Category Archives: portraits

Oct 29 2009

Ashlyn {senior session}

Several months back I received a beautiful email from a mom about her daughter. From the email I could tell this was a mom that deeply loves her daughter and is tremendously proud of her. It has been a while, but I am pretty sure I cried reading it. Well that email led to this senior session this GORGEOUS senior session. I sure don’t remember high school girls being so beautiful when I was there….

Ashlyn, it was an honor to meet you. I hope these pictures live up to your high expectations! Congratulations on your senior year…I had so much fun with you and your mom doing this session!
1009ashlyn-011009ashlyn-021009ashlyn-031009ashlyn-041009ashlyn-051009ashlyn-061009ashlyn-07

Big Brother was watching me edit these and stopped me when I got to the ones below. He said she looks just like a princess.1009ashlyn-08

Ode to my friend Shannon who is the master of ‘laying in the grass’ pictures!1009ashlyn-091009ashlyn-101009ashlyn-111009ashlyn-121009ashlyn-131009ashlyn-14

Before anyone sends me an email…no I am not currently booking sessions or weddings. I do still have a few on the books from WAY back.

There is a tab on the top of the blog “info”, under that tab is a listing of local photographers. Sorry.

We did this session on a very overcast day – which typically people think is terrible for pictures. It made me think about doing a post sometime on taking advantage of the automatic settings on your camera for those of you that do not know how to shoot manually. Is there an interest on that?

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by AshleyAnn

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Kate - I am a brand new follower – so inspired, so in love with your ability to capture amazing-ness (that’s a word, right?!) :)

dana - Beautiful Beautiful. My favorite is the b&w close-up where her curls just look so soft and frame her face perfectly.
YES to any info about using automatic settings!

hildegunn - I am VERY interested in automatic settings tips :-)

Leigh-Ann, Freckled Nest - incredible!! i love the hood one most, but they’re all stunning!
:) LA

Susan - Wow! Stunning! Definitely interested in any tips on any settings! I’d love to know the settings of the first pic- :-) You are so talented…

Bernadette - addit: she looks like the beautiful emma watson!

Carissa - I am cracking up about your comment “before anyone sends me an email…NO I am not booking sessions.” You are asking for trouble when you post pictures this gorgeous. Amazing job as always. My favorite is the b&w with her fur hat on. Beautiful! Where do you take these by the way?

Carissa - P.S. – Can I go ahead and book a session for 15 years from now….Emmy’s senior pictures and then another one for her wedding???? :)

katie - yes, please do!!! I want to learn all about it!!

Genevieve - You are an AMAZING photographer and that girl is gorgeous! Wonderful, magical shoot (love her clothes!)

And yes, any photog tips you could provide would be much appreciated :)

crystal - yes, yes, yes…please!

Jeannette Swan - Those are magazine pictures! She is beautiful and you captured it so well!

christina larsen - She is beautiful. Great pics as always.

Courtney Connelly - Stunning!

Tess S. - Ashely- your blog (along with a few others) inspired me to get a new camera to get great shots of my kids, and of my friends children.
This senior session is AMAZING! what a beautiful subject.

I’d love some tips for shooting on an over-cast day.

Emily Beaty - BEAUTIFUL!!! I love the field, and my fave is the one with the furry hood. Gorgeous. :)

Alison R - Wow! Fabulous work here! What a beautiful girl too! I love all of these!

Kim - Your photos are so inspiring!! Yes to the automatic settings!! How did you take that one with her in the red vest sitting on the chair in the field?? Was that editing or filters? I love it!

Ee Wen Ting - I love love love this photoshoot. You are so talented!! I am an aspiring photographer and am taking some photography classes now. Any good tips for portraits and lighting for portraits??

sheridan - I love looking at your session shots b/c it helps me become better! Thank you for sharing and they are awesome!

bopha - wow, she is gorgeous. those pictures are great, good job.

Shannon Phillips - She has got the most beautiful eyes and I think Carissa is right, you are asking for trouble when you post a session this amazing! Thanks for the love on my grass photos. :) I had no idea that I was the master of this.

carrie - You knew I was going to ask!!!!! Is the disclaimer for me??

Faith Buss - I’m always interested in tutorials! Great shots.

Lindsey P - These are amazing. Gorgeous girl! Do you have any digital camera recommendations for those who can not afford a DSLR? Or should I just bite the bullet and splurge? :)

Rachel - Absolutely beautiful!! With pictures like that….she will be happy to get that yearbook out no matter how old she gets!

carrie @ brick city love - I’d love some tips, tricks, & instruction!! Yes.PLEASE!

ashlee - those are amazing!!! what actions did you use on the one in the chair…BEAUTIFUL!!
and yes please tell us more about auto settings!!

Emily Lusk - Wow those are great!! If I were her I would not be able to pick my favorite one because they are all great! Love the train picture I need to take Brody there, he would love taking his picture by that big train!

patti - gorgeous photos – thanks for sharing! oh – and living in california…i always take advantage of the overcast days – otherwise i’m constantly battling the hard sunlight.

