Jean Smith Photography

new bloggity blog

2010-01-22T09:14:00.006-05:00

i have a new blog for the new year! the year isn't exactly new anymore, but i haven't even made my new years resolutions yet, so it still counts. just love me and get over there and bookmark my new blog already! this blog will no longer be updated.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY NEW BLOG

hello?

2010-01-21T02:30:00.002-05:00

hello...hello...anybody there? yeah, i kinda fell off the face of the earth for over a month. orrrrrrrr, i guess the better explanation would be that i had an amazing month of relaxtion and fun with family and friends over the holidays in utah.

well, i'm back at it and here's my first newborn of 2010...

merry merry

2009-12-21T10:37:00.002-05:00

for those of you who follow my blog, you'll remember that i flooded my blog with my sweet newborn for a few weeks. well...i have been getting asked a lot lately why he hasn't been on my blog and how is he doing.

no worries. all is perfect in the land of beckham and i am even more smitten than the day he arrived with his chubbilcious cheeks.

he (and i) wish you a VERY merry christmas. see you in 2010!

AND another

2009-12-17T13:10:00.002-05:00

another little adorable newborn and that wraps up my baby frenzy for 2009!

another

2009-12-15T07:21:00.003-05:00

...and here we have another sweet, adorable christmas baby...

i told you

2009-12-13T21:02:00.005-05:00

i told you a while back the wee ones were coming! here's the first of several christmas babies. what an ANGEL...

winding down

2009-12-10T16:31:00.005-05:00

christmas is a comin quick and i'm supposed to be winding down, but it seems things keep spiraling upwords instead. that may be partly due to the fact that our entire basement FLOODED this week...grrrr, ergh, sigh, and a big old UGH.

at least i have little faces like this to look at. it makes me smile...

photowalk

2009-12-05T00:14:00.005-05:00

as i started venturing into the world of photography, i had so many ideas of how i wanted to use my photography in ways other than my hobby/job. as life goes on, life gets more busy, and my ideas are there...but they stay tucked away because i am just "too busy."

well, enter travis, my husband. after talking and dreaming about it for so long, we decided to start our new photography company, boka studios. and with it, came all of HIS ideas of how we could use photography other than just our hobby/job.

the difference between us is that he doesn't keep his ideas tucked away...he never does. he takes his ideas and puts them into effect...as effortlessly and smoothly as anyone i have ever seen.

so, in the two months we have been working together, we have put into effect a set of mini sessions featuring friends and a contest, a photowalk with 30 other local photographers in detroit, and are hosting a charity event next saturday. and when i say "we," i mean HE puts everything together and i show up for all the fun. LOVE him.

our first photowalk took place last saturday at eastern market in detroit and we had such a great time meeting other local photographers and "photowalking." i loved it that there was such a variety of photographers...hobbyist through professional. i loved it that we were at eastern market so that we could experience so many textures, colors, people, and architecture. AND, i loved it that michigan held out for one more day of fantastic weather.

i was herding the kiddie models, so i didn't get to see or shoot as much of eastern market as i wanted, but here are a few shots of the models i captured. you can see more over on our boka blog.

another newbie

2009-12-03T01:47:00.002-05:00

another newbie, and more to come. ya'll thought it was christmas season. uh uh...it's BABY season. lots more babies coming soon...but they need to be born first...

eastern market

2009-12-02T06:56:00.002-05:00

what a lovely little day down at eastern market in detroit. we photographed here the weekend before thanksgiving and it was CRAZY busy with all sorts of fun vendors along the streets. what to do? yup, let's jump right in there and join the fun!

thankful

2009-11-27T00:05:00.003-05:00

i am so very thankful for so many things, but that is for another time. for now, i'm sure this mother is thankful that i am finally putting up a peek of her beautiful little one.

hope everyone had a fabulous thanksgiving day!

get your vote on

2009-11-20T10:47:00.004-05:00

we've got a contest up over on our boka studios blog and today is the last day for voting. if you have a wee second to spare, head on over and throw in your vote!

and now for a perfect little family of three in some perfect evening light...

outtakes

2009-11-16T12:07:00.004-05:00

first up are the "normal" pictures, then come the outtakes. every session has at least one and i love sitting down to edit and finding treasures like the last two pictures. i'm sorry to the families who i decide to throw some of their outtakes on the blog, but i just. can't. help. it. little kids are so dang funny! no, they may not be the pictures people hang on their walls, but it sure gives me a good giggle.

outtake #1
oh, how cute...big brother is pushing baby brother in the wagon. oh no, big brother just pushed baby brother down the hill (dont' worry, mom and dad were there to save baby's life).

outtake #2
this picture started out with baby brother next to big brother but somehow ended up with baby face down and big brother severely distracted by, um, digging for gold?

uber cute

2009-11-13T10:23:00.003-05:00

good times hanging out with these two cuties...

