As promised I am excited to share with you our 2009 family photos.
We had a two day window of opportunity to have a family photo taken. There were two days at the end of August when our whole family would be home together – the only two days all summer! The joys of having young adult/college age children!
Fortunately for me my friend Meg was available too. You have seen Meg’s beautiful work here on the blog several times. She is the one that took the amazing photos of Tessa, the beautiful Pretty in Pink Sweet Sixteen Party photos and fun pictures of me in my kitchen over at iLashGirls.
I am going to be sharing some helpful tips and hints for getting ready for a family photo later this week but I want to let you know about an amazing giveaway first and then the photos – I promise!
My friend Meg of Megan Elle Photography is a lifestyle photographer.
In her own words Meg describes lifestyle photography as:
“An art form that rewards imperfection and praises the candor of life. Like its counterpart, traditional portrait photography, lifestyle is concerned with significant rites of passage. It does not however, demand they be viewed in rigid perfection. Put simply, lifestyle photography is slice of life photography. With a focus on details and story telling, it is a moment, an expression, a gesture, captured to convey emotion and meaning. Lifestyle photography invites viewing life honestly and beckons its beauty to be embraced.”
I love what Meg created with our family photos. I think she captured who we are as a family,the bond and love that we share and the separate and unique personalities of each member.
Meg’s work is different than the traditional, dare I say, somewhat boring studio shots. Believe me I have plenty of those on my walls too and they definitely have their place but lifestyle photography brings more life and emotion to your pictures.
I love, love, love what Meg did for us and I hope you will too.
The best part is that Megan Elle Phot0graphy is giving one Homebased Mom reader a FREE lifestyle portrait session in the month of October. Just leave a comment and tell us a slice of life moment you’ve enjoyed today. A random drawing will be held October 1st – that’s Thursday. Session will be scheduled within the first two weeks of October, so if you plan to enter please ensure your availability. This giveaway is valued at $250.00!!!
Prize includes session fee and proofs only. All other prints and products are sold separately. Winner must reside in the Portland area and be available for session in first two weeks of October. All Megan Elle Photography’s standard policies and restrictions apply.
Receive a second chance to enter by sharing this giveaway on your blog. Just leave a second comment with a link to your blog post!
If you do not win but would like to book a lifestyle session with Megan Elle Photography between now and November 21, 2009, mention seeing us on Your Homebased Mom and have your 4 x 6 proofs upgraded to 5 x 7’s. Sessions are limited.
Now here are our photos. We went with a more urban look and feel to our photos this year – love it!
Here are some of my favorites! It was hard to choose!!
As you can see we went with a purple and grey color scheme this year. Later this week I’ll share some tips and ideas for clothing selection for a family photo.
These shots with the great lighting on the train tracks are some of my very favorite.
After Meg finished taking these photos of Jim and me, she turned around and took this photo – totally unscripted!
Wouldn’t you love to have your photo taken by Meg? Be sure and enter by leaving a comment below and if you don’t win I hope you will consider using Meg for your next photo opportunity! Check out her blog for her amazing senior portraits, wedding and maternity shots! Scroll down through her blog and you’ll get a sneak peek at the cover of my soon to be released for sale College Cookbook!!
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I love these! So cute and I can’t wait to read about the clothing selection tips!
I’m anxious to hear your tips. We are doing our annual family photo this weekend when we go for Conference. So I’m shopping for clothes on Thursday!
The colors looked great!
Love your pics!! How will you choose? Oh I know… a scrapbook just for the 2009 Family pics!!! My favorite slice of life moments lately have been when my boys hug me spontaneously. I know this is their way of saying I Love You, so I treasure every last millisecond!!
I would love some awesome pictures of them being brothers!
Yet, another reason we should live in Portland! We just got out play set up, and to hear Addi’s giggles and see her tricks just doesn’t get better.
LOVE the photos!! what a great color scheme. the one of you and your husband looking right at each other is especially sweet!
I just love candid, spontaneous photos- so much better than posed ones! My slice of life moment- just last night- the whole family- including two dogs and a cat piled onto the sofa together to watch “Amazing Race” premiere. With the kids hectic schedules and our busy works lives- we cherish the simple togetherness Sunday evenings bring before the crazy week ahead begins.
She does amazing work. My favorite slice of life moment was yesterday. My last son is in college now and was coming to pick up laundry when he called and said Mom, some guys heard you were making tacos, they want to come too, is that OK? Of course I said sure and just stretched the tacos. We had 8 college athletes chowing on tacos and joking around in my kitchen, it was GREAT!
Great shots! Moments frozen in time.
wow! really such a gorgeous family. the pics show how much fun you have together, and how much the kids respect each other as friends & siblings.
my slice of life moment was this weekend – @ the movie theater. watching Cloudy w/ a Chance of Meatballs (an all-time family favorite book) with my family and looking down the row at everyone’s faces … laughing LOUDLY. laughter really is the best medicine.
