LightHearted Photography, the Blog

OpLove: P Family Video Slideshow

lawyermama — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:49:34 +0000

Earlier this week I shared the Operation: Love Reunited session from the P family, who has welcomed a new baby while Dad is deployed. This family was just so adorable, that I have to share their video slideshow as well. Enjoy!

Welcome, Baby Alyssa!

lawyermama — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:45:00 +0000

Not long go I had the chance to take maternity shots for Sara and Danny, an adorable couple expecting their first child. Of course, one of the best parts of my job is capturing new families, following them from all of that hope and expectation to the squishy newborns to follow.

Welcome, baby Alyssa!

Operation: Love Reunited Session – P Family

lawyermama — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:41:49 +0000

You all know by now that I have a soft spot for military families. The military community has given me so much, that I give back what I can. Enter, Operation: Love Reunited. This month, I had the chance to do an away session for the P family and this one was extra special because the P family has a brand new addition!

Baby A was just as handsome as could be and his big brother was a joy! I can’t wait to see this family again when they’re reunited with their sailor Daddy later this year!

Maternity Photography: Sara and Danny

lawyermama — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:29:56 +0000

Over the weekend, I had a wonderful maternity session with this Chesapeake couple expecting their first child. Of course, they already have two fur babies, but in a few months they’ll also have Baby Alyssa. Capturing the anticipation and love was so much fun. Danny and Sara, I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

Welcome to the World, Baby Declan

lawyermama — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 09:34:29 +0000

I think newborn sessions are some of my favorite sessions. Yes, I know it seems like I say that about every kind of session, but that’s what happens when you love taking photographs! But newborns are pretty special. I love those tiny toes, fingers and ears, those tiny yawns and even the screams. (I get to give them back, you see!) Newborn sessions are always unpredictable. You never know if the new little one will sleep or scream through the entire session. Either way, the result is always precious.

For newborn sessions, I frequently use black and white shots. There is something about the simplicity and elegance of black and white that keeps the focus on the baby, all those tiny little details, and the emotion of welcoming a new life into this world. Welcome, Baby Declan!

Kyleigh Turns One!

lawyermama — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 19:53:13 +0000

One of the reasons that I so enjoy taking photos of newborns is the opportunity to watch those tiny babies grow into little people!

I did Kyleigh’s newborn photos when she was born in 2010 and was lucky enough to take her photos at 6 months as well. Now, her parents are moving back to the Northwest and we snuck in some one year photos just a little early. She’s still just as adorable. Happy birthday, Kyleigh!

Operation: Love Reunited – The USS Boise Comes Home

lightheartedphoto — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:26:42 +0000

I had to share this video from LightHearted Photography that I put together of the homecoming of the USS Boise for an Operation: Love Reunited photo session I did for my friend Leslie. Her husband is the skipper of the Boise and they really wanted something that would capture not just their reunion, but the homecomings of all of the Boise sailors.

I love shooting homecomings. They never fail to move me and they make me so proud of our military families and all that they do.

Senior Photos at First Landing State Park

lightheartedphoto — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 05:58:00 +0000

Going back through my 2010 sessions, I found this senior photo session that I loved! I had the pleasure of doing senior photos for Karl’s sister Anna two years ago and it was wonderful to see just how much they have in common. Karl is funny, talented and musical so I wanted to capture his personality and unique vibe:

Operation: Love Reunited – The USS Winston Churchill Comes Home

lightheartedphoto — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:08:41 +0000

Homecomings. They mean something different to each of us. You may think of football and tiaras or traveling to see relatives for the holidays, but for military families a homecoming is so much more. Yesterday, the USS Winston Churchill, a destroyer that is part of the Truman Carrier Strike Group, came home to Norfolk after a 7 month deployment. The weather was bitterly cold. (Well, it was bitterly cold for Norfolk!) But the piers and heated tents were still crowded with families carrying signs, flags and a lot of nervous anticipation.

As the owner of my own business, military homecomings can be a pit of a pain. The schedules are always changing; I basically have to block out an entire day for one homecoming photoshoot because I can’t risk the time changing to interfere with another appointment. I have to drive 30 to 45 minutes to Norfolk or Virginia Beach, fight the crowds, find parking and wait in the cold or heat. (For the record, I think the heat in July is worse!) And, because I do these sessions for free for military families through Operation: Love Reunited, I don’t make any money. But I take every homecoming session I can.

Why? Because I’ve never done anything more rewarding as a photographer. I can’t count how many homecomings I’ve attended, but every single homecoming makes me cry. Every raw emotion I capture reminds me exactly why I became a photographer. Every single reunion reminds me of how important my family is. Every single hug, kiss and tear fills me with gratitude for the amazing gift that military families give us every day. My time and my images seem like the least I can do to say thank you.

Yesterday, I wanted to shout thank you once again as I captured the reunion of Bryce and Kelly when the USS Winston Churchill came home. This wasn’t their first deployment as a military family, but this reunion was pretty special. You see, Kelly is 7 months pregnant and Bryce had never seen her baby bump in person.

Welcome home, Bryce! And thank you Bryce and Kelly for all that you sacrifice for your country every day.

Romance in the Botanical Gardens

lightheartedphoto — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 05:49:00 +0000

In November, I got to do a photo session for this adorable military family in the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. I had a difficult time processing their photos simply because they looked so great in all of them!