playtime at valley forge park

not only was i lucky enough to see my niece last weekend (and capture a picture that i just can't stop staring at!), but on sunday morning we got a great surprise visit from my nephew!! it's pretty rare that we have guests at our house, we're typically on the go and looking for a reason to get out of the house, so this was a real nice treat!

between the little fledgling's nap times, we traipsed around valley forge national park and soaked in the sun...doesn't B look too cool for school in his babiators?! :)


he likely would've been just as happy hanging out in the bed of his dad's truck all afternoon, but we strapped him into his little red wagon and went off to explore the various landmarks around the park. probably should have a little more knowledge of the history surrounding valley forge after living with it in my backyard for so many years, but for the short amount of time we were there i was more than content just pointing my lens at the pretty things i saw.


from the car, the grass might look really lush and well maintained (and it is for such a vast piece of land), but the uneven footing and undulating hills did not make for an easy walk for teeny legs! luckily crocs are perfect for off-roading!


we played with acorns, sticks, shadows...and almost an innocent bystander's iphone :).




it was a successful adventure with the funniest little guy i know...but i know his highlights of the day probably included eating pb&j and getting sprayed by the garden hose at home. it's the little things, that make us happy, right?! xo!!


playtime with the electric lady

yesterday, we went into new jersey for the afternoon and i got to spend some time playing with my little niece.  she's growing up so fast and is doing all sorts of new tricks every time we see her, it's really amazing how much a week can change a 10 month old!! she came in wearing the cutest outfit - complete with pink skinny 'jeans' and a matching flower headband, that quickly found its way to the floor. her blue shirt made her, already incredible, eyes look insanely electric when we stepped out into the sun!

i mean, seriously, where do we sign her up for her modeling career?!
inside, she was more than content occupying herself. she played peek-a-boo with her dress and somehow managed to make every single leapfrog sound/light go off at once :).


i don't think i've ever seen a toddler so focused on performing a task...like when she decided this book page looked like an excellent teething toy, she worked with all of her might to hold it up while she delicately leaned over and began gnawing on it, haha. hope the hard work was worth it, jules!


i know the focus is quite off on this next one, but there was something about it that i just couldn't pass up - the heart button? her crazy long eyelashes? or maybe just how peaceful she looks while at play?!


see you again soon little lady!! xo!

2013 MINI SESSIONS ARE HERE!!


Announcing the 2013 Perch Sisters Mini Sessions, woo-hoo!! As much as I don't want to think about it, the holidays will be here sooner than we know it, so here's a great way to get one item off of your checklist.  Mini Sessions are awesome for holiday card photos! But they aren't just for holiday outfits and family groups, it's a wonderful way to update your walls and capture some beautiful moments at an affordable rate!  Everyone's welcome - maternity, seniors, couples, toddlers - reserve your spot today and preserve your memories for a lifetime! Oh and they're tons of fun too :).

Sessions are first come, first serve and are paid in advance to reserve your time.  In order to book, please send your first and second time choice to me at lauren@perchsisters.com.  You'll receive a link to pay for your session online and will receive all of the details you need to prep for a spectacular shoot!

DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS...

$225 Mini Session fee which includes:

25 minute photo shoot
editing and blog love
10-15 high resolution images in an online gallery for viewing and sharing to social media
5 favorites from the gallery are yours to keep, download and print with full rights
Options to purchase prints, holiday cards and other gifts at special rates
2014 8x10 calendar print with your session images (see below for an example!)


SCHEDULE:

Sunday, September 15th - Philly Suburb location TBD
  • 2:00pm
  • 2:30
  • 3:00
  • 3:30
  • 4:00
  • 4:30
  • 5:00
  • 5:30
  • 6:00

Friday, September 28th - Ocean City, NJ at the beach!
  • 4:00pm
  • 4:30
  • 5:00
  • 5:30

Saturday, October 12th - Philly Suburb location TBD
  • 2:00pm
  • 2:30
  • 3:00
  • 3:30
  • 4:00
  • 4:30
  • 5:00

SPECIAL BONUS!!

Just in case all of this wasn't exciting enough, there's more!! Referral bonuses are available!! Once your deposit is received, you can start sending in referrals to earn $25 in print credit per additional session booked (limit 4)...all you have to do is make sure your friends mention your name when they're booking.  Easy peasy!

Have a group of friends/family that are interested but can't find a date/location that works? Mini Session pricing and deals will be extended if at least four sessions can be secured. That's $75 in print credits, your very own Mini Session day & location PLUS time to hang out with your favorite people...sounds pretty fab, right?!


