Kitt & Family | Mikaela Joy: Savannah, GA Family Photographer

One of my favorite things about being a photographer is working with the same family more than once and watching how they grow and change.  You may remember this photo from a while back:

I worked with Kitt for the first time for a babywearing session earlier this year.  These two were absolutely wonderful together, and I loved working with them, so of course I was thrilled when Kitt asked me to do photos with her whole family.

It turns out the whole family includes three dogs, and a cat.  She calls them their pack- how perfect is that!

Just like the first time, this family was great to work with.  I can't wait to help them capture more of their future memories!  I also can't wait for another visit to their house just for the chance to lay in their fluffy pile of dogs :)

Chad and Erika | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

Last week, some good friends of mine Chad and Erika invited me into their home to do a lifestyle photoshoot of them.  Erika is expecting, but not showing yet, so this will be some of their last photos as just the two of them (plus dogs).  We really focused on the two of them in their natural surroundings, and I love the way this shoot turned out.

These two were a blast to work with, but I already knew that.  Chad and Erika are always great to hang out with. But watching the interactions between these two was even better.

Chad is straight up goofy and constantly making faces or striking a Captain Morgan pose for the camera, despite Erika trying her hardest to get him to be serious.  We were starting to think he may not be capable.

We weren't sure what the photos would look like in the end, but as I look at the results all I can see is love between this little family.  Look at Chad's face in that ultrasound shot. He is absolutely beaming! And he has good reason. What a gorgeous family!

I'm so excited to come back and do this shoot again, but next time the family will be just a bit bigger.

We rounded out the shoot by letting Chad play with their gorgeous husky, Cyan.  She was very playful and wouldn't sit still, but I like the action shots anyway.  Look at those eyes!

I loved this photo shoot, and am excited to try more of these indoor lifestyle shoots. This just a little peak into the shoot, but you can find the rest on my website, here.

The Longer the Waiting (The Sweeter the Kiss) | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

Jen and Matt were the couple of the hour when I took their photos at Bethesda a little while back.  Jen is a friend of mine and while I know her pretty well, I'd only met Matt once before these photos.  You see, Matt works overseas and these two chose to spend a precious hour of Matt's month at home with me, taking some photos.

Because of their limited time together, I really wanted to make something special of this session.  After all, a picture can be a huge comfort while in a long distance marriage.  As an army wife, I've thought a lot about what I would do when my husband gets deployed, and I know that I would want to get some good photos taken before he left.

This was also a special shoot because of the fresh emotions that come from a happy reunion.  It was important to me to get shots that really captured what these two feel for each other.  In a way this session was kind of like shooting a wedding.  We were just missing all the chaos of an actual wedding.

All of this combined made this session feel pretty important, and one that I truly wanted to get right. We were all nervous at first, but as usual we took a few shots and everybody started to loosen up.  We wandered haphazardly around Wormsloe for a while (I'd never been past the main area with the trees and therefore didn't know what was what) and then finished out the shoot at Bethesda.  We explored, talked, and tried out whatever poses we could think of (some that worked, some not so much) and most of all, had a really good time doing it.  I quite enjoyed working with Matt and Jen and am excited by how the photos turned out.  Most importantly, I hope they are too!

If you like what you see here, please check out my website http://www.mikaelajoy.smugmug.com where you can see this full album and more of my work, as well as contact me to book a session of your own.

One Year Together for Kyle and Cailey | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

A while back I took some photos with Kyle and Cailey, a lovely couple that had just reached their one year anniversary.  It was a last minute session (although we had been trying to plan it for weeks), that came about when our schedules finally just fell into place.

Kyle and Cailey had just reached their one year anniversary and wanted to celebrate with some pictures.  They came prepared with props, different clothes, and lots of ideas.  That, combined with Cailey's previous experience in front of the camera made this session a breeze.  We didn't have to worry about posing much, which kept this session relaxed and fun. In the car on the way there they were issued a challenge- I said they'd end up on my blog, only if they proved to be interesting enough.  Well they most certainly did. Kyle started out the session by talking to some chickens (as in cluck, cluck) and I could tell right away that we'd get along just fine.

