Marla DeKeyser Photography

Can You See It?

2011-11-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Nicki had a special spot in mind for her family session pictures. She said there was a small creek by her home that was pretty, and as we made our way from her home to the creek, the beauty was obvious . . .

Pretty fall leaves, the reflections in the creek, the quaint stone walls, rustic fences, and that sunlight . . . oh, how I love that sunlight.

As we settled in for some pictures, she asked, "Can you see it?" clearly referring to the beauty of her location . . .and yes, I saw it. Looking through my camera I saw beauty that went well beyond our obvious surroundings. . .

Beauty that exists as an animated little boy who rarely stood still and made the cutest faces with a smile that brightened not only his face, but all of us around him . . .

Beauty that exists as a curious toddler who loved to look close at my camera, and throw rocks and kiss on his mom and dad . . .

Beauty that exists as parents whose love for their family was almost palpable. . .

Beauty that exists as a family that really couldn't be any more perfect for each other.

So, to answer the question . . . YES, Nicki, for sure I see it. The beauty of your family is as obvious as your amazing location, and I thank you so much for sharing that with me!

Nicki happens to be an amazing photographer - I was honored to have her photograph my family. Check us (and her lovely images) out!

Playing in the Sun

2011-11-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

We've had such a glorious Fall! Every time I take photos on a beautiful weekend, I keep thinking that this will be the last of my beloved sunshine until Spring . . .

Fall just keeps proving me wrong . . . and I love that!

I met up with my friend, Stephanie and her family on one of the last weekends in October. What a beautiful afternoon to snap some images of her adorable family. My friend, Sunshine, did not disappoint.

And one last image . . . just to keep it REAL (taken at the end of our time together, and those poor babies had ENOUGH of our picture-taking!!). I love this photo, and it makes me giggle. :)

Adam, Stephanie, Ryder & Berkley, Thanks so much for meeting me in the park and allowing me to snap some images of you guys. Hope you cherish these images for many, many years!

Miss Madison

2011-11-02T13:49:00.001-07:00

I finally got to meet little Miss Madison - a full 14 days old here.

Isn't she beautiful?

Holy cow, I do love a beautiful baby.

And I love seeing her parents interact with her. There's just something magical about the experience you have with your first child. I love capturing that feeling.

Michael, Brittanny & Madison, thank you so much for letting me be a part of this wonderful experience with you all. She's perfect in every way! Congratulations!

Their Own Personal Teddy Bear

2011-10-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this little guy is only 11 days old?

Teddy's big sibs, Hank & Josie, are so full of personality & spunk. They have a lot to teach this little guy. (and I love, love, love that picture of them with little Teddy in their lap . . . like, "Well, what do we do with him now, Momma?"). And of course, parents with their little ones will always melt my heart . . . always.

As always, it was wonderful to walk into this house - so full of love and fun.
Eric, Allison, Hank, Josie, & Teddy - thank you for having me over again to play! Hope you are enjoying your images.

They Call Her Aubrie . . . I Call Her Cute

2011-10-31T20:18:00.001-07:00

Nothing better than a smiling, happy baby.

Well . . . maybe a CUTE, smiling, happy baby. . .

or ADORABLE, cute, smiling, happy baby. . .

or adorable, cute, smiling, happy baby that kisses on her dolly and loves her mommy and daddy.

Really, people, I could go on like this forever, so I'll just leave you with these pictures of cutie Aubrie (and her cutie parents too).

JP, Amber & Aubrie, thanks for meeting me in the park and letting me play with your adorable little one and my camera! Was so great to meet you and I hope you are loving your images!

For Mia . . .

2011-10-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

Just a few snaps of my friend, Mia and her cute family.

Mia, thanks for having me over. Hope you have a fabulous Christmas card this year! :)

I Dare You . . .

2011-09-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

First of all, I dare you to look at Ms. Anna here and not want to pinch her little cheeks.

Second of all, I dare you to say that babies don't love me . . . I mean, really, look how she laughs . . . yep, I'm kind-of a baby whisperer that way. . .

Thirdly, I dare her parents to tell you she was anything but happy and perfect when we were together. That would throw serious doubts your was as to my championship baby whispering ways.

And speaking of dares, do you know these two met as the result of a dare? Yep, dared to kiss at a party in college. Guess someone thought that would be a cute little joke . . . well, joke's on you, buddy. Guess that little lady in the middle there means it all worked out!

Joe & Sarah, thanks for meeting me on that cold morning and letting me play with little Anna here! Was lovely to meet you guys. Hope you enjoy your images!

Family of Three (for now)

2011-09-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

I've known the Pingel's for quite some time now, and I've had the pleasure of photographing little Brecken here many times. As you can see, he's handsome and funny - such a little man, don't ya think?

Well, I'm over-the-moon excited that they are adding a little lady to their family later this month! I can not wait to meet her! Brecken will be such a good big brother, and Mandee and Jason are already completely smitten with this little lady. And who wouldn't be? I'm so glad they get to experience the joy that is a little girl!

