Valarie and Shawn's New Family

Valarie and Shawn were some of my very first wedding clients.  They had a pretty Bardstown, Kentucky wedding around 3 years ago.  I was thrilled when I found out  Valarie was expecting a little boy and wanted to do a maternity/newborn session.  Sweet little Elliot is a doll.  He slept the entire time I was at their home shooting.  Valarie was so gentle and loving with him.  She is going to be the best mom ever!  Thank you so much for including me in these precious moments of your life Valarie and Shawn.

Darienne Cincinnati Senior Portraits

Darienne and her family came all the way from Pennsylvania so that I could photograph her senior pictures.  They planned their family vacation around the session.  Way to make a girl feel loved! :) Darienne's mother started following my blog after seeing photos I took at Amber and Brian's wedding last year.  She is the sweetest,  I was blown away when she sent me the nicest condolence email when my dog passed last year.  How thoughtful!  Since Darienne and her family have never really had a chance to see Cincinnati I wanted to show off our wonderful city with a little tour.  We went to  Ault Park, Sawyer Point and Downtown for photos.  It was a great time.  Darienne is a huge animal lover with a heart of gold. She has a wonderful future ahead of her!  Huge thanks to  Kelly of Cinci Makeup for dolling Darienne up for these very special pictures! :)

Caelen's Almost One

Caelen's Dad, Jhagger (who is named after Mick Jagger, his mom just spelled it different :) ) is Dave's good friend.  Every time he's at our house, I tell him how much I would love to take pictures of his little boy.  Finally just in time for Caelen's first birthday,  we managed to work out a time that worked for everyone. :) I met Caelen, Jhagger, and his girlfriend, Anna at Ault Park for their photo session.  This little boy is too cute for words.  I had a great time chasing him around the park and hanging out with Jhagger and Anna.   Ault Park is always the perfect place to go for a family session because of the diversity and size of the park.  Oh yeah, and because it is gorgeous there, year round!

Jhagger is a giant, really, he's like 6'6.  Little Caelen is following in his dad's footsteps for sure.  At just over 10 months he is already bigger than most kids his age.For those of you thinking about booking a fall or holiday photo session contact me soon through my website or email me here  nikita@nikitagross.com to set up a date.  I still have lots of November dates available, but I am sure they will book up fast. :)

Coming up for air

I want to start this post by thanking everyone for all of the sweet comments and emails.  They really mean a lot to me.  It is amazing how a simple  "I'm thinking about you" note can really lift your spirits. :)

Dave and I have been taking a lot of walks over the past few days.  It is refreshing to get out of the house,  to let loose and to talk.  We talk about Cid, about our life together, about our dreams, our future.   Strangely enough,  I believe this experience has made me a better version of myself.  It has motivated me.  I don't want to waste time on things that don't fulfill my life and make me happy.   I want to spend more time with the people I love and I want  to make those people feel good.  I want to hold Dave's hand a little bit longer,  and stay in bed with him a little bit later.   I am always talking about truly experiencing and appreciating my life.  If I am going appreciate life then I must also respect death.  Death is bitter and it hurts, but it is also forgiving, and it is peaceful.  It is the end of one way of life, but the beginning of another.  I am thankful for all of the wonderful years I had with my dog.  He taught me about love and loyalty, about being enthusiastic and most of all, adaptable.  Yes, there are still going to be some sad days ahead of me.  The happy memories I have out number the sad ones and there have been too many tears on my blog lately.  I am ready to move on and to smile again. :)

Thanks again for all of your support.

These are from one of our recent walks in Ault Park.

Ault Park Engagement Session

When I first met Jessica and Craig at the Bean Haus for their consultation I was greeted by Jessica's infectious smile.  It was nice to see that smile again when I met them for their engagement session. :)

Since Craig proposed to Jessica at Ault Park, what better place have their engagement session.  I think it makes it extra special when people choose to do pictures at places that have meaning to them as a couple.

Though it was a little hot, the light was perfect.  Jessica and Craig are  laid back and fun.  I am really excited about their wedding in August. :)

The story behind this picture is pretty funny.  I got a flat tire at the park.  I needed to go get air ASAP.   I followed Craig to the nearest gas station since he is more familiar with the area than me.  On the way there I was kicking myself in the butt because I didn't take a picture of their feet.  I loved that Craig wore his favorite beat up boots, and that Jessica wanted to be barefoot most of the time.  We talked about those boots so much.  Their feet really said a lot about them and I missed the shot.  That eats me up more than anything.  Of all times not to get a feet shot, this was not it.  So we pulled into the UDF to get air and I asked them to get out and let me get a picture of their feet before they changed outfits.  Thankfully they did not think I was too crazy and they did it without hesitating.

I love the way it turned out! :)  Ault Park has gorgeous flower lined paths, wooded trails, and beautiful architecture.  It is a great backdrop for photos.  I thought it was awesome that I was waiting for them on the exact same bench Craig proposed to Jessica on.  Of all of the benches at the park, I chose to sit there, magic! Next we headed to my neighborhood, Main Strass, where Jessica and Craig first met. 

Thank you Jessica and Craig for a great evening.  I cant wait to see you guys again next month!:)

I am with my clients from beginning to end on their wedding day.  I feel an engagement session is a great way to get to know each other before the big day.  Being in front of a camera can be a little nerve racking.  Doing an engagement session allows you to get comfortable with my style and personality.  Trust is very important when it comes to getting great pictures.  An engagement session allows me to gain your trust.  You can trust that I will capture all of the beautiful moments of your special day and that you will look fabulous in your pictures.

All of my wedding collections include an engagement session.

I am now booking 2011 weddings.  Some 2010 dates are also available.  For more info contact me here nikita@nikitagross.com