The C Families {Austin Family Photographer}

I have so enjoyed working with these families over the years.  And I love how when they get together, they love getting portraits done to freeze those little moments in time. 

Another reason I love working with all of these fabulous people is that they are just. plain. HILARIOUS.  And any time they are all together, there are plenty of laughs to go around. 

Enjoy the sneak peek. 

And here is a little bonus... last year's maternity shot and this year's mom/baby shot.

First Portraits {Austin Family Photographer}

I just got the sweetest note from these boys' grandma on my "Miles of Smiles Photography by Sarah" Facebook page.  (Which made me remember that in all the fall craziness (September through December for photographers is like April for accountants), I haven't gotten around to blogging a couple of my last fall sessions.)

Better late than never, right?  Right.

I met these adorable boys when I did school pictures at the childcare/school they attend here in Austin last fall.  It was so much fun doing individual (and sibling) portraits of all 250 of the children there.  Talk about a workout!  And talk about days overflowing with cuteness.  Here is just a sample of another little guy from that week.  Aren't the glasses cute?  (We did some with and without glasses and a schooly theme.)

The C boys were precious.  And lively.  And perfect for each other.  You can tell they just love being brothers!

Their mama ordered some adorable images, and she was so excited to get them in her hands!  And up on her walls.  She was so embarrassed to tell me, but she said she had never had professional portraits done of her boys.  I reassured her that she is not alone, that it is nothing to be embarrassed about, and that the great thing is that now she had done just that. 

A few weeks later, she called me again to schedule a session for the boys because she loved the first round of school pics so much that she wanted more.  Aren't their outfits adorable?  I loved getting to work with these cuties again!  They melted my heart... I can only imagine how much they melt their mama's (and grandma's) hearts on a daily basis. 

Sweet Pea {Austin Child Photographer}

Oh how I love watching little gals that are about a year ahead of my own baby girl. 

It is just amazing what they can do, say, dance, sing, and carry out.  I can't believe my baby girl will be this age in less than a year.  Sweet Pea was an absolute joy to work with.  She made us sing, dance, and do the funky chicken, but I am absolutely loving the way her images turned out. 

I think we captured her (and so many of her sweet expressions) and exactly who she is at this time in her sweet little life.  Enjoy a sneak peek into our session.

The M Families {Austin Family Photographer}

 L contacted me to do family portraits because her whole family (3 kids and their families) would all be in town together at the same time (which is rare she said), and she wanted portraits of everyone together.

I can understand this, because I live 18 hours from my sweet family, and we, too, are rarely all together at the same time.  And when we are, we try our darndest to get a picture.  (This usually involves us setting up some crazy distraction (near the camera) for the kids to look at and laugh at.  It also involves a whole lot of chaos trying to get everyone ready for a picture, lining us all up, and getting the shot.  But... what we have for the rest of the year to love and cherish is a pretty picture.  We forget about the chaos it took to get it!

She said they really wanted some bluebonnet pictures, so I scoped out a location, and away we went.  The only problem was that Texas decided to be a very (!!) cold and windy 40 degrees that morning (after being 80 degrees the previous days).  But we made it happen - shivers and all!  Because I knew these pictures were so important to this family, and because that 40 degree windy day just didn't allow people to be comfortable, I did another quick shoot for them at one of my favorite locations a few days later.  (When it was 75 degrees!)

Enjoy the cuteness of the M families.  I can tell they all have so much fun together.

Cake Smash SPECIAL! {Austin Child Photographer}

Cake smash sessions are such a fun and unique way to remember your baby as they hit that big milestone!  Not to mention the fact that they are enjoyable for the parents too, because your child can make a big mess and you don't have to clean it all up!

What is a cake smash session?  We start off with one backdrop and one outfit and do some regular portraits before moving to the cake smash itself.  For the actual cake smash part, you lay out a delicious little cake and let your baby or toddler go to work!  For 1st birthday babies, we finish with a bubble bath in a little tub for even more sweet pictures.

Click here and here for some Cake Smash cuteness, or visit our online gallery of images here.

SPECIAL OFFER:
We're offering BIG extras on top of our regular cake smash mini-session!   
Must book by June 1st.  For sessions taking place before August 1, 2013.  Weekdays only.

Cake Smash: $300 + tax includes:

• A 30-45 minute mini-session cake smash and 5 high-resolution images on CD 
• PLUS the BONUS OFFERS: 
• 4 FREE high-resolution images on a CD
• A FREE 11x14 or 12x12 mounted wall print collage
• Click here for samples.
• Over $600 value.