Jason, Mandee & Brecken, thanks so much for letting me snap a few images for you guys. Can't wait to meet baby Kensley soon!

A LOVE LIKE THAT

2011-08-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

Some families are amazingly perfect for each other. This is exactly what I thought as I left the Danielson's home. Not only are Eric and Allison in love with each other, they are also crazy in love with their family. From the moment I walked into their home, I could tell that this family was for REAL. Their walls were covered with photos - everything from studio pictures of the kids as babies to snapshots of each of the kids that captured their little personalities so perfectly. Their home was an artful mix of style and family-friendly spaces - there were miniature kitchens next to beautiful crewel embroidery chairs and a swinging bridge off the deck that joined onto the kid's play tower. I could tell, even before I watched them interact, that they were the type of family that loves, pretends, imagines, and plays together . . . and for a brief hour, they invited me in and let me experience this with them all.

Eric, Allison, Hank, Josie, Scout (and Teddy too), thank you for having me into your home. I loved meeting you guys. I love that I walked away loving my family even more simply by experiencing the love, patience, and silliness that you guys so freely shared with each other. And, thank you for letting me play with your kiddos (who really and truly remind me of my own two little ones) and my camera. I hope you enjoy your images.

Love & Light

2011-08-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

They met over a sink. It was college, and Brittanny was a waitress and Michael was a cook. She couldn't quite figure out how to use the fancy commercial faucet, and Michael slid in and saved the day. . . and made her day too.

Matter of fact, I think he's been making her day ever since.

Fast forward to today, and Brittanny and Michael have been married 6 years now and are expecting a beautiful baby girl very soon. I loved photographing these two - still so in love and happy. Michael even braved the 100 degree heat just to get some pictures for his wife and little girl. Already, she has him wrapped around her dainty little fingers.

Brittanny and Michael, thanks so much for letting me be a small part of this experience with you. I have no doubt that you will be amazing parents.

And that whole sink incident about when you met? Well, I'm envisioning many more meetings over a sink - only this time you'll both be giving a cute little girl her baths. Life comes full circle, right?

So fun to meet up with you guys. Hope you love your images!

Happy Birthday, Luke!

2011-08-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

Meet Luke.

What a cutie, right?

We played in the garden with his wagon for a while. Seems like all babies love rocks . . . so that's what we did - we played "Put The Rocks In The Wagon." It's quite a fun game and as soon as Mattel realizes how entertaining it is, they will come out with the sparkly new commercial version.

Luke's turning one soon, so we celebrated with a fun little cake smash. . .

And then we had to wash all that cake off with an oh-so-fun bath in the sink. Forget the cake . . . this boy loved his sink-bath!

Erin, thanks so much for letting me snap some pictures of your baby boy! Hope you love your images. . . Happy Birthday, Little Luke!

FAMILY OF THREE (and a half)

2011-08-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to meet up with this sweet family to snap a few images.

They're pretty cute, right?

And the little fellow up there? Adorable the way he loved to be with his Daddy. . .

And this fellow here? Well, I think he's just happy to be here. :)

Nick, Katie, Spencer and Hail - thanks so much for letting me play with my little camera. I hope you enjoy your images.

LUCKY ME

2011-07-28T18:48:00.001-07:00

Lucky me that I've been able meet some wonderful people all because of this little camera of mine.

Lucky me that I get to witness cute little faces like these (and cute little piggies too) . . .

And these sweet faces too . . .

Lucky me that I get to capture some pretty special moments.

What a treat to meet the Parks family and snap a few images for them!

Yep, Lucky me . . .

BABY GRACE

2011-07-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Well, these quite possibly are my favorite family images of all time.

I think the fact that I've known these two beautiful parents for quite some time has something to do with it. . .

Or maybe, it's that I got to photograph their very first baby . . .

Or it could be that little Grace here is just so adorably cute and sweet.

But, if I'm being honest, it's the adoration that I love the most. I love that LOVE and just oozes from every single fiber of Elizabeth and Nick. Grace is such a beautiful blessing, and I'm so happy that I was able to capture just a fraction of that love with my little camera.

Elizabeth and Nick, she's beautiful, perfect, wonderful, and oh-so-cuddly. You, my friends, are amazing parents. Thanks so much for sharing your time (and your little Grace) with me. I hope you enjoy your images!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCY!

2011-06-23T07:33:00.000-07:00

I got to celebrate this little lady's birthday a few weeks early.

Lucy has an adorable big brother (you can see their previous session HERE) but this session was just about her.

I'm fairly certain she liked all the attention. . .

And the birthday cupcake . . . I'm quite certain she loved the cupcake.

(A fitting end to the end of these photos, huh?)

Happy Birthday little Lucy! Can't believe you are already one year old!

