Lifelong Impressions Photography

The new website & blog are here!!!

2010-08-20T21:19:00.000-04:00

So my new website with integrated blog is done!!!!

Please update your information for this blog to http://lifelongimpressions.com
All new posts and content will be there.

Definitely come check it out. There is so much new information presented in new ways! I've changed almost all of the feature images. If you have had a session with me in the last year it is highly likely one of your images is featured somewhere in the galleries, information and forms.

Lifelong Impressions Website & Blog

Almost ready!

2010-08-14T22:44:00.000-04:00

The new website that integrates everything together is almost ready to launch! A few of my recently booked senior sessions have already used the new forms, and they are fantastic. The ease of use for both clients and my end is a dream.

There will probably be an outage of both the website and our emails for a couple of days this next week. This blog will continue working and you will be directed to the new address once everything is live. Please call during the outage. 919-585-6433.

Blake and Madison have taken over the bed after their shower, and they are busy checking out Blake's hurt finger. He stuck it where it shouldn't have been in the eliptical machine. The machine bit with two long ragged, but shallow, gouges along the inside of his finger along with a 'pocket' of skin along the side of it.

Fun Senior shoot

2010-07-21T22:06:00.000-04:00

I love so many images from this shoot it will be hard to share just one!

I always try to get to know my clients prior to their shoot in case something really fun comes to mind. Samantha was the winner of my End of Spring contest for a free session! We were all very excited to meet for her shoot. She is a girly girl who is very interested in reading, science and anthropology. We definitely wanted to convey her personality in her shoot. This image below definitely brings two of those qualities to life.

Right now is the perfect time to schedule your senior shoot with Lifelong Impressions. Call {919-585-6433} or email {shannon@lifelongimpressions.com} to get your shoot scheduled. I am currently booking seniors, kids and families for the end of summer and fall.

2010-07-16T22:46:00.002-04:00

My two cuties playing in the sprinklers out front.

Ella & Saleah!

2010-07-03T19:40:00.005-04:00

Ella's Touch
Ella of Ella's Touch is still doing wonderfully. She is now much more alert with all kinds of jabbering and laughing. She is so much more receptive to being held now too. I took another crack at capturing her for her family so there will be lots of great images to visually celebrate her life. We had a beautiful evening with nice soft light for her session.

Check out these amazing eyes. Her eyes are so pretty. She loves to put her fingers in her mouth, suck on a passy & will play with her hands by clasping her fingers together.

This shot is perfection. You can feel all the love and affection Tiffany has for her special baby girl. Having lost her third child at 6 months old she knows, like most people could not possible fathom, how to love this baby girl, her two older kids & husband with everything she has in her. She handles the struggles of life with so much grace and beauty.

Ella's big brother announced to me proudly, "My sister has lived longer then my brother!" Despite all the inevitable sorrow her loss will bring they make sure to cherish each moment they can cherish. Shouldn't we all spend much more time cherishing our family including all the 'insignificant' moments? We really don't know what will happen tomorrow or next year. For some of us, we too, will feel the pain of losing a loved one in our immediate family. Please take time to cherish those you love. And for all those mama's out there who don't want to get in pictures, please just do it! Your loved ones do not care for perfection. They care for YOU!

Tiffany was getting Ella to laugh here. She smiled several times for us. This one is one of my favorites with her looking back at mom as she smiles.

Sweet Seleah

Three of the last four newborns in front of my camera have smiled for me! Seriously?!?! It has never happened in the past, and now they all are doing it. Maybe I'm learning some magic skills {with those beautiful mama's help!} with the newborns. Saleah is adorable. That hair. She also has the loads of fine baby hair over most of her just like Blake did. It brought back great memories.

We were even able to clip this flower in her hair without a headband. Love it. No distractions. Just beauty. Those pouty little lips are also perfection.

{So all my phrases on here remind me of Nike commercials I've seen in the past! Just do it}

My Kiddos

In case you don't follow my personal blog, here are some images of a project I did this week. The Inner Hooker is a pattern maker who's Fan page I found on Facebook. She picked me out of about 25-30 people to do a test crochet pattern. Yay, me! Here is the second hat I made with this pattern test being modeled by Madison. It was a great experience that I hope I can do again. Maybe I'll start selling hats, scarfs and other things during the slow seasons. Always gotta be busy...

Love this photo of Madison showing off one of the hair props I've gotten recently. There's a whole small case full of them. Those with little girls are welcome to use any of them during your session. I have a few cool flowers that would look great on Mom too {I wore one to our church breakfast this morning}!

And what's a post showing my Maddy when my Blakie isn't included? No way! Here is my adorable boy with his summer bleached hair and happy smile.

What would you like to do to cherish your family more this week?
Please share in the comments to inspire us all!

Joyous curls

2010-06-26T23:32:00.000-04:00

Have you ever noticed that most people really want what they don't have? This almost always applies to hair. People with strait hair LOVE those with curly hair and vise versa. Today I got to photograph the most adorable curly headed five year old with more expressions then a seasoned actress. She was also very patient throughout her entire session with posing and tons of clothing changes. Most almost five year olds would been done with the whole process about half way through. She definitely made me work hard to get her natural relaxed smile in with all her other serious, fun and zany expressions.

{The flowers in her hair are from Bella Mia!}

Note to self: Don't stick something {tiny flower} up your nose to make a 4 year old laugh. They will want to stick many little somethings up their nose to get you to laugh too!

I hope you have a wonderful week!

I'll never get tired of newborns... especially twins!

2010-06-19T19:01:00.000-04:00

Make sure to enter for your chance to win a session on the Lifelong Impressions Facebook page! Entries are accepted up to June 20th at 8:00pm! Anyone can enter!! Make a comment on your favorite image on Lifelong Impressions Facebook page albums saying why it is your favorite. Hurry! You don't want to miss this.

Meet Emily & Drew. They are super adorable twins anxiously awaited for by their parents. They were full term HUGE twins with her over 8 lbs. and he was almost 8 lbs. Yes, add that up to 16 pounds of baby weight alone.

They were so sweet to work with today. Little Miss also was a rock star at holding her head up. There are many more images I can't wait to show mom & dad.

Summer is here!

2010-06-17T12:15:00.000-04:00

We just got back from a trip home to Phoenix. It was great to see all of our family & some of our friends. It's amazing how, in our family, we spend so much time really connecting with each other after the loss of a family member. We lost my grandmother to ALS {Lou Gehrig's disease}. Yes, she was 90, but we thought she was going to outlive us all with her health and vitality. Then, last year she was diagnosed with this debilitating disease and given a hopeful life sentence of up to 5 years. It affected her throat the most which is what caused her the complications leading to her passing.

I've shared this image on my personal Facebook page when we were in Phoenix last week, but I also wanted to share it here. I loved this image from the moment I first saw it. It is so my grandmother. She never did like to have her picture taken, but her smile is engaging when she does consent to look at the camera. In face, in most images she is looking at someone she loves with her rather then at the camera. She has always cared more for others then herself which is definitely represented here by the hand on Maddie & Blake. As my cousins and I looked through all the family pictures at my moms house we almost always found a child in her arms no matter what her age was.

We sang Have I Done Any Good? as the opening song for her funeral. With her quest to help others including housing many family and friends she touched so many lives with her good works. I'll miss her and our conversations. We'd talk on the phone for a while at least once every few weeks for many of her last years.

While in Phoenix we were able to do two sessions. They were able to get everything together with amazing short notice.

Erin & Dave were one of my bride & groom's 9 years ago. They had one of those rare amazingly perfect wedding days in Arizona with just the right amount of sun & moody clouds along with a gorgeous sunset gracing their outdoor golf course wedding! Dave serves in our armed forces!!! When the first shot of a session looks like the one below, I know it's going to be a fabulous session.

Catherine needed shots of her four kids for their modeling agency. We took a few at the end of all five of them together. Her youngest proceeded to through himself into the water feature just prior to the group shots drenching himself from head to toe! Even though she had plenty of other outfits for him she {I probably would have done the same!} decided it was very representative of his personality keeping him in his drenched clothes for the shots. I love it!

Brittany + Sean are now hitched!!!

2010-06-02T00:16:00.001-04:00

As promised! Here are some images that caught my eye when skimming through all the yummy images for Brittany & Sean.

I met these guys for their engagement session last summer. We stopped at an empty lot someone had dumped an old couch at for our first shots. We'd hardly met when I had them climbing onto this awful nasty couch to jump off holding hands. They were troopers and I knew right there we would get along very well. Brittany makes me smile whenever we talk.

These images are definitely worth looking at all of them for those blog skimmers out there!

One of my favorite things about Brittany is her absolute open self when she is comfortable with you and in a small group, but how absolutely shy she is as the center of attention. As a bride, you just can't escape everyone looking at you. :-) I have quite a few shots of them with her head tucked down just a bit down & to the side with lowered eyes and a great smile. In this shot, they were doing their grand entrance into the reception.

It's all the little details that help tell the story. Brides hire a photographer specifically for our ability to connect with the bride, tell her story & the love of the photographers photographic style. Brittany & Sean definitely took great care to incorporate Sean's Irish heritage with all the little details. Brittany loved the sparkly detail in her veil.

Rings with a Celtic design.

An awesome bagpipe player who has been learning his craft since the age of 18!

Beautiful flowers and a cake styled with the color in her dress.

All the girls had a great time helping Brittany get into her dress. Everyone was giggling by the time her dress was zipped up.

Sean was looking for his bride with full intent.

Brittany looked up just for a moment to see him as she made her way down the isle.

Married!

There is always something so special about mom and daughter shots. The love always shows.

Love this shot!!!

And love the satisfaction in Brittany's face as they are showing off the rings.

My favorite spot around her grandmothers house. The trees and grass were perfect.

Then we found the grape vines. It's such a delightfully romantic spot.

And where you can have fun with no prying eyes. Well, as long as you don't count the camera with the bossy girl behind it... ;-)

So happy together.

OK. This has GOT to be the best bouquet toss ever!! No, really. Do you see all the people. Look at how is moving their hands to go catch. Now, look over the the right at the cane. Got it?

Here it comes! There are two main contenders from what I can see. Do you think it's going to be a fight? They both look pretty determined.

Yep.

Notice she isn't taking her hand off even though grandma is definitely giving her the eye letting her know she will be holding onto it!

OK. Lets just hug & laugh. Grandma definitely kept a hold of it. She is also quite the flirt.

The reception was great with even the smallest guests enjoying the socializing, food, dancing and spectating.

One of Guy's great shots of the day! He is sneaky with his shots when no one thinks he is taking images. Great candids and great artistic stuff.

One of my faves! Brittany may be shy in large groups, but she is a feisty fun girl. Sean picked a clear winner in her. She also picked a clear winner in him!

Last week was very busy with sessions & a wedding

2010-05-31T11:54:00.001-04:00

I was going to include the wedding sneak peek too, but I think it will be better as it's own special post!

This shot is such a good visual of kids. They are interesting, colorful, cute, funny, curious & everything else. I can't wait to show off Gracie's enchanting smile. She was so much fun to shoot.

This series is for all the parents out there! One of my favorite things to say is, "Kids are an exercise in patience." When parents leave a photo session they often only remember if their children are doing what cute Cora is here in the first three shots. What I get is the last three shots of perfection! These shots all took place in a short 3-5 minutes.

The funny part her is the hat wasn't what was bothering her. It was just a way she could express herself at that moment. As soon as the hat was off she wanted it back on....

She has the cutest dimples.

Love this. My new hat really isn't in very many images, but it sure made the sneak peeks.

Love this interactive shot of toddlerness.

I think this is my favorite spot this year. The light was gorgeous! This shot is gorgeous! I love their expressions and interaction here. I would make this a HUGE wall portrait in my living room or bedroom.

Atlantic Beach was great! There was so much there with the great sand, dunes, pier and Fort Macon! Future beach sessions will definitely be over there. Let me know if you are interested in a beach session. Right now I am booking for August 6th and 7th with several spots still available.

Isn't this adorable? Wanna know something?....

The night before Ava spent most of it at urgent care & very grumpy sleepless night with a huge canker like sore under her tongue. She was a wonderful trooper giving us glimpses of her normal self with great smiles. When she was feeling clingy and bad I grabbed this beautiful shot. Her eyes speak so much of the pain she is feeling and the comfort she is receiving from mommy. As a mom it is so special to have my children want me specifically for comforting cuddles. I know Emily will treasure this image of her holding Ava.

Back in town from Miami!

2010-05-22T12:22:00.001-04:00

Much of my updating of late has been on Facebook. I love Facebook. It is such a great way to stay connected with family, friends and clients! It is amazing how many business details I take care of on Facebook. If you are not yet on Facebook I highly recommend it. If you are I'd love to have you 'Like' {formerly follow} the Lifelong Impressions fan page.

We had such a wonderful trip. It started by a visit to my family in Marietta, GA. Then we headed down to Tampa, FL to visit one of Guy's many sisters. Miami was out main stop with a stay in a gorgeous condo overlooking the Port of Miami and South Beach. The whole place and experience was fantastic. I had three great sessions while we were there, and met some great new friends. Lukily we thought ahead to bring our bikes along and were able to enjoy three bike rides all around the area we stayed. An old friend of mine happened to be staying in Miami not two miles away so they came over our last night to hang out for a while. The kids were on their most charming behavior with Madison singing her good night song, I Am a Child of God, the best she ever has. We also decided to break up our drive home from Miami to Raleigh with a stop at Universal Studios. We all had a great time at Universal. The kids are luckily quite tall for their age {about 36 inches} and got to ride on all the little kid rides. No matter how great a trip is, we are all very happy to be home.

Here is the adorable Jelly! She turned two yesterday so her session was on her birthday! Lucky.

And here is the adorable smile girl! Ah, newborns are so awesome!!!

The lovely weather continues

2010-05-03T22:36:00.001-04:00

The weather has been nice to us lately. There have been so many days we've been able to have the windows open all day. Sometimes I wish it was 70 all year round, but then I would miss the hot & cold. Hmmm, maybe not that much. :-)

Check out these adorable twin girls! They are three month old cuties who smiled just enough for us. I can't wait to share all the great images including a few of big brother.

