17 Year-Old Young Woman Spends Birthday and Gift Card at Ikea

This is my sister Emma, and while there are many misconceptions about Emma (no she does not suffer fools, but yes, she will gladly make fools suffer) the one misconception that I would like to set straight is that she was not raised by wolves, and yes we can take her out in public for short periods of time. After four hours though we need to return her to her nest for proper grooming and rest. Here are some pictures of her latest outing! Her birthday outing to Ikea! She is now a woman, we performed the rituals and sang the chant and now that she has purchased her first item from Ikea she will be allowed to sit by my side at the “Big Kids Table” this Spanksgiving. I hope you enjoy these photos and scroll through to the very end to see the post-Ikea burnout.

All jokes aside, Happy Birthday to my most under rated sibling. I love you so much! The world is a much more beautiful place with you in it. All my love, Adriana

The burnout is real folks!

Annabelle and Paul Maternity Portraits - New Orleans

One of my oldest and dearest friends flew me out to New Orleans for a beautiful maternity portrait shoot. We did more of a typical New Orleans shoot for her engagement pictures so we did something a little different for the maternity portraits. There’s a beautiful bird preserve near her home and it turned out even better than I imagined! Annabelle’s spirit animal is a unicorn so we had to do some unicorn pictures in there too! And of course I couldn’t forget the man behind the bump! Scroll down to the end! ;-)

Mother and Daughter Portrait Session #100Portraits100Weeks

Mothers And Daughters. What an incredible, delicate bond. I have two daughters, and their mere existence takes my breath away. But man, is there any relationship more riddled with conflict? We are so similar and so different. The mother/daughter relationship has been the crucible for much of my growth since my oldest daughter was born, and continues now that my youngest daughter is three. I adore every ornery-sweet inch of both of them! 

A few weeks ago beautiful Dawn and Anika came in for portraits to celebrate a Anika's 16th birthday. We started with makeup and hair by the talented Annalisa, and shot for the next two hours. We played jams on Pandora and had a wonderful morning together. Every mother and daughter should get their portraits done together at one point in their lives.

Portrait Shoot in Colorado Springs

Glamour Portraits Colorado Springs

Mother and Daughter Portrait Session 

Mother and Daughter Portrait Session

Week 4: #100portraits100weeks Glamour Portraits in Estes Park

I'm lucky enough to have grandparents with a home in Estes Park Colorado. Last weekend my family and I went up for a short visit and I got my beautiful sister to model for me. She's wearing a vintage Victor Costa Saks Fifth Avenue gown that I bought for her at an estate sale. The purple looks heavenly against the mountain backdrop!

She can be gorgeous and goofy!

Week 3: #100portraits100weeks Glamour and Boudoir Portrait Session Palmer Lake

I was so excited to photograph Amie! She does crossfit, and man is she toned! She's training to be an Olympic lifter, so I was challenged to capture the feminine as well as the fierce side of her, not too hard since she's a beautiful, strong woman. Here are a few of my favorites.

A quick before shot...

Week 2: #100portrait100weeks - Family Portraits in New Orleans

Week two of the #100portraits100weeks challenge! I was so lucky to visit my darling friend, and compadre in mischievousness in New Orleans! Man, do I love NOLA. What a great city. Friendly people, beautiful weather, art and music coming out of every crack of paving stone and pushing through the bricks. Love me some southern charm! I loved photographing my love and her family.

Little Doll-Face is such a daddy's girl!

Aren't they cute!?!?!

Those smiles!!!

Of course we made time to play in the leaves!