I think it is quite appropriate that the first set of photos on my blog are engagement photos for my dear friend and photography partner, Paul and his fiancee, Bethel. They got engaged on July 4 and we just went out on Sunday to get their engagement photos taken.

Paul and Bethel are a fun couple, and as you will see in the photos, they are very much in love. We went to a local garden and wandered around, all the while praying the rain would hold off. Of course, in Orlando on a summer afternoon, it wasn’t likely. What a blessing it was that the rain did indeed hold off until after we were done and that other than the constantly changing lighting, we had weather that was conducive to our goals.

Here are a few of my favorites from the day:

They did a little walking . . .

And a little kissing. . .

A sweet kiss on the hand. . .

They even did some dancing

An experiment with a silhouette

This one is my favorites from the day. We happened to come across these two turtles having an, um, intimate moment and so we had to get this photo. . .

After a quick change of clothes, we got some more pictures. Notice how comfortable Bethel is leaning on his shoulder. . .

A sweet kiss on the forehead

Do they look happy together or what?

I see you!

A final favorite to share with you.

Paul and Bethel, what a fun afternoon this was! I can’t wait to photograph your wedding!

To view more photos from our session, visit their gallery at www.apictureoflife.smugmug.com

I had the privilege of taking pictures of my friend Allison’s baby, Issac. This handsome boy is almost 3 months old and was full of curiosity and smiles. Here are some of my favorite shots from our time together.

The finger Issac is eating here is mine. If I had been using a tripod, there would have been no way to get this picture!

We tried to get their feet, but Issac did not like this pose, so this is the only shot we got.

Their hands. Again, Issac had other things in mind than posing with his hands on theirs.

Mommy and Baby. Notice how his eyes are fixed on mom.

Father and Son. I loved seeing how gentle Steve was with Issac and the sweet way they interacted.

Check out that cute grin!

This is the first picture I took and is probably my favorite for the day.

Steve, Allison and Issac, thank you for letting me spend the morning with you! I’m looking forward to seeing Issac grow in stature and wisdom and the fear of the Lord.

To view more photos from our session, visit their gallery at www.apictureoflife.smugmug.com

I had the privilege of visiting with my sister, Diana, and her family last week.

A new interest in their life is the Wii Rock Band. She and my 16 year old nephew, Daniel, could spend 8 or more hours a day “doing” Rock Band.

Philip, 13, also likes to play with them, but not necessarily for such long periods of time.

While I was visiting, we all went down to my parent’s house, and decided to bring Rock Band with us. While my dad tried to pick up on how to play the drums, lead guitar or the bass, he never quite did get it. Diana did her best to help him, but to no avail.

The best part was when my dad tried to sing.



He would have done much better if they had some Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra songs. My mom, on the other hand, did fairly well and enjoyed playing with Diana and Daniel while Philip, my dad and I played cards. (I won’t even start telling you how badly I did in Rock Band!)

Diana and Daniel are really good at Rock Band after all their practice. As they were playing one particular song, Diana mentioned that it is one that just flows for her and is very comfortable to play. The funny thing about it is that the song she was referring to is one called “Waves of Mutilation”. Doesn’t that sound appropriate for her? (Hint: The answer is NO!)

After a while, the whole group joined us playing cards. (I think our laughter was too infectious for them to resist!) We had a fun evening, however Daniel had a few moments in which he was not doing well!

Isn’t Diana beautiful?

I had a memorable time and can’t wait until my next visit. Stay tuned for pictures of the beach at sunset next time. . .

To view more photos from our session, visit their gallery at www.apictureoflife.smugmug.com