Kathy Rabago - I just found you blog, and I love your pictures and your comments on daily life. I’d love to hear your tips on shooting in manual!

abbey - I would love some tips and these photos are awesome!

Elizabeth - Wow, she is gorgeous, and you captured her beautifully! New to your blog, and always looking for tips :)

Ashlyn - These turned out so great! You totally exceeded my expectaions! I had so much fun with you and it was an honor to get to know you. Thanks again! :)

Rebekah Jean - Wow…these are so amazing. I love the field ones, especially the 3rd from the bottom…the colors, the texture, everything.. I LOVE it. You’re awesome as usual! and she’s beautiful…love the bottom one as well. They are all gorgeous!

Melissa Wagner - Great photos! And a gorgeous model! :) I’d love to hear more about overcast and settings and non-auto camera usage, lol. Ever since I went digital I’m terrible at just letting my camera do all of that itself and I should learn more about how to use my camera and all of it’s features. :) Auto or not. ;)

Nakole - I just found your blog. I think you are amazing in more ways than one. I love your pics. love your style, and you sound like an amazing momma.

Meredith - OMG, she is gorgeous!!! The way you captured her eyes is genius. Congrats.

Kristin - Beautiful. I only wish I could take pictures half as wonderful, I’d be happy!

Jolie - gorgeous!!! And yes please for automatic setting tips…I am trying to learn the manual operation but it is slow going from a book! Thanks!

Mity - The pictures are absolutely amazing! What a beautiful girl with an even more beautiful spirit and personality! (Her aunt must be so proud! :-)

Sep 07 2009

3 boys + a spot of grass =

909brothers

So you all had some pretty creative guesses on what I had in the works. Many of them made me laugh…pregnant, adopting, renewing wedding vows…those are BIG things. A blog makeover is a pretty SMALL thing! It was fun to read what you wrote, I think I’ll have to do something like that again. If you are wondering why the change…well it was just time. Over the course of the last year this blog has changed so much. What used to be a place to post sneak peeks for clients has become more of all inclusive creative outlet for me. I guess I am a blogger now :) For those wondering about my photography business – it is still on hold. Right now I am enjoying teaching SnapShops and I don’t forsee starting up sessions again anytime in the near future. Life is good at home with 4 kids and I just can’t juggle the demands of what sessions include right now. The blog content won’t be changing much – I was just ready to remove the “photography” part of the blog name. I am contemplating adding some small advertisements at the bottom. You can see a couple there now. I did a new “About Me” page and “SnapShop” page under the “info” tab. If you are interested in advertising, let me know. I have a lot of details to work out on that.

So…what do you think of the new makeover? Are the slideshow pictures slow to load? Comments please!

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by AshleyAnn

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Lisa - Oh, I love it! I think the slideshow at top is the perfect speed. It loaded right away for me.

Meagan - Love it! Of course, I am obsessed with birds right now, so of course I love it!

Shanalea - first off, i love the brothers “wrastlin” in the yard. I hope and pray that mine will continue to love each other and “play” together their whole lives. The blog makeover looks great too.

Cath - I love the makeover =) Looks great! Although I don’t comment very often I go to your blog everyday and I love your photos! You’re such an inspiration!

amanda m - I love the makeover!! I am a loyal blog stalker of yours. And the makeover couldn’t be better. The slideshow pictures aren’t slow at all. Eveything looks perfect.
Keep the DIY’s coming…I enjoy those the most!

Kari - Love it!!!! You did great!

amanda torres - Love it! Looks great!

Jeannette Swan - Awesome!!

lesley - Great job & love it! I still don’t get the clues though – I’m going to have to go back through those :)

Melissa - I think it’s lovely – what a perfect name.

christina larsen - I love it. I guess our guesses were a little too big, but it was fun guessing.

Lauren Roberts - I love it Ash! It’s wonderful!

sheridan - Looks great! I love it all…pictures load great, loved your about me section, but mostly love littlest brothers face in all these photos!

Sara - Very fun blog makeover. I love your photography style and am so inspired by your work. I would enjoy an Advanced Class/SnapShop if you ever offer it. And I enjoy all your DIY posts. Thanks for sharing.

Shannon Phillips - Just STUNNING! Great use of the alphabet bling. Thanks for sharing your beautiful life…an inspiration to us all.

becky - Love it! I really enjoy the family pics – reminds me of my boys and we’ve just been blessed with a little girl too. I love the DIY…very inspiring. Hopefully I’ll be in town sometime when you’re doing a snap shop!

kelly - Love it!! It looks fantastic (of course!).

pamela - it looks so great! i’m happy you are a “blogger” and have recomended you to many of my friends. especially ones with kids. your creativity and positive attitude are infectious!

grace - Yes, I too love the changes! I would also be interested in ad space on your blog so if you could contact me with some pricing info I’d love it! email: grace@graciousmay.com

Sarah - Precious! Just love the idea!

Mandy B - I liked your updated “about me” section…however, I would like to know the 10 songs you have playing in your head.

