We Wish You a Merry Christmas: Rochester NY Photographers

I've always loved Christmas, it's a wonderful time of the year.  I'm the one who puts up the Christmas decorations as soon as Santa arrives at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. My husband laughs at me, then plays along - because, if I only get to enjoy them for one month, he knows I want every possible second of that month. To me Christmas is family, friends and an overwhelming spirit of love. Now that Lucas is here, I get to share in a whole new kind of love. I'm so very blessed. I could go on to tell you all of the ways I'm blessed, but I've been told I keep making people cry with my blog posts. So for their sake, I'm going to keep things on the lighter side today.

At the ripe old age of four months, Lucas has been photographed by no less than 3 professional photographers - not including myself. I have more photographs of him in four months, than I have taken personally in an entire year. Poor kid, he has no idea who he's dealing with yet. There have been a few moments where he's told me subtly what he thinks of me, my ideas and my camera. For example, his expression with Santa for the first time was priceless, and then "accidentally" giving me the bird while I photographed a mini Christmas session in his adorable knit hat. Yep... that's my boy! Regardless, so far I'd say he's handling it quite nicely.

No Christmas card picture is perfect. We should know. It may have taken you 23 tries to get your 2 year old to stop picking his nose. Or maybe, when your daughter saw Santa, she had the most epic meltdown in the history of meltdowns.  But on Christmas Day in 20 years, you'll remember those moments and laugh, as you show your child's significant other "that time" when he gave the camera the middle finger. I know I sure will.

Merry Christmas to you and many blessings to all those you hold dear.

Peace, love, and joy - Erin  :)

Greece Athena Senior Pictures at Linear Park

We think that if you have a great model like Sam, the setting can be anywhere. However, we knew that Sam wanted a natural setting with water nearby. So we met up with her at Linear Park in Penfield to create her senior portraits. We had a great time creating these fun images! She works hard on the stage crew at Greece Athena High school, so we included some of her playbills from her shows to personalize the session further. Sam was such a great model and up for anything! What a fun session, check 'em out!

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We hope you are having a great senior year, Samantha! -Lori

Jameson: Rochester NY Newborn Session

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When we last saw them, Janel and Kevin were anxiously awaiting the arrival of their little man. We took their last portraits as a family of two, and as we did I learned a secret. They shared with us their little guy's name via sign. It was adorable. I know it kept a lot of their friends in suspense too. Well, here it is - the big name reveal. :) If you haven't already met him, meet Jameson John. He's a 7 lb cutie, with the best little face and was absolutely perfect for us during his newborn session. With my own little guy growing so fast, it was a reminder of how small they start out!

Kevin and Janel, I have loved watching your journey from engaged to married to now parenthood. There's no doubt in my mind that you'll be amazing parents, as you already are! Congratulations - I look foward to continuing to capture this chapter in your lives for you. ~ Erin

Fall Family Portraits | Victor NY

It's been such a pleasure getting to know Jodi, Deb, Matt, Josh and Ally! Earlier this summer, we photographed Matt's high school senior session and then in October, the whole family together. We really believe it's important to get family photos done, even when your family reaches high school and beyond! They have an incredible yard, so we stayed around the house for these fall portraits. We even got the cat, Smudgie, in a few of the shots! It was a nice morning, even though it did sprinkle on us a little. They were brave and stuck it out and we came away with some really great images.

Do you recognize anyone? You can see more of Matt in his senior photos here. Til next time! -Lori

Pittsford NY Senior Portraits: Kendall at the Beach

Looking at Kendall's senior portrait session makes me long for summer again... We hit up the beach for this gorgeous girl's senior portraits. Kendall is the Yearbook Editor for Pittsford Sutherland High School, so she has seen a few senior photos in her time! She brought some great outfits, and was up for anything... even if it meant getting in the not-so-clean water of Lake Ontario. Mom accompanied us on the session and encouraged Kendall to try whatever! It all came together so beautifully. Charlotte Beach has a lot to offer, and I'm really excited about the variety we got from this session. Thanks Kendall! Good luck with those yearbook deadlines!

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-Lori

Perinton Family Portrait Session: Addison & Family

If you look at the photos below, you'll see that we were having a lot of fun. What you can't see, is that it was super, duper COLD outside. I mean, it was "someone get me a hot chocolate, stat" kind of cold. The good news is that Addison's smile really warmed everyone up! This was my second time having the pleasure of photographing Addison. She's such a cutie. But this year we got the grandparents involved too. Everyone coordinated with such wonderful colors, and the beautiful trees really lit up the park. Thanks for braving the cold with me guys, it's always was joy to work with you!

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I always love a goofy shot, and this is one of the best! See you soon,

Lori

Lima Christian School Senior Portraits

I don't think I've seen anyone else so excited for their senior portrait session. Truly! When we arrived at Linear Park for Allison's session, she was glowing with excitement! It was a gorgeous summer night, and Allison was simply amazing to photograph. She is such a happy, upbeat person, and I'm glad we were really able to show that in her images. Allison is also very active in several sports, but her favorite is softball. We ended the night with that fierce expression, one you'd see during one of her games. I sure wouldn't want to compete against her!

Thanks for bringing your sparking self into our lives, and making this such a fun memory. Best wishes Allison!

-Lori

Pittsford Family Portraits at Schoen Place

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What's cuter than a 2 year old in orange pants playing in the leaves? I can't think of much! Eric was a ball of energy and Khalil was a good big brother, letting Eric tackle him and hold his hand. The whole family was just a joy to work with, and the Fall weather cooperated nicely. Fall just goes so quickly! Well, enjoy the colors and meet Dana, Khalil and Eric!

