holiday mini sessions! { frost on flower }

On Saturday I held my first studio mini session day.  I recently ordered equipment and supplies for doing a studio set up and had tried it all out at my house before using it for this mini session day.  Before ordering everything and setting the dates I proposed the idea to the McKinley Community.  They have a building not too far from my house which is where I do a lot of the work for my work share with the McKinley Community CSA over the summer.  I was so excited when they said I could use the space.  It has big windows that face the street and skylights above as well - great natural light!

I schedule the day back in October, I believe, and tried to give myself a few weeks from when I assumed the new baby would arrive.  It worked out that he was just over three weeks old.  This was actually my second time working since he was born so we had already learned that he was, fortunately, able and willing to eat from a bottle and did not have any trouble adjusting to my feeding him as soon as I got back home.

Below are some of my favorites from a few of the sessions.

My first session started a little more hastily than I planned.  It was one of the coldest days we've had in a while and the person who was supposed to open the building for me was late!  His car wouldn't start in the frigid morning air!  He finally arrived about five minutes before the first session.  Thankfully I had set almost everything up the night before but I still wanted to be more prepared than only five minutes!  It was a stressful start to the day but it worked out just fine.  :)

You've seen this bunch before.  :)



I bought a few sets of photo booth props on Etsy about a month ago and threw in a Christmas set also, to have on hand for today.  I'm glad a few people wanted to use them.  I would love to set up a photo booth at a Christmas party!  Any takers??  :)



Little sister was hungry at one point so Claire and dad enjoyed themselves.  :)



I love the excited and likely loud toddler vs. the really uneasy and likely confused baby.

















Next up was another family that you maybe recognize.  I haven't photographed them in a while!





We had to take this really really really important photo.  :)  ;)



This one should be an advertisement for this set of props - so perfect!







The photo above is probably my favorite from the day.





His strategy was to make himself laugh hysterically for the photos.  Right before and right after the laughing were usually good smiles.  So I guess it worked!  By the way - that's Olive's really good friend.  :)

Next was a new family that I had not yet met.  It turns out that the oldest takes gymnastics lessons at a gym nearby that I've been in contact with about trading services (my photography for gymnastics lessons for Olive) - what a coincidence!

















These few are group together as my second favorite from the day.  What lovely eyes she has!  :)







And last are two little guys that I met over the summer.  I photographed them together as newborns and met up with them again at a wedding.  It was great to see them again.  They've grown so much!



But they're still always looking and trying to move in different directions.



This session could be summed up by confused babies and hysterical adults - we couldn't stop laughing at nearly everything they did.  From being entranced by Christmas ornaments to trying to eat things and from drooling all over everything to trying to hit the other with sticks.







We managed to get them looking in sort of the same direction at the same time at least a couple of times.





But it was mostly opposite directions they preferred.



I laugh every time I see these - he was so very interested in the ornaments in from of him.



Look at that face.. "oooooooooh!"



I can't handle it.



And then we tried to get them upright at the same time.  Which mostly resulted in tipping over and trying to eat the bowl.



And they were really not impressed.  :P