Saundra Fowler - Absolutely love it!!! Your blog has been one of my favorite blogs to read!

Lindsey P - Love it!! You are so talented. I clicked on your blog one day just surfing around on the internet, and now I check it almost daily! You have a beautiful family :)

erin conrad - so great! nicely done.

bren - The new design is beautiful! The banner photos set the perfect tone for the site and the new tabs make it so easy to find things. I love the newest photos of your boys too!

Jul 09 2009

Introducing Breese Finley….

Wow…choosing a name for our daughter was so much harder than the boys. Name meaning/signifcance is important to us. We look forward to the days in the future when we can tell our kids why they received the names they did and why we pray certain things over them. With that said, I would like to share with you about our daughter’s name. Breese (Reese with a b…not “Breeze”) was my grandmother’s maiden name. If you knew my grandma, you knew she was a firecracker of a woman. Small in stature and big in presence. She was deeply committed to and loved her family. She was simple, liked simple things and could make one killer blackberry cobbler.  I’ve spent most Saturday nights (from childhood to the present) at her home – gathered with my loud and fun family. She LOVED my boys and lit up when they would barrel through the door. Grandma passed away on Mother’s Day 2008, she never got to meet a great-granddaughter. I can only imagine the joy she would have had to see little Breese with a big ole’ bow on her head.  A couple of months ago my grandpa mentioned how happy grandma would have been to meet my daughter. Then he asked when she was due. When I told him “July”, he responded, “I knew it. She’s going to be your firecracker.” We pray that in many ways she would grow up to be a bit of a firecracker that deeply loves her family, is committed and loyal to those she is around, that she would appreciate the simpicities of life and that she would leave a strong legacy behind her.

Breese’s middle name is Finley…which means “fair warrior”. For obvious reasons “fair warrior” is a great meaning for a girl with three big brothers. We love this name for many other reasons. We pray that she would be a warrior for those that can’t fight for themselves, a voice for those who can’t be a voice for themselves…one who is not afraid to defend the defenseless and is willing to give of herself to fight battles so much greater than she is….that she would make an eternal difference. While doing all that we pray she is “fair” in the sense of feminine. That she can embrace and appreciate the uniquely feminie way God created her and placed her in a home with big brothers that she will likely want to imitate. We look forward to the breath of ‘fair and girly’ air she brings to our family….

And, of course, a few pictures from the hospital….

This one just cracks me up…looks like she already picked up some mad karate skills from her brother.

When we put the dress on her she was not too happy about it. Then once the flower hat went on, she was totally good. I guess she is a hat girl.

For those wondering why we are just now sharing her name, it was important to me that I get to tell my grandpa her name. I didn’t want it to get back to him, so I waited to post it online. We drove straight from the hospital to his house. Naturally (and perfectly) we found him in his favorite place – outside in his garden. This is me introducing Breese to him…

For obvious reasons I won’t be doing daily posts for a while, but I’ll still be posting…..

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by AshleyAnn

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Jenn - What a beautiful story! Welcome Breese!

christina larsen - Welcome to the big wide world Breese. What a wonderful story of her name and what an amazing future that she will have. Thanks for sharing. She is gorgeous.

Serena - What a Beautiful Name…Breese! I love her story…she is precious and very blessed!

Jolene - Oh welcome to the world little Breese! And what a beautiful, thoughtful, meaningful name. She’s utterly gorgeous…well done, you clever mama you! (And you’re *really* not helping the baby fever with that little dumpling!!!)

meredithj - Congratulations on your sweet, precious baby girl! She is absolutely beautiful! With a gorgeous name to match! LOVE it!!!! Well worth the wait. ;) And I love, love, love all the sweet thought that went into her name. Perfect!!! Welcome to the world sweet Breese!!!

Lisa - she is so beautiful!! the name is perfection! i have to admit i got a little teary when i saw the pic of grandpa. i can imagine how touched he must have felt by her name.

katie - I LOVE the name and the story behind it, Ashley! What a beautiful picture of your grandmother you shared, too! Good luck in the next few days of getting adjusted! :)

Trinity - BEAUTIFUL! ABSOLUTELY BEUTIFUL!

Erin - Beautiful in every way: the baby, the story, the name.

Jenn G. - What a perfect name for such an incredibly beautiful baby girl. The meaning and significance is wonderful and so well thought through. I hope she is a firecracker and will give her brothers a run for their money.

Melissa - What a perfect name…she is so beautiful and so is her name. Enjoy that little new baby girl…she makes my heart just melt.

Love the pictures too!

Mandy Metcalf - Oh Breese is absolutely beautiful! I love her already. She is incredibly blessed to be part of your family. Oh precious… thanks so much for sharing.

Lauren - I love the significance of her name. She is such a blessing to your family and many others. I hope she is your firecracker…strong in spirit, and strong in love.

amy stamm - She is precious– I love all the pictures—her little legs are sooo long—and I love the krate one. Very very sweet and special one with your grandfather….What a neat family!!
God Bless and ENJOY that bundle of joy!! Love her name!!! :)

Kari - Oh Ashley, how precious! I love the name and love the story behind her name! My favorite picture above is of Chris holding Breese in the black & white…it reminds me of the song, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Congratulations!

