Jason & Kristen... Engaged!!!

One of my favorite things about this couple is probably something anyone who knows them would most likely agree with. When Jason and Kristen are together, they are smiling! They have personalities that are a great compliment to each other. I had not met Jason until this session, and I always try to go easy on the guys because the majority of them are doing the session for someone else, not because they WANT to! Typically the guys take a little more directing to get certain "poses/looks"... but Jason... he was a total natural in front of the camera. Their wedding is going to be SO.MUCH.FUN.

When you watch Jason and Kristen you notice the smiles that I already mentioned, but you also can see how comfortable they are with each other. They both seem pretty easy going and their love for each other is very obvious, they pick on each other and definitely know how to have fun together!

Thank you Jason and Kristen!!! Looking forward to May!

They came back!

Kaitlyn (above) has grown into such a sweet gentle little girl. She seems so easy going to me, she was pretty shy and unsure about me 2 years ago when I did their session and this time, she has completely come into her own. She is just beautiful.

Ethan (below) is a total natural in front of the camera... and look at those reflective big brown eyes... SO handsome!
You know you are parents when....
And Timothy is not a baby anymore :-( Bittersweet, but one thing his is... He IS TWO!!! and if you have ever had a 2 year old boy you know exactly what I mean! Look at how gorgeous his eyes are.


I really HATE to go back on my blog and look at old sessions because I am hard on myself and I look photos and go, "ugh Kari, why did you do this or that?" However.... feel free to head to this post back in 2007 to see how much these kiddos have grown and changed".

It has been 2 years since I have seen this family. So I was so excited to get the chance to do family pictures for them again. They are so much fun to be around! I met up with them at their home and we ventured back to a pond that they have behind their house where they spend a lot of time and even have names for the fish in the pond ;-) "One eye" is a huge bass with... well one eye!

Rosa, Tim, and kiddos. It was so wonderful to see you and catch up. I could not be more honored to be able to watch your family grow up. You two are wonderful parents and are doing a beautiful job with your kids, I admire your patience and heart for them!

Santa Days - Holiday Season 2009

I think I have kept you all in suspense long enough!!! So it's time to break the news for our Holiday 2009 event. We really want to see this become a yearly event where we can provide some great family fun photo sessions and also give back to our communities at the same time. I have some incredible people behind this event who are helping Holly and I get everything planned, styled, created and constructed. So with that... id like to send out a huge THANK YOU to: Jess over at Image That Graphic Design and Kylee (Details... Details Wedding and Event Planning) who is our set designer and visionary to help make our visions and ideas a reality.

AHHH... I can't believe I'm among the businesses launching Christmas didn't we just have July 4th? I have always been a tad like Scrooge at Christmas time beacuse when I was a kid I had to go about 30 places to celebrate with all of my families. (LOVE them all, but it's part of coming from a divorced family and it got old being shuttled so many places during the Holidays) . NO Scrooge this year and it feels GREAT! I am REALLY looking forward to everything family and business this season!

Without further ado!!! (click to enlarge)

My goal in getting this information out there as you consider doing a Santa Days session is this: This is NOT your typical Mall Santa deal. We have some great tricks up our sleeves that we are planning and as the advertisement (above) mentions, we are GUARANTEEING a photo with Santa. If you love photography as we do around here, let me paint a picture for you. Imagine your child(ren) at the studio on the set (designed by Kylee *AMAZING*) and we are interacting getting some great Christmas shots of your child(ren). Through a back door (that will be hidden) we have Santa who is going to quietly sneak in and stand behind your child. At this point, the kids have no clue he is there... Santa will bring his pointer finger up to his mouth in the "shhhhh" motion and we will snap!!! There is your guaranteed photo! So those of you with children like my son who want NOTHING to do with the man in the red suit at the mall... this is the perfect opportunity! And for those of you with kids who absolutely love Santa... PERFECT. Santa will spend some time with each child (that wants to) just chatting and interacting for the remainder of the session while we finish up with some great shots.

A few points of interest:

• We would love to see some of you bring your children in those adorable Christmas pajamas for their session. Kids can wear whatever you want them to of course, but we thought having some of them in those PJ's would be fun.
  
• We are going to be offering Milk and cookies to the kids during their session as a way to just reassure them this is FUN and not a stuffy sit on a table kind of photo session.
• We are offering some great and affordable portrait packages. These will make WONDERFUL Christmas gifts for those tough to buy for family members that adore your kids.
• If you have worked with me in the past you know that I try to keep photo sessions fun... it's super anxiety provoking for me to bring my child (who is a HANDFUL and a half) to a studio and expect him to smile and pose for complete strangers. My intention in this senerio will be similar... just tell your kids we are going to go "play" and have a snack. Thats the goal here FUN!!!
• Sessions will be held at Holly Frey's studio in Grass Lake. It's really an easy quick drive if you are from the Brooklyn or Jackson Area. The address is listed on the flyer.
• The Christmas Card templates that I launched last week (in this post)... will be on display at the studio during your appointment. If you want to use one of our cards, you can use your photo from that day to include in your card!
• Holly and I both love our communities (Brooklyn and Grass Lake). We know that with the economy the way that it is, there are many people who are in need of food assistance. I know the grocery bill from my family can put a huge but necessary dent in our wallets. Let's be honest... it's a bill I HATE to fork out money for... i know necessary, but who likes spending money at the grocery store? Let's help those struggling and help to lift some of this burden for the holiday season. If you bring and donate a canned good/non-perishable item to your session, we will donate that to our local food pantries in "our Santa Days clients" honor and in return add a free 5x7 to your package.
  

