Courtney + Andrew + Logan found the very best day of the week to venture out to a favorite location of Logan’s for exploring, playing, walking, and enjoying the peacefulness of nature. Needless to say, following a three-year-old through the woods and around streams is definitely a workout, but it was incredibly fun and so worth it. It was an incredible privilege to capture meaningful photos for this happy family.

We could not wait to see Angela + James again. Their wedding was about a year ago, and suddenly here we were photographing their awesome baby boy, Justin. Just loves to snuggle, and word has it that he’s also a huge Jets fan! He’s already getting off to a great start.

Because we’ve had such a great history with Angela + James and their families, they shared a note in their own words about why these photos are so important to them:

James and I have been together for so long, and have always talked about our future. Little did we know our future was closer than we had ever dreamed! We were so blessed to be married, buy our house, and have our son Justin, all in one year’s time. This photo shoot was our opportunity to celebrate Justin’s safe arrival, and our love for one another. We always knew we would be a family someday, and it was so special to have our photos taken for the first time. When those photos came in the mail, I nearly attacked the UPS guy (as did my dog Clarabelle) and I ripped open the packages and smiled ear to ear. They were everything I wanted and more. I was scrambling around my house with my hammer and nails, moving things around and finding the perfect spot for all these new family pictures. I can’t wait for people to come visit so they can see our new art!

More with Angela + James.

When Nicole + Matt asked us to come out and photograph their family along with their beautiful baby girl, we couldn’t wait to meet her! It was also a great opportunity to see Nicole’s parents again and get photographs of some of their favorite things — their beautiful children, Jaye’s amazing home decor skills, Mike’s classic cars, and of course their gorgeous granddaughter, Ella. In her own words, Nicole penned the warmest note describing her thoughts about our history with this amazing family and what these photos have meant for the entire family:

At every family function, my mother’s homemade photo albums always end up being taken out at the end of the night. My two sisters, mom and I are usually cuddled up on the couch laughing and talking about something funny from a family holiday or reminiscing about our beloved dog Bernie Burns. Our family pictures are such a huge part of what makes us, us. My mother has instilled in each of us the love of our family albums and the time we spend together sharing our memories while looking through them.

That being said, meeting Jenni and Ulysses has been magical for us.  They photographed my wedding to my husband Matt in 2008 at Perona Farms, and when we met in person for the first time for our engagement shoot they greeted us with big hugs and made us feel so comfortable that they quickly became part of the family. At the end of our wedding, I remember actually feeling sad when they left, like saying goodbye to old friends.

Jenni and Ulysses take amazing photos without intruding on your special event.  Every year on our anniversary and even throughout the year, we receive friendly e-mails checking in to see how we are doing. They are very wonderful people that are not only amazing at their job but at making you feel special, as well. It was so much fun getting to do a family shoot with them and having my daughter Ella get to meet them.

More with Nicole + Matt.

Nicole + Mike have always been two of our biggest fans. And now we’re two of the biggest fans of their trio of gorgeous children! When you have a set of two-year-old twins along with an infant for an autumn beach outing, you know you’re in for a real treat! These photos have great importance to Nicole + Mike, and in their own words, here’s why:

Once our third child was born, Mike and I knew that we wanted to capture this very special time in our lives when all three of our children were still babies. We wanted to be sure that the portraits would capture the true feeling of our family and each of individual children’s little personalities. We knew from our wedding photos that Ulysses and Jenni would be a perfect match! We needed a studio that would be as concerned about the comfort of our children and the success of the session as we were. We also knew that we wanted art, not cute photos. We wanted this time in our family to be a permanent memory on our walls so that as our children grow we can always remember where we began. When we received the photos we were thrilled! They went directly from the box to the walls, where they will stay for years to come, just as planned!

We loved seeing this amazing twosome (now a fivesome… or a cinquesome?) again.

More with Nicole + Mike.

We’re so excited that Andrea asked us about taking portraits of their baby girl, Josie. We couldn’t wait to meet her! She was every bit as smiley and playful as we expected her to be. We love that Andrea shared with us her thoughts about what these photos mean to the family:

It was our first time taking pictures as a family, since I’m usually the one behind the camera! We really just wanted to remember this time with Josie since she’s been so cute and happy. Of course, it’s her first Christmas, too! We put her in a special winter outfit – her red Ralph Lauren coat and Ugg boots that were a gift from my mom. I especially love the photos of us on the front steps and at the park because Josie and I have spent a lot of time hanging out in both places! When the weather was warmer we would sit on the steps and watch for Joe to come home from work and, of course, we’ve taken many walks in the park. The canvas we ordered for our dining room is great – Josie noticed it right way and even pointed to it! She was smiling as I showed her all three of us: mamma, dadda and baby Josie.

More with Andrea + Joe.

Alysia is finally here! Anna + Javier couldn’t be happier. And what a beautiful baby she is. With her dark eyes and her even darker hair, she’s a perfect combination of her awesome parents. Only a few days old, we were some of the first to lay eyes on her. Big thanks and hugs to Anna + Javier for introducing us to your latest gem.

More with Anna + Javier.

Our excitement over Michele + Matt’s upcoming first baby was easily excelled when she asked us to take photos of Baby Matt for his very first professional photos. We were delighted to see one of our favorite couples again. Baby Matt loves cuddling more than anything else in the world, and his mom & dad have plenty of love to give him. It’s been an amazing year for Michele + Matt, and it was a joy spending time with them once more.

More with Michele + Matt.

We couldn’t wait to finally meet Gemma, having recently photographed her ecstatic parents for Diana’s gorgeous maternity photos. She was the perfect little model, hardly uttering a single peep during the entire photo shoot. Could she be more adorable? We’re so glad her parents have invited us to photograph her first year with them, and we’re thrilled to watch her grow.

