Gray: 5.5 years old

Headband and sparkly shirt: crewcuts

Shorts: Zara Kids

Gloves: H& M Kids

Polka dot tights: neige

Sparkle shoes: Old Navy

out & about: fun photo session

Photo credit: dad

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.

Gray, (5) going to church

Headband: crewcuts, JCrew

Dress: Zara Kids

Tights: H&M Kids

Mary Janes: Gap Kids

Campbell (23 months) going to church

Grey Wool Dress: Bonpoint (hand me down from Gray, purchased in Paris, France)

White Shirt: Zara Kids

Tights: H&M Kids

Flats: H&M Kids

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

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And don’t forget the fabulous giveaway 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.

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

Gray, (5) eating out

Hat: Zara Kids

Flamenco tee: crewcuts, J Crew

Brown leggings: Zara Kids

Metallic ballet flats: Gap Kids

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

Gray, (5) hanging out at our studio downtown

Headband: crewcuts, JCrew

Ballet Shirt: Zara Kids

Skinny Jeans: H&M Kids

Ballet Flats: Gap Kids

Campbell (21 months) posed all on her own!

Eiffel Tower Shirt: crewcuts, JCrew

Polka Dot Leggings: crewcuts, JCrew

Mary Jane Shoes: Gap Kids

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

….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

Winter, 2004.

Orlando, FL.

Millenia Mall.

I was browsing through this fabulous mall in search of some much needed maternity clothes when I came across the store, Zara. What I was drawn to about this store most of all was the modern and chic atmosphere in addition to its wonderful selection of women and men’s clothes. BUT since I was pregnant, I was also drawn to their unique and sophisticated children’s clothes, and vowed I would buy SOME of my daughter’s clothes there. I couldn’t wait to dress her in one. This was the time I started getting curious and interested in boutique clothes for kids because I was tired of seeing the same old thing. I started to not like anything mass-produced and if I had an unlimited budget, I would totally buy all the clothes from boutiques. Even though it’s not really a boutique, Zara kids clothing is a great place to shop and I felt secure in finding fun, unique, great quality clothes there at a reasonable price point. I also love that it is European-styled clothing and only available in select cities.

Check out their summer catalog collection. To. Die. For.

Five-and-a-half years later and a few outfits later, okay….a closet full of Zara kids clothes, (and some for us too!) I still get excited when we go to Orlando and shop for the new season for her. We also have a second daughter and are THRILLED that she can wear the Zara clothes as well. All the more reason we can justify buying more…oh well…they can both wear them!

Zara is originally from Spain and offers fashion forward clothes for the whole family. We have visited their stores during our trips to Zurich and Paris and hope to visit more of them in Europe especially their flagship in Spain! Here is an awesome review of what the clothes are like: http://hubpages.com/hub/Zara-Kids-Clothing

Below are photos of some of  the Zara outfits Gray has worn in photo sessions.

Our Christmas photo in 2009, (I was pregnant w/Campbell):

Winter, 2008 in Charleston, SC:

Photo above by Brandy J and Garrett Nudd