Emily Lusk - What a beautiful and special name! How can one not be a fire cracker with three older brothers!! :) Congratulations on such a beautiful baby girl! Hope you are getting some sleep and getting used to seeing a baby with bows on her head. :)

Jeannette Swan - Crying here!! Beautiful name for a beautiful girl!! How special and sweet you introducing her to your grandfather. I can’t wait to get to meet her in person, I just couldn’t bring myself to come visit in the hospital with all my kids in tow. Enjoy settling in!!

mary - CHRIS AND ASHLEY…SUCH A BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL FOR SUCH A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. LOVE TO YOU ALL… MARY C.

Georgia Davis - I LOVE IT! Picking a little girls name is so hard and you guys did a great job.

bopha - I love her name and more importantly, I love the significance behind it. Your grandpa must have been so proud and touched.

meg duerksen - she’s beautiful. with a beautiful name.
i wish i could cuddle her…and smell her head. :)

tanya - she is simply beautiful. and what a beautiful name–didn’t expect to have to pull out the tissues when checking in to the blog today. :) thanks for sharing her beautiful pix and story. be blessed!

patti - wow, congratulations! what a beautiful name and such great meaning. enjoy your new baby girl!!

Ashley - Tears came to my eyes when I saw the last picture. What a blessing! Welcome Breese!

Lisa Keen - Wow! I love the story behind her name! She is precious…congrats!

Sophie - Congratulations! She is absolutely beautiful and has a name to match.
May God give you a lifetime of wonderful years with your wonderful little angel.

Rachel - Wow….I was on the verge of tears the entire time I was reading this post…unti I saw your grandpa’s face…then, the tears flowed. I can’t imagine the great pride he feels knowing that the legacy of his Breese continues…..just beautiful.

Samantha - Oh my goodness!! Congratulations – she is just DARLING. I love her name, I love the pictures, and I especially love the look on your Grandpa’s face. Congrats!!!!

Melisa Colvin - She is absolutely beautiful! We are so happy for you and your family. We pray abundant blessings on your happy home.

amanda torres - I got a little emotional when you shared about your grandma and grandpa. Very awesome of you to carry on your grandma’s legacy. On a funnier note, I love Breese’s karate skills. Those will definitely come in handy!

Ethel White - Congratulations!!! What a PRECIOUS little girl. Love the name and it’s significance.
Breese has the prettiest little hair line. GOD Blessings on the entire family.

Jill J - I just found your blog a few days ago (through Design Sponge) and I love it! Your photos are inspiring. Congratulations on the birth of beautiful Breese. I look forward to reading along with the others in the future.

Jami Helm - Congrats! I am so excited that you got a girl!I hope you are doing well. I look forward to seeing more pictures!

Charissa - Just curious. What is the meaning behind all the other names in the family? She is beautiful, enjoy these few short weeks that she is so tiny. You do remember how fast that changes, right?

Mindy - She is breathtaking!! And what a beautiful name it suits her! Congrats to you and your family I bet her big brothers are in love. Where did you find the white blanket with polka dots. It is so sweet. I’m expecting my first girl in September. Enjoy every second and thanks for sharing.

Michelle Murry - What a Beautiful expression of love to put such caring thoughtfulness into her name. It is perfectly wonderful and I am just sure that your grandfather could not have been more pleased. She is just as beautiful as her name. Enjoy even the hard times, they all pass so quickly.

Andrea Jett - Girl, you almost made me cry. Part sentimental, but mostly joy! For your whole family. Welcome to the girl world little momma! She is a lucky girl to have a family like yours. God bless!

Julia - What a beauty! Her name is perfectly fitting. I’m so happy for you all. Congrats!

Liz - She is so precious! I love her name and the story behind it! Thanks for sharing!

Ashley S. - Wow, congratulations! She is just beautiful! I love the significance of her name.

Aunt Sandy - Just thought I would let you in on the conversation with Dad (grandpa in the pics). He called right after you left his house with Breese. I can’t remember the last time I heard so much excitment in his voice. He was beeming with pride and said Grandma would have loved the name, what an honor. He also asked me if you told me that he had big ole tears in his eyes when you intorduced him to Breese. Thanks for sharing the story of her name and putting the biggest smile on Grandpa’s (Dad’s) face I seen in a while.
welcome to the family….Breese.

Melissa - Lovely name, lovely photos, have a wonderful time getting to know your new daughter

Jenny Collier - Congratulations Ashley and family! She is one gorgeous little girl.

Carrie Sowell - I’m speechless! I pray that she is truly that firecracker girl that I’m sure she will be. As those who have girls will probably agree with, little girls sure bring a different level of joy and excitement to a family. Enjoy bonding with her and I’ll call you soon!

