Once I got settled in, we moved Marilena all around inside and outside of the house.  I loved their house!  I think I may just offer Kim a job as a stylist for my upcoming photo shoots! 

Anyway, Marilena did SO great!!  A natural model indeed!   Oh, I have to say that Rocky & Spunky (their dog & cat) did excellent as well…. as you will see!  They were so cute and just wanted to be near all of the photography action and, of course, be close to Marilena

Well, I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed creating them!

A little side note about some of the props:  I recently purchased the pink tutu, the white tutu (that Marilena is lying on) and fairy wings here:  http://www.fionasfairys.com/.  This is a great new shop at The Piazza in Northern Liberties.  The owner, Karen, is extremely nice and they have an array of beautiful outfits and accessories for babies and older kids (including boys!).  Oh, and the designer of the white tutu is:  Kaiya Eve.  Very cool stuff!!

This next shot really did just happen all by itself!  Eventually, we did re-position Rocky just a little bit.  Even still, seriously, HOW CUTE!?

Sleeping fairy….. sigh….  (ps. she is sleeping on top of the 12 month tutu skirt)

Here is Rocky making sure not to be excluded from this family portrait. 

http://melissahassey.com/2009/09/big-brother-benicio-welcomes-luciana/

And here are a few portraits from our recent fun and relaxed session….

Luciana is such a happy baby and has adorable expressions…. like this one:

and check out those stunning blue eyes!

Peek-a-boo!

This is actually one of my favorites from the session…..

Benny was rocking out and dancing around the room to some music.  To be precise, the song was “I Like to Move It” by Reel to Real.  If your kids are singing and daning to this 1994 “classic” it might be because they recently watched the movie Madagascar.  Of course, I just had to supply a link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a91pJDut50E

Suddenly, during his adorable dancing, he slipped on a book and took a hard fall onto the floor.  Though it definitely had to hurt, it was nothing that a hug and kiss from Mom couldn’t fix. 

Every session with this family is so much fun!  Thanks, as always!!

http://melissahassey.com/2009/09/big-brother-benicio-welcomes-luciana/

And here are a few portraits from our recent fun and relaxed session….

Luciana is such a happy baby and has adorable expressions…. like this one:

and check out those stunning blue eyes!

Peek-a-boo!

This is actually one of my favorites from the session…..

Benny was rocking out and dancing around the room to some music.  To be precise, the song was “I Like to Move It” by Reel to Real.  If your kids are singing and daning to this 1994 “classic” it might be because they recently watched the movie Madagascar.  Of course, I just had to supply a link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a91pJDut50E

Suddenly, during his adorable dancing, he slipped on a book and took a hard fall onto the floor.  Though it definitely had to hurt, it was nothing that a hug and kiss from Mom couldn’t fix. 

Every session with this family is so much fun!  Thanks, as always!!

Anyway, here he is!

Okay… the mirror was my idea and I get that it could be considered one of those “Awkward Family Photo” moments…. (I would love to hear your caption ideas!) Nonetheless, I still like it.  So there!

Beautiful Family!!

This hat was not Dad’s favorite.  While he was at the store, Mom grabbed it for a few photos.  I absolutely love hats on babies.  Maybe you like it now, Keenon? 

I saved a favorite for last….  This one just cracks me up!  I keep thinking of a jingle or tune like, “hello my baby, hello my honey…”

It seems that the portrait session was meant to be too!  A guy at Fetal Vision (they do really cool 3d ultrasounds) recommended me.  Then after looking at my website, Harlow Rae’s grandmother, Tracey, realized that I live just around the corner from where she grew up.  Lastly, at the baby shower, they received the gift certificate.  It is a small world, indeed!

Anyway, I always love to photograph newborns and was excited for this session.  Even better was that they live just 5 minutes away in Port Richmond.  Bonus for me!  Harlow has more outfits and accessories than you could imagine.  All of them are adorable too!!

And, here she is…. you know I love feet!

Birth announcement design was made easy thanks to this stork…  : )

I love that in the mirror of this portrait is her mom’s maternity portrait and on the shelf above her a Fetal Vision portrait.

This was outside on their porch…

A couple of Harlow Rae and her mom, Alexa Rae…

And look… a smile!!  Newborn smiles are so difficult to capture.  I was happy to get this one!

How cute is this little flower pot idea?  Tracey had this idea and set it all up with the pot, soil and all.  I may just hire her as a stylist on my portrait sessions!

I know, I know…. this blog is well overdue, but I truly have been really busy!  Anyway, out of fear that my mom & other members of my family might physically hurt me if I didn’t post some photos soon…. here they are!

