Call me corny, I don’t care. How could I possibly NOT post these RIGHT NOW???!!! Twins. Again. TWIN BOYS! My first set. NOT IDENTICAL. Is ANYONE going to have identicals? Sheesh! But a LOT of twins lately, and a lot coming up. Love and hate newborn twin sessions. Why hate? Well, I really just hate myself! I am SO ANAL and SO METICULOUS… I lay them down, I think I have the shot, and a see an “off” finger position, or the hand looks weird, or the hat isn’t on right or the foot looks crooked or the mouth is open… Yup. This is me! I am a raving lunatic, I swear. And I am like this with regular newborn sessions, but now I have to make sure BOTH of them look perfect. In my eye anyway. So I hate me, really. Gah, I annoy myself. Ask my cousin Amy who was here watching my insanity all go down.

So, let’s talk about newborn photography for a second. Because me being this way makes me think of newborn photography. I see it all the time. Newborn photography isn’t just about photography. You can be spot on and know how to focus and know your light, and jeez, maybe you even studied photography for 15 years. Doesn’t make ya a newborn photographer. Newborn photography is art. Plain and simple. A baby on a bean bag on a blanket with a hat from etsy does not mean newborn photography. A baby in a bucket with a cute flower headband does not mean newborn photography.

It is about every little finger and toe and hand position. It is about molding a baby and making that baby look like sheer perfection, like sheer art. If you look at a photo of a baby and it makes ya feel “off” somehow, then that baby is just not lying right. Propping a baby up on their arms or really propped into their hands should look natural, not forced.

Posing a newborn is incredibly hard. It is hard if your a little OCD like myself. I cannot settle with a baby in an etsy hat lying on a blanket if that baby doesn’t look 100% perfect. 100% like that baby was just meant to be there. I feel like a photo of a newborn should look like they almost melted in to that position. Almost as though they your “poured” into the pose.

That’s just me.

I am so corny today.

Where the HECK was I going?!

OH!!! Holy tangent if I ever had one. Twins. Posing a newborn. Times two.

Michael and Thomas. Perfect babies. With a perfect big sister. Julia. Classic beautiful names. Loved spending the day with these three. Yes, I am anal. But I’ll take it if it means mom and dad get these images that they will never get again.

Robin, a loooooooooooooooong nine months for these. Worth it. Thanks so much for the opportunity to document your sweet boys. You say that I am so patient. I say you are. Thank YOU for letting me take the time to make them perfect.

Thomas. The smaller ones are always little buggers. It’s like that have that “little man” syndrome early. Like, “Just because I am small doesn’t mean I ain’t tough”. Or here it kinda means, “I ain’t sleepin’ unless it’s on MY terms”. Sure. I’ll still get ya to hang out though.

But then he slept.

And slept.

And slept.

And held hands.

And hugged.

And gave me a great foot shot.

And also slept so big sister Julia could hang out for a photo.

That’s what time I got a text from Gina telling me that she thinks she is in labor. A little bit after that I got another text letting me know she was on her way to the hospital. I love Gina and how she kept me up to date on everything. No worries on the time. I was awake. I usually am at that hour. I think I was sitting up in bed on my laptop answering emails. Makes me smile when I read texts like that.

So here is Lorenzo, born that next morning. His lashes and his hair is what got me… Oh yeah, and mom and dad’s enthusiasm. I just love when parents are this excited, I really do. Makes me super happy to give them images that they will treasure.

Gina! Hope you enjoy a couple new sneaks on here… I am so crafty. LOL

LOVE this!

And what a journey THIS was!!! Wowzers. I am so excited for the new photos, the new galleries, the new “in action” gallery is just amazing…

The photos are BIGGER, everything is just BETTER, and it’s the new me!

I am sure I will tweak it here and there, but here is is.

I am now booking for 2011 as promised, with a special print credit for the first ten people to book for 2011. See my facebook ( link is over there —> ) for a couple details on that….

Cannot wait for the next spring already! Family sessions galore!

And all my newly pregnant moms, due in January, February, and yes, I had a March inquiry, looking forward to capturing your babies in the winter!!!

xoxoxox

Thanks so much to EVERYONE for making the new site possible. Look around, is your baby on the new site?! Is your family??

LOVED working with you guys in the last 6 months or so, and I look forward to seeing you grace future websites!!!

