miranda reger photography

baby ellie

2012-01-24T08:00:00.005-05:00

last friday, i spent some time with one of my dearest friends, rachel... we hadn't seen each other since the summer, when i took pictures of her family while she was still pregnant, but it was like no time had gone by at all (don't you just love those types of friendships?)...

she also brought along her brand new baby girl, ellie - my goodness, what a special treat that was... she slept most of the time, but we nuzzled and cuddled and loved on her anyway... and it didn't bother her a bit.

2012-01-18T08:00:00.024-05:00

wow... seriously cannot believe how long it's been since i last blogged on a regular basis.

i do enjoy getting on here and sharing my pictures with you all, but i have to admit... it's been really nice to step back and take a break from blogging. i find i'm getting more sleep, having tons of cuddle time with my family, and - while i'm not completely positive on this last point - there's a small chance i may have actually developed some sort of frequent laundry routine whereby most of our clothes are all washed and put away within a decent amount of time. sort of.

anyway, i've enjoyed the break, and i'm actually looking forward to a little less blogging, as i seem to have been a bit crazy over it when i first started back in 2010... go back and see for yourself - some of those first posts were time-stamped in the wee hours of the night. insane, right?!!??

but i do like to keep you guys coming back, so hopefully all 8 of you are still there, and will enjoy this quick shot of the kids from last week... this is going into their "save for wedding rehearsal dinner" files.

happy wednesday!

the greens: part 2

2012-01-06T12:14:00.000-05:00

earlier this week, you met the super-cute family of gary and donna green. today, i'd like to introduce you to their extended family, the gennarellis - made up of donna's parents, her two sisters, and their families...

this was such a fun shoot for me for several different reasons, but mostly because i absolutely loved watching this bunch love on each other. it was really quite touching... so much so, that i kinda sorta wish they would adopt me. not my kids or my husband - just me. that's not too selfish, is it...? :)

plus, how fun would it be to be a girl in this family??!? all those clothes and shoes to share, the endless supply of hair products and makeup to borrow... yep, i bet it's pretty fun. :)

i learned a new photography technique during this shoot, too... the best way to get (almost) everyone laughing is to have members of the family that aren't being photographed to stand behind you, and - wait for it - moon your subjects. yep, i said moon. totally can't take any credit for the idea, but i'm really, really glad it happened... and also very thankful the person(s) doing the mooning were behind me...

love this next one...

finally, i had to throw these last two shots in of the green sisters with their two sets of grandparents... yet another reason why i love "continuous shooting" mode... :)

happy friday!

the greens: part 1

2012-01-02T08:00:00.002-05:00

the day after christmas, i had the absolute pleasure to photograph an 18-member family made up of unbelievably cute people. it was the largest family i've ever shot, but it was probably one of the easiest sessions, because everyone was just so great in front of the camera... and not only were they so photogenic, they were also really, really fun. :)

i'll share some favorites from the larger shots later this week, but today, i wanted to share a few of my favorites of the greens - mr. and mrs. green, donna, gary, and their 4 beautiful girls...

so fun!!

be sure to check back later this week for more from this family, and their aunts, uncles and cousins!

happy new year. :)

lots of favorites from 2011

2011-12-30T08:00:00.003-05:00

i hope you've been enjoying great times with your family and friends over the last several days!

thank you to all of my clients who helped make 2011 such a wonderful year... i absolutely love doing this, and feel so very blessed to begin another year photographing your children and families.

it was so fun going back through my posts over this year, and seeing all of your sweet faces smiling back at me... here are some of my favorites (in no particular order) from this year - be sure to leave a comment, and let me know which one is your favorite, too!

the sadlers

2011-12-28T09:45:00.000-05:00

not many people can wear faux mustaches and still look beautiful... but my sister-in-law and her family can absolutely pull this off.

they're quite talented.

merry christmas!

2011-12-23T10:09:00.000-05:00

wow, it's really been a while since i last blogged!

our house has been filled with sick kids lately, but lucy and i did manage to have our very first "eggnah" (as she calls it) toast the other night... i don't really think we were toasting to anything in particular, but i'm pretty sure we just created a new christmas tradition...

merry, merry christmas!

caroline and maggie

2011-12-16T15:37:00.000-05:00

i knew going into this photo shoot that caroline, the oldest, was very comfortable in front of the camera, and would not have any issues with me photographing her.

i also knew that maggie, the youngest, would most likely not look at me at all - and if she did, she probably wouldn't be smiling... her parents let me know from the beginning that their expectations weren't set very high, simply because they know how shy their daughter can be.

well, i do love a good challenge... so after a couple of verses of "jingle bells, batman smells", some blow-pops, and promising the cupcake mittens could be in all the pictures, we managed to get quite a few sweet little smiles (woohoo!).