DETAILS: 
*Limited spots available at this special rate.  Available on weekdays for child celebrating 1st, 2nd, or 3rd birthday.  Bonus offer is non-transferable and holds no cash value.  4 additional high-resolution images must be the same images that are used in collage.  Client must provide their own cake.  (Ask us... we know a place to get a sweet cake for about $8!)  We clean up the mess.  Have any questions?  Just contact us.  We're happy to help!

ONE & (the cake was) Done... {Austin Baby Photographer}

Crazy how quickly tiny babies become one year olds.  I'd say she loved her cake.  And the bath that followed!

I ordered this in a canvas gallery wrap with a pretty pink border, and it looks SO cute up on her wall!  (I melt every time I walk past it in her nursery.)

Love Letters: The B Family

Another email from a client that absolutely melted my little photographer heart.  Talk about making my day when I opened this email up...

From The B Family: Sweet Paige's Newborn Session (click here)

"When our baby was born, we had just moved to the Austin area and I was very sad that I did not know any photographers in the area that had both the style of picture that I wanted at the right price point. I was thrilled when I happened upon Sarah who definitely had both! Sarah's photos are visually stunning- the type of picture I always wish I could take. She captures the beauty of the individual and also the essence of their heart with fresh, beautifully colored images that are true works of art.

Sarah replied to my inquiry promptly by phone and we scheduled our session.

The session was so much fun. Every stress I felt while getting ready melted away when we walked in the door. Her home studio space was warm and inviting. When we arrived, she had soft music playing, a space heater for baby (it was winter), and was snacks and water for mama, which I did not think to bring and definitely needed! 

In addition, Sarah did an outstanding job working with our tiny, colicky model. You would never guess how fussy she was looking at the pictures! She even ran her vacuum for us, when we told her that helped calm baby.

Sarah's photographs of our newborn are this mama's dream come true. They are absolutely gorgeous and have become artwork in our home, as well as the homes of our relatives. Some of our friends have commented that they are the best baby pictures they have ever seen!

I wholeheartedly recommend Miles of Smiles Photography. Sarah treats you like family, makes you look good, and gives you beautiful memories to last a lifetime." ~The B Family 

The H Family {Austin Family Photographer}

I love doing portrait sessions during The Golden Hour.  I just wish I could do more of them at that time.  Other than the fact that the lighting is warm and lovely, it is a nice little "escape" from the house and kiddos during what is normally a hectic time of day getting dinner ready and mouths fed.  But my hubby doesn't get home until almost dark, so for the time being, these sessions are a special treat. 

The H Family was so much fun to work with!  Sometimes I forget how much easier it is photographing families with older kids - vs. families like mine with babies and toddlers.  It is a nice change, but I also just adore the Littles, too.

Enjoy a sneak peek into our session together.  Aren't their wardrobe colors amazing?  Good job, S!

How Quickly a Year Flies! {Austin Baby Photographer}

Time has always seemed to pass somewhat quickly.  I remember way back in my college days thinking the weeks were just flying by.

When I became a mother 3.5 years ago, time seemed to fly by twice as fast.  And when I became a mother for the second time last year, I can hardly keep up with this thing called time!  It just flies by so fast.

I cannot believe how quickly this sweet girl has gone from tiny newborn to sweet, sassy, funny one-year old.  Enjoy her cuteness.  And her cheeks!

Seems like just yesterday, I shot this image of her.

I Heart Cake Smash Sessions! {Austin Child Photographer}

Cake smash sessions are quickly becoming a sweet spot for me.  I love them!

And for a limited time only (through early May 2013), I'm offering a heck of a deal on my Cake Smash Sessions.  Read on or contact me for details.

And in the mean time, enjoy the cuteness!

Sweet Paige {Austin Newborn and Family Photographer}

I love the fact that even though I live in a big city, it really is still a "small world." 

You see, I grew up in a small town in the Midwest.  It cracks me up when others say "I grew up in a small town" - and their town was 20,000 or more.  My town was 1,200.  See?  Small town.  And the older I get, the more I sometimes miss the simplicity that was "growing up in a small town."  But if there is ever a city I love being in, it's Austin.  So fun.  So colorful.  So unique. 

I got an email asking about my newborn portrait options, and when I called the client and got to know the her a bit more, we both realized that they had just moved into my friends' old house... just down the street from me.  And that friend was the lead pastor of the group I met my husband in over 8 years ago at church.  Small world! 