We moved the shoot from the late afternoon to this morning, because the weather reports looked horrible for today. Then we had no rain. Guy is still sitting here all upset about the lack of rain. He loves a good rain as much as I do!

Extended families are a blast to shoot. This group is one of the smaller extended families I've had in front of the camera. We got some interesting urban shots then headed to Historic Oak View Park for some green shots. I love this shot with the pinky warm light of the setting sun on their faces. Cute little Cole is out for the count in his mama's arms.

Here he is wide awake during the urban part of our shoot. Everyone was a blast to work with. There is just something wonderful about a red door. It went so well with the blues.

When we moved to Raleigh from Phoenix I met our neighbor Michelle. We ended up doing a photo shoot with her two boys the next day as a surprise for her husband who loves UNC! They have had an image of the boys at the UNC well hanging above their fireplace ever since. About 5 photo shoots later it was time to head to UNC again for an updated image including all three boys. I have loved getting to know them and Tim is a fantastic dentist. Definitely consider him if you are needing a dentist in the Garner {40/42} area.

I am super in love with this image and think they will be too. These boys are ALL boys. They have tons of energy and love each other so much. In fact, when we met at their house before the shoot, I found out they often have sleepovers with each other by making a pallet on the floor in the living room. How cute is that?!!

Contest!! 2011 High School Senior Facebook contest!!!

2010-04-29T20:11:00.002-04:00

Lifelong Impressions Photography

2011 High School Senior Facebook Contest

First the prize!!!!
A full Regular Senior Session called "My Shoot" worth $200!!!
BUT the prize could be:
If the winner noted the friend's name who referred the winner in the entry comment, together they will receive a Full Regular Friend Session called "Double the Fun" worth $350!!

AND if you have already booked a session with Lifelong Impressions and win, you will get the prize Plus 24 custom designed announcements (an additional $40 winning)!!

How to enter:
Like Lifelong Impressions on Facebook

Make a comment on your favorite senior image in the "2011 Seniors" album on the Lifelong Impressions Facebook fan page saying why it is your favorite and include the name of the friend or senior rep who referred you to Lifelong Impressions.

Bonus entries:
Refer your friends to enter.
They must note your name in their comment entry on their favorite 2011 Senior image

Parent entries:
Parents may enter for their senior by commenting on their favorite 2011 senior image, giving the child's name and why then love the image.
If the 2011 senior parent was referred by another 2011 senior or parent of a senior please also include the other senior in the comment

The Details:
If you book a session with a paid deposit and win, you will not only get the prize, but you will get a set of 24 custom designed graduation announcements!! Your deposit will be applied to your print order.
All entires must be made in the Facebook Photo Album entitled Seniors 2011 on any one image of entrants choosing.

Enter by 8 am EST on June 20, 2010.
The winner will be chosen on June 21, 2010 st by a random drawing chosen by Random.org from the total number of entries based on a numbered list I make.
Only One entry per person. You can earn extra entries by getting your friends & parents to enter and listing your name in their entry.
The session must take place by August 14, 2010 in the Raleigh metro area. If the winner lives elsewhere they are responsible for any travel fees associated with coming to and staying in the Raleigh area.
The winner must "like" Lifelong Impressions Facebook fan page at the time of the drawing.

The prize has no cash value
Images from the session will be used for marketing and promotion.

{Photographers are welcome to use the details of this contest for their own senior contest - Out of my market area, of course}

Azaleas in bloom

2010-04-27T09:30:00.001-04:00

I have never actually done a session at the WRAL gardens when the azaleas are in full bloom. It was gorgeous and we were blessed with a full overcast day to make all the colors pop softly. We did have to hang out under a big tree for a while when the 20% chance of rain actually hit us. We had a lot of fun.

One of the things I love most about my job is getting to know people. I went to church with these guys for a couple of years before the kids were born. As with most church relationships you say hi, but we usually don't get very much further then that. Little Riley here was also captured by me when she was a newborn. We started to get to know each other then, but this time we all talked a lot more. I always thought Kory was pretty, and she gets even prettier the more I get to know her.

Business Feature - Our favorite realtors!

2010-04-26T09:41:00.002-04:00

I've been thinking of doing a regular spotlight post for businesses we love. As a business owner I know how hard it can be to get the word out. Once people know about you the business flows in naturally. Even if a business is well established getting the word out about how awesome you are is still great and helps the business grow more. And who doesn't love to know about fabulous businesses?!?! I know I do, and I take recommendations from friends over any advertisement. So, since you all are my friends, it is time to start a new feature to the photography blog. Welcome.

Our realtor in Phoenix, Leif Swanson {a great realtor as well, in the Phx area!}, referred us to the very best realtors we have worked when we moved to Raleigh. Use Leif if you are in the Phoenix area. You will be very happy. He also has a great blog called, Ugly Home Photos. I enjoy the humorous images and comments.

Side note: Once you find a great realtor and have to move out of state definitely have them find you your next realtor. It is in their best interest to find you the perfect and most awesome realtor in your new area as they get a small referral commission from the purchase of your new home. They tend to do their research well. In this case Leif definitely found us the best.

I would like to introduce you to David and Beth.

The weekend after we decided to move here we flew into Raleigh. They met us at their office when to look at houses. In the car ride to the first home we started to get to know each other where they put us instantly at ease. Then the laughter started. We found a great humor match in these guys. What we found out later was even better!

Upon going through the first property that originally drew us to the area we found out that David is very knowledgeable about construction. He made sure to cast a critical eye for us. Boy we sure found out fast that house was out! After spending the day going through houses we narrowed it down to 3 then put an offer in on the one we fell in love with. One of the three on the list was one we originally didn't like much. David & Beth encouraged us to keep that one on the short list.

Unfortunately, when we were back in Phoenix, the house purchase fell through when the offer on our Phoenix home fell through. It went to someone who put in a backup offer {who does that?}. We decided to put in an offer on the home we originally didn't like much, because David and Beth had gotten to know us enough to know what we would be very happy with. We got it! We LOVED that house. It was perfect for us.

Then after many years and lots of $$ we finally got pregnant. With twins!!! We decided I would stay at home with the kids, while doing a little photography on the side, so we needed to sell the home to buy a smaller one. David and Beth helped us once again just over a year later. With their expert advice we were able to sell the home in 21 days even in this current economy. They were honest with us letting us know all the market details, home conditions and everything else to meet our goal of selling for the best price we could get quickly. We definitely did all they said before putting it on the market and kept the house showing ready.

Then came the daunting task of dragging my sorry hugely pregnant behind out to look at homes in our new price range. It felt like an impossible task to find something we would love in the new price range. I was also very slow, had to sit in every home and don't forget the food to keep the twins happy! They were so patient and looked high and low to find us something perfect. Even though we had to go looking quite a few weekends they treated us like the most valued of customers. Most realtors in our new budget of only 130-150k would not have been so patient. They help people buy and sell homes regularly at much higher values where the sales commission compensates them a lot better for the time spent. We did not feel like we got any less attention.

Beth is also a master at contracts. She knows them inside and out. I loved working with her expertise as it proved invaluable in making a tough financial transition from selling a home after only owning it a short time to another one. We came out just fine with no losses {I know that doesn't happen all the time even with the best realtors!}.

Both in this home and our last one we asked them before making any changes to the home. This way we spend our improvement money wisely making resale easier should we move again.

{Edited to add} Ha ha. I talked so much already this post is soooo long. I forgot to put in some tidbits about David and Beth for you.

They have been working in the area since 1987! I asked them if they knew every road since it seemed no matter how far off the beaten path we were they always knew everything. They said, "Although we do not know EVERY road…..we know a lot of them!", but I still think they know almost all of the roads in the whole metro area. Speaking of roads, their average mileage is 24,000 a year. Think about that. WOW!

In their time off they take road trips to the beach, mountains, antique stores and any other spot that catches their fancy to site see.

Industry Designations include:

CRS – Certified Residential Specialists

CLHMS – Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialists

GRI – Graduates of the Realtor Institute

ABR – Accredited Buyer Representatives

SRES – Seniors Real Estate Specialists

MIRM – Member of the Institute of Residential Marketing

CMP – Certified Marketing Professionals

CSA – Certified New Home Site Professionals

Career Achievements include:

Re/Max Hall of Fame

Institute for Luxury Home Marketing

Regional Sales and Marketing Council

Triangle Top Producers Council

Re/Max Platinum and 100% Club Awards

Members of the Council of Residential Specialists

Dozens of Sales and Customer Service Awards since 1987

Personal commitment:

Our business is not just buying and selling homes! It is about people – the families, the hopes and the dreams. People are the power of our business. We take pride focusing on each client and their goals. Our relationships are based on Trust, Knowledge, Credibility and Integrity. We are excited by the changes and technological advances. Shaping the future of real estate and look forward to continued success one client at a time.

Call or email David and Beth for your home buying and selling needs in the Raleigh, NC metro area. Guy & I love them!

David Poore - NC Real Estate Broker - ReMax United

CRS, CLHMS, GRI, ABR, BSMKT, MIRM, CMP, CSP

919.610.7370 Direct

David@MyLuxuryHomeNC.com

Beth Porritt - NC Real Estate Broker Assistant

CRS, CLHMS, GRI, ABR, BSMKT, CMP, CSP

919.610.7371 Direct

Beth@MyLuxuryHomeNC.com

"IF IT'S ABOUT REAL ESTATE - ASK US!"

www.MyLuxuryHomeNC.com

Funny shot

2010-04-16T23:23:00.001-04:00

I often ask kids to make faces for me. It's fun, it loosens them up, and the natural smiles following the allowed silliness are awesome! Occasionally they are some of my very favorite photos. I love this one.

Babies in a tub, lolling under a tree & pure joyful love!

2010-04-16T14:42:00.002-04:00

Well, you'll have to wait to see the babies in a tub! lol Gotcha. But here are the cutest little toes from Ryan's 3 month shoot.

So, the kids & I were out shopping at Lowe's this morning with Guy's parents when we all realized we were super hungry. Luckily there was a Wendy's right across the street. Towards the end of our meal I saw an adorable couple walk in. They would be fantastic in front of my camera, yeah, totally! They were being so lovey dovey, and she noticed me looking at them. You could see the whisper happen as she told him I was watching them. He looks over trying to be covert. Obviously, I was busted! What did I do? Oh, just dug out a card from my wallet, and proceeded to make a total goob of myself giving it to them... I said they were adorable & I'd love to photograph them. Hey, at least they took it. But if they call I'll have some seriously amazing photos to share with you all!!!

Here is the image I removed from the last set of sneak peaks. I had almost forgotten they wanted to approve the images before the sneak was posted. These two families are part of a large extended family shoot I did down at the beach. We used the beach buildings the last glorious moments of direct sunlight and the super soft light just after the sun 'sets'. We had a great time. And who doesn't love more twins!!! Yes, I am sooooo partial to multiples. As a kid up to a young adult I often would dream fondly of having a twin brother.

I have known of this next family for a long time. We have never gotten to know each other. Now I know why! They are the shy family. Everyone is a bit {lot} shy. Mom is a big competitor when it comes to sports & games. The kids just couldn't resist my way out there personality for long. We also got to have fun with balloons in some of the family shots. In this shot everyone was settling in for the next pose, but I think the getting ready itself is a bit magical.

Pure Joyful Love! I'm sure there will be a time they are driving mom and dad absolutely crazy, but they will be able to remember and see this image. There is actually a series of three that are all this adorable. They would look great up on the wall in a storyboard.

Sneak Peaks from 4 recent sessions

2010-04-08T23:55:00.005-04:00

I am almost caught up to a normal pace after doing six sessions in one week a month ago. Since every week after that week had a full or a little over full schedule of new sessions it has been tough. I have managed to stick to my policy of getting the proofs ready within three weeks on all sessions. This is mostly due to my fabulous husband & wonderful friends. My husband because he is all about watching our kids. My friends because they haven't gotten mad at me for completely mostly ignoring them.

Creating these wonderful images for my family, friends & clients is a privilege. I am grateful every day for the abilities Heavenly Father has given me along with my determination to learn and grow. There really is nothing better then walking into a house to find images I have taken displayed so lovingly in their home. What has happened in the last few years with Facebook is just as cool. It is like a trip down memory lane for me to relive and enjoy the time I've spent with people when I see the images from our session used as their profile picture.

Blogging takes a long time to prepare and publish... For example, this post has taken me a couple of hours tonight since the images had to be edited, prepared for web, uploaded & the text prepared. I contemplated going to a Facebook only posting since most people are now on Facebook, but I do think this blog is important. So, I will most likely be blogging once a week from now on with some comments and a sneak peak. I will also be posting a feature on a business I love and recommend about once every two weeks. Definitely become a fan of Lifelong Impressions on Facebook. I am updating so much there as well as showing off loads of images from my recent shoots.

Speaking of my Feature Businesses, I am so excited to be sharing my favorite realtors of all time with you very soon. Having worked in the real estate industry and done my fair share of real estate transactions I know a great realtor when I see one. You will not be disappointed. If you cannot wait for my feature, because you need a realtor right away, in the Raleigh metro area, please comment or email me so I can give you the information.

Now onto the sneak peaks!

{This text and sneak peak removed}

A maternity session with one of the coolest green settings I've been to in a while. We went to a nursery nearby. It was lush green all around with many interesting textures and ponds everywhere. Little Kayla has amazing coloring with both an amazing smile and an amazing serious look.

You'll never guess what's in the next belly! Hmmmm, yeah, you probably got it. TWINS!! Boy/girl twins no less. I think having twins as your first children is way cool. You don't know what it is like to have only one, and you also aren't usually in a hurry to have the next one. For those like me who have an unhealthy fear of being an only child, it takes all the stress away. Anyway, I got off track. We went to Lake Benson park on a chilly evening when the trees were all full of flowery blooms. After the session we got to gabbing for at least 30 minutes. I think Melissa went home completely exhausted from standing so long.

