Alisha Schwanke Photography

New Blog in Town!

2011-08-24T17:19:00.003-04:00

Hi all! This just a quick post to let you know that the NEW BLOG IS LIVE!

Find it here: http://alishaschwanke.com/blog

Thanks for following!

I'M RETIRING!

2011-07-21T20:54:00.007-04:00

...this blog at least! :)

There are big changes coming for Alisha Schwanke Photography and after lots and lots of thought, I have decided to retire this blog. It has served as such a nice way to give my clients sneak peeks at their sessions and has been an awesome way for me to track my growth, but the time has come to move on!

Though initially reluctant (isn't it weird to ask people to "like" you?!?!), I've decided that Facebook is going to be a great showcase my work. Giving clients their sneak peeks on Facebook will be quicker, more efficient and probably more fun! As a client you'll have the opportunity to tag yourself in photos and link to your session to share with all your friends and family and see their comments with the click of a mouse. And as a photographer, I'll have a super handy way to make announcements, keep clients informed, share information with masses without sending emails, etc.

We'll give it a go and see what happens. Like it or not, Facebook is taking over; it's about time I get with the program! :)

Thanks so much for all the love and support over the years on this wee little blog! See you on the brand new Alisha Schwanke Facebook page!

(And look for other changes soon!)

Welcome baby Graham!

2011-07-18T09:53:00.004-04:00

Looking on the bright side of this awful hot weather is the fact that it allows for outdoor newborn sessions! This weekend I met little Graham. He was a puddle of sweetness for his session!

SUCH a darling big brother:

Congratulations Matt, Alyssa and little Liam! What a precious new baby you have welcomed to your family. Thank you for having me over.

Warning:

2011-07-14T21:09:00.003-04:00

You could meet me at a shoot and 3 years later be standing naked in a lake in front of my camera (and some unsuspecting teenage fishermen. Ha!).

This is one of my beautiful best friends, Trish, expecting her third shortly.

Love you gal. Can't wait to meet the new little person in that gorgeous belly.

I'm Not Going to Lie...

2011-07-09T08:42:00.001-04:00

...I've been in a funk.

I have been skipping posting some sessions and taking weeks to load others. I'm on a mission to be better! :)

Here's a sampling of what I've been up to the last week.

Portraits of a sweet little gal and her new kitty:

Engagement pictures for an awesome couple (that was here from New Jersey!) that I will be spending lots of time with the first week of October!

Doug, you were a trooper.

Leslie, you are going to be a stunning bride.

And pictures for one of my first ever client families that has a new kid every time I've shot them: :)

Hope everyone is having a great summer!!!

Mister Logan

2011-06-23T20:17:00.006-04:00

Oh my goodness. This little guy visiting from Florida was the absolute sweetest and most smily 14-month-old I have ever met. If I could have fit him in my pocket to bring him home, I would have. :)

Thank you, thank you Terri, Jen and Logan for making me part of your vacation!

Ava is One!

2011-06-21T21:09:00.005-04:00

This little miss is just older than my little mister. Can't believe how quickly that first year goes. I LOVED these little bloomers she showed up in and was grateful for some beautiful morning light.

Every so often I get home and upload pictures and am not able to recall taking one or two. This is one of those happy accidents! I have no recollection at all of her kissing her baby doll or me snapping when she did, but I love it! Perfect too that she's way into her baby doll these days.

Thank you sweet Ava for a fun session! You are delicious!

Miss Alta is Starting to Look Like a Big Girl!

2011-06-17T22:25:00.009-04:00

That little bitty baby from February has grown so much! I love this little gal and her sweet parents. They drove an hour and a half for a refreshing 95 degree session in my driveway. :)

In her (and her daddy's!) Christening gown. Love special things like that.

This outfit was her mama's when she was a baby!

Tyra Banks would be proud:
Party over:
Thank you, Keith and Andrea, for sharing Alta with me again. So glad I got to spend time with you!

Brayden & Cohen and Co.

2011-06-09T17:59:00.006-04:00

I spent my Saturday morning with two darling little blondies and their sweet parents! One of the boys was not into me at all (I'll let you guess which one!), but we still managed some keepers.

Somebody just turned one! How darling is this baby? Oh my goodness, and as sweet as he could be.
Brayden is a sweetheart too and liked me only if I kept my distance. :)

Pretty little family, right?

Thank you for driving to the sticks, McDaniels! I am so happy to have met you all.

Maggie is Engaged!

2011-06-03T22:04:00.004-04:00

While in Indiana, I got to see some of my favorite family. Miss Maggie is my little cousin. Over the weekend she told stories about how I used to dress her in spandex and sweatbands and choreograph dances for her and about how we used to play school and I made her stand on her tippy toes touching her nose to the wall (thank God I didn't become a teacher!)- so I'm not sure why she would trust me with her engagement photos. :)

She has grown up to be a beautiful girl inside and out and is now happily engaged to her best friend Anthony. I suppose since meeting all of us didn't scare him off, he's a keeper. ;)

Congrats Maggs and Anthony! Can't wait for your wedding.