here are just a few of my faves...

baby hadley

2011-12-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

last weekend, i had the chance to meet hadley, the brand new baby sister of austin.

i can imagine it's pretty hard for a 2-year-old to wake up one day and have another baby in the house - along with grandparents and extended family all under one roof for days on end... but austin seemed to be taking everything in stride, and was so laid back during our shoot.

after inspecting my camera and deciding it was working properly, he let me get a few shots of his sweet sister, for which i was very grateful. :)

here are just a few of my favorites from our time together...

lucy y. : first birthday

2011-12-12T08:52:00.000-05:00

you've seen sweet lucy y. on here several times over the last year... she and my other little friend sam have been a part of a project i've been working on, and we're finally coming to the end stages of it. :)

i've had so much fun photographing lucy at each of her little milestones, and was just thrilled to be at her very first birthday party a few weeks ago. there were balloons, presents, tulle, and of course, lots and lots of frosting... :)

to lucy y.'s parents, thanks so much for letting me be a part of this special day, and having me capture her first year... it's truly been such a pleasure!

mia's holiday session

2011-12-02T08:00:00.008-05:00

mia is one of the cutest kids i know - there's just no way around it (you can see evidence of this here, and here).

her bright blue eyes and squishy cheeks are almost more than i can take... and don't even get me started on her tiny little southern accent. absolutely adorable.

but my favorite thing about mia is that, inside her miniature little frame of a body, is one enormous personality. this girl is completely in charge of things - and, of course, it's pretty cute to watch her in action. :)

here are some of my favorites from our time together last weekend...

this family's cuteness factor is going up even more in a few months, with the arrival of another sweet baby girl... i have no doubt mia will be an excellent big sister. :)

happy friday!

the davis-davis-martin family

2011-11-30T08:00:00.008-05:00

life can be a tad bit crazy with two preschoolers in the house... it's not very often that i think about what our life will look like in 30 or 40 years because currently, we are in what seems like a never-ending season of tantrums, time-outs, and tattling (it does end eventually, right??).

but after spending some time with this sweet family of 10 over the weekend, i couldn't help but daydream about what it might be like when mine are all grown up.

the martins, the davises, and mr. and mrs. davis all gathered together for a few days over thanksgiving... and i'm so grateful they decided it was a good time for a few family portraits.

absolutely love this next shot...

thank you, thank you for letting me be a part of your weekend, guys!

the eich family

2011-11-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

i'll go ahead and warn you now - there's a whole lot that i love about this shoot... rope swinging, tickle fighting, and silly-face-making, just to name a few...

but most of all, i love this family.

a lot. :)

baby reese

2011-11-23T08:00:00.058-05:00

the newest member of this adorable little family is reese... her eyes are bluer than blue, and her skin feels as soft as cotton.... and incase you can't tell from the pictures, her mommy and daddy are completely, 100% smitten.

happy thanksgiving!!

violet: a year older

2011-11-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

she's almost 2, loves bubbles, has a bunny for a best friend, and is quite the little artist.

here are some of my favorites from my time with violet and her parents...

spickard family: holiday sneak peek

2011-11-18T08:00:00.023-05:00

usually, i like to fill up a blog post with lots of images from a session, and showcase various "moments" between a family.

but sometimes, less is more.

i have a lot of favorites from my time spent last weekend with the spickard family, but these few shots make my heart absolutely melt...

happy friday. :)

hodge family: holiday session

2011-11-16T08:00:00.015-05:00

the last time i photographed this sweet family, it was crazy-hot, and i was pretty much drenched with sweat by the time the shoot was finished (great mental picture, i know).

this year, the cool and crisp november morning was just perfect - and so were these super-cute (and super-silly!) boys... :)

what's the next best thing to showing off your lollipop??
showing off your lollipop tongue, of course...

baby erik

2011-11-14T08:00:00.095-05:00

it's pretty fun to watch first-time parents in action... usually, they remind me of when my husband and i were trying to figure it all out those first few weeks. we felt so clueless being in charge of that tiny, adorable, screaming baby... many times, we would just look at each other and laugh hysterically because, seriously - how in the world were we ever allowed out of the hospital with such an enormous responsibility?

last weekend, i spent some time with the halls for their holiday session... and as i watched them clean spit-up off of themselves and baby erik over and over (and over) again, i realized how effortless they made it all seem - they looked like seasoned professionals.

and truth be told, i felt a teeny bit jealous. :)

nicholas and will

2011-11-11T08:00:00.003-05:00

i met nicholas and will last weekend, and found myself talking with them about christmas wish lists, toots, and justin bieber... they are big fans (of all three).

oh, and fyi - long curly eye lashes and dimples make me swoon, even in 40 degree weather.

gotta love a good sneeze shot... :)

sam: happy birthday!

