Decking the halls

God Bless Brad and God Bless Adam. Outnumbered three to two by the girls in their household. And yet, they seem happy. They aren't scathed by the whirly-girly that goes on around them- but I bet you a nickel that Brad knows just exactly what a smocked bishop is! I really enjoyed visiting your brand new house and taking pictures of the three happiest kiddos I know! Thank you all!!! jg.

Three wise men... and a great Mom and Dad!

Happy Christmas to the Hoellein's. Ben, big brother to Thomas and Zachary, helped us enjoy the throws of Christmas readiness when he invited us in to take pictures of his little twin brothers and his mom and dad. Melanie and I have twin nieces, but boy oh boy, I cannot imagine the business of it all with three! Yet, Deidra and Andrew seem calm, relaxed and completely ready to take on whatever their three boys play out! Deidra and Andrew- you were wonderful. Your house was beautiful, your boys are precious and we cannot thank you enough- Have a Merry MERRY Christmas with your three wise men, who are really little angels!
jg.

Little moments in a Big world

Having a three year old who tumbles and romps and talks and acts like one much older causes memory lapse when it comes to babies. On a blustery night last week, I visited Sarah Havens to take pictures for a hopeful Christmas card. Big sister Emma was ready for photography, but Liam- just getting used to being in the big world wanted nothing to do with it. He didn't like the camera, he didn't like the flash and he most certainly wanted nothing to do with any of this picture nonsense. But, with Emma's help and some gentle cuddling from his mommy, we were able to do it. Christmas and all. Sarah, though I know you thought it was less than perfect with his crying, we loved every minute. Baby Liam is a doll and he couldn't be more perfect. Enjoy these days of gentleness- you know how quickly they are gone. A HUGE thanks to Emma for her guidance and poise. We promised her Ariel pictures in her nightgown and in return we got some great and sincere pictures of how big sisters interact lovingly with their baby brothers. Thank you so much Sarah- you all were fantastic!
jg.

little english

today was simply a fantastic day. i had the opportunity to work with shannon latham and her super classy company to photograph shots for the upcoming line of little english clothing... and oh what fun it was! my expertise in all things feminine (see prior blogs for the united attack against me by the women in my life)hopefully made me a good candidate for this job! can't wait to go through the pictures and melanie can't wait to drain my wallet on these absolutely adorable dresses and outfits... all kidding aside, i am stunned by the direction that shannon has for her company... her vision of beautiful childrens clothing that capture the heart of what we love so much about this state and community in which we are so fortunate to live. her farm in woodford county was beyond picturesque and her willingness to let -not just me- but a dozen kiddos run crazy through her house right before a dinner party is endearing beyond words. thank you so much shannon for this rare opportunity and i look forward to working with you on many more warm sunny days with happy children and fabulous clothes! i will post a couple of pictures soon...in the meantime, check her website out at www.littleenglish.com
jg.

lee hill, capturing autumn

we photographed lee hill this past autumn sunday underneath a bare ginkgo tree who graciously dropped her leaves leaving a yellow blanket of soft fan-shaped origami, perfect as our backdrop. a windy saturday left the prettiest trees barren and crumbled to brown the maple pinks and poplar golds. gone were the graceful willows with their feathery leaves of yellowy red. left behind on most of our favorite spots were prickly skeletons of a once beautiful tree. and yet, amidst the falling beauty we found the ginkgo tree with lee- and he, like i, found it quite the spot for picture-taking. he buried pinecones, and tossed leaves, ran with dad- and even found a quiet moment alone with mom.

i love the beauty of nature- the changing seasons, the new excitement each landscape offers for her three month billboard of the year. i love how the camera captures those colors and makes them sharper and more brilliant than the human eye does. i admire my professional counterparts who shoot nature in her quieted form- and yet, for me, what makes it beautiful is the happiness that is put it in with moving life. for me, the falling leaves are grander if they are being thrown by a child. the cornflower blue sky is more vibrant when it creates the background for happy faces.

i have sometimes questioned whether i have a good direction in life. and now, watching lee hill and the many others i have been fortunate enough to capture on camera, i am pretty sure i know my direction and i have found my destination.

i have the many happy faces of some fantastic families and their children to thank for that- oh, and a couple of very vibrant ginkgo trees.

jg.

carter and the changing seasons

carter wasn't discontented by the chill in the air. he didn't mind that we were dragging him to and fro, plopping him down on cold rocks, damp earth and chilly benches. he was happy. intrigued. and thoroughly enjoying the leaves. i must briefly thank mother nature for this- the golden, red, hot pink and orange hues of autumn- it's probably the prettiest time of year in my opinion. i think carter thinks so too. he thought the leaves were not only good for crunching- but also munching. organic living at its finest i suppose. not much more than a month ago, i believe i saw summer leaving. she was walking down richmond road wearing a paisley hat, shaking her head at the chill in the air. but if she had just stayed a little bit longer she could have caught randall cobb play almost every position on the field on a crisp night in commonwealth and she could have seen carter zaluski enjoy autumn at its finest.

autumn is not just a great time to take pictures, it's a great time to reflect. i wax on and on here on this insignificant little blog and send my thoughts out there to the great unknown to get one very important point across. i take pictures, not for the sake of taking them, but because they are important to me and i have to assume that they must be important to you too- or you wouldn't have paused to read this blog.

they are important, just as the seasons, to capture how we change, how we interact, how we grow and what makes us tick. that's why i don't use the backdrops, or the umbrellas. i prefer the leaves in the mouth. the blanket on the ground. the ball that's been bounced a thousand times. the hand holding. the laughing. the pictures you get when you least expect them. the pictures that show the change, the growth, the love, and the happiness of our short time here on earth.

take a cue from this happy little boy in the picture above. drink it in. examine the leaves. in a blink, those leaves will be replaced by holly berries and evergreens. earthy green will hibernate until summer returns donning her flip flops and shorts. don't miss any of the in between. i know carter won't!

jg.

happy birthday madison!

fun, quadrupled. madison lambert had her 4th birthday party this past sunday...and what a party it was. no mistake where madison lives- we just turned on the street with the enormous inflatable birthday cake and took our cues from there.

this sweet birthday princess was the tangible happiness of the age of four. the bouncy, energetic, carefree persona that represents our own youth. she was everywhere! running, jumping, sliding. she had no idea that it was a chilly 58 degrees because she was fluid motion.

here are just a few of the "still" pictures of madison. so many pictures left to edit- friends, mom, cake, spongebob and a few other characters. once i finish my piece of birthday cake, i'll be sure to post some more.

jg.