One more just because it cracks me up:

Elizabeth and Andrew are Married!

2011-05-31T15:53:00.009-04:00

Remember a few years ago I told you about my sister and my husband's friend who started a little secret love? Well this weekend they solidified it by getting married!
They had a super laid back ceremony on a cold rainy day at Andrew's family home in Indiana. Thankfully the rain POURS held off till about 3 minutes after the ceremony.

Look closely at Andrew's face. It looks like he's thinking "did that guy just say forever!?!"

Married!

To incorporate our New Mexican heritage, bolo ties and turquoise were donned. Elizabeth's nickname has always been "lizard" so Andrew dressed for the occasion:
My sister was gorge:
Thank you Mother nature for a 5 minute break in the rain so we could get these.
First dance:
A little play on the county they live in (Which is Tippecanoe):
Lots of fun till late into the night.
Since the weather didn't allow for many couple photos, we took advantage of the sun the next day!

Love this:
I had seen this field earlier in the week and knew it would be our photo location, but Andrew was worried about trespassing. Okay, clearly he doesn't read my blog! I will ask anyone to use their land. The friendly owner of this mustard field was absolutely perplexed as to why we would want to take "weddin photos" there (he must not read my blog either), but was super friendly and told us to go right ahead!

That's my first little niece or nephew in that belly!

Congratulations A & E!!!! Many prayers for a lifetime filled with happiness. I love you.

The Smith Family

2011-05-24T23:27:00.006-04:00

I know my posts get repetitive. I am forever talking about what sweet, fun, gorgeous people I am lucky enough to photograph, but really... just look at this family. What else could I possibly say? Loved them. Loved their backyard. Loved those sweet little kids.

Portfolios for Kale and Aislyn!

2011-05-22T14:03:00.004-04:00

Gorgeous kids, gorgeous evening, gorgeous new photos for their portfolios!

Emily & Co.

2011-05-05T14:54:00.005-04:00

Emily is making her First Holy Communion this weekend and her mom and dad wanted pictures of her in her beautiful dress. I think that is the sweetest idea! I remember feeling SO special when I made mine (and am reminded of how much the dress has changed when my 4-year-old runs past me in the now tattered, yellowish dress! Ha!).
Emily and her parents were sweet and easy and it was a beautiful day at the park. While it looks like we had the place to ourselves, we were actually sharing it with no less than 60 prom-goers!

Love these of Em with her mom and dad:

Thank you, thank you Leslie and Paul, and congratulations Emily!!!

Matthew is Two!

2011-05-04T21:38:00.005-04:00

I seriously can't believe that sweet TINY little four pound baby (from the original "baby on the scale" picture) is now turning two tomorrow. Where does the time go?

Since we did his newborn and 1st year shoots with the wagon, it was only fitting we used it again. To be honest, I didn't realize we had used it at all his shoots till I was editing these, but I'm so glad we did. That will be a fun way to measure his growth! Plus, he was really only happy at the shoot pulling that little red thing. This is a boy who knows what he wants and absolutely DOES NOT fall for reverse psychology. He cracks me up.

Happy Birthday Matthew!
And a few of sweetie pie Ella for good measure!

Hope you;re living it up at the beach and your mommy is getting lots of rest for that kankle of hers. ;)

LaPortia and Jamal are Having a Baby!

2011-04-27T21:04:00.004-04:00

And soon! I thought LaPortia may actually have baby Ava in my driveway, in fact. :) We had to call the shoot a little early when some drop-to-the-ground pains came along!

First though, she and Jamal rocked some pictures.

Gorgeous, super nice and gracious. A fun shoot with some awesome people.

GOOD LUCK you two! After the pregnancy you've had LaPortia, delivery should be a breeze. ;) You are all in my prayers!

The Henn Family

2011-04-25T08:48:00.009-04:00

Gorgeous family + pretty light= easy shoot. LOVED these little gals- they were a hoot!

Favorite:

The girls were into my camera and Olivia told me she was going to steal my job. Ha! She took this picture of her parents. Not too shabby! And then she took this one of me. This is one of the only times a picture looks better out of focus. :)
Happy Monday!

The WIlliams Bunch

2011-04-23T21:18:00.004-04:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Spring! I am so happy- I've missed the green grass and golden light!
This beautiful family was easy to shoot. Easy going parents, darling kids and a naked baby? Yes, Please!

Thank you Matthew, Angie, Lisa, Clark and baby Mack! Hope you all are having a great time away.

Happy Easter everyone!

Baby Evan

2011-04-21T00:23:00.004-04:00

Despite tornado warnings and crazy storms canceling our Saturday session, me and little Evan had a date on a beautiful Sunday. At almost 4 months old, I couldn't believe Evan fell asleep in the park and let us play with him! What a precious doll. His mommy said she was bummed that because he was born Christmas week it was too busy to get fun "newborn" shots of him, but I think these come pretty close. :)
I promise you that we did not fold his hands like this! He did it all on his own. He's not even my baby and it almost made me cry.
He was awake for a good part of the session too and not sure what to think about the crazy lady with the giant black camera blocking her face. If I put the camera down he was the smiliest little guy, but did this when the camera went up:
Patricia and Chad are awesome parents and so, so sweet.

