Oh, sweet little Baby B, what a cutie! He had his crankypants on when I first arrived for his session but a toasty warm heating pad and some mommy and daddy magic got him settled right down. I recommend we schedule 1-2 hours for newborn sessions for this very reason. That way you don’t feel rushed and we have plenty of time to make sure little snuggly bunnies drift off to dreamland. There’s a few more sneak peeks from Baby B’s session last Saturday below, and even more on Facebook, so be sure to stop by for a visit!

Greetings my dear blog oglers! Just a super quick note to let website visitors know that I will be away from all things technological from Friday afternoon until Sunday night. I’ll be returning all emails and voicemails received beginning Monday evening. I’m much looking forward to a little break from the constant glow of tech gadgets and I suggest you try to take some time to work a break into your schedule whenever possible. Life unplugged is lovely!

While I’m here, let me introduce you to my Tumblr. Actually, I prefer the archive view so I can see lots of pretties at once. My Tumblr is where you can find all things iPhone and instagram. I love, love, love my iPhone and while it’s not as fancy as the cameras I use to capture your special moments, it is possibly my favorite camera. It was all I took on my recent trip to New York (I got to see Saturday Night Live, well, live – how awesome is that?) and I didn’t regret it once. Because a post on a photo blog is worthless without photos, enjoy a few iPhone photos from the trip!

Have a fantastic weekend!

I shared a time lapse snow movie from our January snow storm yesterday, and today I bring you another that I just put together from last night’s snow. I’m pretty pleased with this one. I changed a few settings on my time lapse camera and I think it turned out pretty well. Most of our snow hit overnight, so I’m glad I made the decision to keep it running. This is just under 24 hours compressed down to just 4 minutes. Enjoy! And don’t forget to share your own time lapse masterpieces. I can’t wait to see them!

The Best Winter Ever has had some lovely side effects. Since we’ve been blessed with so little of it this year, I actually look forward to snow. Shhh. Don’t let it know I said that. That’s just between you and me. So when our last big snow hit, I pulled out my Photojojo Digital Time-Lapse Camera and made myself a little snowy movie. Enjoy!

Interested in dabbling in a little time lapse photography? If you are a Windows user, check out that Photojojo link I posted. You lose some of the functionality of the camera if you are on a Mac, but you can still use it.

I also give two big thumbs ups to the Timelapse Pro App available on the Apple App Store. Make sure you connect your phone to a power source so you don’t drain the battery and remember that you are limited by how long you can be without your phone. This is longer for some of us than others. There are lots of time lapse apps out there, so do your research, read the reviews and decide which is best for you. I’m sure there are apps out there for non iPhone smart phones, as well!

And finally, if you are really into time lapse photography, but find the quality of the options above to be limiting, you can get an intervalometer for your DSLR camera. An intervalometer will let you enjoy having full control of your end result. Use the live view mode on your camera (if available) to take a peek and change exposure settings as light conditions change. Some cameras even allow you to hook them up to a computer and do time lapse through the camera’s software, instead of purchasing a separate intervalometer. This obviously isn’t an option for situations when you can’t be tethered to a computer. Again, don’t forget the batteries! If your camera has an optional grip which accepts AA batteries instead of the usual proprietary battery, it might be worth springing for if you are serious about time lapse, since AA batteries are available almost everywhere.

Have fun and stop by to share your adventures in time lapse in the comment section! How fun would it be to have a little time lapse camera set up in the corner on your wedding day? I’d love to incorporate that into the video slide shows I create for all my wedding, civil union and commitment ceremony clients! Drop me a note if you want time lapse at your special event!

I can’t believe that almost a year after the great Groundhog Day Snowpocalypse of 2011, I am still in love with this winter. Yes, we’ve had a little wind and cold here and there, but it wouldn’t be Chicago without it. I’ve been able to enjoy long nature walks at lunch and as of January 31, I have yet to experience one day this winter so cold that my eyes tear up, only to have the tears freeze on my lashes. Winter 2011-2012, who are you, and what can I do to convince you to stay?

The Chicago Botanic Garden has been extra lovely this winter. The occasional snow blankets the grounds and shows off landscapes that are often eclipsed by the plant life in other seasons. Color, texture, shapes – everything is better with a little snow.

It might be the best winter ever, but I still need the occasional chance to escape the cold, and the greenhouses at the botanic garden are the perfect refuge. Being able to see the cold outdoors makes the toasty desert and jungle plant life all the more inviting.

Oh no! That plant will eat you! (if you are a bug)

How’s the winter in your neck of the woods? Have you been able to enjoy any winter adventures? Winter 2011-2012 is making me all the more excited for my December 2012 wedding! If you’re planning a winter wedding, drop me a note – I’d love to brainstorm with you.