CKC PHOTOGRAPHY

Olivia's 1st Birthday Party

2012-02-14T19:47:00.000-05:00

I had so much fun shooting Olivia's 1st Birthday Party! If any moms out there need a good idea for an infant/toddler birthday party, I highly suggest an inflatable pool full of colorful balls! This was a built in baby sitter that kept the little ones, including the birthday girl, fully entertained. They all loved it, even the older tots :) I think every mom and dad at the party wanted to rush out and get one for their playroom. Olivia had a great time at her party, enjoying all of her friends, the pool of balls and LOTS of cake! She had to get cut off before she overdosed! Grandma gave her a good bath in the sink, which she was a huge fan of as well. All in all it went swimmingly! Mom did a fab job on all the decor and attention to detail. Thanks for letting me share this special day with you guys. Enjoy some of my faves from the festivities!

Olivia's Turning 1 !!!!

2012-02-03T16:30:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe that a year has passed since I shot baby Olivia's newborn session. Why do the years seem to fly by so quickly?!! We shot Olivia's First Year mini session this week and I will be photographing her first birthday party this weekend. We did a series with the letters "O", "N" and "E" and let me tell you, it isn't easy to convince a one year old to hold a letter in exactly the place that you'd like them to :) haha! But, we got some fun shots of her doing just what she felt like doing with them. Then we took her out with a tutu and a bunch of red balloons and got all kinds of smiles! She loved it! Enjoy some of my faves from little Olivia's First Year mini session below. I also posted one of her newborn pics at the end so you can see how she's grown.

Porter is 7 Months!

2012-01-26T18:58:00.002-05:00

My nephew has just turned 7 months old! Wow, that was fast! Seems like just yesterday that I shot his newborn session. I might be biased, but isn't he just the CUTEST?!!! That little face :) Adorable! My sister and brother n' law have passed on good genes to my little Porter. Enjoy some of my faves from our session.

Ava is 6 months!

2012-01-24T19:58:00.001-05:00

I shot baby Ava's 6 month (almost 7!) session last week and she was all smiles! She is just SO cute! You could eat her up! This is such a great age for photos, they're happy and can sit up, but aren't old enough to crawl yet so they stay where you put them. Doesn't she have the most beautiful blue eyes?! We had such a good time, even though most of the fam was a touch under the weather :) Lots of laughs, great lighting and very nice weather! Enjoy some of my faves from the session!

Last Holiday Session of 2011

2012-01-03T15:07:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to everyone! I had the pleasure of shooting my last holiday session of 2011 with one of my favorite families. They have been clients since their little boy, Parker, was just 8 months old. He was the cutest baby and has grown into such a handsome boy! As a photographer, I am so lucky to have the opportunity to watch these kiddos grow up. It is one of the greatest parts of the job! We shot in mid November had some luck finding a location that evoked the fall season, even if it was hot and muggy.....you'd never know it! We had a great time and shot this session in record time :) Enjoy some of my faves and watch for more fabulous sessions throughout 2012!

Baby Will's Family Holiday Session

2012-01-03T14:57:00.001-05:00

You might remember baby Will from August when he was just a wee tiny thing :) He's a couple months older and certainly wiser-haha! I shot his family holiday session back in November, what a cutie! This whole family is adorable. I had a great time shooting their session on a beautiful fall day, which we haven't had many of around here. Enjoy some of my faves!

Sophia and Fam

2011-11-02T15:00:00.000-04:00

I shot baby Sophia again for her family holiday session last week. I haven't seen her since her newborn session back in March! She has grown into a beautiful baby girl with big brown eyes and gorgeous long lashes :) She's such a sweetheart! Although, sitting up on her behind is NOT her favorite thing to do, which made things interesting! haha! Funny babies, they're all such individuals. Of course, she was most cooperative for the last shots of the day, sitting in a suitcase of all places! I have been shooting with this lovely family for a few years now, starting with their wedding, and I've enjoyed every moment we've been able to capture together. I am looking forward to our next session for baby Sophia's 1st birthday! Enjoy some of my faves :)

Fun Family Holiday Session

2011-10-27T14:15:00.000-04:00

You might remember baby Rowan from his newborn session in May, how time flies! I have been shooting with this family for 4 years!!! They are great clients and friends and I have fun whenever we shoot together. We had perfect Florida fall weather the day we shot this session :) I just love fall lighting! Big brother, Ryder, was hard to keep still, but the two locations we shot at proved to be at least mildly entertaining to him. And baby Rowan was just along for the ride :) Thanks to mom and dad for all your hard work to get us some smiles and keep the kiddos happy throughout the session. Enjoy some of my faves!

Cortes Holiday Session

2011-10-18T17:26:00.000-04:00

You might remember this beautiful family from last year. Katy and Kyle have grown up so much over the past year! Mom chose a fall wardrobe for the whole fam and somehow the session ended up looking like it was shot in cool weather :) There was a lot of Smarties bribes, but we got plenty of smiles and found so many great spots in our location of choice. Thanks to mom, dad, Katy and Kyle for a great shoot and for braving the wilderness for me! Enjoy some of my faves from their session.

Ava is 3 Months!

2011-10-17T19:28:00.000-04:00

I shot Ava's 3 month session last week. She has grown so fast and she is just too cute for words! We actually had a lot of fussiness that day and still managed to get some super cuteness out of her. Mom had her heart set on the tutu shot and let me tell you, she was not a fan! haha! But, we managed to get a fun one. She has the most beautiful blue eyes, they are SO BLUE! Thanks to Ava for being such a pretty girl so we could make pretty pictures. It was hard to narrow it down, but enjoy some of my faves!

Olivia's 8 Month Session

2011-10-11T15:36:00.000-04:00

Baby Olivia is 8 months old! It really seems like just yesterday that I was shooting her newborn session! This year has flown by. But, really, could she be ANY CUTER?! She was even under the weather the day we shot this session and we still got these adorable smiles. It was hard to narrow down my favorites for the blog posting. But, alas, I did it, so enjoy!

The Bros are Back!

2011-10-10T20:02:00.001-04:00

You might remember this fantastic family from years' past. These three brothers are a barrel of laughs on a shoot! This year we headed to Kanapaha Botanical Gardens for some fall fun. The weather was gorgeous and I think we all had a good time making images in a great location that day :) Enjoy some of my faves of one of my favorite families.

Julie Anne and Fam

2011-10-05T14:41:00.000-04:00

We continued baby Julie Anne's newborn session with family this week. She's just about 3 weeks old now. She's a sweet little doll. She made us work a little harder this time around, once they're past about 8 days old they're on to you :) But we were able to capture some very sweet shots of this little lady with her mom and dad. Enjoy some of my faves!

Baby Julie Anne

2011-09-22T14:27:00.000-04:00

I shot a newborn session with a tiny little girl this week. I think she was my tiniest baby yet, and ever so sweet! What a good sleeper she was :) She was very cooperative with all of her poses. Such a doll! We have another mini session coming up for little Julie Anne, I wonder if she'll behave as well as she did at 7 days old :) Enjoy some of my faves below.

2011 Holiday Sessions

2011-09-13T17:31:00.000-04:00

I have to say that was a VERY fast year!! The 2011 holiday season is upon us! The 2011 Holiday Card Collection is ready for viewing! I love the bright, cheerful colors and designs :) Most of the colors and layouts are customizable, as is the greeting text, to suit your taste. The 2008, 2009 and 2010 collections are all still available and can still be viewed online (2008) (2009)(2010). All four of these collections have wonderful things to offer and I'm positive that there is something for everyone. I have holiday session dates still available in September and October. If you are interested in booking a holiday session this season, please email me at ckclarke@ckcphotography.com. Act fast, as dates fill up fast!

Baby William

2011-08-23T19:36:00.000-04:00

You might remember baby Grace from a few years ago. She's a big sister to William Russell now! And he is just as cute as she was. He did so well throughout his session, he was very cooperative at all of 5 days old :) We were lucky enough to get some awake shots in addition to all the adorable sleeping shots. I had so much fun with big sister, Grace. Nothing like a few candies to bribe a two year old into submission. For every picture, she got a little something sweet :) But, my favorite is definitely the black and white sour puss face posted below. Thanks to mom, dad and big sis for making our session a success! I had a hard time narrowing down my favorites from this one!