A Playdate with Zoey

2011-05-10T20:10:00.000-07:00

Little Zoey:

Lover of her baby dolls

Biggest Daddy's girl you've ever seen

Light of her parents' lives (and rightfully so)

This was my second time to hang out with Zoey and her parents. She just keeps getting cuter and more fun!

Trent & Layla, Thanks for inviting me over to play with your little lady! Hope you enjoy these images.

Beautiful Senior

2011-04-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

I've been talking to Sam since the beginning of the school year about taking some Senior portraits for her. Well, I'm so glad that none of the other dates ever worked out, because I am over-the-moon excited about how beautiful this session turned out!

First of all, Sam's great - beautiful, laid back, smart, great head-on-her-shoulders kind of gal.

Second of all, we met for a sunset session, and the light . . . oh, the light. It was dreamy.

Thank you, Sam. Thank you for trusting me to take some pictures of you that hopefully aren't too cheesy and that hopefully you and your family will love for many, many years to come.

Best of luck next year in college!

DRAKE and KNOX

2011-04-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

When Lauren asked me to come over and take some pictures of her boys as they were playing, I couldn't have been happier. Candid moments of my kiddos are by far my favorite pictures to look back on, and it makes me happy when someone else appreciates these types of pictures.

And play, they did - such busy boys - baseball, basketball (you should see the form on Drake here!), swings, slides, and even a kite flying adventure (poor tree probably still has a lovely kite ornament on it's lovely branches). No posing from the boys - just lots of fun, playing and giggles. By far, one of my favorite siblings session to date!

Mark & Lauren - thanks for having me over and trusting me to take a few pictures of your fun and adorable boys!

CLAIRE and MAX

2011-04-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

I met these two back when Max was only a few days old. My, how times have changed!

And, guess who just celebrated a birthday? Can you guess how old she is now?

Sweet little Max - he just turned one, and already he's such a little man.

Mike & Amy, thanks so much for letting me come over and play with your munchkins again!

CHANGES ARE A-COMIN'

2011-04-16T16:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I have some fabulous families and people to blog about, and when life slows for just a few minutes, I will get around to it . . . I promise. Another thing you will soon notice (along with those new posts) is that I'm working on changing my logo, etc. If you are a facebook fan, you will notice a distinct different between the branding on this blog and my facebook page. Well, eventually, this blog will look a lot like the facebook page, so expect some changes around here in the near future! In the meantime, I hope to be back blogging soon! Thanks to all of you who leave encouraging words and comments. It truly makes my day!

LITTLE ELIZABETH

2011-03-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

I've known Elizabeth's mom for many years. I was beyond excited to find out she was pregnant, and even more excited to finally meet cute little Elizabeth. What a doll!

I love that little Popeye face she's making top right. :)

Shannon, she's a keeper for sure! Thanks for bringing Elizabeth over to play with me and my camera!

WHAT A WAY TO START A NEW YEAR!

2011-02-06T12:34:00.000-08:00

Well . . . (*yawn* - arms stretching above head) . . . I thoroughly enjoyed my holiday with my family. It was nice to take a little break and concentrate on my family over the holiday season. For those of you who are still out there and following this blog . . . thanks. I know I've been M.I.A. over the past few months, but hang in there, and I hope to bring you lots of lovely eye candy over the next year!

So what a way to start the New Year - two cute kiddos and a fun family to boot! A little background about our session: My friend Cimmeron had the most beautiful baby girl 5 months ago. My intention was to take newborn pictures of little Miss Emmy, but between the holidays and sickness and life, it just didn't happen. So, here is Miss Emmy's long awaited debut on the blog . . . Oh, and a few of her handsome older brother as well!

Well . . .I TOLD you she was beautiful.

And what a great big brother, right? We have this book at our house too. And of course, I had to get some feet picture - I just love little toes!

And again . . .I TOLD you he was handsome.

I love in the above image how they are both doing the same thing - just smiling with their fingers in their mouths. . . You see the resemblance, right?

Shane, Cimmeron, Landon & Emmy, thanks so much for letting me come over and play with my camera (and the kids). It was so nice to meet such a perfect little addition to your family!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2010-12-19T07:02:00.000-08:00

This year sure has been a fun one!

Thank you to each of you that offered words of encouragement, left nice comments for me, or let me play with my camera.

I hope you all have a wonderful, wonderful holiday!

I'm taking a break here for a bit to spend some time with my family during the holidays. I hope to see you back here in 2011!

SECRETS AND SIX-YEAR-OLDS

2010-11-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

These sweet siblings got together to take some "surprise" Christmas pictures for their parents. Not wanting to ruin the surprise, I asked Lori if I could post these pictures now or wait until after Christmas . . . guess Robert already told his parents about their pictures, so I'm not the one spilling the beans on this one . . . so much for asking a six-year-old to keep a secret, right?

Lori, Cherise & Robert, thanks so much for letting me snap a few pictures of you guys. What a special and loving bond you guys have. I hope you and your parents enjoy your images.

