Our sweet Campbell turned 2 yesterday and we had such a great time celebrating with her including a super fun photo session with her sister and dad. I have been planning her birthday party which will be next month. Can you guess what the main style focus will be and the colors? I haven’t told a soul (except for Garrett of course) so I will be so excited if you get it right!

Child: Campbell, now 2!!
Birthday crown: Stell and Livi on Etsy
Birthday dress: LIHO London from Zulily
Cupcake: Whipped Cupcakes (downtown Chattanooga)
out & about activity: birthday photo session
Photo credit: daddy (all photos)

Gray hat: Gap Kids
Dress: crewcuts
Tights: Zara Kids

Dress: Plum Pudding from Gigi’s (Rosemary Beach, FL)
Tights: H&M Kids
Boots: H&M Kids (Aberdeen, Scotland)

Its that time of the year again. It’s hard to believe its the 6th year of our annual holiday tradition of “feet” Christmas cards. It has become quite the tradition.

What started as a 10 minute, simple portrait session, has now turned into a full blown different-destination-each-time-pick-your-clothes-six-months-early-highly-anticipated-published-in-a-photo-magazine-photo-session.

Can we say stress?! Well, to date we have survived each year and although it takes much planning, it has been so worth it.

Things worth noting:

1) It has been SO fun to see our kids grow through the series. We started when Gray was just 6 months old. She is now 5-and-a-half and Campbell turns 2 in January. Tears!

2) The photo destinations! We used to live in Orlando, then we moved to Chattanooga. I am from Charleston, SC, and Asheville, NC, was a random choice. Hmmm, where should we go next?

3) Our photographers! Long time friend, Paul who lives in FL. And wedding clients turned friends, Brandy and Sticky, who we also photograph their session. Both have been so patient with us and lots of fun!

4) Our change in style. Someone told us they noticed the change especially in Garrett’s shoes. Hehehe.

For years people have asked what and where do we buy Gray’s clothes for the session (part of the inspiration for the out & about series on this blog) as well as many of our portrait clients ask where to shop and what to wear for clothes for THEIR holiday family photos. So, in addition to reminiscing over our 6 year card tradition, I will also mention some of the clothes info.

out & about family!

2005 in Winter Park, FL (Photo by Paul Martin)

Graycen’s coat and pants: Gap Kids

Garrett’s jeans: Gap

Garrett’s shoes: Kohl’s

Joy’s pants and shoes: Banana Republic

2006 in Winter Park, FL (Photo by Paul Martin)

Gray’s coat, jeans, and shoes: Gap Kids

Garrett’s shirt: English Laundry

Garrett’s jeans: Diesel

Garrett’s shoes: we can’t remember!?!?!?

Joy’s top: Modern Grace Boutique (College Park in Orlando, FL)

Joy’s jeans: Diesel

Joy’s sandals: Marie-France Boutique (Thornton Park in Orlando, FL)

2007 in Winter Park, FL (Photo by Paul Martin)

(Note: Just came back from visiting Europe: Paris, Aberdeen, and Lake Como, Milan. We had to go shopping!)

Gray’s hat and dress: Bonpoint (Paris, France)

Gray’s shoes and leggings: H&M Kids (Aberdeen, Scotland)

Garrett’s shirt and jeans: Zara

Garrett’s shoes: Bagatt (Milan, Italy)

Joy’s dress: Zara

Joy’s shoes: Bagatt (Milan, Italy)

2008 in Chattanooga, TN (Photo by Brandy and Sticky Rammel)

Gray’s shirt, shorts, tights: Zara Kids

Gray’s shoes: Gap Kids

Garrett’s shirt: 7 Diamonds

Garrett’s jeans: Guess

Garrett’s shoes: Steve Madden

Joy’s maternity dress: due maternity (Buckhead in Atlanta)

Joy’s shoes: Michael Kors from Nordstrom’s

2009 in Charleston, SC (Photo by Brandy and Stick Rammel)

Gray’s dress: bebe children’s boutique (Park Avenue, Winter Park, FL)

Gray’s headband: crewcuts

Gray’s shoes: Gap Kids

Campbell’s dress and sweater: Gap Kids

Campbell’s tights: crewcuts

Campbell’s hair clip and shoes: Pediped shoes, WiggleWorm children’s boutique (Chattanooga, TN)

Garrett’s sweater and blazer: Banana Republic

Garrett’s jeans: Guess

Garrett’s shoes: Robert Wayne

Joy’s dress: Anthropologie

Joy’s sweater: Express

Joy’s shoes: Aldo

Stay tuned for our 2010 photos in Asheville, NC!

A friend recently posted on Facebook, wondering about the length of time and planning required for a holiday portrait session. Garrett responded after a few fun comments so I wanted to include it here below:

You should start in the summer sometime. This is assuming that you update your wardrobe on a somewhat regular basis. Don’t go out specifically looking for holiday picture outfits, or you will be angry and frustrated. Months in advance, keeping in mind the ages/sizes of your children, when the right outfit jumps out at you get it and don’t look back.

You may have to invest more money than you wish. But you will look back on these pictures for your entire life, and when children are young, they change and grow and develop every year. In a portrait, often the subject’s personality is revealed in their outfit as much as it is in their face. In our family (my current immediate family) the holiday picture is a standard by which we look back upon. Of course I realize my perspective is different.