And now, for a really cool bridal shot. We found some great locations out driving around for a nice varied look to her shoot. I even have a shot I'll share later. Brittany was cringing, yelping & shielding herself from one of the enormous pesky bugs out that evening at twilight. Luckily they were only at a couple of the 10 spots we used at the three locations. This is one of my favorite shots from the day. I love the rustic location, her sitting on tires, the pose & especially the little hint of a smile as she contemplates her upcoming big event. We are going to have a great time on May 22nd.

More sneak peaks

2010-03-27T17:34:00.000-04:00

Sneak peaks are so much fun. I love giving just a little taste of a session. Most sessions have such different looks throughout there is no way one picture tells the whole story. I have a lot more to share as the sessions I'm working on get done. It may be a big blast at once or a session at a time.

The last time we scheduled a session the weather was yucky. I loved the session we ended up doing in their home. This time we went for a very urban and hip vibe. I love how this shot is 'peaking' into their world. The kids were adorable! My kids also love playing with Levi at church in their nursery class.

This session was mainly for Cade who is the older of the two boys pictured below. We did a few cousin shots. We had perfect weather & spring all around us at the coolest old corner shop with a small feed warehouse across from it. It is also right near some railroad tracks. It was 30 feet of pure photographic heaven. It's too bad they are in the process of painting everything to make it all nice!

The last time I photographed this whole family, little miss Jordan wasn't born yet. Dad & his two sons all dressed up in their respective police & fire uniforms for a few shots, they brought out all the huge dogs for a few & then we headed to a neighboring pond.

I'm off to do a maternity shoot. Soooo fun! That means more babies are coming soon! I'm so excited for the newborns being born soon. LOVE me some newborns.

Tayler's sneak peak - 2011 West Johnston High Senior

2010-03-24T19:45:00.001-04:00

This is my 2011 senior representative, Tayler! Unfortunately she was sick with strep the day we had the big senior reps shoot. We found some great locations for her & had a lot of fun. I love her enthusiasm & how she has already talked up her senior shoot on Facebook. Way to go Tayler!

Isn't she gorgeous?!?!

Introducing my Senior Representatives 2011! - Senior Session Specials

2010-03-15T16:00:00.001-04:00

Make sure to check below for the current Senior Session special!

One of my senior reps came down with Strep Throat! Poor girl! We're going to do her shoot, and take a few more of Tori since she didn't have enough outfits & forgot her flute, this Wednesday. I can't wait.

I have some sneak peaks to show you from the four shoots we did do on Saturday.

Here is Josh from West Johnston High School.

Here is Tori from Clayton High School.

Dominique from Sanderson High School.

McCall from West Johnston High School.

It's going to be exciting working with each of them. They all have fabulous personalities and were a lot of fun during the shoot.

Now onto the specials for 2011 Senior sessions in May & June

Weekday sessions will receive a complimentary 5x30 storyboard print {up to 6 images} mounted on styrene with your first order. You are also welcome to bring your best buddies {up to 3 friends} along for a few shots together!

Saturday sessions will receive a complimentary 4x10 storyboard print {up to 3 images} mounted on styrene with your first order. You are also welcome to bring your best buddies {up to 3 friends} along for a few shots together!

Ella's Touch - Sneak peak

2010-03-13T23:43:00.001-05:00

Sooo cute! I'm in love with this little cutie sporting the wild waves & awesome long dark eyelashes!

Ella's Touch is a fabulous blog about a special baby girl. I am so happy I was able to spend a couple hours with her and her family yesterday. Tiffany {mom} was so sweet she even sent me home with some fabulous chicken taco soup. My twins loved it!

Ella will not be with us much longer as her life is being cut short by medical complications to her very rare syndrome, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CDLS). I've been reading the blog her father, Chris, started just after her birth called Ella's Touch.

She is so sweet. It is amazing that she has been able to come home to spend quality time with her family. Otherwise big brother & sister would have little chance to get to know her.

Ella prefers to be laying on her own most of the time. She did not want us to do any holding poses. The couple times we tried she definitely let us know her preferences.

This picture speaks volumes to me. All of the beautiful family connections showing & being created. The serene faces of Tiffany & Chris as they look at the kids shows their tender love for the kiddos. There is Ethan's hesitant hand out to touch Ella's bow. Since he was a little sick yesterday, he was very firm about not getting too close to avoid possibly getting her sick too. Maya glanced away for a second from her contemplation of Ella from her spot on the floor by daddy's feet while holding mama's hand.

Back from Vacation & ready to go!

2010-03-11T22:00:00.001-05:00

Can the breeze have picked her hair up any more perfectly. Love this image.

I'll start off with an update on the session availability for the next few months.

There are spots available for newborns not listed since we don't always know when they will be born. Please set up your tentative date ASAP, though as I do have a limited number of sessions I do per month.

March:

Booked

April:

5-10th one spot

20-24th two spots

26th-May 1st one spot

May:

May 1st one spot

May 3-8th two spots

May 10-15th two spots

May 31st two spots

June:

May 31-June 5th two spots

7-13th one spot

14-19th three spots

21-26th three spots

28-July 3rd two spots

Please schedule your appointment soon if you would like pictures in the next few months. I will be holding a Senior Session special for all upcoming 2011 seniors in June which may book up rather quickly.

Three years ago I found out I was pregnant with twins. Around the country there were other women finding out they were due with twins at the same time. A nice little group of us found each other online. We started out in a public forum, then created our own private group, and now we are all Facebook friends with our own group on there. Even though most of us haven't met in person I feel like we are old friends. Mary is one of my fellow twin moms.

She won the consolation contest prize I decided to give instead of the big one when we didn't reach our new Facebook Fan page goal. As of today, most of the old S & G Photography fans have still not switched over to the new fan page. Just like the old fan page I'm sure the membership with increase steadily over time. In only 7 months we reached over 300 fans on the old fan page! OK, so I just went and checked how many fans are on the new fan page & we got over 100 new fans in the last two weeks!!! Amazing! I love you guys.

So, I digressed. I assumed Mary would be getting a fine art print sent to her with her winner credit since she doesn't live by me (no one in our group does). She happened to mention on Wednesday before the Saturday we left on our cruise that she really wished we could do a family session. Out of curiosity I looked on her Facebook profile to see where she lived. Talk about timing, they live in Miami! Our cruise was out of Miami & we had extra time between arriving & our flight home.

Meeting Mary & her family in person was like seeing your favorite childhood friend again after being apart for years. Though we don't really know each other super well, we were instantly comfortable & gabbing away {OK, I was gabbing away}. The two shots in this post are a sneak peak from their session. Enjoy.

Fine Art Friday - Baby birdies

2010-02-26T20:34:00.001-05:00

These sweet little babies were born just outside my living room window. It was amazing how fast they went from eggs to gone. The whole process seemed to take only about 2 1/2 weeks. The miracle of life is sweet to behold from the smallest to the biggest creatures.

Please click on the image above to take you to the Fine Art gallery. Enjoy!

The animal gallery will last one more week while we are off to the Caribbean! I'm thinking March will have a beachy theme. Hmmmm, doesn't that sound divine after this colder then average winter?

Looking forward to newborn twin boys

2010-02-24T10:38:00.001-05:00

I'm making a hat to match this one in green and brown. I think it's going to look adorable on the twin boys that will be born in March or the beginning of April. Sooooo cute. I can't wait!! Well, I can, and hope they are born later rather then sooner.

Howell sneak peak

2010-02-22T21:52:00.000-05:00

I love my families that follow the recommended first year picture schedule. Birth, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and one year. An alternate schedule is to do birth 6 months and one year.

Watching her grow & change over the last nine months has been a pleasure. She changes so much between sessions. Amanda remembered a session I did of my Madison when she was naked with some hats and scarves at a friends house. Now I have my very own wooden floor to use!

I love her wispy curls & the bling flower/bow as way cute.

Winter is for Love

2010-02-17T12:22:00.000-05:00

I've noticed engagement sessions are the main sessions in the winter. They are so much fun. What is more snuggly then warm clothes on a cold day. The best part? We warm right up after walking around a bit & come away with fabulous pictures!

Katie has the prettiest dark brown hair color and smile. It was so cool they decided to include the dog.

Patrick was always naturally looking at her throughout our session. They have a ton of different interests and decided to do a play on those during the shoot. He loves outdoor sports & she is a retro rock vinyl record kind of girl.

So cute.

New friends - Awesome family

2010-02-13T12:53:00.001-05:00

mI met this family through a friend who works with him. She showed off their family photos & put some cards up in the employee lounge. His wife and I hit it off from the very first conversation.

The weather this time of year is so tricky. Despite having to move the date we managed to find a perfect afternoon.

The only problem... The street sign at the intersection we were to meet at is missing! Since we planned to meet just south of the intersection & I arrived from the south I didn't know it was missing. It's a good thing I have an emergency cell phone. Guy gave them the number. After about a 25 minute delay we met up to begin the shoot.

This has to be my favorite all time jumping picture. I love everything about it. I love the spot we found for the family shot. It had a typical colonial Mexico feel to it.

The main focus of the shoot was to capture one year photos. He is soooooo adorable.

I mean, really, this kiddo is adorable.

Fine Art Friday - Dragonfly moment

2010-02-12T12:37:00.000-05:00

February Theme - Animals

I've been a huge fan of dragonfly's for a long time. If I ever got a tattoo it would be of a dragonfly. I won't get one, but that's how much I like dragonflies. They are just so interesting with their huge eyes and most have the coolest iridescent colors.

This little beauty was kind enough to stop for a moment.

Please click on the photo to be taken to the new shopping cart. You can check out all of the images available this month and order your prints directly form the site with the option to pay by credit card {through PayPal}, PayPal or check. If you would like a framed print, please contact me directly for the price.

Upcoming & Current Events!

2010-02-04T20:12:00.001-05:00

Facebook Fan Page

Lifelong Impressions Facebook fan page is still doing a fan drive! Come over to become a fan today! If we reach 400 fans by Saturday we'll be giving away a free sitting or a fine art print. Click on any word in this paragraph to be sent to our fan page on Facebook! All of our fans on the old S&G Photography fan page are being urged to switch over to help us meet this goal. We can definitely do it!!! I'll give you an extra entry if you post about the new Facebook fan page in your profile status & comment you did on the new Fan page wall! Those who have already done this {Big Thanks!!} can comment on the wall to get their extra entry.

Beach Session Days

Friday April 2nd & Friday May 21st
{Updated: May 21st was moved to May 28th and is booked out. If there is more interest I can add May 29th. There 2 mini sessions or one regular session left for April 2nd}

We are offering both full and mini sessions at the beach these two days. Both sessions will be in and around the Wilmington area and the price listed includes the travel fee.

Regular Family Sessions - A full session is $250 and includes 1-2 hour of shooting, 1-3 locations at the beach, clothes change, 40 online proofed images & $100 print/product credit. Only one additional full session will be booked for each date. Hurry to claim your spot.

Mini Sessions - A mini session is $130 and includes 30 minutes of shooting at one beach location, 15 online proofed images, a set of digital proof images & an 11x14 print. Only 2-3 mini sessions will be taken for each date.

If there is enough interest we will add Saturday April 3rd to our calendar. We may consider doing another session in June or July. We are also planning on going to Myrtle Beach in the next 6-8 months for a few days. Please let me know if you are interested in any of these locations & dates. Call me, Shannon, at 919-585-6433 or email at shannon@lifelongimpressions.com.

Seniors 2011
{Updated: Most of the spots are filled. I am only accepting one or two more boys from schools other then West Johnston. THANKS for such a wonderful response!!}

I am currently accepting requests to be a senior rep!

I am looking for outgoing and fun upcoming seniors to be my senior reps! You get a free session, discounts on your prints & products purchased, awesome cards with Your picture on them to hand out to your friends & other upcoming seniors. You will also earn gift certificates or credits towards products for the seniors who complete a session with me! If you are interested or know someone who would make a great senior rep you want to refer please contact me ASAP! We will be doing our sessions in the next few weeks for the senior reps. There is only a limited number of reps accepted per school so don't delay. Contact Shannon at 919-585-6433, shannon@lifelongimpressions.com, friend Shannon Rowen White on Facebook or leave a comment on this post.

Fine Art February

We are featuring Animals in February.

Here is a sneak peak showing a part of some pictures you'll see.

Facebook Fan page - Maybe free session?!?!

2010-01-23T23:38:00.001-05:00

Become a fan of my new Lifelong Impressions Facebook fan page. AND if 600 fans join by February 6th I'll be giving away a free session to one of the lucky fans by random drawing to take place by the end of February 2010. In the first 15 minutes of going live 8 fans already joined! I think we'll be able to make it! Spread the word. I can't wait to see you all over there.

Fine Art Friday - A new way

2010-01-21T16:49:00.004-05:00

Welcome to Fine Art Friday! It's so great to have you here. We are going to do things a little differently from now on. With the relaunch of our business as Lifelong Impressions we also have a new shopping cart. The old one had a Ton of images available which I feel was a bit overwhelming for most people to look through. We are now going to feature a specific group of fine art images for an entire month. Don't worry if there is an image you really want, but cannot get right now. I will still have it for you to buy at any time if you call or email me to ask for it.

My husband and several family members serve our country while doing their jobs. I would like to offer a discount of 12% on all of our products. The service jobs that qualify for this discount are police officers, fire fighters, nurses {including aids}, teachers & military. Sheesh, did I leave anyone out! Spread the word! Please email or call me for your discount code.

For the rest of January we are featuring old cars. I love the textures, colors and nostalgia associated with old vehicles. This side panel view with it's shinny handle and little bits of weeds at the bottom really appeals to me. Click on the picture to be taken to the gallery and shopping cart.

It's here!! We are now officially Lifelong Impressions!

2010-01-12T10:07:00.004-05:00

How do you like the changes? Check out our new website at www.lifelongimpressions.com. It's the same website address and the same blog address. I now officially have a new logo and decided to drop the S&G Photography to go with the name my husband helped me pick 7 years ago. It was taken back in Phoenix by a mall kiosk so many years ago, but is available there again. I'm so excited to finally be using this name instead of being dual branded. Guy is still a second shooter at weddings, the one who goes to the bank, huge supporter of my business and the primary caregiver to our children while I'm out shooting. Life is good!