Gabby is a Doll Baby

2011-08-15T15:25:00.001-04:00

I shot with a new little lady recently, Miss Gabriella, or Gabby for short. What a cutie!!! She had so many fun expressions and the most beautiful big blue eyes! She was around 7 months when we shot her session and that is a great age to shoot! We started the session off with her mom's big wooden bowl that I borrowed from the dining room table. It worked out to be a fabulous prop! Thanks to mom and Gabby for making our session a success. Enjoy some of my faves of this adorable little girl below.

My Nephew

2011-07-19T19:12:00.035-04:00

My nephew, Porter Jackson, was born on June 21, 2011. I truly love this little boy, and he makes a fantastic subject! I had so much fun shooting his newborn session. What an adorable little bundle of baby boy. I am a little biased, but you have to admit he's pretty cute :) Congratulations to my sister and brother in law for delivering a perfect little Porter! Love you guys. Enjoy some of my faves from his session.

Baby Ava

2011-07-04T13:22:00.007-04:00

Baby Ava has finally arrived! You might remember mama Lindsey's maternity session from not too long ago. Ava has the prettiest little lips! Love them! We tried all kinds of things throughout her session, but she got a tummy ache during the first day of our session, so we had to continue it on another day. She had the same belly ache every day in between our two sessions, which was definitely stressing mom, dad and baby out. However, on day two of our shoot little Ava decided it was finally time for some z's and she fully cooperated for her family shots and solos, although she preferred the basket with the green blanket the most, so we let her spend plenty of time in there :) Enjoy some of my faves from Ava's newborn session. And thanks to mom, dad and both grandma's for helping to make our session a success, despite the obstacles Ava threw our way. Enjoy!

Baby Olivia is 4 Months Old!

2011-06-30T13:49:00.007-04:00

Welcome to my new blog layout! I'm playing around with a new look, so feel free to post comments with feedback. I shot baby Olivia's 4 months session a few weeks ago (trying to get caught up on blog postings!!). She is sooooooooooo cute and such a happy, smiley baby! But, I also loved her more serious expressions. She did so well for her 2nd modeling gig :) You might remember her newborn session posting from not too long ago. It is so fun to have the opportunity to watch these little ones grow into themselves. I can't wait for her 8 month session so I can see how much she's changed! Thanks to mom and dad for helping me get those big smiles! Enjoy some of my faves below.

Baby Knox

2011-06-14T15:40:00.006-04:00

I recently had the pleasure of shooting a newborn session with baby Knox. You might remember his mama's maternity session a couple months ago. We shot Knox around 5 weeks, but typically I suggest between 4-8 days old for a newborn session. We worked hard to get little Knox to cooperate with us, but it paid off with lots of cute shots. Such an adorable little man! This is one beautiful family, inside and out. Thanks to mom and dad for your patience with me and with baby Knox, and for all your efforts in keeping him happy throughout the session. I look forward to watching him grow!! Enjoy some of my faves below.

Alexander

2011-06-01T17:58:00.005-04:00

I recently shot a session with two year old, Alexander. His grandmother had won the session that I donated to the silent auction for the Munroe Foundation fundraiser, Flavors of Munroe. The event was held to raise funds for the Munroe Regional Medical Center's Children's Emergency Department project. Two year olds always make it interesting :) Its fun to see what you are going to get out of kids that age, and very entertaining! Between myself, mom and grandma, we managed to get a few smiles out of this adorable little boy :) And by the end of the session Alexander and I were the best of friends! Enjoy some of my faves from the session.

Best Buds

2011-05-28T20:39:00.008-04:00

I shot with Ben and Max recently, who you might remember from previous sessions :) Ben is the big brother to Max, who I first shot at 5 months. It is so much fun to watch the kids grow and develop into little people! Ben and Max are best buds and they had fun playing around throughout their family session with mom and dad. We shot at their family friends' farm and there was plenty of great spots to choose from. Towards the end of the session Ben and Max were rewarded with gummy mustaches and I got one of my favorite shots of the day from that moment. Ben took on a totally new persona immediately after putting the gummy mustache on, it was hilarious! Max just wanted to eat his! But, I also love my last shot of the day, Max peering at me with mischievous eyes through the fence. Too cute! I had a great time with you guys, thanks for being adventurous and letting me lead you all over the place. Enjoy some of my faves from the session.

Becca and TJ's Wedding

2011-05-23T17:53:00.009-04:00

I shot Becca and TJ's wedding at the Country Club of Ocala on May 7th. They had crystal clear blue skies for their outdoor ceremony and were surrounded by a large group of loving family and friends throughout the day and evening. Becca is a classic beauty, and she looked so elegant! They really do make a beautiful couple and I was so thrilled to be a part of their wedding day. I had a lot of favorites to share! And I couldn't leave out the adorable photo of Becca and her grandmother, I just loved it! Thanks to Becca and TJ for being open to doing whatever I asked of them and for inviting me into the celebration of their marriage! I had a great time :)

Rowan's Newborn Session

2011-05-09T19:27:00.007-04:00

I shot the newest addition to the Scudder family last week. Little Rowan Wolfe! He's a doll, and looks so much like his brother did at the same age. Strong genes in this family :) I've been shooting with them for the last four years and have watched them grow into a beautiful family of 5. Like most newborn sessions, we had our fair share of "accidents", which are always entertaining. He even managed to soak me this time! Always bring a wardrobe change, note to self. Cara was nice enough to let me borrow a t-shirt to complete Rowan's session in. We had a lot of fun, a lot of laughs and a whole lot of cute going on that day. Ryder even shared his putting green with little Rowan, provided he stay in his bucket :) Thanks to Cara, Kirk and big brother, Ryder, for a wonderful session! Enjoy some of my faves below.

Lindsey's Maternity Session

2011-05-05T15:08:00.007-04:00

I shot Lindsey's maternity session at her home about a week ago. She is due in June and anxiously awaiting the arrival of baby Ava. Lindsey looks so beautiful pregnant, it was easy to shoot her, and her husband, Ryan. They were both at ease in front of my camera and did a great job expressingly their love for each other and for little Ava throughout our session. And of course we had a few laughs in the process! I can't wait to meet little Ava very soon and shoot her newborn session. Enjoy some of my faves below! Thanks to Ryan and Lindsey for being fabulous subjects!

Christine & Doug's Wedding

2011-04-21T13:44:00.017-04:00

I shot Christine & Doug's wedding recently and it was such a gorgeous event! For such an amazing couple and family :) You might remember their engagement session posted a couple months ago. Christine's daughter, Kasey, is the sweetest thing....as soon as I arrived to start shooting that day, she ran over to me and gave me a BIG hug! She was a big part of their special day! She was a flower girl, although grandma had to help her spread the petals when shyness crept in. Doug presented her with a beautiful necklace during the ceremony, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was a touching ceremony and moving day for everyone involved. It was a very happy event and a good time was had by all! I couldn't help sharing so many of my favorite images from the day and evening. Christine & Doug make such a LOVELY couple, they both looked stunning. The ceremony took place on the beach behind Oystercatchers and the reception was held at the Tampa Bay Westin. Jaime Billig of Confetti Events was the wedding planner and she did a fabulous job, as well as the rest of the vendors. Jaime was calm, cool and collected, and so very nice! You rock, Jamie! Can't wait to work together again in the future :) Congratulations to Doug & Christine! You make such a beautiful family and I can't wait to see how life unfolds for you.

