Christina & Thomas | scottsdale wedding photographer

11-11-11... only THE biggest wedding day of the year and I had the great privilege and honor of photographing the wedding of Christina and Thomas. This adorable couple opted for a small, intimate wedding surrounded by their handsome, little boys and their closest friends and family. Christina & Thomas, I can not thank you enough for making me a part of your special day. Wishing the new Mr. and Mrs. all the joy and happiness they deserve!    

Happy Holidays!!!

My holiday sessions came in the form of fun, fearless, adorable little girls! A big THANK YOU to all these sweet families for allowing me to capture some festive images of you for the holidays. :)

Landen {smitten}

Dear bloggity-blog... please forgive me for neglecting you and falling behind. The holidays got the best of me, and now I am playing catch up so that I can start the new year fresh!


First up is handsome little Landen. {swoon} He was so alert and did not want to sleep for at least the first hour or so! But as they say, good things come to those who wait. :) Once Landen settled in and dozed off, he was the perfect little poser. These are some of my favorite newborn pics to date. CONGRATS to Shawnee, Wes and Chloe on the new addition to your family!

My new love... Pinterest

Ahhhhh, what can I say about Pinterest? Visual eye candy... inspiring... moving... a virtual muse for the crafty, creative soul. I could go on and on just like I could look at Pinterest boards all day long. But instead, I'll just share a few of my recent favorite finds.

A vintage portrait of young bride in Paris. I think I could look at this foto for days....

Source: weheartit.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

And how cool is this photo? Might have to get some sprinklers and experiment with the 10-yr old. 

Source: 100layercake.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

And check out this cool painting... I love the colors and movement of the paint in this. I tell ya,  people's creativity just blows me away.

Source: arthound.net via Jennifer on Pinterest

So if you have a few minutes (or a few hours/days/months) to be inspired, swing on by Pinterest and check it out for yourself... and don't forget to stop by my profile to see the boards I've put together. :) http://pinterest.com/jennihalen/

Jaxon {dashing}

I chose the word dashing to describe 1 year old Jaxon for two reasons... as an adjective, it's pretty obvious that this is kid has some dashing good looks. Check out those big brown eyes and his adorable smile. And as a verb, dashing is the perfect word to describe how this kid moves. It was seriously one of the most challenging shoots I've ever had simply because I could barely keep up with him! (note to self: must get to gym and train before next toddler shoot). But all in all, I had an absolute blast capturing some images of  Jaxon and his family to celebrate his first birthday. CONGRATS again to Carie and David for being the big winners of my portrait session giveaway. Thank you for participating in the contest, and I hope you enjoy your photos! :)


Also, a BIG THANKS to Lindsay Combs of LC's Sweet Treats for baking us the cutest little cake for Jaxon's cake smash. Shoot her an email at lcombs12@yahoo.com if you're interested ordering a one of a kind cake, cupcakes or her delectable cake pops. YUM!!!

Baby Bryn {adorable}

Beautiful baby Bryn... how can you not instantly fall in love with those big blue eyes, perfectly pouty little mouth, cute as a button nose and sweet chubby cheeks?!? She had me at 'hello'. And clearly good looks run in the family because her big sis, Blair, is simply too cute for words. Thank you, Kenny and Michelle, for allowing me to capture these images of your beautiful little girls. <3

Kara {inspiring}

For those who have never tried pilates before, I wish I could impress upon you how difficult it is because you wouldn't be able to tell that through these pictures... Kara makes it look effortless. Oh, and did I mention that she just gave birth to her second child, Wyatt, a mere 4 months ago? She's a natural beauty, a true inspiration and a pro at what she does. So do yourself a favor and go check out her website (http://www.pilatestherapist.com/) for more information on how you can transform your body, mind and life through Pilates therapy. Always a pleasure working with you, Kara! :)

Steffi & Rhett {elated}

First time parents, Steffi and Rhett, just welcomed their baby boy into the world, and I was so honored that they asked me to capture some maternity photos for them before his arrival. They are such genuine, wonderful people and are going to be AMAZING parents to little Brock. The rich colors, warmth and glow of these images are a perfect reflection of their personalities. CONGRATULATIONS on your new addition!! I can't wait to meet him. :)

Baby Mark {tiny beloved}

They say good things come in small packages. Well this definitely held true for little baby Mark. What an absolute sweetheart he was. Congratulations to Gyorgyi, Mike and Olivia! Thank you for allowing me to capture some precious images of your sweet, little boy.

Nikki {sweet serenity}

My good friend and I decided to escape the Phoenix heat and head north to Flagstaff for a weekend. On our way back, we stopped in beautiful Sedona for this portrait session. A big thank you to Adobe Hacienda Bed & Breakfast for graciously allowing us to take some pictures on their beautiful property. Not only does Nikki look drop dead gorgeous in these pics, but I had such a blast shooting this session. Can't wait 'til our next photo shoot adventure, Nik! ;)

Baby Wyatt {precious}

Long overdue on these pics of little Wyatt. He was just two weeks young when we did this photo shoot.  Wyatt is a precious little boy who is just as sweet as can be. Thank you Will, Kara and Gabriella for allowing me to capture some beautiful images of the new addition to your family!

Wish me luck!!