The new email address of shannon@lifelongimpressions.com is almost ready to go live. By next week you can use this address for all correspondence with me.

Let me know what you think of all the changes!

It's almost here!!!

2010-01-11T08:44:00.003-05:00

First I would like to poke fun at myself. When I put the post up about the Valentines cards I did not realize it was still January... Who knew?!?! lol We are currently doing a fertility treatment in an effort to become pregnant with our third child. When going through these treatments it's pretty common to think forward to testing for a yes or no. This testing will be the first of February making me a little 'off' at the moment. It makes me laugh every time I think about my little error.

The big news is about the almost launch of the new branding & website! We're going to see about making the new website live in tomorrow or Wednesday. Oh yeah!!!! I think its awesome and am so excited to share everything with you. I had to post about it and couldn't wait until it's actually ready.

As a sneak peak.... Here is the new color pallet.

Sweet Valentines

2010-01-09T21:04:00.004-05:00

I just saw a super cute idea! {I am editing this to change my funny error! For some reason I thought Valentines was this week!}

How about the most adorable Valentines for your kids to take to school? Well look no further as I have the perfect thing for you. Check out these two samples I just put together. Cute little wallet photos for your kids to hand out as Valentines. We can use a photo from your last shoot or you can send me a photo to use.

We can also do double sided pearl press printed 2.5x3.5 cards as well. This is actually my favorite option as you get more and we can design a spot for a To: ________ & From: _______ right on the card!

The offers*:

Wallets: 32 die cut rounded corner metallic wallets for $22.00.

You print: One .jpeg image $10 & two for $15.

Press Cards: 50, yes, fifty two sided pearl finish wallet size cards for $25

*All of these prices are discounted for this special Valentines event. Much love to ya!

Fine Art Friday - Transport Me

2010-01-08T11:06:00.002-05:00

I saw this cool bike and had to get a picture of it. There's nothing like tooling around a big historic city on an old school bike. It brings to mind the enjoyment of living and being a part of something bigger.

Your frame color options are black, mahogany, bronze or pewter. These frames are solid wood and come finished with the hanging hardware. Please note your color options in the comment section of your order.

Thank you for stopping by! I'd love to hear your suggestions for prints you would like to see offered on special in future weeks. Check out our other fine art products here.

Would you like to share a testimonial?

2010-01-07T23:07:00.003-05:00

I'm just about finished with the new website and shopping cart! Part of the finishing touches will be to include any testimonials. I have a few hand written cards as well as some emails I can use, but I wanted to see if anyone definitely would like to be included on the website with a picture from your session. Please email me what you would like to share.

I have a cool share for Fine Art Friday tomorrow. Can't wait to post it for you. It's a bit cool and funky.

Sneak Peak - Ginormous family & darling newbie

2010-01-06T13:18:00.003-05:00

What do you get when a couple has 7 kids, 6 of them get married and those couples end up having a total of 26 kids? One large family! We got everyone together on January 1st and even with a cold day we ended up with the perfect cloud cover and a great last minute location change. This sneak peak is one of the shots with the grandparents & all 26 grandkids.

This little sweetie is only a few days old. We did a session at his home & I brought in my background stand. They had great ceilings & a lovely set of large windows in the living room. We cranked up the heat with a portable heater and the fireplace. Little Ryan put up with all our moving him around naked for a couple hours very well. Mom got a little teary eyed when I was taking shots of him holding onto her finger. This sneak peak is in my new stork pouch I made. So cute.

Sneak peak - E family

2009-12-28T22:36:00.003-05:00

Oh, this weathered gray background is to die for!!!! I found one of my new favorite spots in an area that is one of my favorites already! Sweet. We met up this afternoon on a chilly & windy day. Everyone dressed in the right amount of layers and we all doing rather well with it. We walked, talked & laughed our way through this session. Thanks in part to my awesome self mockery skills. :-)

I can't wait to edit these photos and show them all the fab shots.

S&G Photography Babies 2009!!

2009-12-26T21:07:00.003-05:00

What a great year! I was inspired by another photographer to put together a little collage of this years babies. Some of them were photographed more then once as they are following the recommended schedule of newborn {within the first 14 days}, 3 months, 6 months 9 months & 12 months. The secondary recommended schedule for those unable to afford that many sessions is newborn, 6 months and 12 months. Check out these super cuties!

We haven't had any new babies for a few months, and I'm totally missing those sweet little ones in front of my lens. I'm looking forward to the ones about to be born in the next couple of weeks, though more would always be fantastic! Remember, you get a referral credit to use towards your sitting or products with any referral you send me once their first session is completed.

And so there are no surprises. We are working hard to finalize our logo & we will be redoing everything! in the near future going with only Lifelong Impressions. I'm so excited to share everything with you. One of the first things we'll share is our philosophy & feelings on photography!

Home shoot

2009-12-25T22:23:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas!!! I hope your Christmas has been as fabulous as mine! Having kids really does make one appreciate all the wonderful things Christmas is and brings to families. Seeing their joy and appreciation of the gifts and experiencing the sweet family bonding time has really added a satisfying dimension to my life. The Christmas tree will be packed up soon, but the memories & pictures will allow us to savor it for much longer. Next year the kids will be 2 1/2. They will likely know who Santa is & be anticipating the big day. This year they woke up to find a bunch of new things including two shinny red matching tricycles. They hopped on those first & their excitement only grew as the box of torn wrapping paper filled up.

Love & family are what this next session was all about.

The lovey shots were all spontaneous as the session was originally just her and her boys. I'm so glad we decided to do some shots of these two! They look great together, and I really think they compliment each others personalities well.

I met a girl when I first moved here who has become one of my best friends. This session is of her brothers and their mom. It's been about 3 years since I photographed the boys with their sister & her son. They have certainly grown since then.

Her favorite shot of the whole shoot is the one on the right. They were caught in a genuine moment of closeness and laughter. Her mom was diagnosed with cancer recently. These shots are for her to have family close by even if they cannot be physically there.

Having a shoot at home is so cool. Our home is an important thing to document along with us as we travel through life. The dog was also a spontaneous add into the shoot. They definitely loved having her in the shots as well.

What's better then a hip mom and brothers? Not much.

These last two shots are my favorites of this session. Love them.

The Elizabeth album

2009-12-18T21:42:00.002-05:00

I've decided to name each completed album design after the first person or family who orders that design. It's a fun way for me to remember the first family who loved the design & it gives a little personality to the design name. My mom even has an album named after her! She loves it. I made here one with some recent photos of the kids and gave it to her when we went to visit in October.

Albums are a fabulous way to get all of your favorite shots from your shoot. Most of the family albums have a large shot on each page. They have a ton of impact and are oh so cool!

I've been thinking of offering true lifestyle sessions that are almost completely un-posed shoots lasting a minimum of 4 hours with a large magazine style hard cover album of at least 100 shots from the day & a large gallery wrapped canvas included in the session investment. Lifestyle photography is so much fun and has great meaning. We plan a family activity or activities where I tag along and photograph the happenings. It can be anything from cooking a meal, visiting a museum, going to the park, coloring, building a fort in the house or any other fun & meaningful family activity. I also love nighttime routines like storytime, cuddles, tickle sessions, singingtime, bathtime, sipping hot coccoa in front of the fire & tucking into bed. Some of these activities can be included in a regular session. Please let me know if you are interested in one of these sessions.

Enjoy the Elizabeth album.

Fine Art Friday - Stare Cows Stare

2009-12-18T21:19:00.003-05:00

As I was snapping a few pictures of these cows they turned to me one by one. Once they all had turned and were staring me down I got a little nervous... It was a surreal and funny experience. Even with a fence I turned tail & got out of there!

Thank you for stopping by! I'd love to hear your suggestions for prints you would like to see offered on special in future weeks. Check out our other fine art products here. This print is now available there too!

Fine Art Friday - Fall Wildflower Flower

2009-12-11T23:25:00.004-05:00

I love all the branches in the background in various degrees of blurriness. It really makes the flower have a more interesting space to showcase it. Love it. This shot has a warm feel that is what Fall is all about.

A little about us

2009-12-10T09:19:00.001-05:00

Last week we went to DC. Guy is from Melbourne Australia. Most of his immediate family lives in the states except for two sisters. With an adorable dog named Bailey depending on her at home his sister Leanne hasn't been to visit for about 9 years. Guy's parents are staying with her for 6 months which has given her the opportunity to come out for a visit.

We met up with Leanne in our nations capital to show her around then bring her back to Raleigh with us. Our hotel was in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. The shot on the left is our baby girl, Madison, trying to open a door {one of her favorite things}. The shot on the right is Guy with our baby boy, Blake.

Madison & I. She loves to make faces and funny expressions then grins with satisfaction at her accomplishment of entertaining us.

A little DC personality here. One of these days I'll buy a cool old school cruising bike. That is unless some kind soul has one in their garage that never gets used & would like it to go to a good home.

I love the frozen rocks the kids were throwing into the river. Blake is definitely showing signs of good coordination & skill. Maybe I'll have my little volleyball player yet. The kids took to taking the train like they have ridden them a ton of times. It was comical. They didn't need to be in our laps & both wanted to walk around while it was movin & shakin. Giving them some apples got them to sit for part of the ride.

The shops around Old Town were all so interesting & had a ton of different textures & colors. It definitely reaffirmed my desire to have a downtown space someday. Something with large windows & maybe a cool garage door to let in plenty of light for shoots. Being able to create a home upstairs would be the cats meow! Both shots of my kids here are my absolute favorite!

There were tons of cobblestone streets and alleys. While I was out taking this shot, Guy was driving around the block with the kids. They found a fabulously bumpy cobblestone road to go over each go around. He went down the street one more time so Leanne {who was buying a sweet Washington DC jacket} & I could experience their delight. They said, "Ready. Set. GO!!!" right along with Guy as he turned onto the street. Then they giggled wildly as we all bumped along 4x4 style.

The NY Deli shot just above this text made me Hungry! I imagined a great bagel with real eggs, bacon & provolone cheese. Yum! We passed it though. Bummer. A block later Leanne said she wanted to buy a drink as we passed a convenience store. Well, said store had a deli in it. Guy and Leanne got a grilled cheese & bacon sandwich & I got a bagel that tasted just as good as the NY Deli bagel I imagined. Right on, Leanne.

I love the moss on this brick wall. I imagine in the summer this vine has some beautiful leaves adding additional dimension and beauty to the wall. Old Town Alexandria is beautiful as is The Lorien Hotel we stayed in. Both are highly recommended.

Fine Art Friday - Bumble Bee at Work

2009-12-04T19:21:00.004-05:00

Welcome to Fine Art Friday! This print was taken in the Tuscan region of Italy. For me it represents stability, peace and simplicity found in daily life.

I love Photography

2009-11-27T19:34:00.003-05:00

There are so many reasons I love photography. Probably the one I love the most is making memories. How many times have you seen a photograph & been able to remember a moment of your life with great clarity? Our own brains are fantastic, but a picture can help us to recall so many details that would probably otherwise remain buried. Ah, photography is cool.

I have been impressed with this particular senior since meeting her at church a few years ago. She is always upbeat & obviously adores her family. She had a lot of fun picking out her senior shoot outfits & did not forget the shoes!

She even brought along two traditional outfits. Loved it!

What girl doesn't love shopping? The background on the right really looks like she could be in the Peruvian mountains.

We have a huge beach umbrella I almost brought along to the session. It turns out great minds think alike since she used the session as an excuse to buy this cool umbrella.

The birthday girls arrived for their session again this year. Last year it was a newborn and 2nd birthday session.

Getting two kiddos this age to be in a picture together is generally a fleeting moment. It's so rewarding when we get both the cuteness and the real essence of who each of them is.

The tongue indicates pure joy! The classic look down smile is so adorable.

What I wouldn't give to have a photo like this of me and my mother. The girls were totally digging their balloons.

My cousin, Steve, and his amazing family. We definitely copy some of the cool parenting styling of these two amazing people.

I think an idea similar to this came to me about 15 years ago. lol It's the first time I've tried it. I think it would be cool with a family of teens & parents linking arms completely trusting each other as they fan out.

Guy teases me a lot, because I often make my most favorite shots B&W. He says it's a dead giveaway which are my favorite.

I'd used this spot in Scottsdale, AZ many years ago. It surprised me how many photographers I saw there for the two photo sessions we did there on our trip. It's a cool spot, but really there were soooo many there. Back in the day I never saw another photographer there.

All three girls are really athletic. The little one just broke a limb this last week falling off their trampoline {with a sewed on net!}. Hopefully she heals quickly.

Their blue eyes are amazing!

Did I mention athletic? It only took two attempts to get all three with synchronized hand stands.

For the middle girl I asked her to tell me she loved dad while he was standing next to me. We got the most amazing soft smile, and I guarantee he will think of that moment every time he sees the photo. Love is an amazing thing. The love for ones children especially as we have moments with them is especially humbling & gratifying.

King sneak peek

2009-11-23T14:35:00.002-05:00

Saturday was a great time at the park! These two cute girls had us all hopping to keep up with them. Mum and dad are bursting to see their photos so here's a sneak peek! It's so nice to have time to post a sneak peek again.

Fine Art Friday - Purple beauty

2009-11-20T22:41:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I mentioned the part trip with the family last October. One of my very favorite all time photos came from their session last year. Maybe it's because it reminds me of a travel photographer capturing a kid jostling around him/her in a foreign land. Here is Mr. Funnyshypants

Last month I had a lot of time to take shots interesting to me while waiting for my sessions to arrive on location. The fascination with flowers continues. Oh really, it will never end. Just don't give me real ones. The photos are way cooler. I'm sure one of these days I'll convince all the other women in the world how cool it would be to get a fine art print from their honey of a flower instead of the actual flowers. It will last longer!

Thank you for stopping by! I'd love to hear your suggestions for prints you would like to see offered on special in future weeks. Check out our other fine art products here. This print is now available there too!

Families & bugs

2009-11-18T16:36:00.004-05:00

Lately I've seen cool, interesting and HUGE bugs on photo shoots. This one below is the most colorful of the lot. The biggest one was an enormous brown spider by my foot, followed by an equally enormous brown spider by Blake's foot the other day. Yikes. For some reason having a camera in my hand makes me way more adventurous and comfortable in any situation then I'm naturally inclined to be.