2011-11-09T08:00:00.020-05:00

my little friend sam has been a regular on this blog for an entire year. i started photographing him when he was just a few weeks old, and have had the absolute pleasure of documenting all of his major milestones and sharing them here on the blog (just type "sam" in the search field to see all of his cuteness).

this past weekend, we celebrated sam and his most recent accomplishment - turning 1!

it took him a while to warm up to a house full of people, but he managed all right. :)

here are sam's parents and aunt watching the slideshow of our photo sessions over the past year - it was adorable hearing them talk about how much he's changed over the months...

these really don't have anything to do with his party, but i've never seen such teeny little toms before, and felt they needed to be shared. :)

to my sweet friends, sam's parents, thank you so much for letting me photograph your little dude this year... it has been such a joy to watch him grow - congrats on making it through year one! :)

sister, sister

2011-11-07T08:00:00.009-05:00

i first met these adorable sisters last year, and immediately fell in love with their gorgeous brown eyes and sweet smiles... i loved getting together with this cute family again this past weekend, and seeing just how much the girls have grown in the last 12 months.

this year, they're a little taller, they can walk without stumbling (too much), and they have more words in their vocabulary... but their smiling faces and syrup-brown eyes are still the very same - which is why spending time with repeat clients is yet another reason why i love this job so, so much. :)

wonder woman and robin

2011-11-04T08:00:00.002-04:00

took a little break from blogging this week, but managed to hang out with a couple of caped crusaders... playground bullies, beware!

thanks, hoover family! :)

lucy y. and eddie - holiday session

2011-10-26T08:00:00.004-04:00

if you're a regular reader of my blog, you should recognize sweet lucy y. and her cute brother eddie. their family's holiday session had been booked for weeks, but at the last minute, mom and dad had the opportunity to get out of town for the weekend... so mimi and pop came to stay, and were able to be a part of the photo fun! i love that my clients trust me enough to keep a portrait session scheduled, even if they themselves can't be there. :)

i also love that my sweet and serious little friend gave me some major smile-action, too... here are some of my favorites from our time together...

crabs!

2011-10-24T08:00:00.009-04:00

while we were at the beach with our friends the other week, the guys set out crab traps off the dock behind the house... at first, i thought it was just all in good fun.

then about half way thru day #2, i realized these crabs weren't going back home...

lucy's 2 observations:
"wow, they're red now!", and "i'm glad they aren't moving anymore so i can pick them up!"

happy friday!

2011-10-21T08:00:00.013-04:00

i don't know what it's like for other photographers, but when i post only 1 picture on here, that means i'm either super-busy and falling behind on editing, or it's kind of a slow month... fortunately, this month is super-busy. :)

here's a shot of my favorite twins from last weekend - we happened to be hanging out in oak island together, and they just happened upon this pier telescope and decided to be absolutely adorable. these guys were professionals - they completely did this on their own...

going to the chapel...

2011-10-19T08:17:00.000-04:00

... well, actually, it was a gorgeous field way, way, way far away from where we live. :)

earlier this month, lucy, my sister and i were all in my cousin heather's wedding. it was a beautiful day, heather looked stunning, and the location was so, so picturesque. it was fun seeing family we hadn't seen in ages, and also just really fun watching lucy have a good time. last week, i shared a quick little peek, and, as promised, here are a few more highlights from the day...

after the pre-ceremony pics, the three of us went out for a little mini-photo shoot of our own... love these shots of lucy and my sis...

as much as i felt totally out of my element getting all dressed up like this, i absolutely loved sharing the experience with lucy - we'd been talking about this day for a long time, and she was so excited that "the wedding" was finally here.

spending the entire day with the bride and all the bridesmaids was a complete dream come true for my little social butterfly... her shining little eyes and beaming smile were like little nuggets of sunshine following us around. and she kept us laughing the entire day (thanks to my cute sis for these next few shots)... :)

about an hour or so before we were to walk down the aisle, we decided it was time to get lucy's hair curled - and she decided it was time to chow down...

i think lucy did a good job of keeping heather's nerves settled... :)

lucy was the best little flower girl... she wasn't expecting all of the seats to be filled with people staring at her as she walked down the aisle (there were only a few people in them the night before during the rehearsal), but she made it down. :) she stood quietly next to me during the ceremony, playing with my dress a few times, and handing me her basket of flowers when she was tired of holding them. then she dutifully followed the new couple back up the aisle, and continued to follow them as they walked, until someone told her she was all finished. :)

after some post-ceremony pictures, we found corbin and my husband at the reception, and we all danced and giggled the night away. it was so much fun - and hopefully these guys will remember it for a long time. :)

harper: 3 mos. milestone

2011-10-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

the other day, i met up with cute harper and his parents for an adorable milestone session. harper was such a chill and laid back little dude during his shoot... his mom said we caught him at a good time.

i absolutely loved watching this sweet little family get cozy together - so of course, i have a lot of favorites to share. :)

it's gonna be a bright and sunshine-y day

2011-10-12T08:00:00.007-04:00

in a perfect world, all photo shoots would happen in gorgeous, creamy, soft light... and definitely not during a rain storm.

luckily, i was able to get together with these cute guys again, and this time, the weather was great!

happy monday!