insert cool title here

2009-11-07T05:34:00.005-05:00

not many words, just lots and lots and lots of pictures of some fabulous people. here's what i have been up to in the last week...ish.

wee one #1

to my friends (and neighbors) in these next pics...please love me after posting these first two...i just LOVE that it screams this-is-our-crazy-but-so-much-fun-life-with-all-boys, because i can SOOOO relate! you guys are great sports...

wee one #2

triplets! my first set of triplets! so. much. fun.

wee one #3

more family fun...in the weeds. yes, i love me some tall weeds.

we hit the jackpot with colors for this maternity session. the leaves seriously fell off the next day.

john and lauren...married

2009-11-04T01:27:00.005-05:00

i've said it before, but i absolutely LOVE love. i adore photographing the love between two people and everything else that goes along with it on a wedding day.

john and lauren, you two are ridiculously in love and i ridiculously loved photographing your day.

my dear friend and fabulous photographer, joy, was my second shooter for john and lauren's wedding. love her work and her eye behind that camera. while i was shooting this...

joy was shooting this.

and while i was shooting this...

joy captured this. thanks joy!

mmmmmmmmmmm. love the first dance with new husband and wife...

rest easy

2009-10-30T23:16:00.003-04:00

all right mommy of this session...you can rest easy. as we battled through cold, wind, and rain, she was wondering if any of the pictures would even turn out. well, turns out that when i got them home and started looking, i was in love with their session...not just a few...but the whole dang thing!

yipee for cute families who just go with the flow and make the best of it!

booooooo for icky weather.

my little friends

2009-10-29T14:40:00.004-04:00

my little friends are i are close. so close in fact that they are my next door neighbors! we are just a happy little street overflowing with little boys. if you can't tell by their constant giggling faces, we had a good time in the midst of michigan's autumn beauty...

some lovelies

2009-10-27T12:29:00.004-04:00

i hung out with them last year, and last year again, and once again, we had a blast giggling, finding caterpillars, teasing dad, and giggling some more.

hannah

2009-10-23T15:30:00.003-04:00

mother nature and i haven't been getting along lately, but she obviously LOVES hannah because her session day was the nicest we've had in several weeks! well, the sunshine and warmth lasted, um, one day, because we are back to cold and rain. UGH. enjoy!

come with me...

2009-10-20T16:22:00.012-04:00

come along with me as i take you on a tour through the craziness that has been my life as of late. that said craziness leads to extremely late blog posts and extremely long blog posts. and extremely tired jean eyes. good thing i absolutely A.D.O.R.E these people that i get to work with...

first up is a super cute six monther...

next, we move to two of the cutest (and cutest dressed) girls ever...

third, this family knows me well as this is the third time i have photographed their amazing little selves...

fourth, this family was up for session #2 and we had so much fun...

and last, we come to paul and melissa's UH-MAZ-ING wedding day! this girl absolutely lights up a room just by walking into it and their day was filled with such sweet happiness!

jordon

2009-10-17T00:24:00.009-04:00

yeah, i know. he just exudes cool. but don't let these pictures fool you...he is quite the funny guy and was so fun to hang out with. now, as my eyes hang heavy, i leave you with jordon and his awesomeness...

baby belly

2009-10-15T00:01:00.002-04:00

love those bellies and i absolutely loved this momma and daddy to be and their baby bump. SO. MUCH. FUN.

good luck you two and i can't wait to meet your wee one!

tiny

2009-10-14T07:41:00.002-04:00

it's been quite a while since a tiny one has graced my blog. i love newborns and this beautiful little guy was an ANGEL. meet jonathan.

converse

2009-10-10T01:21:00.004-04:00

i forgot how much i love converse shoes until katie wore her cons to her session. i came home, pulled my baby blue cons out my closet, dusted them off, and took a little trip down memory lane. i remember my husband and i had a "slight" obsession with these shoes when we lived in china and we would negotiate our way to every color and style we could get our hands on. we kind of fell off the converse train when we moved back to the states and couldn't bring ourselves to pay full price. sniff...i love me some china memories.

anyway, katie...thanks for being so fun, beautiful, pulling out the "fierce" when needed, and rocking those converse shoes.

sara and jeff

2009-10-07T13:07:00.003-04:00

yikes...the weather here isn't kidding around. it's been ugly as of late, but we'll just keep on taking pictures. take THAT mother nature.

sara and jeff trooped through the dark skies, chilly weather, wind, and rain. we had a lot of fun despite the weather and i am super excited to photograph their 2010 wedding!

twins

2009-10-05T11:25:00.003-04:00

what IS it about twins that makes them so much fun to photograph? i first photographed these two lovelies last year and was thrilled to get to hang out with them again!