Thank you Chad and Patricia for giving me half your day to play with Evan. What a precious little boy you have.

James and Emily are Married!

2011-04-17T22:35:00.005-04:00

I am really so behind in my blogging and have felt bad for this sweet couple who have been (patiently) waiting to see their wedding pictures! I blame the fact that I am in the process of switching from PC to Mac (HOLY COW! NOT worth it!) and having to learn all my programs over. It took me approximately 87 years longer to edit and post these than it normally does!

Enough about me though, here are the sweet Emily and James who had a beautiful, intimate, Proximity wedding. Despite it being rainy and cold, the warmth and love was thick and palpable. I didn't realize how many "kissing" photos I had until I started putting their post together. So in love, they ~~were~~ are...

THANK YOU James and Emily for letting me into your small circle of guests and treating me like one of your friends. I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!

Baby Owen

2011-03-19T20:32:00.010-04:00

Oh my goodness. Sweet, sweet Owen was my subject this morning and I could not get enough of him. Talk about a beautiful and loved baby. He had an audience of about 7 of us ohhing and ahhing with every shot.
At one point at the very, very end, I happened to be the only one with him and he gave me this precious smile. I think he likes me. :)

We could not have asked for a nicer day!
(No worries, that is a toe!)

Sarah and Chris are so cute together and amazing parents already!

A slightly different take on 3 generations:

Sweet Grandmom who lent us her amazing house for the session:

THANK YOU Sarah and Chris for letting me love on your little boy. He is just as precious as they come.

If Only We All Looked This Cute Chubby...

2011-03-18T09:10:00.007-04:00

My little friend Jack (5.5 months) and his beautiful Mommy and sister:

Mason Solo

2011-03-11T10:34:00.002-05:00

As promised, more of little Mason. He's absolutely darling and officially the most excitable baby I've ever met. An easy subject, for sure.

Mama said he tries to eat her face like this all day, everyday. :)

She also said he loves to look at himself in the mirror. Who could blame him!?!?

It was a rainy gray day, but the floods stopped just long enough for use to sneak outside for a handful. Can't resist a baby in a basket.

"Children are a Gift From the Lord..."

2011-02-23T21:18:00.008-05:00

I know I say it all the time, but I seriously have the best job. I get to meet the nicest people in the world and love on their babies. How could it get any better?
This weekend I got to meet Miss Alta. Her parents are the most natural new parents I have ever seen! And wow, do they love her. What a blessed little family. Andrea and Keith- thank you for having me to your darling (art-filled, patchouli-and-grandma's-cooking smelling) house and trusting me with your new, sweet life. :) And Grandpa and Grandma from Florida, thank you for sharing your little Alta with me, even though you only had a few days with her.

Holding Mama's push present:

New Baby Hu and Co.

2011-02-23T14:42:00.010-05:00

What a fun Saturday morning I had with this gorgeous baby boy and his family.
Mason is 6 months old and the newest member of a family you'll recognize from my blog in a bit. Talk about some sweet folks. I met them at their home, found a nice patch of light on the side of the house and away we went. :)

My favorite shot of the day:

Thank you, thank you Hu family!
(And blog watchers, keep an eye out for more of baby Mason, when he flies solo in a couple weeks!)

Kelly Swanson

2011-02-15T19:59:00.006-05:00

What's more fun than a shoot with a comedian?
Not much!
Kelly has new fancy long hair since I saw her last, so she was due for some new head shots for her website and marketing materials. I had so been looking forward to this weekend. Kelly is my favorite person on Facebook because she always has the most hysterical statuses, but aside from being incredibly funny, she is an amazing woman. And drop-dead gorgeous too. Check it:

Thank you Kelly for such a fun and relaxed shoot! So happy to know you. And your fabulous new hair. :)

Welcome Baby Connor

2011-02-07T12:24:00.005-05:00

How lucky am I to be spending so much time with all these sweet new baby boys lately?!? This weekend I met the sweetest, most content and petite little guy; Connor. What a precious soul. I think he had just hit the 6 pound mark, yet he was so alert and certainly had that "wise beyond his age" thing about him. I swear sometimes he looked at me like he ~~knows I am~~ thought I was crazy. :)
A rainy, dark day made for a challenge, but we pulled light in any way we could and managed to get some good shots!

Connor has the nicest parents, Anne and Kevin, who are just smitten with him (and so good with him too!).
See? He thinks I'm nuts.

What's up with all these moms looking like they were never pregnant two weeks after they deliver!?!? Gorgeous.

We snuck outside super quick to get a shot of Connor in the back of a truck that used to be his daddy's.

Congratulations, Anne and Kevin, on such a precious new son. Thank you for letting me invade your home for the afternoon.

Welcome Baby Marek!

2011-02-04T20:33:00.008-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is just nothing in the world as amazing as a new baby.
Baby Marek has been long-awaited and prayed for and is the newest member of the Soto family- great friends of ours. I was so happy to finally photograph this precious baby boy this weekend.
LOVE. HIM. He is a perfect chunk of love.

