Imago Photography

Come on Over...

2012-02-15T14:39:00.004-05:00

Hello, blog followers.

I so appreciate you checking in here

to keep up with my photography work.

In an effort to simplify, I've condensed my blogs

in to one official site for all of my posts,

including Imago photography sneak peaks and announcements.

Please come on over and follow me at my new location:

veryeasilyinspired.blogspot.com

Just Jess.

2012-01-30T16:17:00.006-05:00

This here is my friend Jessica.

She is crazy beautiful.

Did I mention she was crazy?

As in balls of fun, spontaneous, and delightful?

It's one of my favorite things about her.

Did I mention that she was bee-you-tee-ful?

I mean geesh.

Just look at her.

Thanks for being an always willing muse,

my as-pretty-on-the-inside-

as-you-are-on-the-outside friend. :)

Joel + Melody

2012-01-30T11:48:00.005-05:00

This sweet couple is getting married!

It was so much fun to be inspired by their young love,

& their willingness to ham it up, be themselves

and have fun in front of the camera.

You made my job easy!

All the best to you Joel & Melody.

It's A....

2012-01-09T20:22:00.005-05:00

They say that imitation is

the highest form of flattery.

So, somewhere in Pinterest land,

someone should be very flattered...

Lesley found this AWESOME Pinterest-inspired idea

to reveal the gender of their new little lamb

during our photo shoot.

They were so patient,

leaving a sealed envelope on their fridge for a WEEK

in order to keep the surprise until this moment...

I was stoked and almost as excited as the parents-to-be!

Looks like big sister Sarah will be joined

by a new little SISTER.

There's a baby girl in that bump!

Thanks L family for letting me be a part of such a special surprise!

She Said Yes!!!

2012-01-09T14:04:00.018-05:00

On New Year's Eve,

I was privileged to be a part of something

very spectacular.

Sweet guy Michael decided to ask the beautiful Kristie

to be his wife.

And I hid in the bushes

and captured her response.

I was working undercover, folks.

It.

was.

awesome.

Now, that's a way to end a year!

Congrats to the happy couple!

Cannon's Big Day!

2012-01-09T14:04:00.016-05:00

This precious little guy is Cannon.

You wouldn't know it,

but he was the one that was taking up

the space in momma's belly this past summer.

He showed up to his baptism

IN A KILT!

Melt my American heart.

His beautiful Momma hails from Scotland,

so he channelled his roots

and was stylin' for this oh-so-special occasion.

Welcome to the Kingdom sweet boy!

The B Family

2012-01-09T14:04:00.015-05:00

Meet the B Family.

Cathy and her "boys" were a ball of fun

on an early morning shoot at Leu Gardens.

This little guy just turned one...

Happy Birthday Owen!

And here's Carter, the proud big brother.

Wishing you love

and sunshine

in 2012.

The W Family Take #2

2011-12-08T20:57:00.005-05:00

I'm thrilled to bits

to welcome back the W family.

Since our time together last year,

they have added this little man to their crew.

Cutie, right?

I love the thought of being your "family photographer."

Getting to watch kids and families grow.

What an honor.

And just for fun, I'd like to show you

what the majority of family shots

end up looking like.

Only 2 of 5 looking at the camera, or

person A distracted by trying to make

person B look at the camera.

(person B looking perfect btw.)

But, alas...

It's nothing a little persistence and photoshop can't fix.

{Sweet Jules has got many other killer faces too.

Man, I love her spunk!}

And before I digress further,

here's the rest of the W family's mini-sesh preview.

Thanks for the privilege of working with your lovely family. :)

Sweet Baby Girls

2011-12-07T15:36:00.005-05:00

World, meet baby Aislin.

And her "big sister" Reagan.

These little cuties are just a little more

than a year apart.

And equally scrumptious.

Feast your eyes on the baby preciousness!

Courtney's Mini-Sesh.

2011-11-27T17:56:00.006-05:00

Courtney had the GREAT IDEA

to gift Grandpa with some special photos of his offspring.

We had lots of fun and came up with some lovely shots.

Wouldn't you agree?

Hope Grandpa is tickled pink!

