Margie Bonilla Photography

Funny Commercials

2012-02-06T15:48:00.003-05:00

As I've previously mentioned, I love having a good laugh. Wether it be a joke, an unintentional comment, a gesture, I just love to laugh. Yesterday, Superbowl Sunday, i had a blast just hanging out with the girls. Nope, I didn't watch the game. Nothing at all against football, I'm just not that into it. I've watched a game or two with the hubbs but, I'd much rather hang with the girls. The guys (and some girls;) sat in the living room watching the game and I sat in the dining room table munching, and...you guessed it LAUGHING! I did join the fellas in the living room every now and then, to watch commercials. My hubby would call me over to watch the super funny ones. There were a few but my favorite two were the following...

What were your favorite? Tell me! Tell me!!

Homeschooling

2012-02-05T15:44:00.001-05:00

I'm going on my 4th year of homeschooling my kiddos. At first it just started as the normal teaching the abc's and 123's, never thought I'd actually not send my kids to public school and teach them myself. I have to say, I've been pleasantly surprised at how much I've enjoyed it. I remember when my husband first presented it as a possibility. My daughter was about 2 years old and my son was a newborn. I was counting the days until I got a few hours to myself from at least one of them while they were in school. Just the mention of me having more work than what I already did made me want to freak out, I was like "NO WAY"! My mind set has changed a lot since then. I love watching them grow, not just physically but intellectually. They've had their struggles and it really has been so rewarding to see them overcome them. I'm very proud of them. They both have their lazy moments but then they have their "Mom, I'm bored, I want to do homework" and it's the weekend! Ok! Every year I think it's going to be my last but then, we start another. My main goal is to make sure they learn at their level and have fun in the process. So far, so good;)

Coffee

2012-02-04T15:41:00.002-05:00

Must I say more? Contrary to what others may think, I am not addicted to it. I just REALLY enjoy it. Coffee has special powers. I mean, it's around when you meet new people, have a headache, visit your mom, sister, or aunt, have "difficult" conversations, wake up in the morning, need help to make it thru a hard day. Come on now, tell me that's not something special and powerful. Now, I'm not saying that its the best thing for you or that you should be drinking 10 cups a day, I'm just saying...a special cup-a-day of your favorite Jo ain't never hurt nobody. Ok, I take that back, it hasn't hurt me as of yet! Happy Day ya'll;)

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35 and Babies

2012-02-03T18:11:00.005-05:00

Sooo, I'm about to turn the big Three Five soon. That's a big deal for me. Not for the reasons many may think but, because it is somewhat of a cutoff for me. I come from a large family (youngest of 5 kids). Although it has it's ups and downs, I love it. We're a loud and crazy bunch and I wouldn't have it any other way. In the perfect world, I would've done it just like my mom, cinco bambinos! Bam! BUT, they don't make em like my momma anymore, lol. I really thought we'd have at least 4 kids, alongside the white picket fenced home...yadda, yadda, yadda. However, in the real world, things don't always turn out the way we plan them to.

Sooo, next month I will be 35, MY cutoff for child bearing. Why 35? Ah-dunno. Just is. One thing's for sure though, no matter how old I get, I will always love me some babies! I love their smell, their soft skin, and their tiny little clothes. Not sure if I will have anymore of my own but, I'll always have family and friends who's cutoff dates are much later than mine:D I will get to hold, smell, cuddle, touch, and even change a poopy diaper THEN, I can kindly give them back and go home;) Gotta look at the bright side of things right?

Sense of Humor

2012-02-02T17:38:00.002-05:00

I'm running around like a crazy woman today so, I'm posting from my cell phone today. Gonna be short and sweet but guaranteed to make you laugh.

I just LOVE being around people with a great sense of humor. I mean, who really wants to be around grouchy people right? I'm fortunate enough to be surrounded by super funny people and one of them just happens to be my husband. He got a text message from someone the other day and he forwarded the convo to me. I couldn't stop laughing. He could've just written "wrong number" but no...he had to add a little humor to the situation. Feel free to share any similar funny situations in the comment section. Looking forward to reading them! Happy Tuesday!!

Loved and Happy

2012-02-01T10:07:00.003-05:00

Happy February! Month of Love as some may call it. I am soo excited to get February started. So many things have happened and I haven’t blogged a thing about them. I will, eventually. Just not today. Moving along.

Just the other day I was thinking about my old blog. The one that started off as me sharing stories mostly of my simple life and sharing photos of my beautiful kids and wonderful husband. It was so much fun and I looked forward to posting stories and hearing what people had to say. Somewhere, somehow, things changed. As my photography took off and I started shooting professionally I lost some of that joy in blogging and shooting. It became more about work and less about the happenings of life. I’m clearly aware that it didn’t have to be that way, however, that’s what happened. I saw myself documenting special moments in the lives of others and kinda sorta stopped doing it in my own. I barely took pictures of the kids. Didn’t really take my camera out to personal events because I’d somehow end up being the official photographer and not get to enjoy the moment. I was basically just shooting for work and not out of that.

My recent thoughts of my old blog made me take a trip down memory lane. I smiled so hard it made my cheeks hurt. My kiddos were so little and cute. My favorite blog post has got to be the one where I let my kids paint my toenails and I actually went to Target like that…with sandals! I want to go back to that. I want to make the time to blog. Not just about photography, but what drove me to love photography the way I do. My kids. My family. My life. Sooo, all that just to say…I’m baaaack! And I’m starting off with a fun month of “Stuff I Love.” A full 29 days;) Woohoo!

So, I’ve pretty much written about today’s “Love”. Blogging. Some may think it’s a thing of the past but I for one still love blogs. Facebook and Twitter are also fun, but blogging allows you to know the people behind the quick quotes and the fun images. They each have their audiences (I personally like them all). I see it this way, Facebook and Twitter are like title’s to wonderful songs and blogs are the lyrics that allow you to possibly relate, sing, and perhaps dance along. Cool huh?

Happy Love Month! Come back tomorrow and see what’s up;)

(These pics are a little old. My hair's longer and a different color and my boy no longer has his two front teeth, however, they describe exactly how I feel right now. Loved and Happy;)

11 years ago...

2011-08-12T07:38:00.002-04:00

I remember waking up really early (around six a.m.) in order to finish packing for our first trip together...alone. No chaperones. Just us. Wasn't exactly sure what to pack so I just packed a little of everything, just in case. About an hour later I was all done. I zipped up my navy blue, over packed, mid sized suitcase and exhaled, nervously. That exciting yet nauseating feeling started to take over me. It was time. Time to open the door to my bedroom and face the most hectic yet anxiously waited day of my life...our wedding day.

Exactly 11 years later...
I wake up early (around six a.m.) and double check the suitcase I packed for our two bambino's and I. This time, I knew exactly what to pack. Fifteen minutes later, I was all done. Zipped up our black, perfectly packed, midsize suitcase and exhaled, with excitement and a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.

I'm not exactly sure how to describe to you how different I feel today. That 23 year old girl you married 11 years was a hot mess. I mean, I may have looked better on the outside (I'm working on that dawg;) but on the inside, you had your hands full for quite some time there huh buddy? I thought I knew stuff back then. Thought I had it all figured out. Turns out, I had NO CLUE! I've matured since then, a bunch (ok, just a little;). I'm a much more confident person today. I know it's life's experiences that help mold the person you turn out to be but, I know those we surround ourselves with have a huge influence and impact in our lives. I'm so blessed and thankful God chose me for you and you for me. He really did take into consideration my weaknesses when pairing us up. I won't sit here and type them all out cause we know that there's a lot, but I'm sure you get where I'm coming from. Marrying you was one of THE BEST decisions I ever made. The husband that I have and the father our children have in you is our most precious treasure.

So yeah, 11 years ago, we celebrated THE GRANDEST party of our lives (up to date-until we have to dish it out for one of our bambino's). I enjoyed every minute of that day. From the big puffy dress, to the wonderful people who surrounded us and supported our union from the very beginning. We began our journey on our wedding day and I have to tell you, every moment after that has surpassed my wildest dreams. You're definitely a keeper mister. You're stuck with me FOREVAHHH!! Happy Anniversary Negrito lindo! MUAH!!

P.S.
You know that feeling you got a while back when you took Caleb to buy the dart board he earned and the original price was $20 and when the cashier rang it up and it was only $3? You double checked with the cashier and she assured you that was the price. I'm sure you grabbed the receipt and ran out before she called out "Sir, come back...that was a mistake". Well, 11 years later, I still have that "too good to be true" feeling with you. Been hiding my receipt in case I hear someone yell "HEY LADY COME BACK...!"

Six Things I love about you

2011-08-04T05:40:00.004-04:00

1.) The way you say your sister's name (Alytha)
2.) The "Choco-latte" dance you do for Abuela when you want her to make you chocolate milk.
3.) That you ask your sister if you should comb your hair spikey, or flat.
4.) The way you flex your muscles when you ask your dad to wrestle with you.
5.) How you attempt to speak spanish to all babies.
6.) When you ask "Is this song Christian" when we are jamming to a song in the car.

(It was so hard to limit myself to just six).

My dearest Caleb, there are so much more than Six things that I love about you, but your momma was trying to be all cute and match her blog title with your age. I love to celebrate you, wether it is your birthday or not. On this very special day, six years ago, God blessed your daddy, your big sister, and I with the most precious little boy that has brought joy, laughter, and excitement every single day since then. There is never a dull moment with you. We pray that the Lord bless you with many more wonderful years because your existence is simply a blessing to all those who love you (which is a bunch of us;).

Happy Sixth Birthday baby!

Add'l things I love about you (because I can):
- That you love to read
- That you know how to use the Iphone better than Titi Bethsy and I ;)
- Your unhealthy relationship with salami (the kid LOVES salami)
- That you randomly text your family and friends to say hi (Family man in the works)
- That you walk JUST like your dad
- Your smile (especially now that your missing a top front tooth).
- Pretty much EVERYTHING about you!

Feel free to comment what you love about Mr. Caleb. Come on...it's his birthday, don't let him down!! (He just might send you a text thanking you;)

Five Things I'm loving about shooting weddings

2011-07-25T02:05:00.000-04:00

1. Getting to know the couple during the wedding process.

2. Capturing the "just before" moments of the wedding.

3. Witnessing true love

4. The wild and fun family/friends.

5. Feeling like family at the end of it all.

(Stay tuned for more on Alex and Marinelis Puerto Rico Destination wedding).