On the day that Kylie was born, I headed over to my sister & brother in law’s house to help watch their two boys, Gavin & Ethan.  We waited anxiously for updates and I helped to keep the boys entertained by singing “Happy Birthday to Kylie” and then “Happy Birthday to Worms” with them, which they thought was hilarious.  My dad was there as well.  In this picture, you can see just how hard Pop-Pop was working. 

Once we received the call that Kylie was born, my mom and I went straight to the hospital.  These photos were taken through the nursery window within one hour after Kylie’s birth… beautiful and so alert already!

Proud parents:  Allyson & Ray

and a few more….  that’s my mom on the left and me on the right.  We didn’t have a lot of time for portraits as we had to leave soon after.  I didn’t take a whole lot of photos because, honestly, I just wanted to see and enjoy her (without my camera!)

Five days later, I ventured back to the suburbs for more “official” photographs of Kylie and her brothers.  My sister had mentioned that Ethan had a “scratch” on his nose.  When I arrived, he had scabs all over his face and Gavin had a bruise on his head!  Haha… boys!  Anyway, I touched them up for this photo…. but not the others as, well, that is just who they are.  When don’t they have cuts and bruises?  Behold, the miracles of photoshop:

I’m adding this one because it makes me laugh.  I think I should submit it to http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/ : )

Both boys are really so good with Kylie.  They both want to help out by getting diapers and holding her bottle, etc…  They also like to give her hugs (and yes, I touched Ethan up a bit on this one too):

Big & Bigger brothers!

And, finally, a few of Kylie Elizabeth all by herself:

And, last but not least….. her adorable feet!

Are we good, now, Mom? 

]]> http://melissahassey.com/2010/04/kylie-elizabeth-the-newest-addition-to-our-family/feed/ 6 http://melissahassey.com/2010/03/katelyn/ http://melissahassey.com/2010/03/katelyn/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 03:41:54 +0000 melissa http://melissahassey.com/?p=2733 Beautiful 1 year old Katelyn is the youngest of 4 children.  Her parents wanted to get some portraits of just her as well as some of all 4 kids together.  I am still working on the rest of the portraits but was excited to share just a few from Katelyn’s individual part of the portrait session.  It turns out that during the session she was suffering with a double ear infection.  Poor baby!  Her mom had mentioned that she wasn’t being her normal happy self.  I was shocked as I thought she was so happy and pleasant the entire time.  I can’t imagine how wonderful she must be when she isn’t sick!

Anyway, isn’t she adorable with those big eyes and new little teeth!  : )

and, of course, the necessary little hands feet and ear shots….

love this one of her by the window….

and this one that matches her sisters’ and brother’s one year portraits.  : )

That said, I had been wanting an opportunity to work with them.  They had their first baby boy about 5 months ago and contacted me about photographing him.  I was delighted!

Baby Jack is adorable!  We started out in his Easter outfit, complete with a baby jeff cap.  So cute!  As it was a gorgeous day, he soon got warm and ready to get out of those clothes.  The best part was that he LOVES Lady Gaga.  His parents mentioned that this would instantly make him happy, and they were right!  The funny thing is that this isn’t the first baby that I have heard to be a Gaga fan.  Then I thought:  genius! her name is lady “gaga”.  She speaks their language.  Haha! 

Here are some pics!

This red blur is elmo.  : )

And, of course, no baby blog is complete without little hands and feet:

]]> http://melissahassey.com/2010/03/jack/feed/ 0 http://melissahassey.com/2010/03/kiss-him-hes-irish/ http://melissahassey.com/2010/03/kiss-him-hes-irish/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:06:12 +0000 melissa http://melissahassey.com/?p=2607 … and also absolutely adorable.  : )

Little Declan James was born on February 23rd.  I had the great privilege to photograph him less then a week later.  He was amazingly alert and awake throughout much of the session, which was really nice.  He is beautiful and did such a great job for his first official portrait session!

As Declan is, indeed, of Irish decent and his birthday falls so close to the holiday, my being late posting this blog actually worked out.  Or, at least I like to think so…..  Anyway, this is my official Happy St. Patrick’s Day blog!  Enjoy, everyone!!

Declan all wrapped up in his cocoon….

don’t you just love little baby feet….

ANYWAY,  Addison was fantastic for her portraits.  She missed her nap for my visit but she was still so happy and energetic.  She ran back and forth showing me all of the fun stuff she has to play with.  Some of those items were her favorite little pink chair, a stuffed animal that she loved to hug and kiss, a teapot, a collection of adorable shoes and a puzzle.  She is beautiful and has the most stunning big blue eyes.  Without further ado…. here she is:

Love this one….  Addison does a really great “fishy face”.

I couldn’t decide to post the black and white or color of these next two.  And, so, I posted both!

Addison’s shoe collection would surely make most girls jealous.  So cute!!!

]]> http://melissahassey.com/2010/02/look-at-those-blue-eyes/feed/ 0