"Alice, where have you been?"

Greetings, Friends!

My deepest apologies for my absence these last three months! As I look back at my last published posts and how long it's been since I've updated this lovely blog of mine, I shake my head in disbelief. What could have possibly kept me too busy to blog?

Well, lots! :)

The last few months have been a bit of a whirlwind for both Kyu and I. Both professionally and personally.... To sum it up, here's what's been going on & what's coming in the near future:

1) The crazy holiday season came and went! It was the busiest Fall season we've ever had, but with the help of our amazing team, everything went flawlessly. Best Christmas to date!

2) Some time between all of the Fall madness, Kyu and I found out we were EXPECTING! I think eating all of the healthy omega-3's and broccoli during the developmental stages preoccupied me too much to blog; I'm not sure. ;) We're both absolutely elated, almost as much as the parents. It was a sweet, sweet surprise that couldn't have come at a better time in our lives...

3) We found out it was a BOY soon after. We were so convinced that we were having a girl prior to our 20 week ultra-sound because of all of the baby girl dreams I was having. But to our utmost surprise, when they told us 'BOY', we both smiled the biggest smile you could. And then hugged. What a blessing... Baby Boy Park will debut this April.

4) So, what does this all mean? We're still here and we're still taking portrait sessions! Officially, I'll be off for Maternity Leave April - mid June. Between now and then, I'll be booking as many sessions as I can, while possibly squeezing in a very much requested Family Day in March. He will be here before we know it :)

5) And lastly, we have a new blog in the works! This blog will have more of a personal ring to it - documenting our transition into parenthood, feature the way-too-many photos I take of our first born, our home, our projects, and of course - the amazing families I'm so thrilled to work with. Jane Johnson, the talented creative mind behind NAPCP's new look, is also working behind the scenes to create a new look for our humble little blog. Stay tuned, friends!

A 3 Year Old's Visit to the Georgia Aquarium

This wasn't Rory's first visit to the Aquarium, but it was certainly memorable.

I've been photographing this sweet boy for the last 3 years... Every session is a new adventure, so when chatting with mom about what we could try for our 3 year session together, she suggested visiting one of his favorite places in the world - the Georgia Aquarium.

We arranged to meet on a Saturday before the morning crowd arrived. It was so magical... This little boy's wondrous eyes were glued to the enormous glass paneled "fishy tanks." We could have spent all day there!

Some of my favorites from the morning:

Apple Picking with Summer & Logan

Happy Fall! Family Day Sneak Peaks

We just finished another successful season of Family Day mini-sessions, and I'm so delighted with the families that came out! There is nothing I love more than spending time with my favorite clients on a crisp Fall day. What a great job I have!

This is probably the last year we'll be hosting Family Day sessions in this format, but fear not - we'll have plenty of opportunities for mini-sessions next year, all complete with all of the goodness that comes with it.

Happy Fall!

The Secret's in the Bottle

It's often a challenge to get 3 unruly boys, each with very different personalities, to sit together for a portrait. Of course when all that's on their agenda is climbing trees, searching for long lost puppies, and having nothing to do with each other - I have to resort to something else.... Some would call it bribery :) I call it my magic marble drinks...

I introduced these to the boys three years ago when baby Knox was still in mommy's tummy. The boys are at my beck & call and will do ANYTHING for me when I pull these babies out of my bag and sit them right in front of them.... There is certainly some magic ingredient that makes 3 wild boys crazy about them. And I'm not afraid to take every advantage of it.

How great did Dan, Mansell & Knox do?

Sigh... love baby Knox!



Mansell, the monkey who lives in trees....



And big brother Dan.

Yes - time, patience & developing a connection with your subjects certainly help. But when all these crazy kids want is the magic in the marble drink, what's a girl to do?

Client FAQ: Baby's First Year

A question I'm often asked by first-time parents is when to professionally document their baby's first year.

"Should I see you every three months? Once a year? Everyday?"

