beauty in Drumheller

We went on a little trip, my family and I on the hunt for ghostowns. It was pretty fun!
Leaving the house I had completely made up my mind where we were going. I had of course not read the map entirely, but figured I knew where I was going. About halfway to Strathmore Dion looked at the map and said.... ok really? This is going to take until 9 pm. We should have gone towards Lethbridge. Sooooo we went on to pick #2. We toured the Drumheller Valley. Of course we made some stops in Drumheller.... there will be pics of those up soon :)
I was sooo hoping to find a completely abandoned town... like I envision in my mind. But that was not to be. The first town had quite a few abandoned buildings.... but many more that should have been! There were quite a few people there. The second one was almost completely abandoned... but the mosquitos were eating us alive, so I had no choice but to snap quick and start getting some GRUMPY kids back on the road!!!
I loved every part of that trip - I love get up and go trips. Plus I am really learning alot about Alberta's history checking out these towns!!!

So here are some pics of the valley.... I promise I will have some of the kids up soon!

The HooDoos.... right outside of Drumheller.... really cool! Kids had fun climbing these! (on the designated paths of course!)

right outside the old coal mine... it was beautiful!

sweetness....... a little newborn princess

When my friend K told us she was expecting again I was over the top excited!!! I had a blast taking their maternity photos and could not wait for this little bundle of sweetness to be born!!!!
I just love her to bits... she is so cute and cuddly. And the girl knows how to sleep! (ok for me - not so much for mom at night - this is a girl that knows how to party!!!)
My friend and her family have been so awesome... they have let me take multiple sessions of pictures, and let me *manhandle* their sleeping beauty trying to get some more practice in. I really love photographing newborns - and their awesomeness has really helped my learn ALOT :)
I had to put some up - little princess L is already getting big - and I have done so many sessions I was trying to edit them all at once. Now I realize I should give them what I have and continue on!!!
I have done more different types of edits... trying to really work in textures and newborns, and continue on in my love of slightly hazy pics.
So here is a snippit of so far... she is a beauty.... watch out if you may suffer from baby fever :)

These were all taken from the first and second session (days apart).... she was sooo itty bitty!!!!

This shot was WAY trickier then I had planned.... must investigate proper towels and folding. He head was making the towels go all lopsided and wanting to fall over... but don't worry no newborns or towels were hurt in the attempt! We were all hovering over her :)

These were some from the third session at my house!! I love that my friend will just let me snap her pics whenever!!

trying some more new to me textures.... I love the softness!

more five year old fun :)

Here is little miss B again.... she is just such a cutie it is a pleasure to take her pictures!!!

2 day old newborn squishiness!!!

Yes..... 2 days!!!! His mom is supermom, BTW. 2 days after having this precious bundle she was up for me invading her house and taking pictures, was looking after 2 of her other children AND 2 dayhome children. If that does not say supermom I would be SHOCKED!
Now little man C also fell for the heating pad..... he thought about putting up a fight and not sleeping, but that heating pad is just magical! Even though the house was already hot like a furnace! My friend S was just about to pass out in the heat I think :)
This was a more challenging shoot to me. My fav lens is in the shop, so I had to use my 50. Which is a fantastic lens, but as multiple other posts have said - it requires more room. Which I didn't have the luxury of. (I normally don't as I shoot natural light and need to be close to windows)
However... I am so happy with the turnout! He is just so cute and looks so snuggly. Enjoy!

This shot is very interesting. He is laying in a belly cast my friend had done when she was preg. Although I had read up on and checked out photos of how to take baby and belly cast shots I was not prepared!!! I had no idea what the cast would be like and it took a little bit ti figure it out. When we were looking at the cast we were wondering just HOW he fit in it. Well... once we set him in there on a blanket he just curled up and snuggled in. We tried moving him a little to get more of his face in the pic - but he had found his sweet spot and was totally curled into it. It was very cool to see just how he fit in there, and I love the pic! I wanted to put a couple edits...it's just a neat idea!

I have seen and heard the term 'emotionally in focus' and this pic falls into it in my opinion!!! My camera settings and angles were not set up to take a pic at this moment.... but how can you not LOVE this!!!!

trying out a few hazy pics with textures.... just love it!

little Mr.C at 9 months!

I first met my friend T when I took pics of Mr.C when he was 6 months old. Since then she has become one of my closest friends and I feel so lucky to have met her.
Her family is just awesome and I love getting together to do photo shoots with them!!!! Caleb is probably the happiest baby on the planet... you just can't help but love him to bits!

Some of these photos I must note have some little focus issues. I am having some trouble with Tammy and she is currently in the shop. So...... I am going to get the pleasure of taking her for a spin and doing a couple retakes to test out the newly improved Tammy :)
And here is another tip.... when photographing orange BE SURE not to blow the red channel. Had I known that BEFORE.... well his shirt would look a lot nicer :)

Thanks T for the session... I had a blast. Hope you love them, and they lift your spirits :) Don't you ever forget that I think you are a superhero :)

some five year old fun!

I was lucky enough to get to take pics of little miss B. She is just total cuteness and a little sweetheart. My son may have fallen into a first crush lol. He is constantly reminding me that she is five and bringing up the morning we spent out in the park with her.
I of course will be reminding him when he's much older of the morning he spent with her dressing up in her princess dress up clothes and heels LOL!!!!! He just loved hangin with her... it was super hard to steal her away to take some pics!
We got the chance to take some indoor and some outdoor shots - thanks for all your patience!
My kids were the biggest challenge of the day.... they were like wild animals!!! Thankfully B's parents kept them occupied, or it would have been disastrous.
And..... lucky me..... I get to take some more so stay tuned!!!!

And now... prepare your self for cuteness!!!!

Oh how fun were the balloons!!!! I will buy a TON more next time... they kept popping in the grass. We had to stop due to lack of balloons!!!!

This one was my personal fav of the day. amazing.