3

2009-10-02T00:07:00.011-04:00

just noticed that all three sessions i am posting from the past few days are families of three. cute little families of three...

cute familiy 1...

cute family 2...

cute family 3...

celebrity crush

2009-09-28T16:08:00.005-04:00

i don't even care that this is the worst picture of me ever and that it was taken with an iphone in low light. who cares! i was standing next to jasmine star...one of my photography heroes!

in the photography world, this girlie is quite the celebrity and if she were accepting groupies, i would be first in line. she is one of those people that you feel like you have known for years just by reading her blog. she sucks you in. she makes you want to read more. and she is hilarious.

i heard she was coming to speak in michigan and i am such a huge fan of her work and was dying to see if she was the same in person as she comes across on her blog. so, naturally, i signed up and dragged travis with me to hear her speak. she gave a killer presentation and she was funny, sweet, and just downright awesome. yes, even better in person than on her blog.

so, here's to you jasmine star...

and here's to NOT using iphones in low light...

and finally, here's to all of those unblogged sessions that are coming...i promise...

triple decker

2009-09-24T12:21:00.003-04:00

i'm lovin these three family sessions from last saturday...

i love me some twins! these guys are adorable and i am in love with their momma's fashion sense!

sweet, sweet girls...

and the happiest little one ever!

stephany

2009-09-23T03:52:00.003-04:00

dear steph,

you are a beautiful senior now and it got me wondering. does that mean that there will soon come a day when you are too cool to watch my kids who love you dearly and who i completely trust? if so, let me know now so that i can hold your pictures ransom until you agree you will be ours for a very long time.

love, me

love continued

2009-09-21T12:10:00.003-04:00

do you remember this post from last week? do you remember how cool i thought it was that a married couple wants to document just the two of them? well, i have another awesome married couple who wanted the same thing...a shoot which documents just the two of them...in love...at this exact time in their life...all with a cute little dog and a bow.

we all think of getting pictures taken at the obvious big moments in life...new baby, senior pictures, weddings, child's first birthday, etc. but what about the times in between? thanks to these couples, it has inspired me to schedule my own session with my hubby. just the two of us. gasp...imagine that, no kids...just the two of us.

sooooooooooooo excited!

2009-09-17T02:05:00.005-04:00

you know when you have a little secret that is just dying to get out? well, i don't know if this would qualify as a secret, but i have been dying to announce that my husband and i have finally launched our new photography company, boka studios!

boka studios will be focusing on high school senior and wedding photography. our website is still under development, but if you want to check us out, click HERE to visit the boka blog and see my husband rocking the senior circuit. we just announced a senior special for all sessions booked by October 15th and shot before the end of the year. so if you haven't scheduled your senior pictures yet, check us out and see what you think!

speaking of seniors, here's a peeksie into a recent session with margaret. she was as equally beautiful as she was fun and sweet...

love

2009-09-16T12:14:00.004-04:00

these two got married on this very same beach one year ago. alex surprised aaron with a photo shoot for their one year anniversary...how stinkin awesome is that?!?!? they were equally awesome to work with...thanks you two! HAPPY ONE YEAR!

a little of this, a little of that

2009-09-15T16:27:00.003-04:00

a few from last week...

it's been a year since i have seen this little guy...

had so much fun with this family...

and hung out with two love birds in ann arbor...

freakin awesome

2009-09-14T15:51:00.005-04:00

that's the only way to describe these two sessions...so freakin awesome...and cute. i have photographed both of these families before and was so excited because they are both super cool and i just want to post all of the images from both sessions on here. but i won't. because it would take forever to load...and because i don't have them done yet.

these guys are just so hip and cool. how awesome was it that they brought their guitars (dad is an amazing musician) and they just played us beautiful music while i snapped away!

and THESE two twinnies. geez...i want to box up their little china doll selves and put them on my dresser. they are BEAUTIFUL!

and we have yet another...

2009-09-11T13:40:00.003-04:00

another beautiful high school senior!

another beauty

2009-09-10T12:27:00.003-04:00

high school seniors? huh? it's more like i've had a whole crop of models as of late! another high school beauty...

erica

2009-09-09T08:19:00.005-04:00

sweet, beautiful erica...

first day of school and such

2009-09-08T11:23:00.003-04:00

wow, what's that? oh. that's the sound of HALF silence. yep, my two oldest are off for their first day of school. i have been beside myself in tears that school is back in session. NOT.

does that make me a bad mom that i don't cry when my kids head off to school? is it even worse that i might give a little cheer?

i'm a good mom. really i am.

a few pics from from a super awesome family last week...

i've had it

2009-09-07T00:26:00.003-04:00

all right, that's IT. i am freakishly behind on most everything in my life right now. blog included. so, in an effort to help the blogging situation, i am going to post every day until i get caught up on those poor souls just waiting to get a peek at their recent sessions!