LITTLE CHARLIE-BUG

2010-11-02T08:59:00.001-07:00

She goes by many names - Charlotte, Charlie, Charlie-Bug . . .

I happen to be partial to Charlie-Bug.

Oh, Little Charlie-Bug, . . . you are such a cute and sassy thing!

Patrick, Sam & Charlie, thanks for letting me play with you guys and my camera. I hope you enjoy your images!

PARENTHOOD LOOKS GOOD ON YOU

2010-10-30T04:07:00.000-07:00

Jason & Mandee, parenthood looks good on you two . . .

Oh, and that boy you have there (and I may have said this a time or two before) . . . he's adorable.

I love, love, LOVE that middle left picture up there. I love that Jason and Brecken are doing their own thing and Mandee is looking at me with such a great expression . . . as if to say, "Yeah, I love them and I'm one lucky and happy lady."

Yes . . . yes you are.

Jason, Mandee and Brecken - thanks for being so easy on my camera. I love the light in these photos and how they all turned out. I hope you guys love your images as much as I do!

CRITTERS, COOLNESS, & A TOUCH OF CUTE

2010-10-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

This family was all-around great . . . from the cold-blooded critters to the warm-hearted humans. I really enjoyed spending my afternoon with these guys.

Trey, Heather, Mo and Parker, thanks so much for letting me into your life for a few hours last weekend. I hope you enjoy your images.

A Little Sneak-Peek

2010-10-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Just one single, solitary picture of a very cool guy.

Heather, I'm loving these, and I'm sure you will too!

More of this guy and his equally cool family to come soon . . .

JACK & LUCY

2010-10-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

I spent a morning soaking up all the fun that is Jack and all the cuteness that is his baby sister, Lucy.

We played, and laughed, and made silly faces, and giggled, and then played some more.

Jack: 4 years old.

Lucy: 3 months old.

Jack + Lucy = Best buddies forever.

Now, what could be cuter than a giggly, smiling baby and a doting big brother?

Not a thing, I tell 'ya - not one thing!

Jason and Dawn - thanks for having me over to hang out with you guys and play with your beautiful children! Hope you enjoy your images!

"MY BABY"

2010-09-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

I first met Max when he was 9 days old. At that time, his big sister was busy telling me that Max was "her baby." Actually, I think her exact words were, " MY baby," but I think you get the drift.

Well, Max is 5 months old now, and goodness, what a difference 5 months can make! Who once was a sleepy, pliable newborn is now a cute little man who's smile is contagious and who's giggles are adorable.

As for Claire, well, she still tells me that Max is "MY baby," so I guess that means they are getting along just fine. I've decided that when Claire has her hands around her mouth like this, that THIS is her signature pose. Maybe I've just been watching too many America's Next Top Model marathons on the weekend, but this is my second time to photograph Claire, and she did this at her last session . . . and both of those "hands around the mouth" poses happen to be some of my favorite images of her. Work it, Girl . . . Work it . . .

And I love the interaction between these two munchkins. Claire loves little Max, and really, honestly and truly believes he is "MY baby." I love that, and I'm quite sure that Max doesn't mind one little bit. He seemed quite comfortable being the center of her attention.

Mike, Amy, Claire, and Max - Thank you for letting me snap a few pictures of you guys! Hope you enjoy!

ENJOY THE MAGIC

2010-09-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the Magic of Miss Sophie

She can be angelic at times (mildly, according to her mother). She loves her pet hamster here . . . also known as "Squeaky-the-Pig."

She had a little expression for almost any occasion. Excitement, Frustration, Joy . . . she went through them all in the hour that we spent together.

As you can see, she can be quite animated.

One thing is for sure though. . .

She is deeply, madly, and truly loved by these two here. . .

And I'm fairly certain that the feeling is mutual.

Katie, Eric and Sophie . . . thanks so much for letting me come hang out with you guys and play with my camera. Little Sophie truly is magic. I hope you enjoy your images as much as I enjoyed taking them!

TEAM GRANDPA BOB

2010-09-04T20:44:00.000-07:00

There is just one thing I want say to Grandpa Bob:

You, Sir, are well loved.

And really, isn't that all we need in this world?

It was such a pleasure for me to hang out with Grandpa Bob here and his family. His grand kids, and kids, and mom and siblings . . . all of us, hanging out at his sister's farm and just enjoying being around each other. It was a wonderful few hours for me and a day that I hope Grandpa Bob remembers for a very, very, VERY long time.

Oh, and there's one more thing I want to say to Grandpa Bob:

You, Sir, are in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for sharing a bit of your day and life with me.I wish you the best, and I hope you all enjoy your images!

HELLO WORLD!

2010-08-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

Meet Miss Berkley.

Can't you just imagine her opening those eyes and saying, "Why, Hello World . . . " (I love that one little sleepy eye)

She's about 3 weeks old in these pictures. She was born about a month early, so I think she's a perfect little newborn still.