Meg does a great job at catching the moment. Would love to have a moment of my famliy caught through her lens.
Beautiful family photos! What a treasure of a give away, too! I am SO glad you are going to market your College Cookbook. I will be purchasing several copies, and I know I won’t be the only one. Many wishes for lots of success for you Leigh Anne
Can’t wait to hear your tips! These pictures are fabulous.
Nothing better than a family photo….love those shots!
Beautiful Pics!
My favorite slice of life moments lately are watching my three year old act so grown up. The other day she propped her arm on the side of the chair, looked at me and said “What do you think, Mom? Shall Allison go to the store with us?” I just love seeing her try to relate more to what is happening around her.
Your family photos are so fun! I love the color scheme!
I would love to win this. My husband and I haven’t had our pictures taken for so many years. I would love to surprise my family with a family picture of us. Thanks for the chance to win.
Great pics! Love the purple and grey!
My favorite slice of life moment was today – hiking in Forest Park with my boys, checking out the beautiful fall colors begining to come out.
Great photos! My slice of life moment lately would be looking at the faces of my students this morning and thinking of all the potential in the room. Makes me feel good.
Leigh Anne!
Your pics are SO GREAT!!!! I love the one of you and your husband. I don’t think that Rick would be able to take a picture like that with me because we would both be totally cracking up! Seriously! Your family is beautiful! Thanks for sharing!!!! (If we have our pictures taken by Meg, will she guarantee that we’ll be as cute as you all in pictures?) haha
beautiful photographs. Today I held my baby while he slept. He’s my last so I try to cherish the time he’s little, even though newborns are so much work!
I LOVE these pictures. You did a great job with the clothing selection, and of course the beautiful people didn’t hurt either!!
Don’t live in Oregon any more, but I will be there next month. Maybe that qualifies me??? If not, oh well! I love the pictures Leigh Anne! Great color scheme! I’m trying to plan family pics this next week as well. Just the hubby and me. But we’ve never done cute themed pics of us…I can’t wait for your tips!
Right, forgot to write about my slice of life moment today: I got to work and was going through my email when I received a message from my husband. The subject was titled: “Top Secret Information”
Inside was a message that said: “I love you so much! YOU made my weekend great!”
So cute
Love the pics! Need the clothing tips soon…we’re getting ours taken on the 16th, so I have to shop in the next couple of weeks.
absolutely love the sun and the train tracks! Would love to have Meg catch shots of my family. Can’t wait to hear the clothing choice advice.
I love her pictures. She does a great job capturing the moments…
Looking forward to clothing advice as it is always a battle at our house to choose clothes that coordinate but not “match”. My teenage/adult children don’t like to match!!!
She’s amazing! I think my favorites are of you and Jim on the tracks.
Wonderful photos. All that you’ve shown that she has done with your family are incredible. We always get a family photo for Christmas and this year would be interested in doing something more similar to what you have done. I’d also love to consider something that incorporates our kitties and maybe sometime our horses!
Oh man- you got some great shots!
I loved visiting with the in-laws today. It was a calm and enjoyable time. Sometimes I don’t feel like I fit in there- but today I did. It was just nice.
I love all of your photos….especially the railroad track pics. Wow! You did a great job!!!! I will keep your name on my frig and share it readily!
Ooooooh! I just love the lighting! I would so love to have Meg photograph my family — that lighting looks like it would be great for minimizing crow’s feet! Let’s see, slice of life moment today…..
Peeling loads and loads of pears from my Dad’s backyard orchard, and smelling the sweet scent of pear sauce simmering on the stove, while maple syrup cornbread was baking in the oven… .delicious!
Lovely photos and very impressively taken.
Thanks for sharing.
Love the colors you chose to wear! Great pictures! how fun to have a friend with such talent.
My favorite slice of life was yesterday when my 2year old girl was sad and trying to get a toy to work. My 4 year old son said ” don’t worry, I’m your big brother. I will always be here to help you” and then gave her a huge hug! Not every moment between them is so sweet but how my heart dances when they are full of love for each other.
Love the photos! We are desperately in need of a new family pic. Will definitely have to look her up!
My favorite slice of life is just laying around on a quiet Sunday evening reading with my girls.
I really enjoy checking out your blog, it makes me want to create more “pretty” things. And your pictures are gorgeous, I’ve been wanting to do family pics for a while now with my husband and two little boys. My most favorite recent moment was probably yesterday. I was feeling a little stressed with things to do for my calling in church and keeping up with the housework. I was in the process of cleaning the couch cushions, which were scattered all across the floor, and my two boys were having the time of their lives jumping around on the cushions, laughing contagiously. It made me smile.
oh i just love the ones on the train tracks GREAT use of the natural light, i’d just love to see what else Meg can do! Thanks for the chance!
I love the pics of the kids together! They look like they are having so much fun and really love each other. This photographer is wonderful.
