Kristen M Photography-Birth Stories.Portraits.Seniors.Engagements.Weddings.

WIN a FREE Family Session on April 17th!!!!

2011-04-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

Oh no, this is not an April's Fools day joke, you can REALLY win a FREE family session on April 17th at my favorite park in St. Louis!!! Here are the details on how to win! How to ENTER: 1. Go to Facebook and look up "Synergy Photography" 2. LIKE "Synergy Photography" (If you have already LIKED Synergy Photography, you are still eligible, just skip to #3!!) 3. Make a comment about what you love about Synergy Photography...or just give a shout out to us!! Then you are AUTOMATICALLY entered for the free family session!!! You have 7 days to enter and then the winner will be drawn out of a hat on April 8th from all those who completed the contest. Only ONE family will win!!! Family Session includes a FREE session only on April 17th from 5-6pm...a CD and copyright release of all the edited pictures. Also, if you are signed up for the April 17th or May 1st family session already, YOU CAN ENTER!!! You could have a free session on your already signed up time!!!!!

New BLOG!!!

2008-08-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

Please see our new blog: www.lifesnotstaged.blogspot.com

And our new website:
www.lifesnotstaged.com

We look forward to seeing you there!!!

Announcement!

2008-08-23T15:45:00.001-07:00

Tony and I are official combining our businesses into ONE! We are happy to announce

Synergy Photography

(Cara, owner of Sweetshot Designs, is designing us our logo as we speak, so the red text should do for now.)

So what does this mean for you...lots,

* We are bettering both of our companies by combinding them into one!!!

* We are going to update our new website with tons of new and improved photos: www.lifesnotstaged.com

* We are having one blog instead of two: www.lifesnotstaged.blogspot.com

* We will have a NEW and improved way to order your pictures online

So, goodbye Kristen M Photography and Anthony Steven Images, AND HELLO SYNERGY PHOTOGRAPHY! Please join us in celebrating our new bigger and better photography business!

Donald and Nicole's Birth Story

2008-08-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

Donald and Nicole, along with big sisters Lillian and Lydia, have welcomed sweet baby boy Landon into this beautiful world. Nicole went in for her c-section and came out with a perfect little boy! Here are photos from their birth and the day after session in Kirkwood, MO.

This is the cover to his slideshow:

Getting dressed for the O.R. (I had a great, yellow outfit, too.)

The doctors performing the surgery...Landon is almost here!

Donald's first touch.

Nicole's first kiss.

Favorite perspective picture of the day.

Day After Session...

Lillian was so excited about her little brother.

Feet! I truly think infants have the sweetest feet!

All three kids feets.

Congrats Donald, Nicole, Lillian, and Lydia. And welcome Landon!

Bye, Bye Bailey

2008-08-23T15:20:00.001-07:00

Bailey was my dog that I had at my parent's house since I was 16 years old...my favorite dog. But she had to be given away this past week because she was destroying the house...she looks so innocent! WINK! She gets scared of storms and when no one was home would try to CLAW her way out of the house! (They tried cages...she would bite her way out! They tried meds...codine but that did not work!!!) So, she was given to a sweet retired, peppy lady who had another dog! They are best buds now and Bailey is doing well. So, on a personal note, here is a small tribute to my sweet Bailey Dog!!!

Relaxing before we left for the 40 minute trip to her new home.

I love the warmth brought into this picture from the sun.

Jadyn pointing to the dogs next door.
I know she is my child, but man she is cute!

Goodbye, Bailey! You are in a good home!

Aaron + Johanna = Love

2008-08-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Aaron and Johanna are married!!! This was my THIRD wedding of that week. I normally only take one weddings a week, but because two of the couples were good friends, I couldn't say no. And I am soooo glad that I did not miss this wedding! Aaron and Johanna got married outdoors next to a gorgeous lakeside. It was a beautiful day, filled with beautiful memories!

Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Hsu:

It never seems to boggle my mind that on a wedding day the girls take 5 hours to get ready and the boys take 10 minutes...then are off to playing video games! Does this seem unfair to anyone else? LOl!

I asked the guys to jump on the dock, and Aaron's brother said, "Like this?" And I snapped and got the shot...I told him that it was going on my blog! WINK! I just love it!

The ceremony:

There is something just so romantic to me when I see a bride and groom walking, holding hands! Am I just a romantic??

Fav. of the day!

The reception toast maid of honor maid Aaron blush REALLY bad...notice him in the background! I don't think he looked anyone in the eyes while she read a poem that he wrote when he was youngs. My amazing assistant and husband, Tony, captured this moment!

Johanna's traditional Chinese outfit was worn as her "going away" outfit.
Check out many more images on my Facebook page!

Amanda and Drew: 5 years of Wedded Bliss!

2008-08-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

Amanda was looking at Katie and Marc's and Holly and Wesley's engagement photos and found out I was the photographer for both session...so she contacted me. She said, I am married, but I want you to do my pictures so "can we do an anniversary session?" "Of course!," I answered. And even though we could not fit her in before her anniversary, we were close. Here are some of my favs from their 5 year anniversary session.

P.S. I love this idea! I think that I want my 5 year to be here just so Tony and I can also do this!

I love her laughing here...they were sooo cute together!

With a sky like this, I could not resist taking a few with the beautiful background!