meet the lovely senior, andrea...what a great day we had trudging through raspberry fields, dirt, and weeds!

hanging in the d

2009-09-01T06:12:00.004-04:00

that's d for detroit for all of you who be living out of state. that's right, i be hanging in the d with all my homies.

ok, i won't even try...i'm so white it's not even funny.

joe and jessica got married in this amazing little church right in downtown detroit. the whole day was amazing and fun and wonderful and awesome.

a few highlights from the day...

their adorable flower girl. we had a silent compromise...you let me take one of you...

and then you can take one of me!

only ONE request from the groom that day...a picture in front of comerica field. i think they might be detroit tigers fans.

in front of the lovely fox theater...

this one totally cracks me up. see all the folks behind them? all of them were heading to a kenny chesney concert at comerica field.

i told you we were hanging in the d...

abercrombie senior

2009-08-27T15:17:00.008-04:00

hello mr abercrombie. ok, so he's not straight out of an abercrombie or hollister ad. but he should be.

AND...the dude has talent. serious talent. he dances and plays hockey.

AND...because of that said talent above, he let me chat his ear off half the session about my favorite tv show, so you think you can dance. that led to him and his mother telling me about all of the people from the show that they have met, danced with, or been choreographed by.

lucky guy.

happy monday

2009-08-24T09:22:00.004-04:00

here's a quickie peek from a recent session. it's the third time around for photographing this family...what a happy bunch of people! seriously...the kids ASKED to get their picture taken. love them!

monster post

2009-08-18T16:07:00.004-04:00

you know i am behind on blogging when i post seven sessions all at once. yikes.

so excited to be photographing this little one again...

awesome senior...

sweet baby cheeks...

another awesome senior...

been photographing this little beauty since she was a newborn...

yet ANOTHER awesome senior...

and last but not least, my first 2010 senior guy...

senior and some littles

2009-08-06T04:19:00.007-04:00

just getting ready to head out of town, but i wanted to post my last few sessions before i leave.

i think i found my new favorite image...

this the third time i've photographed this little beauty. her eyes melt my heart.

as you can see, this little guy entertained me from start to finish. i love the last behind-the-scenes shot because it is so typical of what the wonderful parents are doing where the camera doesn't see.

senior party

2009-08-04T17:10:00.005-04:00

ok, there was no senior party, but enough seniors lately to have one! it has been a senior session fest as of late...and i LOVE it SO much. so much.

four beauties from this last week...

lizzy...

megan...

mira...

and kim...

matt and stacie

2009-08-01T06:44:00.004-04:00

more love, another awesome couple, and another beautiful wedding! have a wonderful weekend!!!

andrew and natasha

2009-07-29T12:09:00.007-04:00

their wedding was a fairy tale...every detail perfect. i giggled as i met with natasha before the wedding and she pulled out her gigantic book of wedding plans. well, it surely paid off as everything was beautiful!

natasha, i know you have been waiting patiently for your peek...enjoy!

i love father with the bride!

i'm not going to lie...this is where i had to stifle a tear or two. their ceremony was beautiful and this moment just topped it all off.

radiant

2009-07-25T10:10:00.008-04:00

i decided some people "pull off" pregnancy better than others. i mean, look at andrea...beautiful and absolutely radiant.

i also decided that i am not one of those people. six weeks after having my baby, it is still all too fresh in my mind. so, i will let people like andrea sit there in all of their photogenic glory and i will photograph them to my non-pregnant-and-super-happy-about-it heart's content.

good luck to this beautiful family!

summer

2009-07-22T17:54:00.006-04:00

this family just exudes summer. is that possible?

they are this amazing family, with an amazing house, on this amazing property, and they just LOVE to hang out together in all of it's amazing glory. i captured them just being them doing what they love best...hanging out having a good time together on a fine, summer saturday.

stay tuned...i have lots of sessions to post...

i couldn't get over how cute it was to photograph the twins in "their garden." they helped plant all of the vegetables, weed it regularly, and pick the vegetables when ready. AND they love to eat it all!

i didn't have to prompt the twins on this "ewwwww...gross" picture...it was all them...

newborn goodness

2009-07-17T10:55:00.005-04:00

i hate to give up the title, but i'm afraid i photographed a newborn the other day with cheeks more luscious than my own newborn. she was 10+ pounds of newborn goodness...and so stinkin cute!

back to real life...

2009-07-10T01:11:00.016-04:00

...and by that, i mean back to taking pictures of people OTHER than my luscious newborn.

what? you want one more? well, ok, if you insist. here is my beckham at 3 1/2 weeks old. what i want to know is how an almost-four-week-old baby can still be sleeping right through pictures like this?!?!?

ok, back to the real life stuff. i was super excited to photograph vivian again. sometime after our session together last year, she went on to win the miss michigan pageant...i'm so proud of her! no one deserves it more than her...she is beautiful AND super sweet.

i can't help it

2009-06-28T23:03:00.004-04:00

must. stop. posting. pics. of. my. babe.

sigh...i can't help it. i like him a lot. i mean REALLY, REALLY, REALLY a lot.

