Riley Photographic

Last week I spent an hour or so with one of my favorite customers of all time. Jess and Damon got married back in 09 and they are one of my customers that has made good use of their lifetime portrait credit. It’s a lot of fun to spend time with them every 6 months or so and see how their family and lives are evolving. Here are just a few from our session together. Thanks guys – always fun to hang out with you.

Earlier this spring I did a session with a past wedding client and their adorable daughter!!! Audrey has stolen the hearts of all those around her and its easy to see why! Here are just a couple photos from our session together.

Jess and Damon have been customers and friends for a couple of years now.  I first shot their wedding and since then have had the opportunty to work with Jess when she was pregnant, to do a portrait for her entire family (20+), and now I’m enjoying photographing their daughter whenever possible.  They are the nicest people and are really very genuine in their interactions. I love hanging out with them and photographing them or their beautiful daughter – she is always smiling and loves to play.  To watch this little baby light up when “Papa” walks in the room is unreal!

Here are a few from my last session with her:

A little while back I was able to get some old friends and their kids in the studio for a brief session.  The kids were at the end of their rope and we had to move really fast.  It was a lot of fun having to work under the pressure of two kids that wanted to play!  Usually when working outdoors with kids this is super easy.  If they want to run around let ‘em.  Inside its a bit more challenging and adds a new element for me.  I had lots of fun pulling out all the “smile” tricks.

We chose to do the session against a black back drop, as that is the way I did their first session almost 18 months ago.  These photos should fit very well with those photos from the past and make for some excellent wall portraits in their home.  The black background really lets the viewer focus on the face and the expressions.  Plus I love photographing little people in black and white.

A few weeks back you may have noticed a blog entry in which I photographed a family on the beach. 2 Year old Emma captured my heart in the blink of an eye (and a request to be carried across the sand). At the time of that shoot Kristi (Emma’s mom) was 38 week pregnant with her second baby who was to be named Lily.

My regular blog readers know that due on Christmas day is the first “Riley” female in 60+ years. Our Ella has broken the male streak and we are just soo excited.

With a child on the way, it seems that I feel a renewed connection with my younger clients. This was never more obvious than today as I reunited with Kristi, Tim and Emma. I first met Kristi and Tim at a wedding and later photographed Emma while she was in utero. (Kristi’s maternity shoot)

Since that first photo shoot, we have gotten to see these guys a few times. Tim has become the graphic artist behind our many websites, our fancy business cards and soo many other hair-brained ideas I send his way.

As we walked down the beach today little Emma let me carry her across the sand and then half way down the beach. It is just so hard to explain why, but this simple act of holding a cute little two year old just about brought me to tears. I am just so excited to be a dad and spending time with this great family seemed to hit home in an all new way.

Here are a few of the photos from the shoot. (Turn up your speakers)

Last week as part of a promotion we offered 30 minute “mini studio sessions” to the families of our friends at Stage Academy. We share an office inside stages and wanted to give their clients a little something extra to kick off the summer. The results from the two day event are so much fun and the families all seemed to enjoy themselves. But one seven year old little boy seemed to steal the show. Young Jake arrived with mom and in 30 minutes left with no less than 100 photos that could be on the cover of any children’s clothing magazine. Jake is blessed with the charisma of seasoned Broadway performer and seems to have been born to look into a camera and smile. You have a bright future Jake!
Below is a link to a slide show of some of jakes photos that I enjoyed seeing along with Jakes parents yesterday while we reviewed the photos in the studio.
SLIDE SHOW LINK

A Little Off Topic:
As many of you know Kristin and I are expecting our first child on Christmas Day. We have known for a week and since then I have had a chance to do a few studio shoots with young kids and infants.

For some reason I find myself studying every parent and child that I have had the pleasure to work with. Subconsciously I think I am searching for the extra tib-bit of knowledge that might come from being around children before I am thrust into the world of fatherhood. Excited and scared, each subsequent studio shoot with young families is adding to my excitement to be a Dad and raise a child with my amazing wife. Below are a few photos from one of yesterdays sittings and a link to the photos.
Enjoy
Tim

http://www.rileyclients.com/slideshowk.php?path=FISHER

I spent an hour zipping around the park on Wednesday evening with the Walker Family. Mom, Dad, the the two kids and I had a blast as we played in the park for a few family photo just before sunset.
The image below is my favorite from the day as it seems to speak to me for some reason. Not sure why, I just like photos that dont have a subtitle of “SAY CHEEESSSEE”
http://www.rileyclients.com/slideshowk.php?path=WALKERFAMILY

Gabriella, Sydnie & Sam
I spent a few hours last week taking some studio photo of theses three cute kids.
Enjoy
Tim

http://www.rileyclients.com/gallery.php?skookslocation=Gabriella2

http://www.rileyclients.com/gallery.php?skookslocation=sydnie

http://www.rileyclients.com/gallery.php?skookslocation=sam