Posting Daily

2008-08-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

My clients are keeping me very busy! I am able to post photos almost every day...so be checking back daily to see what is new on the blog and my facebook page.

Also, I will be making an exciting announcement VERY SOON! (And no, I am not pregnant! I know some of you were thinking it!)

The Harris Maternity Session

2008-08-16T13:13:00.001-07:00

Donald and Nicole are from Illinois but having their sweet baby boy, Landon in Kirkwood, MO so they asked me to tell their birth story. We met at The Landing with their two little girls, Lillian and Lydia, to do their maternity session. Lillian and Lydia were troopers as we walked around down town. Here are a few favorites of mine:

Lydia is 15 months old and such a sweetheart.

And here is Lillian. She was a doll and is so excited to welcome home her little brother.

Lydia was having a hard time with taking pictures so she got a sucker. I though I would include a "sucker" pictures...she is just sooo cute even with the sucker.

I think that is my favorite picture of just the two of them. I love their expressions! (Plus, there is just something fun about hugging with a belly in between you. WINK!)

Kyle and Ashley: Maternity Session

2008-08-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

Ashley and I went to high school and college together and were in each other's weddings. She is just a great friend! Kyle and Ashley met while she was in college and I immediately knew that they were going to get married. I am blessed to tell their birth story of their first baby, Sofia. Here are some pictures from their maternity session...stay posted for news of Sofia's arrival! (Oh, and Lilly made it in the photo shoot, too. )

Favorite of the day!

What an adorable shirt...and belly!

Kyle set this shot up himself...way to go Kyle!

Adorable Addie's Two Week Session

2008-08-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

"I want the whole package."

This was Holly's response when I asked her what all she wanted included in her birth story. So, she had the maternity, birth, day-after, and two week session. I am very glad she did four sessions, though, because she is wonderful! I had a blast at every session! Here are pictures from Addison's two week session...she is a sweet princess, as you all can see!

And Addie's nickname is "Monkey" so this blanket definately had to make it into the photoshoot. Plus, added bonus, she is yawning!

Here is Holly with her giraffe, Howard bought this for HER when she was pregnant. She used to come into the nursery when she was sad and hold it.

Now for the studio pictures:

Addie did not like her Tutu and big bow, but boy she looks cute!

Breakdown St. Louis- Sessions 1 and 2

2008-08-11T16:02:00.001-07:00

Breakdown St. Louis is an amazing ministry that serves the St. Louis and surrounding area. They are a group of highschool and college students that reaches out to highschool students on the subject of abstinence. They affect the students' lives because they are REAL students who are facing REAL issues themselves. Breakdown does not shy away from taboo issues and they come to schools and churches ready to make a difference by song, drama, and authentic communication.

So how am I connected to Breakdown? Well, my brother is a member, my husband is a leader, and I was asked about a year ago to help out with this ministry by taking photos for their website and to cover certain events. Here are two different sessions I took for Breakdown to update their website.

Also, please check this group out and pray about supporting this amazing ministry! If you know anyone who might enjoy having them perform, please pass their information along.

Jenna, Executive Director of Breakdown St. Louis, was trying to make a "serious model face" but all she did was smile...lol!

Marc and Katie's Wedding

2008-08-11T14:12:00.001-07:00

You might remember Katie's vivacious personality and Marc's tender love for Katie from their engagement session this past fall, and now, you will see that again in their wedding pictures. They are VERY much in love and I had the pleasure of capturing their emotions on their most special day! (Don't forget to go see my Facebook page because there are 70 MORE images from this wedding.)

Here are my favorites of their big day:

Confession Time: I was bad at this wedding, I showed Katie this next picture right after I took it...I don't normally do that, but I just had to, and she cried! I new from that moment on that the day was going to be amazing!

Katie's grandfather walked Katie down the isle, then Mrs. Renaud met Katie down the isle. This is a special moment of Katie just looking at her mom!

The beautiful girls:

The beautiful bride with her bouquet.

Happily married and enjoying their first outing (at the reception) as man and wife!

A cakey kiss!

Favorite picture of them!

Congrats Katie and Marc. (Katie, I still cannot believe we are out of highschool, out of volleyball uniforms, and you are married...how the time has flown by! I love you and was so blessed to be part of your wedding day!

Welcome Baby Addison

2008-08-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

Baby Addison has entered the world! Congratulations to the pround parents, Howard and Holly. (And to the proud aunts, uncles, and grandparents!) Addison is a beautiful and healthy baby girl! Here are some pictures from the birth and day-after session. There will be more to come after the two week sessions...until then, enjoy the very sweet Baby Addison!

Progress West looks beautiful on this early morning.

Holly did an amazing job, but little Addison was just not going to come any other way than a c-section. (I really don't think her epidural was working at ALL!!! She was such a trooper!)

Welcome Addison...

Howard was a great labor coach, but I think this proves he is also going to be an even better dad!

She just looks like a little pea-pod.

Congrats Howard and Holly!

Erin and Ryan are married!

2008-08-07T14:13:00.001-07:00

Erin and I have a very unique connection. From the first moment we met, we felt like we were long lost friends! So even though I just met her and Ryan on their wedding day, this wedding was very special for me. She is a top-notch women, and the man she married, is top-notch, also! My assistant, Jessie, and I had an absolute blast capturing their wedding day. Congrats to Ryan and Erin! I was sooo blessed to be a part of God-filled day!