I'm sure her mom and dad and brother agree with me.

Congratulations Adam, Stephanie and Ryder. She's perfect in every way, and I'm so glad I got to come over and cuddle her!

Play Time

2010-08-20T09:05:00.001-07:00

The first time I met these boys, little Knox was only 6 days old . . . my how he's grown. He's 6 months old now and his big brother Drake is 3. Time flies by, but these two were as cute and fun as ever. We met in the park in some 100 degree heat, but no one really seemed to mind. We just let the kids do what kids do, and had a good time playing.

Drake decided he wanted to build a rock castle . . .

We let him.

Knox decided he was going to go-to-town on this toy . . .

We let him.

Drake thought it would be fun to give Knox a few kisses. . .

It was (well, for the most part - scroll down to see the last image).

And Knox thought it would be fun to get kisses from his momma . . .

Clearly, it was.

I left smiling and thinking how lucky I was to capture this happy family.

Mark, Lauren, Drake & Knox, thanks so much for inviting me into your life for a bit. Hope you enjoy your images.

And just one more . . . an "out-take" of sorts . . . because it's not ALWAYS fun to get a kiss or hug from a sibling . . . this one just made me laugh, so I thought I'd share. :)

You're smiling now, right?

Have a great weekend!

SOON TO BE . . .

2010-08-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

A party of 4!

How wonderful to be in the final stages of pregnancy and awaiting you new little one with excitement! These are just a few images of this cute family while they are still a party of 3.

Here is soon-to-be big brother Cruz.

Handsome, don't you think? I think these serious looks that kiddos will give me are some of my favorites. They seem so simple and unscripted and just pure, and that really appeals to me . . . . I feel like I can look into his little mind because he's staring so intently at the camera.

And this image here . . . well, it was my favorite of the day. I love to see the connection that parents have with their children, and when I capture it on camera, then my heart smiles a little.

Katie, Greg and Cruz, thanks for meeting me on such a hot day and being such troopers as we walked around Union Station (before I knew you were 9 months pregnant . . . you look amazing!)

I hope you enjoy your images!

A Cute Little Family

2010-07-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

I love when people don't pay any attention to me or my camera and just let me capture them being themselves. And this image here, well . . . it was a real treat for me to capture. I love this. It was my favorite image of the day. What a great family moment, don't ya think?

And who can resist a little cutie like this? Don't you wonder what he's up to? What's running through his mind? This expression makes me think he's 50% sweetness and 50% up-to-something.

And really, family is the best isn't it? Such a sweet little moment. I love how Mandee and Jason are walking in sync, and little Brecken here is one step ahead of them and marching to his own little beat. Such a perfect toddler moment.

And this image . . . well, he's just so serious, and often times, it's the serious kiddo shots that move me the most when I'm processing images. I love everything about this photo - the serious expression, the parent's hands holding his tiny fingers, those piercing eyes . . .

OK, are you sick of me saying how much I "love" everything about these images?

Seriously though, Jason, Mandee and Brecken are friends of mine. Jason and I are both photo-enthusiasts, so we decided to meet up in the park and take pictures of each others' families. It's really too bad that we picked what was arguably the hottest and most humid day of the year to meet. We spent about 15 minutes taking pictures(after waiting 10 minutes for our lenses to defog) and 30 minutes wiping sweat from our faces . . . Eek! Even with all that though, I am loving my pictures that Jason took, and I hope to post those on my family blog very soon.

Jason, Mandee and Brecken . . . it was great to see you guys again. Next time (and there WILL be a next time) I'm hoping for cooler weather and a better hair day! :) Hope you love these pictures of your sweet family!

MISS NOA

2010-07-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

Meet little Miss Noa.

Noa loves her Mommy very much. And her Mommy loves Noa very much.

Witnessing these two was such a treat for me . . . full of lots of laughs, sweet little moments and a lot of adoration. I love that I was able to capture just a few of these little moments for Noa's Mommy.

Paige, thank you for letting me hang out with you guys last weekend. You and Noa have such a wonderful bond, and I'm honored I got to witness that with you all.

CAPTURING THE EVERYDAY

2010-07-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

There was no special reason for this session. Zoey's mom just asked me to come over and snap a few pictures. I love that . . . no agenda . . . no stress. I love all those little everyday things like eating breakfast, playing with the dog (isn't Kip here handsome?), swinging in her swing, and cuddling with mom and dad. The beauty of EVERYDAY is that it's not always about the perfect smile or the perfect pose, and THAT is what I think Zoey's parents will treasure always . . . the simple & beautiful EVERYDAY.

And little Zoey isn't only a beauty, but was such a laid back and calm little one. I couldn't have asked for a better munchkin.

Thanks Trent, Layla, Zoey & Kip for inviting me into your home and allowing me to capture your EVERYDAY.

I CAN'T WAIT . . .

