Skye+Rui+Tye // Durham Family Session

Duke Gardens is absolutely beautiful, and is also very near and dear to this family’s heart. They go there as often as possible, and love wandering the grounds, reading stories in the gardens, and watching the chickens. They also love feeding the ducks and turtles (well, Skye and Tye do… Rui takes a few steps back and observes from a distance while being somewhat concerned about salmonella… it’s a family tradition). Tye also loves playing soccer and carrying around his adorable monkey lunchbox (and, obviously, eating two Locopops at the same time… because who doesn’t love that?!). I had a great time exploring with them, and also playing Wheels on the Bus on my Spotfiy. Skye and Rui introduced me to a new (to me) part of Duke Gardens that, despite all my weddings and shoots there, I had no idea existed: the kids’ area with a storybook circle, chickens, and an herb garden! I always make a bee-line straight for the bamboo and have just always managed to miss it. Also, I can’t be sure, but I’m fairly certain that my kiddo clients have the best shoes ever… and Tye is no exception with his DINO SHOES that I am 100% envious of. Loved working with this beautiful family of three!

At Home with Kelsey+Drew // Durham, NC.

Kelsey and Drew are my jam, you guys. Kelsey would always send me amazing emails during their engagement, and we shot their engagement session way  back in 2011 at a baseball field with them and their adorable pup Miley. Then their wedding came along in 2012 and there were also amazing emails during that time as well, and then life settled in and Kelsey eventually (*sniffsniff*) moved on from emailing me mostly because she, you know, actually had things to do. And then one day recently she e-mailed me! And I was super excited because we loved Kelsey and Drew! And now they were back! And pregnant! And expecting a little boy! And they asked us to photograph him which is a super honor for us. We just started doing these family sessions recently and it’s really been a joy for us, so it’s great to now be able to follow our clients through their different phases of life. :)

Baby Cooper was supposed to be born on October 31, but he took his good ‘ole time and, as Kelsey put it, was eventually evicted out of necessity. :) But I can’t say that he was late because he was afraid of joining his new family… this boy is right at home. He was fussy maybe once during the session but no crying at all… and he slept and smiled and gazed in the general direction of Geoff’s beard (because although he couldn’t see it, I’m sure he could sense the power). His nursery is aviation themed and he donned little striped footie pajamas with a little bear piloting his own airplane and a tiny aviation hat and it was so, so cute. We are thrilled to welcome Cooper into Kelsey and Drew’s amazing family, and we are so happy to be able to do this for them. :)