The day started at Celeslie's; an amazing place that I definately recommend.

Her make-up was airbrushed on...she looked flawless!

Her beautiful veil details.

This wedding party was amazing...each and every person was so nice. I especially loved my photo session with the bride and her girls.

Ryan and his dad having a good time!

Please check out my Facebook page...there were so many images I shared from this wedding, but I could not put them all on my blogspot.

Preview while I am in The Keys...

2008-07-31T18:11:00.001-07:00

So I am officially on destination in The Keys!! YEAH! I am covering Holly and Wesley's wedding this weekend, so I thought I would leave you a little preview Erin and Ryan's wedding.

Take care!

Also, if you are a Birth Client who goes into labor while I am away, please call me still!!! I will set up a backup photographer for you then!

See you all when I get back!

Lu's 70th Birthday Party

2008-07-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

Lu, who to me is Tony's grandma (called "Nanny"), just turned 70!!! Her four children threw her a huge 70th SURPRISE birthday bash. This party included a lifetime slideshow, pictures taken of each guest, and great fellowship...oh, and tasty food! Nanny was joined by her family and friends from all over. Not to mention, some of these friends she has known since high school! Congrats Nanny on your milestone birthday! You are a blessing to so many people, including me! I love you!

Here are a few of the guest portraits, detail pictures, and candid shots from the night!

Aunt April had everyone fill out the decorated pieces below with memories, stories, or words of encouragement. Then she will take the guest's portraits and with their words and make Nanny a scrapbook.

Surprise!!!

Then there were some very nice speeches about Nanny's life. Here is Nanny's reaction to these sweet words:

And now the guest portraits...

P.S., this was the hardest shot of the night, trying to have four children under two looking at you and not crying...note; Mara (just under two) is holding up her 8 month baby brother here! Well done girl!

Okay, when I ask a couples to kiss, I normally get one of two reactions:

1. The fastest kiss ever....they are sooo fast to quickly kiss and then be done.
-or-
2. Perfect length and sweetness kisses...the husband or finance gives the perfect, sweet kiss with enough time for me to work with it....

But, this next gentleman added some flare of his own and has officially added a number three....

Number 3. He dipped her back, she swung her leg around him, and then they both just kissed like their was no tomorrow...it was sooo precious!

Here is the after math of the kiss....I just love their reaction; as if to ask, "How was that?!?!" And let me say, he did a GREAT, GREAT, GREAT JOB...better than perfect even!

Don't forget to look at my Facebook page, there are more pictures to view at Kristen M Photography.

Andrew and April's Fairy Tale Wedding!

2008-07-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

Alright, so April and Andrew had an amazing wedding. And when I say amazing, I am not stretching the truth, it truly was amazing! They had all the ingredients to make this day perfect including:

Clear weather, as seen here with beautiful blue skies

A super sweet and in love couple (You might remember Andrew from his engagment session pictures...he was sooo gitty...he was no different on his wedding day. He truly loves April with all that he is!)

A fun wedding party- including light sabors.

Personal touches

Food COOKED to order at The Columns....I felt like a queen when I got to order my amazing dish!

Breathtaking dances...including the father-daughter dance when it SNOWED!!!!

A great family! They were also so nice...although, her brothers are having a hard time letting her go...lol

All around, this wedding was a blast! Here are some other pictures from their day:

Favorite picture of the day: I love the darkness here, it brings such a dramatic element to this photograph.

This photo was taken by my awesome assistant, Rebecca.

Congrats to Andrew and April!

September Promo

2008-07-09T14:02:00.001-07:00

I am happy to announce that in the month of September any portrait package will include a FREE high quality CD. This CD will come with all your session pictures and copyright release to print and enlarge your pictures. This is especially geared to Seniors and Families who want to beat the heat of summer. Enjoy!!!

You may set up your appoinment for this promotion now!

Assisting Weddings

2008-07-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

These next two weddings were weddings that I shot as the second photographer for Kelly Manno and Dorinda Peyton. It is truly a different experience than leading...there is less pressure, I get to hang out with other photographers, and I get to learn different things from each photographer I shoot with!

Wedding #1:

More adorable kids...

Talk about an amazing cake!

This is my favorite picture of the night! This is a photo I have been dying to take and Jamie and Kevin made it happen. Thanks guys!

Wedding #2...another fun wedding!

Busch Stadium...what an amazing place to take pictures!

Howard and Holly's Maternity Session

2008-06-25T21:33:00.001-07:00

Holly and Howard are such a neat couple! They were so easy to photograph because they had this amazing chemistry together. I just loved watching Holly as she laughed and smiled...she lights up the room, or in our case, Forest Park. They are both excited about the arrival of their baby girl in the next week or two. (Hopefully 'two' because I have three weddings this Fourth of July week...wink!)

I am really looking forward to this birth session! Till then, enjoy these maternity session pictures of Holly, Howard, and little baby Addison!

I love this one!

This is my favorite picture of their session...it might be my favorite maternity session picture ever!

I just started taking a few pictures of the mom-to-be alone with her bundle of joy and am really liking how they turn out. (Sorry dads!)

And last by not least, cooling off...and Holly, you amaze me that you were still able to wear these shoes in your third trimester. I am pretty sure my first week of pregnancy I had to lose everything but flats...lol!