Kellie & Robbie's Engagement Session

2011-04-12T13:45:00.007-04:00

I had the pleasure of shooting Kellie & Robbie's engagement session about a week ago. We found each other through the donation I made to the AJS Foundation's annual dinner in February. They won the auction for one portrait session! We shot their session on the same farm where they are holding their reception, what a gorgeous place, so many great hidden spots! We had a lot of fun bouncing around the property trying out different locations. They are going to have a fabulous fall wedding! Enjoy some of my faves below :)

Baby Sophia

2011-03-21T19:55:00.008-04:00

I had the pleasure of shooting baby Sophia's newborn session last week. She was at the ripe old age of 7 days, and so much personality already! You all may remember Kyle and Fernanda from their wedding or maternity session. Its such a privilege to be a part of all of those important moments in people's lives......marriage, pregnancy, new baby!! Sophia is a beautiful little girl with a full head of dark brown hair and the cutest little lips. She really favored the wooden bowl and the pink cocoon that day. Funny thing about the pink feathered headband.....the feathers were tickling her face and waking her up so we had to trim some back. Babies are all so different, some would have slept right through the tickling at that age, but not Sophia! Kyle and Fernanda, thank you for letting me document this amazingly special moment in your lives. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of so many of them thus far. I had so much fun with you all during Sophia's session. Enjoy some of my faves below.

Courtney's Maternity Session

2011-02-24T19:59:00.005-05:00

You all may remember a beautiful bride named Courtney from a little over a year ago, and her husband, Bill. I shot their wedding in May of 2009 and what comes after marriage??? The baby!! Courtney is expecting their first child in mid April :) Her and Bill flew all the way down from NJ to do their maternity session with me in sunny Florida. What a fun session! We had perfect Spring weather and our first stop had the most beautiful blooming Japanese magnolia tree that we took full advantage of. Another stunning couple in a line of many that I know :) What beautiful kids they will have. I can't wait to meet the little man! Courtney was a true sport throughout the entire shoot. Some of the shots were a bit of a stretch for a woman in her "condition", such as balancing herself on a very narrow tree stump-haha! We all enjoyed that shot, perhaps Bill and I a little more than Courtney :) But, we got a lot of great shots and thank you guys for being so flexible and willing to indulge me! Enjoy some of my faves below. Can't wait to see you guys in a few months.

Doug & Christine's Engagement

2011-02-23T19:32:00.006-05:00

I had the pleasure of shooting Doug and Christine's engagement in Tampa last week. Their wedding is coming up in April, its sure to be a spectacular event with a waterfront ceremony and rooftop reception. We couldn't have asked for a better day, the weather was perfectly gorgeous and we even had some spring blooms nearby. Christine's adorable little girl, Kasey, participated in the first half of our shoot, but eventually had to get back to the playground :) We shot at Curtis Hixon Park, where they have a pretty impressive childrens' playground to keep the little ones occupied for hours. So, off we went to do a bunch of couples shots. Doug and Christine make, quite obviously, a stunning couple, so my job was made easier by how good they look together. They are so in love and that certainly comes through in their body language and how sweet they are with each other. All in all it was a fabulous shoot, I couldn't have asked for better subjects, weather or location. Enjoy some of my faves below. D&C, I can't wait for the wedding! Thanks for all your cooperation and for just being yourselves :) BEAUTIFUL!

Baby Olivia

2011-02-21T11:36:00.006-05:00

I shot baby Olivia's newborn session about a week ago, when she was just 8 days old. What a little nugget she is! Such a beautiful little lady, with lots of dark hair. And she had so many expressions for just a tiny thing. I love to see the range of emotion in newborns, they smile when they sleep and look at you inquisitively when they're awake, so much to take in! I had so much fun on this newborn shoot and Olivia was very cooperative :) The younger they are the better where newborn sessions are concerned. Thanks to mom and dad for your patience and for trusting your new little bundle to me, we got some great shots and you all did a fabulous job. Enjoy some of my faves from the session.

Addie is a Big Sister!

2011-01-25T08:52:00.007-05:00

You may remember my session with baby Addie from last year, beautiful blue eyed girl :) Well, she has just recently become a big sister, to baby Collins! Apparently the clouds and rain follow me every time I shoot with this family, so we did our best on day one and continued the session on day two, when the sun finally decided to show up. You never know what you're going to get in Florida in January, it was a bit chilly, but Collins did her best work after being swaddled up anyway :) I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Addie at 19 months and how well she's adjusting to big-sister-hood. Baby Collins is beautiful and she is too cute with all of her little faces in the first collage below. Thanks to mom, dad and the girls for making our shoot a success. Enjoy some faves from the session!

The Engagement - Part Deux

2010-12-01T12:56:00.006-05:00

I had my friends and clients in town last weekend over the holiday, so we took advantage of our time together by adding another location to their engagement session. These shots are much different than the first ones we took, which were outdoors at dusk along the water. You might remember the posting. But they are still looking just as in love :) Enjoy some of my faves from part deux of their engagement session.

Maternity-Holiday Session

2010-11-30T14:56:00.011-05:00

I shot my last holiday session of the season with one of my favorite couples. I shot their wedding last Spring, which you might remember seeing on the blog. Well, Fernanda is now expecting so we did a holiday/maternity session in Tampa just before Thanksgiving. We had gorgeous Florida fall weather with perfect temps and a picturesque sunset. Thanks to Fernanda and Kyle for braving the brush for some adventurous pics :) They were looking beautiful and in love, and the camera tends to love this mama-to-be. I think we all had fun during the session and I can't wait until baby girl Santi arrives next year! Enjoy some of my faves below.

Yearly Session with a Favorite Fam

2010-11-15T14:34:00.004-05:00

I have had the pleasure of shooting with this family for the last 3 holiday seasons and have had such fun watching little Parker grow :) He's such a little man now, displaying the qualities and interests of a true little boy. What a gorgeous family, and Parker is just too cute! We had an interesting time getting smiles from him throughout the session, but it was fun! We found great lighting to work with and the weather was just about perfect! We ended with Parker playing in the dirt with his favorite trains. Boys do love their dirt! Thanks to mom, dad and Parker for working hard to make our session a success :) Enjoy some of my faves below.

Newborn Session Part II

2010-11-08T16:16:00.005-05:00

I finished up my newborn session with baby Ansley today. A bit older, a bit more mature-haha! She gave us a good run before the fussiness set in today. So it goes with newborns :) Thanks to mom and dad for having me back to finish up our session! Enjoy some of my faves from part II.

2 Week Old Newborn Session

2010-11-02T19:29:00.005-04:00

I shot a brand new baby girl last week. What a beautiful little baby she is. I love newborns and how tiny everything is. I can't get enough of those little tiny toes and fingers! Baby Ansley did pretty well through out the shoot, they always get fussy after a while, and there was only a couple accidents :) You'll notice a shot with the family dog, Sadie, she was right by our sides the whole time, too cute! A very good assistant! I thoroughly enjoyed my time with you guys and finally meeting baby Ansley. We captured some beautiful images of the whole family :) Enjoy!

Holiday Session.....and some golf!

2010-11-02T19:21:00.003-04:00

I have been shooting with this family for a long time, and I have had the privelege of watching them all grow together. I shot their 2010 holiday session recently, of course it was the hottest day we've seen since August! But they suffered through the heat and humidity, all the while chasing after their 2 1/2 year old little guy. Boy, can he move fast! We came up with a formula involving Smarties and 30 second intervals of sitting before he was off and running again :) But he LOVES to golf, yes, at 2 1/2 years old! And he can really whack the ball! So, we ended the session doing his favorite thing, hitting balls at the course while the sun went down. Enjoy some of my faves below.

Fun Family Session

2010-11-02T19:04:00.005-04:00

I shot with an adorable family recently that I haven't shot with in 3 years. We did a session soon after their little girl was born and when their son was just a toddler. My have they grown! And they get along so well, its fun to watch how they interact. They really are the best of friends. Lauren is shy, but we managed to get her smiling, thanks to mom and dad tapping into their goofy sides :) Anything for a smile! Enjoy some of my faves from the session below.

Mini Engagement Session

2010-10-28T17:29:00.005-04:00

I shot a mini engagement session with good friends and clients, Jess & Matt, last weekend. We're doing their official session in January in Atlanta, but we wanted to capture them in this particular location with a mini session. It looked like it was going to storm the entire time, but we still captured some great shots! They are living in different cities still, so when you get them together they act like teenagers in love :) Distance makes the heart grow fonder right! Check out some faves of them looking beautiful and completely in love. Watch for the official session in January.