Can you believe that little pinky?

Can you believe she just had a baby? Ridiculous, right? So gorgeous. And she looked like this in her hospital bed too...

Love his little smirk.

Congratulations Christina, Jonathan and Ellison! We could not be more happy for you and feel so lucky to have you all in our lives. We can't wait to watch him grow.

Oh- here's a little photo for all the people who email asking where my studio is...
Dining rooms typically work really well! Ha! (Marek's daddy swiped my camera as I was busy "working.")

The Trindel Family

2011-02-04T16:29:00.007-05:00

It has taken me entirely too long to post these photos! These are from that rare, warm January Sunday last weekend that allowed for a nice outdoor shoot!
We were supposed to focus on Miss Isabella to celebrate her recent 2nd birthday, but she wasn't into me much so we got lots of this:

That's okay though! That's what it means to be two, right? Lots of finding independence, and making your own way going on that second year. :)

Thank you so much Paul, Julie, Caroline, Jared and Isabella! So glad to know you all!

Sara and David are Getting Hitched!

2011-01-26T16:37:00.006-05:00

Finally! Ha!
These two lovebirds have been dating a long time and are tying the knot this summer in Puerto Rico. They are beautiful and fun and were easy peasy to shoot.

Congratulations guys! And thank you for a fun shoot. Best wishes for a long happy marriage!

Welcome Baby David!

2011-01-25T20:36:00.005-05:00

When I shot Danny and Michelle's wedding a little over a year ago, somehow I knew it wouldn't be long before a little babe was one the way. :)
I was right! And this weekend I had the pleasure of photographing baby David in his 10th week. He was the perfect start to a new year of shooting for me. Talk about a sweetheart! Not so much as a peep from him the whole shoot. Such a content and loved little guy.

Michelle is such a good mama (and one of the sweetest people I've ever met). I loved seeing her with her new boy.
And Daddy could not be any nicer either! What fun to watch a new dad with his son. David is a lucky little boy to have two wonderful parents.

Little bear all bundled up for a quick few minutes outside.

Love these last too. Love and joy- I think it just about sums up the Kelly household these days. :)
Congratulations Danny and Michelle on such a beautiful baby boy. Thank you for allowing me to photograph such special times in you lives.

Christmas Blessings From our Family to Yours!

2010-12-24T11:32:00.001-05:00

Hope you all have a joy-filled Christmas and happy and blessed 2011!

Okay, I Lied...

2010-12-05T10:38:00.004-05:00

...I squeezed in one last quick session. It happens every year.
These sweet folks were troopers on a cold, dark Saturday!

Henry & Sutton

2010-11-30T01:13:00.010-05:00

...are some cutie pie kids that used to live in our house! Their sweet parents put their blood, sweat and tears into renovating this cute little house and then what did they do? They turned around and sold it! Crazy if you ask me, but I'm not complaining! :) We love it and are grateful to have bought from such nice people who take our "Hey how do you open this safe?" "How does the such and such work?" What kind of such and such did you use on this?" phone calls even 2 years later.
This weekend I was excited to photograph them for many reasons, the least of which was it was MY LAST SHOOT OF THE YEAR! Did you hear that? MY LAST SHOOT OF THE YEAR! I'm ready for a break and they were the perfect, positive-note end to a busy, busy year.

Though it was a little cold, Henry and Sutton were total troopers:

Thank you, thank you Jake, Kerie Beth, Henry and Sutton! So glad to finally get you in front of my camera. And thanks for all your kindness, always.

Now if you'll excuse me, dear blog, it's 2AM and my bed is screaming my name!

Miss Addie

2010-11-27T16:07:00.003-05:00

I'm not going to lie, I was slightly concerned when our shoot started out like this:
Isn't that the cutest, most dramatic little cry you've ever seen?
Addie was so tired for our shoot, but just took a moment, then totally rallied and did great!!!!

In her Halloween costume. Pretty cute cop, eh? She told me "Put your hands up!"

Thank you thank you Addie, Chuck and Stacy! Merry Christmas to you all!

The Collins Kids

2010-11-26T17:00:00.003-05:00

You've seen Morgan and Parker on the blog before, but this time I got to meet their cousins Grayson and Garrett (and their parents)! A fun bunch that had me cracking up the whole time.

Thank you Collins families! Had a great time at your shoot!

Cousins

2010-11-24T16:46:00.006-05:00

I showed up to the park Saturday to meet four little cousins (and their posse). It was a beautiful morning and everybody was so darn cute!
First we started in jammies to get a picture of all together for their sweet grandma's Christmas cards. She has had this idea in her head for at least 9 months! And we only looked slightly hillbilly carrying my air mattress and duvet through the park. ;)
Then we had time for each of the kids individually. Up first: Cooper! Doesn't his name fit him perfectly!?! Such a doll! Next is Miss Chase. I wanted to give each of the kids equal blog time, but really, I could have showed you every one of her shots. She is a natural and doesn't take a bad picture.
Next was baby Finn. He has grown quite a bit since I shoved him into a bucket in March. :) He is still just gorgeous!
And finally, Finn's same-age cousin Chloe! This precious little lady was a trooper! We were totally cutting into her naptime yet she hung pretty well!