Aaron & Johanna's Park Engagement Session

2008-06-25T21:08:00.001-07:00

Aaron and Johanna have an amazing love story. For starters, they got to know each other and fell in love while they were half-way around the world from one another. Johanna lived in Singapore while Aaron was in the states. Now, they are right where they want to be, TOGETHER in STL!

Here is just a taste of their park session:

I LOVE sunset pictures....this might just be my favorite of the entire session!

I really like her expression here!

This is my fav. traditional picture...they just look like they are glowing!

Check out more on my Facebook page. Aaron and Johanna, I am looking forward to your outdoor wedding!

Our Anniversary!

2008-06-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

My husband, Tony, and I just celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary on June, 2! I cannot believe it has been two years already! Happy Anniversary Baby!

Then:

This has remained my FAVORITE picture of the day. I still smile when I see it!

Pictures taken by my amazing wedding photographer, Kelly Manno.

Now:

Special thanks to Troy Velius for taking this picture...you are awesome! (Pictures taken at Drew and Amanda's Wedding!)

100 Dancers in two days!

2008-05-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

This past week, I had the honor of photographing over 100 hundred children in a recital session. The dancers were from The Professional Dance Studio. There were multiple outift/costume changes for many of the girls. It was a lot of hard work, but it was a wonderful experience! Special thanks to Bobby, Katie, and Jessie for helping assist me in this huge project.

(Needless to say, I have been busy organazing and editing these photos and getting them ready to preview for their parents. So that is why I have not been bloggin' lately...don't worry, I have a maternity and engagement session that I will be posting this week...I will catch up with my blog soon!)

Till then, enjoy a few of these shots...these were some very talented girls and boys:

The frogs...what a fun group of kids.

This ballet group was fantastic!!! Here they are with their amazing instructor.

You might recognize Oliva from my JSB session from earlier this spring.

Wesley and Holly's Engagement Pictures-This was one amazing session!!!

2008-05-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

This engagement shoot was not like any other because Holly was my best friend in high school. She and I were so attatched at the hip that we were in a matter of words, "Holsten" (Holly and Kristen put together. See, we started the fad, not Brad and Angelina...lol!) So as you can imagine, this was a session I was really looking forward to. Besides this connection, Wesley and Holly are such an amazing couple. They are fun and flirty attitude towards each other! And, more importantly, they are soooo in love with each other and the Lord. They are really looking forward to their up and coming destination wedding in the Keys this August. (And so am I...wink!)

First picture of the shoot...I love starting this way!

This is my favorite picture in the whole shoot!!! Love it, love it, love it!

I love her eyes in this one!

Reading His Word together...what a neat idea for an engagement shoot, after all, this is what their relationship is build on.

Congrats you two...I am so excited to see what God continues to do in your relationship. And, I cannot wait for your Florida wedding!

(Check out even more pictures on my Facebook page. )

Running out of sessions...

2008-05-18T20:49:00.000-07:00

Just FYI, if you are wanting to set up a session with me, the months of June, July, and August are almost booked!!! So if you have been waiting to set up an appointment, wait no longer.

Please call and schedule your appointment today: 314.566.1233.

Tom, Robin, and Grace's Family Session

2008-05-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

Robin and I became friends through taking our daughters, Grace and Jadyn, to My Gym on Thursdays. (My Gym is an amazing place because the moms and kids get to socialize; plus the kids also get a workout. I especially recommend this gym when it is too hot or cold to go outside and when you have a 6 week old and just need to get out of the house. *Wink*.)

Tom, Robin, and Grace's family portraits took place in and around their home. They were wonderful to work with. And it was so neat working with a family in their home; it was very natural and intimate session!

Here are some of my favorite shots:

Blowing kisses...

I love their expressions here.

We tried getting a lot of pictures of just Robin and Grace because moms are normally the ones taking the pictures, so we are rarely in them...we were making up for those times.

I know that capturing a smile is the goal when taking photos, but sometimes it is great just to capture a child's real expressions and true feelings...

Here is my favorite family portrait.

Dad and Grace

How big is Grace?...so big!!!

Tom and Robin

Back inside, Grace finds my camera very interesting!

The end! (For more photos from this session...go to Kristen M Photography on Facebook.)

Ben & Amber = Amazing Outdoor Wedding!

2008-05-18T20:40:00.001-07:00

This wedding was incredible! Ben and Amber got married on Friday...and let me tell you; the weather was perfect, the location was perfect, the bride looked perfect, the groom looked perfect...basically the whole day was PERFECT! It was so neat to capture their wedding day! Enjoy these pictures, it was so hard to limit myself on this one! (And there will be MANY more pictures added on my Facebook page in the next day or two...check them out, too.)

Her beautiful dress...

Getting into her dress.

What a gorgeous day! This was an absolutely amazing place to get married!

Ben's sister is in the middle of this pictures. It was so neat to see her expressions as her brother got married. (She is getting married in a few weeks herself!)

This picture is dedicated to Lisa Hessel. Yeah sunflares!

I really like Ben's smile here!

This is my favorite picture of Amber hands down!

She is such an elegant bride! I just love her expression here.

Amber and her bridesmaids. THEY WERE AWESOME! They were all so nice and fun!