One of my favorite things to do is go on fabulous bike rides with friends around this amazing place we call home! I love Portland. Thanks for all your fun reads!
Love the hat! I like that there is real personality to the photo. Seeing the actual height differences was a fun change from the scripted portraits. Thanks
Beautiful photos! I love the unscripted one of the kids! It would be fun to win the photo shoot. We could get a “family” picture with our two international students!
Fun pictures. Today I loved hearing my little ones giggling together in the kitchen as they were making a mess. Gave me a glimpse of fun days/times in the future.
I just LOVE the pics! I have enjoyed them over and over, and I don’t know how they can ALL turn out to beautifully! My “slice of life” today was spending time with my brand new baby goat Tamale and his mom Tootsie. I would love to win a photo shoot…..:)
LOVE the candid photos Meg did of your family! She has such a talent! I would love to be the recepient of this great give-away! My slice of life was a rare mid-week dinner together with all of us around the table (early even!) and everyone laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Wish that could happen everyday!!!! Can I capture THAT in a photo???? Thanks Leigh Anne and thanks Meg!
The pictures are wonderful. I especially like the ones of you and Jim on the railroad tracks. Wondering where the tracks are..
Great pictures. It makes me want to get my family together for some pictures. A slice of moment is when my special needs boy has a great day
What great pictures….these are priceless
I admire your hard work and dedication to your work. I think your family is beautiful.
My happy moment of the day was my little baby cooing when he woke up.
It has been over two years since our last family photo. I cut my hair short a couple of days later so it would be nice to get one with my “new” look.
Thanks for the offer. I really want to win.
My happy moment is the same every morning. When my kids give me my “good morning hug.” It is a requirement at my house every morning before breakfast.
Great pix! You have a beautiful family in every way. I would love to win the family photos… our 3rd grandchild was born in June and we soooo need some new photos!
Oh Please pick me, I love family pictures, and Meg’s are beautiful!
What creativity!!! I loved your photos…. course every year they are beautiful!!!
I haven’t had pictures taken of us since the girls were 2 and 6…….. they are 11 and 14 now!!! Maybe it’s time!!!
I would so love to have some photos done. The work she does are truly great. Keeping my fingers crossed. And yes we would make the trip. Be a greart getaway for us.
With our first of three children going off to college next year it is definetely time for a family photo! Thanks for the inspiration!
This summer I didn’t get around to getting family pictures taken—-but, now maybe………
I would love to win. I haven’t had a family picture taken since we had our youngest a year ago!
Here’s to winning!!!!! ;o)
Our boys are becoming young men with terrifying speed. Wouldn’t it be nice to freeze them here for a moment….even if just in a photo. And what beautiful moments Meg seems to catch. Thanks for the chance!
Those pictures are beautiful! I would love to win the free lifestyle session with Meg. We just had our first baby in August and I definitely want to get some professional photos of our family.
I’m a little emotional as I attempt to explain my “slice of life” moment and why I am mustering my courage to possibly win a family photo shoot. I have a little piece of heaven sitting on my lap. He’s almost 5 months old and I am soaking up each and every moment with him. He is our rainbow baby, which is the baby you have after you lose a baby. Our 4th child was born with anencephaly. We had 23 precious hours with her before she passed away. It took us another 2 years before we were able to get our rainbow baby. I’ve learned that everyday is a gift. Literally, not just the cute signs that say that, every single day truly is a gift. Everyday I get to gaze into my baby’s beautiful eyes, hear his cute little laugh, listen to his charming coos, and hold him in my once empty aching arms is a gift. I couldn’t be more blessed. I have other little blessings too, ages 10, 8, & 6. Here comes the “mustering my courage” part. I haven’t been able to bring myself to have our family picture taken yet with the newest addition to the family. There is a part of me that is not wanting to have that family photo moment knowing that one of my children will be missing from the photo. I can’t stand the thought of moving past our last family photo with our angel baby, but on the other hand I want a family picture with our newest little baby in it too. I know we can’t go through the rest of life never having a family picture just because we’re missing someone. Maybe this will be an opportunity to help me make that next step in healing and have the courage to have our family photo taken.
Well, the best reason I can come up with is the same as many others – it has been a number of years since we have had a family photo taken, and even then, they were all snapshots. We have NEVER had a professional photo taken of the four of us – only of our boys when they were much smaller.
However, after reading Krista Carroll’s comment — mine doesn’t hold a candle to hers. Please choose her…
Your family is SO beautiful!! The pictures were beautiful!
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to be the winner of the family photo!
Hello! I just left a comment but forgot to mention a “slice of life I enjoyed today.” When I think of it there are SO many! The first one that comes to mind is whatching my two li’l loves just enjoying being together and being in love! I have a little boy that is 6 and a little girl that is 2. They both play so good together and kiss and hug all day! I love watching them be in love!
So cute! Great photos Megan!
As for my slice a life I enjoyed today….napping with my 3yr old.
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