5 days old...

11 days old...

15 days old...

my tiny love

2009-06-23T16:48:00.003-04:00

so they say (not exactly sure who "they" is) a photographer never gets as many pictures of his/her own kids as they do of others kids.

huh. i believe them.

when i was large with child, i had visions of the hundreds of newborn pictures i would take floating through my head. but, alas, twelve days after having my baby, i am horrified to admit that i have only had time to take a few pictures of my beautiful little boy. i guess i forgot how crazy life is for the first little while with a newborn (not to mention with three other kids)!

soooooooo, with nothing else to say (except that i WILL pick up my camera before he grows right into a teenager), here is my beckham at four days old...

oh, and admit it...those cheeks are the BEST. i certainly can't get enough...

first glimpses...

2009-06-15T15:06:00.003-04:00

i have facebooked, emailed, and family blogged our news all over the internet, so if you are one of the lucky ones who HASN'T been bombarded with our news...we are now the proud owners of baby boy #4...beckham owen smith!

a few shots from his first day in this big, crazy world...

waiting

2009-06-07T20:43:00.008-04:00

no baby yet. soooo...we wait...sigh. if the baby doesn't come on his or her own by thursday, then i will be induced.

so, if you call or email and i don't respond right away, you know what i am up to :)

wish me luck!

oh, and p.s...this is NOT me at this horrid moment of 39 and a half weeks along...this picture was taken by my hubby at 35 weeks.

hot legs

2009-06-05T00:37:00.004-04:00

haha! what a post title. sorry...couldn't think of one so i wrote the first thing that popped into my head with this family. yep, i think we can all agree that this is a beautiful family with a mom with hot legs. oh brother...it must be late. oh yep...almost two am...

i have photographed this family before and was excited to see them again. what a fun, fun, fun family!!!

ok, raise your hand if you have ever had THIS happen during a session. you know whether it has been your own family session or are a photographer during a session, one child has to have a meltdown somewhere in there (usually at the end). i LOVE this picture!

joe and jessica

2009-06-01T03:14:00.004-04:00

pretty people. pretty location. pretty evening. yeah, this engagement session was fabulous. not much else to say except that i can't WAIT to photograph their wedding in august!!!

repeats

2009-05-25T01:20:00.007-04:00

call them repeats, call them returning clients, call them what you will, but i love, love, LOVE seeing and photographing kids as they grow up and change. these three sessions from last weekend were all return clients and look how they have changed!!!

you can see these guys from this post last fall (pics 12-14)...

and this guy was the winner of my urban contest last may (first pic)...

and WOW, look how this one has changed since last june (pics 4-5) ...

seven days old...

2009-05-23T06:41:00.003-04:00

...and all that chub...delicious! i need to stop talking about newborns like they are some kind of delicacy! can't help it...isn't he just luscious?!?!?

doug and alisha...married

2009-05-19T15:33:00.005-04:00

"just do your thing, jean...we totally trust you."

that's doug and alisha for you when asked what special requests they had for their wedding images. you know those people that are just so chill...so easy to be around? that's doug and alisha. i am so happy to know them and completely thrilled to have spent their beautiful wedding day with them.

oh, and when i say a "beautiful wedding day," i literally mean it. the dark skies cleared, the rain stopped, and the sun came out about 20 minutes before the ceremony...outside...in an orchard. someone is looking out for these two...

i'm bringing them back...

2009-05-15T10:52:00.004-04:00

i use to offer standouts a while back but stopped because i felt i was offering too much "stuff." well, i ordered me some standouts and fell in love with them all over again. soooo, if you are looking for something contemporary and unique, these babies are for you! and for one week, i am offering all standouts at 25% off. please email me if you would like to order yours...

two

2009-05-12T13:32:00.004-04:00

well, he went and did it. my baby turned two and for some crazy reason, it kind of just broke my heart.

it shouldn't because i am going to have another little peanut here in about a month, but still...

when they turn one, it's ok because they are wobbly, baby fatty, not speaking, and need momma for everything. but when they turn two, they are officially growing up.

isaac and i went exploring around a barn near our house and here are a few shots to celebrate the funeral of his babyhood, er...i mean the celebration of him growing up.

no more pictures mommy!!!

no way i will be this lucky

2009-05-08T15:15:00.003-04:00

as i drove away from this session, i thought to myself that i don't think i have ever had a newborn session where the baby sleeps from beginning to end...what an angelic little one she was.

and then i got thinking to myself how excited i am to take pictures of my soon-to-be-baby and had the thought that since i have already had three excellent babies...there is NO way i could get so lucky with a fourth good baby. everyone has to have one wild child in the mix, right? please tell me i'm wrong...

a bit behind...