Now Ben and his guys being tough on the tractor.

Oh, and props to my sister Jessie, she was my second shooter. She had some amazing pictures from this wedding. Here is my favorite detail shot of hers. (I think sunflares were a theme in this wedding! LOL!)

Bobby + freezing cold day + track = one FUN afternoon!

2008-05-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

Jadyn and I went to Bobby's track competition a week or so back, here are some pictures of Bobby, Clinton, and of course Jadyn at the meet. (It was SUPER cold, but Jadyn and I survived just fine! Oh, and I lost my debit card at the meet. I looked everywhere and then I left and immediately canceled the card. Next thing I know, Bobby calls me to tell me he got my card back for me. *SMILE!* Someone turned it in *YEAH*, they announced a missing debit card, like FOUR people were trying to steal it but were being shot down because they didn't know the name on the card. Bobby goes in, tells them my name, sticks out his hand, and they give it to him.... Good think Bobby was there so no one was going around using my card! Good job Bobby!)

Jadyn...what a diva...lol!

Hanging out with her Uncle Bobby.

Clinton right before warm-up

Jadyn in her hat...she let me keep it on! That is amazing!

Bobby stretching.

The warm up.

The actual race. It is decieving to see how well he did because he is the inside lane, he starts further back than everyone else.

Facebook Fans

2008-05-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

So, are you checking out my blog and just wishing you could see MORE photos, well now you can! If you are a part of Facebook, you can go to Kristen M Photography and become a fan. The benefit to visiting this page is that you will see more pictures from each session I photograph. So do not delay, become a Kristen M Photography fan today! (Nice and cheesy...lol!)

Also, you can get to the Kristen M Photography page from my personal Kristen Degnan Mueller page. Simply go to the left hand side and under "My Pages," click on Kristen M Photography, then click on "Become a Fan."

Hope to see you on FACEBOOK!

Aaron and Bethany's Wedding

2008-05-07T15:24:00.001-07:00

Aaron and Bethany, congrats on your marriage! I am so excited for you both. Your wedding was a lot of fun. My favorite moment was when Aaron looked at me and said, "Could she be any more beautiful?!" What a sweet moment...

Aaron and his boys...

I really like Aaron's expression and tears in his eyes as he hugs his grandmother.

Details of Bethany's dress. I LOVED the detail of this gown.

The memorial candle, I have never seen such a neat one!

I think this picture really captures Bethany's personality!

And here is a bonus picture that my awesome assistant Rebecca took of me. I must say, I am a bit spunky in this picture...lol. Thanks a bunch Rebecca for being an amazing assistant!

JSB (Prom Session) in the RAIN!

2008-05-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

So my brother goes to WCA and they have JSB or prom, so he asked me to do a shoot with him and his date and two other friends. Well, I love my brother tons, so of course my answer was yes. And am I glad I did...it was a great shoot. Not only were Aaron, Kylie, Olivia, and Bobby a blast to hang out with, they were great models. (Although, I am a little biast about my brother...lol!)

We started out the shoot with a little sunshine, which very quickly turned into a pouring down rain. We improvised, got shelter (and umbrellas) and kept shooting...it was so much fun!

This picture is so elegant to me, and I love the rain drops.

This is my favorite of Aaron and Kylie.

They all look sooo great jumping...but Bobby, he just cracks me up...

The girls, sporting their guy's hat, ties, and coat.

The boys...Aaron and Bobby.

It is pouring rain here...you can see there is some movement in the picture, which made a really cool effect.

My favorite picture of Bobby and Olivia.

Kylie set this shot up...good job girl!

What a blast...their last prom, I hope it was the best one yet!

I love this FAMILY!

2008-04-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

This family ROCKS! I loved them all! They are very energetic and just some of the sweetest people. We had scheduled the shoot to be in the beautiful outdoors, but it was FREEZING COLD; so we improvised and did almost the entire session inside Aunt Gwen's house. This session was a ton of fun! Here are some of my person favorites:

The girls...how sweet!

This is one of my top three favorite photos from this shoot.

Grandpa: This is the spunkiest man I think I have ever meet.

Aunt Gwen with all her nieces and nephews in the background.

Ashley is one of my best friends, here she is with her hubby Kyle, I love Kyle, too. She is due in August with their first child.

This little guy was sooo cute.

This is Bryan and his mom. Bryan is going to be going to Iraq here in the next month or two. Please be keeping him and his family in your prayers!

What a sweet family.

Mary Jo with all her "kids."

Shot Party

2008-04-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

Kelly Manno set up a "Shot Party" this month that was an absolute blast! About 19 photographers from the surrounding STL area got together and photographed a model and a married couple. Here are some of the pictures from that evening.

We split into two groups...here is Tony and my group. We looked like the paparetzzi. While we were shooting a couple stopped us and was like, "Who is that?" LOL

Here is our first model, Laura, she was such a natural model...she just did everything modelesque.

And here is our married couple, Jeff and Tasha, they were soooo much fun to work with, too.

This was my favorite shot of the night.

As promised, more pictures of Caroline!

2008-04-21T21:40:00.001-07:00

Here are some of my favs of Katy's birth and Caroline's Day After Session.:

Bruce's reaction to Caroline is priceless! He was the MOST excited dad I have had the pleasure of photographing.

Katy's first glances of Caroline.

