They might be cousins, but I think these boys better rethink their position. They look a little outnumbered to me.
Oh, it looks like the girls have forgiven them. Lucky guys.
and here is a shot of each set of siblings
first, the ornery blondes
2nd, the little girls. Are they going somewhere?
and, last, our very own Brooke (you may have seen her earlier on the blog as a ladybug) and her big brother, Brett
Sometimes you might feel like the following image. I know I have. That's me with my daughter, Bean.
But, it's especially nice to do your hair and makeup (or better yet, have it done at Twist), get dressed in something you love and hug your Mom or your children or both. One of the things I love most about having my pictures taken with my kids is the chance to just snuggle. It's great to cuddle for no reason at all, but it's just as nice to get some fun hugs when you are supposed to for a portrait. And I love portraits with my mom because we have such a special relationship and it shows in the images.
Schedule your mom and me portrait session to be photographed during February and receive 50% off your session fee. The first 5 sessions to book will receive free hair or makeup at Twist Hair Salon.
Call 1.913.837.2737 today to book your session.
When the family snuggles and keeps warm? This session was right after one of our ice storms this December. I love how bright and fun these images are. Bright and fun describes Corey and Keith and their family. Don't you just love baby Lola, the new puppy? She's so sweet.
We came in out of the cold for a cuddle on the couch. Everybody got nice and toasty.
In your family portraits? Here is a wide variety of looks. Some of these sessions were just taken last Friday. I always love to choose backgrounds and styles to go with each family's outfits. Whether you go with a range of all one color or a mix and match of a variety of colors, we can create portraits that will be perfect for you.
From time to time, we send out a newsletter brimming with all sorts of exciting news, ideas and information. The latest edition went out last week. If you didn't receive it, let me know and we will make sure you are on our mailing list.
Highlighted in the piece, were some of my favorite images including the dancing zebra children on the cover and sweet Brielle on the back. Our fall and spring calendars were on outer flap great for putting on the refrigerator. I'll post the fall calendar here for you to download and print if you'd like it.
One of my favorite things from the newsletter was a little picture of Grandma Hazel with her chicks. I mentioned that we have a shared love of chickens. It's true. Ever since I was a kid, I've enjoyed raising chicks and having laying hens.
When the girls were little and we had just moved to our house with a small barn that was perfect for chickens, we did a session with the children in front of the chicken house. The wooden door was covered with sweet peas and our little red hen and gray kittens were sweet additions to the portraits.
Sadly, a family of foxes just discovered my chickens and has eaten most of them. The remaining hens are at Grandma's house for safekeeping over the winter. We'll put in better defenses next spring and get some new baby chicks to make our home feel complete.
I've been reminiscing about what I was doing this time last year, laying on the beach in Belize, riding on boats in the jungle, eating fried jacks under the thatched roofs, capturing a beach wedding. It is just a few weeks past Julie and Joey's first anniversary and I just wanted to say congratulations and thank you. We had an amazing time and loved spending it with your family. You are a beautiful couple and we are so excited about your future.
Here are some of my favorite images from our trip and from Julie and Joey's wedding album.
My baby brother got married this weekend in a darling, little round Catholic church. He and his beautiful wife are off on their honeymoon after hosting an incredible weekend. The pictures were so much fun. The wedding party rode around in 2 limos - going onto the infield of the Cardinal's stadium for some images, running down Washington Street, stopping to watch the Preakness at a bar, getting gelato with the children. It was such a perfect day and a perfect experience.
I don't have any images from the wedding yet so I wanted to share some of my favorites from their engagement session that Mom did in St. Louis.
This session was photographed right around Thanksgiving. It had just rained, and the colors are beautifully saturated. What I love is how the images look more like they were out on a hike and just stopped to have a quick picture snapped. The clothes aren't perfectly matched and the family isn't perfectly coifed. Emmy, Adam and their son Coulter love to be outdoors and hike. These images really capture who they are as a family. I wanted to get these images up before we are totally ready for spring since the fall colors are so pretty.
I've been so excited to post my family card. This year, we did something quite a bit different and I've really enjoyed the creative process. I came up with the idea in August, finally got everyone together to get the shoot done in November and now I can show it. I don't know why I am so proud. I'm also posting a little essay on it that I wrote for an assignment where we could choose a word Peace or Pain and illustrate it with an image. I felt that the image represented both. From the essay, I pulled the wording on the Christmas card.
I also included a shot that we didn't put on the card, but that I thought was pretty fun. Our kitten's name is Ella if you were wondering.
Here is the essay:
Peace and Pain
This image was created in a playful, faux documentary spirit as a white trash punk family portrait for our family Christmas card. The project was lovingly referred to as “White Trash Christmas” by our staff at the studio. The concept is mine so although I did not photograph it (my mother, Sana Antisdel, did) and I did not completely style it (my cousin, Tressie Gilmore, our other photographer proved surprisingly adept at creating a hillbilly punk look), I feel that I can take credit for the end product. Unbelievably, this is exactly what I saw in my head, driving to the next town over to buy birthday gifts for my mother -overalls for the kids to wear at her house and model horses for the kids to play with at her house - from the Farm and Tractor Supply Store. When I read the assignment, I was so excited because I immediately felt a connection with those words and this image.
I know I shouldn’t complain, but life isn’t perfect. And for some reason, we’ve been created to desire something better and more perfect than what’s happening here. The house is messy, the kids are ragamuffins, my life is too hectic. No matter how resolute I become, I can’t make it all conform to my idea of the right life. It’s painful. Sometimes, way down inside, I yearn for the peace that comes when all of this, this stage in life is past. But when I truly envision that future, I realize that I have true peace right now. When I hear the words “Pretend I’m a dog and you’re my owner..” or “Pretend I’m your sister and I’m getting married, but you don’t know it…” and the children are really playing together, enjoying their childhood, I know there is peace here in this not so perfect house and family.
Thinking about the link between pain and peace and Christmas, brought me back to the reason for Christmas when Mary endured the pain of bringing a child into the world to birth the One who suffered the ultimate pain to bring us all Peace here on Earth.
May the peace of Christ bring you joy.
Merry Christmas.
Andy, Kia, Kessa, Sephine and Chilton Bondurant
My good friends, Greg and Alisa, brought their sons to play at the studio. The old truck and piles of leaves were equally fascinating. I have to say I'm a sucker for long hair on little boys. Jaden and Jonah certainly know how to play. Aren't they cute?
Telling some secrets in the truck. Their mom, Alisa, said there was no telling what they might be whispering about.
and we're all done.
