I don't have to tell you how fast time goes by. And when my oldest son Jordan was home a couple of weeks ago visiting from the military, it really hit home HOW fast time goes by! Wasn't it just yesterday that I met Keith and this 9-year-old little boy? Fast forward to today when that 9-year-old boy is now 22 years old and will be getting married this October. His little brother, Peyton, is now 9 - halfway to 18 and being out of the house!! And my youngest child, Abbey, is 3 going on 16 and will be starting preschool this fall. Where oh where does the time go?
You can't stop time but you can preserve it's memories - through pictures. So when Jordan came home on what is likely to be his last trip before all the wedding festivities begin, it was important to me to get some family pictures done. I am so happy with the results from Erica Marten Photography.
Before our photo shoot Erica scheduled a telephone consultation with me so that we could go over all of the details of our photo shoot. She had some great suggestions on locations (we decided on Jiggs Landing) and ideas on poses for the shots that I wanted. She wanted to know what pictures were the most important (group shots of the kids, pictures of the whole family, etc.) so I was really confident going into our appointment that we were on the same page.
Anyone with kids knows that the success of a photo shoot lies in the hands of the youngest participant. If they are happy and in a good mood, the shoot will go great. If not, well you might as well plan for another day. So I was a little nervous about Abbey, my mischevious 3-year-old. It had been a long day already, we were coming from a last minute appointment that the kids had to sit through plus it was dinner time. But Erica handled her perfectly! During our telephone consultation Erica had asked me all about the kids - what kind of personalities they had, what their interests were, etc. So when it came time to take the pictures, she could talk to Peyton about what interests him - the latest Pokemon or his last soccer game. She could bond with Abbey over all things princesses. She had a game with Abbey that she was her helper and she would whisper in Abbey's ear what she needed to do and Abbey just ate that up! She was only too happy to do the poses and stayed happy and engaged for the entire hour.
Below are just a few of my favorite pictures (so hard to chose!) While I love posed pictures, Erica has a natural ability to get those "free form" shots, through which you can see the true personalities of my kids and their interactions with each other. These pictures make my heart smile.
Love how happy the kids are when they are together...
A goofy moment between brothers...
A tender daddy / daughter moment captured....
Can you believe one picture can hold all this sass...
...and all of this mischieviousness?
And moments that make your heart melt...
Pictures. They are a bridge to our past and a way to remember those special times that can sadly fade from our memory. Years go by in a heartbeat and kids grow up so quickly and before you know it you are planning a wedding way before you are ready for it. Don't miss those opportunities to make time stand still for just a moment so you can look back and remember "those good ole days". I would highly suggest Erica Marten Photography. Thank you for the memories!
A little about Erica Marten:
"I've been enthralled with my camera and photography for as long as I can remember, but I officially started Erica Marten Photography 6 years ago. I'm a lifestyle photographer that specializes in capturing the beauty of families, both human and furry. I specialize in maternity, newborn, kids (of all ages) and family photography. When I'm not hiding behind the lens of my camera, you can find me hanging out with my husband, Craig, our two munchkins, Kai and Finley, and our sweet dog, Guthrie. Originally from Chicago, we packed up and headed south last year in the hopes of finding sunny skies and warm water. We couldn't be happier living on the Gulf Coast. We've become enthralled with everything the ocean has to offer. Whenever we get the chance we head to the water to fish, snorkel, stand-up paddle board and take in the warm, salty ocean air."
I was provided complimentary services for the purpose of this review. All opinions stated are my own.