I love this picture because of the perspective!

Dad's first touch.

(Nothing need be said...)

Caroline likes being in her daddy's arms.

Katy and Bruce, CONGRATS! Your daughter is beautiful and healthy...what a blessing!

LOGOS!

2008-04-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

Tony and I just had logos made! We went through Cara McKinlay's Sweet Shot Graphics. Cara did a great job...she was easy to work with and flexible.

All you photographers; she can help you with your website, blog, business cards, logos, etc. All you brides; she can help you with invitations, programs, direction cards, etc. Check her website out and let me know what you think of our hot new logos!

P.S. I just really LOVE pink!!!

Birth Story Teaser

2008-04-17T13:52:00.001-07:00

Please join in welcoming little Miss Caroline. She was born last Friday evening to proud parents Katy and Bruce.

This is just a teaser...one pictures...I know, mean, right??!?!!? I try to get all my birth story package clients their DVDs within ONE WEEKS of the day after shoot, so I am busy editing but will post more pictures after I am done.

Skylar and Patricia's Pregnancy Shoot

2008-04-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

I used to teach fourth grade at WCCS and one of my closest buddies there was Susan Nelson, an incredible middle school teacher. Well, Susan's eldest daughter is Patricia who I actually met on a college church trip to MI...again, what small world.

I showed up to shoot her pregnancy shoot at her house because she was on bed rest for a few weeks and we did not want the maternity shoot to turn into a birth session. And thankfully, it did not. She did deliver though this past Friday to Mia...CONGRATS Skylar, Patricia, and entire family!

This is my favorite one...they look like professional models!

Marc and Katie

2008-04-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

Katie and I played volleyball at Concord Sports Club when we were like in 6th grade. Then, we went to high school; and played volleyball together at WCA...and now, I am their wedding photographer. SMALL WORLD! LOL! (Oh, and to make life a little smaller, Marc teaches at the school my mom works at and my brother goes to school...we are connected in a lot of ways!)

We went on their engagement shoot at Queeny Park. I had been looking forward to this shoot because Katie has this amazing and contagious personalilty. Marc and Katie had a GREAT shoot...it was a blast...see what you think:

I just love her expression here.

This is my favorite shot.

Katie's ring is HUGE and just beautiful! (Good pick Marc!)

The end.

Tony's website

2008-04-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

It is official, we both have our websites up and running! YEAH! I am very excited about his site and his work. You can check out his website through

http://www.anthonysteven.com/ Or there is a link from my site. (This is a new feature.)

Hope you enjoy the site. As always, post any comments or problems...Have a great day!

April and Andrew

2008-04-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

April and Andrew are getting married this June. Their engagement shoot took place in Old Town St. Charles. (Funny that I have only been there three times now and two of those times was during the same week for a photoshoot.) They are in a long distance relationship and had not seen each other in a while...so needless to say they were goo-goo over each other. And I must add, Andrew was goo-gooEST of all. It was a fun shoot because of all the goo-gooness..lol!

And of course, the ring!

Katy and Bruce's Maternity Session

2008-03-31T18:15:00.001-07:00

Katy, Bruce, and I had a beautiful day to shoot their maternity shoot...well, at least it was not raining! LOL ! We met in Old Town St. Charles, and surprisingly, this was only my second time to be there. But as for Katy and Bruce, they were quite familiar with OT, they even went on their first date here. They showed me some great places around this great, historic part of St. Louis. Here are my favorite photos:

I think this is my favorite one!

This is the pictures I took right before the nice lady came and kicked us out of the Conservatory. But what a great pictures to end on...it was worth it!

Mileah's Family Session

2008-03-31T17:17:00.000-07:00

Mileah is my sister-in-law's sister...so we are basically related (*Smile*). She lives in Mississippi and when she came to STL last, we did a family session with her boyfriend, Adam, her son, Alex, and her daughter, Ava. I love this family and loved my photography session with them. They are just a great group of people! (Not to mention, they are all beautiful people!)

This is my favorite shot of Alex...look at his eyes.

Mileah getting Ava to come down the slide.

Getting a "perfect" family photo with small kids can be hard...but when asked to make funny faces, they do EXACTLY what they are told...lol.

The non-silly face family photo.

Raj and Adrienne!

2008-03-26T19:17:00.001-07:00

To start off the 2008 wedding season, I could not have asked for a sweeter couple. Raj and Adrienne got married on March 1st...and what a beautiful day and wedding they had. Congrats to both Raj and Adrienne!

And what wedding would be complete without Starbucks?

This Scripture chapter represents Raj and Adrienne's marriage.

One of my favorite parts of their wedding was when they washed each other's feet.

The beautiful bride!

Jadyn is ONE!!

2008-03-20T18:40:00.000-07:00

My baby is ONE! Everyone told me that the first year just flies by, and let me say IT DOES! I am shocked that Jadyn is already one. I feel like just yesterday that she was born! Well, here are a few pictures after her birthday party. I will upload some of her actual birthday party soon.

Jadyn and her new Barbie phone.

Jadyn is dialing her phone.

Jadyn is talking on her phone.

So does she look more like mommy...

Or daddy?

Tony's Blog - Check it out!

2008-03-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

My husband, Tony, has just started his blog. Go and check it out. He just did a model shoot and it turned out AMAZING!

