ONE HOT MAMA-TO-BE [Monica Brown, Pensacola Photographer]

I just love the energy of an expectant mother.

How her smile warms you to the core.

How, if you are a mom already, it brings back that time so vividly.

I had the pleasure of photographing [S] and Dad-to-be [M] at lovely Ft. Pickens. Have I ever mentioned how I love that location? How the light is just SO yummy? How beautiful natural Florida is? Thought so. :) It is the perfect backdrop to almost anything...and [S] TOTALLY ROCKED IT.

Something about this gives me the warm fuzzies. Holding hands is so sweet. Not in a [cute] sort of way, but in a [I will love you forever] sort of way.

I can barely wait to meet Baby [C] and capture her first days - The first days that [S] and [M] will have become a [family]. I know I have said this before, but watching a [couple] transform into a [family] is one of the most beautiful experiences.

Congratulations again you two :)

delightfully,

Monica

FUN TIMES! [Monica Brown, Pensacola Photographer]

This week has been SO fun! My cousin, who is more like my sister, is in town with her family. Ever since we were little girls we have dreamed of our kids playing together. We always said we would live next door to each other once we got married. Ah, the dreams of an 8 year old. Maybe we'll retire next door to each other...

It is so fulfilling, yet surreal, to watch our kids play together. Seems like only yesterday we were riding our bikes, playing in the tree house that Uncle Ronnie built, and I was getting run over with the go-cart! Fun times! We spent our summers together. She lived in Georgia and me in Alabama. That 6 hour drive seemed so long. I couldn't wait to get to her house to play, and I cried the whole way home when I had to leave. I can only hope our kids have the same kind of relationship.

I had the pleasure of photographing them yesterday. Of course, my family tagged along so I got some fun shots of my kids too. These are straight out of the camera. You will hear me gush over and over about my camera, lens, and the beautiful light at Ft. Pickens. LOVE that place!

For now, here are some of the fun shots I got yesterday. I will post more family shots once I edit their session :)

I LOVE family photos rockin' the sunglasses!

Can you BELIEVE she is 5 months pregnant???? They are having another baby girl! EEEEEEEEE! I am SO excited!!!

[And what is a family photo without your niece running around in the background? That is exactly why I chose this one!]

i can't believe my kids actually cheese for the camera. what am I doing wrong??? LOL

This is my FAVE. Hugs, kisses, and togetherness.

It makes my heart swell to see our kids together.

Once Savannah had had enough of the camera I found my kids balancing on a large piece of driftwood. I love capturing kids just being. Kids. That is what they are. This time is so fleeting, and so FUN. I am trying to take mental snapshots (as well as actual snapshots) of this time as often as possible.

Oh, this may be my favorite post ever. I love my family. Wendy and [her] Jake are 2 of my favorite people on the planet. Isn't it funny that we both married Jakes? And only 5 months apart. We both have sweet little girls, and poor Luke will just have to hang with the Jakes I guess. I cannot wait to meet new baby [H] in September. She is due on her daddy's birthday. How perfect is that???? Just thinking of what they have gone through to have this precious child and grow their family makes me well up with tears.

I love you, Wendy, Jake and Savannah. And I can't wait to meet you baby [H]. I see family vacations, lots of sleepovers and plenty of family photo sessions in our futures.

Congratulations guys!

delightfully,

Monica

JUST HAVIN' FUN [Monica Brown, Pensacola Photographer]

Oh how the [For Sale] sign in this little girl's front yard breaks my heart...

I have been photographing her since she was in her Mama's tummy. I have enjoyed watching her grow and change. But with military life, we all move along. We meet wonderful people along our paths, and pray that our paths cross again. I snapped some photos while she played in the park a couple of weeks ago. She already looks different.

L.O.V.E. this one.

She was having so much fun in that swing smiling at her Daddy with each push.

Oh my, how I am going to miss those little toes.

Got to stop typing before I start crying...

Can't wait to watch her bounce around tomorrow at our play date! Little ones are SO FUN!!!!

delightfully,

Monica

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY [Monica Brown, Pensacola Photographer]

I had the pleasure of photographing this beautiful mommy and her handsome boys yesterday.

I kindly asked dad to step out of the frame for this one.

LOVE it.

so sweet.

[M], you have 3 heartbreakers on your hands.

Boys that love and respect their moms grow up to be such wonderful men.

I am fortunate enough to have married one.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms that work so hard to make it look so easy.

Have the most wonderful day!

delightfully,

Monica

MY FAMILY AND THE FIELD [Jake & Monica Brown, Pensacola Photographers]

This session, MY session, embodies everything me.

How I live.

How I love.

How I work.

I had been trying to figure out how to have some family photos taken that would reflect who we are as a family as well as my style as a photographer. Since every photographer has their own style, the answer seemed to be [take them myself]. Easier said than done.

Then I passed this field one day. And it all clicked. I couldn't wait until the weekend to take my family out there and just photograph them [being]. The interaction between my children simply takes my breath away. God knew what he was doing when he made them and gave them to ME.

play play play. that is what we do all day.

Jake and Luke are quite the pair. Every day when Jake walks in the door, Luke goes running with arms wide open saying "da- deeeeeeee!"

ahhh. my people :)

You can't be in a field this large and not find at least one tiny lady bug.

nature lesson, kids!

my sweet boy

LOVE this image of me and the kids. LOVE it.

So glad Jake is a good photographer too.

Turns out I take my family photos with my camera set on top of our old trusty diaper bag.

so simple.

so us.

And for those of you that faithfully follow my blog [thank you!!!] you will have to humor me.

I am sending this link to my entire family so I felt I must include these again.

My very favorite of Reagan.

Oh, how she is FULL of joy :)

--------------------------------------

I know it must seem I posted every image from the session, but not hardly.

If you would like to see the session in its entirety:

click here to go to the website

ENTER SITE

click the [client] tab

enter the password: myfamily (all run together and no caps)

Enjoy!

I do not reorder the images. I leave them in the order that I took them so that you can watch the magic unfold :)

Now that I think about it, this was the perfect post for EARTH DAY :)

delightfully,

Monica

BEACHY KEEN FUN [Monica Brown, Pensacola Photographer]

Spring is here, and I can feel summer coming.

The beach is the perfect location for a session for kids to just be themselves. No cramped quarters. Barely even fences. Just wide openness. And if you are military, it is a wonderful way to remember your time here. What else says [Pensacola] like the beach? Well, maybe the Blues, but it is kinda hard to catch them in a photo!

So I met this beautiful family one Saturday morning, and off we went to play :)

First, I like to get to know the kiddos a little better. So we just goof around a bit.

I think this sequence is so cute! Their expressions crack me up!

And these eyes....aren't they beautiful?

I strive to capture kids just being kids. If they happen to look my way, great!

I am so excited when I capture [that look]. I just love how [T] is glancing over adoring her children. Yep, you made them :) Great job!

This was their favorite family photo. All 5 faces looking my way with genuine smiles. Hey people, we have FUN at a session!!

They got the most amazing 16x20 standout of this image! I wish I had taken a photo of it before she took it home...maybe I'll see if I can take a pic once it adorns their walls...hmmmmm...

So who knew parking lots photos could be so cool? These 2 images above are some of my favorites. The kids are just TOO STINKIN' CUTE!!!

I had so much fun with the [A] family. It was a complete joy working [and playing] with them! Even little [T] told her mom on way the from the parking lot to the beach area, "This is the most fun I've EVER had!" Thanks for the compliment girl! If I had to guess, I think dad even had a little fun...

delightfully,

Monica