2011-10-10T08:00:00.002-04:00

my sister, lucy and i were in my cousin's wedding this weekend - it was a lot of fun getting all dressed up, especially for lucy. :)

i managed to sneak in a few pictures, and will post them later this week... but for today, i thought you'd enjoy seeing these two being super-cute during the reception (after consuming 3 or 4 marshmallows from the chocolate fountain table).

happy monday!

the basrawala family

2011-10-05T08:00:00.015-04:00

i got together with the basrawala family over the weekend for a holiday session, and had a really great time! these fun kiddies were so sweet with each other, and loved hamming it up in front of the camera.

plus, they're all just incredibly adorable. :)

here are some of my favorites from our time together...

i was thrilled to spend a little bit of time with each of the kids, getting individual portrait shots (just to warn you, there is some major cuteness going on)...

i actually love the shot above, but i'm really happy he decided to give me a non-funky smile, too... :)

the highlight of the day had to be ending our session with a little game of ring-around-the-rosey... so perfect!

lucy y. milestone session: 9 months

2011-10-03T08:00:00.082-04:00

if you're new to the blog, this is lucy y., my sweet little friend which i've been photographing since she was born last november. i've had the opportunity to photograph her at each milestone stage, and last week, we got together for her 9-month session.

this little nugget has the sweetest smile, but she's a bit particular about when she shares it... and i've realized it takes more than me making silly sounds and playing peek-a-boo behind my camera.

she makes me work for her smiles, but i don't mind that at all... lucky for me, her mom knows about a certain smile-spot on her tummy.

and showing off her new walking skills helps a lot, too. :)

samantha and joe

2011-09-28T08:00:00.001-04:00

it's hard to believe 6 months have gone by since i last photographed sweet little samantha and her big brother, joe.

i spent some time with them on sunday for a holiday family session, and had such a great time!

here are a few of my favorites...

tis the season...

2011-09-26T08:00:00.004-04:00

... for holiday family sessions!

last month i announced my 2011 holiday specials, and had such a great response - thank you so much to everyone who's booked a session with me this fall! i'm also really excited about all of the adorable holiday cards i'm offering through my online storefront - mirandaregerphotography.minted.com. i just added several brand new card designs to the store, so you'll definitely want to check them out. :) and remember, when you order your cards through my storefront, you get free prints (which make great gifts)!

here is a quick sample of some of my faves from this weekend's session with connor and his cute parents...

claire and cassie

2011-09-21T08:00:00.004-04:00

i met these two sweet sisters last month, after their mom found me through my friend erin's food blog (don't you just love how people get connected these days?).

their dad just celebrated his 50th birthday, and as a surprise gift, i photographed the girls a few weeks ago. i was able to mail a few prints from their session this past weekend, and now that their dad has officially been suprised, i finally get to share some of my favorites from this fun session!

claire and cassie were so fun to hang out with - and they were super in front of the camera.
here are a whole lot of my faves...

barn and horse

2011-09-19T08:00:00.004-04:00

we walked a while, until we found the perfect opening among the bushes.

she watched us from far away, and considered coming up to inspect us... but decided against it.

i'm thinking of going back, to see if i can get a closer look... maybe next time i'll bring some sugar cubes.

furry friend friday

2011-09-16T08:00:00.032-04:00

it's been a while since i've had a "furry friend" on here, so today i'd like you to meet sundae. she's our cousins' new little puppy, and we were so excited to meet her a couple of weekends ago when we went to visit them.

sundae is the best little puppy... squirmy, jumpy, cuddly, and mouthy.

and very interested in my camera. :)

happy friday!

a couple of firsts

2011-09-12T11:49:00.000-04:00

today is a day of firsts... it's the first full day of preschool for both of my kids!
i'm pretty sure it's also the first time in almost 4 years that i've been at home, by myself, on a week day.

happy first day, to all of us! :)
(and be sure to check out last year's "first day" cuteness here!)

now offering family albums!