Once you have identified that “it” outfit for whomever is the lucky person, you can begin looking for outfits for the rest of the family that compliment. As a photographer my suggestion is to compliment, not match. People often make this much harder than it really is. If you want the children to stand out, put them in something that will stand out against what the parents are wearing.

Last year I found a great knit dress for Gray when I was working in Orlando. We dressed the rest of us around it and everything came together quite easily. This year was a little bit harder. We had a great dress for Gray from France that we got several months back, but we weren’t  sure if it was the right one for the holiday picture. A few weeks ago in Orlando I found a really chic little dress for Campbell and it compliments Gray’s dress perfectly. It also provides good contrast, so they should photograph well together. Joy and I were a bit harder to outfit, but it’s more about the kids anyway. Of course it’s important to pay attention to shoes and accessories, as they can make a huge difference in making the scene look “finished.”

If you’re struggling try reading magazines. Sad to say, I read Vogue, Elle, and Marie Claire on a regular basis. Hey, it’s part of my job…kind of. Vogue Bambini and Milk are also great kids fashion mags. When you look at their editorial shoots you’ll see how easy it really is to coordinate subjects. The obvious constraint is budget, which we all have to consider. It’s easy to go overboard….don’t!

Final suggestion, hire a good, patient photographer who “gets it.”   ;-)

And don’t forget the fabulous giveaway (which ends TONIGHT at midnight ET) from Envelopments here on the blog. All you have to do is comment and you get a chance to win 3 beautiful sets of notecards! Details HERE.

Child’s first name: Grant
Age: 1, will be 2 next month
Parent’s first name: Chuck and Mel
City & State: Cincinnati, OH

Child’s first name: Josie
Age: 3, will be 4 in January
Parent’s first name: Chuck and Mel
City & State: Cincinnati, OH

Outfit in photo(s) comes from:
Jean Jacket: H&M Kids
Shirt: H&M Kids
Tie: Handmade by Aunt Brandy
Skirt: crewcuts
Tights: H&M Kids
Shoes: Sam & Libby purchased at Endless
Out and about: photo session and preschool
Photo credit and Submitted by: Aunt Brandy J

Favorite clothing brands:  Children’s Place, Old Navy, Target, and The Gap
Philosophy on clothing style:  To be completely honest lately my philosophy on clothes, is whatever is clean ;)!! and the fact that I am so tired of pink and purple for girls.

Would you like to submit an Out & About? We are now looking for Fall and Winter submissions. Click HERE for details.

Gray, (5) going to church

Headband: crewcuts, J Crew

Shift Dress: Zara Kids

White Top: Tea Collection at WiggleWorm in Chattanooga

Knee High Socks: crewcuts, J Crew

Brown Leather Flats: Kid Express at n2 shoes in Chattanooga

Would you like to submit an Out & About? We are now looking for Fall and Winter submissions. Click HERE for details.

She begged to get a photo in front of our piano again (she is teaching herself to play)…..sigh.

Photo Credit: Her Daddy

This is Gray, our 5 year old daughter in Atlanta Lenox Square Mall at a Kate Spade store.

Headband: Etsy gift

Romper: Target

Ring: Kate Spade, trying it on while she patiently waits for me

Shoes: Gap Kids

These days she is a future: author (literally making books and making up stories)

Would you like to submit an Out & About? We are now looking for Fall and Winter submissions. Click HERE for details.

***Giveaway for a signed copy of Lauren Weisberger’s novel “Last Night at Chateau Marmont” ends tomorrow!

I was so excited when my friend Tina sent me the link to this fabulous online children’s boutique, Orfeo Design from London.

If I had a boy, he would be dressed with this outfit…

Don’t you just love this grey checkered dress? ;)

This can be for a girl or boy…

Okay, I’m not really into tutus, but this one is blog-worthy, oh too precious!!!

Hope you had a fabulous 4th of July! Just a little eye candy for you to start off the week.

OF COURSE, I adore this gray dress…

I would like everything please!!!!!

….and little Campbell! (good thing for sisters and hand me downs!)

I have a love for the color gray (why do you think we named our daughter, Graycen?) and you can tell just by peeking into Gray’s closet (and mine too), where more than half of her clothes, especially her dresses, are gray. I think I am drawn to it because it is classic, chic, and compliments any color. That is the best way I can explain it, or rationalize it, whichever you prefer.

You are probably thinking, but its summer. You and your kids should be wearing bright colors! It doesn’t seem to matter what season it is to me, I just loooove gray! So, what do you know, I was browsing the web to find some inspiration and hopefully a fun outfit for Gray and Campbell and guess what I found. PLENTY of gray clothing to choose from! These are just a few of my favorites.

Top image from left to right: Zara Girl’s Grey Dress, Smallable Kate Pearl Grey Dress, Smallable Boko grey braces Dress

Bottom photo from left to right: crewcuts Girl’s Playground Dress, Roxy Stripe Jumpsuit, crewcuts Sophie Jumper

Photo Credit: Smallable, crewcuts, Zara Kids

All photos from Smallable catalog/website