P.S. His website is being built and should be up and running in the next few weeks. For those who have been waiting for his site; just know it is worth the wait. And again, if you have questions about pricing for portraits, just email me at kristenmphotography@yahoo.com

Website Premier

2008-03-05T14:00:00.001-08:00

I am happy to announce the PREMIER of my WEBSITE!!! YEAH! I am excited it is up and running. Tony's should be up and running here within a week or so, too. (So if you are intereseted in seniors, fashion, family, etc packages, email me and I will get you information.)

Please feel free to let me know what you think!

http://www.kristenmphotography.com/

Mehandi Party

2008-03-03T19:15:00.000-08:00

The Rehersal Dinner for Adrienne and Raj was called a Mehandi Party. The evening was full of great Indian food, henna art, and dancing. Here are a few highlights from this night. (I love all the colors of the Indian culture. Also, I saw my first Indian musical/movie, the singing and dancing was incredible.)

Adrienne just got henna on her hands and is waiting for them to dry.

This little boy was running up to everyone and showing off his henna.

Raj and Adrienne's Engagement Session

2008-03-03T18:36:00.001-08:00

Raj and Adrienne...what an amazing couple! They have such a neat love for each other and their ministries for the Lord. I truly found their love to just "eek" out into each photo. Here are a few of my favorites from our photoshoot.

P.S. It was ANOTHER FREEZING day photographing! I cannot believe the odds...lol! So if you see frostbite or rosey noses, you know why...lol.

This is the bridge where Raj first declared his love to Adrienne.

Baby Grayson!!!

2008-03-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

Holly gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! (The funny thing is that Andrew was born on Super Bowl Sunday, too. I guess the phrase "like father, like son" really is true! WINK!) Here are some pictures from their birth.

Andrew helping Holly not think about the pain by reading The Bible.

This is for Andew...he loves computer stuff.

Contractions are getting harder...and closer...

Baby Grayson has entered the world!

The day after, Andrew holding Grayson

Aaron and Bethany

2008-02-18T14:54:00.000-08:00

Aaron, Bethany, and I braved the cold weather last Sunday to take their engagment pictures. We went to Faust Park and man was it COLD! It was 25 degrees when I got out of my car to begin this session and by the time I got back to the car, it was 23 degrees...but they treated me to Starbucks and I was really happy how the shoot went so, no harm done!

Shelly-Senior Pictures

2008-01-23T15:32:00.001-08:00

I LOVED my senior picture session with Shelly. It was a little cold, but we toughed it out and got some great shots. I shot these photos at the river front and then in and around Lafeyette Square. And I must say, there is just "something" about Shelly that is mesmorizing! I think that these pictures encapsulate her personality. I am looking forward to having a second shoot with Shelly and some of her friends in the next few weeks. Check back soon for more photos of Shelly.

So I normally don't blog two of a same style picture, but I really liked these next two and could not decide between them...so you can see both!

I picked this one because Tony liked this up-close photo.

Shelly had found this door and loved it, so we took a ton of pictures by it.

Special thanks to Tony, my amazing husband and photography partner, for editing these pictures for me! He did GREAT! (I am soooo loving the last one especially!)

The Nagy's Pregnancy Shoot

2008-01-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

Andrew, Holly, and I all went to college together at Missouri Baptist University. The first day I met Holly I was with Andrew and I honestly told him, "You should marry her." And to my surprise, he replied back saying, "I'm working on it." Obviously he did "work on it", and he won her over. Now they are happily married and expecting their first child in Feburary. Their pregnancy shoot taken in Forest Park on a 70 degree day in January. You just don't get those that often, so we took full advantage of it. I must add, only in St. Louis would weather be that crazy. LOL.

This is such a cool picture. Look at the building in the background, wow. And the PINK sky!

We were all done with the photoshoot until we saw that the sun was setting so beautifully! So what did we do, we ran up a hill (poor pregnant Holly!) and tried to catch a few more cool pictures. This was a great way to end a photoshoot!

New Year: Welcome 2008!!!!

2007-12-30T10:48:00.000-08:00

2007 is gone and 2008 has just begun, and am I sure excited for what is in store for 2008. I am elated to announce that my husband and I are both launching new photography websites! YEAH!!! Although we have two different business names, we will be working together. We have two different areas of focus in photography but the same vision of giving our clients personal assistance and amazing photographs of their intimate moments! Our hope is that our different personalities, focuses, and styles will provide our clients with more diverse photographs.

Tony will assist me on weddings and I will assist him on individual portraits, family portraits, fashion shoots, seniors, etc. (Although Tony will NOT assist on births...no worries to my female birth clients! *Smile*) This also means that we each can get book for a wedding on the same day.

So as for 2008...we are so glad that God has blessed us in this New Year and pray that God will use us to bless all of our clients with awe-inspiring pictures. God bless our new year! Who knows all that will happen in this great year?!?!?

Also, I am proud to say that I have FINALLY picked my OFFICIAL business name:
Kristen M. Photography.

My website is http://www.kristenmphotography.com/. My website has a direct link to Tony's website: http://www.anthonysteven.com/. THEY ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION but should be ready to view shortly.

