Haunani and I decided to simplify the Essential Imagery websites in order to put the emphasis back on our images.

Over the past few weeks, our trolls and bots and shiny unicorns slaved away on the Essential Imagery websites. I’m happy to say that our brand of Philadelphia baby photography and Philadelphia children’s photography have their own websites and are dressed to impress.  Please visit and let us know what you think!

Be sure to visit the ‘in your home’ gallery, as it’s full of ideas for displaying portraits to complement your lifestyle.

If you’d like to get the Essential Imagery newsletter by e-mail, just fill in the form below. (The welcome e-mail includes a SWEET deal, lovely.)

Juliet’s Mom hired me because she said the kids on the Essential Imagery website look happier than the kids on every other website she visited.  That’s always my goal — happy kids — and the highest compliment I can receive. (Thanks!)

Miss Juliet and I went scampering through the Fall leaves to collect acorns and seed pods.  Oh, and for the sheer joy of hearing leaves crinkle under our feet.

Then we headed inside to the sun room, which had gorgeous light.  Oh, and a Juliet who claps and giggles and climbs on the piano.

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Their first session was canceled due to the stomach bug that’s been going around, and the second session date was grey, gloomy, and full of rain. So, we filled the studio with pillows and had a portrait playdate right here in Wayne.

If you forced me to do nothing but photography chubby babies for the rest of my days, I would die happy.

You could also force me to play in the ball pit, giggle with sisters, or threaten tickle wars.

Yes, there’s a ball pit. And it is glorious!

He walked into the house, grabbed a scoop of cat food, and went back outside.

Having fed our fair share of stray cats, I knew Matt was up to something, and that something probably had fur and needed food. This time, though, the cat didn’t scamper away as we approached. She was so weak that she let us hold her, love her, and bring her inside. Having just adopted a dog, which has traumatized the existing cats enough for this year, we can’t keep her. We have no idea if she’s simply starving or truly sick.

She is friendly, sweet, and utterly pathetic. She appears to have been recently spayed, and also has evidence of a pretty nasty encounter with…something…on her front leg and behind her neck. I’ll keep scouring Craigslist for pet owners who may claim her, but in the meantime…please? Pretty please, take her and love her?

We cleaned her up after these photos were taken. Yes, Craigslist e-mailers, I’ve separated her from my other animals, and yes, we will be getting her antibiotics and a vet’s opinion.

Edited to add: thanks to everyone for your kind words, shelter suggestions, and offers to help Kitty find a home. We met with a vet first thing this morning. Turns out Kitty’s severe dehydration led to organ failure. The vet estimated her age at 17, she didn’t have an ID chip, and the vet recommended we put this kitty down. Kitty went to visit the big ball of catnip in the sky. Matt and I cried all the way home.

Please forgive any wonky coloring, as these were taken in the basement with a bare bulb and flashlight, then processed on my uncalibrated laptop monitor, with great haste.

So I’m a few days early, but I figured you could use a laugh…Hermione is going to be a dinosaur for Halloween.  Originally, she was going to be Hermione Granger, but then…we figured we could do that to her any ol’ day.

Before you go all PETA on me, she jumps around like a three-year-old on Skittles when she sees an outfit, and shoves her head through the neckhole and armholes with enthusiasm.  The dog loves dressing up. This doesn’t make it easy to resist the temptation to dress her up and take pictures.  Particularly when she is busy being a ferocious dinosaur.

Hope your holiday is full of at least four pounds of candy!

Not to go all proper-upper-class-English-society on you, but…isn’t the weather divine?  This sixty-something plus Autumn combo is keeping me chipper and inspired.  Get out there and enjoy it, won’t you?

Photographer geekery: 120 film scans from Diana camera

I’m a Pittsburgh girl, through and through…except when it comes to the Phillies playing in the World Series.  The words “Go Phillies!” have escaped my lips multiple times this week, and I just might watch the series.

Jimmy will be watching!

Doesn’t that last one just melt you?  I’m so proud to say that’s what I do: I help parents remember how much they loved these days with their little ones.

If there were a Jimmy factory, I would take two.  He’s an amazing little four-toothed dude, and this image completely encapsulates his personality…

Images of Jimmy’s lovely family will hit tomorrow — complete with Phillies paraphernalia, of course!

I like to call it the room of destruction.  A completely bare room containing only a few toys, a single stool, and a family.  Kiddos are free to do their worst, run like crazy, scream like maniacs, and tackle each other.  Parents are free to stop worrying about all the ways their little ones can break stuff, and I photograph the mayhem.

Ryan and Aidan were obviously quite stoked to be allowed to stand on the furniture…

Those eyes! Those dimples!

It never fails: no matter how tough, little boys are always a sucker for their Mamas.

These two were adorable together in a tweaked time slot and with some much-improved weather.  (No rain – score!)  This involved a little piggy going to market, a little piggy going to Wawa, and a little piggy going home.  At least the girl has tip-top taste in convenience stores…