Kenna S - What a precious baby girl! I know that you must be head over heels in love with her by now. I’m so happy for you and Chris. Enjoy all that pink!

Brenda Hillhouse - She is one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen! I love her name and the meaning that it holds. May God bless you and your family!

erin conrad - these are all so adorable and i love the story of her name. wow! beautiful.

Jun 08 2009

A beautiful family

There are so many things I love about photography, but probably the biggest is getting to meet incredible families and individuals….and getting to do special things for them. I met Trinity back in college. We actually were suite mates my sophomore year, but hadn’t seen eachother since. A year or so ago we ran into eachother at a pumpkin patch. Long story short it was my honor to photograph Trinity, her sister and their daughters. I can’t do justice to the story, so I asked Trinity to tell it briefly…..BEAUTIFUL!

“Autumn and I started out to do foster care and foster care only.  We were 2 single girls who love kids and we didn’t want to wait to get married to start to make a difference in the world.  We got M first and the goal was to get her back with her sisters and parents.  Our job, whether we had her for a day or a year, was to equip her with the tools to survive when she went back home.  Circumstances changed and through the next 2 1/2 years, we got M’s sisters one by one….H, A, and S  The state also changed the goal to adoption.  It wasn’t just that we got attached to the girls, but the Lord changed our hearts.  He told us clearly that our job was not to just equip them for the next home, but to make our home their “forever home”.  We also got the privlege to have 7 other children in our home….some for 24 hours and some for 11 months.  People say that our girls are so lucky to have us, but we are the truly blessed ones.  As you can imagine, with a house full of 6 girls, we have the most fun…tea parties when we want, manicures when we want, dresses, dance parties in the kitchen, lots of shopping…as well as the most mood swings EVER!   Two single people can’t adopt together, so we each adopted 2.  To answer the question that everyone is thinking….what happens if you get married?……..WE DON’T KNOW!  What we DO know is…the Lord didn’t bring us this far to just drop us off!  This is what obedience means for us right now, and He is totally in control of our future! “

Because it makes me laugh…an “outtake”

I want to thank the D family for letting me come out to their beautiful land for this special session….THANK YOU!

On a similar note, I would love to point anyone interested to a blog related to Orphan care/adoption/foster care….

This is the blog header….notice the 3 cute guys on the right (an old pic)

adoptedblog

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by AshleyAnn

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Marina - Awesome pics Ashley. Trin and Autumn…you truly ARE blessed. Your daughters are gorgeous and the Father shines through them!!! I can’t wait to meet them!!!

Natasha Perryman - You know one of my favorite things in the world is seeing a unique family. All families are only built by the Lord and I love it when He breaks away from what people consider “normal” and builds a beautiful family!!!
Thank you for letting them share their story. What precious girls (and I loved their dresses).
I also checked out the blog and added it to my google reader. I know the Horton family and they never cease to inspire. I look forward to watching their little video on the blog. And everything else adoption-wise the blog has to share.
Have a creative day! : )
Natasha

Shanalea - Autumn and Trinity, amazing!!! I love to see how God has used you to show God’s love to 4 little girls who needed to see that. WOW!

Charissa - That story and those pictures have me in tears. I LOVE people like this!! Thank God for people like this!! I’m so glad you shared it. Thanks for putting a link to the Adopt(ed) page. I’d love to share their story on their as well if that’s OK.

Shannon Phillips - How incredibly beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this story. Trinity and Autumn thank you for being faithful and bringing a little bit of heaven to earth with your love.

Christina Larsen - What a beautiful family. I love that story; may God continue to bless them as those beautiful girls grow up to be wonderful women like the women who adopted them. Thanks for sharing this story.

Trinity - Ashley….Thank you SO MUCH! I was at camp all morning and didn’t check your blog til just now. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the pictures. I am still in awe of God’s love and that he chose Autumn and I for these girls! THANK YOU! I hope this helps people get involved in foster/adoption/orphan care in any way!
Trinity

Molly (Murphy) Shockley - Seriously Ashley! These are incredible pictures and it makes me want you to photograph our family so bad! The story is incredible and I thank you for yet again being a positive voice and reminder for adoption!

Trinity - I love the adopt(ed) blog…add it to my favorites. It is so amazing to see different stories of adoption. Yes, charissa, it is fine to share our story…let me know if I need to do anything.

Kara - Thanks for posting! I told Trin a few months back that someone HAD to tell their story…it was just too good to go untold! Thank you!

Jamie Dickerson - As an adoptive mama, this greatly blessed my heart. Every adoption story is unique and beautiful and this one is truly sweet. As someone who had the privilege to know Trinity and Autumn for a short time, I am not even the least bit surprised at the direction God has taken them in life. Ashley, thanks for sharing their story.

Jeannette Swan - Oh my, what an amazing family and story…I love it. And, what beautiful pictures of all those girls!!

Jeannette

bopha - What a great story and what great pictures. Those girls are beautiful!

Valerie - Could you share where to find the Adopt(ed) t-shirts? My son is from Guatemala, and my husband and I would love to get all three of us t-shirts!