Thank you, thank you Easterwoods! Loved meeting all 30 of you. ;)

The Holcombs

2010-11-23T09:12:00.008-05:00

I'm cathcing up over here! If you're waiting on an email from me, it's coming! If you're waiting on an order from me, ummm, not so much. I've been anxiously expecting an order from a lab (I was trying a new lab- thinking about switching after the 287 emails I've received begging me to do so) and FINALLY yesterday it arrives. I rip into it only to discover a bunch of prints of people I've never seen in my life!?! They sent me another photographer's order. Talk about a disappointment. Needless to say, I will be sticking with my trusty old lab and am now the proud owner of a large amount of prints of some nerds at a studio.

Moving on...
This weekend it was time for the annual Holcomb family shoot! Always lots of fun and games (till someone gets hurt). ;)

I love this:

Ella's about to have a birthday. She's going to be this many:

Thank you, thank you Holcombs! See you at the big birthday bash this weekend!

The Burris Family

2010-11-19T15:06:00.003-05:00

I'm ashamed at how long it has taken me to get these pictures posted of this sweet (patient) family! Holy cow though, you should see my to-do list. Anybody have the name of a good house cleaner? Cause that task has taken an embarrassing last place on the list of priorities.
ANYWAY!
Here are baby Reaban & Hutton and their super cute parents. I hopped over to their house for a quick session last week. Can you tell Hutton totally loves me? I mean this kid just loves family picture day. ;)
He did love my wagon. So despite my husband saying I got ripped off (when I told him I paid $3 for it) it was a good buy!
Reaban and my Miller are 4 days apart and both into their toes, it seems.

Thank you Burris family!

The Wilkerson Quad

2010-11-17T09:51:00.006-05:00

Love these people- they're the kind that approach you with hugs when you show up to shoot. :)

Shot with approximately zero light, but I love his expression.

Opposite problem! Shot with way too much light, but I love her expression. :)

Thank you Wilkersons!

Logan & Spencer and Co.

2010-11-15T22:53:00.005-05:00

Oh where to begin. I loved this shoot. I was a little nervous because mom told me her boys were easy and photogenic (which usually translates to NOT photogenic and kind of a disaster) and they were driving an hour and a half just for pictures!
Well it turns out Logan and Spencer were way easy and absolute dolls! When I saw them, I knew I had to finally get up the nerve to ask the owner if I could use this truck I have had my eye on for months. (He said yes obviously, and was so nice so you'll probably be seeing lots more of this turquoise bad boy!)

None of these faces were prompted. Logan is just a ham. :)

THANK YOU Paul and Krista for spending your Saturday on the highway and with me at random location A, B and C. :)

SO very nice to meet you and I I'm so very lucky to have had the privilage of shooting your boys.

Alexandra & Zachary

2010-11-14T13:40:00.007-05:00

They somehow managed to get even cuter and more fun in the year since I saw them last!

Thank you Alexandra and Zach for being such an easy, fun shoot! And for that belly laugh you gave me and your mom in the middle of the street. :)

Mallory & Gwyn

2010-11-13T10:11:00.008-05:00

You'll likely end up at a location like this if you tell me you don't care where we have your session :)
These are Ella James' little buddies Mal and Gwyn and they can rock out a junk car like nobody else.

And one of the homegirls since EJ went with me to the shoot and was ironically dressed like the girls (we didn't plan that!).

Day Two Mini Sessions

2010-11-12T22:05:00.010-05:00

Starting with my helper, Miss Dara, her hubby and their cute little nose picker and their son who heard the tooth fairy will trade you money for teeth.

Next was baby Will! A year already!?!?

And this sweet as can be, new to me family- The Scotts:

Then Sydney and Ava:

And finally the Cravers!

Also one year old already!?!? Sheesh! Where does the time go?

What a fun bunch!!! Thanks everyone for such a great weekend!!!

Day 1 Mini Sessions!

2010-11-11T07:26:00.010-05:00

Talk about some troopers! It was a dark cold morning for our first round of mini sessions and the kids were still total rock stars.
Up first was Baby Wyatt:

Next was Madelyn:

And then the sweet Presnell Family:

I love photographing this little girl.

And then Mr. Jack:

And finally, Miss Mallory. Hard to believe that exactly a year ago I was putting all 5 pounds of her in a bowl an decorating her with leaves. She'll probably hate me when she's older since this time I dropped her cute chubby self into a bike basket. (When I came home with the bike last Friday, my husband looked at me like I was absolutely crazy. He doesn't share my vision. :))

THANK YOU EVERYONE for a super fun and easy 1st day of minis!!! So grateful for you all!

Miss Olivia is Here!

2010-11-08T19:31:00.007-05:00

And she's perfection. Talk about a sweet, alert, little beauty box. I'm not kidding, even her cry is cute! I could not get enough of her. Would have stayed all day were it not for the sunset forcing me out. :)

I have the awesome job of getting to snuggle and hold and shush and photograph new babies and then I fall in love all over again looking through and editing their pictures. I don't think photographing newborns could ever get old!