2010-06-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

. . . to introduce you to this little angel.

More pictures of this beautiful girl to come soon!

LANDON

2010-06-29T18:21:00.000-07:00

This is a boy after my own heart . . . he reminds me of my little guy - not only with his fair skin and blue eyes, but also his LOVE of monster trucks! Peas-in-a-Pod those two could be!

Landon here is expecting a little sister in a few months. He's gonna call her Emmy, and I'm sure he will be a perfect doting big brother. I can't wait to meet her and capture them together!

Oh, and just for fun, I thought I'd include this series of pictures. Landon got to the bottom of the slide, looked up and me and then threw his head back and laughed and laughed. It was perfect!

Shane, Cimmeron, and Landon, thanks so much for letting me capture your family! It was so good to see you all.

JACKSON: PART DEUX

2010-06-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

Remember little cutie Jackson from here and here?

Well, he's back for more pictures!

And this time he brought his Daddy.

I'm loving the LOVE!

There's just something special about a little one and his Daddy. It makes me swoon . . . and smile.

We did this session a few weeks before Father's Day, and I can think of no better way to capture that wonderful bond. And I do have to say that I'm not EVEN close to being a Georgia fan, but he sure is a cutie in his Daddy's hat!

Tiffany, once again, thanks so much for letting me play with your beautiful baby boy!

LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO . . .

2010-05-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

Mr. CORBIN.

He's a happy little guy that just adores his Mom and Dad.

And Notre Dame.

He adores Notre Dame.

Or he WILL adore Notre Dame if Dad's family has anything to do with it. . . .

(can you believe that little letterman's sweater was his Daddy's when he was a little tyke?)

Katie and Chris, thanks so much for inviting me over to play with your little guy. He's just adorable. I hope you love these images!

OH, THAT SMILE . . .

2010-05-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

Here's another little dude that I met recently:

A formal introduction will come soon!

EXCUSE ME, MA'AM. . .

2010-04-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help but notice . . .

and had to let you know . . .

that you've got one super cute kiddo there.

Although, I'm sure you already know this!

Seriously though, people have GOT to stop you and tell you this ALL.THE.TIME.

Jackson is one handsome and happy dude.

And Tiffany, thank you so much for letting me play with my camera! It was so nice to meet you and Christopher and little Jackson. I hope you love these images!

LITTLE MAX at 9-DAYS-OLD

2010-04-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

Meet little Max.

Please forgive me, but I've got a thing for baby feet. I love them. . .

Max belongs my friends Amy and Mike.

Oh, and he also belongs to Claire. Max most definitely belongs to Claire.

She's the older, more-experienced, gonna-show-Max-the-ropes big sister.

She tells me in the above picture that "her baby" (referring to Max, of course) is "teeny-tiny like this" . . . . only she says it "TEEEEEEEEEEEENY-tiny, like THEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS" . . . how adorable is that?

Congratulations Mike, Amy and Claire! Max is one adorable little man. I can't wait to watch him grow!

A SNEAK PEEK FOR TIFFANY

2010-04-20T19:48:00.001-07:00

Here's another little cutie that I met this weekend.

I know his Momma REALLY wants to see some pics, so I thought I'd post these tonight.

He's adorable Tiffany! You're gonna LOVE the rest of these!

Take a Look . . .

2010-04-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

. . . at who I got to cuddle this weekend.

I can't wait to introduce this handsome young man to you, but for now, just a little peek for his parents.

Drake & Knox

2010-02-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

Newborns are such sweet, peaceful little things. They make me want to cuddle and kiss and coo.

Especially when they are as cute as this chunky little fella here.

Meet Knox.

He's 6-days-old, and such a handsome little dude already.

Sleepy babies make me want to cuddle and kiss and . . . . well, I think I've already said that.

Meet Drake.

He's the 2 1/2 year old big brother who seems to be oh-so-proud of his new little buddy.

I think Drake is probably thinking "Yep, He's mine . . . we're gonna be great friends and playmates." OR . . . he could be thinking, "Touch my toys, and you'll pay, kiddo." It's hard to translate emotions.

These two were such a joy to photograph. Thanks Lauren and Mark for the opportunity. Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful little Knox and I wish you much happiness as you begin your new lives together as a family of four.

Six-Day-Old Sweetness

2010-02-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

Look who I got to hang out with this past weekend. . .

I'm a very lucky girl.

More of this handsome little fella to come soon.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Holiday Season.

I'm taking a little break from this blog for the holidays. Hopefully, I'll have many more fun pictures here in 2010.

See you next year!

People & Pups

2009-12-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

Meet Michael and Brittanny.

Gorgeous, right?

They've got two little fur-babies that are awfully cute too . . . That big strong one is Jake and the fluffy little white one is Winston. (Shhhh . . . Don't tell Winston he's little - he won't believe you. )

Photography Lesson of the Day: Don't use string cheese (or any other edible goody) to get the attention of dogs for the camera after they've just driven a while in the car. They will only spit it back up . . . along with some other stuff . . . probably in their owner's car . . . probably. . . . :)

Brittanny and Michael, Thank you so much for your flexibility, and patience, and letting me play with my camera! Hope you enjoy your pictures!

