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“I gotta get my own car.” Sherman mumbled
Behold, Kara – T minus two days from becoming a first time mommy. You can tell she’ll be a good mother because she was a SERIOUS trooper. She did what had to be done to get the shot. Lay down, stand up, lay down, squat down, roll over, sit, good girl, here’s a Flintstone vitamin. And she was HAPPY. Her smile remained perfectly transfixed on her face the entire shoot.
This was a pretty big deal for me because it was my first maternity session. The night before I was pretty nervous she was going to go into labor and completely ruin the great session I had planned. Luckily it all worked out.
While cruising the countryside in our 4×4 my mom and I happened upon this gorgeous flower field and I knew I had to shoot her here. I’d always wondered where I would shoot my mother and I just knew this would be the place. Unfortunately I’d left my .44 at home and decided I’d photograph Kara here instead. I kid, I kid.
This black and white one is one of my fave McFlaves. I think it feels really natural and relaxed. I wonder what her baby boy will think looking back on these photos when he’s 20.
THIS one is my all time favorite image from the session! Turns out that Eric, Kara’s baby daddy (it takes two to tango), is quite allergic to grass. Who knew? I didn’t. And THAT’S why I made him role around in the stuff.
Would I have asked him to do it if I’d known?
Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.
Regardless, he hung in there for a good 20 minutes before admitting that his sinuses were collapsing in on him. What a trooper.
Congratulations, Eric and Kara, on your baby boy. I hope to someday meet him over a glass of warm milk.
* UPDATE: Kara had her baby boy this morning….Gavin Eric Kurtz 8lbs. 10oz
It is hard believe that this was your first maternity shoot. It looks like you have been doing this for years! I'm sure baby Gavin will look at these pictures someday in awe of his mommy's beauty:)
This little gem is Abby. She belongs to my cousin Ann.
Now, normally I have AROUND a 3 hour time limit with other people’s little ones. After which time, I pinch their cheeks, pat their heads and send them back to wherever it is they came from. It’s not that I don’t like kids……I just like them better in moderation.
This situation was different though. I wanted to KEEP Abby. I wanted to sneak her home with me in my suitcase. What a sweet little girl.
I wonder if John would have noticed. Maybe. Probably not.
I don’t really know what’s happening here. High kicks? Bug smashing? Ministry of Silly Walks?
Here’s some portraits of Abby and her younger brother, Charlie Brown – also known as Steven.
She kept trying to kiss him – he’s adorable, I had to restrain the urge myself – but he wanted nothing to do with it. This is one desperate toddler.
Charlie Brown: Get your HANDS off me!
Charlie Brown: I SAID don’t TOUCH me!
Charlie Brown: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! IT BUUUUUUUUUURRRNNNNS!
Charlie Brown: WHHHHHHYYYYYY, GOOOOOOOODDDD???????!!!!
Charlie Brown: …hurting…..throat……can’t……breathe……choking……
Oh, bother.
The look on Ann’s face when I told her I was going to shoot her kids beside this manky old garden shed was priceless. I told her the only thing to fear was fear itself. She still looked nervous but hung in there like a champion.
Charlie Brown: I lost my horses.
Abby: Don’t worry. You still have me.
Charlie Brown: I lost my sister.
Radio Flyer Wagon: Don’t worry, you still have me.
Charlie Brown: I lost my crops……..I LOST MY CROPS!!!!! I AM GOING TO DIIIIEEEEE!!!
***no children died in the making of this blog***
Jade, you are an AMAZING photographer!! My grandbabies Abby and Steven are beautiful to begin with, but you took it to another level!! Thank you so much for what you do and what you give to the world with your gift. Diane Lamont
Thank you so much Jade! I love them all! Anne
There are two things I love more than any other thing – 1.) Weddings. 2.) Little strawberries dressed like PEOPLE!!!!
I recently had the opportunity to shoot my VERY FIRST WEDDING for my wonderful and talented (she spins plates on sticks and plays the banjo) cousin Emily.
She and her new man-friend decided to tie the noose at the ol’ family homestead in South Dakota. Friends and family came from afar – myself included. When I heard there was going to be a wedding back home, why, I began packing immediately! I haven’t been back for about a year and thought it was a good opportunity to get the band back together – I played the jug. Toot toot!
