May
06
2015One of my favorite parts of being a baby photographer is getting to see little clients grow up right before my very eyes.
Here is Nick when I first met him at just over a week old. He had a bit of trouble falling asleep, but once he was asleep he was a dream!
Now Nick is an adorable ham for the camera! He was so easy going and pleasant for his session.
Usually for a 6 month session I capture a variety of expressions from sad to happy to pitching a fit to curiosity to “I want my mommy!” (at which point the session is over! Babies always call the shots in my studio). However, this was probably one of the few faces Nick gave me besides a full force smile. A little sly curiosity!
And then we were back to these full force grins even though Nick was teething and drooling up a storm! Nick’s mama and daddy are super laid back and fun so it seems only fitting that Nick inherited their nature as well.
Also, these liquid brown eyes that Nick has are simply amazing.
Interested in booking a session for your sweet baby? Contact me today to schedule your baby’s session.
Apr
29
2015
Shane, Becky, and their crazy-fun kiddos met me for a quick family mini session early in the morning in November.
This was hands down the best prepared family I have ever done. They thought out their wardrobe. They prepped the kids who knew my name and what was expected of them before we even began. They bribed their kids using their favorite breakfast time snack (Dunkin’ Donuts). And everyone was prepared to pose and laugh.
My favorite part of this family was how each child was cherished for who they were. Each was secure and happy and oh so joy-filled.
I even caught this sister love going on in the background! How fun!
Are you interested in a Family Mini Session? I only offer Family mini’s once or twice a year and my email newsletter subscribers are the first to know! Slots can fill up before I release them to the public via Facebook, so sign up for newsletters here. I promise I won’t spam your inbox; I hate inbox clutter as much as you do!
Also, did I mention that Shane and his brother Todd are the amazing owners of Highsmith CPA? These guys are LIFESAVERS for the small business at tax time (I may have personal experience with their lifesaving abilities. Worth. Every. Penny.).
Mar
31
2015
Bear. So tiny and fierce. This little guy only weighed a little over five pounds. Yet as we took these Greer SC sleeping baby boy pictures, I could feel just how much weight a little person carries.
This little guy, so frail right now, has already begun changing the world. His mama and his daddy didn’t exist before he came into this world. They were just a couple in love. Yet this little one changed them gave them titles that change them.
Being a mama and daddy is holy work. The hardest work. The work of shaping a beautiful creation into someone who can follow his dreams, his calling is work that change a person.
This tiny boy who fits in his daddy’s hands is teaching his daddy and mama the meaning of self-sacrifice. Of love that knows no boundaries and that always pursues.
Bear will teach them patience. He will teach them joy. He will teach them to slow and savor. He will teach them to run with endurance. He will teach them to preserver and to dream big dreams. 
Bear, tiniest of baby boys that I photographed in 2014: you will do big things. Some will seem so very mundane, but every thing you do matters. You will change the world starting in your very own corner of it.
You will smile and light up someone’s day.
Your tiny feet will carry you to help someone in need.
You may seem little now, but you are destined for greatness. I’m grateful to have met you.
Mar
23
2015I’ve logged three newborn sessions in the last three weeks in my humble studio. I’ve logged even more hours doing the behind the scenes work of these sessions. (After the kids go to bed editing, anyone?)
But I can hardly be found behind the keys of this keyboard during the day. The reason is simple.
Our family’s wanderlust has come out of winter hibernation.
The temperatures rise to just 65 here in South Carolina and we are out the door and rolling in the backyard, riding on the bike trails, and roaming in the nearest wilderness we can find.
I am so grateful to have a profession that allows us to wander freely on the weekend.
You hear me tell stories about these crazy three (my reasons why!) as I capture your tiny ones. You may have even heard them stomping around like elephants with the babysitter during your session in the home studio.
Here they are in all their wild wanderlust joy.
Thank you for making this possible.
Mar
01
2015I love creating beautiful heirloom imagery of your babies and children. But what I love most about my job is meeting new or expecting mamas and being able to encourage them on their journey.
Early motherhood is hard and it often feels lonely. If I can come alongside one new mom and tell her what she is feeling is normal or point her toward a resource that helps, then I am truly living my calling.
So when Babies R Us in Greenville approached me about teaching classes for them this year, I was so excited about this opportunity! I’ll be teaching 3 complimentary classes rotating throughout the year and you can read about each topic.
8 Things to Do Before Baby Arrives: Practical Steps to Prepare for Early Motherhood
7 pm on March 9, June 1, and October 5, 2015
A round table discussion about 8 things that will help you transition into early motherhood with joy. From where to get your car seat installation checked to making a plan for date night to making new mom friends, we will tackle some often neglected areas on preparing your home, heart, and lives to welcome your new baby. To get a head start on this class, sign up for my email newsletter here to get my free ebook where I cover 5 of these topics!
How to Choose a Photographer to Capture Baby’s First Year
7 pm on April 6, July 6, November 2, 2015
I’m the first to admit I’m not the photographer for every couple. But how do you sort through the overwhelming number of photographers out there to choose just one? How do you know that their business is safe, reliable, and ready to meet your needs. I will teach you how to interview photographers in order to find the one who is the perfect fit for your family’s wants and needs (even if that photographer isn’t me).
Navigating Mompetition: Learning to Give Grace to other Moms (and yourself)
7 pm on May 4, September 7, December 7, 2015
When I became a new mom I was shocked to learn that mothering was becoming almost a competitive sport! I watched mothers around her choose teams and sit back to smugly judge those who mothered differently In this round table discussion, Melissa will introduce you to some of the competitive issues of motherhood that may surprise you and then help you learn to give yourself and others room to parent differently. Let’s be a generation of moms who recognize that each mom is just doing what works for her and her children.