Although the session flew by, it did take me a little while to get these photos edited.  That's because the photos were turning out so great that by the time I was done I ended up with fifty edited keepers.  Fifty!

But enough with the chit-chat.  Let's get to the photos!

Don't these two look so incredibly happy together?  Congratulations on your anniversary, you two, and here's to many more!

Promises and Pistols | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

On Sept 29th, my brother in law and his fiance got married and they chose me as their photographer.  When they first asked, I said no.  I didn't think I was ready for an event as big as a wedding, and looking back at the pictures I took on the day they asked, I was right.  I still wouldn't agree to anyone else's wedding just yet, but they are family and they insisted, so of course I said I'd do it.

Just because I said I'd do it doesn't mean I was confident though. For the days leading up to the ceremony I was pretty stressed- probably more so than my own wedding! I spent way too much time worrying about what I was going to do and how I was going to do it, but when it came down to it, everything seemed to fall into place and I think I pulled it off.

The ceremony was small and beautiful.  I helped the bride, Mallory get ready and took a few pictures and then rode in with her dad to the park where the ceremony took place.  The boys set up the arch and decorated the dock with bows, and (thank god for my husband) did a wonderful job putting everything in the best possible location in terms of lighting.   The ceremony was conducted by Robert, the groom's brother who is also my husband. A group of close family and friends gathered on the dock to watch Matt and Mallory looking so happy together (Look at Matt's face when first seeing his bride!)

After the ceremony we made our way around the park for portraits.  We had a slight setback when Mallory (who is pregnant) got sick after I suggested Matt pick her up and spin her around (my bad), but it turned out all she needed was a cheeseburger.  After that we were good to go.  At this point the stress had melted away and we were all relaxed enough to just really have fun with the pictures.  We even got some photos of Matt and Mallory with some kick-ass guns on the railroad tracks.  We were told to leave halfway through, but it doesn't matter.  I got the shot.

Afterwards we went to the reception at a friend's house for a delicious low-country boil followed by champagne and cake.  I think the highlight of the whole thing was during the cake cutting when Mallory forgot to put the knife down before smearing cake in Matt's face, and accidentally stabbed him.  What a great start to a marriage!  This wedding was unique, quirky, and so much fun, just like the bride and groom.

It really meant a lot to me that Matt and Mallory trusted me to capture this life-changing event of theirs, even when I didn't fully trust myself to do so.  It'll be so great to see this photos in big print on their walls and I hope that it will help them to savor this wonderful moment in their lives.

As for me, the experience has made me realize how much I would love to do weddings as a job in the future.  I know I'm not ready yet, but it's something to work towards and that is a very exciting prospect.

Anyway, congratulations to Matt and Mallory!  I'm excited to be a part of this new life that you two are starting together and I wish you only the best.  You two deserve it.

Winter Hair

I worked the morning shift today and, up until I was trying to leave, work was incredibly slow. After running out of ways to keep myself busy I decided to do some writing.  It's awfully peaceful in the mornings at Sam's when two or three members straggle through the store.  Anyway, along with a page or two for a piece of fiction that I'm working on, this is what I came up with.  It's a little out of season, but being in Georgia has deprived me of my winters, so I'll write about them year round. So here it is:

 

Winter Hair

The tips of her trembling toes entice me, peeking from beneath the fire-soaked wool of her blanket.  “The winter’s

too cold,” she says ,”Let’s migrate south like the geese where I’ll never have to bother with icicles again.   But I like

the goosebumps forming on her freckled forearm as she clutches the blanket tighter to her chest. “Come,” she says, “Hold me close,” and I know

the sweet scent of home lies in her cold, winter hair.