SHE LIVES!!

2011-05-25T20:56:00.006-04:00

Wow. Like really. That's all I can say...wow! I'm shocked I even remembered the password to my blog. Go ahead. Say it! "LOSER!" I can hear you, you know. In the middle of the night, when I'm trying to sleep..."What's up with that girl? She hasn't blogged in like forever...LOSER". Yeah, whatev. You're right. I'm a loser...get over it;)

Anyways, I'm back! At least for today. Let's just do one day at a time K? Hee-hee. So a lot has happened in the past few months...the one that has consumed my life the most though? The Move. We moved. Not like out of the state or anything, just 10 minutes away but this move has seemed eternal. Packing. Moving. Unpacking. Organizing. Unfinished projects. Then some more organizing in order to finish unpacking. Ugghh! Life is ALMOST back to normality but not just yet. And in between all the crazies, I was still shooting all kinds of wonderful people. I have made some awesome new friends, from teeny boppers to newbie mommies. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have the BEST clients ever. Very understanding through these very busy and overwhelming months. Thank you all so much (you know who you are;). As noticed, I haven't blogged any recent sessions. I've totally been slacking and doing the easy sneak preview on facebook. I mean, it gets the job done of previewing pictures of the session but blogging brings it to life. I know! I know! I need to get back to that, and I will. I promise. I have a lot of catching up to do though, so maybe I'll work backwards until I do. At any rate, this is just a "Hello, remember me" post. Testing the waters to see if my followers still live on with me. So...um, you still there? Tap-tap...hello:/

Orlando and a Princess

2011-03-04T07:19:00.003-05:00

Oh my, we will not even talk about the bad blogger that I was in February. Really. We won't;) On to more positive things!

Today, my darling friend bloggers, is a good day! I'm off to Orlando, Florida to celebrate one of my darling sister's 40th birthday:D Shhh, don't tell her I told you how OLD she's turning...hee, hee. The last 24 hours have been the crazies because well, there's a lot to get done when you're planning a mini weekend getaway, even if your kids aren't coming with you (jumping for joy in my pants!!). Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being with my kids. A part of me is quite saddened that I will be going to Mickey land without them (SUPER DUPER SHHHHH on that one, they know mommy is going to Orlando BUT there is no need to rub it in with the details). Where was I? Oh yes, Loving my kids. I really, really love being with them but, for my own mental stability, and for the sake of their safety...momma needs to get out every now and then and do "just her" for a teensy little while. Can I get an amen out there?

Before leaving though, I promised a beautiful princess a little more of a sneak peek to her fifteen's session we did at Vizcaya a couple weeks ago, and considering the poor girl has been waiting since NOVEMBER 2010 to actually take her pictures, I thought she absolutely deserved it. Her session had to be postponed and rescheduled due to unpredictable and unpreventable issues (braces, vacations, holidays, rain). I was beginning to think maybe this was a sign from the heavens but nope, it was not. Little Miss Samantha totally rocked this session. She is such a beautiful young lady, inside and out. The weather was just perfect. I had an absolute lovely time getting to know her and her mom a little better (Suzie...you rock too babe;) So without further ado, heeeeeeeerrres Samantha!

Susan and Samantha, thanks again for choosing me! As always, it was my pleasure and honor;)

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T10:28:00.002-05:00

To: You
From: Us

Miss Evelini

2011-02-08T23:32:00.004-05:00

This past weekend was her 10th birthday. I guess watching her older sister get photographed over and over again by me (per her request thank-you-very-much), she finally felt a little green. She told her mom "I want a session with Titi (tea-tea, spanish for auntie) Margie for my birthday". So, her mommy (my sister) called me up and kindly requested a date for the soon to be 10 year old diva. We shot on her actual birthdate. I picked her up at her house and she was all ready to work it. Evelyn is a VERY confident young girl. I mean, you should see the things this little girl wears to school. Fashionista and a half. I was a little surprised at her outfit choices for the session. Very conservative to say the least. On our way to the shoot I found out her mom gave her restrictions. Aha! No wonder. At any rate, she looked adorable. I had a great time having her in front of my lens. She was very comfortable just being herself and laughed at all my silly jokes and gestures, made me feel GREAT:D Someone else other than me thinks I'm funny! Yay!

Evelini, you made me feel all fuzzy inside when I found out you specifically requested little ole me to take pictures of you. I am very proud of you and the little girl you are growing to be. I love you very much and pray wonderful blessings on your little fashion statemented life! (If that's even a word;)

Changes

2011-02-02T00:04:00.005-05:00

Definitely something I've been wanting to see in all areas of my life. Don't get me wrong, I am a truly happy woman. Feel truly blessed beyond measure. However, I need change. I want change. It can be scary but, in many cases, totally necessary. It pushes you to uncomfortable places but, once you accept, embrace, and adapt, it can feel pretty powerful and so darn good!

I'm taking baby steps but this year I am going out of my element in many areas in my life because I want to see change. Frustration has been wanting to come over for dinner and possibly stay for a while and quite frankly, she's not welcomed. So, instead of entertaining unwanted guest, I've taken a different approach. There's a quote that I have heard and read many times and every time I come across it, I picture those HUGE orangey foam hands with the pointing finger pointed directly at me. It goes something like this: "Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, expecting a different result". Like wow. Really! Soo true! It applies to so many areas in my life and...IT BUGS ME! So, time for change. Time to get uncomfortable. Time to accept, embrace, and adapt. I'm just in the beginning stages but, already, I fell less insane. Yay me!

And here I leave you with some photos of my beautiful niece as I tackled a project I've been wanting to try for a while, night photography with an external flash. Still have a lot to learn but, at least I finally tried it and we had fun in the process. Trying new things in order to experience change.

Special thanks to my hubby for helping me out that night. (Bodyguard slash flashlight pointer slash stylist slash best thing that has ever happened to me;)

Fifteen Minutes

2011-01-26T11:46:00.004-05:00

So, I needed a recent photo of my kids for a personal project I was working on. I was WAY past due with it and I needed it like...RIGHT NOW. I had to do the unimaginable...shoot my kids in 15 minutes. Mind you, it was raining outside. So much easier to just take them outside, let them run around a bit, and shoot away. But no, that was not an option for me. After some whining, and a thousand "are we almost done", I got this shot. Fifteen minutes. Mission accomplished!

My Sunshines...

Supermom

2011-01-22T13:31:00.004-05:00

I received a text in the middle of my workout that read "Update blog plz". I cracked up laughing. My silent readers keep me on my toes;)

Okay, so today you're going to read about some very special people, the Perez family. It's funny how I know these folks. Manny (Mr. Perez) use to be my boss back in my corporate years (before motherhood). Michelle (Supermom...you'll see why in just a few), I had the privilege of getting to know at scrapbooking events my sister has hosted in the past. Which, brings me to my supermom story. A little over a year ago, we attended a scrapbook retreat in a beautiful hotel in Sanibel Harbor, about 2 and a half hours away from Miami. The retreat was from friday noon to Sunday noon. While we were scrapbooking, I find out that sweet, dear, awesome, super close to MOTHER.TERESA.HERSELF-Michelle was going to be driving back Saturday morning in order to make it to her son's football game BACK IN MIAMI! Homegirl scrapped til late friday, woke up at an ungodly hour saturday, made it to her son's baseball game, and was back in Sanibel before dinner time. WOW! WHOA! Like, for real...WOW! I love my children with every part of my being but I can't say I have it in me to do that. I would've picked one or the other but superwoman did them both. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too. Michelle did! She really blew me away. That said a lot about her to me. As a mom. As a person...SHE ROCKS!! And...she likes me! Life is good;)

This truly is a special family, especially to me. I was beyond excited when they called me up for a photo shoot. I'm glad Manny gave into Michelle's request (hee-hee). You guys look great and once again, thanks for the privilege;)

P.S.
Manny, I know I'm missed at work but believe me...you're better off without me:D (Or is it the other way around HAHAHA).

Ten things you might not know

2011-01-18T23:14:00.005-05:00

About Margie: The Person...
1. I'm a stay at home mom.
2. I homeschool my two little angels (God help them both).
3. I can be a little loud sometimes.
4. I like to scrapbook (wish I had more time for it though).
5. I'm the youngest of 5 children (and the favorite...just in case you were wondering).
6. I was born in Rhode Island.
7. My pastors are my in-laws (Yup, you bet I'm a good girl;).
8. I wear platforms and heels mainly because I'm a shorty. The hubby is a whole foot taller than me:(
9. I DON'T LIKE MAYONNAISE (and I say it weird too).
10. I was born on an airplane (OKAY! So that one's totally made up but I wanted make myself sound interesting. Geesh!).

A for real #10...I hide behind the camara a lot because...(I can't believe I'm about to write this), I don't like how I look 99% of the time. It's something I am definitely working on this year because I encourage people to feel fabulous in front of my camera so, I must lead by example. Now, with this being said, I leave you with some pics my hubby took of me this past August on our 10 year Anniversary getaway. Never before seen because, well, I didn't like. (OMG, I'm cringing...internet be kind).

Plus, I was made in God's image therefore...I MUST be photo worthy;)

Party of ten please

2011-01-13T13:01:00.000-05:00

Three beautiful toddler girls (two of which were adorable twins) and seven adults. Oh yeah, it was a busy shoot but so much fun. The weather was perfect and the company was great. Mary, the youngest of the 3 children, contacted me through facebook, wanting to set up something special for her mom and dad's anniversary. The children wanted to gift them a family portrait. I happen to know her mom and dad so I was more than happy to try and make it happen for them. Shooting a large group can be a little challenging, especially when there's little one's involved, but once it's all said and done, the end result is so rewarding. Those twin girls gave me a run for my money. They were in such a playful mood. They took me back to my kids "two's stage". One was all smiles and giggles. The other was being a little silly and would stick her tongue out in EVERY PHOTO. I thought it was soo funny, the family...not so much. lol. The coolest thing about shooting kids is being able to capture them as they are being themselves...kids. Rarely are they looking straight at the camera and saying "CHEESE". Nope, that's not the norm. It's actually hard and very frustrating for both the parents and the photographer when we expect that. Tongues sticking out, thumbs in the mouth, and family laughing watching it all happen...THAT'S A GREAT PHOTO!

