Best in 2007

As promised, it's time for the "Best in 2007" blog contest (or at least the second half since we had a contest in May already). Here's how it works--Below you will find my favorite images for the second half of 2007 (and boy was it hard to decide!). Each image is numbered 1-15, so decide your favorite and remember it's number. Then leave a comment on this post telling me the number of your favorite image (and whatever else you'd like to tell me--I'm listening:). It's been such a great year for UpperCase Photography & Design and I feel so blessed to have met and photographed so many great people. I have fond memories of each and every session and I can't wait to see many of you again in 2008! In no particular order, here they are:

1


2


3


4


5


6


7


8


9


10


11


12


13


14


15


I will count the votes until Friday, January 4th at noon and post the winner. The winner of the contest will receive a free 2008 session! Please vote only once per person, but feel free to pass along the link to the blog to friends, family, coworkers, whomever you'd like and ask them to vote as well. Happy voting and Happy New Year!

Six Months Old

I can hardly believe it, but today my little Stella is six months old! I plan to do a proper six month photo session with her when she can sit on her own a little better, but I just had to snap a few of her to mark the milestone. It's funny because Stella is the most "smiley" of all our three girls as babies. Any of you that see her can attest to the fact that you just have to look at her and she breaks out into a huge toothless grin. However, she doesn't seem to like smiling at my camera very much at all. She doesn't cry...she just doesn't smile! And the drool--I usually don't remove it from her photos because it is soooo her. She is just soaked in drool most of the time and not a tooth to show for it! So here is little six month old Stella--all 14 pounds 6.5 ounces of her (she had her checkuip this morning :)

Our Santa Baby:




Vintage ducky (I got this chair at the preschool toy sale for just $4--what a deal!)


The infamous drool:



I am coming up for air from the holiday rush and ready to take some time to gear up for 2008. Be on the lookout for some new policies, etc in January. Also, stay tuned for a best image contest for the second half of 2007--someone will win something great!

Double The Fun

Hi Everyone! I am up to my eyeballs in holiday card designs and orders, but I had to take a moment to post these adorable twins I photographed over the weekend. This was my first opportunity to photograph twins. These little beauties are 8 weeks old and identical--Peyton and Addison. I learned a few things: If you think newborn sessions are long (and some of you know how long they are) try newborn twins! I also learned that twice the little naked booties means twice the pee and poop! Getting them both happy or sleeping at the same time was quite the challenge--they would be laying right next to each other with one sleeping peacefully and the other screaming (they took turns being the sleeper and the screamer). But I also learned that the little moments you do capture are quite special! See for yourself:


Meet Peyton:



Meet Addison:


Filling up my basket, with a vintage conversion:



And in the spirit of the holidays:


I can't wait for them to come back so we can all watch them grow!

I also wanted to let you all know that my books are now open for 2008! So if are a baby planner and want to book your next session or you want a prime spot for 2008, please go ahead and email me.

Birthday Boy

As you may know, I offer a couple of portrait packages. One of those packages is the "Watch Me Grow" package which includes chronicles a child's first year with sessions at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. One of my favorite little subjects, Joshua, has been on the Watch Me Grow plan even before there was a plan! Today is his first birthday so we had his 12 month session last weekend. It has been such a pleasure to watch Joshua, and all of my Watch Me Grow babies, grow from tiny babies to toddlers. The time passes so fast and before you know it, they are back for their next session. I miss not seeing them so often when their plan is over--when most go to having sessions every six months instead of every three months. So in honor of Joshua's first birthday, here is a look at his first year:

3 months


6 months


9 months


12 months


And here's Joshua enjoying his first taste of birthday cake in the studio. As you can see, he LOVED it and we were able to capture some great memories of him enjoying it. Happy First Birthday Joshua!!

(click to see larger)

If you are interested in the details of the baby plan (or the maternity/newborn plan) email me at jtwagoner@alltel.net. Also, just a reminder, if you have proofs but have not placed your order, I need your order by Thanksgiving to be able to ensure delivery before Christmas. Thanks everyone for continuing to allow me to capture memories for you and for sharing those memories with everyone around you!!