My cousin. Amy. She was here for the week with me, and of course, we had a big family shoot. Got it done in an hour. And amazing things happened. The light, the location, and forget about the clothes. Gotta love Matilda Jane. I’ve been spending up storms myself, but Amy’s kids are the best dressed kids you’ll ever meet. You should see their pajamas. Ridiculously cute.

So, this is going to be a massive post for a couple reasons. One- this is a family shoot. The is what you get with me. These are meant to be big spreads on your walls. This kind of a shoot is meant for the times you are done having kids. When THIS is your family, as a whole. So I wanted to show you all the array of photos and emotion that happens.

Two- because it’s my cousin, my family. Amy is older than me and best friends with my sister actually, but our kids are roughly the same age, and our youngest girls are two weeks apart.

Three- because they are picture perfect in every way. Their personalities, their looks, their attitudes. Love ‘em. Skylar, River, and Sienna. What great kids and a pleasure to see their faces every morning this past week.

Ame, thanks for everything. Thanks for letting my shoot your family. I was NERVOUS, again, because they knew me, and so the element of curiosity was missing. But they cooperated. And they loved each other. What’s better than photographing love??

Sorry for the large share, but as ya can see, how could I help myself???

I’ll start with my favorite family photo of them- I love how the kids were loving them but wanted to look at me, and love how Amy and Chris are so into each other.

A FAVE!!!

What attitude in this one!!! LOVE it!

The lashes…

AWWW!!

Love this little one…

Laughter…

That I was telling ya’ll about? You know, the one I was flipping out about? Well, here is a little sneak in to what you will find!!!

It’s called ” in. action. ”

And it goes a little something like this.

The set up.

The shot.

The set up.

The shot.

The set up.

The shot.

The set up.

The shot.

I hope you love the sneak in to my new website!!! I think it is super cool to see in action shots, especially with newborns. Thanks to my special cousin and friend Amy- you will be seeing a lot of her around as her photography business expands as well!

And while I am at it- more of baby Samantha, the SWEETEST ten-day-old EVER!!!! The perfect model the my “in action” shots. And, the prefect model in general! So so sleepy, so pretty, and let me put her in just about every position imaginable!

I am in awe of her little newborn beauty. No, I do not get sick of photographing newborns. Ever. And I never will.

Lia, with her sweet head of hair, her little smiles throughout our session, and her eyes. She had big girl eyes. Meaning, they were that light blue in the middle with the darker blue circle around the outside. I have never seen such eyes on a newborn in my life. I cannot wait to see what they look like next year!

And her parents. What a pleasure. M, thanks so much for being so excited for your photos, for the session. You look disgustingly good two weeks post partum… How can I love and hate you at the same time??!

I know you’ve already seen them, but here they are for everyone to see.

I love a yawn. LOVE them.

I love everything about this one- the smirk, the colors, the lighting….

Nothing beats baby blue on a girl- I love it.

Tooshie.

Love her fingers…

Now, am I that lucky where I have my macro out getting her little face and she gives me another smirk??

SO happy I got this one for you- I knew you were wanting it!

To get my new website up and running??! Because I have sessions like these, EVERY session, every time… Always capturing images I love and then I get torn as to what to put on my new site. Sheesh!

Zachary was such a mellow, sweet, serious boy. The only thing that made him crack up was when his daddy says “tooshie”. LOL Made me kinda crack up too. So sweet and had the most beautiful blue eyes ever. And the lips!!!!!!! Don’t hafta say much about those- just look at them.

He will be one next month and I just love this age, I really do. The age from 8 months or so until right before they can walk. Always so curious about you and what your doing. What you’re up to, who you are. Intrigued. Yup, that’s the word. This age is intrigued by everything. I cannot get enough.

S and A, thanks so much for a great session. Hope you love your sneaks.

I will start with my favorite, favorite, favorite. What a little man!!! I have been starting to process photos based on the actual photo rather than just process the way I process… Thought this fit…

Yes, a new prop. I scored big time upstate when I was there visiting. Came back with a million new chairs and other props…

Awwwww….