Kat's Wedding

2010-10-11T14:57:00.004-04:00

I just returned from a fabulous wedding weekend for my sister-in-law, Kathryn, who also happens to be my wedding photography assistant. She was such a gorgeous bride, and although I didn't shoot the wedding I snapped a few of the bride that I just had to share with everyone because she looked so beautiful. I love you Kat and I'm so happy for you guys!CONGRATULATIONS!

Welcome Annie P!

2010-09-21T18:23:00.006-04:00

I had the pleasure of shooting a newborn/family session with some great friends and clients last week. You might remember this family from their first baby's newborn session. Baby Maggie is a big sister now, to little Annie P. Annie is about 6 weeks old and was ever so fussy when we started the session, so we let her have a snack and take a load off for a bit :) In the meantime we did a lot of fun shots with big sis, mom and dad. Maggie and I were truly best friends by the end of the shoot. Once Annie did get to sleep, she was a dream. We moved her all over and she just slept through it all, basking in the warm afternoon sun. The outdoor weather suited her just fine :) Thank you guys for letting me spend the day with you and for your patience throughout the shoot. I think we captured some beautiful images of the whole family. And I couldn't resist sharing the last photo, last shot of the day. Maggie was still going strong! Enjoy some of my faves below.

Gator Family Fun

2010-09-13T16:57:00.006-04:00

I shot a session with some of my favorite clients yesterday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. You all may remember my mini session with these guys last year. Well, about 5 minutes after we started we were hit with a torrential downpour, complete with booming thunder and lightning. But, we made the best of it and were still able to get some very cute shots of the whole family :) Three boys, all under the age of 5, is quite the handful for mom and dad. Good thing CKC brought the Smarties along!! They certainly came in handy. I had a ton of fun with you guys yesterday, so thanks for sticking it out! Enjoy some of my faves from the session.

Adorable Family Session

2010-09-06T15:13:00.006-04:00

I did a session with some old friends last week and we had the best time, at least I did! I've known mama Stephanie for years and I just love her, but her two kids are pretty great as well :) Katy and Kyle are beautiful children and they seemed to have a bunch of fun during our shoot! While Kyle started to fade towards the end, Katy was still going strong, ending our session with a super fun bubble chase. We had some gorgeous sunset light and a bunch of colorful balloons to play around with, thanks to Steph for toting to the session. Some of my favorite shots of the day were of the kids running around with the balloons! Thanks you guys for putting up with the summer heat and pesky insects to make the shoot a success. Enjoy some of my faves from the session below :)

2010 Holiday Sessions

2010-09-01T22:57:00.009-04:00

Well, its here......the 2010 Holiday Season....and I've finally made up my mind..... presenting the new 2010 Holiday Card Collection! I love these new styles!! They're sort of vintage, great subtle but cheerful tones and colors and lots of focus on the photos. Most of the colors are customizable, as is the greeting text, to suit your taste. Both the 2008 and 2009 collections are still available and can still be viewed online (2008) (2009). If you go back to view the 2009 cards, you'll see some images of hard samples that I received from clients last year. All three collections have wonderful things to offer and I'm positive that there is something for everyone. :) I have holiday session dates still available in September and October. If you are interested in booking a holiday session this season, please email me at ckclarke@ckcphotography.com. Act fast, as dates fill up fast!

Kathryn & Cody's Engagement Session

2010-09-01T18:56:00.009-04:00

I had the privelege of shooting my sister in law's engagement session recently. We shot on the farm that her fiance's family owns just outside of town. Such a great location for a shoot! We got some really pretty shots of the two of them in their element. Thanks to you two for tolerating the sticky August heat and spurts of rain throughout our session. I also designed their wedding invitation, which I will be posting separately. It turned out beautifully! Here are some of my faves from the engagement session. Congratulations you guys! Can't wait for the wedding :)

Kathryn & Cody's Invitation

2010-09-01T17:00:00.000-04:00

We did a beautiful 5 x 5 trifold wedding invitation for Kathryn & Cody's upcoming event. Gorgeous linen finish with accompanying Reply Card, Photo Return Address Label and Accommocations Card. I incorporated 3 of their wedding colors: Cocoa, Sage and Cream. The bride & groom were VERY happy with the finished products. These could also be used as Save the Dates :)

NEW Mini Accordian Books

2010-08-31T19:27:00.000-04:00

I recently added Mini Accordian Books to my line of product offerings. They are just too cute! They come in 3 x 3 or 2.5 x 3.5 with linen or pearl finish. Both of the samples below were printed with a pearl finish. Their convenient size makes them easy to carry around in your purse or pocket, giving you the opportunity to brag about your photos to all of your friends and family without running the risk of damaging a more expensive product, like a photo book. These make perfect gifts for the grandparents as well! There are a ton of design options to choose from. The word is out and these are proving to be a new client fave! Great for engagements, weddings, newborn, infant, toddler or family sessions. Please email me if you are interested in the new Mini Accordian Books :) ckclarke@ckcphotography.com

Oh Vivi!

2010-08-26T08:46:00.006-04:00

I finally had the opportunity to shoot with my good friends Shawn and Brett last week. They have a baby girl named Vivian and she is just about the cutest thing. She inherited Shawn's gorgeous porcelain skin and her happy, happy laugh! What an expressive baby, and at only 8 months. I was able to capture so many different emotions from Vivi during our session. It was hard to narrow it down to my favorites, but you will find them below :) Thanks to Shawn and Brett for braving a little heat and many insects to make our session a success! I love you guys and little Vivi. Enjoy!

Parris Lange Collection

2010-07-21T17:38:00.007-04:00

I shot the Parris Optics eyeware line again for Lange Eyecare last week. You might remember last year's session. This time we shot in Clearwater Beach and I had the same gorgeous models! Little Mackenzie has grown a lot since last year, as kids tend to do :) She's cute as can be and has the most gorgeous blue-green eyes. And Brittany is about the best model I could ask for. She doesn't take a bad shot! We had fun hopping around using different beachside backdrops. Check out some of my faves from the shoot.

Crescent Beach Session

2010-06-01T15:46:00.006-04:00

I shot a session at Crescent Beach with one of my favorite families last week. Penny and Eric are parents to two beautiful children, Brady & Lydia. They are only 18 months apart in age and it was amazing to see how well they got along and how much fun they have together! It was a joy to watch and to capture. They were very good sports and tried just about everything I asked of them, which is always fun. Some of my favorite shots are of them just goofing around with each other. It had been cloudy all day until the minute we started shooting, it was bizarre, but I was thankful. We had beautiful light, a good breeze, a great location and a family that does not take a bad photo. What more could I have asked for?! Thank you guys for taking time out of your lives to head to the beach and shoot with me, I had a blast! Enjoy some of my faves from the session.

New Client Session

2010-04-26T15:36:00.008-04:00

I recently shot with new clients Laura, Jim and baby Addie. Addie is 10 months, full of happy and has beautiful big blue eyes! She was super fun to shoot with, lots of laughs. They live on the water and Addie gets so excited to watch the boats drive by, lots of squealing going on, it was very funny :) We got rained out on our first try, but were still able to get some shots, and continued our session the following afternoon. Thank you guys for inviting me into your home and for all your efforts to make our shoot a success. I look forward to following Addie as she grows! Here are some of my faves from the session. Enjoy!

The next shots of Addie in the bucket are some of my favorite shots I've taken, so fun!

Max's 1st Birthday!