The house sits on several acres of land, which my grandmother trims while toating around on her riding lawn mower with driving goggles and a burby. ANYWAY, that said, this is THE perfect place for a wedding. My brother Jordan also wants to be married out here…….perhaps now that he’s gotten a whiffola of the love that’s in the air, it’ll be the impetus for he and Katie to get married (no, Jordan – I said, “IMPETUS” and am not insulting your manhood).
The weather was perfect and soon the festivities were soon underfoot……undertow…..they were happening.
Hi-ho here we go! Everybody is movin’ and shakin’, gettin’ things ready. I love how still Emily is…..if I didn’t know any better I’d say she’s been popping anti-anxiety meds like Valentine Day heart candies. Xanax, I Love You. Halcion, Be Mine. Paxill, Kiss Me!
So we went outside and the groom hit his mark and we all waited and then the music began – she walked down the aisle to “Over the Rainbow”. I love that song. It reminds me of the wizard of Oz……..and leprechauns…….and pots of gold – AND LUCKY CHARMS!!!
I love shooting the groom’s reaction when he sees his ladybird for the first time.
And then the floodgates open up because he thinks his soon-to-be looks SO BEAUTIFUL and it’s their PERFECT DAY and they are in LOOOOOVE!!!!!
At this point he has permanently endeared himself to every one of my female relations over the age of 40.
This is Damien: Derek’s best friend and internet reverend extrodinaire. I’m always leary of people’s friends marrying them for the fact that the average Joe is NOT a great public speaker – but Damien was fricking awesome! I think that kid might have a higher calling. His service was so funny and personal and at the same time very serious and profound and at the same time quite entertaining and inspiring and at the same time very intricate and he had a REALLY hunky smile….can internet reverends date?
This nails it for top three……top TWO best wedding messages I’ve ever heard.
I turned around to take a few shots of the guests and happened upon THIS little gem of gems. South Dakota rules.
Next came the vows – for those of you unfamiliar with proper wedding etiquite – that’s the part where you tell the person that you’re REALLY SERIOUS about getting married. You let them know that you won’t leave them if they catch a cold and you tell them you’ll stay with them when they have lots of money but won’t spend any of it to take you to your favorite restaurant – The Cheesecake Factory – and all that jazz. Basically if you haven’t backed out by now you’re in for the long haul.
So they pop through their vows and Emily begins slipping the ring onto Derek’s finger and the gorgeous reverend / pastor / I don’t even care / what a nice smile!!! / tells her that she’s putting it on the wrong hand.
Laughter ensues.
Some people give out flasks, some people give out mugs, some people give out pens – cheaper people give out pencils, even cheaper people hand out USED pencils…these guys gave out BELT BUCKLES!!!
He’s a big Red Sox fan……and I didn’t really think about it before, but I wonder if she likes The Cowboys??
And then the big moment! The ring is on the (correct) finger (and hand), the promises have been made and now it’s time for the big smooch-a-rino!
No tongue please.
And then the wedding was over as quickly as it had begun and the two danced away down the aisle to the Red Sox theme song.
It was then time for some burgers, beer and CAKE! TIME TO GET FREAKY!!!
LOTS and LOTS of cake! AND MORE STRAWBERRY PEOPLE!!!! Oh, no……nevermind….just regular strawberries….
Cue the music for the first dance and everything went sepia tone! Their dog was there and he meandered out onto the floor while they did a boot-scootin’-boogey. It was so relaxed.
THE BIG FINISH!!!! This guy has CLASS!
Congratulations Emily and Derek! So happy I could be there for your wedding!
i loved reading this whole thing.
JADE, THESE PICTURES ARE AS AWESOME AND FUN!! AS THE WEDDING WAS, YOU CAUGHT IT ON FILM. THE DIRKS FARM HOUSE AT NIGHT, UNBELIEVABLE. THANKS FOR BEING A PART OF IT. BETSY
I would personally like to call your bluff…your first wedding!?! These pictures are breath taking, and I am so happy that I got to meet you. If this is in fact your first swing at a wedding shoot…sista' you hit the ball right straight out of the park!
CHEERS to the Smith wedding in Sioux Falls, South Dakota!
you never seize to amaze me, intertain me, make me laugh, kt