Author Archives: Susan McGowan
Boys Will be Boys, the Most Energetic of the Mini Sessions!
There is something to be said about the energy of children, but especially that of boys! I wish I had it, but since I don’t, all I can do is laugh at it. These children were so much fun and by the end of the shoot, the boys were SOAKING wet! If any of you know Lake Michigan, you know that it is very cold in May! I loved capturing the candid shots with this family; those are priceless!
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The First of the Beautiful Lake Shore Sessions!
After being rained out all last weekend and having rain all afternoon, I was worried I would be rained out again this weekend! The gloomy start of the day turned around and ended up being a little bit chilly, but with a beautifully overcast sky! This adorable family was the first of eight sessions.
18 Month PICS for Big Boy, Emmett
Emmett is so tall that people can hardly believe he’s only 18 months. Even during this session, some lady stopped us to say how cute he was and she thought he was three! We ended up getting our best smiles this session as we were going through each farm animal and having him tell us what noises they make. Hey, whatever works! When parents know these kind of tricks, by all means, get those out of the bag!
Ballerinas and Pirates ~ Let’s Play Dress Up!
When this client emailed me and asked for a ballerina and pirate session, I wasn’t really sure what to think. I actually asked her if she wanted to bring regular clothes as well and she said no. It isn’t Halloween; but we all know that kids love dressing up. After last night, I think a dress up session is wonderful any time of year. These girls had so much fun and their photos really showed it!
Great Mother’s Day Gift Ideas!
Since my shoots were rained out this past weekend, I started thinking about Mother’s Day. What are you getting for your mom for Mother’s Day? I just heard on the radio this morning that the number one gift idea is a trip to the spa. I would definitely agree with that because who doesn’t love being pampered! I would guess a close second might be photos or a photo session with mom and her kiddos or grandma and her grandchildren. These two shots below are of me with my baby on her first birthday. I am rarely in photos because I’m always behind the lens; so, I cherish the ones I am in more than anything! Gift certificates are always available!
Happy 1st Birthday Dyllan!!
What is so great about being a photographer is anyone could be a potential client, even months or years later. I met this mother about 18 months ago when we were both pregnant. She was due about a week before me. I ended up beating her to the punch by a few days and we met again at this milestone for both of our babies. He was a sober little guy, but we stole a few precious grins out of him.
Happy Birthday to my Baby, Paisley!!
The biggest secret that I ever kept was when I knew I was having a baby girl, but my husband did not know the gender! He thought I was horrible at keeping secrets until I kept this one. I had everything planned, from her name to her furniture and bedding. I was so excited to have my third baby girl! She has been such a blessing to me over the past year. Today is her birthday and when I was thinking of all of her favorite things here is what came to mind. She loves her mama (I gotta put that in there), the phone and pretending to call dada, dancing, playing with balls, whispering “hi” to everyone, and she loves Cheerios! So, I thought this would be the perfect set up for her birthday session! What do you think? I’m bias, but isn’t she adorable!
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More DIY and Pinterest!
I saw the monogram wrapped with twine on Pinterest. I thought it was so cute, but didn’t know what to do with it. So, I picked up this old window pane and paired them together. It is hung in the living room at our cottage and I think it looks great. Side note, these wrapped letters are much easier to do with letters that are open and not closed (B is much harder than S).
This is a headboard that I made for our cottage. I actually made two and have made several others besides these. The reason, they are SO easy and SO inexpensive compared to the hundreds of dollars that Pottery Barn charges for theirs. Start with a piece of plywood and spray glue on foam from JoAnn Fabrics. After that, pull your fabric around it and staple it in the back. That’s it! Project time of probably an hour max!
My Personal Baby Story
Today I’m reflecting on the past year and I am feeling extremely blessed! So, I thought I’d share a little bit about my family. The first photo in the storyboard below is me one year ago today! I was obviously about to pop and actually just three days from delivering my third baby girl. The next photo is of my sweet baby, Paisley, right after she was born. The middle shot is us before we went home from the hospital and the last two photos were taken just this week as we approach her first birthday this Saturday! I can’t believe how quickly this year has flown by. You only understand how much I love this child if you are a parent yourself. Love you so much Paisley Claire!! I’m sure I’ll have more birthday pics to share next week!
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Extended Family Barn Session
Taking 14 people, with half of them children, and trying to get them all to look at you at the same time can be challenging. It was a brisk spring morning and I loved the location we decided on. One thing I did not plan on however, was the huge digger working on the subdivision behind the location. So, we had to pull out a little bit of crazy to get the kiddos looking our way, but all in all, I think that grandma will be pleased with this gift her children have given her with the family photo session.
