Those of you that know me, or my studio personally, impersonally, close or from far away may know of my obsession / love of the Buttonwood Farms sunflower farm in Griswold CT. What’s not to love?? It’s a bunch of random fields FULL of ginormous sunflowers! Need I say more? Each year it comes around I secretly and publicly obsess over what I want to shoot there, and no matter how much I plan… most of what I do takes a rather serendipitous turn.
This past winter Katie Slater, our amazing associate photographer for the studio- had the brilliant idea for us to do a studio family shoot. I was all over it, and why wouldn’t I be?? And decided to host it at the studio since it was fa-reeeezing out!! We all got some of the most amazing family photographs out of the experience… something that everyone should make time for- especially all you PHOTOGRAPHERS!!!!!! Jeez.
Mine is proudly framed in my dining room- 40 x 60 baby! And it is all Mike Romano in his glory… showing up late in his scrabble dabble sweat pants- his whole family was sick and couldn’t come- but he came and photographed and kicked my family’s BUTT! Which is to say that I got my favorite family portrait like, evvveeerrrrrrr….!
Fast forward to now, to this very post- back to earth- and we decided to do the same thing since we had such a great time in December…! ‘cept this time it was hoooot! And I don’t mean hoot, I meant hot but I was exaggerating it because it was sooooo hooooooooot and we was sweatin’!!
Here is Miss Katie Slatie- the child portrait artist extraordinaire… there is something that is just magical about Katie, in general, but also in how she photographs kids and families. To be perfectly honest, once I saw how Katie did her thang…. well let’s just say that was the exact time that I realized how not good at this I was and decided to just focus on weddings!!! Fo REAL… just you wait and see what I am talking about- she will post and you will WEEP!
Check out the photo bombing heckler here as he tried to get Lindsay to smile..
Speaking of weeping, this here shot by Mike Romano… is so sweet and one of those quick grabs that will forever stay with me- my little guy Jack, Katie’s Jack, and Mike’s boys…you know what I’m saying??
Mike also grabbed this shot of my monkeys, well… being monkeys!
OK, weep fest 2010 here for me. Honestly. In all of the hullabalooooo of the day, after I photographed everyone I took a breather, and then realized that my little family hadn’t been photographed! Always the bride? Never the… oh never mind! Never fear when Mike Romano is near us with a camera!
He will either get blackmail photos of me being a total fool or he will get
this…
and this…. I love how unassuming you are Mr. Romano… thank you so so so much for these images of me and my kids, you can wear those crazy sweat pants every day of the week for all I care! Well.. not at weddings
Ask me why I have only one image of my bff and studio manager Dominique.
Because Mike SPANKED ME with them and after seeing the shots he got I was like ‘I am not even going to bother!’ They are so dope.!
But this one is super cute because Dominique and her girl are stunt doubles to the Max LaManna!
Speaking of stunt doubles…. come on!! Geeg is mine and Jack is Dave’s!!
Rebecca and Jared were so freaking adorable as well, I was loving the light and the snuggle factor / laugh fest involved here
Whatever Rebecca!!! You are so pretty!!!
Aiden was cold mackin’ on my girl Georgie! Mike and I thought this was hilarious
Do not ask me what Chris whispered to Katie to get her to laugh! But it worked!! Those blue eyed Slaters get me every time!!
There is a little bit of a Slater love fest here- I got them at the exact right time for everything- kids were awesome, light was awesome…!
More bars in more places
See what I mean? I can’t do family portraits because I take too long ‘n stuff
The Romanos….
The littlest Romano and the biggest Romano with the littlest tie
Tony and Aryn of Datura…. I just can’t even tell you how freaking cool they are- and how much a part of my family you are!!
Katie photographing my great friend Beth Chapman from the White Dress by the Shore and her daughter Lindsay
My home girl Candice of Jubilee Events and her husband Mike getting all cozy
Even when she sweats my girl looks so pretty!!!
Two of my favorite people together- Beth and Daddy… they just felt right in black and white!!
Jim Alteri is everywhere… and no where! He and Mike can compete with how much unflattering and embarrassing footage / stills they have of me!
Isn’t that great!
Our attempt at a group shot…. take one
take two
take three
and Jim’s version!
Thank you Mike Romano, Katie Slatie, and Rebecca Hales for shooting all day… and Dominique for the constant comic relief!!! and Erik and Greg you two fools were missed like crazy!!!
I love our team of amazing amazing people and all of our families- it’s what gets me up in the morning and keeps me up late prepping blog posts like this!
Here’s to the next studio family shoot!
XOXO
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Just realized I have had the biggest, goofy grin on my face the entire time I looked at these. Love em!
Ahhhhh – that is just the BESTest!!
L-O-friggen-L!!!!!!!! I love these!! There are so many comments I want to make, like how cute is Aiden? How much does he love Georgie??!! I love all these photos – chris looking at his watch, us on the gate, my huge teeth!! i love you guys… all of you. xo
ha ha ha Amy I wil ask Carol when I meet her
you are motivating me again! (also, giving me more reasons to move to CT) So much fun. carla… thank you for your work, energy and talent!
Carol – I would love to have my picture taken here by you in this light sitting on the gate. Would you?
This shoot was just love–yes love as an adjective!!!! It was beautiful in every element–can’t wait til the next Buttonwood Farm product!
When I met my wife Kristen it was “come for the girl, stay for the family”… this must be what its like being in your family, Carla. Looks so wonderful, Congrats!
LOVE!!! You are so incredibly talented! I am honored to know you, call you my friend and have you shoot my family!
And can we talk about the picture of Tony and Aryn??!!! SICK!
hooray! and yes, you are adorable in that outfit!
I wanna see more pics of you in your cute yellow getup.