2010-02-10T17:58:00.006-05:00

You might remember little Max from his 5 month session last summer, he just turned 1!! I had the privelege of shooting his first birthday party recently. First birthday parties are so fun to shoot. The kids are running every which way, having a ball and you never know what kind of reaction you're going to get from the cake. Max was competely unsure about it, and in the end wanted nothing to do with it, a typical reaction from many first-timers :) He did share a cupcake with dad later, so he's definitely not opposed to sugar! He rather enjoyed that cupcake with green icing and wore most of it on his shirt! Thank you guys for inviting me to share in this fun and festive event with your family, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Kyle & Joanna's Wedding

2010-02-05T08:46:00.014-05:00

I have a lot of blog updating to do since the holidays, but I'd like to start off with Kyle & Joanna's wedding. What a beautiful couple! I shot their event in early January in West Palm Beach, FL. The venue was the Philips Point Club, where I worked with fabulous wedding coordinator, Emily Marrah. She couldn't have been more pleasant to work with! Decor at the club was contemporary and elegant with stunning floor to ceiling windows lining the walls providing fabulous night views from every angle. You never expect West Palm to get very chilly, but their event took place over a weekend experiencing a major cold front bringing temps down into the 20's-30's. Let me tell you, we were all FREEZING! But, the bride was especially cold, and she put on a brave face in her gorgeous strapless dress all day long! We made some beautiful images that day, not that it was difficult with these two :) Please enjoy some of my favorites from the day, it was tough narrowing it down. Thanks to Kyle, Joanna, wedding party and family for all sticking it out in the freezing temps! I thoroughly enjoyed shooting your event and being a part of this special day.

Crysler Family Session

2010-02-04T17:21:00.000-05:00

I shot with the Crysler family for the first time in December. What a gorgeous, fun little family! We went down to the pond and let the kids run around and do their own thing and I had a blast! Hudson and Sutton James are the most personable little ones I think I've ever met. Hudson and I were best buds by the end AND I got hugs and kisses! We brought toys and bubbles and just let them have fun. Sutton got a little cranky, but he had missed his nap, so it was bound to happen :) Casey and Brandon are awesome parents and I just had the best time with you guys that afternoon, so thanks for sharing your lives and your children with me. Enjoy some of my faves from the session.

Grace's Newborn Session

2010-02-04T17:12:00.000-05:00

Baby Grace was born to Russ and Erin Lindsay, who is another sorority sister of mine, in October, so she was a little older than newborn when we shot her session. She is a precious baby girl. Newborns are funny, you never know what you're going to get. Grace was not having an easy time of things on the morning we shot this session, so there were lots of feeding breaks and Erin struggled to get her to sleep so we could get at least a few of her sleeping. She gave in and took a few little cat naps for us, which brought about some sweet, peaceful images. Despite the bumps in the road, I had a wonderful time with the family that day and it was my first time meeting Grace, which is always exciting. Enjoy some of my faves from the day!

Finley's Newborn Session

2010-02-04T17:02:00.001-05:00

I did another combined newborn/holiday session with the Briggs family. Baby Finley has huge, gorgeous eyes!!! They are amazing! Her big brother Cullen has the same ones :) Beautiful children! It is always tough to juggle a two year old and a newborn during a photo session, but Cullen went down for a nap and we had some time with baby Finley. She stayed awake for a good part of the session, then finally went down for a good long snooze. We did some holiday themed images with a hand knitted Santa hat, which ended up being the star photo of their holiday card. I had so much fun with you guys, thanks for inviting me into your home and lives for the afternoon.

Parrish & Jonathan's Engagement Session

2010-02-04T15:40:00.000-05:00

I was so happy when my friend and sorority sister contacted me about doing her engagement session while she was home for Thanksgiving! The timing worked out perfectly. Parrish and Jonathan are such a fun and playful couple, they were up for anything. We incorporated a variety of locations and were lucky enough to find beautiful lighting in all of them. We had such a good time during their session and captured some beautiful images of a couple looking completely in love. You can tell that they are not only in love but the best of friends. Thanks for sharing these moments with me, I enjoyed having the time with you guys!

The Nephews

2010-02-04T15:39:00.000-05:00

During Parrish and Jonathan's engagement session, I managed to squeeze in some shots of her adorable nephews and they were so fun I just had to post them! Enjoy!

Mitzel Holiday Session

2010-02-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

I shot the Mitzel family holiday session last year, so I was so happy when they contacted me to schedule another session for 2009. This year we shot it in Ocala, Parker has grown into full toddler stage, which made the session both entertaining and a little exhausting for mom and dad! But, in the end we were able to get some big smiles from little Parker, as well as some more serious expressions, I think he might be headed towards a modeling career :) Enjoy some of my faves from their session.

Keeghan's Newborn Session

2010-02-04T13:30:00.000-05:00

I shot Jenn's maternity session about a month before Keeghan arrived, you might remember the posting.....baby Keeghan arrived just in time for the holidays, so we combined her newborn session with the Hatchett family holiday session. She was pretty cranky in the beginning, as newborns tend to be, but once we gave her a chance to snooze she was much happier! She's a gorgeous baby, just like her big sis, Holland, who has the most amazing eyes. Jenn was very stressed and convinced we didn't capture a single worthwhile image, so she was pleasantly surprised when I showed her the results from their session :)

Todd & Carly's Engagement Session

2009-11-10T14:51:00.006-05:00

I shot Todd & Carly's engagement session this past Sunday. We had gorgeous weather with a fabulous breeze and beautiful sunset lighting at the end of the session. Todd is a firefighter so we started the session at the fire station to get some fun shots with the firetrucks, which we definitely did as you'll see below! Todd and Carly are good friends, and although it took some coaxing, I was able to get them comfortable in front of the camera. We captured some beautiful, natural images that I love. You can't beat Fall light if you time it right! Can't wait for the wedding next June you guys :) Thanks for spending the afternoon with me! Enjoy some of my faves from the day below.

Last shots of the day, definitely some of my very favorites!

Jenn's Maternity Session

2009-09-29T14:39:00.006-04:00

I shot a maternity session last Friday with Jenn and Tony. Jenn is very close to giving birth to her 2nd baby girl, although you'd never guess it just by looking at her. She has a tiny little belly! She's gorgeous and glowing like a pregnant lady though :) We had hoped that Holland, soon to be big sister, would cooperate and join in for some of the photos, but she decided she wasn't interested that day, so we pushed on and I was able to capture some beautiful images of the mama to be and her loving hubby. I will be shooting baby Keeghan in a few weeks once she makes her appearance, look for that blog posting. In the meantime, I've posted a few of my faves from the session below. Enjoy!

What beautiful light we found!

2009 HOLIDAY PORTRAIT SESSIONS BOOKING NOW

2009-09-24T09:52:00.012-04:00

The 2009 holiday portrait season has arrived! I am booking holidays sessions now! I am posting samples of new holiday card styles below. The Black and White collection from 2008 is still available if you prefer, click here to view the Black and White samples, but I love the new styles I have added for 2009. Choose from 4 x 5.5, 5 x 7 and 5 x 5 folded linen cards, as well as the new 5 x 5 trifold linen card. Any 5 x 7 card sample below also comes in 4 x 5.5. Please email me at ckclarke@ckcphotograpy.com for more information or to book your holiday session! Don't wait until the last minute, dates fill up fast! Also, if you are interested in using images from your 2009 session/event, please contact me for a la carte holiday card pricing. Holiday cards are a great opportunity to show off your wedding photos or they can be used as baby announcements!!

Michael's 1st Birthday Party!

2009-09-17T19:24:00.005-04:00

I shot baby Michael's 1st birthday party a few weeks ago. What a little button he is!!! And he had some adorable guests as well :) I have been shooting with baby Michael since he as born. I love having a first hand look at how they grow and develop into little people! It is the best part of my job. The party had a pirate theme and turned out super cute! Mom and Dad did a great job getting everything together to make it a special 1st for Michael. He reaaaallllllllllyyyy enjoyed his birthday cake, he ate all the little frosting dots first. He went at it for a good 15 minutes or so! Enjoy a few of my faves below!

Michael walking between mom and dad is one of my very faves from the day!

Check out these cuties!

Happy grandparents!