2009-05-06T00:20:00.006-04:00

you know i'm behind on blogging when you get three sessions in one post! sorry for the overload of pictures, but i loved all of these sessions and had to share a few of my faves...

session one...

session two...

session three...

jjc

2009-05-01T01:49:00.007-04:00

i just finished up another session with jenni jackson clothing and am DYING over all of her new summer styles and colors! i love working with her as her clothing is an easy answer to the #1 question i receive from mommies with future sessions..."what do we wear?"

jenni offers a new special every week but i just had to pass along the amazing deal she is offering this week to kick off her summer line. she is offering 50% off all dresses, pant outfits, mommy matcher skirts, and doll dresses...one week only!!! you can see her blog and main website here.

yeah, i must admit it's a bit of torture to photograph all of this cuteness and not be able to use any of it for my kiddies. however, i have heard a rumor that jenni is designing clothing for little boys...

pregnancy and a cutie

2009-04-28T11:12:00.007-04:00

after posting some pictures of laurel last week, i am giggling at how many comments and emails i have received asking when she is going to post some prego pictures of me. well, it just so happens that her AND sarah both posted pictures on their blogs. sooooo, if you want to see a pregnant me, you can go to laurel's blog here. AND, if you just can't get enough of me (haha), then you can see some more on sarah's blog here. i'm not saying i am a pretty sight, but they are both fabulous and did an awesome job!

now for the cutie! i absolutely loved this session...lovely location, great weather, and a sassy, beautiful little girl to throw in the mix!

grow a belly

2009-04-24T14:22:00.007-04:00

"grow a belly and then come talk to me about taking your maternity pictures!"

brutal words spoken from one pregnant girl to another, but they had to be said as i struggled to find the pregnant belly i was supposed to be photographing. my photographer friend laurel and i swapped a few maternity pics (we are three weeks apart) and she had NO problem finding my belly!

oh well, we can all wish for teeny, tiny pregnant bellies (with healthy babies inside) while we enjoy a few pictures of my beautiful friend...

brothers

2009-04-22T15:02:00.004-04:00

yeah, you all know this post of these three brothers is dear to my heart...seeing i have three boys myself!

oh, the joy (and chaos and crazy and loud and bouncy and silly) three brothers bring!

newbies

2009-04-20T13:51:00.006-04:00

two sweet newbies from this last weekend...

this picture with baby chase and his family just makes me happy....mmm....

and now we have baby charlie...

urban senior

2009-04-15T00:46:00.004-04:00

back to eastern market for another session...can you tell this is my new favorite location?

according to some of the passersby during our session, we have the next vogue cover model on our hands. i must agree if i say so myself!

daddy's girl

2009-04-14T07:30:00.006-04:00

i was totally cracking up the whole session about this one...she is PURE daddy's girl.

oh lookie...we did get at least one with momma...

ok, done with mom, now give me dad...and his arms are where i shall stay for the rest of the session...

take one...let's put her down and get a few shots. nope, not gonna happen.

take two...ok, let's try again. let's put her down and try to get a few shots.

forget it, camera lady...i just want my daddy!

i heart faces

2009-04-12T05:09:00.004-04:00

can i toot my own horn for a second? a photographer friend told me about iheartfaces and i decided to join in on the fun. i get so caught up in shooting, editing, ordering, emailing, etc, that sometimes i forget to have a little fun with photography!

so, i entered one of my pics in this week's contest and i won...wahoo! not only did i win, but the guest judge who picked my image was none other than the fabulous photographer herself, amy wenzel...love her work!

anyway, if you are photographer or someone who just loves to take pictures, come play at iheartfaces!!!

the theme this week was "my friend and i" and here was the image i submitted...

need a session?

2009-04-10T00:06:00.004-04:00

happy spring! i feel like i can officially say that now that last sunday's SNOW STORM remains are finally melting. Oh, and while i am throwing out the well wishes, HAPPY EASTER to everyone this weekend!

i haven't been accepting any more spring sessions due to a full schedule, but i just had a cancellation for a morning session on april 25th. please email or call me if you would like to schedule a session on that day.

my sleepy eyes can't look at this computer screen anymore, so i am signing off. i leave you with a born performer...and at only six months...and just look at those cheeks and thighs...

cute and sassy

2009-04-08T01:23:00.007-04:00

mmmmm hmmmm, i love the sassy ones. maybe it's a girl thing...maybe it's the red hair... but there's nothing like a little girl with a bit of attitude and knows exactly what she wants! this adorable little one was so much fun!

john + lauren

2009-03-31T23:34:00.006-04:00

meet john and lauren.