Nope, I'm still here

2011-01-12T12:21:00.003-05:00

Yes, I'm still with you my peeps. Haven't given in on my new years resolution. I wish there were some sort of wifi connection from my brain to the blog where I just have to think of what to blog about and it instantly appears on the blog. With a photo! How cool would that be? I think about fun blog posts daily yet...they don't happen. Bummer. Any who, I'm here now so lets get on with it.

-The New Year has begun with some very exciting opportunities and I want to share them all but I don't really like to count my
eggs before they hatch so, we'll just put a tack on it for now and unwrap this baby little by little. I promise to update as they
occur.

-Mr. Caleb has been successfully sleeping all night with no midnight walks to mommy's room. He got his first weeks prize (very
cool dart board he's been wanting). Both son and mother are VERY happy;)

-I have met some awesome miami photographers this year. Their personality and work is great. Feels great to share and learn
with those who share the same kinds of interests, love to learn, and help others. Fun stuff!

-My Christmas tree is still up. And NO, not because I'm lazy (well, kinda). My daughter insisted we could not take down the tree
until her darling aunt from Michigan saw it (she's here for a week). She will be coming to our house this weekend. Boy oh boy,
is she going to be surprised when she realizes she's going to help us put that tree and all it's decor away FIVE minutes after
she's it. Welcome to Miami Titi Laly! (Bu-wa-ha-haaa).

Anybody else out there that still has not taken down there Christmas tree? Anyone? (Crickets chirping...)

Oh yeah baby, its almost a squad

2011-01-07T07:57:00.000-05:00

Soo, the other day (and many other days) I talked about my cheerleaders in life but specifically when it comes to my photography business. Well, today, I will be talking about yet another one of my girls;)

As previously mentioned, I held a contest for a free mini session back in August between my peeps, my wonderful clients. There were 2 ladies that took the contest super serious and I love them both for it. Those two ladies were Shenny and my dear, dear friend Ady. Even though Ady did not win the contest, she did not hold it against me and still did her annual family session (because she loves me and she thinks I rock;)

Ady seriously is one of my greatest fans. She might as well just wear my "Margie Bonilla Rocks" shirt because really, she refers me that much. I love running into her because she really is good in boosting me up. She's just cool like that. I met Ms. Ady through my oldest sister (which by the way is THE CAPTAIN of my cheerleading squad). Her husband is another absolute sweetheart that I just love being around. I love shooting sweet, genuine people, and when I know and love them...it makes the session even better.

Ady, Jorge, and D...thank you for ONCE AGAIN allowing me to document your family through pictures. It's almost a tradition! I can't wait to see the scrapbook layouts. Love you all!

You're breaking my heart

2011-01-05T19:51:00.007-05:00

It was about 4:00 a.m. when I felt a little body trying to skooch his way into my side of the bed (3rd night in a row). My body could not take the uncomfortable sleeping arrangement anymore. I was exhausted but I got up, walked him back to his room, and went over the speech...again. "Sweetie, this is your bed. You're safe here. Your bad dreams are just that, dreams. Our bedroom is right next to yours..." yadda, yadda, yadda. The "but mommy's" were driving me insane. My eyes were rolling to the back of my head the whole time I talked to him. I was barely awake. As I tried to walk away from his bed I hear "Mommy, you're breaking my heart". ARE .YOU.KIDDING.ME??!! Who taught him that?? Guess what? He broke my heart!! I walked back to him and I whispered in his ear "baby, mommy's going to bed now. If you get up again, I'm locking the door. MOMMY LOVES YOU!! Good night". Nope, I didn't give in. Not gonna lie, almost did, but the delirium due to lack of sleep kicked in super quick;)

That was 2 nights ago. Since then, I have set up a sleeping chart for my dear Caleb. 1 week of sleeping in his bed with no interruptions gets him a prize. 2 weeks gets him a special surprise. 3 weeks gets him a SUPER DUPER EXTRA SPECIAL SURPRISE! Woohoo! I'm excited already (no idea what exactly each reward is going to be but whatever, I have time)! So far...so good. I've been going to sleep early without the visits of little people in the middle of the night. Life is good!

Here I leave you with images of my 2 children, happy, and ready for bed. Ahhh, music to my ears, "happy children ready for bed".

And the winner is...

2011-01-03T15:18:00.004-05:00

I kid a lot with people I refer to as my "cheerleaders". At first, this group consisted of mostly family and friends, but lately I have many clients that have hopped onto the bandwagon (which is way more than okay with me;). Back in August, I finally took the advice of friends and set up a facebook fanpage. After downloading and getting it all set up, I thought I'd have a little contest among my existing clients. I asked them to suggest my fanpage to their friends and in return the winner (most referred) would get a free mini session. Well, I was pleasantly surprised with the participation but there were 2 ladies that really went out of their way to try and win this contest. Unfortunately, there was only room for one winner and that was...Miss Shenny. She might seem familiar and that's because I've worked with her in the past at her birthday celebration. Shenny and her family are very dear to me for many reasons (I've know her since I was about my daughters age, sevenish). We grew up in the same church and she and my older sisters hung out. I remember thinking as a little girl "she's soo pretty". Now that we're older, I still think the same thing along with "She's sooooo funny"! Really, there is NEVER a dull moment with Shenny. Her husband is the perfect match for her. He's so sweet and I love how they are with each other. I was able to capture some of those moments between them and I have to say I smile every time I look at those shots. Her daughter is another beauty, a little Shenny-mini-me. She's a good girl, love her;)

I'm so grateful for people like Shenny in my life. She's believed in me since the very beginning of my journey in photography. Actually, she was my first official session as "Margie Bonilla Photography". She's definitely one of my cheerleader's and keeps referring more to the bandwagon!

Cordero Family, thank you allowing me to continue to be a part of your life through these photos and for being a part of mine by believing in me. Love you all, MUAH!

2011: Bring it

2011-01-02T18:16:00.004-05:00

I'm still trying to catch up on my sleep. This weeks festivities have WORN ME OUT! I think I've slept a total of 11 hours the whole weekend, but the fun I had was all well worth it. I really love the end of the year for many reasons. The weather, the holidays, the parties, the hubby's on vacation:D It's all just soo wonderful! Even though it's all come to a sudden halt, which makes me sad, I have a ton of photos to remind me of good times. This year, I got a great little gadget that's allowed me to be in photos without looking like I just leaped ten feet across the room into my designated spot...a remote control trigger. Yay!

The Bonilla Bunch (notice my sister in-law and her husband on the computer screen...they weren't able to make it home).

The Cuevas Bunch (my parents, my siblings and in-laws, nieces and nephews...I love having a big family).

Looking forward to this week. New year, new goals, new week to get it all started. Some shared on my facebook fanpage some of their 2011 goals. Have you? Go ahead and share one (or more) with me here! I wanna be all up in the mix;)

(One of my goals is to blog more...so far so good. Can't guarantee it will be everyday but, it will be more often). I'll share another right now...in the comment section.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-01-01T23:55:00.002-05:00

I absolutely had to get to this before going to bed tonight. I've had an amazing pass two weeks enjoying family, friends, and time just for me. 2010 had it's challenges but it was a blessing in itself. I'm grateful for everything, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It helped mold me to be what I am today-loved, content, passionate, and blessed. I look forward to 2011, simply put. I don't know what God has in store for me, but, "I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13.

Happy New Year everyone!

Carolina

2010-10-22T11:49:00.006-04:00

I've been shooting away. Maybe, might have posted a few sneak peeks on Facebook, but not even. My heart soo wants to blog on a daily basis. I like the ease of Facebook but definitely do not want to replace the blog. I love blogging, unfortunately, it has fallen low on my mile long daily "to do list". I have to change that though. Believe it or not, I actually have some posts started but are missing the perfect picture (they are saved, but not posted). Then, a week or so passes by and well, I never post it. I'm trying to get it together people, I promise. I figured, I've gotten enough hate mail. I'm just kidding, it's not hate mail, it's actually Love mail. "Woman, update your blog" type of messages. I also got many texts complimenting the new blog look (thank you all for that). It makes me happy that I still have a follower or two left;)

Now onto photos! Today I'm posting about a very special little girl. A while back I had the privilege of capturing some images of a little beauty. I wasn't able to show much of her (just her cute shoes) because she was still in the process of being legally adopted. She now legally belongs to my Cousin Evy and her husband Anthony, since april actually. While those papers were very important to this family in the aspect of security, I would have to say that it meant nothing when it came to seeing her as their baby girl. From day one (they got her at 3 weeks of birth) they accepted, protected, and loved her as their own and did everything possible to make her legally theirs. It was a huge learning experience for me to be able to go through this with them. I was so honored when they asked me to attend the adoption ceremony. I could barely see through my camera's viewfinder because my eyes were filled with tears half the time. What a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

Well, the Princess turned one last month and mom wanted a session of her being her charming, playful self. I chased her (literally) around the park and shot away. I love this age because really, they ignore you and can care less that you have a huge camera in your face. We had fun;)

Oh! Guess what? Mom is expecting her second child in March 2011! Yay! More babies!!

Once again Evy and Anthony, thank you for trusting me to capture these very, very special moments in your family's life. They are just as special to me;) Love you guys!

(P.S. Evy...I'm available for in hospital birthing sessions as well! lol).

P.S.S.
Show me some love people! You obviously like coming here so, let me know you came by...leave a comment;)

New Look

2010-10-12T23:21:00.002-04:00

The blog needed a face lift. This is just the first phase, cosmetics. Next, content. I have so much to share and want to do it all at once but, I'm going to take some time and think it all through. Get ready to know me past my images;)

In the meantime, I leave you with this (my two angels).