Max's 5 Month Session

2009-07-20T09:53:00.005-04:00

I had the pleasure of shooting with new clients Ale, Brian, Max and Ben last week for Max's 5 month photos. We had so much fun! Max is an easy going baby and he kept us smiling throughout the session. Big brother Ben came in at the end of the session from day care, which worked out perfectly (for anyone who is attempting the same style of session with a toddler and an infant), giving us time with Max and time with Ben and Max. Ben is an adorable, very loving big brother. He LOVES baby Max and was so excited to get home to see him, it was super cute to watch. We ended the session in the grass outside and managed to grab a few shots before the rain came, but the last shot below was taken after it had started to rain and its probably my favorite from the session. Thanks to Ale and Brian for being such good parents and for all of your help during the session. Ale made tireless efforts to keep Max and Ben entertained and it paid off :) Enjoy some of my faves below!

Ryder's 1st Birthday

2009-07-20T09:20:00.014-04:00

I shot with one of my favorite families a few weeks ago for Ryder's 1st Birthday Party! It was a hot summer day filled with friends, family and fun. Ryder may have been a little overwhelmed by all the excitement in his honor, but he endured and managed to look super cute while doing it! Although, the cake was the last straw! I always love seeing how they react to their very 1st cake :) Ryder wasn't too sure about it, as you'll see in the cake series below, definitely a mixed reaction! Thanks for sharing this special day with me, I enjoyed it very much. Check out some of my faves below.

Definitely one of my favorites!

Courtney & Bill's Wedding

2009-07-08T09:10:00.010-04:00

You may remember me posting Courtney and Bill's engagement session back in April. I had the pleasure of shooting their wedding at the end of May at TPC Sawgrass. Courtney had a fabulous wedding planner, Angela Renick of A'vie Weddings and Events. She was super organized and was a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend her! TPC is a gorgeous location for a wedding. Lots of great photo opportunities and good lighting, which you know I enjoy! Courtney and Bill are so cute together, I love spending time with them. Bill is from New Jersey, as was most of the groomsmen and they were a hilarious group. You'll find some pretty funny pics below of the best man stripping down to his wrestling suit to take on the groom at the end of his toast. It was easily the funniest toast I've ever seen! We got a ton of great photos on the big day, but these are some of my faves. Enjoy! And congratulations to one of my favorite couples! Thanks for letting me be a part of your wonderful event. I thoroughly enjoyed it :)

I couldn't decide which one of these was prettier of this stunning bride, so I posted both! Courtney looks so beautiful when she laughs.

What a gorgeous lady! BEAUTIFUL!

One of the things I love about Courtney and Bill is that they laugh, A LOT! After they poured their sand (see bottom left pic above), Courthey said "I beat you!". It got a lot of laughs, she's pretty competitive by nature.

The next two picture pairs below were taken by my assistant, Kathryn. Great shots, Kat!

I asked them if they were willing to jump into the air to be silly and they totally were, I LOVE THIS SHOT! Look how high Courtney got!

The father daughter dance was touching to watch, you could tell they were soaking it in for the moment it really was.

Amy & Alan's Wedding

2009-06-18T20:14:00.013-04:00

I shot Amy & Alan's wedding in May at the Hilton Beach Resort in Clearwater Beach, FL. What a cute couple! They met in Clearwater, and so decided to return to have their wedding there. It was a lovely, casual and fun event. The weather was pristine, not a cloud in the sky, perfect for an outdoor beach wedding! And we lucked out with a gorgeous west coast sunset after they sealed the deal. I had a wonderful time shooting this event and was amongst friends, which is always nice when you're working all day-haha! Congratulations to Amy & Alan, I hope the honeymoon in Costa Rica was fabulous! Enjoy some of my favorite images from the day.

Amy's sister and maid of honor handmade champagne glasses for the bride and all the bridesmaids, TOO CUTE!

Gorgeously dramatic, love it!

How about this light!
This is a happy couple!

Amy & Alan had a super cool first dance, which was really made up of several dances all to different songs, and they really got into it! You guys rock!

I love night shots, we grabbed this one near the end of the event, its one of my faves!

Kyle & Fernanda's Wedding

2009-05-11T08:45:00.009-04:00

Kyle and Fernanda got married recently at The Tampa Club. It was a small, intimate event with family and friends. Fernanda is from Brazil and made a beautiful bride! She was wonderful to shoot because she was fully of energy as soon as you turned the camera on her. Brazilian women seem to have that modeling gene! We really tried to utilize the downtown landscape to bring an urban feel to some of their wedding photos. We also got lucky with great lighting! I think the bride and groom did a great job and we were able to capture some wonderful, memorable images. Congratulations to Kyle & Fernanda! Check out some of my favorite images from the day below.

Definitely one of my favorite shots of the day!

Courtney & Bill's Engagement Session

2009-04-21T23:05:00.002-04:00

I shot Courtney and Bill's engagement session over the weekend here in Ocala. Their wedding is coming up at the end of May. Courtney is from Ocala, Bill from New Jersey. Courtney told me that Bill is a big fan of the Ocala mossy oaks, so we did part of their session surrounded by trees. Courtney and Bill are a gorgeous couple, Bill is so sweet with her. He's very tall and she's very tiny and he just swallows her up in his arms. They have great chemistry. I can't wait to shoot the wedding! Thanks for being such good sports during the shoot, you guys. Here are some of my many faves from the session.

I loved this series, Bill said something shocking to Courtney that made them both laugh out loud, I wonder what it was....................

Kenzie Eyewear Shoot

2009-04-21T22:37:00.009-04:00

I shot an eyewear campaign recently for the Kenzie eyewear line by Parris Optics, the newest line of eyewear designed by Lange Eye Care. I had the two Lange sisters as my models, Brittany, the gorgeous brunette, and Mackenzie, the adorable blond baby girl. Modeling eyewear wasn't high on the list of priorities for three year old Mackenzie, but we managed to get a few cute shots of her! Enjoy some of my favorites from the session below.

How funny is this little goofball?!

This is the last image I shot, Mackenzie was climbing on my ladder and I snapped this shot of her, it might be my favorite from the day!

Rodger & Cate's Engagement Session

2009-04-02T20:01:00.006-04:00

I did an engagement session with Rodger and Cate in Cedar Key, FL last Sunday. We had gorgeous weather, despite the crazy winds that were whipping around and the challenge of keeping Cate's hair from smothering her face! We had a great time hopping from spot to spot enjoying the sun and sea. We ended the session with a perfect West coast sunset over the water. Thanks for braving the winds and being so natural together in front of the camera. A few of my favorites below.

Becca & Cody: Part II

2009-03-26T17:55:00.006-04:00

It took me a few days, but here is Part II of Becca and Cody's wedding. A few more of my favorites from the day. Enjoy!

Becca & Cody's Wedding: Part I

2009-03-24T09:09:00.012-04:00

I shot Becca and Cody's wedding this past Saturday in Ocala, FL. I have known Becca for years and she shares a love of photography, so she was a very willing and cooperative bride, as was the groom, family and entire wedding party! She looked absolutely stunning, the dress was gorgeous, the hair was perfect. Becca picked out a vintage style wedding album and I think we will be filling it with many, many pictures from the big day. I'm posting favorites from this event in two parts because I have so many! So, check back for Part II. Congratulations to Becca and Cody! I had such a wonderful time shooting your event.

The two photos above were taken by my fabulous assistant, Kathryn!

Another great shot above by Kathryn!

The photos above and below were taken in the last minutes before Becca walked down the aisle by my assistant, Kathryn. I love the range of emotion so clearly going through her at this moment.

This is one of my favorite shots of the day, thanks Kathryn!

4 Generations of Women

2009-03-16T20:13:00.009-04:00

I recently did a shoot with 4 generations of women. Grandmother, mother, daughter and a new addition to this lineage of beauties, baby Caitlin. You can definitely see the resemblance between this group, especially when they smile. I had a wonderful time with you guys, thank you for spending the morning with me. Check out some of my favorite images from the shoot below.

This little one was full of funny faces!

Jen & Matt's Wedding

2009-03-08T23:17:00.010-04:00

I shot Jen & Matt's wedding last weekend (you'll remember Jen from the Bridal Session photos below). They were married at Hyde Park Presbyterian Church at 5 o'clock in the afternoon on February 28, 2009 with a reception to follow at the Tampa Marriott Waterside. They had a big wedding party with a lot of beauties! The bride was as beautiful as ever and a great time was had by all! I was happy to be a part of your wedding celebration. I hope you two are enjoying the honeymoon! Here are a few of my favorite images from the day.