Couples friendship. It's an interesting concept. Have you ever noticed how incredibly hard it is as a couple to make friends with another couple? I mean real friends where everyone really likes and enjoys both of the other couple, and they feel exactly the same way about both of you. These guys have been one of the rare couple friendships we have found. Love it! Can't wait for our double movie date Monday afternoon. Grandma & grandpa were visiting so they got to be in a few shots. After four boys along came baby Manon.

They all piled in the play set for this last family shot. Kim absolutely loves the happy faces of her parents here.

Do you think this cute little girl is dotted upon by her brothers?

I first met these guys when I invited myself and the kids over to their house last Thanksgiving {another story}. We had a great time with them. The funny thing was when I asked who the extra boy was since they had three boys. Nope. They had four!

This little cutie looks just like her big brother. They are both adorable.

Ah, the mirror was so much fun!

This is the second October these guys have been in front of my lens. Last year we tooled around the park & this year we picked a cool field to use for our mini session.

Such adorable kiddos! Love em.

More October sitting goodness

2009-11-14T00:32:00.003-05:00

First off just let me say how cool it was to have some of my stuff featured on the Savvy Photographer blog!!! Like, how stinkin cool is that?!?!

I had to upload the images prepared for this post again as I missed a crucial step {sharpening} needed for web presentation!

After a long drought in maternity sessions I've done two in the last two months. Yay, me! Both of them are people dear to me, and we are all waiting anxiously to meet these sweet babes. Melissa is a my friend because of photography. She was one of the three wonderful girls who earned mass credits towards their wedding photography back in my 'pretty much wedding photographer only' stage. It was at her wedding that we started to really become friends. Her and her husband were a little unsure of Guy as many people often are at first. One day he really got them giggling like school girls as he is more then capable of. That was it. Our friendship has been rock solid ever since. It isn't often you find friends as a couple where all four poeple totally dig each other.

Her Maddie is very excited about the baby. It was a bit weird having two kids called Maddy in the same house the two nights we stayed with them.

Don't you just love the dog kissing her belly?

Ahhh, B&W is a great thing.

Though I held out for a long time on the aged photo look, but both my clients and I love it. I still want to thank the two girls on the 4-wheeler who provided the great dust for the shot on the right! Lovely. Should an 8 month pregnant woman run just to catch the cool dust shot?

My favorite. This perfectly shows Melissa's personality. Perfectly!

Her husband, Andy, thought the cotton field looked superimposed.

These guys always get the coolest perfect cloud days for their shoots. All the moody clouds and peek a boo sun were fun to work with. They loved having their city as the background.

I love incorporating things that are important to a family in their shoot. The journal writing and the stuffed dog are really important right now. Oh, he is all boy. If it's a typical boy thing he does it. Talk about adventuresome. Baby Paige is so sweet. Her mama calls her Sweet Baby Paige all the time. I love the nickname. The last shot of the four definitely captures her girly girl self that is very curious and does tomboy things.

This spot was so cool. I'd caught a glimpse of this bridge a few months ago. It was definitely a cool find.

I think they like each other. I like photographing them.

These last two are the images used to make a pocket accordion album. I love how this one came out.

Another of my wedding couples from years ago. The last time we saw them was just before Braxton was born. He is now a super cute and big three year old with loads of energy.

The family shot here is perfect of them! Love it. We went out to dinner after the shoot. Tina was telling me about their main picture wall at home after I asked if they still used bold colors on the walls. They have a big picture of all of them making silly faces with a smaller picture of each of them around it sticking their tongue out. Love it! That is so something I would do. Nah, more likely it would be portraits of our feet. Oh wait, we already have that.

Tina's favorite shot from the shoot.

Again, B&W {especially a warm B&W} are especially yummy.

I stood in the fountain to get this reaction from Brooklyn. I was doing my, "Wait, one more" repeated about 20 times towards the end. There just kept being cool stuff on the way back to the cars.

I think this would make a great big gallery wrapped canvas.

Adorable kids. The side of the big love sign was the cool red background.

Ha ha! What are the odds some random display would have Slavery written on it? We had to do it, and they gave me the perfect faces!

Fine Art Friday - Rain day flower

2009-11-13T22:32:00.004-05:00

You know, I am not a girl who likes to get flowers, but I always have and will love pictures of flowers. Whenever they have water droplets on them my heart feels even more joy. Maybe it's because I love rainy days {unless a photo shoot gets rescheduled!} like most people love sunny days. There is just something so peaceful & lovely about a rainy day. I love strong and windy storms too. As long as the house is 'feeling' like it will hold up. bring on the crazy weather...

This flower is one of Poppy's flowers. In Australia they call a grandfather Poppy so Guy's dad is Poppy. He is both a baker and a gardener. They always have some flowers in their yard unless the yard is buried under snow. We had a great time on our last visit with them a few months ago. The mid summer cool rain during much of our stay really surprised all of us. We definitely didn't expect the low 70's with rain in Salt Lake City! Loved it! The day this shot was taken we spent some time both in the backyard during lunch then out front later in the afternoon just talking and playing with the kids. Good times.

Let the fun begin

2009-11-07T22:38:00.003-05:00

It's time to share some pictures from all my sittings in October! There are so many to share. I think I have a sampling ready from all of them. If yours was missed just let me know!

You may remember these guys from baby Grace's newborn shots a couple months ago. She is getting so big already and is very sweet. Everyone is just in Love with her. We had a great time at the farm where Maddy takes riding lessons.

This daddy daughter moment is one of my current favorite shots!

I bet this is a shot the girls will look back on when they are older with great fondness.

Can we say family of gorgeous peeps? The last time I shot at this location it was really bright and sunny. How fun to be able to get a different feel for a familiar location. Most of the time I like going to different places all the time. It's just more fun for me that way. :-)

We picked just the right time for our shoot too. They even turned on the water wheel for a tour coming through the mill. Lucky us.

If you are a Facebook fan there is an even better version of this picture for you to see. Though I love this one too. With the new way Facebook is managing the Home page feed it is only giving the feed for people and pages you interact with {like comments on photos or walls}. Please feel free to leave comments on the wall or your favorite photos to see our updates!

This picture is my favorite from their shoot. They all look so happy and natural.

Fine Art Friday - The Door of Life

2009-11-06T13:26:00.003-05:00

I really love Fine Art Friday's. They get me looking at all of my pictures. Many of the shots bring back fabulous memories.

This week's feature is a storyboard you will not find in our Fine Art gallery.

Lots of great stuff coming

2009-10-23T17:16:00.003-04:00

We are enjoying our fabulous time in Arizona. I have some wonderful pictures to show you soon. We are looking forward to the wedding tomorrow! Kristi & I met on Tuesday night to finish talking all about the wedding and preview some of the great products we offer. There will be no Fine Art Friday showcase today, because we are short on time. Have a great weekend!

Fine Art Friday - Bumble Bee at Work

2009-10-16T14:02:00.003-04:00

It's technically still Friday! lol Well, I thought this was posted at noon today. Ooops!

This sweet image was captured last week when I was waiting for my clients to arrive on location. Sweet day with awesome perfect clouds for this location.

Thank you for stopping by! I'd love to hear your suggestions for prints you would like to see offered on special in future weeks. Check out our other fine art products here. This print is now available there too!

A little bit of everything! - Christmas Card sessions!!!

2009-10-14T16:22:00.003-04:00

First off, I am happy to announce three days of mini sessions with Christmas cards And an 11x14! The Saturday will be November 7th from 10:30 am until 4:00 pm with fabulous downtown Raleigh as your backdrop! Monday November 9th & Wednesday November 18th will both be from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm with the pretty Lake Benson park as your backdrop!

Each session will last about 25 minutes and we'll take a few poses in the same area to give some variety and texture to your Christmas cards. Please feel free to spread the word on this great deal! Referral credits will be $5 for any booked Christmas card session you refer. All regular sessions booked will still be a $20 credit. Of course, our regular full custom sessions will have the opportunity to get their own custom Christmas cards!

The rest of these shots are all from recent sessions I just haven't had time to blog about!

This silhouette is soooo stinking cool. We were on our way to the shoot location when this great run down industrial site. On our way back we stopped her for a few shots. Love them all. Ladies who are preggo, it isn't all about the naked belly anymore. We can really showcase this special time in your life with so many cool shots. You'll see more of these later for sure!

By the way, my girl here is about 5' 1"! Doesn't she look waaay taller?

These guys were a lot of fun.

Most of my session pictures are the typical shot you see on my blog with the great contrast & saturated rich colors. A few families lately have really fit having a more vintage look to some of their shots. They have all loved those vintage edits too. I love this family, and we've really become friends over the last year of sessions every three months. It will be sad to 'only' get to spend the fun session time every 6 months now. We do get to have play dates though, which has been loads of fun.

The next two storyboards are of a brother and sister. I think they will look great hanging on the wall side by side or in their seperate rooms! They shared some cupcakes at the end of our session for some fun and messy shots.

The last two storyboards are of one of my pretty seniors. Her and I are both total chatterboxes so we hit it off immediately. There was this great bridge it would have been cool to get her up on the concrete cross piece. Unfortunately we didn't have a big strong man with us or a ladder! The small attempt we made at trying to get her up there ended up with my foot 1/2 inch away from a fire ant hill! Yeah, we aborted.

Fine Art Friday - Dreamy flower

2009-10-09T20:45:00.004-04:00

This is a picture I took several years ago which happened to survive the 'Hard Drive Crash of 2007'. I love it's general fuzziness with just the leading edge in focus. This photo spent a long time on my computer background. It is also a print I had on the fireplace mantle for several years. Hmmm, maybe I'll pull it back out! This one is available in both small, medium and large size today. As always, you can purchase it with or without the frame. You also have the option of getting it with or without the digital mat. Both examples are below.

Thank you for stopping by! I'd love to hear your suggestions for prints you would like to see offered on special in future weeks. Check out our other fine art products here. This print is now available there too!

I'd love to know if you would be interested in a video montage DVD viewable on a wide screen TV of your sitting set to music? I'm thinking of adding this product and was wondering what the interest would be. Please let me know!

5 Girls & a Guy - Photo tip too!

2009-10-03T20:17:00.004-04:00

Here are a couple simple tips to help you take better pictures of your family.
My favorite: Never use the Date Stamp! Many people used the date stamp feature to put the date on onto your photograph so they can remember when it was taken. With digital photography as long as your camera date is set the information is written into the digital file. You can right click on any digital photo and select 'Properties'. This will show you the creation date and when the file was last modified. Most photo editing & organizing programs will also display the created date with the file. You can also save a file with the date in the name. I only save ours with the month and year to keep the file name short.

Always shoot with the highest quality your digital camera will allow. Back in the film days the better the film the better quality pictures. The same thing applies with digital. Most cameras have several different quality settings. Some cameras categories are listed as simply as Extra Fine, Fine, Normal. Memory cards are becoming cheaper and cheaper for loads of memory. The old reason (expensive memory) people did not use the finest quality doesn't apply anymore.

One other item to check on your camera. Is your zoom optical or digital? If it is an optical zoom great! Feel free to use your zoom when needed. If your zoom is digital pretend you do not have a zoom. All it is doing is cropping your picture in camera. You are better off doing it yourself later when digital editing or better yet, just move closer to your subject. There are a few cameras with both digital and optical zoom features. It's hard to know when the optical zoom is maximized and the digital zoom starts. Not sure what to tell you when this is your cameras feature.

Happy picture taking! Remember your photographs become family history the moment they are printed and/or preserved.

Love love love to see people jump, so don't know why! Look at what fun they are having. To me jumping is pretty much like potty humor. Even if you don't like it you end up laughing and having fun!

All the girls look so different from each other, and they are all beautiful.

Getting everyone's faces close together is one of my favorite things. There is just such a cool closeness that makes people really feel the connection to each other bringing out the connection for the photo. You may recognize Courtney as one of my fabulous senior reps.

It was fun really doing different poses with each of the girls.

She is laying on a super tiny tree branch. Talk about balancing talent!

I really liked this spot.

More joy. More fun.

I follow the blog of a couple (their married) really cool photographers out of somewhere up North in what most people call the Midwest.. lol Anyway, they had a cool family shot the other day that inspired this one. Don't they all just look so comfortable and happy?

I love this storyboard! It would look great in their master bedroom.

A little vintage feel

2009-09-26T11:07:00.002-04:00

We have four sets of twins in our congregation at church. Two sets are 8-9 year old girls & the other two sets are boy/girl one year(well almost!) old twins. These guys will be turning one in about a week!

I had the pleasure of taking their 3 month old shots too.

When I first met Emily we went out shopping together. We met at her home and I fell in love with her picture wall. She took an alcove people would typically put a huge entertainment center in and filled it with a ton of photos. They are all very eclectic with mostly non studio shots. It really had a great vibe so my goal with these photos was to give them some sweet stuff to add to their collection. I played around with some antique coloring so popular right now and my more typical processing.

We didn't have a real plan for the shoot which I'm really coming to love!

Both babies have such compelling faces for different reasons. And why is it that girls never get the hair the boys get at least early on? Blake & Madison are the same way.

I'm soooo in love with the next two shots. We saw this small carnival off the side of the road and stopped to ask them if we could use the carousel. They totally said yes!

Do you just totally see the joy, wonder and love in this shot? I think this shot is totally going on my new blog header!

As with most twins I've met they get just as happy and interested in the others happiness as they often are in their own. Definitely double the joy.

Fine Art Friday - Seeing Stars

2009-09-25T15:52:00.005-04:00

Today's print has the very popular star theme to it. I saw this great display of stars during a photo shoot this summer. I couldn't help myself, & just had to take a few shots. The rust & different textures are so interesting. Enjoy!

Thank you for stopping by! I'd love to hear your suggestions for prints you would like to see offered on special in future weeks. Check out our other fine art products here. This print is now available there too!