BROS

2009-12-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

These boys belong to my friend Christine. Here they are decked in their winter's warmest.

Meet ROSS.

Meet JACKSON.

Meet ELI.

Although I had nothing to do with the purchase of those trapper hats, I did read in a fashion magazine that they will be all the rage this winter. Kudos to Christine for having the fashion foresight to pick those out. And boys, when you read this when you are 20, please know that although I think you look adorable, I had nothing to do with making you wear them. :)

These boys love sports. They brought bats (in special boxes to protect them I might add), and fishing poles and their jerseys for a little game of football.

Oh, these silly boys . . . I just don't know how Christine can keep a straight face around them. They had me cracking up the whole time I was snapping away.

Thanks so much for letting me play! I had a great time with you guys!

The Point of No Return

2009-11-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

I love that I'm just starting out in this field. It allows for a pretty steep learning curve.

I love that I learn something new each time I snap pictures.

For instance, taking group photos of kids is tricky. . . and hard.

Here's my first attempt:

OK, if I could just get his attention, and maybe the baby's attention. . . .

Going . . .

Going . . .

GONE!

It's the point of no return. I'm afraid I've lost them forever. Hopefully their moms will get a chuckle out of these photos.

And guys, thanks for letting me learn!

More of these handsome boys soon!

MAELEE - The Cutest Little Flower

2009-11-29T19:19:00.000-08:00

Maelee. Cute little Maelee.

I happen to think this is one adorable little flower. Yes, I realize she is wearing a big flower on her head, but I'm talking about the cute little kiddo under the flower.

Mommy kisses are the best!

There's just something about a baby with no hair. I love it. Makes me want to rub and kiss the top of their little head all the time.

Amanda, thanks for letting me play and snap these photos. I hope you like them!

Reflections

2009-11-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

This is Maelee. She's one-year-old and oh-so-cute. I will be posting some more cute pictures of her soon. I was editing her images tonight and came across this reflection in her right eye.

I just love a picture-in-a-picture, so I thought I'd post. That is her mom, Amanda, looking at her as she gets her picture taken by me (with the awkward arms). Be careful parents! You never know if you are going to end up captured in a photo.

Now, I'm off to go practice my "photographer's stance" by trying to hold my arms in a little closer to my body! :)

Telling Tales

2009-11-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

I did not take these pictures. My good friend Christina took these pictures. They are pictures of her son, and I think they are adorable. She asked me do a few Photoshop edits on these, so I thought I'd post a few.

This is Luke. He's an Egyptian Prince.

He's an Egyptian Prince that lives in Washington.

No, not Forks, Washington. He is not a vampire.

He isn't even one of those "eternal children," nor is he a half-vampire-half-human, nor is he really an Egyptian Prince. I can only assume Christina wouldn't still be working if the latter part of that sentence was really true.

He's just cute little Luke that likes to play in the leaves while his parents take pictures of him. . . and although I've never met him face-to-face, I love him.

I'm hoping that I can meet him soon so I can pinch his little cheeks and hug his sweet momma.

Christina - love and miss you girl! I knew you would appreciate the Twilight references. . . . :)

Carson & Trevor

2009-11-18T19:36:00.000-08:00

This is the second time I've gotten to take pictures of these two guys.
I just gotta say . . . TWINS ROCK!

Meet Carson.

Meet Trevor.

They can be quite serious . . .

Or very, very silly (my favorite photo). . .

But ALWAYS very loved . . .

Always.

The CUTEST and the COOLEST

2009-11-13T19:41:00.001-08:00

Could there be anything in this world better than a cute, happy baby girl?

How about a SUPER COOL big brother (it gets better . . .) . . .

who absolutely ADORES her?

Tim, Kate, Jake and Ashlynn, thank you all so much for letting me snap these pictures!

Hope you like them!

Pretty People

2009-11-13T19:27:00.000-08:00

It's so nice to have pretty friends.

They make beautiful photos, and make taking pictures of them very easy.

Sarah, thanks for letting me snap these of you and Brandon.

Megan & Lee . . . .

2009-11-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

Sittin' in a tree . . .

K . I . S . S . I . N . G . . .

Thanks guys for letting me take your pictures.

Thanks for making out in front of me and my camera.

Thanks for looking and being fabulous - these images were so much fun to edit.

Oh, and congratulations on your engagement. So glad I got to share in this small part of a lifetime of happiness with you!

ANOTHER FOR MEGAN

2009-11-05T19:12:00.000-08:00

I know I should wait until I'm finished editing every photo from this session before I post, but I can't help it . . .

These are all turning out SO GOOD! Here's one more for you, Megan.