Look at this group of beautiful women! The stunning bride in the middle of a bunch of gorgeous gals!

Bridal Session

2009-01-28T18:18:00.010-05:00

I did a bridal session with Jennifer for her upcoming February wedding last weekend at the Marriott Waterside in Tampa. We got so many great shots, I could hardly narrow it down for this blog posting, so you'll find lots of favorites below. The weather was perfect, clear blue skies and breezy, we couldn't have asked for anything better! Jennifer is definitely one of the most beautiful brides I think I've ever seen. Some people are just born to be a bride and the role suits her amazingly well. She is truly striking. Sensational! Stunning! These all come to mind. I can't wait to shoot the big day! See you guys in a month!

Family Session with the McBrides

2009-01-25T23:21:00.007-05:00

I did a holiday session with the McBride sisters back in October, but I had the pleasure of working with this awesome family once again. Robin's mom, Boo, was turning 80 and what she really wanted was some updated family photos. So, we took advantage of the entire family being together in one place for the holidays and shot a family session on December 21st at the family river house at Rainbow River. Sir, (Boo's husband) and Boo make a gorgeous couple. Most of us can only dream of looking this good in our later years. They are just beautiful together. Actually, this is a family of lookers! Everyone was so natural in front of the camera and we were able to capture some wonderful, natural family photos. Thanks to everyone for letting me share the afternoon with you and I hope you had fabulous holidays! Check out some of my favorite images from their session.

Session with Lee Cockerell

2009-01-25T23:05:00.010-05:00

I recently did an executive session with Lee Cockerell, author of Creating Magic - 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From A Life At Disney. Strayer University is publishing an interview with Lee in their internal publicaion, Scholar Magazine, and needed photos to accompany the article. I actually used to work for Strayer Education (holding company of Strayer University) a few years ago, so an old colleague called me up when she had a need for a photographer in my area. We shot the session at the Grand Floridian Resort and found some great lighting. Check out my favorite images from the shoot. And check out Lee's book at the link above!

Baby Tyler

2009-01-25T22:59:00.004-05:00

I had the pleasure of shooting baby Tyler and his mom, Andrea, on December 11th before the holiday madness truly set in. Talk about baby blues, this boy has them, no question! Tyler was a little out of sorts due to his travel schedule from up North, but we managed to get him smiling and laughing eventually. His momma had a knack for making this little guy smile! He had to take a couple catnaps in between shots, but poor Andrea.......Tyler will really only nap if he's being rocked by momma. I'm sure lots of moms can relate to this. But patience with the little ones always pays off. Check out a couple of my faves from Tyler's session below.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-25T22:39:00.006-05:00

Christmas is always great when its filled with friends and family, no matter how hectic it can get. We had a wonderful holiday, starting with our traditional Christmas Eve dinner at our house, followed by a birthday celebration and a visit from our good friends, Rob and Maria, from D.C. My sister-in-law and I share the same birthday, born in the same year, born hours apart, so we always celebrate together the day after Christmas. Our actual birthday is on December 27th. Our totally awesome friends from D.C. came to visit a few days after Christmas and stayed through New Year's. We made a trip up to Gainesville and they brought their gorgeous puppy, conveniently named Gator, and stopped into the old stomping ground, the Swamp (Gator stadium), to make a few really fun pics. We followed that up with a few beers on the patio at the "other Swamp" on a completely perfect winter day.

We'll start with a handful of pics from Christmas Eve. I always make the Barefoot Contessa's Beef Bourguignon, its an amazing recipe! Dessert was a Dark Chocolate Tart with Gingersnap Crust and Crystallized Ginger. DELISH!

Next up was the Birthday celebration! Amaretto mousse cake was divine!

Rob, Maria and Gator girl taking in the great light at the Swamp! Take notice of the orange and blue reflected in Gator's eyes, perfect for a true Gator fan!

Maria and I bask in the awesome crisp winter weather, check out the skies above!

Thanksgiving 2008

2009-01-25T22:27:00.008-05:00

I'm just now getting caught up on blogging since THANKSGIVING! As some of you might know, I'm a serious cook and I LOVE entertaining, so we hosted Thanksgiving this year at our house. Everything was delicious, the fall weather was perfect and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. What else can a host ask for?!! Here is a little snippet of our Thanksgiving day as well as our ladies lunch the following day.

My mom and I after lunch, great light!

Me and my mother and sister-in-law-to-be after lunch.

Gallery Wraps

2008-11-19T18:40:00.005-05:00

I am posting some new photos of the gallery wrap canvases below. They come in a wide range of sizes, come ready to hang, have a thickness of 1.5" and have a matte finish. They are a gorgeous alternative to traditional enlarged prints. Please contact me for available sizes and pricing if you are interested in a gallery wrap from your session, ckclarke@ckcphotography.com

Tis the Season

2008-11-18T15:15:00.006-05:00

I wrapped up my holiday sessions with friends Jen & Gabe and their family. They are very close with Jen's brother and his wife, so they decide to make this session a family affair, complete with all of their dogs, some well behaved, and some not so well behaved :) We shot on a gorgeous fall day outside of the Mennello Museum in Orlando. Here are some of my favorite images from their session. Enjoy!

Holiday Shoot with Parker

2008-11-10T08:12:00.008-05:00

I did a holiday shoot with good friends Emily and Steve and their 8 month old baby boy, Parker, last week. What a cutie! We got so many smiles out of this happy baby. We shot at their beautiful new house, which had great lighting and lots of open space to work with. I had a great time shooting this picture perfect family :) Parker kept us all laughing and was a real trooper during the entire shoot. Mom and Dad did an excellent job keeping him entertained! They have a beautiful area on the water close to their house, which is where we ended the shoot at sundown. Thank you for inviting me to spend the afternoon with you guys, I enjoyed every minute of it! I have a lot of favorites from this shoot, so it was hard to narrow it down, but here are some of them. Enjoy!

Baby Maggie

2008-10-30T20:13:00.003-04:00

I had a newborn session with baby Maggie this week. She is just about 4 weeks old and a tiny thing. We were able to get a few smiles out of this sweet girl, as well as mom and dad, during the shoot, which always makes me happy! She also had the inclination to fall asleep in the perfect belly position, which allowed for some nice shots. David and Allison are taking to parenthood very well, they are both naturals :) Thank you for inviting me into your home for the morning, I thoroughly enjoyed it and Maggie did a splendid job! Check out some of my favorite images from the shoot below.

Ryder's Holiday Session

2008-10-30T19:48:00.010-04:00

I shot a holiday session with baby Ryder last Sunday. He's growing fast, already 4 months old and counting! He is such a cutie! Mom had the perfect little Christmas outfit picked out, check out little Santa baby below. He decided to take a cat nap towards the end of the session, which worked out perfectly for some basket-o-baby shots. He woke up shortly after and was all smiles for mama! I have so much fun every time I shoot with Kirk, Cara & Ryder.....thank you guys for inviting me to spend the morning with you.

Baby Michael

2008-10-21T09:17:00.007-04:00

I did a newborn shoot last Saturday morning with 8 week old baby Michael. He was very cooperative and slept through most of the shoot. He particularly enjoyed our first shots which had him basking in the morning sunlight on the dining room table. As all newborns do, he eventually got hungry and we had round 2 of the newborn poop party, which I did not capture this time around (as I did with baby Ryder, see previous post below if interested), but it was very funny! Each time we thought he might be finished he came up with something new, which Dad had to bear the brunt of. Newborns are unpredictable, which makes every session a joy to shoot! See some of my favorite images from the session below. Thanks to Alicia and Joe for inviting me into your lives for the morning! Michael is a beautiful baby.

When Daddy was smooching Michael, he would purse his little lips, it was ADORABLE!

