So what's my best of 2011?

I took lots of portraits last year...it was my focus to improve my skills in capturing my subjects in a variety of settings.  I also shot my youngest daughters engagement in Joshua National Park, my newest grandson and my middle daughter's engagement in an old fashioned small town main street.  Since I could never choose between children and grandchildren, I am choosing this maternity session of a friends daughter.

Cameron and Cherelle are young parents to be, but not like the reality television version.  Becoming parents made them reflect on life, they looked forward to welcoming their baby with love for him and each other.  They are eager to learn how to be better parents despite any difficulty in their own childhoods.  I wanted to capture the innocence in them that isn't easily apparent.  I wanted to capture the joy they were feeling as this baby grew unseen in his mama's belly.

  

Rolling up their pants to splash in a pool in the summer heat was initially uncomfortable for them but once they got into the fun of just enjoying each other...being "cool" didn't matter.  This is the last photograph from that day, they were amazed at their image, that they could be "country" and love it so much.

There are so many photographers out there who want to be noticed, some just moms who take pictures for fun.  No matter why they take pictures, they also have favorites entered into Iheartfaces.com best of 2011 challenge.  See them here!