Rachel - What an amazing family! I love the how adoption is such a picture of what Christ does for all of us.

May 11 2009

Happy Monday!

I was cooking dinner and heard laughter in the background. I rounded the corner to discover his big brothers found baby sister’s headband…

And then one of the big brothers decided to try it on too. He has the hair to make it look really cute – almost too cute.

…I hope our daughter has great hair like this! :)

My friend Jenn said this pic reminds her of a character off of Goonies…I can’t remember the name, but if you’ve seen it you know who I am talking about. Isn’t that a great way to start off your Monday? You have to be smiling now :)

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by AshleyAnn

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Jeannette Swan - Awesome!!

melanie - He does have great hair! So cute!!

Cindy Scorsone - That is so funny! You are right he does have great hair. I love the headband. Where did you get it?

bopha - I’m thinking it’s Chunk (had to consult the husband on that one). Now all he needs to learn is the Truffle Shuffle!! Your little girl is going to be so cute.

amanda - That is SOOOO funny! He does look like Chunk…”Hey you guuuuyyyysss!”

Jamie - “Chunk,” totally!!! LOL Very cute :)

sheridan - oh that is too funny! we’ve put a bow on our youngest and it looked so funny. His hair is awesome and I love goonies.

liz winsby - So cute! He really does look like Chunk! I bet they are getting really excited for their little sister to arrive. I have three brothers although I am the oldest. It was so fun growing up with all those boys!

carrie - Now you know, your little girl is going to be sooo cute!! See you Saturday! I am so excited.

meg duerksen - he totally does look like chunk on goonies.
“hey mikey!”
that movie is a favorite of mine!
they look darling in those headbands. :)

Emily Beaty - lol.. so funny! i can’t wait to see their baby sis wear that. :)

Carol - How much is he going to love that picture when he is 16 and his big brothers shows his girlfriend that picture??? Love it!!

AshleyAnn - The bow is from Lou & Lee on etsy…

Jenn G. - This is one of my favorite pictures ever of Hudson!!! He is so stinkin’ cute…. even as a chubby girl. And yes, saying that he looks like Chunk in this is a compliment because Goonies is one of the best movies of all time and Chunk is my favorite character. Like Hudson, he makes me laugh. Oh, and Bopha and Amanda, your comments made me laugh out loud.

Apr 30 2009

Sarah {Senior 2009}

I don’t get to photograph seniors too often due to my crazy schedule, but if I do I always love it. Not only did we have probably my new favorite location, but Sarah is simply gorgeous.  Doing these I thought back to my senior pictures. A local photographer took them at Woodward Park – very traditional. I cringe when I see them now. Let’s just say there is one where I am in DENIM OVERALL SHORTS gently tipping my toe into the little pond at Woodward. I think all of my friends have that same picture. We should have a bond fire to burn them all. Anyone in?

Sarah, I hope you enjoy your last month of high school and thank you for asking me to capture you as a senior. It was my honor!

Have you ever seen a gun look so good?

This truck is her dad’s, but originally belonged to her Great Grandpa. How cool to have something that is such a part of her family in her pictures.

Thanks Sarah, it was a joy to meet you!

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by AshleyAnn

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Lesley - These are so good and she’s gorgeous! Super fun location too.

Shannon Phillips - These are RAD Ashley! She sure is a beauty and I love the old truck. The soft light is perfect in these and just makes her glow.

Shannon Phillips - P.S. What f-stop did you use in the field ones second from the bottom?

AshleyAnn - Shannon, it was f/2.5
Lesley, these remind me of what you senior pics would look like them if you did them today…totally girly, but with a gun or fishing pole too.

Robyn - Wow, she’s so pretty. The day was gorgeous and you captured what we love about our back yard, and our girl. Can’t wait to see all the pictures…
Thank you Ashley!

Rachel - Georgous, georgous, georgous!!

Lauren - Totally cute~

Christina Larsen - Not that I am proud of it, but for my senior pics, I had the BIGGEST hair on the planet, w/bangs that stood straight up. Can we say flashback that wasn’t pretty. I remember loving the pics at the time, but they are buried somewhere, hopefully never to be found.

Holly Todd - Got to love a girl with a gun!!!

chasity - great photography!

meg duerksen - my senior pictures looked just like a feminine products advertisement.

these are beautiful ashley. :)

brittany - I actually wore a denim hat with a sunflower on the front (like “blossom”!) in my senior pictures – these are filled with life! Thanks for sharing!

AshleyAnn - These were taken in her backyard…private property.

Apr 23 2009

Hudson {3 years}

I had about 10 minutes to capture some portraits of Hudson in honor of his 3rd birthday. It was windy, cold and he was cranky. These all make me laugh. I think I did a pretty good job capturing who he is at this age.

If you have had a 3 year old – don’t you think these just scream “I am THREE!”

All the pictures that are posted in a sequence took place in a matter of about 10 seconds….

way too much personality sometimes! He gets that from his dad :)

Best Friends. They wanted one just the two of them.