Oh! Almost forgot. Have you visited my facebook fan page? If not, go check it out and join the club:D

Baby Love

2010-09-11T00:57:00.003-04:00

There's something about babies that turns me into a mush. Especially newborns. They are just so darn cute! It takes me back to the special bonding moments between my kids and I. Whenever I have a newborn or baby session, I like to hold them for a little while and bond a bit. And by bond I mean hold them close, inhale their baby scent, and talk baby. You know baby talk right? Well, if not its not for you to understand anyways, I'm talking to the babes and they understand every crazy babble I speak;)

I recently had the pleasure of shooting Ms. Jasmine. She is the daughter of the beautiful preggo I took pictures of a while back, Jael. She's not quite newborn here but still an absolute bundle of joy. She's a beautiful, chubby cheeked, 3 month old that I could've stayed with all day with no complaints by me. She wasn't feeling that great that day and we still managed to get some great shots. Hey, when you're a natural, nothing gets in the way of perfection!

Jasmine, thank you for being so darn cute. You make my job so easy! Jael, congrats on this beautiful blessing and thank you so much for allowing me to document such a special time in her life.

Isn't her tutu and bow adorable? I love baby in tutu's. (Made by the very talented Misty of Misty Days Boutique. Check her stuff out and fall in love;)

Sweet dreams little one.

A Mother's Gift

2010-08-23T01:18:00.003-04:00

Way back in May of this year, I donated a family session to my church to gift to one of the many special mother's who attend. There were a few other gifts that were randomly gifted among the moms that were present that day, but it was decided that the session was going to gifted thru a drawing among the mother's who were leaders in the church. All the woman were so excited and hopeful that their names would be picked for any of the gifts (especially the free hour massage). Well, it came down to the last gift...the photo session. Our pastor, stuck his hand in the bag, and pulled out a name. Doris Fernandez! Woohoo! She was so happy! Even though, she REEAALLLY wanted the hour massage, she was bummed when her name wasn't called. I think she quickly got over it though;)

Having kids that are all grown up makes it a bit difficult to have them together in one place at one specific time AND even more difficult to have them agree to take pictures. She was finally able to round up her crew and redeem her gift card. Our original plan was to have an outdoor session but, due to timing issues and the fact that it rained, indoor it was. I was a little concerned but I must say that I am soo happy with the results. They all wore bright colors and I LOVE how it looks against the white.

Doris, congrats on being the lucky winner of the photo shoot even though I know your heart was set on the massage, you faked your happiness pretty well! lol. I must say that I think this session went to the perfect family. With all that you guys do in your spare time for the church and for God, you truly deserve this and much more (including the massage;) I hope these pictures add to the many great memories of your awesome family. I love you guys very much and was honored to capture and share these fun and special moments with you guys.

Without further ado...check out the Fernandez Family!

I left my favorite for last. LOVE the casual goofiness going on!

Pure Joy

2010-08-17T01:26:00.002-04:00

I was greeted by the proud daddy as soon as I walked into their home. I immediately noticed the smiles in the room that lit up the cozy living area. Mom was sitting on the sofa with her precious 2 week old, baby Mathew. As soon as I layed eyes on him, I squealed like a little girl. He was such a cutie. His brownish blonde hair was styled with a little mohawk, absolutely adorable. I was able to bond with him for a little while before the session. I sat down and enjoyed his tininess. His smell. His soft skin. His breathing...ahhh, it was pure joy. Mom and I shared stories about birth, pain killers, sleeping pattern, sleep deprivation...you know, typical new mom talk. Well, we finally stopped all the chatter and got started on Mr. Mathew's newborn session. Ok, I have to say this because it's the total honest truth. This was my easiest newborn session ever. He slept through the whole thing. Stopped for a quick feeding, and fell right back into a deeper sleep. He struggled to open his eyes in one part there but, didn't succeed (only got one eye open, lol, too funny). I could've shot him all afternoon but, it had to come to an end.

Valerie and Oscar, congratulation on what truly is a blessing. That little boy absolutely brings so much joy to anyone who sets eyes on him. May God bless him and your beautiful new family always. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity of meeting him in such a special way;)

MY FAVORITE SHOT OF THE DAY!!!

Not Brady's...Barbie's Bunch

2010-08-15T22:49:00.006-04:00

"Somewhere with big beautiful trees". That's all she asked for. Well, that and shots of the kids just being themselves. I must say, the location was just perfect for them. It was open and airy, not crowded at all, and the trees were magnificent! Plenty of room for kids to be kids. Barbie, one of my favorite clients;), had a special request to shoot her daughters and their two cousins. I loved hearing her talk about how they were like her own, the special relationship they each have with one another, and how she simply adored them. It was very sweet to hear, and even better to shoot. The kids (and teens, eh-hem) were great at being very natural in front of the camera. They just went about their business and "modeled" away.

Barbie seemed to have a special connection with these trees (they really were beautiful). In one shot I had to cut off a piece of the swaggly ropey thingys (sorry, I have no idea what its called) cause it was in my shot and she says "Oh Margie, leave it, it's okay". I thought that was cute. She was one with the trees. I actually felt bad afterwards, like I hurt it (Sorry folks, this was before I saw Avatar). Now I know better.

Barbe, once again, thank you for allowing me to share such fun moments with your precious family and fall in love even more with what I do. Now, if only I can get YOU in front of my camera (she's a beauty people). Enjoy your sneak peek;)

Let's play "Guess who's feet"!

Signs of aging

2010-08-03T23:06:00.008-04:00

Just one of many, but when you're taking teen photos of kids you changed diapers for...that's a sign. And when they are almost twice your height, another sign. But, putting all self pity aside, it's very cool. It's really awesome to see such good looking, well behaved, God fearing, talented, respectful kids grow up right in front of my eyes. This cutie here is Nate (short for Natanael). Aside from being a sweetie, he is family, my hubby's cousin's son. They drove down all the way from Kissimmee, Fl to have photos taken by yours truly;) It was nice seeing him again (even though it was literally a drive by visit) but so worth it. We did a little bit of everything in the short time that we had and well, yup...he rocked it. A na-chu-rall;)

Grandma and mom, hope you like what you see and once again, thanks for choosing me to help you capture these special moments. Love you guys;)

P.S.
This handsome young man is cousins with Mr. Oniel (click here to refresh your memory;) Good looks runs in the family as you can see...

A little teen beauty

2010-08-01T00:26:00.006-04:00

I love when I get a chance to work with teens. Especially the nice, sweet, fun, beautiful ones. I love the moments we get to connect and joke around a bit. Its so much fun to see them, slowly, get comfortable in front of the camera. It's almost kind of like they enjoy it a little (shh, don't tell them we know that). That was the case with Amanda. First off, isn't she just beautiful. She kinda reminds me of a famous teen but I won't say who it is. What's your guess? Anyways, we had the pleasure of meeting when I shot her little sisters' communion pictures, and we hit it off ever since. Her mom wanted to get some shots of Ms. Amanda in her Prom dress and just some other fun stuff so, that's what we did. Weather was perfect, the bugs behaved, and Amanda did her thang. She's great in front of the camera and a total pleasure to hang out with.

Amanda, hope you enjoyed the experience and that you like what you see;) You are truly a beautiful girl, inside and out. Have fun being a teen because before you know it, you'll be all grown up! Enjoy the moment;) Barbie, you're the best. Thanks for once again chosing me to capture these moments for you. I look forward to working with you some more in the future and teaching you some tricks;) Love ya!

You'll see some more of Amanda in an upcoming post. Family session coming soon;)

Precious Little Family

2010-07-15T21:03:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago I met up with a fantastic little family. Mom had called me to schedule a family shoot over the phone, and the day finally came when I met them in person. My first thought, "what a good looking bunch". Second thought "Mom rocked the outfits". I mean really, she did solids and patterns and matched them to perfection. Love it! Their girls were so cute and totally were themselves which I love. They weren't intimidated by the camera at all. Well, I am way past due on their sneak peak and I can't apologize enough for the delay but, wait no more precious little family, here you go. You guys were fabulous;)

Tiffany, thanks for choosing me to capture these special moments in your family's life. I had a wonderful time and it was an absolute pleasure to meet you guys. Oh, by the way, by all means...keep having beautiful children!

The Birthday Girl

2010-07-14T20:36:00.001-04:00

Blog world, meet Shenny.

Isn't she a beauty? Shenny is a very dear friend to me and my family (we go WAY back). If I had to say just one word in order to describe her, it would be HILARIOUS! She truly is the life of the party and in this particular occasion, she was the reason for the party. She called me a couple weeks ago to ask me to join her and some of her special girlfriends in order to capture and celebrate her birthday. Okay, well, one of her birthday celebrations. She's my kind of gal, she celebrates her birth week! Fun stuff too. She held her birthday brunch at The Chart House in Coconut Grove. It was a beautiful morning and all her lady friends were looking way too cool in their white outfits. Food was yummy, company was great, and the birthday girl was happy...and at the end of it all, that's all that matters;)

Shenny, thank you for having me join you on such a fun and special day in order to celebrate you. I definitely believe that everyone should have a "Shenny" in their lives. Love ya girl!

Showing off the bling;)

Loving the shoes girl!

Her cutsie daughter. She is such a pretty and sweet girl.

Jennifer and Tom

2010-06-30T11:25:00.000-04:00

I know I've said it. Many times I've said it. But, I'm going to say it again. I LOVE WHAT I DO! I seriously feel so blessed to be able to capture such special moments in peoples lives and call it my work. I get to befriend such wonderful people and I actually get to celebrate their moment with them. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Jennifer and Tom are two of those wonderful people that I write about. I had the pleasure of shooting their Jewish wedding and I have to say that I felt such joy while doing it. It was truly a wonderful experience for me (I had never attended a Jewish wedding ceremony before). I was drawn by all the jewish traditions during and after the ceremony. I was hoping I'd capture all those special moments with my camera in order to bring it to life once again, whenever viewed. I know that while I edited these photos, I relived the day all over again. The reception was just as special. It was very intimate, close family and friends, and I must say it was a celebration. The bride and groom were actually able to have a good time and enjoy their special day with their guest. Just perfect in my book.

Jennifer and Tom, thank you. Thank you for not only making me part of your special day, but for being kind, for being so in love, and well, for being such a good looking couple! You made my job easy;) May your special union be nothing but blessed with each other's love.

(P.S. You're families rock. They were also very kind and sweet towards me, I felt so comfortable around them).

Tom had such a wonderful smile during many parts of the ceremony. When I later asked him what was going thru his mind he said "I was just so happy to be marrying her". (So sweet). Jennifer's response "GOOD ANSWER BABE!"

