Well, we are a few weeks into 2012!!!  It has been one really exciting year this past year…  I went into 2011 with some serious goals, and I am proud to say that I accomplished many of my goals and the things I set out to do.  I learned many new things about being a professional photographer, and have met some truly great people along the way this past year!  I got a handful of weddings under my belt, as well as grew my portfolio with senior high sessions and other events.  If I were to note any regrets it would mainly be not meeting my goal of doing a blog post each month, having missed both October and November (but seriously, they both very busy months for me at work).  On the other hand, some months had more than one post to share, so I should be too down on myself.  Beyond that, I just regret not having more time, more hours in the day to get more done, whether at home or for clients, and to devote time to other things I feel are important… But hey, I think we all go through that some times.

So I wanted to share with you some highlights over the past year!  And no better place to start than with the first wedding that I shadowed over a year ago on December 18, 2010.   Many thanks again to Katie (Salvatori) Hernandez of Katherine Salvatori Photography for allowing me to come and shadow her for a beautiful Christmas time wedding at the Morton Arboretum (see the first pic above)!   Throughout the year Katie’s work has been an inspiration and it’s been wonderful watching her grow professionally, and am happy for her that she recently has had her work published on various wedding related blogs and websites!  She and her family have also grown personally as she became a bride herself this past year and married a really great guy, and they already have a precious little baby girl on the way!  Be sure to keep up with Katie and her work by visiting her Facebook page for the latest inspiration and news!  Here are a few more pics from that beautiful winter wedding…

To kick off 2011, I photographed the New Year’s Celebration event at Abbington Banquets…

Moving forward into 2011, it was time to get some training.  Here are some great shots from a couple of workshops in 2011…

And now on to some of this year’s highlights and some of my favorite captured moments!!  Whether real events or workshops, there were a lot of great shots this year!  Enjoy!!

Some boudoir beauties…

A Romantic roof-top proposal.

A pre-wedding engagement session.

Then a “happily ever after” wedding…

An awesome maternity session…

Then a newborn session…

A more intimate affair…

My sister-in-law’s senior high session…

Then a colorful Indian wedding extravaganza!…

A baby baptism…

A charming country wedding…

The images following are just a few from a beautiful Maui wedding and a couple of senior high sessions that I have not yet published dedicated posts for, but since these were still 2011 events, it’s only proper that a few photos be included.  Here are a few from the Maui wedding…

Now for a few of the senior high pics.  Two brothers, two very different personalities…

I hope you have enjoyed this “year-in-review” post!    At the top of this webpage, you will find links that will take you to call of the complete posts represented here as well as other posts not included, with the exception of the last two sessions.  Please be sure to visit here often to stay on top of what 2012 will bring!!  :-)

Okay…enough of me feeling sorry for myself!

Enjoy some of these beautiful photos!!…

Here are a few from my most recent maternity session….

Now a few pics of my coworkers new little girl!!  Baby Charlotte is such a doll!

Fair Warning!… There are a lot of photos in this post.  But how could you tell a birth story without a lot of photos?

Another note: There are labor and delivery photos in this post.  No…there are no overly graphic or personal photos included.  Since this was one of my best labor and delivery sessions so far (thanks to upgrading equipment), I wanted to share with you all just how beautiful this type of photography is, and that it is nothing to be nervous about.  Having a professional photographer to shoot your labor and delivery allows your spouse to focus exclusively on you in the moment.  It also enables you to capture those small, yet significant moments going on around you after the delivery that you might otherwise miss that tells your baby’s birth story.

I hope, whether you are a parent-to-be, or just an observer of this post, that you understand that joy you can experience knowing these significant moments were documented for you so that you can cherish them for years to come.

Enjoy this beautiful baby’s story!…

(A side Note: The first six photos in this post were from my very first photo shoot EVER with a Nikon D90… Not sure why I had such luck with that body and the kit lens it came with, but I think some of the photos from this shoot were some of the best I’ve done.  So given the fact that I was  “newbie” with non-pro lenses, I am still proud of this session…because I was trying with all my heart (even though I had no clue about my equipment at the time, and probably shot these photos in Auto Mode!)).  

Enjoy!