{PHOTO 1}

{PHOTO 2}

{PHOTO 3}

{PHOTO 4}

{PHOTO 5}

{PHOTO 6}

{PHOTO 7}

{PHOTO 8}

{PHOTO 9}

{PHOTO 10}

{PHOTO 11}

Which photo is your fave?

Leave a comment below to help these folks

earn free portraits.

The C Family

2011-11-27T16:44:00.007-05:00

To celebrate 15 years of marriage,

Barbara had family portraits done.

Happy Anniversary Mr. & Mrs. C!

Hope that you love your first ever fancy family shots. : { )

{PHOTO 1}

{PHOTO 2}

{PHOTO 3}

{PHOTO 4}

{PHOTO 5}

{PHOTO 6}

{PHOTO 7}

{PHOTO 8}

{PHOTO 9}

{PHOTO 10}

{PHOTO 11}

{PHOTO 12}

{PHOTO 13}

{PHOTO 14}

Blessings for many more years of love and peace. :)

Which photo is your fave?

Leave a comment below to help these folks

earn free portraits.

Lisa's Mini-Sesh.

2011-11-27T11:16:00.006-05:00

Prepare yourselves for these handsome boys.

Melt my heart to smitherines....

{PHOTO 1}

{PHOTO 2}

{PHOTO 3}

{PHOTO 4}

{PHOTO 5}

{PHOTO 6}

{PHOTO 7}

{PHOTO 8}

{PHOTO 9}

Which photo is your fave?

Leave a comment below to help these folks

earn free portraits.

First Mini-Sesh of the Season.

2011-11-27T11:07:00.005-05:00

'Tis my first preview of mini-sessions

for this year's holiday season.

I'm having so much fun

getting time with these great families

in front of my lens.

Meet Ginger and family.

There ain't nothin' better than a thick

North Carolina accent, folks.

And the sweet, hospitable personalities to match.

This was Ginger's gift to her sis this year.

What a GREAT IDEA!!!

Thanks for the pleasure of hanging with your peeps!

{PHOTO 1}

{PHOTO 2}

{PHOTO 3}

{PHOTO 4}

{PHOTO 5}

{PHOTO 6}

Which photo is your fave?

Leave a comment below to help these folks

earn free portraits.

It's Time for Holiday Mini-Shoots!

2011-11-04T14:40:00.008-04:00

It's hard to believe it folks,

but Christmas is just 7 short weeks away.

That means it's time to schedule a

HOLIDAY MINI-SESH

to get portraits that will sprinkle cheer all over the place.

Imago's holiday mini-sessions will include:

*a 30 minute outdoor shoot at one of 3 designated spots

*creative post-processing of your images

*8-10 images on CD for you to keep

*a free 8x10 print of your choice

All for $100 buckaroos.

Oh holy night, that's a great deal!

--------------------------

*THIS AWESOME DEAL IS ONLY IN EFFECT

FOR PRE-SCHEDULED MINI-SESSION DATES.

IF THERE'S ENOUGH INTEREST,

A FEW MORE LAST MINUTE SESSIONS

MAY BE SCHEDULED.

EMAIL IF INTERESTED...

SEE WEBSITE FOR STANDARD PRICING.

www.imagophotography.net

I Picked A Winner!

2011-10-22T08:23:00.002-04:00

Drum roll please.........

The winner of the Anniversary Giveaway is....

*****************Lindzee Folgate*****************

Congratulations to you Lindzee who said:

"I would use this free mini photo session to showcase our FIRST Holiday/Christmas photos as a family of 3 (our son is 8 months). Here's to hoping we WIN:)"

Well girl, hope is a good thing! And it paid off for you!! Looking forward to providing these special photos for you. Shoot me an email at melonie@imagophotography.net so that we can get you scheduled. :)

Giveaway extended til Friday!

2011-10-17T19:38:00.004-04:00

It's good news for you if you haven't entered yet!

It's bad news for you if you are anxious

to find out if you are the winner.

I've been super busy lately sewing flapper and mermaid costumes,

and doing my first photo booth, etc.

and want to give the contest a little more time

for me to market and spread the word.

So that means that I will pick the winner

this Friday, October 21st at 8pm instead.

So, if you've been a slacker, sign up!

Go HERE for all of the details and to leave your comment.

And HERE to learn how to enter up to 5 times.

And until Friday, enjoy this preview of fall weather.