Baby Robert Chadwick Mueller

2007-11-29T15:48:00.000-08:00

I had the honor of photographing Annie as she gave birth to her first son, Robert Chadwick Mueller, on Monday, November 19th, 2007. It was an amazing experience! Joe was a great coach and Annie did incredible. (Did I mention that Robert was 9lbs. and 9 oz. and she had NO drugs...yes, she is amazing!) I was blessed to be a part of this intimate experience. Congrats to father Joe, mother Annie, and big sister Mara.

This is my favorite detail shot.

Weighing in: 9 lbs. 9 oz.-He's a keeper!

Being measured: 22 inches long

Joe's mom dressed Robert for the first time.

Welcome to bright new world, Robert!

The Mueller Family Portraits

2007-10-29T15:26:00.004-07:00

Sunday was not just a day to photograph Annie and Baby Mueller, it was also a day to take some family pictures. So Joe and Mara also joined us for the shoot. Joe had so many great photography ideas and Annie & Mara shined in all the pictures. Enjoy the second part of my Sunday photoshoot. (You will also see why I split this entry into two sections; there were just so many great photos.)

Annie's Pregnancy Pictures

2007-10-29T15:26:00.003-07:00

Annie is my sister-in-law who was three weeks away from her due date when we took these pictures. She is always beautiful, but I think she is especially radiant when she is pregnant. I was blessed that she let me take these intimate pictures of her pregnant with her second child. Enjoy just a few of my shots. (Isn't there just something AMAZING about a pregnant belly?)

I asked Mara to kiss her mom's belly, instead she snuggled her baby brother-to-be...which turned out to be even more precious!

Annie's sister took a similar photo to this when Annie was pregnant with Mara.

Mara has a belly too.

Jadyn and Grandma Portraits

2007-10-29T15:26:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, Jadyn, my mom, and I headed off to get some grandma/grandchild portraits. I know I am biased, but I really think they took some great shots. Can't you just feel how much my mom loves Jadyn? Well, here are some of my personal favorites:

P.S. Notice our prop was a horse because my mom LOVES horses! She actually has a live one....go figure though, I will not let Jadyn ride him for a while. So as for now, she can ride on this little rocking horse whenever she wants.

I LOVE this picture of Jadyn...she was pucking up her lips and her eyes just pop!

Jadyn was getting quite tired and needed her pacifier, but Nana D could have taken pictures all day with Jadyn.

Katie and Bobby-Our FAKE shoot

2007-10-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

Lisa, Jon, and I headed out to photograph our FAKE bride and groom. It was a blast! Lisa had invited me to shoot with her on this special trash the dress with Katie, my sister-in-law. I was excited but thought it might be even niceer to have a "groom" for her. She like the idea so we skipped the wedding and reception, and just took pictures of Katie in a wedding dress and Bobby in a tux. I think that we all had a great time. And we got some great shots. He are my favorites....and just pay close attention to the detail in Katie's eye makeup. The makeup artist was Jen from Mac at the Galleria mall; she did a fabulous job! WOW!- P.S. This was my first photo shoot with my new Canon 40D!

This was Bobby's favorite.

Tag

2007-09-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

So there's this thing going around with photographers across the country. One photographer will make a blog post revealing 8 interesting facts about himself/herself and then tag other photograhers to do the same. I've been tagged by my dear friend Lisa http://www.lisahesselphotography.com/. So now I get to tell my 8 facts about me.

1. I love the Lord very much! That is my first and most important fact about me. I am His work in progress...He is my strength.

2. My husband, Tony, is my best friend. We have been married for about a year and a half. It has been my most cherished time in my life.

3. The best surprise of my life was getting pregnant with my daughter, Jadyn. She is 6 months old now...the time has FLOWN by! She is such a dynamic little girl! I am a stay at home with her except for when I go on photo shoots, then she gets to be babysat by daddy, nanna, or grandma.

4. I LOVE to watch the show MONK! That is right...I have watched the first 5 seasons twice each (except for the last one on season 5, that one I have only seen it once.) I would love to visit the Monk set one of these days...maybe I could do a photo shoot for them...that would rock.

5. If I could pick one day to re-live over and over, I would do it with my wedding day...I secrectly wish I could wear my dress on every special occasion...shhh!!!

6. I am a little OCD....more so after I started watching MONK...lol. This is good for my clients because it means I pay attention to EVERY detail!- LOL

7. I like sweets...especially Heath Ice Cream..I am a sucker for most sweets...I would eat sweets over my meal...unless it is steak.

8. I am a neat/organization freak. Everything has its place and it should be there. My husband is very generous with my obsession.- If this is too close to number 6, then here is another one, I hate swings. They make me sick.

So there ya have it. Eight facts about me. And now it's my turn to tag another photographer...she was my photographer for my wedding. Kelly is neat, neat, neat. www.kellymannophotography.com

Brandon and Jessica's Wedding

2007-09-18T09:47:00.000-07:00

Brandon and Jessica's wedding was my first photography experience ever. I was trying out my abilities as Lisa Hessel's assistant (http://www.lisahesselphotography.com) and had a blast! As of this summer, I have decided to go into photography. So here I am starting my blog site. Enjoy my first wedding pictures, and expect more to come later!

This is my favorite picture!

Running...Jessica used her veil as a shield from the rice...smart bride.

Attitude! YES!

The pre-garter extraction...look at her expression...priceless!

An intimate moment...I love being able to be a part of these!