The Holmes Family

Today I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing the Holmes Family. Monica and Stuart are celebrating their 2 year wedding anniversary today and Junelle turned 2 months so it was a perfect day for a photo shoot. The weather was gorgeous again {very low humidity and mild summer temps} and we shot in their back yard! I immediately fell in love with their yard and a gorgeous tire swing {I know maybe tire swings aren't typically described as gorgeous but my artist eye loved the look of it}. The lighting couldn't have been more perfect and Junelle was such a trooper and didn't fuss much at all.

There are so many things I love about photography and this short journey has already been amazing. I really love meeting new people and getting to know them during our time together. I always hope to make people feel relaxed and comfortable so they are at their best in front of my lens. I know I've said it before a thousand times but one of my favorite parts of photography is watching families interact with each other. Some of my best captures are the ones that are unposed, unthought out, and a family really being caught in a moment! 

Monica and Stuart were so genuine and such a loving couple. They are adjusting well to parenthood and life with a newborn. Monica is a teacher {we have that in common} and her husband Stuart is a pilot. I loved chatting with them about work, family, photography, pets and their new life as parents to sweet Junelle. Junelle was named after Stuart's grandma and her middle name, Luree is after Monica's aunt. Isn't it a beautiful name, Junelle Luree?! Whether they call her by her full name, June or Junebug she is a doll baby and was a gorgeous little model this morning.

Monica and Stuart will be celebrating their anniversary tonight sans baby by going out to dinner (a true delight for new parents)! They had already exchanged gifts and Stuart wasted no time in busting out Monica's present, a new camera! Yes, you read that right he got out HER camera, the gift he gave to her :)! Since he is gone for days at a time with work she wanted to be able to capture every moment so daddy wouldn't miss things while he was away. Stuart was really interested in learning how to use the camera in manuel mode so he experienced Jones Photog 101! I gave him a quick lesson in ISO, aperture, shutter speed and all things photography haha. Mommy is going to put it on P and snap away! 

Sandy and Sophie joined us for some shots. Stuart and Monica rescued these two beautiful ladies in April, when Monica was 7 months pregnant! They were dropped off at the shelter together and Stuart couldn't separate them so of course he thought it would be a great idea to adopt two dogs. Monica wasn't so sure about the idea at first considering they would soon have a newborn and two dogs. They have fallen in love with the dogs and already have funny stories to share like how they race downstairs at night to fight over a chair {when there is a perfectly good love seat too}. The girls had huge separation anxiety at first and insisted on being together at all times even though Monica tried walking them separately, ya know that whole pregnant thing? Sandy is a bit sneaky and made off with a blanket and chalk board during our shoot. She also is enjoys opening packages, like daddy's anniversary present that was delivered while they weren't home. {OOPS!} 

It was such a great morning meeting this wonderful couple, their beautiful baby girl and their fur babies. I've had such a hard time picking favorite for Facebook and my blog and as I keep going back to 200+ images this one stuck out. I am laughing OUT loud at her expression. Google image search "tough baby" and I think you have her true love! If you were captioning this photo what would it say?! I say, "You want a piece of ME?"

ENJOY the slide show!