As the proud owner of the Bohemian Symphony Collection, I have the opportunity to enter a giveaway for a free iPad! Oh, I can't tell you how much a new little iPad would help me with all of my photography stuff. Oh So Posh Photography is the creative force behind this action set and the host of the iPad giveaway. Below are just a few of the before and afters of a recent photo shoot. What I love about this action set is they take your sterile raw images and give them a beautiful warmth and glow. Absolutely love this product and would highly recommend for all you photo enthusiasts who like to play with your images in Photoshop. :)

And the WINNER is...

The person who left comment #18 is...

CONGRATS to Carie Galati for winning the free portrait session! Please email me at Jennifer@JenniferHalenPhotography to collect your prize.

But Carie isn't the only winner... to show my appreciation to all those who participated in the giveaway, I'll be extending an additional 10% off a Fall Mini Session! Valued at over $250, the mini session is a great opportunity to avoid the holiday rush and get those family portraits done. What's included?

Fall Mini Sessions $150

• 30 minute portrait session for up to 4 people shot on location in the Phoenix area
• 5 high-resolution digital images on disc
• 1 8x10 print of your choice
• 25 holiday cards with envelopes

Only a limited number of mini sessions are available, so reserve your session today!!!

Again, THANK YOU to all who participated!!! I appreciate your support. :)

FREE Portrait Session Giveaway!!!

To celebrate Fall, cooler temps, the return of football and the official launch of Jennifer Halen Photography, I will be offering a FREE portrait session to one lucky winner!  What’s included?

• One hour photo session for up to 4 people shot on location in the Phoenix Metro area
• 20-30 edited and retouched images in a private online gallery for proofing, ordering or sharing with friends and family
• One 8x10 professional print of your choice
• 5 high-resolution digital images on a disc
• 25% off any additional prints ordered from the session 

This package can be used for headshots, senior portraits, engagement sessions, maternity sessions, family sessions (think HOLIDAY pics!) or even pet portrait sessions. Newborn sessions and groups greater than 4 people can be accommodated for an additional fee. If you’d like to give this away as a gift, we can arrange for that, too. Simply enter to win today!

3 Chances to Win – you must leave one blog comment below this post for EACH item you complete:

1. Follow Jennifer Halen Photography on Facebook (even if you’re already a fan, leave a blog comment saying so – it counts!)
2. Share this giveaway on your Facebook wall by typing the following: “Go check out @Jennifer Halen Photography to win a FREE portrait session!” Be sure to TYPE (not copy & paste) this out and put the “@” sign in order to tag the JHP Facebook page in your post. 
3. Follow the Jennifer Halen Photography blog by clicking on the Google Friend Connect button at the bottom of this page. 

***BONUS entry: Become a fan of Maganda Shoppe on Facebook – my new page for one of kind children’s accessories and photography props. Don’t forget to leave a blog comment for this one, too!

   

Deadline to enter is midnight on August 21. The winner will be drawn by random generator (random.org) on August 22, and will have 24 hours to accept their prize. Good luck to all!!!

LEGAL STUFF: This promotion is in NO WAY sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You will NOT be notified publicly via Facebook if you are a winner. By entering this giveaway, you are providing information to Jennifer Halen Photography and NOT to Facebook. Prizes do not have cash value. 

Silhouette

I am a member of the Rock the Shot Forum (http://www.rocktheshotforum.com/) - a great resource for photographers. This month their photo challenge is silhouettes. The picture below was taken during my photo shoot with Nathan and Ashley. I love that it captures the beautiful colors of our Arizona sunset as well as a sweet, intimate moment between this couple. Definitely one of my favorite silhouettes to date!

Gyorgyi, Mike & Olivia {anxiously awaiting}

What can I say... another amazing shoot of a beautiful mama-to-be. Gyorgyi's radiance could light up a room, and her positive energy is infectious! And Mike couldn't have been a more sweet, doting husband. Little Olivia definitely gave me a run for my money, but I am so glad I was able to capture some adorable candid moments of her, too. Looking forward to meeting the newest family member very soon!!!

Nathan & Ashley (true love}

Shooting a couple like this is a photographer's dream. They were so natural and fun in front of the camera... all I had to do was snap away! Their love and connection with each other was evident in every frame. Nathan & Ashley, you are an adorable couple, and I wish you a lifetime of happiness together.



Kara, Will & Gabriella {baby bliss}

There's nothing quite like the beauty of an expectant mother. The twinkle in her eyes... her vibrant glow... she just has an unmistakable aura about her. Well, these next photos show an expectant mother who takes it to a whole new level. Kara is simply radiant in these maternity photos with her husband, Will, and daughter, Gabriella. She's just one of those natural beauties who make being 8-months pregnant look easy. :)

Brenda & Kennedy {cute as a bug!}

When my friend, Brenda, first agreed to let me photograph her and her daughter, Kennedy, I was initially so ecstatic. My first real photo shoot - woohooo!!! But as I got closer and closer to our shoot, my nerves kicked in and my doubts started to overwhelm me... what if all of my images turn out horribly? What if this little 2 year old is camera-shy and wants nothing to do with me and my big ol' camera? What if... what if... what if?!?  

As I reflect on that beautiful Sunday afternoon and look at all of the amazing images that we captured, I honestly don't think I could have planned a better first shoot experience. Brenda was so easy to work with, and Kennedy... well, I think the photos speak for themselves! She's definitely not camera shy and is one of the sweetest, funniest, most personable little girls I have ever met. THANK YOU, Brenda & Kennedy!! You made my first shoot one that I'll never forget.