These are ceremonial rings, aren't they beautiful?

MAZEL TOV!

All I can say about Michael's Catering...AMAZING! Seriously. YUM!

They're just too cool;)

I want one!

2010-06-25T14:51:00.001-04:00

Okay, maybe not right now but, eventually. Maybe. Just look at this cute, tiny, human being. She's just perfect. I forget how small they are when they're first born. World, meet baby Jascinda. She is the smallest princess of my dear friend Lisa (shout out to Mz. Lisa, woot woot). We tried our best to schedule this session as close to her birth as possible and accomplished it just shy of 2 weeks. She was so good. She was only heard when she was hungry, oh yeah, and poopie. I don't blame her though. I wouldn't be that pleasant during a photo shoot if I were poopie (I know, not so cute to visualize on a grown up, sorry). Good thing I'm leaving you with prettier images that will melt your heart and maybe, just maybe, leave you wanting one...or another (whatever your case may be;)

Thanks to Poppa Jason, and her little sisters Evangeline, and Antonella for help during the session. You guys are the best!

They grow so fast

2010-06-23T10:18:00.002-04:00

I could remember the days my sister use to let him sleep over when he was a toddler. He was a cuddler, liked to cuddle and I loved every minute of it. He would snuggle up really close, hug me, and kiss my cheek (he melted my heart). Then he grew up, and believe it or not, he still likes to cuddle but in a different kind of way. You know, the "Titi, let me see if I can carry you" kind of way, or wrestling with his uncle, or snatching his cousins hat from his head and running away. That's his way of saying...I love you. He's a teenager now, just turned 15 a few weeks ago. We did a mini session in order to make some invitations for his birthday party. I didn't think it was going to happen because, well, he's ALWAYS goofing around in front of the camera. He actually told me "naw Titi, that's not my thing". I guess his mom talked me out of it and I was so happy he agreed. We had such a nice time and I was very impressed with my new teenage nephew. He's growing up! He actually let me take his picture, and he wasn't crossing his eyes. Look how handsome he is. I love him so much, wish I could pick him up, hold him close, and kiss his cheek but, I will have to settle with letting him pick me up for now. I love you Elijah. Muah!

He likes to play chess so I wanted to get him in action. Taught me a couple things, I can't play if my life depended on it but, looks interesting;)

Princess Khloe

2010-06-21T14:06:00.005-04:00

A week ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the Cruz Family and their beautiful baby, Khloe. We gathered at the Church of the Epiphany, where her baptism took place. It was a very intimate and beautiful ceremony. It was so wonderful to witness the joy this family and their loved ones experienced while watching their little one get baptized. I'm way pass due on posting this session but wait no longer, here you go!

Nataly, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this special event in your family's life. I hope you enjoy your sneak peak.

Afterwards, everyone met at Casa Larios in sunset and celebrated some more with the princess. Mom made many of the decorations and I must say, everything was perfect.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-19T23:47:00.014-04:00

Dad, I can't express to you how much I love you. It's been a rough year for us, especially you, but I'm so grateful to God that I still have you in my life. Thank you for being the strong man that you are and for always being there for us no matter the circumstances, as we will always be there for you. I Love You!

Hubbs, what can I say to you that I haven't said already? You are a wonderful man. THE BEST husband, and even greater father. Here's a little something that the kids and I wanted to share with you. Hope you like.

Can't take the all the credit for originality, I was emailed this idea last year. I whipped this together in about 4 hours (photo session, photo editing, and slideshow editing). Very last minute but, my hubby is SOO worth it. Not bad for my first slideshow huh?

Journey to Joy

2010-05-24T22:44:00.003-04:00

A couple months ago we chatted a little about what she was hoping to do and when was the best time to do it. After exchanging pregnancy stories, and laughing our heads off, I went through my calendar and booked her session. I was so looking forward to getting creative with her because she was definitely willing to try something different...YAY ME! Well, originally, she was scheduled for last weekend but, the weather was not very cooperative. It rained almost all day. Blah! Yesterday however was JUST PERFECT. We did some indoor shots then went for a drive around the area and just had a blast. Little momma was a great sport about walking in heals anywhere and everywhere, even in tall, itchy, grass. Not one complaint, you go girl! Everything turned out just as I envisioned it and I even think prego and hubbs had a great time. I mean, at least that's what they said. You wouldn't lie to me right guys? I think they were telling the truth cause they treated me to Cold Stone Ice Cream afterwards (yay me again). Thank God for preggers and their cravings;)

Jael and Sam, you guys absolutely blew my mind with this session. You were great in front of the camera and I truly believe your love for each other had so much to do with it. I'm so happy for you guys and can't wait to see your life change, all for the better, when your little bundle of joy comes along (by the way, she's having a girl). God bless you guys in your "Journey to Joy" (as you guys call it). Muah!

Our First Communion

2010-05-12T01:50:00.005-04:00

I recently had the pleasure of spending a late afternoon with two of the prettiest young girls in Miami. These two lovely princesses got all dressed up in efforts to capture a very special time in their young lives, their first communion. Little Ms. S and little Ms. V were so well behaved and an absolute joy to be around. I loved shooting this session. Something a bit different for me (MY first communion session) and a great experience for that matter. In case your wondering, they're not sisters, they are good friends and so so cute! I fell in love with them all over again while editing their session. Ahhh, the beauty of childhood innocence, I love it. Barbie and Kathy, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of such a special time in your baby girl's lives. May you enjoy the special and sacred day planned for your two angels.

Facebook, Actors, and some I don't know whats

2010-04-29T00:38:00.003-04:00

Thanks to good ole facebook, I'm able to keep in touch with many people I have not seen in years and some...a decade or two. It had been quite a while that I had not seen this handsome young man. We grew up in the same church and his family and I pick up right where we left off whenever we run into each other. His mom contacted me a while back informing me that her baby boy (not so baby anymore) is acting now and was in need of some head shots for his portfolio and also some other fun pics for her. I couldn't wait to meet up with him, however, we had to wait a lil bit. He was playing a role in which he had to gain a few pounds so now, he needed to shed those pounds before the shoot. SIDENOTE: I could never be an actress, I have enough stress in my life with my weight. I could never "act" skinny:0. So yes, back to Jorge. The day finally came and we met face to face. I was so happy to see him. He wasn't a little kid anymore, he was a young man. I had such a great time shooting with him, catching up, and just getting to know this now grown up Jorgito, as we use to call him. He did great in front of the camera! An absolute natural. Despite some little bites here and there from some I don't know whats, we had a great time and the itching was worth it! I had to call his mom immediately after the session to let her know what a wonderful young man she raised. He made me proud and I'm not even his mother!

Jorge, it was an absolute pleasure working with you and I look forward to doing some other project with you in the future. You are an AWESOME young man with a wonderful personality, great talent, and good looks (lucky dawg you). God bless you in your journey and I will make sure to try and keep up with your adventures.

Check this handsome young man out!

My Absolute Favorite Pic...

It goes a little something like this...

2010-04-27T22:02:00.007-04:00

It was a hard decision but, it was one that she had to make. She didn't want to leave, to Detroit that is, but she felt it's where she needed to go and being the believer that she is, she was obedient and went. We kept in contact here and there. We shared quick texts, phone calls, and ichats just to check in and make sure all was well. Few months passed. Then half a year went by. She shared all sorts of news with us and although we missed her terribly, we were happy she was accomplishing so much and knew she was where she needed to be. Then, one day...I remember it well. We were ichatting when she shared that...SHE MET SOMEONE. We were all like "for realz"! No, it wasn't like just anyone, it was like THE ONE according to her. Feeling a little skeptical and overprotective of my darling little sister in law (she's 2 months older than me but very petite, but older than me. Did I mention she's older than me? Boowahahahah!). Back to the story. On one of her trips down to the M.I.A. she brought back a little bit of Detroit with her, Mr. Nate. The family (very big and mischievous) totally gave him a hard time but, welcomed him with open arms. Shortly after, on my birthday to be exact, he popped the question! We were so happy for them and to tell you the truth, we love him. They came down last week for a quick visit and some wedding planning so we took advantage and did their engagement session. We had a great time playing dress up and getting kicked out of locations but, the evening went by way to quick. We're hoping to get part II of this session in Detroit (woot woot). I'm excited! We don't have much time though, they'll be getting married this summer!

Laly and Nate, I'm so happy for you guys. I pray wonderful blessing on your relationship and soon to be marriage. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this special time in your lives. God bless you guys always;)
And...here they are!

It Just Shows

2010-04-01T17:43:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, while I'm on the computer working on my sessions, I'm so into what I'm doing that I practically relive the session all over again. While in la-la land, my kids ask me quite often "why are you smiling"? I tell them "because I love my work". This is so very true about me. I L.O.V.E M.Y. W.O.R.K. I love the experience of getting to know people in a different level, especially if I already "knew" them. I love making them laugh and helping them break out of that "I'm just not photogenic" shell that's wrapped around them before coming into the session. I love the expressions on their faces when they see themselves in the images and say "Wow, I really like how I/we look there". Its such an awesome feeling. My main goal while shooting is to make sure my pics come out as perfect as possible straight out of the camera but, sometimes a little tweek gets done here and there in my post processing. Although it involves a few extra steps, it allows me to dissect every image one by one, letting me soak it all in yet once again. I enjoy the process from the beginning to the very end. My passion for photography is so overwhelmingly satisfying to me that I can't help but smile, it just shows.

Here's the sneak peek I promised you of Junior and Keziah's engagement. Late but hey, cut me some slack;)

Not a baby anymore

2010-03-15T16:58:00.004-04:00

It seems like just yesterday I saw her come into this world. I was excited, emotional, and in absolute awe by what I had just witnessed. It was my first child bearing experience. It was AWESOME! I mean, reality tv had nothing on this! She was the first baby to come into our family. We were all so excited. She was the cutest thing ever. Tiny as can be and perfect. I can remember her curly little pinky toe. She was all too comfortable in her mommy's belly and stretched and pressed her little feet into her mom's ribs which gave her what I call her "curly pinky toe". It was absolute joy and perfection what I had just experienced.