I will be emailing this flyer to all of my clients as well as the pricing information. If you are not on our mailing list, please send me an email @: karicarpenter2002@yahoo.com As always, if you have any questions please just shoot me an email or call me anytime. My contact information is always listed on sidebar to the right.

Lastly, because I know I have the world's most amazing clients who I know some of you are already excited for this event... I want to tell you thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love every minute of this work and it wouldn't be possible or fun without any of you. This has been an amazing and healing year for me personally and I owe so so much of that to each of you. Again, THANK YOU.

He's here!!!!

I knew they would be great parents. They are better than great... they are amazing with him. I knew when I did their maternity session that they had a love between them that would only grow exponentially... I never get used to that new love that first time parents have for their newborns. It's that overwhelming, adoring and one of a kind feeling. I am so lucky to be able to witness them bonding with this sweet, cuddly, calm, and absolutely precious little guy.

Connor surprised his mommy by coming a few weeks early, but it's obvious that they couldn't be happier to have him in their arms. Carl and Jennifer probably don't know it, but they are certainly an exception to the norm. So many of us who have our first baby are so nervous and unsure if we are doing everything correct. Im sure both of them have moments where they feel that way, however... I have to mention how easy going they are with Connor... it's like Connor has always been with them and everything is just so easy and natural. It's really quite beautiful to watch as an outsider. Because they are so easy going and natural with him, his personality is a mirror of them. Connor is so easy going. He let me mess with him for about TWO hours and he just rolled with it. He NEVER once fussed or complained... even when he got hungry, he just tried to suck his daddy's hand!

Carl and Jen, thank you for sharing your little guy with me. I feel so privileged to have been able to watch you and capture you through this journey. You two are amazing with your new little guy and he is so so lucky to have such wonderful parents who not only care so much for him, but also for each other. I wish you all the best! Love Kari :-)

Among the best...

Look at how big she has gotten!!! Oh my goodness!!!
Emma(below) doesnt even have to remotely try to take a good picture, she is so photogenic and I can honestly say she doesn't even try! She has gone from SUPER shy at her first session last year, to this session where I was asking myself... "who is this kid?" She's a big Kindergartener and has certainly become comfortable with me! You are beautiful Emma!



Megan at roughly 6 months...
I know some of you might get really sick of all of my comments about how wonderful my clients are. However, it's probably something you might just try to get used to! I have had the opportunity to photograph little Megan several times over the last year. It started last fall when I did a session for their extended family. I feel like this whole family is part of mine now!

Kyle, who is Megan's mommy gave me the nicest compliment anyone could ever give about my photography. When she called and said that she wanted to put Megan into the "Babies 2 Bus Program", she said, we have done sessions with you a few times and now I just can't bring myself to go back to (*@)(()_ (one of the big chains. Kyle, that comment meant a lot. It tells me that you have felt the whole experience of what my goal is. Now, the next goal, to photograph these kids weddings when they are grown ;-) Oh wait, maybe I should slow down and just aim for Senior pics right now!

I am so thankful to have the opportunity to get to watch Megan continue to grow through the next few years. I know it's going to go by fast, so lets plan to savor the moments and memories!!!

Let's play blogging catch up!

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been neglecting my blog a bit in an effort to get caught up on other areas that need attention! A short time ago, I had the honor to do Senior pictures for Karley. Karley came all the way from Warren, MI. She is a huge fan of Michigan International Speedway and spends each race on camping on the infield with her family.

This was definitely out of my comfort zone and the surroundings felt a bit intimidating just the size and an area that was so foreign to me. I wanted to be sure I captured what Karley enjoyed about the track. Jen over at MIS was so kind to drive us around the track and help us pick out some great areas such as Winner's circle, the starter box, the stands and even a camping area across the street that was a beautiful park like area. MIS peeps, THANK YOU so much for helping make this dream a reality for Karley!

Karley, I wish you the best in the upcoming last year of high school enjoy every minute!

Happy Holidays 2009

I know... I know... It's not even Halloween yet! I have been a total blog slacker the past week, but its not because I'm totally slacking... I have been SO busy with prepping these Holiday cards templates and working out all the stuff for Holiday events... yep, I said EVENTS!

I have a big announcement coming very soon, so be sure and stay tuned! I can give you the hint that it involves Santa and unique photographs... that's as much as I can say for now!

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is going to the mailbox everyday and when I open the mailbox and there are no bills but holiday cards from some of my friends scattered all over the states. I am always envious of how some of my friends and family are so good at getting that Christmas card mailed out and in a timely manner. I never get tired of the tradition we have of hanging all the cards in the doorway between our kitchen and living room. Everytime I walk through there I stop and look. I also have a horrible time throwing them away at the end of the holiday season. I have probably the last 3 years of holiday cards in a tote... and what am I saving them for... NO clue... all I can say is; I LIKE THEM!

Soooo in the spirit of trying to keep things simple for you, I have 10 different Holiday Greeting Cards for you to choose from. All cards are 5x7 and one sided (again keeping it simple ;-) Here;s how this will work:

• You choose your favorite photo(s) from your session over the last year
• You choose your favorite Card template listed above
• I put them into a proof for you and email you a sample for your approval
  
• I order the quantity you indicate
• Orders will be placed within 24 hours of recieving your payment
• Final cards can be expected within 7 business days.
  
• Orders will include envelopes, so all you really have to do is make your choices, address the envelope, and stamp it! I will take care of the rest!

All photo greeting cards will be available for $1.25/card. They are available in quantities of 25. Again, they do include envelopes.

As always, if you have any questions regarding the cards, please feel free to email or call me. You can find my contact info listed over there -------->

Cheers to a WONDERFUL 2009 HOLIDAY SEASON!!!