So fun seeing her parents Brad and Casey dote on her. There is just nothing in the world like a new baby and I love seeing new parents absolutely smitten with their new little life.

I LOVE the way she locked eyes with her daddy and the way he tilted his head and softly said "hi gorgeous" every time.

She even waves for the camera. :)

Talk about one smiley mama! Brad said he hadn't seen her this happy in a long, long time.

THANK YOU Brad and Casey for trusting me with your new little lady. She could not be any more perfect. SO happy for your new family.

The Bednarz Family

2010-11-08T11:16:00.010-05:00

Truly one of the most gorgeous, down-to-earth, wholesome families I have had the pleasure of photographing. This was my 4th shoot for them, but only the second time we've done everybody and the dogs. Not easy, but so fun!
This is Sydney. Although I called her Tyler and Austin the entire shoot (and called Tyler Sydney and Austin and Austin Sydney and Tyler. I was a hot mess.) She's a darling and rocks a fur hood like nobody I know. :)
WOULD SOMEBODY BUY THIS BABY A PONY ALREADY!?!? Haha. This little miss was so funny. She is at an age where she definately wants to do her own thing and there is NO tricking her. She was convinced that there was a "go-go" (pony) in the shack we were shooting at and must have asked for it 50 times. She was also enamored with the toddler potty she spotted in the back of my car (No, it's not a prop. Just a little something the Schwankes travel with in case of 3-year-old, I-have-to-go-now! emergencies). See family shot below to see if Austin gave up on having that thing. :)

And this is Tyler. I'm not sure what happened in the year since I saw him last, but he looked so much older and more handsome. He is going to be a heartbreaker, for sure.

Wrangler butts drive me nuts. :)
LOVE this expression!

And these are the sweet parents. When some parents might have contemplated jumping in that lake, they just smiled, laughed and were calm.

Thank you, thank you B family!

Whirlwind Weekend!

2010-11-08T09:29:00.003-05:00

Well I don't know about you, but I feel like I got hit by a bus.
My butt is sore, I think I threw my hip out, I can barely feel my toes and I'm losing my voice. My car was also mistaken for a yard sale Saturday. This can only mean one thing- fall mini sessions were this weekend!!!
And for as pathetic as I feel today, it was worth it for all the fun I had shooting the most amazing kids and families. I still don't know how this has happened to me, but I know I have the best gig in the world and have been SO blessed and enriched by the people I've met, doing what I love. Though it is a ton of work, I can hardly call it a "job."
I am overwhelmed by the response I had to the minis (and regular sessions!) this year and wish that I could have squeezed everyone in. I am humbled that people are willing to drive from far and wide, take off work or let kids skip school just for a session. It really does still blow my mind and I want to make it work from everyone, but I am a one woman show! Someone emailed last week asking who I get to edit my pictures. Uh, ME! From 7:00 PM till about 1:30 or 2:00 AM this time of year, if you need me you can find me sitting behind my computer editing, blogging, uploading galleries, designing Christmas cards, packaging prints, laughing and sometimes crying. :)
I have an awesome helper at the actual mini sessions (thank you Dara! We both know you work harder than I do at the sessions...) and an amazing husband who watches the kids, (even brings them to me so I can nurse the baby on the side of the road or in a parking lot between shoots) cooks, cleans and then rubs my feet when I'm done, but otherwise I'm flying solo. This is why I'm so appreciative of your patience. I know how anxious everyone always is to see their images, but I can't tell you the number of times I've heard "No rush, okay? Take your time- I know you're busy." I'm so grateful.
THANK YOU to all of you who have shown me so much love through this little ol' photography business. You truly have helped make me feel like the luckiest person in the world.
I'll be back with lots of beautiful faces.
Much Love,
Alisha

Emily and Brian are Married!

2010-11-02T22:52:00.005-04:00

While it's true that I DO NOT SHOOT WEDDINGS, I made an exception for this sweet gal and her now husband Brian. She's a hard one to say no to. Plus, it was going to be a small, laid-back outdoor wedding that Emily promised would have beautiful weather (she had "put a request in with the Big Guy upstairs")! :)
Emily and I met a year ago to the day that her wedding was going to be.
It was her birthday!
She was single.
I couldn't understand why.
Fast forward to today and she is a happy, glowing wife! Isn't it amazing how much life can change in a year?
Emily and Brian had a beautiful wedding 2 weekends ago at the Harmon House. The day was full of love and family and close friends and God. He was at the center of it all.

Here are a handful of my favorite moments and fun little details. (If you click on the collages, they'll enlarge.)

Loved accidentally walking into the room at this moment:

A prayer before Daddy hands her off:
They had a very touching ceremony officiated by both Emily's father and a great friend of Brian's.

These two COULD NOT WAIT to get these rings on!

I love this candid moment just after exiting the ceremony. I even heard Emily tell Brian "well that was a pretty good birthday present!"