I’m kicking myself for not having Rett dressed cuter (fleece pullover with no shoes/flipflops – totally our family)

Probably the best picture I have of all 3 of them - chokehold hug and all.

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by AshleyAnn

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Lauren Roberts - I love all of them…especially the last one with all three! You have awesome boys!

Chelsea - Your little boys are so stinkin cute!! Love the location ;)

Betsy - When were you in Bartlesville?

These shots are great!

Jeannette Swan - I’m always jealous of the great pictures you get!! They are all amazing!!

Kari S. - I love these pictures! That is about the timeframe I have to take Mekenzie’s pictures! I was asked to take some photo’s for a friend the other day and let Mekenzie tag along with our point and shoot camera- she did great for a 4 year old and things from her perspective were really neat. I’m dubbing her as my assistant! lol! Happy belated birthday to Hudson! Your family is precious!

Rebekah Motley - Hey Ashley…you’ve given me great advice over the last months and I wondered if you wouldn’t answer just one more thing :-) ? Do you ever do any editing to your photos? I was thinking that if conditions aren’t just wonderful, sometimes I find myself wanting to enhance…what is your opinion on that? You know, skin softening, color enhancing, etc…just wondering

amanda - His little personality just shines through. It’s so neat to see all the differences in your kids. Each one so unique, but yet so special!

Lesley - These are so good. I love all Hudson’s different expressions, so cute!

Jenn G. - Cute, cute, adorable Hudson. I LOVE them!!! They totally capture him and all his moods. The only things missing to remember him perfectly at 3 are his cars.

Kirsten Hilsheimer - do you mind sharing the location of this shoot as well as the beautiful senior pics?

AshleyAnn - These were taken on the Oklahoma Wesleyan University campus in Bartlesville…by the library

Kirsten Hilsheimer - thanks!!! Also – LOVE the tutu outfit you just posted! Lauren had one similar….to cute!!!! I think the ripped up jeans are perfect for little girls too! Lauren looks cutest in jeans, t-shirt, and one of her big bro’s baseball caps!

Apr 05 2009

Everett {1 year old}

Since all the boys have birthdays in March and April, the grandmas wanted to get them apple trees for their birthdays. We’ve been waiting for a warm Friday to head to our favorite local nursery. I figured I’d take advantage of having Chris along and being a fun spot by getting Rett’s one year pictures while hunting for our trees. I’ve wanted to do pictures out there for a while, but it is hard to convince people to try something so “different”. To me a nursery is the ideal portrait location, tons of open shade and tons of color. So Rett’s birthday provided a great opportunity…not typical one year pics, I know. I have convinced a friend to let me do her daughter’s one year pics out here…so many pretty pinks and reds…can’t wait.

Since many of you liked seeing the larger view of where I shot Corbett’s 5 year pics, I thought I’d do the same with Rett’s..

Spot 1:

Spot 2:

(Yes, that is Corbett & Hudson with dart guns…it was a Friday afternoon, the place was pretty empty and they were hunting for lions)

For yearly pics I like to have a few that show where they are developmentally – especially the first 2 years.

As a 1 year old, he is so interested in EVERYTHING…grass being a big one.

Spot 3:

I love these 3 pictures. They show how little he is…peeking over a planter, up on his tip toes to look in….

He stands good on his own, but just prefers not to. The second picture here makes me laugh, you can tell that Chris just let go of him by the fact that his arms are still up.

Spot 4:

And just to be realistic, a few shots that show what was really going on in between just about every picture I took.

What is it with kids this age thinking everything is better if it is put in their mouths?! Dirt…mmm, mmm….good.

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by AshleyAnn

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Lauren Roberts - He’s getting so big…so fast! I eat dirt too when nobody is looking :)

Emily Beaty - What a neat location! So fun… love these images.

bopha - He is so cute, and after getting to cuddle him the other day, i love him even more!!

bopha - oh, forgot to add, thank you so much for the great class. I learned so much but I have to admit I had to shoot the easter egg hunt in auto, I was missing all the action messing with my stuff!

Shannon Phillips - What a stud muffin! Happy birthday Everett! I just love the one of him peeking over the planter.

amanda - I know Everett’s probably already spoken for by Jen’s little lady, but if that doesn’t work out can Addie have a shot at him? He’s too cute!

Jeannette Swan - I’m loving all of these – they are so awesome!! Everett is simply beautiful!

Lesley - What a handsome boy! Thanks for posting the “big picture” again, it amazes me how you can turn just about any location into an awesome backdrop.

Lesley - This has nothing to do with this post, but I know you like Lost so I had to share this link I came across with you. I would’ve emailed you but this was easier! http://www.getlostpodcastmedia.com/

amy stamm - SOOO CUTE– would of never thought of a nursery for pictures! CUTE!!!Hes a doll -seems like yesterday I had my sons 1year pic- time flys-hes almost 8!!!! :(

Serena - Aww, Everett is so cute! These turned out great with all the natural light you were talking about! Oh, thanks for showing the larger view first….so awesome!