More with Gemma.

When Diana called to ask us about photographing her soon-to-be-born baby, we were thrilled enough (having known her after shooting her sister’s wedding). But when she asked us to photograph a maternity session for her, that gave us even more reason to jump up and down with excitement. She’s a beautiful person inside and out, and we were genuinely thrilled to show her off. Isn’t she the most gorgeous nine months you’ve ever seen? Baby Gemma is right around the corner!

More with Gemma.

There is little that gets us as excited as getting a call back from one of our past couples to let us know they are having a baby. And when it’s a couple that shares a long history with us, like Kimberly + Eric, our excitement is just quadrupled! We first met when Kimberly was a bridesmaid at a friend’s wedding, and since then we’ve done several photo shoots together, including Kimberly + Eric’s lovely wedding. But nothing compares to the sweet little boy we had the privilege to photograph at less than a week old. Have you ever seen a cuter face? We just fell in love, and we know you will, too.

More with Kimberly + Eric.

The arrival of Spring always brings joy and broad smiles to our faces, and the arrival of newborn babies in Spring has that same effect but even more so! Jamie & Paul couldn’t wait for their twins to be born. We could hardly contain ourselves when we got to meet little Lucas and Dorothea for the first time, so we can imagine the family excitement once they finally arrived. Getting two newborns to sleep at the same time can be an interesting challenge, but we pulled out every newborn ninja skill we had, and we enjoyed every minute of it. We’re so thankful to Jamie & Paul for inviting us to continue showing through photos how wonderful a family they have! Together with their big brother, Ryan, babies Lucas & Thea are receiving a ton of well-deserved love and attention from everyone.

Feel free to leave a comment below for the happy family or for us. We always enjoy hearing from you!

See more with Jamie & Paul.

After being one of the first people to see her during her first week of life, we didn’t think Liliana could be any more precious. Clearly we greatly underestimated her power of cuteness! Now at six months old, she’s become even cuter and more impossibly adorable than we could have imagined! In fact, it was difficult taking photos of her because we just wanted to play with her all day long. She loves to sing to you, dance with you, and just gaze at you with big beautiful dark brown eyes. Her parents lavish her with love, and she grinningly accepts all of it. We can hardly wait until our next session with her.

If you’re enjoying these, feel free to leave a comment below, and don’t forget to click the button to “recommend” to your friends!

More with Anna & Javier.

Want to know when “Lifestyle Photography” turns the ordinary into the extraordinary for us? In a nutshell, it’s when ordinary, beautiful people like Jesyca & Bill invite us into their warm home to be a part of their own family. For years now they’ve allowed us to show off just how extraordinary a day with their family can be. Their complete devotion to their children is an inspiration to parents. The kids get excited to show us all their latest toys and musical instruments. And of course, we MUST see their favorite new clothes and pajama outfits! The day is always full of  surprises and fun. Photographing them is always a privilege, a celebration of the joy Jes & Bill experience with their family.

Lots more with Jesyca & Bill.

We’ve always known what an incredible couple Melissa & Mark make. You can imagine our excitement at seeing their family grow with the addition of their bouncing baby boy, Mason! The three of them together made for a more-than-delightful family and newborn session. Mason was a perfect baby model for us. It was as if he already knew the routine after his mommy’s maternity session.

Click here to see lots more with Melissa & Mark.

Debbie & Mike have been some of our favorite people to photograph for years now. We were so happy to hear about the arrival of their precious little peanut, Chloe. She loves to cuddle with her mom and dad, and they clearly love spending as much time as they possibly can with her, making her newborn photo session a true joy. It was such a privilege producing these for them. We’re really looking forward to getting to know Baby Chloe better over the next year.

More with Debbie & Mike.

One our happiest experiences is to be one of the first faces a newborn baby gets to know, often within its first week of life. Meeting little Aliyah was really special for us because we’ve also known and gotten to photograph her big sister since before Day #1. What an awesome privilege to be a part of Jasmine & Josh’s family since their children’s earliest days! Aliyah was calm and relaxed during her photos session and definitely loved to interact even at this early age. We can’t wait to watch her grow in the days to come!

We recently got to meet our newest tiny little friend, Liliana. Just as beautiful as her mother, and quiet and strong as her father, she was such a joy to photograph. Congratulation to Anna & Javier! Thank you so much for letting us capture your adorable little girl. It’s going to be so much fun watching her grow.

More with Anna & Javier.

Anna & Javier are excitedly awaiting the arrival of their first baby, and we couldn’t be happier for them! After having photographed their engagement session and their wedding, we were practically bouncing up and down ourselves at the chance to photograph Anna’s baby bump. Documenting this beautiful couple’s deep love for one another has become one of our most joyous experiences, and we’re counting the days until we meet Liliana when she finally arrives.

Click here to see more of Anna & Javier.

Many of our blog readers may remember our friends Jasmine & Josh, as well as their beautiful little girl, Arianna. We couldn’t be happier to say that they are expecting a new addition to their family! We had such a fun maternity session together, documenting not only Jasmine’s belly, but also 2-year-old Ari’s energetic personality. Enjoy these previews!

Click here to see more with Jasmine, Josh, and Arianna.

Many of our readers will remember Rachel & Ross from when we photographed their wedding a few years back. They are now the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl named Maya. We were thrilled to meet her and quickly fell in love with her red hair and natural highlights, alert blue eyes, and sweet voice. Her mom couldn’t believe it, telling us this was the most awake she’d seen her yet! At just a week old, Maya has already made herself right at home with her parents and the puppies. It was such a privilege to spend time with each of them again and document their growing family.