In Brian's Harley:
Shout out to the MOST amazing wedding coordinator. Holy cow she made my job easy! You rock K!
My feet hurt just looking at these shoes, but aren't they hot!?!
And the fun grand exit!
CONGRATULATIONS Brian and Emily, Rouse and Stokes families! Thank you so, so much for including me in your beautiful day.

Em and Brian- best wishes for a long happy life together. I know you'll make a wonderful Boaz and Ruth. ;)

Sam, Jacob, Rose & Snickers

2010-11-02T20:42:00.005-04:00

Three of the sweetest kids ever (and good reminders that I need to brush up on my kid jokes!) and their cute new puppy:
Rose, 5:
Sam, 11:
Jacob, 9:

I love everything about this picture. Rose's expression, her eyelashes, her dainty fingers, the way even her little lips are concentrating- love it! And she's only 5!

Thanks guys, for being good sports! I had so much fun at your house!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T00:57:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween from Peep and Sheep!

Hope you all have a safe, fun holiday.

No Words...

2010-10-29T02:17:00.000-04:00

...just a whole lotta love for this family and the way they let their love for one another pour into their pictures.

Karen, Shane and Sophie- Thank you so, so much for giving me the honor of photographing your beautiful family! All the love and prayers in the world, Alisha

"Come Back Jude Quack!"

2010-10-28T20:36:00.007-04:00

Poor little Jude was not quite into me. I don't know what could be intimidating about a crazy chick with a 10 pound camera blocking half her face, but he didn't really dig me. :)
A quick game of "Come back Jude quack" loosened him up a bit and we were able to get some good shots. He is such a cutie pie!

This boy gets his musical genes honest!

Thank you Jude, John and Noelle! I can't believe that sweet little newborn I photographed is now almost two years old! Where has the time gone???

Womble Boys

2010-10-27T10:39:00.010-04:00

Last time I saw the Womble boys they were quite the handsome little duo. Now, they've added a third little guy to the mix and OH MY GOODNESS, he is a darling. They were the sweetest, most compliant, handsome little guys (not even complaining that they were in 3 layers and it was 80 degrees out. What the hay is up with the weather?!?!). Loved my time with them.

Jack & Co.

2010-10-26T19:36:00.005-04:00

Oh man. My girlfriend described this little Jack as "a boy within a boy." I don't think she could have been more accurate. Lucky for me I LOVE shoots that keep me on my toes and break me out in a sweat. :)
I know his parents were exhausted and in pain when they left (dad got accidentally beat the heck up: poked eye, headbutt, etc.). Hoping they feel like these pictures were worth it!

Favorite!

Thank you Jack for being such a darling and giving me such a fun, fun shoot. You had me at hello.

The Jones Crew

2010-10-26T18:33:00.005-04:00

Love this family. This was the 4th time I've shot for them, but the first time we got everyone in on the action!

Happy Fall, Jones Family! So happy to see you all again!

The Dahlstedt Family

2010-10-22T13:34:00.001-04:00

Another one of my "first families" that I just love! Can't believe how big and darn handsome these boys are getting.

They tell me he hates the camera, but I'm not convinced. :)

Thank you D family! Have fun camping this weekend.

Baby Jack

2010-10-21T22:55:00.006-04:00

What are the chances I would know two people who gave birth to a JACK ALLEN on the same day?!?!
This baby Jack is the new little brother to Lily an Jimmy, who I've photographed a few times before and love. These little ones come from good blood; the sweetest of people.
I was so surprised and excited when Dana emailed me and said she was expecting and wanted a newborn shoot and I've been looking forward to it for months now. Despite getting major lost on the way to their home and therefor showing up late to the shoot (UGH! Biggest pet peeve!), they welcomed me and we had a great session. Baby Jack is so beautiful and I am so glad to have met him and had the honor of his first photo shoot.

Congratulations Shetzlers- I could not be more happy for you! Looking forward to watching your new little boy grow. He's amazing and fits right in.

The Hill Family

2010-10-21T15:58:00.005-04:00

This is such a sweet family! I felt bad that mom was really hoping for "fall" color yet Greensboro is still looking mighty green! We gathered up all 50 leaves that had fallen and did our best though. :)

Boys will be boys. :)
Thank you Hill family!

Caroline and Harrison & Co.

2010-10-20T18:59:00.008-04:00

Love these kids. They we're some of the first faces in front of my camera- long before I had a business. Love their parents too. We threw them in a couple of shots because dad loves nothing more than having his picture taken. ;)
They've waited a long time for their sneak peak, so I made it an extra big one.
Too bad their so unattractive, huh?
Harrison and his little "Bieber sweep" kill me. He was so on it this day!

And the gorgeous Caroline with her new sassy hair cut (she donated to Locks of Love!).

I have no idea what this means or why he was doing it, but I love it!!!