2011-09-09T08:00:00.041-04:00

i know family albums are a rare thing these days, what with all the thousands of files taking up space on computers, phones, tablets, social networks, and whatever else is out there... but for me, there's just nothing quite like having an actual album to touch and feel, and to see how beautifully the images are showcased. which is why, when i started my photography business just over a year ago, i knew from the beginning that i wanted to one day offer more than just files on a disc - something a little more tangible; something that could be passed down to the next generation. well today, i am absolutely thrilled to announce that miranda reger photography now offers heirloom family albums!

these gorgeous, heirloom albums are produced by queensberry, the high-end wedding album manufacturer, and are made from the finest fabrics, leathers or synthetics, and feature luxuriously thick, matted or flush-mount pages, which can be designed any way you like. the quality and craftsmanship that go into making these one-of-a-kind albums is truly top of the line.

here are a few detailed shots of my 12x12 studio sample album of the brighton family. i chose a padded, silk cover and designed the album using both traditional and modern matted layouts. the traditional layout keeps the pictures "inside" the mat and the page, while the modern layout allows the pictures to "bleed" to the edge of the page. pictures can also span the width of the album itself, for a panoramic look.

because these albums are completely customizable, they can be ordered in various sizes, as well as smaller duplicates, which make fabulous gifts for relatives. my studio sample is a 12x12, and comes wrapped in a keepsake bag, and is enclosed in a protective carrying case.

i now offer upgraded portrait packages which include these family heirloom albums, as well as complimentary prints - be sure to contact me to find out more details!

ridley

2011-09-07T08:00:00.035-04:00

sweet ridley is the niece of a very dear friend of mine, and i was so excited to get to meet her, and snap a few shots of her while she was in town a few weeks ago.

this was the quickest little photo shoot i've ever done (if you could really even call it that)... granted, it was right before ridley's nap time, and my friend wanted me to stop by for just a few quick shots. but when i got back into my car afterwards, i couldn't believe that i'd only been there for a total of 16 minutes!

the images we took that day are being given as gifts when ridley turns 1 in a few months, but i got the go-ahead from my friend to put up a few shots on here... she knows how much i love to gush over sweet babies. :)

so without further ado, here's a quick peek at my newest little friend, jill ridley...

sydney

2011-09-05T08:00:00.013-04:00

i first met her two decembers ago, at my church's women's christmas party, which she was hosting at her home. i knew her name from the church bulletin, and from the pastors giving us updates on her condition - a tumor had been discovered in her brain the year before - but this was the first time i was actually meeting her.

i didn't even realize who she was at first... the person to which i was being introduced looked like a model, tall and thin with a glowing, olive complexion. i don't remember exactly what she was wearing, but i do remember thinking, i've seen this girl at church before - but this can't be 'sydney'... this girl is dressed too stylishly, and looks too cute to be sick.

we started talking, and she mentioned she'd noticed me in the congregation during the summer because i was super-pregnant (and apparently looking uncomfortable) - she told me she worried that day that i might go into labor during the service. wait, you noticed me?! you had been worried about me?

then, almost as if she could sense my shock and uneasiness of being noticed, she quickly asked "ok, so is that your real hair color??" i laughed out loud, and said "no way, dude!" and then told her what i use.

it was a short introduction, and besides seeing each other in passing at church, we really didn't get to know each other much further than that... but meeting her that evening two and a half years ago has always stayed with me. i never understood why, until this past thursday, when i was at her funeral.

as i sat and listened to family and friends speak of sydney's love of Jesus, and how that love trickled down into her relationships with others, and her genuine interest in building those relationships, i realized that when i met her two decembers ago, i was seeing her in action - she was making a connection with me. she was bypassing the normal "hi, what's your name and what do you do" greeting, and going straight for a personal connection. i also realized that's the exact opposite of what i do - i tend to keep it light and on the surface when first meeting someone, and often after meeting them several times later (after all, what if the person really doesn't like me??)... i'm thankful sydney was so personable with me that night. i'm thankful she loved Jesus so deeply that she felt confident in loving and pursuing others. i pray i learn to do the same.

it was incredibly sad to mourn the loss of this beautiful wife, mom, daughter and friend, because she will be so deeply missed.... but oh how wonderfully joyous it was to celebrate not only her life, but that she has been made new, and is with her Lord and Savior.

i took this photograph a couple of months ago, and thought of two people: my sweet friend carrie, and because of this post on carrie's blog, sydney.

happy monday!

2011-08-29T08:00:00.004-04:00

i had 2 really cute portrait sessions over the weekend, and the prints for both of these sessions are going to be surprise birthday presents for loved ones... so, to help keep the presents a secret, i'm waiting until after the birthdays to share the images.

so today i thought i'd share a few of my favorite lucy-at-the-beach shots, which were taken during our vacation last month.

for you photographers out there, this is what happens when you manually max out your camera settings... hello, 1/8000 at 1.2.

2011 holiday portrait package!