Today, that tiny little person turns 15 (gosh I feel old). I can't believe how time just sped by us. A few weeks ago I had the privilege of shooting part of her Quince's photo shoot. I totally enjoyed every minute with my favorite fifteen year old girly girl. I thought she was precious when she was born but she's even more beautiful to me now that she's bigger and can talk and is constantly telling me that I'm her favorite aunt EVER! (Calm down dear sisters of mine...it's my blog and I can write and make up what I want to;).

Princess Jazmyne, I love you more than I ever could have imagined. I loved you when you were a baby and I've loved being your aunt in every stage of your life after that. I hope you enjoyed your birthday and pray that God bless you with many blessings today and the rest of your life. Enjoy being a teen because it goes by quick. I love you Princess.

Here's just a few of part one of her session (BEWARE...the beauty in my family is blinding;)

Forever Lasting Love Story

2010-03-11T00:05:00.004-05:00

Some time late in 2009, I decided to push myself a bit more and wet my feet with wedding photography. I started thinking and planning exactly how to execute my plan for 2010. I thought maybe I'd do some portfolio work here and there, ask some people to play dress up for me (hee hee), but within a matter of 2 weeks I was asked to photograph a wedding. Out of the blue! I was all like "WOOHOO! YOU GO GIRL WITH YOUR BAD SELF!" Eh hem, after I finished jumping on the bed, I went and jotted down the date in my calendar. The wedding was way down the line but I was so excited! Then, SHE asked! "Would you mind being my photographer verses my guest?" Girlfriend said what? At the moment, there was no bed to jump on so I had to be all professional and say "Why dawling of course it would be an upmost honor to photograph your wedding." (Then I ran to the nearest bathroom and screamed my lungs off WOOHOO! YOU GO GIRL WITH YOUR BAD SELF!) This wedding however was going to be around the corner so I had to get with the program and quick!

Time just flew by and the wedding day quickly approached. It was D day and I was ready baby! Last weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of capturing my two very dear friends wedding day, Junior and Keziah. She made a beautiful bride and he the most handsome groom. It was so beautiful seeing their love and special moments so up close. They were so lost in each other that I don't think they even realized I had the camera all up in their face (future and prospective clients, I'm so just kidding...I know about the comfort zone). Their wedding was so beautiful and the weather...just perfect. The wedding and reception were held at the beautiful Rusty Pelican in Key Biscayne. The backdrop was so beautiful. There was laughter, tears (the good kind), and so much love present. They enjoyed their day so much, they did not want it to end (she told me so).

Well, as I type out this way pass due blog post, they are somewhere in beautiful Puerto Rico, enjoying their new lives as husband and wife. Junior and Keziah, I pray wonderful blessings on your union and ask God to enrich your lives with all the elements necessarily for a forever lasting love story. Thank you for honoring me with this opportunity.

Here's just a few so you can get a little taste...

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my somewhat abandoned blog. Make sure and jot down a comment and tell me what you think! Stay tuned for some more of Keziah and Junior (engagement session, yeah...I'm all backwards) and other fun stuff I've yet to blog;)

Oh, and just an update...I have 3 more weddings booked for this year! WOOHOO!

More than friends, they're family

2010-03-03T20:34:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, well, many times, I sit back and think about the wonderful people in my life and it just brings a smile to my face and often...makes me want to cry (happy tears). We, my husband and I, have really been blessed with wonderful family and awesome friends. I've made reference to our peeps many times on this blog or on facebook as my "cheerleaders". Yeah, my cheerleaders. No, they don't dress up in colorful matching mini skirts, shorts, and shirts that say "MARGIE TOTALLY ROCKS" (at least not all of them;). They are just the type of people that motivate me when I need to be motivated. Believe in me when I sell myself short. Make me laugh when all I really want to do is cry. Laugh at my jokes when they're really not that funny (that's hardly ever by the way cause...I'm REALLY funny).

Of the many cheerleaders that I will one by one post awesome things about someday, today I share with you a few of my special peeps. Emily and Alex. My bestest friend in THE whole wide world and her hubby are so very dear to our hearts. Oh, and lets not forget my little Jacob. I mean their little Jacob (shout out to my godson...woot woot!). After many attempts of scheduling their family session we finally made it happen. Alex knew how much Emily wanted this photo shoot so he was a little sneaky and called me up behind her back and scheduled the date. He went out and bought matching outfits for everyone and made it happen, yeah...he's way cool like that. She was pleasantly surprised and we all had a great time capturing the moment.

I'm so grateful to this family for so much that they offer to my family and I. Their loving, giving, and genuine hearts are a gift in itself and I'm more than blessed to be called their friend (and actually family, Alex is my hubby's cousin;). Guys, I hope you enjoy your photos and look forward to capturing and sharing a lifetime of wonderful memories! Muah!

Blessed on both sides

2010-02-28T18:29:00.006-05:00

I love babies. I mean, its really hard for me not to get all goo goo ga ga whenever I make eye contact with one of them. I was very excited to meet Carol's family for the very first time. Carol works with my hubby and I hadn't seen her since she was about 5 months pregnant (and still wasn't showing...grrr). I find Carol to be such a beautiful woman so I was expecting nothing less than a good looking child but wow, I was totally swept away and captivated by this little boy! He is such a cutie! And let me tell you, he was totally loving the camera. Most babies lose the smile once I put the camera on my face but not Mr. Joshua . He smiled the whole time and even followed me around which made it so easy for me to get some great shots. I loved all the curly hair going on in this family, including Justin's, Mr. Dad. They are such a great looking family and very sweet! Blessed with great looks on both sides. Lucky kid.

Guys, it was awesome working with you guys and hope you enjoyed the session and the outcome. You make a beautiful family and can't wait to see what your other kids look like (hee,hee...wishful thinking Carol;)

Gosh, I love what I do

2010-02-01T23:19:00.002-05:00

I couldn't figure out how to write this post. I typed, back spaced, typed again, and cleared the page a zillion times. I didn't know how to exactly express the thoughts and feelings that went through my mind as I edited this family session. I couldn't help but think about the ups and downs every family goes through as a unit. Some family more than others, but I'm almost sure we all have them, the ups and downs that is. How we handle these situations, as a individuals and as a family, is what makes the difference in our families. While editing this session, I smiled at my computer as I went through the images, I couldn't help but feel happy. I felt joy to see this very special family so happy, together. I put myself in their shoes at that very moment as a mother, daughter, and sibling, and, like them, I felt so blessed to have my family, regardless of our ups and downs (and God knows we have em;). It was an absolute pleasure to capture these fun moments with Marilyn (mom), Ivette (daughter), and Marcos (son). Although the complete family was not all there, 4 really cute grandkids were out of town, Mom wanted to at least update her photos with her now grown up kids. I could not have felt more honored that she chose me to help her accomplish that. I just love that those I photograph also benefit from my passion for photography. It's my love for photography and their love for each other that make for some special and memorable moments that keep me staring and smiling at my computer screen thinking..."Gosh I love what I do".

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.-- Anthony Brandt"

Buttercup

2010-01-13T15:03:00.007-05:00

She shared with me her desire to do this many years ago. It brought a smile to my face and I hoped some day it would happen. Happily married and ready for the next step, she and her husband decided it was now time. Time to start their family. Time to bring the joy of a special child into their lives. Time to pour in some of their love into the life of a small being. A small being that they would be responsible for the rest of their lives. The process wasn't going to be an easy one, but they were prepared. They were willing to get in line to what might be a lengthy emotional roller coaster. After many months of classes, inspections, and volunteer hours, they were now REALLY ready. However, now they had to wait, wait for that perfect special child to come into their lives. Its been about 4 months now that their waiting has come to an end. My lovely cousin Evy and her husband Anthony received a phone call asking if they'd be willing to foster a 3 week old baby girl and they couldn't get to her fast enough. Within hours they had her at home and had totally fallen in love with her. It's been both exciting and emotional for them but, things are looking very good for their little family. God willing, adoption should be final very soon. Evy and Anthony, I admire the strength, love, faith, and courage that I've seen in your lives during these 4 months and am eager to celebrate your happy ending with you. God bless you and your little buttercup, always.

World, say hello to Carolina's feet! lol. Due to legal issues, we cannot post pictures of her darling face just yet (adoption has to be final). But stay tuned cause Ms. Thang will make her grand debut on this blog soon!

2010-01-11T22:46:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! Wow! It's been more than a month that I've posted on my blog. I've been M.I.A., but for a good reason though. I've been really, really, busy. Mid November came and I literally got SWAMPED with christmas card sessions which, get this, I DID NOT EVEN PROMOTE. Due to my move and my fathers accident, I was going to pass on my annual christmas card sessions but, I kept getting call after call asking me to book just one more. I kid you not I was shooting christmas card sessions in mid December. I just couldn't say no. THAT, however, will not happen again this year. It ran me ragged. So yeah, that's where I've been, behind the lens and in front of the computer...editing and ordering prints. I do promise to go back and post on most of my sessions (some families asked me not to post their photos so...I must obey;). On another note, I'm super duper excited about 2010 and all the wonderful things coming our way! Woohoo! I mean, I know we can make changes on any given day, but there's just something about the new year that makes it easy to set goals and all excited to stick with it. I'm on day 11 of my new year and although I was not able to get started on day one with all my resolutions, I feel great knowing that I'm on a good start! Yes!

I'll be posting individual post on each session but for now, here's a sneak peek on some of my recent sessions. I love happy families!

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned!

So hard to pick a favorite...

2009-11-21T21:19:00.003-05:00

So, I posted a whole bunch! Today I had a wonderful time shooting (not literally;) a very beautiful family at one of my favorite and most beautiful places to visit, the Biltmore Hotel. Just being there made me feel like I went on vacation. Not only were they dressed super sharp (all 3 outfit changes thank you very much!) but they were very easy to work with. Just look at that little boy...isn't he CUTE! He was so ready for the photo shoot too. Mom and Dad did an excellent job prepping him up. Well fed and rested children make happy subjects! Yay for me. Maria and Cesar, you guys did an awesome job. You guys were so comfortable in front of the camera which makes my job easy...except when it came to picking just a few pics to post. Hope you enjoy your sneak peek.

P.S.
Maria, loved how you tied everyone's outfits together, Great job! Now, your shoes! OMG! LOVE LOVE LOVE! Are we the same size??