New England

2010-10-19T10:56:00.008-04:00

My little crew and I just returned from a week in New England! I've always wanted to see it during fall when all the leaves are pretty, but before it gets too cold. We had planned to go last year, but then my fall shooting schedule got so crazy that we had to bail. And then this year we figured we wouldn't be able to go since we'd have a new baby. But then we remembered that although he's a new baby, he's the EASIEST BABY IN THE WORLD! For real. I don't think they come any more mellow than Miller. So we booked it and headed out.
We flew into Boston and had a couple days there before renting a car and heading down to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. Then we drove all the way up coastal Maine (GORGEOUS!) and ended up in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It was a great time and we were able to see lots of amazing scenery and quaint towns and eat lots of yummy food. The only thing that could have made it better would be putting that little blonde three-year-old in her own car. :)
I will spare you the boredom of all 400+ pictures, but here's a handful:

Be back soon to share some shoots that didn't make it to the blog before we left, and a few since I've been back. Things are about to be a little crazy over here!

Baby Jack is HERE!!!!!

2010-10-07T22:43:00.003-04:00

Our friends Rebecca and Ryan gave birth to a healthy, beautiful baby boy Monday! I'm headed out of town tomorrow for 8 days so I had to get over and get a few shots of him in all his sweet newness before I left. Here's what we got before I was asked to leave because I said "Ohmygosh he's so tiny" at least 326 times. (Just kidding.) Really though, he is so tiny!

Jack. Day 3:

Jack's grandparents brought all kinds of cool stuff for use to use (we didn't get to some of it, so stay tuned...) including this scale and the suitcases below that were scored at a yard sale for FIVE DOLLARS!

And yes, they're the real deal.

Welcome baby Jack! We love you so much already!

The Love Family

2010-10-07T14:23:00.006-04:00

For real. What if your last name was Love? Wouldn't everything just sound better? Once again I am reminded that my last name rhymes with donkey and honky...
Third time I have shot these Lovely kids, first time I got their Lovely parents in a few!

Thank you Loves! Had a great morning!

Izzy and Drew

2010-10-06T14:09:00.012-04:00

These two always give me such an easy job. They are darling and fun and my face always hurts from smiling after my time with them. As usual, their mom says she doesn't care what we do, meets me on the side of the road somewhere, brings a bag of stuff for me to sort through and then lets me do my thing. Love that! Her only request was for the soda shot and a few good sibling shots showing how loving they are with one another. Done!

Izzy and Drew, you two are the best! Thank you for a fun afternoon!

Kayla is a Senior!

2010-10-04T21:53:00.006-04:00

And a beautiful, and funny and smart one at that! She totally rocked out her senior session this weekend.

Peace, love, class of 2011 baby!

Laurie & Jim are Expecting!

2010-09-28T17:52:00.008-04:00

Laurie and I had great plans to shoot in a field, with gorgeous sunset light. We had it timed perfectly and guess what? It rained! Not just rained, but poured! We moved the shoot indoors and were able to get some great shots of this beautiful expectant momma and her excited and sweet husband.
I love the anticipation, excitement and emotion that pours through in photos of people waiting on new life. There is nothing like it in the world!

We snuck outside for a quick few while the rain was taking a break.

Can you see all the rain on the window! Seriously, I don't think it has rained in the Triad for like 6 years and of course, it started 30 minutes prior to our shoot. :)

Laurie was worried that "they weren't doing it right" the whole session, but I assured her, the best shots are always the non-posed natural moments. Love these two especially:
Gorgeous belly, right?

Last frame of the day; my favorite shot.
CONGRATULATIONS Jim and Laurie! I loved spending the afternoon with you both and can't wait to meet that baby girl!

The Willimas Gang

2010-09-27T15:22:00.009-04:00

I know I say it all the time, but I really do get to meet the most amazing families through this little "job" of mine! The Williams family was no exception- I had a blast with them Saturday morning.

Sloan. Six. Spirited, gorgeous and full of contagious energy!
Blake. Ten. Athletic, handsome and one of those boys you know will grow up to be a stud muffin. :)

Scott and Beth. I didn't get their ages. :) Wonderful parents, sweet beyond belief and so laid back and trusting when it came to the session.

Thank you Williams Family! Hope you all do okay while daddy is away! You're in my prayers.

The Kastners

2010-09-23T00:01:00.008-04:00

I had a great Sunday afternoon with the sweet Kastner family. Jack, Madi and their parents were a breeze to shoot. Mom said she didn't care where we met, so as usual, we were on the side of the road where I know there to be beautiful light and overgrown weeds- my favorite! I love the spot so much that I decided to go back even though last time I shot there I sat on a long-been-dead mouse. So gnarly!

Such a good dad to skip out on the Steelers game for (hot and sweaty) family photos.

Love those freckles!

Mom and I talked about how moms are rarely in photos with their kids, so I was sure to get her in lots!

Not quite in focus, but I love the moment!

Thank you Kastners! So happy to have met you all!

The Bovenders

2010-09-22T16:18:00.011-04:00

I love photographing this family every year. Always after our sessions I get in the car and think to myself "Wow! Those parents are doing something right!" ...

...to have the sweetest kids in the world.
Cameron (probably the sweetest big brother and best helper ever):
Owen the crack up:
And Will.

Apparently Will likes to be the star of the show...
...as is evident from all three of our shoots together. :)
Aren't they just gorgeous?

Thank you Bovenders! Your sessions are always so much fun!