i met them last year while i was shooting a wedding and they decided to put their wedding day in my hands as well. we trotted off to eastern market in detroit for their engagement session last week. so we began with the first outfit, painful heels (both of us girls), a spot of annoying wind, and john has a cold. they still rocked it.

john and lauren are off for an outfit change and i find some new friends while i am waiting. and no, i didn't ask them to take their picture...they were super excited to show off their produce and asked me to photograph them. geez...it's easy to make friends when you have a couple of cameras strapped around your neck.

john and lauren are back in outfit number two...looking super hot, might i add. my friend from the above picture willingly lets us use his truck for the next images and i love how they turned out.

these two were so much fun and i am super excited to shoot their wedding later this year!

baby season

2009-03-30T15:29:00.003-04:00

it must be baby season around here! here is yet another baby from a recent session...a beautiful, little 13 week old. HAPPY MONDAY!!!

i told you there was more...

2009-03-26T00:48:00.006-04:00

...more babies, that is! here is another little one from last weekend. mmmm mmmm....how cute is he?!?!?

babies everywhere!

2009-03-25T03:04:00.003-04:00

six month old babies are the best! their adorable little personalities are in full bloom, they can sit up on their own, and they can't crawl or walk away from me yet! here are a few cuties from some recent sessions.

more cute babies are a comin...

schedule update

2009-03-16T02:03:00.004-04:00

hello all...i'm just popping in with a quick update on scheduling. i am now booked through the end of may and am currently scheduling for later summer and fall sessions/weddings (i will not be scheduling from june 1st to july 15th as there will be a newborn in my home requiring ALL of my attention)!

summer and especially fall are my busiest times of the year, so please contact me if you are interested in a session. thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all of my wonderful clients and friends! i can't even begin to describe the fabulous people i get to work with and photograph and i consider myself one lucky girl with a camera!

xoxoxo

oh, and i will leave you with a beautiful girl from a series of images that never made it to the blog. oh, you betcha that there will be more coming soon...

seniors

2009-03-09T01:21:00.004-04:00

more senior stuff! first up, a fabulous senior that i had the pleasure of hanging out with the other day. this talented girl plays the guitar like a rock star, figure skates like someone famous (can't think of any names at the moment), and plays in dirty puddles for her photographer. she rocks.

next, if anyone missed my post about my senior special, it's still going! ANDDDDD, since i have had several inquiries from 2010 seniors, i am extending the special for 2010 seniors who want late summer or fall pictures and contact me now to get a session scheduled by september 30th. you can see the senior special HERE. and this deal isn't just for seniors...you non-senior peeps get a gift certificate for every paid senior session you refer!

and finally, after my very long string of pictures of this cute senior, i wanted to share some examples of my fabulous senior products i am offering to all 2009 and 2010 seniors...

some examples of yummy 411 cards...

on to a few graduation announcements...

and last but not least, the senior storybook albums...

wednesday and such

2009-03-03T16:28:00.005-05:00

last time you saw this gorgeous family, this little guy was still just a bun in the oven. he not only made his debut, but he performed beautifully! happy wednesday!

more baby lovin

2009-03-01T20:57:00.003-05:00

yikes! can you handle the cuteness? really, i'm not sure if i can. he entertained and smiled and performed and was just super cute the whole entire session. i'm lovin these babies...

chubbs

2009-02-27T18:04:00.003-05:00

dear unborn baby in my tummy,

please take note of the next baby i am posting. chubby babies have been lacking in our family and i am hoping for a little baby chub this time around. notice the big, squishy cheeks and chubbalicious thighs. this adorable baby is only two weeks old and already has the chubby thing going on.

love,
mommy (and your future photographer)

beach fam

2009-02-25T01:29:00.004-05:00

i am back from the wppi photography conference in las vegas and am ashamed to admit that unlike last year, i came home with next to no pictures at all! what's up with that?!?!? i'm blaming it on the pregnancy and being tired...it's just easier to blame everything on that, right? on the bright side, i learned a lot, laughed a lot, bought very little (to my surprise), was inspired in many ways, and got to hang out with my girls!

i will leave you with a few shots of our awesome friends that hung with us in cancun a few weeks back. editing these made me realize two things...one, i really need some pictures of my family on the beach, and two, i REALLY miss warm weather!

calling all 2009 seniors!