A baby and some Thank You's

2009-11-04T11:24:00.005-05:00

It seemed like it was never going to happen but finally, we made it happen. Due to our never ending move and my dad's accident, these past couple of months have been very trying for me. I was so far behind on my editing. Had to postpone photo shoots. Unable to book new sessions. At times, I felt like I was going to lose my mind but, thank the good Lord I'm good, my Dad is alive and well, I'm back. Back on track and excited. I'm all caught up, adjusting to the new place, and balancing out all the things that I must juggle to get things going in our lives. Now, lets talk about this "newborn" session, which had been a long time coming but due to all the crazies going on in my life lately it really became almost impossible. We've actually attempted this session many times but due to lighting situations, malfunctioning lighting equipment, and cranky babies...it was just not happening. I almost questioned myself as a photographer (yeah, stress will do that to you). However, it happened and we (mom and I) were very much relieved that we were able to capture baby Kayra before her fifteens session! She was 5 weeks in this session and...fast asleep (thank you God), which made it much easier for me. I was so pleased with this session that it was very hard just to pick a few so, since it's been a while since I posted some pics, I'm doing a little extra than I usually do. Pura, thank you for being so patient and understanding during this whole process. Love you guys to pieces;) Hope you like...

For all those who sent prayers out for my dad and family...thank you so much, your prayers were heard. For all those who visited...thank you so much, those moments meant a lot to us. For those of you who in one way or another helped our family during those crazy and overwhelming moments...thank you so much! We love you all!

Too cute for words...

2009-10-09T21:23:00.003-04:00

Really. She is. This precious little 2 week old princess belongs to my darling friends Pura and Randy. We did her her maternity session a few weeks back and I'm glad we did it then because she delivered a whole month early. Can't wait to post more pictures but for now this is a single photo sneak peek, more like a teaser. Will post more soon. Have a blessed and happy weekend!
(I wonder what she's thinking?)

Mr. Fifteen

2009-10-08T23:45:00.002-04:00

Its been a long time coming but we finally did it. Mr. Travis turned 15 in early September but due to our conflicting schedules and my never ending move, it had to be postponed but I must say, it was well worth the wait. We (Travis, my niece Jazmyne, and I) had a great time exploring the site and getting creative. At first he was a little hesitant to do what I asked but, I won him over and it didn't take long for him to get comfortable in front of the camera. His attention span was a little short (lol) but we worked it out. He's definitely a cutie isn't he? We'll be doing another session at a second location soon so stay tuned for that! Happy Belated Travis. Hope you like your sneak peek!

Had to talk him into this one...he finally did it for me;)

Beautiful Family

2009-10-04T23:13:00.003-04:00

It's always a pleasure for me to be around happy families and today's photo shoot was all about that, a happy family. I had the wonderful opportunity to be around this wonderful family of 4 who, are not only beautiful on the inside but also on the outside. Little guy, Mr. M, was a total breeze to shoot. He's at an age where he totally just gets it. "Look here, smile, less teeth" click, and we're done. Plus, he's a super bright 4 year old and oh so handsome isn't he? Now little Ms. S is a total trip. She just turned 2 and she had me on my toes. She was ready for the camera the moment she got off the car. I think she was saying cheese before her dad took off her seat belt. However, it was all on her terms. "Cheese, but catch up photographer lady". lol. She was just being herself, and wanted me to capture just that. Funny, every time she'd see me taking a picture of her brother, she would try to get in the picture too. Funny little girl, and so pretty! Loved her pig tales. This family is one of those that just brings a smile to your face. Made me wanna come home and squeeze my hubby and kids til they begged me to stop;) Wonderful way to spend my sunday evening. (I had too many favorites...so hard to pick just a few).

Simply MARVA-lous!

2009-09-26T23:49:00.006-04:00

Today I had such a fun time with a wonderful young lady named Marva. This beautiful soon to be thirty year old (can you believe that?) contacted me quite a while ago to book her "anytime" shoot just because she was in the mood to celebrate life. Isn't that cool? Not only is she entering a special stage in her life but she also finished her MA degree a while ago and at this point she is "just starting to enjoy life", as she perfectly put it in her first email to me. From what I understand (a little birdie told me) she is a very talented writer of poetry. I thought that was way cool. I look forward to reading some of her stuff soon;) Well Ms. Marva, you looked awesome and it was my absolute pleasure capturing you at this special point in your life. Enjoy your sneak peek!

P.S.
You totally rocked that second outfit! Those boots! Oh those boots!

Make up done by the Mrs.Emily herself (contact me for more info).

Sanibel Harbour

2009-09-21T14:12:00.008-04:00

What a week! I have been soo busy (we're moving) and I tell you this is no fun. I'm so backed up on things its messing with my sleep just thinking about all that needs to be done (photography wise and the move). I must start off by apologizing to this awesome family for posting their sneak peek more than a week late! I had the privilege of shooting at this awesome location, Sanibel Harbour Resort. We (about 25 woman) were there for a scrapbook retreat hosted by the Fantastic Damaris (my sis) of Scrapbook Designs Unlimited. One of the wonderful ladies registered was Laura (who mind you flew in all the way from New Jersey). Laura contacted me a while ago so we could take advantage of the beautiful scenery at Sanibel Harbour and have a family shoot. I absolutely loved the place. These wonderful models, Laura, her boyfriend Wbeimar (pronounced Way-mar), and her beautiful daughter Lily, were so fun to work with. Although the place was beautiful, the weather was kinda working against us. It rained ALL weekend! We were able to get some dry time and have some fun by the pier and the beach area behind the resort. Lily cracks me up. She has her little model-tude going on! She'd be all smiles and giggles one minute, then I'd ask her to do something and it was almost automatic, Bam! A pose. She was awesome, must be the Jersey in her huh Laura? Thanks for the opportunity Laura. I had a great time exploring this place with you guys! Oh before I go, need to give Laura HUGE props for her weight loss. She's lost almost 30 pounds! That's just awesome if you ask me! She was so good with her eating too. For dinner we had a grilled chicken breast, yummy fancy mashed potatoes, and veggies. I was so hungry, I ate ALL of it. Yup, I just needed to lick the plate but, I behaved. Ms. Laura however ate half of everything and explained to me the whole logic of "Portion Control". Wow, I'm so glad she explained that to me because I was just about to ask her "can I have your left overs"? lol. Check her personal blog out here.

One of my favorite shots.

Isn't she lovely?

2009-09-03T23:57:00.004-04:00

There's just something about a pregnant woman that brings a smile to everyone's face. Okay, maybe not everyone but at least that's the case with me. It just brings up such wonderful memories of pregnancy, I love it, such special moments. Now, I know that while being pregnant, woman don't necessarily feel this way but, hey, just know you bring a smile to my face! This pregnant beauty might look familiar. She had a family session done some time late last year. This is Pura's 2nd pregnancy and I must say I think she's looking so good! I tell her everytime I see her, right before she gives me the "get out of my face" and "can't wait to get this baby out" look. lol. She cracks me up. She has about a month left but she's ready to go now! They, her and husband, have decided to be surprised with the sex of the baby. Yay, I love that. Many are not fans of that but I think it's just an awesome feeling when the doctor holds that baby in his, or her, hands and says "It's a boy, or girl"! Priceless, awesome, feeling. I can be a witness to that. It's not easy holding off on the temptation of asking every time you get a sonogram done, but it sure is worth it. Anyways, we had a great time during the photo shoot. Her little girl came along for the session however, she wasn't much in the mood of getting her pictures taken. She'd run in front of her mom, say cheese, and run off. To quick for me. She's a trip. Pura, It was my absolute pleasure being able to capture you in such a special stage in your life. Thank you for allowing me to get a little creative. I love you, mucho! Can't wait to get my hands on your little newborn. I have lots planned for that one!

They did it again!

2009-08-31T23:38:00.003-04:00

Part II of Tommy and Laura's engagement session went really well today if I do say so myself! Due to the technical difficulties on our 1st shoot, we had to postpone the city shots we planned on doing that day. Mz. Laura showed up with a stunning red dress and matching red shoes to top it off. Talk about HOT! She is such a beautiful young lady, and Mr. Tommy doesn't stay behind, handsome young fella! You know what's the best part about it all, they are just as beautiful on the inside, super sweet, intelligent, and funny. Tommy and Laura, I have truly enjoyed working with this special couple. I wish you nothing but love, happiness, and success in your future as a couple and everything you strive to accomplish as individuals. Keep in touch;) God bless you always.

Love and Mosquitoes

2009-08-23T12:30:00.001-04:00

No, not love for mosquitoes. Love. Mosquitoes. Two things that were ever so present in this photo shoot. Despite the pesky and itchy situation, my couple ROCKED this session. Here we have Tommy and Laura, my new favorite couple;) They are planning there weddings, yes weddings, for mid year 2010. They are going to first celebrate here in Miami then off to Venezuela for THE wedding (I'm all excited about that, don't know why)? Anyways, I always get a little nervous before my sessions (just because) but as soon as they arrived, I was good. They were so sweet, in love, and willing to do whatever I asked. Camera loved them, and so did I. At first I was a little concerned due to weather issues. It was sunny. Then gray. Then Sunny with thunder? Thank God nothing happened (this was actually a reschedule due to stormy weather a couple weeks back). The couple was in love, the skies behaved, mosquitoes settled down, then IT happened. It was bad. Like REALLY bad. I mean, I always feared this happening but not at the actual session. We were pretty much wrapping it up when all of a sudden, I realized I only had 10 images on my camera. 10 images!!! All my images were GONE! I didn't panic. I think I held my composure. I told them what was happening, I stopped taking pictures, and called it a night. Went to the car and cried my head off! Just kidding (that's what Laura said I was going to do, lol). I knew there was a way to retrieve the photos. I KNEW THERE WAS (Holy Jesus, let there be a way). There was. Irving (My hubby, My hero), did some research and by the time I got home, he had the computer all set up for OPERATION GET MY PHOTOS BACK! It took a while but, here you have it! Tommy and Laura, thanks for being so understanding and wonderful models! I look forward to our future sessions. Enjoy!

