Gosh, it’s been too long since I’ve shared some of my work. Here’s just a peak at the gorgeous Mishambi family, who wanted to remember their time in Bermuda with a classic photo shoot at Elbow Beach.

Spring means flowers and sunshine and bunnies and chicks and…babies! I had the most magical session with these beautiful twin girls! They were so squishy and sweet, and loved being close to each other. I sure hope I get to see them again, and capture those precious milestones as they learn to sit, stand, walk, and play.

I’ve always adored the tiny holiday cards popular with the British contingent here in Bermuda. This year, I’m offering these sweet, personalized “classroom cards” exclusively to Mighty Mites clients. At 3” x 3”, these flat cards are just right for handing out to friends and teachers, or using as gift tags. They come with their own little white envelopes, too!

Available in any quantity, with a minimum of 15, so you can make sure there are enough for everyone! Drop me a line if you’d like me to design something special just for your child.

Hand out joy…

…or peace…

…or fun!

Here is an example of how I chose outfits for this photo shoot, featuring my own sons:

I knew that I wanted this image for a Christmas card, and wanted to shoot it against a backdrop of green foliage. It was taken in mid-October, so I knew that the kids would be comfortable in long pants and light layers. I planned to use somewhat dusty green/blue/grey as a color palette because it would look nice against the bright green and those are flattering colors for my children.

So I go into their closet: what to chose?

I started with this shirt and pants set for my oldest, because I know:

1) It fits well

2) It’s comfortable, and

3) It’s in my color scheme:

It doesn’t matter how cute the clothes are if your kids are miserable!

I always lay my clothes out on a neutral, well lit surface. If there are two people who are likely to be together in most shots (i.e., a mom carrying a baby), I always style them next to each other. In this case, I was pretty sure the oldest would be in the middle, both to make a pleasing composition and to keep the younger ones from knocking each other over and rolling around like puppies.

So next, I choose some items for the other two boys:

I liked the colors in the blue checked shirt and the texture of these olive linen pants. Next I filled out the basic outfits with some neutrals. In most clothing color schemes, neutrals include white, grey, navy, khaki, and denim. I know they’re not all true neutrals, but they tend to mix in well with other shades. On the other hand, solid black can be overpowering, and I only use that with deliberation. So I add in a pair of jeans for the middle child and a white linen shirt for the youngest:

This is a great start, but the outfits are a little flat with just collared shirt and pants for each kid. Plus I notice a stain on the youngest’s shirt. Oops! Let’s add some differentiation. I roll sleeves for the oldest (this explains the proper way to roll sleeves) and add a soft sweater for the youngest.

I know my middle child prefers his sleeves long and buttoned, and he won’t tolerate a sweater. How can I add come depth and interest to his outfit? I consider a hat:

I know that would look cute on him, but I’m not sure he’ll want to wear it. What about a vest? I know he will wear a vest.

I really like the addition of a darker color to his outfit, but I’m not loving the warm tone of the olive vest next to his brother’s cool-toned green jeans. I switch it out for a blue vest. But isn’t that just too much blue? Well, here’s why I think it works. First, the blue is a deeper shade than the shirt and jeans he’s already wearing, adding contrast to the outfit. Second, the puffy vest adds interest with its depth and texture, so the effect is not so flat. Third, this is always a great color on my blue-eyed child, so I’m happy to add another pop of it.

Usually, the next step would be adding shoes and socks, but for this shot I decided to have them barefoot for a more relaxed vibe.

I’m pleased with how it turned out — I only wish I’d had time for a few more shots before it started raining and the kids got all muddy! Still, I think this worked well for a cheery, natural Christmas image.