In other news. I'm so excited to have a real logo in the works! In all of my 18 years as a professional photographer I have only used our name in text to define the business. When Guy and I got together we changed the name to S & G Photography also using Life Long Impressions for our website & blog. The logo my fabulous designer is working on will incorporate both names to tie it all together. We really feel like the piece of artwork that he is working on will represent us, our brand & all aspects of our business. Our logo is behind two other projects so we'll most likely be launching all the new branding, website, blog design and packaging around the end of October! Woooo Hoooo! I can't wait! Do you have any guesses on what kind of art struck our fancy? It is one main 'object' for you to guess. If someone gets it right I just 'may' have something cool for you...

Fine Art Friday - Yummy summer days grass

2009-09-18T14:01:00.005-04:00

Today's print is one most people who see it love. It isn't one I thought many people would like, but it garners some positive emotion from all who see it. When you hang this print up in your home people will definitely be complimenting you on it regularly. Enjoy!

Extended family shooting fun & a tip

2009-09-18T12:19:00.004-04:00

The Fine Art Friday post will be coming soon today.

This family was a lot of fun. We actually didn't make it to the location of the shoot because I saw this cool restaurant then the fun barrels across the street, then the nice weathered building next to those, and finally we stopped at the river park. By then we were all starving so it was time to call it done.... Sometimes with a fun family I feel like we could shoot all day since there are endless combinations & locations.

One of the moms, Cindy, is very interested in photography. She asked me what her next purchase for her DSLR camera should be. "Definitely a great lens," I said! Here is the example of what a good lens with a nice wide aperture can do compared to a 'kit' lens sold with most digital SLR cameras. These photos were taken at the same time with the same lighting and the same editing treatment. The only difference is the aperture was 3.5 on the left and 1.4 on the right. It makes a huge difference in the colors & depth captured in the shot. She looks great in both pictures, but the richness and portrait look to the right one is definitely superior.

We started off at this restaurant for a nice casual big family photo.

I love mom's face here! There are several more cool ones from this spot, but this one is definitely my favorite.

This spot was soooo bright, but everyone thought it was a cool spot to try.

These guys were so cute. When it came time for a couples shot they declined, because all they have up till now is shots of just them. They are so very thrilled to be first time parents.

These guys in the first photo have a couple normal smiley photos too, but I would put this one up on my wall over the others. LOVE IT! It is my favorite shot of the whole shoot.

The behind the scenes shot for this session. I completely bit it coming down the hill before them which is why they are being extra careful! Man, my body was stiff up the next day. Then this weekend I did the same thing picking up the kids from the sitter after a session! Madison and I have had matching scrapped knees this week. She got hers from pushing her walking toy on the driveway too fast so she fell down behind it. Oh, and when I fell down the stairs this weekend, Madison was holding my hand. I made sure to let go as I was falling. As I was coming to my senses with a mental review of body parts for injury and watching Madison two steps above me she does a sympathy suicide dive after me thankfully where I could catch her! So as we are at the bottom of the steps in a cuddle Blake is at the top of our steps with the sitter watching us. He decides it was too much drama for him & starts whaling. All this for missing the bottom step! LOL

The kids had a blast running for these though is took three times to get them to run where we wanted them too... Check out the joy in their faces.

Fine Art Friday - Vintage Truck

2009-09-11T11:37:00.007-04:00

Today's print is one of my current favorites. It's a fabulous old truck with some cool textures giving it a unique look. It is on sale in several sizes. If you are interested in any other vintage car prints they can be found here. A lady I met at the Millbrook Art Fair told me about this location. She described the site so vividly I KNEW it would be a place I looked for soon. Sure enough the whole place was just as she described it. The road is curvy with large trees covering it much of the way. All of a sudden when you come around a bend there are these fabulous old cars everywhere. The man who owns them has them all over his property. Some are tucked back in the trees, and some have trees growing through them! The oldest car I saw would have to be from the early 20's back when they had to crank them to get it started. I definitely want to make some time to visit this property again.

I hope you enjoy this print as much as I do!

This print is now available here along with our other fine art photography.

3 month old cutie

2009-09-07T12:11:00.003-04:00

We decided this little one has the cutest baby booty ever! They traveled here all the way from Washington state to visit family and do their photo shoot. The other family who had their photos done by me inspired her to get them while they were here. I didn't talk to her or meet her at all prior to the shoot since her sister in law (Lisa - my biggest photography fan!) set everything up so I just came up with a location I liked. Lisa is convinced I have a spiritual gift for picking just the right location and style for each shoot. The location I picked here perfectly fit in with the family style! Mom has horses & loves the green and rustic look. She also loved the big piles of mulch we put him in! Sweet!

Every time I get a new accordion album sale I fall in love with these even more. There are so many options to personalize your photos in this great package. They can also be set on a shelf or desk to be on permanent display. Then when the mood strikes turn it around for a whole new look. I also can make these into a calendar for you. How many times have you needed to pull out a calendar quickly from your hand bag? With these you can get the calendar and a look at your awesome family! Accordion wallet albums are $15 each with a minimum order of 3.

Every time I pass these hay bales I want to put a baby on them. He looks perfectly at home here. There are also a bunch of them across the street that would be fun to put a whole family scattered around on top of them with the large trees around them. Way fun.

The landscaping company had a trailer with a bit of hay in the back. The hay was perfect with her love of horses.

Love both of these.

They think he looks a little like a baby Jesus here. I love the different textures of mulch all around him. It came out as cool as I imagined when driving by.

He has such big brown eyes. The crying shot is adorable.

He was not having this. We think he was just too warm with the blankets around him.

I love all of these. It would be impossible to pick one.

Fine Art Friday - Great Australian Tree

2009-09-04T11:38:00.005-04:00

Fine Art Friday Print Sale
Today's fine art print sale is a tree Guy & I saw while in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. This tree has tons of character and visual interest. The coloring has a bit of todays popular 70's look to it. I can also add some cool modern textures to it if you would like. This can also be a warm black and white. Please say you would like the texture added and/or warm black & white in the comment section when you order.

I just decided to offer a second print! Yay! This one is from my native Arizona just outside of Sedona last year. I don't think I'll ever get tired of the very different beauty of my wild Arizona landscape. This edit is a very traditional one with bright crisp colors. Other edit options are available upon request.

Your chance to win a free sitting or a fine art gift certificate!

2009-09-03T08:16:00.005-04:00

If you are feeling crabby I have the pick me up for you.

Would you like to earn a free sitting or a fine art gift certificate from our company S & G Photography? You can by entering our contest at the Multiples and More Blog Party. I'll be featured sometime today as one of the big contests. They will be posting new contests every 1-2 hours all day. Already I entered to win some nice handmade silver jewelry. All of the official contests will be open until Sunday after dinner. There is also an area where many more will be linking to their own contest. Check it all out here!

Don't forget about Fine Art Friday starting tomorrow! It will be happening here with your chance to get a great fine art print at a discounted price.

Wedding cake beauty & Calling my fellow photographers!

2009-09-01T11:52:00.007-04:00

Recently I've been thinking about weddings. They are so much fun to photograph. My next one is coming up in October & I still need to share some of the Williams wedding photos with you. Their album is way cool definitely showcasing their colors of Black, White and Red. I get emails (tooo many most of the time!) from Real Simple magazine with little bits of information & ideas about numerous topics. Today the photo of a completely beautiful cake came into my inbox. Check it out! If I liked cake this would be my pick for our wedding cake redo. Since I got to wear my dress 4 times & it is now a dress up dress and tutu that would be impossible, but this cake is right up my current creative alley in perfection! It is definitely inspiring me to make some cool cards with a similar design. Maybe an album design would be even better. Couldn't you imagine your little girls photos elegently set among such beauty?
Hey fellow photographers.... I'm looking to start a collaboration group of photographers from different markets to help each other out with our design and paperwork needs. It would be great to start out with some group designs for Christmas cards, albums, wall inspiration guide, documents & any other thing the group deems necessary for our businesses. Please email or call me if you are interested. My email is sandgphotography @ cox.net and my number is 919-585-6433. Thanks!

Shannon

Two sweet girls & parents

2009-08-28T20:48:00.001-04:00

I've got quite a few senior sessions coming up. September still has a few spots available for some if you know any who still need to get theirs done. Remember you get a referral credit for any booked session you refer!

I love these deep brown eyes and the girls wonderful skin.

These looks are way cute and fun.

I'm still in love with this red door. If you want a downtown Raleigh shoot we can definitely include this.

I love watching these two interact with each other. They crack me up and definitely love each other a lot.

Favorite!

This is another favorite for me.

There are a couple other shots of this pose, but I just love the trust and comfort they show in this shot.

So much to share - some for today

2009-08-24T22:25:00.003-04:00

Lately I've been getting my creative on. I bought a sewing machine to make some clothes for the kids, mend items and make a sweet apron for myself. So far the kids have a few new things & I'm still looking for the perfect apron pattern. I've also been making baby props like hats, cocoons and blankets by knitting and crochet. Then there is the graffic design using Photoshop for all the cool products I offer.

Here are a few shots of Reagan's senior album that just came in & the coolest new item we offer. They are these adorable accordion wallet albums.

The album is one of the Standard series in a 12x12 inch size with amazing lay flat pages. It looks much better then I imagined it would look.

One last shot of the album then the accordion album. The accordion album is perfect to keep in your handbag, diaper bag or desk drawer! It folds out showing off quite a few photos. It can hold up to 10 photos, but looks great with a few less and interesting design elements showing off your photos.

Here are two of the hats I made. The top one is a toddler size with cute tails. The bottom hat is a newborn to 3 months hat with really long tails. I may cut them a bit shorter, but it looked really cute on baby Lily last week!

Here is the shot of lilly in the infant hat. We got some really sweet and interesting shots from this family. I love their seriousness and goofiness. They have the perfect balance of both.

Lily was very insistent on being held for most of her individual shots while she was awake.

I did a lot of plays on coloring & texture with this shoot. All the backgrounds we found really seemed to call for it.

I love the face she is making here.

This building wasn't in the plan, but they really rocked it! I think the 70's vibe was inspired by some cool family shots of Brandon's family they have in their house.

Baby Lily has the sweetest skin. Not many newborns have such perfect skin.

Still lovin the old station. I had Lily all set up leaning on her dad's shoe and had just gotten to my prone spot on the ground to take the shot when a pesky bug was on her eyelashes. Hefting myself up and swatting (gently) at it made her a bit cranky. We could not get the shot again so I had to at least get one with her crying. It still came out cool & I love their concerned looks in the background.

Amanda loves this old church which is great since I picked it out for a location to shoot at.

There really is nothing more sweet and soft and calming then a sleeping baby. It makes everyone content and happy.

We were just hanging out here when I took these shots. LOVE them. The one on the right is my favorite of the day.

I think we could have stayed right here and gotten at least 10 more interesting shots. The last one on the bottom right is my second favorite of the day.

Irish triplets! oh my

2009-08-18T21:39:00.002-04:00

Travis reminded me he still hadn't seen the photos from the sitting I borrowed the dollhouse he built. The owners of our local Garden Gate Cafe in Garner, NC have a teenage son, a 14 month old girl & new boy/girl twins! Talk about a lot of little people under age 2.

Here is they storyboard they ordered. She loves antiques and patterns so this background matches their home perfectly. The S & G Photography is only on here for sharing on the web.

The dollhouse. It is now being happily used by Travis' niece. Thanks again for letting me use it!!! The twins fit in there perfectly. Big sister wasn't quite sure what to do with the babies yet.

He was wide awake for his turn in the cocoon turned into sling.

She was out!

The boys. Mom LOVED this shot.

Sweet sleepy babies.

I love how both of the babies were touching mom in these.

Regina & Bryant - Wedding - Sneak Peak

2009-08-12T22:32:00.004-04:00

We had a fabulous time with Regina & Bryant last Saturday in Virginia Beach, VA. Bryant pulled a fast one on us all by letting us know two hours before the photos were to begin he did not want to see Regina prior to the ceremony. Luckily they had a cocktail hour planned for us to grab a few quick shots of everyone, the families and some couple shots. Bryant was cracking me up with his joking & nervousness just prior to the wedding. He handled the nerves well though. Regina graced everyone with her beautiful smile & made sure to do special things throughout the day.

A great design

2009-08-11T23:40:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to share the cutest nursery with you. It's even more fabulous because all of the photography was done by me! LOL There really is nothing better then to walk into someones home and see the proudly displayed photographs we have taken. Photography is so much a part of your past, present and future. It IS family history.

There are a few blank frames in the room just waiting for the next photo shoot. We got started a little early on their photo shoot next week when I snapped a few shots of Rylee in her room. YAY!

More Barnett gold! Um rust... lol

2009-08-06T11:41:00.003-04:00

Oh, these cars were so cool. I'm hoping to go back to this location one more time. I
think it should be when it is much cooler though so we don't encounter so many groady bugs. I love the girls pillow case dresses. They got them at Buttons & Bows Children's Consignment store in Garner, NC.

We had a lot of fun playing and finding cool spots among the cars. The blue was perfect for their awesome blue eyes. These kids are completely cute and sooo good with each other. You can tell they hang out all the time with their cousins (the second family in the link), because they have a lot of the same mannerisms. I love it! Baby, Parker, had her newborn shoot a few months ago too.

How about these great cloud formations we saw recently? I really could take pictures of clouds, sunsets and sunrises all the time. Love the sky!!!

Blog Button & Referral Program

2009-08-04T20:38:00.007-04:00

At long last I have made a blog button. You can copy the code from the box below and add the HTML code to your blog sidebar. I always ask how someone found me. If they let me know you referred them to us you will get a credit towards a session or products including fine art purchases. Each new client purchasing their first fine art purchase or discounted session of $100 or more will earn you a $10 credit. If the new client books a first full price session you will receive $20. If their first purchase it the Important First Year package you will receive a $40 credit. Each new client booking a wedding will earn you a $50 credit.

The actual button is 150 pixels wide. Please let me know if your sidebar requires a different size by commenting here with your email address or emailing me.

Suggestions for your shoot

2009-08-01T22:22:00.005-04:00

Here are some suggestions I've jotted down whenever I think of them. It's a bit of information overkill, but lots of people {me} like it to have too much information! Enjoy. Let me know if you have additional suggestions by commenting on this post. We'd love to hear yours.

