I was so excited when Jaida’s mom reached out to me to capture sweet 16 portraits to celebrate her milestone birthday! Our adventure began at Harkness Memorial State Park, where we used the backdrop of it’s historic mansion and manicured gardens to capture portraits with an air of elegance and sophistication.

Fast forward a few years later and I have had the honor of capturing the moments of their wedding, newborn photos of their first daughter, her 6-month sitter photos, and finally this family session to celebrate her turning one, right back where it all started - Harkness!

I’ve been photographing them for a few years now, as they booked Baby’s First Year Plans with me for their son and daughter. For Soleil’s first birthday last summer, we decided to use the last session that was included in her baby plan for a family session (that included lots of milestone shots of her) at Harkness Memorial State Park.

Family portrait sessions are among my favorite to photograph, even when it’s winter and VERY cold outside! Kelly is a former student of mine, and when she took my class, her son James was just a baby. I always looked forward to seeing her “homework” photos each week because they were sure to include her little ones’ adorable face. I was so psyched when she booked a family portrait session with me to celebrate James’ birthday and to capture some memories together as a family before her husband, who is in the Navy, deployed.