It's always a pleasure with Mike, Hayley, and their three boys! ;)  This was my second year capturing their family, and we are just LOVING the ability to go back and see just how much they've changed in this short year!

These three, little fellas were something else - Each of them having SUCH distinct personalities already - which I was REALLY hoping to capture with this session......and I think this was accomplished! ;)  In my opinion - Family portraits shouldn't be solely based on "perfect posing" .......a Family Portrait Session should be based on capturing a family "perfectly, at that present moment, in their lives".  Time goes by so quickly - children grow up - and we rely on these images to take us back in time..... to cherish [who] we were at that moment .....and to hold onto that silly little day-dreamer for a moment longer. :)  That being said, I really loved everything about this session - We captured Love, Smiles, Fits, Day-Dreamers, and Tired Little Troopers who did an Amazing job at keeping up with us Big Kids. ;)   

Thank you so much, Mike & Hayley ......for granting me the privilege to provide you with yet another year of Priceless Memories! xOxO

Congratulations to Miss Jessica, graduate from Tunstall High School in Dry Fork, VA, and being at the top of her class - SUPER SMART GIRL! ;)  She is a soon-to-be Hokie at Virginia Tech, she will be majoring in Civil Engineering, and we all look forward to watching her blossom! 

This beach-girl couldn't have picked a better location for her session.  The Whalehead Club in Corolla, NC of the Outer Banks (OBX) is absolutely stunning and provides for the most amazing scenery!  .....not only that, but wildlife-friendly as well!  :)  We were taking pictures in the middle of a flock of Canadian Geese for quite a bit......thankfully, they allowed us to hang out on their turf, long enough to grab a few shots! - Thanks guys! ;) 

Gook Luck with everything, Jessica!!  I know you will be amazing at everything you set out to accomplish!!  :D  ....Show the world your magic.  

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of playing in leaves, talking to horses, and having pocket-fulls of candy!  Reed, Luke, and Grant were accompanied by their parents (Hayley & Mike), for a family portrait session in the Pines.  
 
The day was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!  Sunny – 70 degrees – and the amazing Fall colors still lingering on the trees :) 

When our session began, Hayley handed me three packs of Smarties…..sharing a lovely piece of advice. Little did I know just how amazing these little candies would become ;) …..Each child received one piece of candy after every pose/smile.  What took me back the most was how happy that one little piece of candy made them! :) If only we could ALL remember how it’s the simple things in life….. ;)  
 
Big thanks to Hayley & Mike for a great afternoon! xO 

I certainly wish I could share more images from this session, but the rest are for her partner's eyes only, and by request only ;) .......yes, I may now add Boudoir to my repertoire! 

Due to the nature of this session, I will only share the other images with clients who are specifically interested in having a Boudoir Session........I like to keep my site appropriate for all ages :) However, for those of you who desire a session such as this, Please Inquire ~ as it may be one of the most self-rewarding and confidence-boosting gifts you will ever gift yourself! ;) 

As for Whitney - she was a Rock Star!! :) SUPER excited to show her the rest of her images tomorrow!! ;) 

One of the COOLEST advantages of shooting engagement sessions is being able to hear about other couple’s LOVE STORIES!  

Amy & Kyle’s story is not only cute ~ but SUPER romantic ;)

These high school sweethearts have been together for ten years and were engaged on March 30th. Kyle knew his sweetie LOVED the movie Lady and the Tramp, so what did he do?.....He used this to his advantage in his proposal!  He proposed to her in the gazebo pictured above, along with a surprise spaghetti dinner with music, wine, and candlelight, which was waiting for her when she returned home from work that evening.  And Yes ~ they even shared that cute little moment where they share a spaghetti string! ;) xO

Amy & Kyle – You guys are SUCH a SUPER cute couple, and I had SO much fun capturing your Love! Thank you for the opportunity and for sharing your Love Story with me :) 

OH! And it sure doesn’t get much cuter than little miss Bella! ~ What a little model she is!! :) ....maybe we can have a little doggie play-date in the near future ;)  I know M&M would just ADORE her!

Congratulations and Cheers to MANY years of Unconditional Love & Happiness!! xOxO

This was SUCH a FUN mini-session, with a super sweet girl ~ A well-deserved CONGRATULATIONS to Courtney Elizabeth! :D  ~ Graduating from Middle College High School at DTCC and heading to the University of Pittsburg this fall ~ She will be double-majoring in Theater Arts and English ~ Best of Luck to you, as I know you will go SO far!! ;) 

Courtney’s LOVE for books brought us to her public library for this session, where we had SO much fun……in a VERY QUIET kind of way ;)

This past May, I received the opportunity to go on a three-day adventure to the GORGEOUS and scenic areas of Washington State and Oregon ~ I stood beside snow hills which were over TWENTY feet tall, saw MULTIPLE wild elk, were deafened by enormous waterfalls, and watched bald eagles soar above us!  It. Was. INCREDIBLE.  :)  And I cannot go on enough about how IN LOVE I am with the trees ~ I wanted to bring them all home!
 