Can you feel the heat coming off this image? Seriously, you two. . . . get a room!

A SNEAK PEEK FOR MEGAN

2009-11-03T18:57:00.000-08:00

Here's one of the photos that I edited earlier tonight, and I just wanted to share.

Megan, these are turning out beautifully. I think you guys are gonna LOVE them.

More to come!

Little Mr. BRECKEN

2009-10-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

Look at this adorable little guy.

Look at those cutie blue eyes.

Look at those chubby wittle cheeks and pouty wittle mouth.

His name is Brecken, but I'm sure his parents wouldn't mind if you just wanted to call him Cuteness. I'm sure they probably do it all the time.

How could you not?

Happy Fall!

2009-10-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't taken any pictures lately of anyone else's kiddos, so rather than let you think I have forgotten about this blog, I thought I'd post another picture of my little ones - running, playing and enjoying this fall day!

Again, more texture on this photo. It's fun and addictive!

My First OFFICIAL Post!

2009-09-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yay! It's finally up and running. I'm still ironing out some details of this blog, so please bear with me! This is my first official post, and I'm excited to say that these two munchkins belong to me! What a way to kick-off my new Photo Blog site!

I've been experimenting with some textures and photo overlays (kinda like adding a transparancy color over an image), and I have to say, I love how these turned out.

Hopefully this will be the first of many, many more photos to come, so come back and visit anytime!!

Frequently Asked Questions

2006-09-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Where is your studio?
It's wherever I happen to find myself with my camera. I consider myself to be an "on-location" photographer (that's code for: I have no formal studio). Mainly, I just want to photograph people having a good time, so whether that's in your home, the park, the putt-putt golf range . . . wherever, I'm up for it!

What's the best time for a session?
Photography is a hobby of mine, and until it becomes something more, I have to work around my full time work schedule. Since I like to work with natural lighting, I'm pretty limited to daylight hours. Early morning light is beautiful in photos - as is end of the day light. If shooting indoors, a bright sunny day and a few good windows would do the trick!

When should I schedule?
Maternity sessions will look best a few months before your actual due date.
Newborn sessions are so beautiful when you can catch the little guys in the first few weeks of life.
Children's sessions should be worked around their naps, snacks, meals . . . whenever you think your little ones are happiest.

What do I wear?
Really, anything you like. You should be comfortable, so if that's not your Sunday's finest, then by all means, don't wear it!

When will I see my pictures?
I usually post some pictures to my Photo Blog before I've completed the editing process. I USUALLY complete the editing process within 2-3 weeks and will have a CD for you at that time. Why so long? Again, it's my hobby, and I love it, but it takes time for me to edit the way I like. Since I'm limited to nights and weekends, I'm limited to the amount of time I get to play on my computer.

What equipment do you use?
I have a Canon Rebel XTi. I bought it in 2007 before my son was born. I love it, but dream of the day when I can have a "real" professional camera. I have 3 lenses that I love to use - a zoom lens (24-70mm), a wide angle fisheye lens (15mm), and a 50mm prime lens that I love for portraits. I use Photoshop CS4 to edit every picture, and I use a community version of Noiseware on most of my images. I recently aquired a lovely Nikon F4 film camera with a few nice lenses. I'm looking forward to learning film and hope to share some of those images on this blog soon.

COMING SOON!!!

2006-09-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

Please be patient with me.

This site is under construction.

My PHOTO BLOG Design

2006-09-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

This original blog design was created by Rita from Coffeeshop. She is wonderful and easy to work with. She took all my suggestions and doodles, and made them official on this blog. Visit her blog and browse around. She has a lot of Blogger tutorials, photoshop actions and templates, and wonderful photography tutorials. Be sure to check her out!

The font on my header and in my Post Titles was created by Kevin and Amanda. They have a TON of lovely fonts on their blog with instructions for how to use them in your blog. Be sure to check them out!

I recenly changed my blogsite around, and using Rita's helpful hints, I was able to do all of the changes myself. It's still a work in progress, so please bear with me while I figure things out!

Contact Me

2006-09-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

See something you like? Let's chat about it!

Feel free to contact me through my email listed below, or leave me a comment on any of my posts.

marla.dekeyser.photo@hotmail.com

My Style

2006-09-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Casual. Fun. Easy. Classic. Colorful. Relaxed. Real.

My style is constantly evolving, but I strive to capture personality and details in every photograph. I use natural lighting and hope to preserve a memory - a moment in time. I hope to capture something that when looked back on in twenty years, will make you smile and remember. . .

About Marla

2006-09-26T12:05:00.000-07:00

I'm located in Kansas City with my husband and two children.

Photography is a hobby that I'm excited about and love. I enjoy capturing emotions in a photograph. I hope to preserve all the little moments that as a mom I don't ever want to forget. I strive to make my photography better every day, and I hope to use this site to document my photographic journey.

Welcome to my PhotoBlog Site, and thanks for stopping by!