2009-02-13T14:19:00.008-05:00

seniors...it's not too late to schedule your senior session! and have i got a sweet deal for you...

contact me now to get your session scheduled by may 31st and you will receive $50 off your session fee, 50 free 411 cards, and a free mini album with images from your session.

oh, and the rest of you want a sweet deal too? refer a senior and receive a $50 gift certificate to jean smith photography. sweet!

so, what are you waiting for? you know you want to email me at jean@jeansmithphotography.com...so just DO IT!

i am off to las vegas for the wppi photography conference for a few days, but wanted to leave you with my newest little friend from a recent session...

lovin this

2009-02-13T00:38:00.006-05:00

do you notice a theme in all the pictures here? yeah, i couldn't stop putting the little guy in the spotlight. do you blame me? he was smiley and happy and cooperative and silly and adorable and well, you get my point...

happy monday

2009-02-09T09:08:00.003-05:00

more indoor winter fun over the weekend. my winter humdrum bad attitude is leaving as warmer weather has been occurring in these parts. 40 degrees over the weekend? 59 degrees this wednesday? that, my friends, is music to my ears (and my freezing toes). i dare not look further ahead for fear the weather report will tell me temps are plummeting back down to crazy cold temps again!

anyway, enough of my cold weather lamenting. i present two little heart melters from a family i truly adore...

stuck

2009-02-06T16:32:00.004-05:00

yeah, i am feeling a bit "stuck" right now. stuck inside that is. or maybe trapped is a better word. i was sick of january. i am already sick of february and it hasn't even happened yet. winter is KILLING me this year. i don't know what it is, but i am dying to get outside and shoot. i just keep telling myself i need to get through february and all will be well here in michigan.

on the bright side, these little ones made me smile while we were stuck inside for our sessions.

session #1

session #2

way too short

2009-02-05T15:21:00.004-05:00

well, we're back from cancun and we decided that our trip was WAY too short. this was especially confirmed as we walked out of the detroit airport into 10 degree weather...ouch.

i have lots of cuties to share but just wanted to sit for a moment and reminisce about the lovely warmth down south...

outta here

2009-01-31T23:54:00.004-05:00

we are escaping the frigid misery for a few days and heading down to cancun! i will return all calls and emails when i return.

have a great week!

i will leave you with a few recent pics of my three lovies...

haha!

2009-01-29T01:13:00.004-05:00

i'm sorry, but i had to post another one from my last session. remember the adorable baby with the funny faces in my last post? i was editing her session and came across this one...

admit it...it made you smile...

need a giggle?

2009-01-26T15:15:00.004-05:00

well, she sure made me giggle. right through the whole session. i tell you...this little one had more faces than jim carrey! she was absoulutely adorable and a pleasure to photograph.

hmmm...a little help? do you like rich and colorful...or....

muted and urbanish?

announcing...

2009-01-17T13:07:00.006-05:00

what?!??! what is jean announcing? a contest? new products? how about a special?

not yet my friends. while all of those things are in the works for 2009, i have a personal announcement. i am so excited to announce that we will be adding another baby to our home on (or around) june 15th!!! eek...a mother of four...help?

as a result of our wonderful news, i will be accepting a limited number of sessions and weddings in 2009. please contact me early if you are interested in a 2009 session. oh, and just as a head's up...i will not be scheduling sessions or weddings from june 1st to july 15th.

speaking of babies, how could i NOT be baby hungry when i get to hang around with little ones like this???

i love it when...

2009-01-13T14:48:00.004-05:00

i absolutely love it when i get to see little ones grow...

to now...an adorable one year old...

a little of me

2009-01-09T22:00:00.005-05:00

if you haven't noticed, i don't post much about me or my personal life on this blog. it's not that i am against it, because i love to read other people's crazy stories and funny thoughts.

shy and quiet? no, people who know me would probably say i was loud and obnoxious.

boring with nothing to say? i sure hope not.

i'll just use the excuse that in the few moments i have to post, i throw in a few words and severely hope my pictures will do the rest of the talking for me.

anyway, i came across this collage on my friend's blog and thought it would be fun to do one for myself. i headed on over to polyvore and this is what i came up with. so, here you go folks, here's your first little peek into jean's mind...her likes, loves, and other random bits...whether you wanted to see or not...

jean by jeavis

happy happy

2008-12-31T02:52:00.004-05:00

happy happy new year from me and these two adorable critters...

i also just wanted to give a gigantic thanks to all of my wonderful clients who have made this year a great success and so, so, SO much fun. i am truly lucky to be able to work, er, play with so many fabulous people...

...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

a hawaiian wedding

2008-12-29T03:53:00.003-05:00

in the hustle and bustle of christmas, i didn't quite get to blogging the hawaiian wedding i shot a couple of weeks ago. the trip was fantastic and the wedding was beautiful! aren't they SUCH a hot couple!?!?!?

congrats paul and staci...i LOVE you guys!

i'm back!

2008-12-19T17:31:00.004-05:00

i'm back from hawaii! back to bitter cold and never ending snow! i'm not complaining though...i can't imagine christmas without snow.

our whole trip was amazing...it was full of good friends, an amazing wedding, fun adventures, and me being saved by baywatch-like lifeguards in the ocean (how embarrassing...but that is a different story for a different day).

i can't wait to post pictures of the beautiful beach wedding i shot, but until i get to those, i wanted to share some pics from several recent sessions that never made it to the blog.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!