2011-08-24T08:16:00.000-04:00

yes, you read it correctly - i'm already talking about christmas, and it's not even september. :) i’m so excited to announce my new 2011 holiday portrait package, and just couldn't wait any longer!

this year, i’ve partnered with minted, the stylish online paper company, to bring you amazing holiday card designs for your photos. to help launch my minted storefront and the holiday package, i’m offering a discounted rate for anyone who books their portrait session early!

here are the details...

2011 holiday package - $195
- 45-minute photo shoot at the location of your choice
- 1 free 8x10 print
- 4 additional free prints, if ordering holiday cards thru my storefront (this is a value of up to $60 worth of prints, and is perfect for gift-giving! choose any combination of images and sizes from 4x6, 5x7 or 8x10)
- complimentary digital file(s), if ordering holiday cards thru my storefront
- book your holiday session by august 31st, and get all of the above for only $165!!

be sure to visit mirandaregerphotography.minted.com to see the holiday collection (there are some really sweet birth announcements there, too)!

space is very limited, and the discounted rate of $165 expires after august 31st – so don’t wait! contact me to book your holiday photo session today!

here's the not-so-fine print: you must place your holiday card order thru my minted storefront to receive the additional 4 free prints, and the complimentary digital file(s). the number of digital files will be determined by the number of images used for your card. also, your photo shoot does not have to take place by august 31st; you just need to book your shoot by then to receive the discounted rate of $165. after august 31st, any holiday sessions booked will be the normal rate of $195. a $100 non-refundable deposit is required to book all shoots.

happy 1 year!

2011-08-22T08:00:00.002-04:00

i absolutely love being a wife and mom...

i'm also thrilled to be a photographer. :)

this past saturday marked the 1 year anniversary of the day miranda reger photography became an official, legitimate business in the city of charlotte.

can i get a WOOHOO??!!!!?! :)

from the bottom of my heart, thank you so very much for your help in making this last year so wonderful!

couldn't resist...

2011-08-19T08:00:00.002-04:00

just one more picture of my new friend nathan... happy friday. :)

nathan

2011-08-17T08:00:00.005-04:00

a few weeks ago, you met evan, who was anxiously awaiting the arrival of his little baby brother. last night, i had the absolute pleasure of meeting baby nathan, and was so glad to spend some time with these sweet boys and their parents.

there were a few moments when i forgot why i was there, and took the camera away from my face, just so i could stare at nathan and all of his newness.

he is soft and cuddly.

and smells delicious.

and oh my, how he is loved...

evan is already such a great big brother... :)

silly old bear

2011-08-15T08:00:00.014-04:00

we did it.

a few weeks ago, we took lucy to the movies for the very first time.

i was a little nervous at first, because i wasn't sure she would enjoy her experience... sitting in a big, loud, dark room, and watching a screen that's bigger than our house could be a bit overwhelming for a little girl. but we'd seen advertisements for the new winnie the pooh movie, and we just couldn't help ourselves. :)

we didn't sit thru the trailers because the "movie voice guy" was too scary-sounding, and the trailers being shown were too old for her to see - so we visited the restroom while all of that was going on. but once the movie started, she was completely enraptured with pooh and all of his adorable friends.

this is what she did the entire time, and it was all i could do not to eat her up on the spot... :)

happy monday! :)

cookie monster

2011-08-08T08:00:00.041-04:00

chocolate chip cookies are one of my most favorite things to eat.

they're right up there with cheeseburgers, tacos, baked potatoes, and maw-maw's red velvet cake.

i'm a little weird about it, though...

i don't like every cookie out there, just the chocolate chip ones (well, and these guys). i prefer they come fresh from the oven, warm, and a bit under-cooked.

they don't necessarily have to be made from scratch - i love the "break-n-bake" kind just as well - but they do have to be warm (i've even been known to put a few chips ahoy cookies in the microwave).

also, i normally won't eat a cookie unless i have a glass of milk to drink, too.

proudly, i've passed this cookie-loving gene on to my children. while they may not look a whole lot like me, they do love their cookies, and i'm totally claiming that. you're welcome, sweet babies. they're aren't as picky as me - they'll eat a cookie, any kind, milk or no milk.

give 'em time, i say. :)

here's the littlest cookie monster, polishing off the last of last week's batch (warning: you're probably going to want a cookie and some milk after seeing these)...

the halls: baby bump

2011-08-05T08:00:00.012-04:00

next month, they'll be bringing home their first baby, a little boy who will no doubt be tall like his dad, and adorable like his mom... but for now, they're just being cute and cuddly, and anxiously awaiting his arrival. :)

here are some of my favorites from last night's maternity session with my friends, chris and ali...

one of our locations was st. mary's chapel, where chris and ali were married two years ago. :)

these next few are some of my favorites - ali's sparkly smile is so gorgeous, even when a willow branch whacks her in the face...

