Sunday, June 29, 2014

Hillapalooza (Third Installment) : Strike a pose.

As we do every year, we decided to get the entire bunch together for family pictures. This is such a challenge for any photographer but we are so lucky to have our regular guy who is used to us....Ummmmmm, not this year. He and his wife were expecting twins they ended up in Forth Smith hospital during this time (note: all is well and the babies are good and growing :)

So, I shot a note to the wonderful Stephanie Henderson who did my side of the family's photos back in the spring. She was game, thank goodness!!!

We start out with the hardest shots... and quite honestly, the most important. I mean, this only happens once a year!
All the kiddos!
And yes, they are super silly! Unfortunately, this sent Brandon into a complete meltdown as he "didn't want to be silly!!!" There has to be one kid to melt and it isn't ever the same one and it isn't ever for the same reason. Clearly the odds are stacked against us!
We quickly break away into the family shots. The hope is we keep them smiling as long as possible. And yes, under those smiles are words like "If you smile I will give you a dollar/sucker/new car/whatever-you-really-want, just please look normal and smile" Nailed it!!
Cam's fam was up next. They nailed it too!! Nice looking peeps.
 Oh man, Campbell, that face! You are a riot!!

She is getting SO big!!!
Then the other Hills! Loves them!!
And then the Clawsons.
Love this!!
Dah and Mah. Lookin' sharp!
Add in the bonus of EA. She is such a bonus! We love her to pieces!
Then we decided to get the elders (they will love that. Hahaha!) with all the littles. My littlest was not interested as you can tell.
I asked Brady to pick him up and we got this beauty.
Then we got one which would be considered frameable but unfortunately it was the one where EA stepped out. ARGH!
 
We decided to use the rest of the time for kiddo and couples. I think they are hilarious and beautiful all at the same time. Personalities abound!

I love the ones of the individual kiddos. SUCH personality!
And the daddy shots. I love these.
My eldest muchkin. He is a dollface. So stinkin' handsome!
Anna, adorbs (see what I did there?) She is getting to be such a little grown-up!

Mah really wanted a  picture of each of the couples. We obliged.The hubs is holding his chest because he had his hand in a very awkward place and I hit him in the chest. That is just how we are. HA!
Marcy and Cam
Mike and Meg

Cheesy.. ha!
Michelle and Brad.
Stephanie didn't feel like she got enough of sweet little Mad (she wasn't very interested.) So she pulled her aside at the end and got these great shots. Adorable!!

These turned out SOOOOOO good! I always love to see the pictures hanging in my hallways. Seeing the kiddos grow over the years makes me smile. I have pictures from several years ago when we didn't have some of these little ones. Our cup runith over.

Flashback 2012, 2011 & 2009

And I am so in love with Stephanie as a photographer. I cannot say enough nice words about her. She gets it. Simply gets it. She understands kids melt, people become unhappy, some don't want to have their picture taken, some don't want to "be silly" and/or you have to photograph 21 people when it is starting to getting very hot in the swells of summer. Throughout it all, she kept it cool and got us shot and done in an hour. A+. Look her up, your will NOT be disappointed!!