, Missouri, is the place the Shorts have called home for decades. Within a small stretch of gravel road sits the now empty home of Jeff Coday (my Jeff’s namesake, Granny’s father), the site of an old one-room schoolhouse (where my father-in-law Jim went to school), and the past and current home of Granny (Jeff’s grandma). Over the years, life has changed so much in this homestead area, yet stayed somehow the same — in a comforting kind of way, that when you pull up, you know you’ve found your way home.

Jeff and I don’t get to visit our extended family members very often, so when we were going to be near Mansfield for our camping trip, we knew we had to stop in and visit Granny and Aunt Lecia (only one of the sweetest ladies alive!).

The house is such a great farmhouse, and if those walls could talk…wow.

Granny was born in 1916. I can only imagine the things she has seen in her lifetime — we can learn so, so much from those wiser than we are. I’d encourage you all to take time to learn, hear stories and experience life through the perspective of someone special in your family!

Jeff just loves his Aunt Lecia…who is seriously one of the most thoughtful ladies I have ever met. She cooked us quite a feast when we came to visit (Lecia, if you’re reading this, can I get that lasagna recipe?! Yummm!!).

Thanks for the great lunch and fun visit. We love you.

(#8 refers to my list of 101 in 1001!)

Family Portraits: The Knaebels August 7, 2008

Last night, I met this cute family of four at Loose Park in Kansas City, Missouri (this has been a popular spot lately!). The rain held off just long enough for us to finish our shoot, which was postponed once already for rain!

Their boys are so adorable, although they weren’t exactly into having their photos taken! We let them be themselves, though, and eventually the smiles came out! Check out these little cuties:

Ty really was just interested in finding water and geese…he led the way to the pond with the big fountain (and all of geese, who put up with me hiding in the trees with them to capture some true-to-life images of the family!).

Little Eli didn’t quite know what to think of the big 70-200 lens pointed in his direction while he was trying to play, but he at least gave us a few great shots of those big baby blues!

Mom and Dad were GREAT in front of the camera! They are both so photogenic — I love this classic shot:

Thanks so much for choosing ericamay photography to capture your family’s memories!