And seriously–what a gorgeous family!

And at the top of that list was getting the “sneak peek” together for the {T} family. My favorite part about this session was how snuggly they all are. You really can just see the love they have for one another–it comes through so clearly in all of the images I took. I always have to remind my clients to scoot closer together–that it might feel awkward but I promise it looks better in pictures than to have one foot gaps in between each person. But I didn’t have to tell the {T} family that once. I just love the closeness they share and think these images reflect that perfectly.

And I’m not the only thing headed out of the office. These beautiful products will be leaving my hands today and will arrive in my client’s later this week. I’ll admit that I’m not the greatest product photographer, but these are just too gorgeous not to be photographed. As a custom photographer, I offer much more than just your traditional 8×10 print. These gorgeous image boxes are my current favorite. They hold 15 matted prints and are so dreamy in person.

And this float wrap is a modern take on a 16×20 print. It’s literally your image, wrapped and mounted so when hung it appears to “float” from the wall. How cool is that? I’m so excited for my clients to have these (although part of me wishes I could keep them for myself!).

I would really encourage anyone considering custom photography to look around your home and find the perfect places to display your artwork. Gift prints such as 5×7’s and 8×10’s are meant to sit on desks. But walls scream for large, gorgeous images. Don’t be scared by the sound of a 16×20 or 20×24. I promise you it’s not as big as you might think and I bet you’d even wish you went larger. To me there is nothing more beautiful that decorating your home with images of your own life, so go big!

(drumroll please)…

Image #7! Congratulations to the oh-so-adorable {T}! Let me just say, I am so glad that I didn’t have to pick the winner because it was just too hard to choose. And thank you to everyone who voted–my blog has been loving all the visitors and all of the wonderful comments. Speaking of which, it’s also time to announce the winner of the mini session. Out of 76 comments, random.org selected comment #18! So Stacie–be checking your email soon as I’ll be sending you more information on your mini session!

Thank you all for making this contest bigger than I could have ever imagined. And don’t forget to become a facebook fan if you aren’t already– I have a few big announcements coming up that I can’t wait to share, so be sure to check there and over here on the blog often.

And definitely don’t forget to leave a comment here after you vote for your chance to win a mini photography session. With only 12 comments now, you’ve got pretty good odds! I know you’re out there, so leave me some blog love! I adore feedback and communication and would love to know who is reading this little ol’ blog of mine! So jot me a quick note and let me know who you are.

I’ve got several sessions coming up that I can’t wait for, but today I tried to snap a few pictures of my own children. That’s definitely a New Year’s resolution of mine–to remember to photograph my own kids. It seems silly, being a children’s photographer and all, that it would slip my mind to capture images of my Abby and Jacob. But trust me, it’s harder than you think. It’s also difficult (as any professional photographer with kids would tell you) to get natural looking pictures of my very unwilling children. My kids run every time the see the camera. Seriously…run! Or scream at me, shake their finger, or collapse into a puddle on the floor. You may think I’m being dramatic, but believe me–it’s not a pretty sight. And I do feel for them. Honestly, I do. They have been subjected to numerous lens testings, backdrop try outs, and countless “just one more!” pleadings from me.

So when it appears that I might, just possibly, have a willing subject, I bust out that Nikon faster than you can say “cheese!” (which you will never, ever hear me say at a session, by the way. Saying cheese is a surefire way to get forced and strained looking pictures of your little ones. If you have to say something to coax a smile out of them, opt for “candy” or something that produces a somewhat more natural grin). Jacob was a good sport and even offered a smile or two for me without any pleading, begging, or bribing on my end. So I’m quite pleased with the resulting image of my little man.

Before I dive into all of my 2010 sessions, I thought I would compile my nine favorite portraits from 2009. I love each of them for different reasons, but they all mean something special to me and when I look that them I still get that “Oh, I love that one!” feeling inside. But now it’s up to you to decide the favorite image of 2009.

The client whose image receives the most votes will get an 11×14 thin wrap (love these–they are new to my 2010 product catalog) from their past session or from a new ‘10 session. And for those who vote–leave a comment on the blog for a chance to win a mini session. It’s a win-win for everyone!

To vote simply scroll through the images at the bottom of the post, select your favorite and then click “VOTE”. If you want to view the images in a larger format, just click on the image. Also, click on the share this button to link the contest to your favorite social networking sites. Easy as pie.

So go ahead, spread the word and cast your vote! I can’t wait to see which image is chosen as the 2009 favorite! (Voting ends at midnight on January 15th.)

{Poll is officially closed–Thank you all for voting!}