Book now! Don't miss out!!


summer vacation | wickford,ri water lilies


as you make your way into the village of wickford, rhode island from the neighboring town of narragansett, you pass a small pond on the left that has an even smaller waterway to the bay on the right-hand side of the road.  for most of the year, this little waterway is non-descript and nearly an eyesore.  the road slumps and crumbles away at the shoulder as it meets the sandy patch where the grass has been worn away for, what seems like, forever.  power lines, old billboards and the fish ladder fencing all do their best to avert your eyes and as you focus on the goal of getting to the quaint wickford shops, you're likely to drive on by without so much as a noticing what lies on the side of the road.

but when july rolls around, the tiny waterway explodes with beauty! the giant water lilies emerge to inspire painters, photographers and travelers alike.  the sandy side of the road becomes packed with cars and tourists, all there to witness the incredible marvel that is only seen for a few weeks...or days, depending on the weather. the waterway overflows with flowers the size of frisbees and green, lush leaves that are just yearning to touch the bright blue sky.  everything about the little spot is mystifying, even the pods from the spent blooms.

while i've seen the water lilies from the car many times (always saying 'ooooh, the water lilies!' as we pass by), i don't think i've stopped to fully appreciate them in years. we were so lucky to have a bright and clear morning with just a few folks milling around the spot.  the flowers had had a bit of a beating from recent rain, but i thought everything about them was just awesome, i could've stayed there all day!

the dragonfly above was following me around so i guess he wanted his picture taken! so neat to be able to get so up close to him - i was using my 50mm lens, no zooming here, which meant i was standing nearly in the water!

a note on the image below, right.  i'm usually not a fan of selective coloring. at all. it's just not my style, but the green leaves are so fantastically bright, and nearly overwhelming, that i wanted to make sure the lilies got a chance to shine on their own. even if it gave lightroom a panic attack thinking i was going to save a selective editing preset, ha no thanks!
a group of older ladies had stopped to take some pictures and one offered to snap a shot of me and my momma.  i think she did a darn good job given that she couldn't grasp the concept of looking through the actual viewfinder ;-), haha. the next day, we drove by the lily grove and most of the open petals had been knocked off in the overnight rain.  such a good thing we stopped when we did! be sure you don't miss out next time you're near town!


well, that wraps up my rhode island summer vacation posts! if you missed any of the previous posts, be sure to check them out here and here!  

also, while i love using my real camera, there are times that you just need a quick iphone fix.  so take a peek at my instagram feed for a different perspective of my adventures (also accessible from the banner at the top of my site)!


reminder - based on some recent requests, i'm making some of my personal pictures available for purchase.  they are at a discounted price, no minimum order size, and all prints will be presented matted with a small signature.  if you're interested, please visit my sales site.  If you're looking for a specific image that's not listed in stock, leave a comment or send me an email and i'll be happy to make it happen!! thanks!



summer vacation | more rhode island!

back to vacation - even if only in my mind and in my pictures!  reacclimating to the office environment has been rough this week and i've been putting off the final RI blog posts because i don't want to think about the fact that august is upon us and the best beach days of the summer may be in my past. sigh.

while on vacation, even if in my hometown, i love having my camera in tow.  sometimes it gets a little heavy or cumbersome, depending on the outing, but i know there are just some things that my iphone can't capture. plus it's a great way for me to work on different shooting techniques and then play with a variety of editing options that are outside of my typical style.

for example...little miss j was rocking yet another adorable (and ruffled!!) frock with a bright pattern on it.  and i loved it.  but when i saw this inquisitive face staring back at me against the gray day, it was just calling for a little vintage effect.  so i spiced it up to give it that washed beach babe vibe.



in case you were wondering, this little lady LOVES rhode island about as much as i do (she's secretly planning to convince her mom & dad to move there, wink wink!)...the grass, on the other hand, she was not so certain about! the only thing i regret about using my camera on vacation, is that i don't use it MORE!! i love these family snapshots at our family's cliff house but i'm so bummed that i didn't force more of my family members to strike a pose.


i am so fortunate to have grown up on the water and have a special place in my heart for my grandparents' house with it's sprawling lawn that pours right over the cliffs.  the hidden cliff house, that's undergoing some impressive transformations, just makes the location that much sweeter! my parents threw a fantastic dinner party for our vacation guests and some local friends.  while we may have had plastic chairs, there were nice linens and lobsters to keep the whole thing beach chic.  such a great evening! thanks again to our great hosts!!

even the pup was enjoying the company!

sometimes when you've had too much fun on your vacation, you need to just take a nap in the middle of the dinner party...no big deal!

it's only natural that i have an obsession with all things water related, i am a pisces after all (btw, had no clue how to spell that, oops!). i could listen to the tide lap against the shore all day long. sleeping with the windows open in my childhood bedroom was like magic - the bugs, wind chimes, babbling brook and fountain was better than any white noise machine around.  walking around wickford on a gorgeously sunny day resulted in some pretty magical views and pictures!


this truck belongs on a movie set...then again the whole historic part of town basically could be a movie set! ugh, love it to pieces!


when i saw my sister-in-law lounging on the dock, gazing out at our guys in their red kayaks, i couldn't help but think of the wyeth painting of the girl in the field, so i creepily snapped a shot :).


my favorite unplanned/planned photo of the day.  the guys had brought the kayaks back to my aunt and uncle's dock on the harbor and the vibrant colors and strong lines were just screaming for me to capture them!  of course i had to coil the line and wait for the sun and current to cooperate perfectly but it turned out exactly as i'd imagined nearly straight out of the camera. i've already ordered a print for my walls to remind me of the great times we had this trip!

based on some recent requests, i'm making some of my personal pictures available for purchase.  they are at a discounted price, no minimum order size, and all prints will be presented matted with a small signature.  if you're interested, please visit my sales site.  If you're looking for a specific image that's not listed in stock, leave a comment or send me an email and i'll be happy to make it happen!! thanks!