Misty Dawn Photography

It seems like it was just yesterday that I photographed Kristina’s Delaware Maternity Portraits and now Baby Hailey is here!  She’s such a great baby, not fussy at all and just sleeps all the time, which is a blessing to a new parent.  I took some photos of Baby Hailey before she was even 12 hours old in the hospital and then I met them at the house for some more photos a couple days later.  Hailey looks like a porcelain doll, she’s so gorgeous and Kristina looks amazing for having just had a child!  Check out the photos…

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Look at that smile at not even a day old! So cute!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="548" caption="I think this may one of my favorite images all year. I love the story here - Grandmom fusses over the baby while the nervous new mom looks on in the background. Love it!"][/caption]

When I first met Lisa & Philip, I was enamored by Philip’s British accent.  I love accents.  I love observing how different cultures say or do things so different from the way I do.  For instance, as they were leaving after our consultation, he remarked how it was wonderful to meet me and my “pooches.”  I just had to smile!  Warning:  I am severely dorky at times and this was one of those times…I think I must have called my dogs pooches for a week after that because I was so enlightened to have a new name for them.    and Lisa – her smile is so sweet it could give you a toothache.  At the time when I met her she had braces but she smiled so brightly despite them and they couldn’t detract from the smile in her eyes.

We met up at Rockwood Park for their engagement session and it was a beautiful day!  A little on the warm side but still, a great day for photos.    Take a look….

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Lisa's smile is even more radiant since she had her braces off recently."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Love the light rays in this one."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="My absolute favorite of the day. This image is such an intimate portrait of them and it shows how comfortable they are with each other."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="I love the playful expressions in this one."][/caption]

Michelle & Eddie had a whirlwind day before they even met up with me at Brandywine Park for their engagement session.  They were such troopers!  Living in Virginia and marrying in Dover, Delaware, they try to be as productive as possible on the days they’re in the area for wedding planning.  As tired as they both were, I think they appreciated the chance to relax and chill for their photos.  I don’t do alot of posing, as it’s not really my style, rather, I tend to direct couples to an area of good light and let them be themselves.  It makes for more personal and relaxed photos and a stress-free good time.    Enjoy some photos from their session below.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="548" caption="Brandywine Park is one of my favorite picturesque spots in Wilmington."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="I love moments like these! I don't remember what was so funny but I'll take it. LOL"][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="I love the framing here, shooting through a break in the rose bushes."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Picture Perfect! I love Michelle's necklace, I wanted to steal it from her, but that just wouldn't be very nice, would it?"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Everyone knows my love for fisheye photography. Some of my clients like it more than others, however, so I always like to ask if they are a fan before I go all out with it. Michelle & Eddie weren't quite sure what I was referring to so I took a few test shots and showed them on the back of the camera. Immediately, Eddie's eyes brightened up as he said "That's so COOL!!""][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="One of my favs! Love the warm, lovey-dovey feel to this."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="I like to post images to my business page on facebook before blogging them - a sort of treat for facebook fans to see the images first. (So if you're not already a fan on facebook, here's a reason to be!) I've gotten a LOT of awesome comments on this one, so this seems to be a fan favorite."][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="I think this one is my personal favorite. Love the symmetry, the lighting and the moment."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="When my clients are relaxed and having fun, than it really shows in the photos and that's when I feel like I've done a good job. "][/caption]

Thanks for a great session, guys!  I hope you both went home and vegged for the rest of the evening.    See you soon for your Wild Quail Country Club Wedding!

When Kirsten and I discussed where to shoot their engagement session, she mentioned her love of graffiti and color and I knew a great little spot to start at.  Casablanca is a bright and colorful building with some graffiti on the backside and offered a great alternative to venturing into the lesser desirable parts of the city!  After we shot around Casablanca for a little bit, we headed on over to historic Old New Castle and Battery Park for a change of scenery.  I don’t think I’ve ever smiled more during an engagement session than with these two.  When you see the pix, you’ll know just why. 

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Kirsten & Matt's smiles are infectious! They laugh so easily with each other, it's a beautiful thing."][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="I love the complete contrast of the graffiti to their expressions, obviously they are far from ruin. "][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Love it! Too funny!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="So simple and yet so cute. They are so relaxed in front of the camera, it's great!"][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Another view."][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="How sweet it is. "][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Uh oh! Standoff!"][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="This tree was so cool!"][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Fearless. I was so paranoid that she was gonna fall into the water but she was totally calm and collected. LOL"][/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="This was about the point that Kirsten pointed out my gazillion mosquito bites because silly me wore capri pants! I was itchy for a week but it was totally worth it for these guys. "][/caption]

When we finished our shoot, Kirsten put her hands in between the 3 of us like a football huddle and said “Can I get a Whhoooooaaaa Misty!”  It was so cute.    Thanks for the fun, guys!  Can’t wait for your amazing Winterthur Wedding this weekend!

Kristina is expecting a sweet little baby girl, so we took this opportunity to capture some beautiful and artistic photos of this very special time in her life.  Maternity photos aren’t for everyone so if you’re pregnant and feeling like you don’t want any longterm evidence of the weight gain – ladies, you’re not alone.  As much as I know I’ll feel like a fat lard if I’m ever pregnant, I know that I’ll still want to document it.  My best friend refused to let me photograph her belly when she was pregnant with her first child, but I gently nudged her into letting me shoot one roll of B&W film.  6.5 years later, she now looks back and appreciates those photos and thanks me for pushing her to do it.  Even though she didn’t think she’d ever want to remember that time of her life…..she found that she does want to.  I hope these photos will inspire you to want to document your own growing baby bump. 

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="549" caption="Pink for a baby girl! "][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="I love both of these so much! She looks amazing."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="These last two are my favorites. I love the fine art look to them."][/caption]

It was an honor and true privilege to document this for you, Kristina.  Thank you for your trust.    I can’t wait to meet your little girl soon!

As always, more photos from this session can be found on Facebook and Flickr, where you can leave a comment on single photos and become a fan of Misty Dawn Photography.