I love newborn sessions.  Not only do I get to capture the cuteness that is the tiny baby... But I also get to capture the love that the new parents have for their precious little gift.  I know that I look back on (and melt) every day when I see the newborn portraits of my daughter with us as a family of four, and just how much those images mean to me and will mean to me forever. 

Enjoy a peek into our session together.  You'd hardly know we had the vacuum cleaner running full blast for 30-minutes to get her to sleep, would you?  :) 

Little Noah {Austin Newborn Photographer}

One of the very best parts of being a photographer is getting to watch the families that I work with grow.  This family is one I have worked with several times, and I just adore them.  I feel so blessed to get to capture sweet moments like these for the people I serve.

I'm so glad I had a spot in my schedule to do Noah's newborn portraits.  His mama wasn't sure if they would do newborn pictures or not, but decided she definitely wanted to capture his tiny perfection.  I remember her on the phone saying, "We weren't sure if we would do newborn pictures, but I just keep sitting here staring at him and how cute he is!"  And at our ordering appointment, she said, "I'm so glad we did this!" 

Sweet little Noah was such a pleasure to work with, as were his pretty sisters and mama.  Enjoy the sweetness.

Speaking of newborns... If you're currently pregnant, I offer a huge discount on a mini-maternity session when you book it along with a newborn session.  Email me for details.  It is best to schedule both sessions at the start of your last trimester.  

Love Letters: The B Family

Getting emails like this from my clients is one of the most amazing parts of my job.  I am so blessed to get to serve others with photography.   This family was a dream to work with.  Big Brother was so excited for his little sister to be born.  And Little Sis was the perfect baby... she slept almost the whole time.  I love watching families grow and being able to document that through my camera, and then create custom artwork for my clients' homes made from those sweet memories.  Best job ever. 

From The B Family: 

"We are so grateful that we happened to connect with Sarah Jordan at Miles of Smiles Photography!

I decided just a few weeks before the end of my second pregnancy that I wanted to do some maternity shots and after filling out over a dozen online request forms for local photographers, Sarah was the only one who took the time to call me back personally rather than bombard me with generic advertising emails. Her pricing was presented upfront and was very competitive to the other independent photographers I researched.

Over the phone, Sarah took the time to go over my specific requests for a shoot and was able to accommodate my (extremely inflexible!) schedule to find a time that would work for my family. We also booked a newborn session which gave us a pricing incentive and took the pressure off to already have it set up before I even gave birth!

Our family maternity shoot was great...my 4 year old son still talks about "that funny lady who took our picture" and any parent knows what a talent it is to get a genuine, looking-at-the-camera smile from a 4 year old! Even my husband was cooperative as Sarah skillfully moved from shot to shot without a bunch of wasted time in between thinking about what should come next. We were able to meet and go over my proofs before I delivered and I had a CD of images from which I was able to print and frame pictures that were on the nursery wall before my daughter was born!

The newborn session was also great...Sarah is clearly experienced at working with these little ones and provided a great 'checklist' to help us prepare. I think the best compliment I can give her is that literally every person who viewed our proofs (in an online gallery!) commented, "what a great photographer."

Overall, we enjoyed the sessions and feel we got a fantastic product for our money. Certainly you can get cheaper photographs at the mall but you get what you pay for. Any photographer who can make me look good at 36 weeks pregnant and even more impressively at 10 days post-partum is an artist! Creating beautiful family pictures of a 4 year old, a newborn, and 2 sleep deprived parents is obviously no easy feat. We look forward to working with Sarah many times in the future as our family grows."

~The B Family (click here for blog post from this session)

After the Cake Smash... {Austin Baby Photographer}

Sweet Cheeks enjoyed every last minute of her cake smash session.  I cannot believe she will be one very soon! 

I think she enjoyed the bath portion of the cake smash session just as much as she loved smashing and eating her cake!  More coming soon on the actual smash...

NEW: Little Milestone Mini-Sessions! {Austin Child Photographer}

My sweet baby is soon to be one (I cannot believe it!), and more than ever, I have realized how important - not to mention cute - it is to capture our babies' little milestones.  That is why I have created a new addition to Miles of Smiles Photography...

Little Milestone Mini-Sessions.

These are great for capturing baby sitting up, a child's birthday or cake smash, heading back to school, and many other special milestones in your child's life.  

Contact us to learn more about these sweet little minis.  They are available on weekdays.