Sunglass wearers – It’s best not wear your sunglasses for up to two days prior to the shoot. This will help you not squint as much. Try not to squint when going without your sunglasses. If your glasses have transitions lenses consider wearing an older pair of glasses for the shoot. The transitions lenses will be dark in almost all lighting conditions we use.

Timeliness: Plan plenty of time to get ready, eat and travel to your photo shoot. Early is better then late. Because we are using natural light your appointment is set to optimize the light for your photo shoot. If you have never been to the location of your shoot try traveling there prior to the day of your shoot to time the drive and make sure your directions are correct. Getting lost by relying on mapping programs or not so clear verbal directions is very common. Think about potential traffic issues such as rush hour when timing your arrival.

Smiles: For those with smile troubles – If you do not like your smile or your child is stuck with a ‘cheese’ pasted on smile it is a good idea to do some mirror time prior to your session. By talking to yourself/child while looking in the mirror and thinking/saying things that make you smile naturally you will see that you have a great smile. If you are worried about yellow teeth or some discoloration I can help you with that in the editing process.

Wardrobe:

Stay away from white for outdoor shoots

Layers add great visual interest and texture to your outfit – Many popular online retailers have sample outfits which work well for photos. I love ae.com (they have an entire kids outfit gallery). Try going to your favorite retail store online for ideas you may just have in your closets already!

Clothes that fit – baggy clothes add weight and volume; tight clothes add rolls and lumps

Sheer outer shirts are rarely flattering

Move around in your clothes in front of a mirror to make sure you are comfortable with the fit

Ladies – a well fitted bra is key – too tight and you can see every bra mark and it creates lumps, too loose or thin and you get headlights or saggy sisters

Young children & babies:

Practice talking to your baby from a distance to get smiles and looks. The camera is often at least 4 feet away from the baby.

Plan ahead for well timed meals

Bring snacks but no candy or Cheerios

BRIBES do not work! They never have and they never will.

Have more then one outfit in case the primary outfit is ruined

Changes of clothes are welcome, but depending on how they do we may not use them

Talk to the kids about what to expect. We will get to know each other if they are not familiar with me. We will walk to different locations, try different things, sit, stand, climb, run, and walk, make serious faces, try funny faces, laugh and smile.

Smiles generally come naturally during your session. Try not to worry if you don’t see them right away.

Bring drinks for outdoor shoots. It is recommended you only have drinks in re-sealable containers such as a bottle of water, sippy cup or bottle.

Wedding Investment

2009-08-01T21:13:00.008-04:00

Wedding Investment*

Shannon & Guy will endeavor to create wonderful memories for you to cherish forever.

All packages include:
The photographers time on your wedding day including the necessary time to shoot getting ready, bride & groom, family, wedding party, the wedding ceremony, and a reasonable length reception.
Travel to and from the wedding within the Raleigh metro area. Please ask for travel pricing.
One or two pre wedding meetings to discuss your event.
The necessary meetings post wedding to view photos, help you order products & complete any designs in your chosen package.
Online photo gallery for easy to sharing and ordering.

The Works!!! $ 4500.00 ($633 savings)
Engagement shoot
Bridal shoot, trash the dress or 1^st anniversary shoot
Premium 40 page 12x12 wedding album
2 companion 40 page 10x10 standard albums
100 custom designed Thank You cards
Image box with your favorite 20 mounted images
DVD of your full resolution images

Sweet Spot $ 3200.00 ($393 savings)
Engagement shoot
Bridal shoot, trash the dress or 1st anniversary shoot
Premium 40 page 10x10 wedding album
50 custom designed Thank You cards
Image box with your 20 favorite mounted images
DVD of your full resolution images

More Please $ 1500 ($233 savings)
Engagement or Bridal shoot
Standard 10x10 30 page wedding album
50 custom designed Thank You cards
16x20 framed print

Basic $ 1000

Only one more week until the wedding!

2009-07-31T23:05:00.004-04:00

You may remember the sneak peak from the bridal session. Here are some more of the gorgeous Regina. She is so pretty she had more cat calls then any other bride I've ever had! She is amazing too. Not only do the bride and groom have 5 kids between them, she is opening a new daycare center and finishing up with the wedding plans.

I love this red door!!

This is definitely a sexy shot. I'm sure Bryant will love it when he finally gets to see them.

We had a visitor but his nose into our business while taking a few shots here. :-)

This is Regina's favorite shot.

I'm a fan of this interesting angle.

She wasn't able to get a bouquet in time for our shoot, but then she ran to a store late the night before to pick something up. I didn't know since the last conversation we had was about not having one. The bouquet ended up sitting in the back seat the whole time!

Another one of my favorites with her looking off and the white background.

I'm definitely loving the Southern tradition of bridal portraits.

Contact Us

2009-07-31T22:58:00.004-04:00

Lifelong Impressions
Shannon White
Phone 919-585-6433
Email: shannon@lifelongimpressions.com
Garner, NC
Also serving Phoenix & Salt Lake City at least once each year.

Investment - Lifelong Impressions - Photography - Raleigh, Miami, SLC & Phoenix

2009-07-31T21:43:00.016-04:00

Portrait Investment*

All sessions include a discussion session prior to your shoot, the Shannon's time and talent while shooting the photos, a location within 15 miles of Garner, NC, editing of your images, a post shoot meeting at the photographer's location to review your session photos, an online gallery for easy sharing and ordering, and a post session meeting with the photographer to order any products and discuss any custom designs. Travel sessions to Miami, SLC & Phoenix will have a travel charge.

Seniors graduating 2011
$200.00
This is the perfect shoot for high school seniors ready to capture who they are at this special time of life. In two hours we will use 1-3 locations, have up to 5 outfit changes and use items important in your life.
Your session fee includes:
40 images proofed online
$50 credit to use for purchasing prints, products and digital files

Family/Child Session
$200.00
This shoot is for members of an immediate family including parents & their children even if you have a lot of kids. We'll generally start out talking and playing followed by a fun and adventurous shoot lasting about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. In order to best capture your family personality we will use one location, have up to 2 outfit changes and may use items important in your life. If time permits a second location close by can be used.
Your session fee includes:
40 images proofed online
$50 credit to use for purchasing prints, products and digital files

Pregnancy
$150.00
Pregnancy shoots are best done when you are in your 30-35th weeks. This session can include your spouse and kids. We will pick one location depending on the look you want. I do have a natural light studio setup or your home if you would like complete privacy. A session normally lasts 30-40 minutes
Your session fee includes:
$50 credit to use for purchasing prints, products and digital files
15 images proofed online

The Important First Year Package
Baby 1st year package $700.00 ($94 savings)

This package is designed to capture some of the big changes your baby goes through the first year. You can include the whole family in any of the sessions. The stages are newborn (within the first 14 days), 6 months and 12 months. We can go on location, at your home or use my natural light studio setup as determined by each sessions needs. Each session normally lasts about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The deposit is $300 upon booking a tentative date for the newborn session.
Your session package includes:
All sessions will have 40 images proofed online
3 custom designed accordion wallet albums from the newborn session
25 custom designed 5x7 double sided announcements from the newborn session
20 page custom designed 10x10 Standard lay flat album showcasing the year
20x20 custom designed standout mount storyboard at any time during the year

Extended Family
$300.00
This session is for extended families such as parents, their children and their children (multiple immediate family groups). With a large group we will focus not only on getting the great big group shots, we will also break up into many smaller groups and individual shots. These sessions usually take at least 2 hours, and they are filled with laughter and snacks (snacks make everyone happy!).
Your session fee includes:
60 finished shots
$100 credit to use for purchasing prints, products and digital files
3 custom designed accordion wallet albums

Sampling of Products Available:
8x10 $ 25
11x14 gallery wrapped canvas $120
Wallet custom Accordion album $ 16 each with a min order of 3
Heirloom quality albums starting at $280
I would be happy to provide the product guide upon request.

Timing and Payment Details:

The full session charge is due at the time of booking. Sessions can be rescheduled due to bad weather or illness. All sessions require a signed model release. A sneak peek is available on the blog and Facebook within 4 days. Proofs will be ready within two weeks from your session date, and I will email a link to your proofs online. Order must be placed within two weeks of the date your proof link is sent to you to use the credit. Orders are ready within three weeks of your payment receipt. Payments can be made by PayPal, check or cash.

Additional online gallery time is $25 per week. If you know in advance you need a specific time period to place your order the proof link will not be sent until that time period to start your two week ordering period.

Lifelong Impressions

919-585-6433

shannon@lifelongimpressions.com

*Investment information updated 6/26/10

More of Samyah

2009-07-24T13:52:00.006-04:00

Samyah's mom makes the cutest baby clothes and kids gear. You can find their (My Kids Laundry) stuff at the Holly Springs farmers market every Saturday morning. They also have a website too. The website just doesn't give you the scope of all that is available! She also does custom orders. We were over there yesterday picking out all kinds of new stuff for Madison including a darling kangaroo dress with a matching shirt for Blake! I can't wait to get them.

It was mostly baby girl's first birthday shoot, but we also took some with the boys.

These boys definitely love their sister and she has a special and slightly different bond with each of them.

She has the most adorable big brown eyes, and I love her serious looks. Way cute.

The search for the belly button! Both mom and I love this series of shots, but dad isn't so keen on the shirtless baby. Ladies check with your hubby before we take such adorable shots and then you are strongly encouraged not to print any of them! Wouldn't these look perfect in the kids bathroom? We think so too!

Isn't this serious look just fascinating? She is like, "Lady! What do you have me in a giant pot for?" LOL

Reagan's senior album

2009-07-22T23:37:00.004-04:00

Check out Reagan's awesome album! I'm so excited to be offering custom albums now. They are definitely worth every penny. When the album comes in I'll make sure to take and post some pictures for you. How do you like the page designs?

There is a small slider bar at the bottom of the slide show which will give you the best view of the album.

Sneak peak at all SIX of Saturday's shoots - Plus a couple new fine art

2009-07-20T11:50:00.006-04:00

The last time we got together for a photo shoot her 3 year old son was only 3 months. I'm looking forward to the wedding in two weeks. It will be in Virginia Beach at a cool place on the water. The bride and groom have 5 super cute kiddos between them. We're going to have a lot of fun especially with them opting to do all the pictures prior to the wedding and reception! I recommend everyone do it.

The owners of The Garden Gate Cafe in Garner, NC just welcomed boy/girl twins last week. I love how many newborn twins seek each other out.

What is there not to love about this shot. Mom and dad are sharing a moment (I love her hand on her knee with those soft fingers almost like she wants to grab his hand). The girls are giving those adorable direct, compelling & honest looks kids give.

Little Cora was absolutely fascinated by all the cool stuff around us. She has had a difficult road with constant ear aches the last 9 months. Last week she had tubes put in. We were completely amazed at how super easy she was! It only took an hour even with a huge location to get more then enough fantastic shots. I love the moodiness of this shot back in the woods with the old motorcycle.

This is the first time I've photographed this whole family. The kids are completely adorable, full of personality and loving. The old cars were the perfect backdrop for them.

How cute is a newborn hanging off the back of a tow truck? This little sweetness is only 4 days old. I can't wait to show you the rest of them when the session is edited and seen by his family!!!

If I wasn't already wiped out and needed to get home so Guy could get to work I'd have loved to spend another hour or two capturing the unlimited number of sweet shots this yard of cars provided! There had to be at least 60 classic cars in this fellas yard. He was so nice to allow us to invade his space for over 4 hours. He let us get explore everything as long as we put everything back the way it was.

Hmmmmmm. I LOVE this shot!

I even had time for a quick self portrait! lol Maybe next week I'll have Guy take some shots of me for a get to know you page on the blogs and website.

The frames around the sneak peaks can be found her e.

Sneak Peak Senior

2009-07-18T13:03:00.003-04:00

Today I have an incredibly busy day with SIX shoots! I'm about to leave for the first one. Today also has the benefit of the coolest location EVER!!! I'll try to share a sneak peak of the place later this evening.

In the mean time here is a peak at my recent senior session. I just saved the photo up in Photoshop.

One of my favorite shoots!

2009-07-13T12:07:00.003-04:00

Yesterday it was brought to my attention that no photos from this shoot had been posted on the blog. What? It is one of my favorite shoots. They have the perfect house to take loads of interesting and fun photos. So here is an overload of pictures from the shoot.

They are in several storyboards I can custom create for your photo shoot. There are lots of options for number of photos, backgrounds and text.

More of baby Grace

2009-07-11T13:54:00.003-04:00

I think I've finally settled on a blog design I love! YAY. It will take me a few more days to get everything up and running again with the new addition of a navigation bar below the header and some other links and choices down below the posts!

We are also close to finishing up the new website!!! YAY. Guy is the super star heading up the creation on the website while I get the pictures, investment details & other stuff ready for him to put it all together. I'm so glad he felt up to the challenge.

Here are some more photos from baby Grace's first photo shoot.

Most of the time, newborn babies have a somewhat vacant look in photos with their eyes open. Not this little sweetie! She looks alert and full of fun. Big sister is thrilled to begin her new roll too.

The sun shining right on her in the woodsy grass was really cool.

She did want to eat and stay awake quite a bit, but she closed her eyes just for my favorite shot.

If you are wondering a bit about what goes on during a newborn shoot to get the shots we do here are a few out takes. In the first shot below, all of our stuff is piled in a somewhat central location for us to take what we need for specific shots. In the second shot you can see how it often takes several people and a lot of patience to get many of the non bundled up shots. The shots we get are always worth the patience and teamwork!

A few new cards for you to look at

2009-07-09T23:59:00.005-04:00

I'm in LOVE with designing. It is so much fun. I always imagined I would seriously suck at it too, but with a little inspiration from the web it is so much fun. There are so many great ideas out there where I think it would be soooo cool to design something JUST like it. Thankfully, even if I think I want exactly what someone else has my designs come out different from theirs with my own personal look and feel. Life just keeps getting better and better!

Here is an example of a card I made up this week that would work well for so many things like an invitation, baby announcement or personal thank you cards.