Although there is no right answer to these questions, and I believe you can never choose to photograph too many stages during your baby's first year, my absolute *favorite* stages to document are the maternity, newborn, 7 month and 1 year milestones. Over the course of the years, we've fine tuned our One Year Plan to what we feel best illustrates the biggest milestones of your baby's first year of life. I see an average of 50 One Year Clients a year, and I'd have to say without a doubt that watching them grow is one of the highlights of my job.

Today, we're focusing on baby's first year, my recommended ages to photography & why:

1) Maternity: I love focusing on the belly at this stage. We typically like to schedule around the 32-36 week period when mom is still comfortable, but she's showing quite a bump. Although this stage is not commonly included as part of the One Year Plan (rather, it's an add-on), I do love documenting the love & anticipation of mom and dad while they're expecting. It's such a magical stage....

2) Newborn: Scheduled within the first 14 days of life (ideally around 5-7 days old). Never again will your baby be able to curl up in mom and dad's hands, look blissfully at peace asleep, or be so content posing in a tiny basket or swaddled up...

3) 6/7 Months Old: Or when they are starting to sit up comfortably on their own...and not quite mobile. The timing of this phase is critical. This my absolute favorite age (ever) to photograph because it is, I believe, the quintessential baby age. I love the chubby legs, the rolls on his arms, his big buddha belly... And I love being able to document this without the the fear of him running away from me!

4) 1 Year Old: Finally, he's a year old. And what a reason to celebrate! I love finishing with this milestone, as it's quite incredible to watch this little peanut grow into a little boy.

In the end, we will put together a custom designed story of your child's first year based on your 50 or so favorite images. Your child's first year will be finished in one of our signature folio books and will include the details you want just as much to remember: his favorite toys, blankets, bedtime stories, a photo of his nursery, favorite bible passages or quotes, his first words, his weight & height at each milestone, and for many - a journal entry or dedication from the parents to their beloved child.

These albums tell the story of your baby's first year and becomes an important heirloom piece that your child will eventually pass down from one generation to the next. As we put together the finishing touches of baby William's (pictured above) One Year Album, a glimpse of a finished folio book.

Because of the amount of time we invest in each of our One Year clients, we do limit the number we accept each month. If you are expecting, be sure to call today to get on our list!

Santa at b braithwaite - Only a few spots left!

A little elf told me this morning that nearly every time slot is filled up for Santa's visit to b braithwaite! If you haven't booked your private session yet, NOW is the time! Here are the details:

Dates: November 20th, December 4th & December 11th
How much? $40
Event: Santa is coming to b braithwaite! Have your children's portraits taken with Santa and walk away with a DV of digital pictures to use to your liking. More on this event here!
How to Book: Space is limited! Call b braithwaite at 404-605-0963. Payment is required when booking.

One Santa's favorite subjects from the past 4 years. I can't believe Madeline is 4 this year!



Can't wait to see everyone there this year!

Your Family

Creating that perfect family portrait is incredibly important to me during our session. But what is a perfect family portrait?

Well, it's arguably "the" shot where each family is looking straight at the camera, beautiful smiles, hair in place, angled to look thinner, and no boo-boo's, wrinkles, blemishes or gray hair appear anywhere in the shot.

Sure, it's a beautiful portrait. And we all love it... But what draws us to look deeper into your family are the real moments. The moments that make you smile, remember, believe, and love. These are the moments I try so hard to capture...

Family Day, this Saturday!

Every year, we invite all of our clients to spend some time with us at a park. We'll schedule several 15 minute mini-sessions with each family, capturing beautiful individual and family portraits against the glittering Fall leaves as your backdrop. Alice will then apply her signature toning and black & white techniques to her favorite 10 images and burn each of them on CD (printable up to 5x7) for families to make as Christmas cards, gift portraits and to archive for their own personal use.

This exclusive offer is only available during this time of the year.

What: Family Day 2011
When: Sat, 10/23 from 9am - 12pm
(Rain Date - 11/6)
Where: Springdale Park, Atlanta
Price: Please contact us.
To Sign Up: Email Alice! We only have 2 spots left!

Sophia in Central Park

We are in the middle of the craziest season we've had yet! My sincerest apologies for all of the sweet sessions that have yet to make this blog....

For now, here are just a few favorites from the most beautiful family, day & park in the world!