chris was a real trooper - ali requested this next shot, and he happily complied... :)

so fun, guys - can't wait to meet your little man soon! :)

little house books

2011-08-03T08:00:00.051-04:00

i have a pretty decent memory, but i cannot for the life of me recall how i came about owning these books.

i'm guessing they were a birthday or christmas present from someone in my family, and i think i was in 2nd or 3rd grade when they were given to me...

when i first got them, i remember reading the first book, and getting thru part of the second book, but i apparently lost interest in them all together after a while. they ended up in a box of books that i've managed to hang on to all these years, and they've sat on the bookshelf in my living room for the last year or so... about a month ago, i decided that i needed something new to read, and saw them.

this time around, i am completely smitten.

the books are written from laura ingalls wilder's perspective as a young girl, traveling with her family thru unsettled early america. they build their own homes, hunt and grow their own food, make their own clothes, and survive the hardships of locusts, famine, and blizzards - it's amazing what all they go thru, and how much they do for themselves. their lives are very simple, but they love each other greatly. they have hope and trust in God, and they're kind and genuine to each other and to the people they meet.

as hard as life was for them, it seems like such a wonderful way to grow up.

here's the book i'm starting tonight, and i'm so excited to get into it - who knew that at age 30, i would be immersed in the little house series??! :)

so, to the family member who gave these to me as a little girl - thank you so very much! i may not have appreciated them then, but i am in love with them now, and i cannot wait to share them with my own kids one day.

packaging

2011-08-01T09:10:00.000-04:00

it's almost been a year since i officially started my business, and while i feel like i've accomplished a lot in the last 12 months, there are many things that i still need to do... for me, it's kinda like owning a home - there's always something that needs fixing or updating.

one of the things i've needed to do for a while is to revamp my packaging for both prints and discs. prints now come sealed and wrapped in cute little chocolate brown boxes, and although i am not a huge fan of putting images onto disc - mainly because it decreases the opportunity for print sales, and the quality of the image drops significantly (because the disc is taken to a place that does not have professional-grade printers) - i understand that digital files are in demand, so i do offer them. and now, i'm happy to say that my discs are packaged nicely, and will never, ever again have the embarrassing hand-written sharpie label. :)

sam: nine months

2011-07-27T08:00:00.069-04:00

if you've been following this blog for a while, you probably recognize sam.

over the last several months, sam and my other little friend, lucy y., have been helping me with a little project i'm working on... i'm putting together a new package for clients that offers a year's worth of photography to document the various milestones in a baby's first year. i am giddy, to say the least, over this package, and i will be even more excited to share the final results of our project with you in a few months, when sam and lucy turn 1!

in the meantime, contact me to find out more information on this super-awesome new offer - and of course, check out sam doing what 9-month olds do best... :)

things i learned this 4th of july...

2011-07-20T08:00:00.015-04:00

1. roman candles are not considered to be a form of fun or entertainment if you are under the age of 4

2. sparklers, on the other hand, are quite fun and a bit mesmerizing (even if you're still pretty freaked out over the whole roman candle thing, and just want to hold the box of sparklers)

3. it's tricky holding a sparkler in one hand, and trying to focus your camera with the other

4. the age at which a little brother doesn't want his big sister to kiss him: 2

and finally,

5. always keep the camera on "continuous shooting" mode

big brother

2011-07-18T08:00:00.225-04:00

i'd like you to meet my friend, evan.

he lives in our neighborhood and has played at my house countless times. yet, every time he sees me, he offers his hand and says (with a most charming southern drawl) "hi, my name's evan, what's yours?"

i could eat him up.

evan is going to be a big brother in less than 4 weeks, and seems pretty stoked.

he plans to teach his new baby brother all about fire trucks, and also give him lots of hugs and kisses.

i have no doubt he will be a perfect big brother. :)

furry friend friday: zoo edition!

2011-07-15T08:00:00.004-04:00

one of the highlights of our vacation was the time we spent visiting nearby zoos and wildlife parks.
i'm always fascinated by wild animals, and i love getting to see them in person - my kids are the same way.

here are some of my favorite shots from all three stops: the waccatee zoo, the wildlife park at brookgreen gardens, and huntington beach state park.

the wentlings

2011-07-13T08:00:00.014-04:00

she is one of my most favorite people in the entire world, and he's been cracking me up since the 8th grade. they started dating when we were sophomores in highschool, and now they're all grown up with 2 ridiculously cute boys.

i was so thrilled to see my sweet friends while on vacation, and was even more excited to get some shots of their fun (and growing!) family - baby #3 is due in december. :)

the boys were totally and completely filled to the brim with energy, and i definitely burned some calories trying to keep up with them. i swear, i don't know how she does it - but she does, and she's pretty awesome at it!

