How times flies!  For the last three years, Kimberly has been making me laugh with her witty remarks.  Whether we’re chatting about photography or going to the market, we always enjoy ourselves.  Being somewhat nomadic, it’s quite an acomplishment to have known someone as long as I’ve known her.   I photographed Kimberly and Connor a couple of years ago and I can’t believe how much he’s grown!

We did this maternity photography session over two days.  One day in mid-November with just Kim showing off her gorgeous belly.  Then a couple of weeks later we shot the entire family anxiously awaiting the appearance of Kady.  I can’t wait to meet the newest little love.  Only a couple weeks to go…. (Or if Kimberly has anything to do with it, maybe only days!)

I met Steph and Ashley two years ago when I first photographed their gorgeous family. On a lovely autumn day in Citadella I photographed Caroline and Kimmy. Steph was hoping to shoot in Soave that day, but due to the demands of Ashley’s job as chaplain we decided on the historic walled city of Citadella instead. Caroline was loving the camera while Kimmy was having none of it. I laughed with this family from the very first minute.

Fast forward two years and we are finally shooting in the castle town of Soave on a foggy October morning. This day the girls were in animal print themed dresses, a far cry from the patriotic dresses of two years ago. Two years has seen both girls grow immensely and Kimmy actually enjoyed the camera this time around! There were no tears and only one short moment with a pouty lip, in fact she insisted on drawing me a picture before the final shots. I rarely see sisters so loving towards each other and hugging so much. And a blind man could see how in love Steph and Ashley are everyday. I’ve enjoyed meeting and seeing this family grow up in the last couple of years. I wish you all the best in America! You will be missed here in Italy, Payne Family. Buon viaggio!

Today is Emilia’s birthday! Happy birthday, Emilia! But, when we photographed her a month ago, she was still dreaming of the day she’d turn one year old. I’ve known Joe and Annie for a bit over a year when Annie took my photography class. I was so amazed as she took her own maternity photos with the self-timer on her camera. What a project! And wonderful photos! Of course, I don’t have any of those, but here are a few from this past year, when Emilia was 4 months, 6 months, and now almost a year!

On the day of our photos in October, we had four outfit changes. The always crafty Annie had made tutus and costumes for Emilia’s first Halloween. Many photos have been edited out of the spread so the Christmas outfit and Christmas card can remain a surprise for family and friends. What a wonderful day with some of my favorite people!

When I first met Carla and Rob only one thing went through my head, “These fantastic people are living my dream!” With their cozy Italian farmhouse with fields of orchards and olive groves to their outstanding vacation home in Abruzzo I was in awe! Then I met the unbelievable long-lashed Preston and Frankie (why do boys get all the luck with eyelashes?) and I was completely in love. Talk about an amazing family! With four years of marriage under their belts, they are living the American (er, I mean Italian) dream. All photos were taken on a drizzly October day at their farmhouse in Costozza. I’m so grateful to have met the entire Eldred family. What an inspiration!

Whatever you want to call it, I believe that things happen for a reason even if you don’t know what the reason is at the beginning. That’s how I met Glenna. Last March, my gorgeous nephew Dane was born. I quickly hopped a flight back to the United States for eight days to visit (and photograph) him. It was a whirlwind trip in which I never quite recovered from the jet lag before flying and having to get over the jet lag again. Leaving my mother, sister, and nephew behind, I was dropped at the Des Moines airport for my many-legged trip back home to Steve and Siggy. I began talking to the man next to me at the gate and he told me about his daughter who was studying abroad in Scotland. He had noticed my extensive photography gear and we had a nice chat about photography and the importance of travel before we parted ways exchanging business cards.

A few weeks later his daughter, Glenna, contacted me about job shadowing the photography business. I was happy to oblige another Iowan and we began an email correspondence which eventually led to her visiting us two times this summer. How much courage does a woman possess to stay with two people she doesn’t even know in a foreign country? We were impressed with Glenna’s knowledge and maturity as we got to know her. She followed me on many shoots and documenting some with video. With an impressive background in digital arts, specifically videography, she created a gorgeous promo video for me covering some of the shoots she watched this summer. You can follow Glenna’s blog here.