If you ever have the opportunity to visit this area, Mt. Rainier/ Paradise (among many) is a must-see!  xO

A glimpse into the new world of miss Harper Jayne ~ born January 29th
at 7:26 p.m. ~ weighing in at 7lbs. 9oz. and 18.5 inches :)

Despite the cold, winter weather (with snow in the forecast), our session encompassed infinite love and warmth with exceptionally proud parents and a beautiful, little bundle of happiness xO Congratulations to Chris and Sara!  Thank you for sharing this great moment :)

WoW! It’s still difficult to believe that it’s 2013! Landseer has had such a FANTASTIC beginning, since its creation in May of 2012!  In seven short months, I’ve been SO blessed with meeting inspirational people and visiting some of the most beautiful new places!  
 
I thank all of my clients for giving me the opportunity to grow and become a better photographer!  I thank Hooman Bahrani at vesic photography for being such an
inspirational mentor!  ….and most of all, I thank my INCREDIBLE family and friends for giving me the support and encouragement to follow my heart xO

I look forward to all the new experiences and new relationships that 2013 will bring, and I cannot wait to share EVERY moment with YOU! :)

Appreciating the EXTREMELY beautiful, California Coast!  It was heaven for my lens and I! :D

 If you’ve never traveled to Cali, you really should make the time - even if it's only for the weekend.  You cannot appreciate the depth of beauty this area offers without seeing it through your own eyes ~ You just must GO!

Traveling the scenic, Pacific Coast Highway, Route 1 for the majority of my photos….from San Fran to San Diego!  Let me add….the GPS stated the trip would take eight hours to travel….well....after pulling over at all “my” stops for scenic photos, I finally arrived at the "intended" destination two days later - ha!  My camera and I were just in awe.  

Hope you enjoy your pre-travel tour of Cali! ;)

A couple weeks ago (very difficult to believe it's already been so long!), I had the incredible opportunity of visiting the stunning islands of St. Thomas and St. John! .....and sharing this experience with my grandmother was the largest blessing and priceless moment all in its own xOxO ....we met new friends along the way and welcomed new members to the family after a picturesque wedding ceremony...
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The U.S. Virgin Islands truly are paradise, and I would recommend anyone to visit at least once! Over sixty-five percent of St. John's territory is a National Park, which offers over 7,000 acres of breathtaking, untouched beauty. If you ever do have the opportunity to visit, feel free to contact me should you have any questions about places to stay or visit! I'd be happy to share :)

Photos from the islands can be found both in Explorations and Portraits ~ New wedding photos will SOON be posted as well!! ;) 


 

I can now understand why photographers choose to specialize in wedding photography. I was given the privilege of capturing Michael and Claire’s wedding ceremony, on the beautiful island of St. Thomas, in October.  This opportunity was probably the most rewarding occasion Landseer has ever experienced – To have the ability to capture such true love and cherished moments and then be able to present these priceless memories to the bride, groom, and their loved ones is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as a photographer.

Michael and Claire, thank you for allowing Landseer to capture your fantastic love in pixels ~ the two of you are always such a pleasure to work with!  Congratulations on your new marriage, and best wishes for endless love and happiness! xO

A BIG thank you to Beckie, from Holly Hedge Stables in West End, NC, for granting my camera and I the pleasure of paying these beautiful creatures a visit yesterday!!  They were just beautiful ~ and VERY affectionate......especially once they learned of the carrots in my pocket! :) 
Hopefully I will be able to return to Holly Hedge the next time we get a healthy snow, here in the Sandhills!!  Can you just imagine how beautiful that would be!?!?
(Paws & Hooves)

Thanks again, Beckie! ~ Good luck at UNC Chapel Hill this Fall!!  And Congratulations!!! :)

This past month, I have been blessed with so many beautiful discoveries.......so of course, I would love to share them with you! 

One fine Saturday morning, I was on my way to try out a new local eatery when I took a wrong turn.  Everything happens for a reason, right!?  Well, I stumbled upon the most amazing field of sunflowers........I had NEVER seen so many sunflowers in one location...So, I just HAD to stop and capture the beauty. :)

Another morning, I was pulling out of our driveway when I noticed something in our yard.......I stopped to open my door and get a better look.......it was a baby fawn!  She was absolutely breathtaking.  At first, I was very concerned that she was lost, so I consulted with wildlife rescues and learned that mother deer actually leave their young during the day (where she feels it's safe), while she forages.  They later return for the baby to feed.  I never knew that!  What a wonderful experience!

Lastly, I wanted to share with you my morning run.  There is a reservoir about fifteen minutes from my home; a FANTASTIC area with wildlife, plants, and a big beautiful body of water (oh how I love water)!  I feel so lucky to have this view for my morning jogs.......so one morning, I just had to bring my camera! :) 

God is Great! xO

What a beautiful day for a photo shoot ~ and what a beautiful couple to share it with!  This past Sunday, Landseer Photography had its first official portrait session, and I must say, the day couldn't have turned out more perfect!
Around 9:30 a.m. we met at the Duke Gardens in Durham, NC.  Talk about AMAZING scenery!  We had SO much fun!  It's always wonderful to be surrounded by love as beautiful as theirs.  Hope you enjoy the above slideshow, and additional photos are located in the Portraits section.
Thank you Michael and Claire for a FABULOUS experience!