Monday, June 8, 2009

Blue Lily Portraits

A couple of years ago we hired a photographer to take our family pictures while everyone was in town for my brother's wedding. After a gigantic snow/ice storm delayed everyone's flights and brought all the picture taking indoors and into the evening we finally ended up with this:
It's okay, but we were never really in love with the fact that it was indoors, the lighting wasn't great, I didn't like our clothing choice, and the photographer totally overcharged us (call me if you want to know which local photographer to AVOID), so last fall I started getting the itch to get a new family photo taken.

This time I was determined to get it right, which pretty much meant that I wanted everything completely different.

Step one was finding a new photographer! I found Wendy at Blue Lily Photography after seeing the awesome pictures she took of my friend Delmy's family(it's her cute family after the apron). I was a little surprised to see that she is based in California and only comes to DC a couple times a year, but I loved her photos enough to be patient. I subscribed to her blog and started watching like a hawk for when she posted the schedule for her next DC trip.

Finally she announced that she was coming in April! Yay, but now it was time for the hardest part. What to wear?

As most of you know, I'm not much of a fashionista or a shopper, so this was a difficult task for me. I knew that I wasn't such a big fan of the black and white we used last time, so I did a total 180, picking out the most colorful clothes I could find. Of course, this also meant that I had the task of getting all those colors to match (which is decidedly also not my forte). I was shopping up until the mall closed the night before our session, but in the end we got what we were looking for....

A fun, energetic, honest photographer who kept everyone smiling

AND

Gorgeous, vibrant photos in perfect lighting!!!













Now we just need to find the perfect frames...
*******************************************************************
PS: Blue Lily also travels to Utah, Arizona, California, NYC, Texas, etc. (just check her blog for dates)

PS2: If you need a good DC based photographer, my friend Denise has recently begun her own photography business and she is AMAZING!!!!


PS3: If you want to see some more of the photos, go to my online Smugmug account to the June album {they should be there sometime today after my internet starts working again})

19 comments:

K said...

Wow! Those are awesome. I'm truly impressed. She even got Spence to smile. That must be some sort of miracle.

K said...

Did I mention you have a really good looking family? You do!

Steve-Rosanna said...

Absolutely worth however long you had to wait for her and probably every penny you paid her.

These are amazing pictures and ones that you will treasure forever We have always admired these posed professional family portraits and always wished that we could have done at least one when everyone was younger.

Hopefully, we can try again at the next full-family function ie. Nate or Heather's weddings.

C and Co. said...

Those pictures turned out great!!! Good job on the picks (clothes and photographer!!).

Deon said...

Beautiful photos! I especially like the ones on the bridge. And, you are welcome to come have fresh salad at my house anytime!

Andie said...

Oh my gosh, I love them! Especially that last one; it's perfect. I love professional photography that is "candid" like that, rather than the "smile-and-say-cheese" kind. Beautiful!!!

Deanne said...

Those are great! I love the colorful outfits - good job picking them out! That's my least favorite party of family photos.

My favs are the ones with the entire family on the rock and on the bridge. Good luck now on your frame search...and on deciding which ones you're actually going to hang (since they all look so good =).

Denise said...

wow! amazing photos Lara. Really wonderful!!!

I am a HUGE Blue Lily Fan!!

Charlene said...

Those are wonderful family picture!! She did a fabulous job!!!

annalisa said...

i love all of the photos! they're beautiful! i like the one with the kids on the bridge! it's a cool shot.

Lolli said...

They're fabulous!! I esp love the one of you guys on the big log.

JenJ said...

LOVE IT!!!
I am going to look her up!

angela said...

Those are GREAT. I have given up on getting a good photo of all of us together, but you have made me realize that it is, in fact possible! I really like the one of the entire family on the rock, and the one on the bridge.
I started a blog a couple of weeks ago! Send me your e-mail and I will invite you.
samcke@charter.net

Karey said...

Absolutely gorgeous photos!! I love them! We'll have to snag her the next time she comes to town!

Honey Mommy said...

Those photos are perfect! I aspire to take photos like that! I may have to watch for her to come to Utah!

Momma Nielson said...

Really great photos! Cammie is a knockout already. Glen better have a big stick handy to fend off all the boys. Beautiful setting! Where were they taken? By the way, did you call Nancy for you hair?

The Giles said...

I love them! You all look fabulous!

K said...

18 comments on a non i heart faces post? Wow! That's amazing. I'm happy when I get more than 3 comments.

gg said...

Just looking through our pictures again, I came to the very clear realization that your oldest son is now taller than you! Alas - the teenage years are upon us...

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