Red Thread Session: A homecoming

Several weeks ago, I had the honor of photographing a family as they brought their newest son home from China.  They had previously adopted from China and had taken that son along on their trip, but upon their arrival they were able to introduce him to their three daughters.  He was so excited to meet his other new siblings and begin this new chapter of life in their family.

I loved the grin that crossed his face as they paused to see the group of family and friends who gathered to welcome them to St. Louis.

 This was my favorite moment as he smiled and reached out to meet his sisters.

I am so thankful to be a volunteer with Red Thread Sessions.  As with many parts of being a photographer, It is such an honor to be a part of these special moments as families grow and change- through marriage, birth, and adoptions.

This Season: Engagement of Sami + Collin

Last fall, I photographed Sami and Collin during their season of engagement before their wedding.  I design this type of session to be a date. We highlight favorites that represent their story and their normal type of ways to celebrate and enjoy their relationship.

For Sami and Collin, this meant a sunrise picnic (Collin and I surprised Sami with photos from this part of their date; She didn't know I was there!), running, walking, and laughing as we took a long walk around Forest Park in the early morning hours as the fog rose off the Grand Basin.  We then switched gears and headed to one of their top coffee shops- Foundation Grounds- in Maplewood, near their new home, and took a walk and explored another favorite- a bookstore along Manchester in downtown Maplewood.

I am thrilled to present a show highlighting that day with a mix of real moments, striking portraits, and many details that surrounded their morning date. Grab your lemonade, sit back, and enjoy!

Red Thread Session

I am a volunteer photographer for Red Thread Sessions, and I have really been enjoying sessions of new families who have joined together through adoption. This family is really special to me because we have ventured together on this journey and brought our sons home a week apart. We shared in the trials of adopting from a virtually closed nation but never giving up because our sons are fully worth every bit and more. 

Though I briefly met this brave, sharp young man just hours before he flew to the US from his birth country, I had the privilege of sharing part of the morning with him recently.  Welcome to St. Louis, E! We are very glad to have you. 

Red Thread Session with a BAM!

It's been quiet here for a while, as I have been on maternity leave.  We adopted our youngest son and brought him home from Ghana after quite a lengthy battle to bring our family under one roof.  It was fitting for me to ease my way back in to a short fall season with a Red Thread Session.  I volunteer with Red Thread Sessions to provide photography for families who have recently adopted, and it's such a an honor to introduce a new family through photographs.

Not only did we photograph these two lovely ladies in a way you might expect from a PLP family session, but we also did something special.  Part of their personal adoption story included a special connection to DC comic book characters.  A few years ago now, a friend donated a very large poster collection to Brian and I to aid in our fundraising efforts- a large portion of which was DC comic book characters.  We got bogged down in paperwork and never sold them.  As soon as I read their story, I knew that the person who donated the posters would be honored by them being used as a background for their portraits- a story-telling element and something really unique.  This person has a huge heart for adoption and is an adult-adoptee.  They gave the OK for us to use them in this way and I set to trying to find a way to create something.

My favorite part of the session was when this lovely young lady asked me, "Can I hold my mom's hand and look at her? She just makes me so happy!"

This photograph also really touched me.  You can see this new mother's heart through her facial expressions of tenderness, protection, and satisfaction.  This daughter is so dear to her. Likewise, her daughter's face is so joyful.  She simply could not stop smiling when she was close to her mother. It was so beautiful.

Lakeside Portraits

Each year I take some individual time with my oldest son to photograph him and do something creative as a photographer. He has come to love this annual event and each year tries to find something special to do or include again, while I try to press in and find something new or different that shows his growth and change. I do what I try to do with my clients in choosing locations, colors, or props that hold meaning to him.

We started this routine when he was the age that our 2nd son is now, so this was the year I planned to give him the same adventure.

But as the time drew near (or so we thought) for our 3rd son to come home to us from Ghana, I stalled. I thought, "Well, maybe this time we should try to get family photos altogether." Then, "We should take individual photos and family photos". I waffled back and forth with all the options, and tended to think we should wait.

Finally I realized that right now we're enjoying who we are as a household right now, and part of that family experience is yearning for their brother. And right now, there are just two of them here. So two of them I photographed.

I opted to take them to the same place at the same time and let the four of us interact together and just enjoy one of the last warmish days of the year together.

Six years.

 Two years.

 I love this because:
1. They are laughing at their Dad
2. Eli always wants to sit on Levi's Rocky Donkey, but rarely gets to
3. Levi is holding our "Silas Doll" which was lovingly given to us as a gift for Silas and gave us a way to incorporate our waiting into the photographs

 Levi wanted to photograph me. Later, he saw it and wondered what happened to my head.

 Brian + Me co-photographing.

A family photo at sunset. Complete with tripod. Nope, actually, I brought pieces from two different tripods on accident, so as the sun sank lower and lower and we stuck the camera on a styrofoam cooler in the trunk and propped the lens up with a pretzel. But there we are, at the end of a nice afternoon at the local lake, and only one brother threw the other brother's boot into the lake.

The Novel

We're rolling out some new changes here at Purple Lemon Photography.  I am working to get everything updated and changed over before we bring our newest additions home from Ghana.

One of the things that I started to notice over the last few years was that my wedding couples and families loved the idea of an album, but weren't really keen on what the options were.  I had one really popular album type, which is super-modern. And it will stay.

The demographic that I love to photograph and that love my company are usually young, unique with a strong tendency to value the visual arts.  Those who love photography, graphic design, artistry in all areas- from design to food to dance to everyday life.  They are overwhelmingly practical, perhaps short on space, and looking for something a little different. 

Which led me to The Novel.

A graphically rich book that tells the whole story of a wedding day (or documentary-styled family session). 

Upwards of 250 pages.

Simple. Sits on a bookshelf with the rest of your library, easily flipped through.

Unlike anything I've ever seen.

Scott & Sarah's Lodge at Grant's Trail Wedding

Meet my friend Sarah.  She's really great, and smiles so beautifully, even at her rehearsal, that I just can't cut this photo out. Her dad is still in the shadows of the hallway, and out she comes, radiant and beaming. 
We'll start this tale at her parent's home, where she and her new husband, Scott, have spent much time, especially in the garden, carefully tended by her dad, which is also where Scott proposed.

 and also where Sarah would go

 to see Scott for their first look on their wedding day.

Sarah handcrafted all the flowers for their wedding out of paper, which is so awesome.  I've never gotten to see a bride pin the boutineer on the groom before, but here it was, and she was so happy to see the way it all came together!

Their wedding venue was The Lodge at Grant's Trail, which is a small, unique venue with lots of wildlife decor and other fun little quirks popping up in every corner. They will be visiting us throughout the rest of this post.

 A little intrigue, with a style reminiscent of Bewitched and I Dream of Genie.

The bridal party was really into their part here- being in the Abe Lincoln Room, and all- very presidential.

Now this next little surprise for the couple took a slightly different spin that I expected, but it still makes me chuckle.  Intended as Star Wars tribute of sorts, it appears more as baseball meets Mickey Mouse. Great job, guys!

 Continuing with some chuckles... It's always great when the family pictures take a light-hearted turn and the groom's dad tries to smooch his own bride by surprise...

which leads to the bride's mom getting all giggly, too.

and then everyone's cracking up!

Watch out for the critters!

 Still laughing!

Congratulations!