Merry Christmas to All!!

April and Christie (hope this is the correct spelling :o) were two excited little girls! And there is nothing better than little girls who are happy to dress up and ham it up for the camera. These lovely little sisters spent more than an hour posing, smiling , and cooperating in the studio on Sunday. Theses are only two of the many wonderful photos from the session.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all my friends, family, returning clients and new patrons a very merry Christmas! Hope to see you in the New Year!

Give the Gift of a Family Portrait

This was mom's Christmas present! Knowing it was a gift received in last year's Flynn family's Yankee Swap, I commented that she had waited an entire year for this special gift (implying it was a good idea to smile!). But little did I know that this was the first family session with all four! Shelly has been waiting 8 years for another family portrait. Thanks to Heidi and Dave they have this fabulous photo to keep for perhaps another eight.

Do you know a family who needs a little prodding to take the step toward capturing a professional image to be proud of? Give a gift certificate from Gallery Arseneau this Christmas. The possibilities are endless...

Merry Christmas!

Sometimes in life there are no words necessary. These portraits of the beautiful blue eyes, and fantastic smile of Mikaylie Bates are enough to put even the most dedicated Scrooge in the holiday spirit! This first time visitor to my studio is about to celebrate her first birthday.
She is certainly the best present of the season to proud parents Tanya and Mike.

Little Lady in the Red Dress

Pretty little girls... fancy Christmas dresses... carefully curled tresses... Christmas portrait sessions are so exciting. The excitement of the holiday season can be seen in the faces of the children who come to my studio this time of year. Even the most difficult of smiles come when asked "What is Santa bringing you for Christmas?"

The rush starts early in this business and ends several weeks before Christmas. Even with the advances in technology it is necessary to have photos taken before mid December to ensure Christmas delivery. Portraits such as these with little Grace make wonderful presents when enlarged, and smaller prints add sparkle to any Christmas card.

Happy holidays to the Anderson / Flynn family.

Familiar Family

She walked through the door of my studio excited to be there. She'd been there before. In fact she'd come several times, each visit with a smile and ready to pose. This time she was sporting a drastic (but fabulous) new haircut. She donated her lost locks to help those who are suffering the effects of cancer. And this time she brought dad along with her and mom. She was obviously happy to be getting family photos done in time for Christmas. As always she is cooperative from the start and is eager to please her parents and photographer... and if she wasn't all these things... you'd never tell from the beautiful pictures she produced :o)

This year has brought many new clients my way, with still more booked for the remainder of December and into next year. I appreciate all who trust me with capturing their memories, those who recommend me to family and friends, but especially to those like Nicole, Larry, and Maddie who have been loyal to me for the past several years. I hope to take pictures of your beautiful family for years to come!

A Special Meaning

It's important to have your family portrait mean something special, to tell the story of your family. This is what sets your photograph apart from the one of the family next door and the other down the street. It's what makes you smile every time you look at it hanging on your wall. And if you're the average family, it will be something you will look at for many years to come. How do you make it personal? Better yet - how do you make it a reflection of what your family stands for instead of a carbon copy of a "family picture"?

Props are not a big part of my studio. They can work in certain circumstances but not in most. I deal in basic back drops (although I also have a variety of colors on hand) and it seems sensless to me to have a photograph taken with my studio christmas tree (and I have one!) when your own will hold better memories. How can you be sure to capture your family's spirit and not just their smiles.

The Hunter family brought along the guitar that is a part of their life. And while there are numerous lovely photos from their session, those with the guitar seem magical to me. Hopefully Jonathon and Wendy will feel the same.

Big Brothers

I am the oldest child. My brother is 10 years younger and I still think of him as the baby even though he is close to 33 years old. I was spared the experience of having over protective brothers who watched over me and who tried to intimidate boyfriends!

Today I photographed a beautiful, happy little girl and her two older brothers. It was obvious she loved them both very much. She kissed one, and had to kiss the other. She likewise evened out her hugs. They smiled at her often and were clearly very fond of her. And even though I didn't have first hand knowledge of this older brothers - little sister dynamic I could certainly understand what was going on here. These handsome boys are destined to look out for her, keep her safe from boys, and maybe even from the world. I doubt she will appreciate it in her teenage years! But I can't help but think what a lucky little girl she is.