Ready, Set, Christmas!

No, I haven't forgotten about you all! Here at Upper Case Photography & Design it's just like the mall--the day after Halloween begins the rush towards Christmas! I've been busy with holiday sessions, designing Christmas cards, and creating gifts for clients to give at the holidays.

But I wanted to take a moment to let you know who won the Halloween costume contest and update you with a few images from my recent sessions. The contest winner is Heather Hall. Congratulations Heather, you have won a 10x20 storyboard with images from your next session! She sent this photo of her whole family dressed for Halloween--the kids are Lilo and Stitch and mom and dad are Donald and Daisy duck.
I really enjoyed seeing all the beautiful kids (and some adults!) dressed in everything from Spiderman and Ninjas to Monkeys and Ladybugs. It made checking my email such a pleasure!

Here are a few images from recent sessions. I'm so lucky to meet all these sweet kids!





Finally, if you have your proofs but haven't ordered yet, make sure I get your order soon so you'll have everything you need in time for the holidays!

boo!

One last reminder that you have until midnight on November 1st to email me a picture of your loved ones all dressed up for Halloween! I will choose one winner to receive a free storyboard with images from their next session. To get you in the mood, here are a few of my own cuties from this evening:
It was a Disney theme this year

Grace was Alice in Wonderland

Claire was Minnie Mouse

And Stella was Piglet

Stella made it to one house before she fell asleep. Claire went to about 10 houses before she decided she'd rather sit in the stroller, eat a lollipop, and watch Grace trick or treat. Grace would have kept going all night if we'd let her. Happy Halloween!

Genetics

Do you think boys and girls are genetically different, which produces differences in their personalities? Or do you think we treat them different which makes boys act like boys and girls like girls? When I was majoring in psychology we called this nature versus nurture. As a photographer, I call it the difference between Friday's session and Sunday's session!

I had five sessions in five days recently and it struck me how different the girls were from the boys. I don't have releases to share photos from each of the sessions, but I can share from a couple of them.

Here are a couple of the beautiful girls, Bella and Sophie:




During their session we strolled around Old Salem chatting about Junie B. Jones (a book character in case you don't have a 7 year old) and Hannah Montana. We watched Sophie eat leaves and Bella collect walnuts.


Here are some adorable boys, Mason, Walker, and Haegen:



Their session literally involved blood, sweat, and tears! Trying to keep them all in one place was quite the feat and probably hilarious to passerbys. I got Walker to look at me by tossing pebbles at him and letting him toss them back at me (then I apologized to his mom for teaching him to throw rocks!).

So, do I prefer one kind of session over another--absolutely not! Part of the fun is never knowing how things are going to go and trying to discover what works. It makes it all the more rewarding to go home, load the pictures, and discover little treasures amongst the images.

Speaking of little treasures--don't forget to email me a picture of your loved ones dressed in their Halloween costumes. You have until midnight on November 1st. I will choose one person to win a free storyboard with images from their next session.

They Did It All For The Wings

On Sunday afternoon I took a break from the girly girl world that is the Wagoner household and hung out with the Solomon boys for a while. They let me take a few pictures as well! We had their session at Bethabara Park. I thought the rustic scenery there would be great for a family of boys. The boys didn't care much about the scenery but loved tossing all the walnuts that had fallen from the trees. On the way to Bethabara, they passed a Waldo's Wings, which apparently for the guys in the household is a perfect place for dinner. Hence the reason a deal was made by mom and dad--put up with me and my camera for a while and it would be Waldo's Wings for dinner. Pretty good deal if you ask me! So all the images I am sharing from this session--they did it all for Waldo's Wings:
The Oldest--


The Little Model--


The Smiley One--


The "Baby"--


The Whole Family--


Every big family loves a good tickle fight :)


On their way to Waldo's (just kidding!)


Boys, I do hope the wings were great--you earned them!