Love the over the shoulder look. See you all soon!

-Lori

Part 11 of the 365 adventure: November with Lori

If you've never challenged yourself with a 365 project, I'd like to encourage you to try it. Every month that I do this, I look back and think: wow, all of that happened in 30 days? It really has helped put things in perspective. Now, let's get specific. This month, I noticed a few trends in my images. First, a technology trend. I got a new computer, and my husband got a Smart Watch. Between those, the iPad, and our phones, we spend a lot of time with technology.

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Then, food. I've photographed food a lot this year, as eating is something we do every day. However, this month the food was usually shared with someone. Girls night, cousins night, Thanksgiving... it was all wonderful.

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Another favorite subject, my dogs. They also made an appearance this month, of course.

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I did work a bit too. This month ranged from kids, to families, to construction equipment, to couples engaged.

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But I also got to spend time with family, including surprising my dad on his 60th Birthday, playing dominoes with grandma, and taking my adorable niece to the George Eastman House.

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But the photo of the month this time goes to a really special moment. You may have seen in last weeks post, that Erin's father has been dealing with cancer. Their family hosted an incredible benefit event in his honor to help with costs related to treatment. It included concerts by her aunt, the talented Josie Waverly, and also her Uncle Kevin, from Dr. Moxy. This photo was taken while Josie sang "How Great Thou Art". It was a powerful moment between family members. I was honored to capture it, and I am honored to know these folks.

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There you have it... another month in the life of me. Hope to see you for the grand conclusion next month! -Lori

What I'm thankful for in 2014

It's been one heck of a ride for me this year. There have been many ups and downs, and everything in between. I decided to put it down on paper, and share some of the biggest things I'm thankful for this year. So, in no particular order, here they are.

1) Lori: This year has been an amazing year for business, and it would not have been possible without Lori. She picked up the pieces where I couldn't, and went above and beyond to keep us not only afloat, but moving forward. I could not be more thankful that I have her in my life, not only as a business partner - but as a most wonderful friend as well. I only hope that I can do my best to make 2015 as awesome as she made 2014.

2) My Son: Just thinking about what I've already learned by becoming a mother, makes me tear up. I won't lie, the past 3 months haven't been easy. I never expected the mixed bag of emotions I'd end up going through. It's utterly incredible, that my 5 lb peanut could alternately make me crazy one day, but bring me such peace and joy the next. But I'm thankful for him because he's taught me to love deeper. He makes me want to work harder, and be better for him. I want him to know what it's like to love and appreciate this life - and that it's possible to dream big, like his Mommy does.

3) My Husband: It should go without saying, but I'm still inspired by what he does for our family and for me. He supports my dreams, dreams with me, and still keeps me from eating a steady diet of cereal. ;)

4) My Struggles and My Community: For those who don't know, my father has been diagnosed with stage IV cancer.  Somehow, writing it down makes it even more of a reality. I won't dwell on the negative though, because that's not the point I'm trying to make. I guess, in a way I'm thankful for this struggle God's put in my family's path. It has made me remember what and who is most important in life.

I'm also thankful for the outpouring of support and love we've received from the community around us. It's immensely overwhelming at times. There are so many people out there, whose lives have interconnected with ours along life's journey. It's incredibly humbling because I know that everyone has their own daily battles to fight. I'm so thankful for each and every one of you who have taken the time to reach out with an arm of support for us. Some of you, I haven't seen in ages - yet you're there for me, and us still today. Wow.

This weekend, my family has put together a benefit in support of my father. If you're interested in attending, it will be a great time! Live music, raffle prizes, a photo booth and great people - there's information here on Facebook: KTK Benefit

It all comes down to this:

This year, I've never been more thankful for the help and support from others. I'm thankful for those who have taken the time to donate, or just to reach out after a lot of passed time and say hello. And I'm thankful for those keeping my head above water, for listening when I need a friend, and for helping me to be a better version of myself.

Today, and every day I'm thankful for all of you.

Happy Thanksgiving. ~ Erin

PS - This post would not be complete without some fun and cuteness...so, here it is!

Lori really rocked it this year!

Lucas at his newborn session, courtesy of Linda Hayes Photography

Love when Allie watches over Lucas.

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Even though I see this face a lot, he's loved.

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My parents, with Lucas.

Penfield Volleyball Senior Portraits

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It was an honor to work with Vinnie and Cinnamon this year! Vinnie is the senior class President at Penfield High School, the libero for the varsity volleyball team, and owner of Cinnamon-- the adorable little dog. We hit up the beach volleyball court at Fellows Road, even though Vinnie mostly plays indoor. The location gave us lots of possibilities, and we even saw the first few leaves on the ground. Hard to imagine, as now they are all gone! If you don't know Vinnie, you should. He is a really great kid with a bright future for sure. Thanks for choosing Lori and Erin Photography, and best wishes for a fantastic year! -Lori

Corbett's Glen, Rochester NY Portraits

Oh man, I am so glad to be back behind my camera again. As much as it's been exciting to bond with my own little guy, it's great to back capturing the smiles of our favorite families. I came back just in time to catch up with one of our newest members of the L&E crew at her 6 month session. It's part of her first year plan, and I can't believe how much she's grown since her newborn session. I'm so glad I was able to be here for this milestone! We took a short walk in Corbett's Glen, where this cutie was full of curiosity for the leaves and nature. She was so focused on the world around her, we had to work hard to catch a few smiles from her. But it was all well worth it. See what I mean?

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~ Erin