smitten photography

mmm, mmm, good.

thats all i've got to say about this mom+dad+kiddos shoot of some of our bestest friends in the world.  hope you enjoy my favorites!

the newest one.

almost four - going on 15.

i could eat this photo:

sisters.

love.

laugh.

live.

this is my fave.

hotness.

family snuggles.

just another day in the life of this fam.

LOVE these gumball pics.

the boy

winter

i'm loving these cold, wintery-feeling days.  as long as i am warm, that is - because i hate being cold.  we have been spending every night around a fire in our house - nothing like the smell of wood burning & the crackle of coals as they drop to the bottom of the fireplace.  we got our christmas tree this week & i took a few photos to remember the moment.  i know that it is technically still fall, but the rumor is that we are gonna have a pretty chilly winter & i am definitely hoping for some snow :)  

smittenNews + spa day announcement!

wow, things are getting fun around here :)

-i simply cannot explain my excitement and anticipation of the SMITTEN MAKEOVER taking place this month!  you are going to be blown away by the sheer awesomeness of the new look & feel of this blog.  it gives me happy chills just thinking about it :)

-the very first post on my new blog will be details regarding the smitten love story contest!  it is being released a little later than last year because of all the crazy stuff that's been going on around here.  so, make sure that you or your friends who think you have the greatest-story-ever are getting ready to submit an entry to win a wedding photography package with yours truly!  

-i have been booking 2009 weddings like crazy for the past several weeks!  if you have been lurking around and are curious about my availability - shoot me an email and i'll be happy to let you know if your date is open.  sharon@smittenphotography.com

-i've got some fun shoots coming up in the next two weeks including a couple mom+dad+kiddos sessions, in the belly, two bridal shoots & an engaged and in love shoot!  check back to see some photo candy over the next few days :)

and finally.... 

THE first SMITTEN PHOTO ACADEMY {SPA} of 2009

i am really pumped up about the great response over the smitten photo academy!  this four hour workshop has become a fun part of my desire to help others  pursue their passion for photographing the people and things that they love!  as of today, open enrollment for the next class begins!  here is what one person said after taking part in the last workshop:

Sharon, I've been meaning to email you and tell you how much I enjoyed the SPA day.  I learned so much and it really was a blast.  I could have stayed all day.  I've had my camera for a while and I would alway just guess on the settings until the picture turned out the way I wanted it to...but you made it so much easier for me:)

the next SPA day will be:    JANUARY 31, 2009  from 10am-2pm in huntersville, nc.

the class is $150 and is open to anyone who has a digital SLR camera and wants to learn how to take pictures that you will be proud of!  this isn't a class to learn how to become a professional photographer - but it will enable you with skills that you may have never known you possessed :)

if you are interested in signing up OR giving this class as a gift to someone you love email me:

sharon@smittenphotography.com

there are 10 spots available and they are first come first serve.  

***if you have already received confirmation from me regarding the february class - this is not the date for your workshop.  you will be getting an email this week with those details.  the february class is FULL!***

can't wait to share my love for this art with some fun people in january!

sunny delight.

i never shy away from talking about my love affair with the sun.

most of the photos on my blog - the ones that give me happy chills, make me jump up and down or squeal with excitement - involve some serious sunny delight in one way or another.  

this session from yesterday is the epitome of why i love the way that the sun affects photographs.  golden rays shining over a childs face, making his eyes sparkle and giving the world a glow that can only come from a creator who knew that life would be sweeter to look back on with sunshine to remember. 

hope these photos bring some delight to your day...

 

life together.

i really do feel so honored to get to step into my client's lives for an hour or two...capturing life together for them!  this sweet family was really fun to play with and i was loving all the unsolicited showing off that the munchkins were doing for my camera!  

sometimes, you just get lucky with lighting, timing, personalities & even poopy mishaps.  and by poopy mishaps, i mean me, laying in dog doo in the middle of a big grassy knoll & still getting a good shot.  it goes without saying that i'd prefer to not have my side laying in a pile of doo - but i'd do it again to get photos like these :)   make sure you click on a photo to see the bigger version!

hope you enjoy some {or lots} of my favorites...

love these first two of munchkins playing:

can't you imagine that these faces show everyday in this house?! :)

i love when kids point or grab at the camera - the curiosity over the big black thing in their face:

i'm head over heels for these next three - to each his/her own:

amazing light + color = wow:

a serious favorite - i showed this one to mom and dad during the shoot & had a happy moment

you can't buy light this good...

or kids this cute...

or jumps this perfect...

or couples this adorable...

dad does a lot of flipping with the kiddos:

precious:

this is the photo that was taken when the "incident" occurred that i mentioned above :)

i LOVE this series:

i love the innocence. 

mama's love.

stay smitten :)

holly, jolly & yummy

if these photos don't get you excited about christmas then i don't know what will!!  this is a watch me grow session #3 with these little munchkins and definitely my favorite so far : )

hope you enjoy...

i can't handle these lollipop shots..we had lotsa fun with them :) 

i love this family shot:

my favorite.

baby in the belly

sweet picture with mama:

these next two are so fun & make me happy!

look at the baby browns:

her lovies:

loving this

winter stripes & little buddies

bosten tagged along with me for his best buddy - tucker's - christmas photo shoot!  i have to say that i wish i had a picture of myself, for once, during this session.   bosten woke up a few minutes before he was supposed to eat  so i stuck him in a baby sling & wore him while i took photos of tucker with his mama & daddy.  also, grey, the family pup was in on some of the shots so i was shooting one-handed, baby in tow & tennis ball in the other hand trying to get grey to sit still.  we kept laughing at how ridiculous it was & how much life has changed in the last month.

needless to say, if you are a client, i won't be bringing my baby to your photo shoot :)  

signature smitten kiss:

he looks like a baby candy cane.  i'd take a big bite out of those cheeks:

love the baby yawn & the new velvet couch that made for a perfect backdrop:

the little bff's:

oh what fun it is to play...

and how fun that photographing adorable kid faces like this is my job?!

yoo hoo...

it feels so good to be back shooting fun. fresh. & real. smitten photography!  let me just say that this first-post-baby session with some of my favorite little guys started off with a bang :)

hope you enjoy some of my favorites...

welcome back, yummy pictures :)

a perfect engagement features SMITTEN!

WOW, two fun honors in one week!  today, smitten photography was featured on {click link to view feature}  a perfect engagement event design's blog!  alyse woodward is the creative & talented eye behind this company & i was thrilled when she contacted me a few weeks ago wanting to know more about smitten's flavor and style!

i think its a great decision when brides work with wedding and event designer's, like alyse, because it really helps to make the day run so smoothly knowing that all the details are taken care of.  the vendor spotlight features a few of my favorite wedding photos, as well as a photo of me, taken by my {then} THREE year old daughter :)  

and yes, alyse hints to the BIG news that the smitten love story contest is returning in a few weeks along with an ultra-fantastic blog makeover!  you know i love surprises - and, well, this blog is gonna knock your socks off :)