My senior reps needed a new card for the new year. They both gave out a ton of cards the last week of school. Now it's time to load them up for the new year! Here is the front of the two sided card.

And here is the back.

By the way. I should have the new family/newborn & wedding prices available to post very soon. So far everyone seems to like the new prices better then the old ones. If you have an appointment booked with the old rates and would like to use the new ones just let me know.

The old rates had the full digital negatives included in the price. The new rates have a digital share copy of your photos and a credit towards products included in the price. Most people are letting me know the love the new rate structure because they would rather their money go towards prints & other products then towards the full digital negatives. The digital share copies are for digital use only such as blogs, Facebook, websites & MySpace. It is OK to get a book printed of your blog with the digital share images posted in your blog posts. That is the only printing allowed with them. Let me know if you want a more detailed review of the new rates prior to them being published!

And because I can't resist adding these cool save the date two sided card for you to look at!

Sneak peak #4 - Engagement Session - Raleigh Wedding Photographer

2009-07-04T21:34:00.003-04:00

These guys were referred to me by another family who is following the recommended picture schedule with their daughter. We met today after a couple get to know you calls last week for their wedding consultation and engagement session. It took about 5 minutes for us all to get in the groove of getting to know each other. I think they are great and really look forward to their wedding next May. They were also up for ALL of my wacky suggestions without even batting an eye! Earlier in the day Guy & I passed a field with an abandoned black couch. After telling Guy I thought it would be a cool place for today's shoot, he told me there was no way anyone would pose with that. I wonder what he would have said had he also seen the really old dead deer carcass right next to it! Luckily there was no smell & the shots we took there are really cool. I should be able to post them by midweek when they have seen them all first!

This shot was a first 'missed' attempt at one of my crazy ideas. It just might be my favorite. Hmmm maybe not, because it was just the first one to catch my eye to share with you. I'm so excited to be getting back into the wedding business after a only doing a few in the 3 1/2 years we have lived in Raleigh.

Sneak peak #3 - 18 months - Raleigh Childrens Photographer - Recommended shoot schedule

2009-07-04T21:16:00.004-04:00

I've had the pleasure of photographing Anderson since he was 6 months old. His mom is great about following the recommended photography schedule. She is so sweet and lets me pick the location every time and says she is happy each time. It's so great when people love the shots we get from the locations I pick. A lot of people think they want green & pretty when they find they love the more funky locations even more. The more odd ball the location is the more interesting shots we can come up with. Anderson is definitely all boy who loved running free to explore each new spot we walked to.

In case you are wondering what the picture schedule is...
Everyone should get family shots once a year no matter what stage your family is in.
Maternity shoot
Newborn shoot in the first 14 days of life
3 months of age
6 months of age
9 months of age
12 months of age
18 months of age
24 months of age
2 1/2 years old
3 years old
3 1/2 years old
4 years old
4 1/2 years old
5 years old
Yearly after age 5

Each of these recommended ages for a photo shoot is specifically chosen because children change quite a bit between each of these stages.

Sneak peak #2 - 12 months - Raleigh Childrens Photographer

2009-07-04T21:02:00.004-04:00

Cutie girl here is so much fun. Even though we have spent some time together she furrowed her brow at me for a full 10 minutes! It was comical. Poor mom was also nursing a migraine too. After the first 10 minutes Samyah warmed right up & gave it all her little first birthday self could give! We had some fun playing around an import shop at the Raleigh Farmers Market.

Can I just say it was the very coolest store filled with dream props and posing helps! Wow, if you want some cool stuff for your house and photo shoot check them out. When you drive in the market area go strait to the back on the left.

She knows where her belly button is! It reminds me I need to get a few shots of my Madison checking out her belly button.

Sneak peak - newborn - S & G Photography Raleigh Newborn Photographer

2009-07-04T20:34:00.004-04:00

Sweet baby Grace was a very happy quick addition! We met for the photos the day after the waiting period ended for their adoption. Two weeks from selection to baby! Love it! Of course, there was a very LONG time leading up to this quick addition, and I know many tears of joy have been shed for this awesome family finally realizing a dream. They were all still glowing when we met Thursday, despite days of no sleep with a newborn.

Tutu fun

2009-06-28T10:30:00.004-04:00

This didn't get posted yesterday. Here is a funky bunch of photographs for a very out there girl, Kailyn. She is all about being goofy, dramatic and imaginative. We never know what she will come up with next. Here mom, Lisa, and I are the kind of friends who knew immediately we would always be good friends. We have many similar experiences in life, and a love for not being like everyone else. One thing I love about her is her voracious appetite for gospel knowledge.

Kailyn is wearing a few of the tutu's I have available for photo shoots. There are tutu's for just about any age.

Baby Rylee

2009-06-26T23:23:00.005-04:00

I'm totally bummed we weren't able to work out a maternity shoot due to scheduling while this little girl was in her mama's tummy! But she is absolutely adorable now that she's here. She even very nicely cooperated by grabbing her daddy's finger when I encouraged her to. Her umbilical cord had an awesome texture to it too. Yeah, I'm the weirdo who likes the funky umbilical cord. And crying baby shots!

Marci senior 2010 - Raleigh Portrait photographer - Location Shoot

2009-06-25T23:04:00.007-04:00

I had the pleasure to find not only an awesome spot while on vacation, but to photograph my niece, Marci. She is a super cute girl with personality as you will see in these pictures. Enjoy!

All of these presentations are examples of custom storyboards I can do for your photo shoot! We can make them any frame size with different numbers of pictures and layouts. The possibilities are limitless.

Senior photos & two announcements

2009-06-22T20:40:00.007-04:00

Here are a few more of my senior rep, Alyssa's, senior photos. She is a talented and genuine girl who was a ton of fun. You may recognize her from the family photo shots a few posts ago. She also did an amazing job of getting the word out about S & G Photography the last two weeks of school. Maybe I'll see if she will teach me guitar when we both have some time. Sure. Right.

Courtney is my other fabulous senior rep. This was the second time I've spent any time with her. She is so sweet. She volunteered the first time I met her family to watch my kids while her mom and I went to an activity at church.

Announcement 1

Guy and I are happy to announce that, for a limited time, current customers, friends and our church members still have an opportunity to enjoy the pricing we have had for the last 6 years. We are so pleased you are our friends and customers. Thank you for your business and interest in our photography. We look forward to building an even better relationship in the future.

You have until July 7^th to book your appointment using the old rates; the new pricing will go into affect for any appointments booked after July 7^th. A deposit of $30 is due by check, cash or PayPal when you book your appointment. These appointments need to take place on or before 10/31/09. Please note that appointments from October 19^th to the 31^st are available in Arizona only. September and October are the best months to take your Christmas card photos, though summer photos are just as great to use for your cards and/or newsletter.

Our wedding price list is also in the process of being restructured. Wedding customers must book with deposit by July 11^th to keep your quoted rate.

Please call for the available appointments in North Carolina. There will be one day a month we are offering mini sessions (more then 4 people do not qualify for mini sessions).

The available Arizona appointments are:

Wednesday October 21^st

Thursday October 22^nd

Friday October 23^rd

Monday October 26^th

Tuesday October 27^th

Wednesday October 28^th

Thursday October 29^th

Friday October 30^th

Saturday October 31^st (only one full appointment (1 ½ to 2 hours) or 3 mini sessions (30 minutes ½ the shots) are available this day) location is The Pointe South Mountain

We are also very excited to be able to tell you about the wonderful products we are now offering! I can custom design coffee table books, bound memory books, storyboard prints, greeting cards, holiday cards, announcements, business cards, blog headers and we now host your photos online for easy sharing and ordering.

The new rates will be posted on the here in the next two weeks. I can email you the rates for appointments after 10/31/09.

Please give us a call for more information or to book your session today!

Announcement 2
Our Fine Art photography is available online for viewing and purchase. Check it out! All of the photos are available for purchase directly from the site. If you would like any designed with a custom mat or several designed into a storyboard let me know.

Shannon & Guy
S & G Photography {now Lifelong Impressions}
Phone 919-585-6433
Email shannon@lifelongimpressions.com
Garner, NC

Some Tori pics!

2009-06-17T16:46:00.004-04:00

First, here is a teaser of Marci's senior photos. I'm looking forward to editing these today or tomorrow! She is so adorable. This will also be the last post with this photo format. I'm working on these really cool storyboards for posting photos on the blog.

My friend came to visit me the other day and brought her lovely daughter, Tori. We had a great time taking some fun photos of her. She wasn't super fond of the tub full of bubbles, but she did just fine. Tori also had the hiccups the entire time we were shooting her. Aleesha took all of the photos home to edit herself, but I couldn't resist editing a few and sharing! It's a good thing Aleesha doesn't mind.

I love her big eyes and poofy lips.

LOL. This one cracks me up!

I may have made this newborn cocoon way to big, but it sure fit a three month old well. Who knew you could get a three month old to sleep for some shots! LOVE THEM.

And is any baby session complete without a foot shot?

Aleesha says she is just as sweet as this photos makes her look.

This gorgeous ring was way to tempting not to take a few shots with it.

Another ring shot. Not sure which one I like better.

Super sweet sleeper!

Here are some of our recent family photos and a sneak peak at how the new photos will be displayed on the blog. The wonderful Aleesha took these for us! THANKS!!!!! We love them. I especially love all the candid moments where we aren't looking at the camera and the natural looks on the babies faces throughout. There are about 70 more awesome shots!

Thanks for a great weekend!

2009-06-09T15:07:00.004-04:00

The art sale was a great experience on Saturday. Pretty soon I will post a link to the Fine Art shots I have for sale. You can order what you want directly from the site. If you want a particular shot digitally matted email me directly. It is an inexpensive way for you to get a really cool look to your print. Because each digital mat is only good for a specific print size I need to create it especially for you.

Here is a price list for me to create a custom digital mat for your print. This price list also applies to family photos as well.

Number of colors Largest print dimension Cost
1 color 5 to 7 inches $ 3.00
1 color All larger sizes $ 5.00
2 color 5 to 7 inches $ 5.00
2 color All larger sizes $ 8.00
3 color 5 to 7 inches $ 7.00
3 color All larger sizes $11.00

If you are visiting here from the show it was a pleasure meeting you on Saturday. I will be emailing everyone who gave me their information when we return from vacation on June 20th. I am receiving email on my vacation if you would like to set up an appointment and/or have any questions.

Pretty soon I will have some more senior pictures, newborn shots, a little baby and some of our own family pictures we took yesterday. Oh wait, did I say I was on vacation or working while visiting family? It's definitely a little more of the latter.

Here's a shot of my cute girl from last week.

Saturday is the Clayton Art & Music Fair

2009-06-04T00:49:00.003-04:00

Loads of cool photos and interesting people should you choose to come out! If you come don't forget to come by my booth to visit. I'd love to see you!

Art Faire & two family sessions

2009-05-30T11:04:00.004-04:00

Next Saturday is the Millbrook Music & Art Faire in downtown Clayton. I'm going to have a booth to sell my fine art pictures for the first time in my life! What a huge step. So I'm super busily working to get everything together ordered and put together by next Saturday! Luckily I'll have electricity and can bring my computer for hosting a catalogue of prints not readily for sale and special orders of large sizes. The event is from 10am to 6pm. For more information click on the photo or here. The link is to a specific town blog post. There should be other posts with info too. I'd love to see all of you local people there! They are supposed to have quite a few interactive things for the kiddos. Either just before of after I will have all of the prints available online too! Look for the link soon.

I've been bad about putting some photos on here lately. Here are two large family sittings I had a lot of fun doing!

This place was very stinky with the rotten corn around the side of the silos. Daniel said to us, "We better get out of here because it is starting to not smell as bad!"

I love this spot and shot. Really I'm beginning to understand why I like buildings and such more then 'green' places. There are so many more posing options and places to sit! It's easier to make people look good.

This was the furthest out I could get with the sun and I'm still really happy with how it came out. It's amazing how your personality comes out when you jump off something. The ladies on the left are all a little nervous and the three on the right are in heaven. Love it!

This old train depot is so cool. The weathered wood works well for both big and close up shots.

Again, maybe my new favorite spot. Definitely where I'd like to have our family photos done.

This is why I never delete a test shot onsite. It turned out to be the best shot in the spot. Danny was helping me onto this 2 1/2 inch window ledge (no kidding!) when I took the test shot. I love how he is looking down at them and the variety of expressions.

Alyssa who is one of my senior reps.

The only boy. I imagine he feels a lot like Guy surrounded by sisters. Guy has one brother though to go along with the 7 sisters! I so love that Guy has a large family!!!

The wind picked up her hair perfectly.

The braid was a nice touch.

My hat fit this kiddo so well with all her girly curls.

Little Miss Bridget entertains my kids in church all the time. It keeps both her and them occupied nicely.

This is one of my all time favorite family shots. Ever!

And I love the couch (or chair in this case) out in a field look. It's the first time I've done it and was really happy with the day and the results. I think some of the photos need a little more editing before they can be printed big so the family looks a little brighter while keeping the clouds the same.

We thought it was cool to have four in focus flowers in front of the four kids. They were eating some snacks to energize them for the rest of the shoot.

The old house with the newer chair work so well together.

Ian really is a wild man and needed some wild man poses to showcase his personality.

Kristen loved this one because she always does this move to fix her hair.

I love me a photo of a naked baby. They can only do it for so long before it just doesn't work anymore.

Each kid got a shot with each parent. Here are just two I really liked.

This just shows off the sisterly relationship and bond.

Senior Reps

2009-05-26T23:10:00.004-04:00

I have two senior reps for Clayton high School and um yeah totally forgot the other high school! Anyway, I'm still looking for the right reps for Garner high and other schools in this area. Please contact me if you or someone you know is interested in being a senior rep! 919-585-6433 or email sandgphotography@cox.net

Both Alyssa

And Courtney were a ton of fun to photograph.

Both of the girls were fun and went for anything I asked them to do. It will be lots of fun to finish editing their photos. These are the only ones I've done so far since the shoot was yesterday. I needed to get them some hand out cards and wallets right away since they only have two weeks of school left.