i have a lot of favorites from our time together, so here they all are...

henry's been on here before, and i can't get over how much he's changed this year!

so, so very fun seeing you guys - love you and can't wait to meet #3 at the end of the year! :)

austin

2011-07-11T08:00:00.008-04:00

we're back from vacation!

i'll be sure to share some vacation pictures in the coming days, but first, i wanted to show you images from a sweet father-son session i had just before we left.

if you've been following my blog for a while, you may remember austin from this past christmas, as well as his first time on here last summer. i wish i could convey just how much i enjoy photographing little ones time and time again... in short, it is an absolute treat to see them grow, and watch their little personalities blossom. this time around, we did a mini-session of austin with his dad, as a surprise birthday gift for austin's mom. now that mom has been surprised, i'm so excited to share some of my favorites from this super-cute session...

out of the office :)

2011-06-29T10:27:00.000-04:00

leaving an out-of-office message doesn't feel quite the same as it did when i worked a full-time job at the bank... back then, it actually meant something.

but even though i no longer have ~~an office~~ a cubicle (more like a desk in the corner of the living room), i still like the idea of an out-of-office message. it makes me feel like i'm still apart of the workforce, in a very small and removed way.

so, here it is - i will be away from my corner-of-the-livingroom desk for the next week and a half.

there will be no blog posts or links posted to facebook.

i will not have access to miranda@mirandaregerphotography.com, but you can reach me thru my gmail account - mirandaregerphotography@gmail.com.

all print orders will be fulfilled when i return.

and if you have my number, you can absolutely call me. :)

in the meantime, i hope you enjoy looking at these 2 cuties (and that you come back periodically while i'm away)... :)

brighton family

2011-06-27T08:00:00.024-04:00

i am a complete softy.

songs, commercials, books, this year's season finale of "the office"... it doesn't take much to bring tears to my eyes, and it's not unusual for me to get teary while i'm editing pictures from a shoot.

such was the case this weekend, as i was going over the images from saturday morning's family session with the brightons.

i can't quite put my finger on it - maybe it's the laughing eyes, or the genuine sweetness in their smiles. or it probably has something to do with the girls wanting to hold hands with me as we walked... but this tribe of 6 had me completely smitten during and after their shoot.

this little dude has been on here before, and i can't get over how much he's grown...

dad was on-call, and actually had to leave the shoot early, but i'm so glad we managed to get these last few shots with him and his girls... :)

so, so fun - thanks, brighton family!

hatched!

2011-06-24T08:00:00.121-04:00

a couple of months ago, i stumbled across these four tiny, perfectly turquoise eggs.

not long after i posted those pictures, the eggs vanished... i couldn't for the life of me figure out what had happened to them. had they hatched already? did the mama robin move the eggs to a different nest?

then i did a little research online and discovered all sorts of interesting information.
for instance, the time it takes for a robin's eggs to hatch is about 2 weeks, and then it takes another 2 weeks or so of living in the nest until they're on their own. also, the mama robin does all of the nest-building herself, even choosing its location. she cannot, however, move her eggs - they're too large.

i also learned that, unfortunately, there is a type of snake called an "egg snake" - as well as egg-eating birds - that can cause eggs to vanish.

so when i noticed a new little nest being constructed in one of the river birch trees a couple of weeks later, i left it alone. i watched from our front window every day, and yes, you could say i was a bit obsessed - but i didn't want any more pictures of eggs.

a few weeks passed, and then one day, i saw the robin sitting next to the nest, instead of on it like she'd done the weeks before. so i asked my husband to get out the ladder - and sure enough, there they were...

i thought it would be a great idea (and fairly easy) to document their progress each day, but i underestimated mama and daddy robin. hearing the sound of bird wings beating all around my head while being at the top of a ladder was surprisingly eerie - i felt like i was tippi hedren in that hitchcock movie, minus the cute 1960s clothes.

so i settled for "from the ground" shots. this was taken about a week or so after the first picture...

this next one was taken about 2 weeks after the first shot, on my way out to an early morning portrait session - it's the last baby bird to leave the nest. i was a little irked i couldn't get more pictures, especially during feeding times, but i left for the shoot feeling happy to have this final image...

after the portrait session, i came home and picked up the kids to run some errands. i was putting corbin's shoes on when i heard this really loud chirping sound outside the back door.

i could hardly believe my eyes - the last little baby robin, which i'd photographed only a couple of hours earlier, had made it all the way out of the nest, and found its way to my back doorstep...

the kids couldn't believe it either...

lucy: mommy, mommy, he wants to live with us!!

me: no, sugar, i think he just wants to get his picture taken one more time.

what a perfect little treat. :)

a mushroom for your monday

2011-06-20T08:00:00.001-04:00