 

Spring Mini-Session Specials! {Austin Family Photographer}

I am excited to announce my spring child and family mini-session specials!  Happening two days only with limited spots available.

Details:

1) Thursday, March 21st   6:15-6:35pm; 6:40-7pm (No wildflowers)
2) Saturday, April 6th   8-8:20am; 8:30-8:50am; 9-9:20am; 9:30-9:50am  (Wildflowers)

$300 + tax: Includes a 20-minute mini-session and:

• 15 high-resolution (and edited) digital images on CD with print release and printing tips
• 15 free Facebook share images (same poses as your high-resolution digital images, but sized and watermarked for safe online sharing)
• An online gallery of your images available for 5 days to share with friends and family
• 10% off anything we sell (prints, canvas gallery wraps, boutique frames, and more!)

• These mini-sessions are for children or families up to 5 people.  $15/person over that. 
• Paperwork and payment are due within one week of scheduling your session.
• You will receive your CD and print release in the mail within 3 weeks of our session together, and we will post sneak peeks on our "Miles of Smiles Photography by Sarah" Facebook page,  and blog, so be sure to follow us there. 
• Once the pretty bluebonnets and yellow flowers make their appearance in our beautiful city, I will confirm the exact location with you. 
• Email milesofsmilesphotography@yahoo.com to schedule your session.

The C Family {Austin Family & Maternity Photographer}

I love maternity sessions, and celebrating the beautiful life growing in his/her mother's body.  I also love photographing the baby (that used to be that pretty little bump) once it makes it way into that family.  What a fun little guy E is!  He was super smiley, and such a little heart breaker.  Especially in the image below with the newsboy hat on.

It's hard to believe that not so long ago, he was just a pretty bump in his mama's belly.

To the C Family: It has been so fun working with your family and watching it grow!  You have such a little sweetheart in E, and I love the way you all laugh together.  Thanks for allowing me to capture some of those laughs through my camera!

The B Family {Austin Family Photographer}

I so enjoyed working with The B Family and getting to do their family portrait session.

Sometimes I forget how much easier it is photographing children in the age range of 10-15, as compared to the age range of 0-3 years old.  And then the session ends and I realize how much energy I still have left after the session.  (Photographing babies and toddlers, especially my own, is similar to running five miles in my book, but I love it!!  Although sometimes it is sure nice getting to photograph older kids that don't need to be chased.)  :) 

I love the colors their mama chose for the session, and how similar (but not too matchy-matchy) she and her daughter dressed.  Enjoy the sneak peek from our time together. 

To The B Family: The five of you were wonderful to work with!  Your kiddos are such sweethearts, and I can tell there is so much love in your family.  Enjoy your portraits!

First Family Portraits {Austin Family Photographer}

There are so many things that I love about being a photographer.  I have always been a people person and a creative person, so joining those two things together to serve the clients I work with is just the perfect job for me.  One of the other things I love most is getting to capture special moments for families as their babies and children grow. 

The P Family was so wonderful to work with.  I noticed on their client paperwork that this was going to be their first family picture.  Their little man is 6 years old, and although they have had a few pictures done of him as a baby, this was to be their first family portrait experience.  He was so funny, and so much fun to work with.

I feel so honored that I was able to capture these moments for The P Family.  And how amazing do their colors look?!  Way to go, J!!  Love the look you created for your family.  And I love that these pictures will soon adorn your walls.  You have a beautiful family.

Canvas Gallery Wrap Collection: Nursery {Austin Family Photographer}

Obviously, I love the shooting and social side of being a photographer.  My clients are just plain amazing.  But one of my very favorite parts of this job is creating custom artwork for my clients' homes. 

As my business has evolved over its first two years, I have found that as a photographer, there is so much more to my role than just turning over a CD of digital images to my clients and having them figure it out from there.  Part of my responsibility as their photographer is to take the guesswork out of the equation and help them create masterpieces.  To get them gorgeous things... tangible things... to adorn their walls and homes. 

I have a sweet spot in my heart for canvas gallery wraps.  They are amazing, unique, and just incredible art pieces that add such a sweet touch to any walls or rooms.

Here is a sample of a nursery wall collection.  Isn't it sweet?  I know that every day (several times a day, in fact), I marvel at the newborn portraits our photographer took of my little girl when she was born.  Babies grow and change so quickly... it's so fun capturing the tiny moments and looking back on them. 

And here is a pretty master bedroom collection.

And another nursery.