My fave black and white from the session…

After a quick vacation and coming back to Long Island sick as a dog, I am finally healthy and jump started my week with baby Gavin. What a man!!! He showed up and I was taken back by how cute and small he was, I completely forget to introduce myself to his parents and grandma!! I am crazy about babies. I snagged him right up and started shooting him. His tiny little mouth, that little dimple in his chin, his little nose and he SMILED right when I took him. After like, 10 frames, I said, “Hey! I’m Summer!” I am such a jackass sometimes. Come on, he was wearing the cutest little bucket hat when he showed up. Who knew they MADE bucket hats for newborns??!!! I just about drooled over him the whole time. And then he opened his eyes. What a looker!!!! Okay, he is like a week old, but he is GOOD LOOKING!! I lie. He is actually a pretty baby. And you know what pretty means when you are a guy? That means you’re like an Abercrombie model. Again, I know he is only a week old, but I can sense these things.

Amanda and Nate, what a baby you guys have. I am still sitting here in awe over our session. Hope you love your sneaks.

Could I have possibly asked for a better shot than this??! Really??

Now, I am not going to complain about a smile when I was doing my macro work!

New prop alert!

Oh so very vintage, and I am oh so loving it!

Sheer perfection. Last frame.

Ugh. I am in LOVE with my kids, I swear. I annoy myself sometimes, I really do. I am just obsessed with them. So, just a few of them. I won’t say a ton, bc I always do when I show them off, but I just LOVE them. Eddie is just beyond her years. She’s two going on 18, and is just coy. SO coy. And Hannah, my sweet girl. You know what she did today, because I have been sick and today I was coughing? Anytime she was sitting on my lap or near me when I coughed, she would touch my chest. How sweet is that? Love them.

More black and white stuff, since ya’ll know I have been obsessed with them lately.

She has this little dashing of freckles now that I can’t help but stare at every single day. Last year she had ONE freckle. How cute!

And one in color, with a look like, “are ya done yet mom??!”

Only there is such beauty in age, so I never really understood this phrase.

Grandparents. They sure have weathered the storms, no? Saw some great depressions and many years of wars. I was upstate last weekend at a family reunion. I saw both my grandmothers, and both have some amazing stories to tell.

My Gramma Garropy. What a fighter. I see so much of my mom in her- not looks-wise but personality. My grandmother is non stop. She owns her own restaurant. She does all the cooking. She loves everyone. Very religious, she sees bad in no one. Just “God bless them”. And her most famous line? “It’s a-maaayy-zing”. She usually uses this line when looking at children. She finds such joy in them, even though she is the most stand-offish person you’ll ever meet. I’ve never seen her give a hug. Ever. Sometimes I force it, and she almost cringes. Almost. She has eight children, and in turn, she has twenty something grandkids and thirty something GREAT-grandkids. “It’s a-maaayy-zing”. Love my Gramma Garropy. Always quick to help anyone…usually it’s a stranger too. My mom has said often “wait til you see her funeral”. Not in a bad way, but more like, “wait until you see the people that just love and adore her”.

Classic her. Mouth pursed, listening intently to what someone has to say.

This one makes me laugh. She carries this worried look on her face often, makes me laugh, because I tend to not worry about anything…. Wonder if age changes that about you…

My Grandma Friedel. My dad’s mom. She has been through it all. She lost her husband eight or so years ago, and she really hasn’t been the same since. It was a big weekend home, as she was diagnosed Tuesday with moderate to severe alzheimers. I cannot even think about what my dad is going through. My dad is the strongest person you will ever meet. I have only seen him cry once. At his father’s funeral. It shocked my heart and I, myself, lost it. On the outside, you’ll never know my dad is hurting about this diagnosis. But I am sure he must lay in bed and night, and yeah, maybe he cries a little. His mother was the best mother that she could be, Im am sure of it. We all roll our eyes for some of the things that she says, and ya can’t help but say “I just TOLD you…” whatever it was that you just told her. She can’t help it. None of us can. People age. It’s what we do. She has a good soul though. So while her mind kinda started to go, this is what she will be remembered for.

And while I am at it, here is Greg’s grandfather. He is such a joyous person. Genuine. Poppy. That’s what he is called. He always has a story, and he is a SUCKER for sports. Hysterical how at a get together he has GOT to watch “the tennis” or “the basketball”. Who knows WHY it has to have a title, it’s just what he says. Funny.

And this is my favorite. Greg didn’t like this one when I showed it to him in my camera. “You can’t SEE anything” he said. Not true. You can see JUST enough, and that’s the point of it. It says so much without needing all the details.