The Humming Beauty

2009-08-22T23:51:00.007-04:00

"Wait, what am I doing?" is what she asked almost every time she saw me clicking away at the camera. I tried my best to make her laugh but, I think she made me laugh even more. Whenever I asked her for a serious expression, she'd hum things. Yes, things. She was actually "asking" me something by humming. I tell you, she had me cracking up. This beautiful young lady, Jasmine, is the daughter of a very close and special friend to our family (Yes Nay, I'm talking about you;). She called me out of the blue because she wanted some special pictures of her beautiful teenage princess. I've known her since she was a baby, saw her crawling around with my nieces and nephew, and now, she's taller than me. Well, almost everyone is taller than me but that's besides the point. At any rate, it was an absolute pleasure spending this VERY HOT (sorry girls) saturday afternoon with a fun group of girls. You made me feel young again;) Special shout out to her BFF, Veronica, the beauty in the maroon shirt, and Noemi for being a wonderful assistant! Til next time! Yup, there is a part two to this session. This is becoming a habit :O

Yup...she's humming.

Looky, Looky Part II

2009-07-26T23:43:00.004-04:00

OK, so every session is my favorite but, really? Look at this kid! We had so much fun with this shoot (yes, again). It got really hot. Like way hot. But I managed to stay in a good mood. Actually, I was quite happy to be honest with you. Oniel is a saint no matter how hot or cold it is, so the heat didn't bother him a bit. He was so open to try whatever, whenever, and I just LOVED THAT! He went back home today:( His parents and sisters missed him a bunch and came to pick him up). I'm so grateful and honored that they chose me to capture such a special time in their lives. I feel special! Thanks so much my special familia from Kissimmee! Oniel went back home a little different though, he went back all "Model" like. Before leaving, he actually told his mom "Can we do this for my 16th birthday too"? After cracking up, she popped him on the head and told him to take a chill pill (lol). Coming from a very quiet kid...that made my day. No, my year! Let me know what you think!

Looky Here, Looky Here!

2009-07-22T20:06:00.003-04:00

I just love it when I get the opportunity to get someone, who is not use to being the center of attention, in front of my camera. This young man is tremendously quiet but an absolute joy to be around...and very photogenic! He's a natural I tell you! We had so much fun. He knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Between you and I, I THINK HE REALLY ENJOYED HIMSELF! My darling Oniel came all the way from Kissimmee (a 3-4 hour drive) to get his pictures taken. His very proud Grandma wanted to treat him to a very special gift for his fifteenth birthday (you're the bomb G-MA). Oniel, you're soo adorable and sooo sweet, I wanna keep you forever! There's another part to this session, and I'm totally excited about it. Can't wait to show you all...but we must wait. HA! Stay tuned!

Look at those cheeks!

2009-06-06T21:20:00.000-04:00

This is baby "I". He is so cute! Mom and Grandma did such a great job preparing him, he was just in a perfect mood. Ready to be a super star. I actually let my little girl tag along with me for this one and she was a great help. She would get his attention along with mom and grandma in the background. I was cracking up while taking these pictures. I could here them having a work out trying to get the baby's attention. I wished I had brought a video camera to get all that in action! Next time...lol. It was a pleasure capturing this gorgeous baby just being himself and also bonding with mom and grandma. Oh Grandma, thanks for the bubbles and entertaining my little girl.

The big little girl...

2009-05-23T23:48:00.006-04:00

Is going to turn 5 and mom wanted a special photo shoot to capture this new stage in her life. Believe it or not, yesterday this princess had hair way past her waist but not anymore. They donated 12 inches of hair and little miss thing is loving her new haircut. That hot momma you see here is my cousin and her beautiful daughter..."Ms. L". This little girl is so funny. She knows what she wants, when she wants, and where she wants it. She's so fun to be around. I must admit, she was done with the photo shoot about 5 minutes into it but, she was a great sport. Thank goodness for kids short attention span. She would be crying one minute then I'd get her attention back and she'd be smiling the next minute and back and forth we went. All and all it was fun. This was the indoor part of the photo shoot. We also did some outdoor shots...that's a long story which we'll share in another post. "I'm federal baby!" (Inside joke between the cuz and I...lol!) Love you girls! Hope you like!

Cutest Little Man

2009-05-08T23:42:00.012-04:00

This little boy melts my heart! He was way past due for his 6 month shoot so...it turned out to be a 7 month one but it was just as perfect. He was such a happy baby, I just had to catch him being himself. Dad tried his best to make him laugh but he got tired and gave up. Of course Little Man "R" waited til he was buckled in his car seat to start cracking up. Aw...the joy of being a baby and the pleasure they get when they mess with our heads! He was just perfect.

Sweet and 15

2009-04-25T11:48:00.004-04:00

Check out little Miss "T". Today we did her "Sweet Fifteens" photo shoot and I must say...I had a great time. One of the first things I asked her was "do you like to take pictures"? She answers "no". Well she could've fooled me! She was a natural. Turning the face, giving me the eyes...she was great! I have so many favorites but for now here's two. Isn't she pretty? Miss "T", enjoy this time in your life. It goes by soo fast!

9 Days Old...

2009-04-15T03:38:00.000-04:00

and he's soo cute! This here is baby "J". He will always be a very special baby to me because...he's my very first Newborn/Indoor photo shoot. It went great! He was barely asleep, awake and hungry almost the whole time! Mom and Dad were great during the whole session and I am, and forever will be eternally grateful for allowing me to share these special moments with you! God bless your new little famillia! Muah!

Just a few for now. Will post more some time this week. Let me know what you think!

Testing...

2009-04-01T22:23:00.000-04:00

Playing around with black backdrop. My darling princess happily modeled for me. More indoor photography in the near future.

Special Session

2009-02-15T14:06:00.000-05:00

Lets just say it was a valentines day present for her hubby. We had soo much fun! This beauty here is a mother of two, and she looks soo good! The location was challenging due to the space but I wouldn't have done it any other way. It turned out a lot better than I thought it would. She was happy. Hubby was happy. My job was done;)

Sorry, just one. These were for his eyes only.

Before you go

2009-01-15T01:23:00.000-05:00

This is a very sweet and dear family to us. This is my daughters Girls Ministry teacher (and her family) from our church. Her Husband lives out of the states but has been in town since the holidays and will be leaving again for a while tomorrow. She was looking to have an updated family portrait and I think we accomplished that and then some. They had fun, which they were not expecting. I really love what I do. Not only does it allow me to take pictures, but it also gives me a chance to get to know people at a different level. Beautiful, special family.

Check this cutie out

2008-12-22T00:06:00.000-05:00

This adorable little girl turned one last month and her one year session was way past due. She was in such a great mood, perfect for pictures, love it when that happens. There were ducks all over the park and she was loving it. Guess who she is? My cutie patootie niece, the baby-est of them all. I took so many pictures, I almost posted them all! Isn't she cute? Just want to eat her up!

Just because...

2008-12-08T01:05:00.000-05:00

Had a great time taking pics of a fabulous chic today. She's no stranger to my camera. Those two (my camera and her) have a very special friendship. Rarely a bad shot with her. Today we took some pics just because. Sometimes we just really need to do something special for ourselves and that's exactly what she did. Here's just a few of the many awesome shots. She's so photogenic!

Here comes number four...

2008-11-27T18:49:00.000-05:00

And mom is looking great. Its Thanksgiving Day and mother-to-be is due next week. This was the absolute only day she was available to take pictures so, I squeezed her into my already hectic day but it was so worth it. She is already a beautiful girl but there's something about pregnancy that makes a woman even prettier. She already has a boy and 2 girls with baby boy #2 on his way. Fun stuff! The kids had a blast just horsing around while mom posed like this and then like that. Beautiful, sweet family. Happy Thanksgiving Day to all.

Wonderful Christmas Cheer

2008-11-24T00:57:00.000-05:00

I loved the awesome red on these guys! Okay, so dad doesn't have any red on but he still looked great. Another fun and loving family. Some couples have a hard time being affectionate around the camera but not these guys. I felt the love! They did great! And the little guy did awesome as well. He looks soo handsome in these pictures. Mom, Dad...he's growing up, watch out with the girls!

A Windy and Chilly day

2008-11-23T00:38:00.000-05:00

But they still rocked this session! This family was a pleasure to be around, as usual. With a kid that cute, a couple with a wonderful sense of humor, and enough love to tie it all together, it's impossible not to capture a zillion great shots. It was hard just picking a few.

Dad, Mom, and 3 Boys

2008-11-16T10:52:00.000-05:00

It was a beautiful day to take pictures of a cute a heck family. A family of five might I add (and mom looks so good)! Not everyone was in the mood for pictures today (you know who you are little buddy) but it all turned out very well. Good looking people like this make my job easy. Now boys who want nothing to do with my camera is another thing, but I have my way of getting their attention, hee hee. Stay tuned...mom will be having a session of her own in the near future!

Bunch of Cousins

2008-10-21T01:24:00.000-04:00

...9 in total. From babies to teenagers. They were a sweet and obedient group of kids. Titi (who didn't come out in any pics this time) was surprising Grandma with a portrait of all the grandkids and also took advantage of the Christmas Card sessions I'm offering. Very photogenic kids! They were horsing around a lot (like all kids do) but when it was their time for there individual shots, whoa! The models came out in them! Too cute. Had lots of fun with all these future models!

Two boys in a park

2008-09-08T23:28:00.000-04:00

Look at these two cuties! They are only months apart. My darling best friend ask me to capture these fun times between her son (light hair cutie) and her cousin's son (dark hair cutie). Most of her family lives in Venezuela so although they are a very close in relationship, the distance makes it a little hard to see each other as much as they'd like. The kids had a blast just being themselves and trying to eat grass and sand whenever possible. The mom's got a workout trying to focus the kids attention towards each other or towards the camera to get good shots, oh yeah, and keeping the grass and sand out of their mouths. I just smiled the whole time and clicked away while thinking "I love my job". Aren't they cute?

A Very Special Belly

2008-09-08T00:19:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun clicking away with this expecting couple today. They really were a lot of fun to be around. I felt so blessed to be there and capture such beautiful moments. Honestly speaking, they were so natural at it. I barely had to direct them. You could tell they're so in love...how beautiful! They will always have a special place in my heart, they are my first official session! Thanks guys! Muah!