Sisters

2008-10-19T15:42:00.005-04:00

I had a holiday session last week with a pair of sisters who were the most fun. They followed all my instructions and hammed it up for the camera and we ended up with some great, natural shots of them just hanging out with each other. Their parents have a beautifully landscaped pool and patio area with a very cool fountain, which you'll find a photo of below. They also get the most perfect warm lighting on their front porch as the sun starts to set, which we caught just in time! These girls are gorgeous and I am happy to share some of my favorite photos from their session with you below. I will do a follow-up post when we design their holiday card. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

2008 Holiday Package Options

2008-09-17T20:25:00.021-04:00

Hey everyone! I finally have my 2008 holiday package options together for you. I'm also posting samples of the cards I am offering this year. They are absolutely divine! This year's designs will definitely make your holiday card stand out from the rest. Holiday cards are a perfect way to show off photos of your engagement, wedding, family or children. These are 5 x 7 vertical format cards with printing on all 4 sides and all of the greetings can be customized. If you are interested in scheduling a holiday portrait session, please contact me as soon as possible, I have dates available in October and November, ckclarke@ckcphotography.com. If you had a portrait session done in 2008, your photos are available for holiday card production, the same goes for event photos. If you are only interested in purchasing cards from your 2008 session, please email me and I will send you a price list. If, for any reason, you are interested in a card style other than the designs posted here, please contact me.

Riley & Tess

2008-09-09T20:45:00.010-04:00

Greetings to everyone! I had the pleasure of shooting my good friends Ryan and Lauren with their two little girls, Riley and Tess, last weekend. We shot at Shalom Park in Ocala, FL and found some great morning light. We continued the shoot back at their house where I was able to get some really fun shots of Riley watching her favorite, Curious George, as well as enjoying a delicious pb&j made by grandma herself! We also had some fun in the backyard on the swing with bubbles and playing with sidewalk chalk. I love shooting children in their natural environment where they are most comfortable, which is usually at home. It gives a photographer a little window into life through their eyes. The beautiful Tess baby was all smiles, what a happy baby she is. She just turned 3 months old and that age is a dream to shoot! This was a totally fun shoot with lots of variety. See some of my favorite photos from the shoot below. Enjoy!

Keri & Andrew's Wedding

2008-07-22T13:12:00.011-04:00

Sorry this posting has taken me a while. I had the absolute privelege of shooting the wedding of my dear friends Keri and Andrew on July 5, 2008 at the Ginn Reunion Resort in Reunion, FL. This was an amazing wedding, planned by Cindy Saunders of Signature Weddings. The exquisite flowers including those in the gorgeous chuppah design were done by Raining Roses. All in all this event went off without a hitch and it was a blast to shoot. The band at the reception was definitely one of the best I've seen and heard, Funhouse Band with Lisa Z. They kept people going strong on the dance floor all night long! Keri and Andrew are a dream to shoot as they are both beautiful people inside and out, but what I love most about working with them is that they have such a natural loving comfort with each other that they need virtually no direction to make beautiful photos. Thank you guys for letting me be a part of your event and CONGRATULATIONS to two of my favorite people! There are a ton of photos to go through, but these are definitely some of my favorites taken throughout the day.

Keri had shoes every girl dreams about for her wedding day!

I love this next shot of the bride, it is so old Hollywood glam.

Keri is a jewelry designer, she designed these gorgeous wedding bands for her and Andrew. I am such a fan of Andrew for going with the classic gold ring and of mixing metals.

I love this next one of the groom with his groomsmen, the perfect little amount of sunflare and everyone looking natural.

These shots are taken upon Keri and Andrew's first meeting, that is a happy man!

More of the bride and groom looking gorgeous and natural. They're both glowing!

I love the graininess of this one, taken during the romantic candlelit ceremony, it really depicts the mood for me.

A few shots of the beautiful ceremony design.

The reception table centerpieces were made up of silver ribbon wrapped branches coated with flowers and dripping with crystals and candles. This adorable cake topper was the same one Keri's grandmother used on her wedding cake.

The walls of the ballroom were bathed in blue light, making a gorgeous backdrop for photos like these.

Ryder's Newborn Session

2008-07-13T21:17:00.015-04:00

I had the pleasure of doing a newborn session with my lovely and loyal clients, Kirk and Cara Scudder, this past Saturday. Ryder is just over two weeks old now, and what an adorable baby he is! He endured a lot during his session and I was able to capture some wonderful and beautiful moments with him and his new mom and dad! I've posted some of my favorites from their session below. I hope you enjoy! Kirk and Cara, thank you for letting me into your newly hectic lives for the day, I truly enjoyed it!

There's a story behind the photos above and below....I call it the poo series! It starts when Ryder is grabbing his little belly above, this should have told us something was about to happen :) This series of expressions below was captured just before Ryder made us a few surprises. It wasn't five minutes after the diaper came off! You can see the onset, the misery, the embarrassment and the utter relief of it all.

Here's dad playing a little Guitar Hero in between shots, I loved this moment.

This is definitely one of my favorite shots from their session. This little cat nap wasn't log after he made us a poo surprise :)

Mel & Patrick's Wedding: Reception

2008-06-09T09:21:00.017-04:00

I shot a bunch of photos at Mel & Patrick's reception just for fun, I was able to wear my guest hat for this portion of the day! The reception was held at Sailfish Point in Stuart, FL and it really was a gorgeous event. David and I had a fabulous time and I was even able to make it into some photos when some friends confiscated my camera :)

Gorgeous centerpieces, hydrangeas and orchids

A Gallery Wrap that I had made for Mel's bridal shower from their engagement session displayed on the entry table

Keri & Andrew

Jess & Matt

Parrish & Jonathan

David & I

Laci & Scott

Mel's nephew, Charlie, gathered as many glow rings as he could find, he was entertained for a while! It was great!

Jess & Keri getting down on the dance floor

Me & the bride, Mrs. Melissa O'Connor (its official!)

Bride & Groom looking so incredibly happy!

Mel & Patrick's Wedding: Wedding Prep

2008-06-09T08:20:00.016-04:00

David and I traveled to my hometown of Stuart, FL over the weekend of May 31st for my wonderful friend Mel's wedding to Mr. Patrick O'Connor. I had the honor and privelege to be Mel's photographer for the beginning of her big day during all of the wedding preparations. I thoroughly enjoyed having that time with Mel and all of the gals while the glam squad transformed them all into glamazons! Here are some of my favorite photos from the shoot.

Our good friend, Keri Visconti, made and designed the wedding bands, aren't they GORGEOUS!

Mel writing a card to her soon to be hubby!

Gorgeous matron of honor, Mrs. Amanda Fox!

Mel and two of her beautiful bridesmaids, Keri and Sam.

Amanda, Meghan, Mel & Keri on their way to GLAM!

Mel has this amazing naturally curly hair, they curled each lock individually, it was to die for!

This is Sam all the time, happy happy happy, inside and out, love it!

Mel seeing her hair done for the first time, that face doesn't lie!

Keri & Andrew's Engagement Shoot

2008-04-06T21:57:00.006-04:00

I was in Orlando this past Saturday to shoot an engagement session with my good friend from college, Keri , and her fiance Andrew. We were basically in a hurricane all day, but we managed to find some cool lighting at the Grand Bohemian hotel in downtown Orlando. Keri and Andrew make a GORGEOUS couple and I was absolutely thrilled to do their engagement session. I am shooting their wedding in July and I cannot wait to see how beautiful they both will be! Here are some of my favorite images from their shoot. These are straight out of the camera, with some very minor tweaking in Camera Raw. Enjoy!

Newborn & Maternity Packages

2008-02-19T16:22:00.006-05:00

I have finally put together some newborn and maternity packages for all of the mother's-to-be and new mommies out there!

Package options include a choice of maternity and newborn photography sessions, birth announcements and photo memory books. Photo memory books are a great way to display the photos from your sessions, a creative alternative to traditional prints.

You will find all of the information on my web site under Packages & Information.
http://www.ckcphotography.com/?goto=packagesinformation

If you do not see a package that interests you, I can customize a package to your specific needs. Please contact me for more information at ckclarke@ckcphotography.com.

If your baby is well past the newborn stage, consider a session for an upcoming birthday! I am available for parties :)

*See Mackenzie's 1st Birthday photos below in a previous post*