Mar 26 2009

Corbett {5 years}

5 years!!! For a few weeks now I’ve been trying to get Corbett out to get his 5 year pics…he wants to head downtown Tulsa, but we just never seem to be able to make it down there. We usually do birthday pictures with sign showing the age, but I forgot it so we’ll have to do those downtown later. I convinced him to go for a walk to a nearby concrete company for some pics. I drive by it all the time and have always wanted to shoot around the site. It is actually shocking that he did a normal smile, it is usually a goofy grin. He also wore his holey jeans to show off his scabbed knee – such pride in flesh wounds!

Every night he prays for all the kids in the world who don’t have mommies and daddies. Last night he prayed, “God – all the kids who don’t have a mommy or daddy, will you please give them a mommy and a daddy. BUT save one little girl so I can ask her if she wants to be a part of our family and if I can be her big brother.” Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE BEING A MOM!

snap-shopthumb

PHOTO TIP: Cool places can look really ugly until you get behind your camera (that is a funny sounding tip!) To demonstrate, I thought I’d share some wide angle shots of where we were at to give you a better idea of the setting.

The view from the street that compelled me to go explore with a handsome boy and a camera

Our first location…a pile of rusty containers. Funny that his shirt says “Be cute and don’t pollute” with this as a setting…

Spot two: a pile of metal beams

And naturally if you are a five year old boy and you see an old tractor you must show off your muscles and your mad jumping karate skills

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by AshleyAnn

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Jamie - Get out! Those pics are awesome — especially for a boy. Thanks for the great tip; I would have never thought of looking at somewhat “grungy” places as great backgrounds :)

Shannon Phillips - What a little stud! These are definitley some of my favorite Corbett pics. I am loving the location too. I know what you mean about a place looking ugly. My clients sometimes look at me like I am crazy from the places we go. ;)

Lesley - Corbett has some serious karate skills! These are all so good.

Jamie - I feel I need to re-word my earlier comment. I meant that it’s a cool location for a little boy’s pics. It kinda sounded like I was saying that the pics were good pics considering Corbett is a boy. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I didn’t want you to think I was being critical of him! He is very handsome!

Lauren Roberts - Corbett is such a GREAT looking boy! I love it when I find pictures of him in diapers running around our front yards, to this. Way to go guys!

Ari - Ashley, I wish I could take pictures like you! I better start practicing more!!!

Ari

Jeannette - Ah, I love them!! I’m looking forward to trying out my new skills on Jordan’s 6 year pictures in the next week or so. I need to scope out a fun place to take them!!

meg duerksen - so true.
i have been driving by these two rusty green dumpsters every night for soccer practice and every time i think “i have got to do pictures there!” funny.

great shots of your handsome little man.
what a big heart he has.

Christina Larsen - I love how you can take an unasuming location and make awesome pics out of it. You are amazing. However, you have a cutie for a 5yr old, as well.

Angie Brooks - 5 years old! I remember when he was crawling around as a little skunk for Halloween when we first met you. Crazy! What a handsome young man. What a perfect spot for his pictures. Jaxson was looking at the pictures w/ me and he noticed his hurt knee without me even saying anything. I guess it’s a guy thing.

Carol - He just gets more handsome everyday and is becoming such a caring boy. I have my pictures picked out!!!

bopha - Those are great pictures of a very handsome guy! He is getting so big and very mature looking :)

amanda torres - so cool…it’s really neat to see your boys grow up on here. Ready to see a little girl Campbell.

Jesse - You really are so blessed! What a handsome little man!

Sandy - Great pics, Great location and best of all, Great subject. Hard to believe Corbett’s 5. Time sures seems to go quickly. I love his prayer. You and Chris have raised three FANTASTIC boys. Very, very proud of you and your family.

Tracey - As always, this is extremely eye opening. I would have never thought to look at a place that looked like that from the road. Thanks for taking a step back.

Jenn - Corbett – What a handsome and cool guy you are!!! Oh, and nice shirt. Ash – These pictures are amazing and some of my favorite of Corbett. He looks like a tried and true model.

Mar 18 2009

Rett meet sugar…sugar meet Rett

Friday my little man turns 1. We had a little party out at the park for him tonight. Here’s his first taste of a cupcake (and his first major sugar dose)

…he quickly decided he liked it though

(Thanks Lauren for helping me block the sun for these. You’re the best!)

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by AshleyAnn

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Shannon Phillips - I cannot believe your little man is already turning ONE! These pics are great. I just love that face in the first one.

Sarah - Has it really been 1 year already? His expression in the first picture is great!

amanda torres - He is still such a cutie! I can’t believe he’s already one. Good thing you’ve got your little girl coming soon! When do we get to see the preggo pics? I’m sure you look adorable.

bopha - He still looks like an adorable baby to me! I can’t believe he’s one, my how time flys!

meg duerksen - he is so cute!

Lauren Roberts - I’m so glad to see these pictures! I love your boys Ashley.

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