Happy week to you.

Second way to enter for the giveaway!

2011-10-10T15:14:00.004-04:00

If you are coming over to learn about

all of details for my anniversary giveaway,

please click HERE.

If you'd like to increase your chances of winning

the free MINI-PHOTO shoot,

then please help me to spread the word

about my photography business by emailing your

friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and/or family,

that might be interested in my services.

Please include the following in your email:

1.) my website address: www.imagophotography.net

{which has a link to my blog, facebook fan page, and website}

2.) copy me in to the email {melonie@imagophotography.net}

so that I can keep a tally of your giveaway contest entries.

3.) and if you are feeling extra kind and want to share,

refer them to my blog so that they too can enter for the giveaway. :)

{http://myimagophotography.blogspot.com}

Each person may have a total of up to 5 entries for this giveaway.

Which means that if you've entered on the blog or facebook,

then email 20 friends (for a total of 4 more entries)

and you've got your 5.

If you didn't enter on the blog or facebook,

then email 25 friends for your 5 chances.

Okay? Okay.

Thanks for your help in spreading the word.

Can't wait to pick a winner. :)

Anniversary Giveaway!

2011-10-07T15:38:00.007-04:00

OK peeps, it's time for the next big giveaway.

In my last post, I shared that it was

Imago's Photogiversary.

That's right, it's been

ONE YEAR

since the picture-taking fun began.

What better way to celebrate than to do a

MINI-SHOOT GIVEAWAY!

This prize comes just in time for the holiday season.

Just think of how you could use your new photos of

you, your family, and/or your kiddies for Christmas time joy.

Here's what one lucky winner will receive:

*a free mini-session for up to 5 people

(30-45 minutes working your magic for the camera

in a lovely location of your choice)

*8-10 creatively edited, high-resolution images on CD

(with permission to print)

So, want a chance to win this bad boy?

All you need to do is comment on this blog

or on Imago's facebook page with how you would use

your FREE PHOTO images.

Boudoir session for the honey?

Calendar gift for grandma?

Gallery prints of the family?

The possibilities are practically endless.

FINE PRINT:

The winner will be drawn at random on Friday, October 21st at 8pm.

Free session will need to be booked and completed by Nov. 15th

to ensure timely delivery for the holiday season.

If you are having trouble or can't comment on either facebook

or this blog, then shoot me an email with your response over at

melonie@imagophotography.net.

One total entry only please through

the facebook and blog methods.

Stay tuned for another way to get entered

in the giveaway contest up to 5 times!

It's My Photogiversary!

2011-10-05T15:33:00.003-04:00

ok folks~

it brings me great joy to share that today is my

ONE YEAR PHOTOGIVERSARY!!!!!

What is a photogiversary, you might ask?

It's the anniversary of the day that I took a risk

by putting myself out there as being for hire with my camera.

It's true.

Exactly one year ago today,

I wrote my first official blog post as a photographer.

{If you are sentimental, you can view that post here

and join me as I look back.}

Soon after, I sent out an email to network

with my network of peeps here in Orlando

and I am overwhelmed with the encouragement

and support that I have received.

So, to you that have "liked" my facebook page,

commented on my blog, hired me for a shoot,

recommended me to your friends,

helped me with the techy world that I still fear,

or offered any kind words at all,

THANK YOU.

I have been so blessed by this new adventure

and by the love and encouragement of my community.

I promise to just keep getting better.

And to always be inspired by this work.

xoxo~

Melonie :)

OMG. How presh.

2011-10-05T09:56:00.004-04:00

If you were to google "precious" and do and image search,

I'm pretty sure that this little bean

would be the first photo that would pop up.

Princess Reagan just had her first birthday.

Besides being royalty, she has killer style.

It just doesn't get any better than this folks.

Sleep strike!

2011-10-05T09:46:00.005-04:00

Here we have the scrumptious little Baby Kaitlyn.

This tyke gave her momma and I a run for our money

by having a sleep strike on the evening of our shoot.

But as you will see, persistence does pay off.

After countless wide awake shots

and several near nodding offs,

this pretty little thing finally passed out.

Being this cute is hard work.

Meet the beautiful Christina!

2011-10-05T09:35:00.004-04:00

I had the privilege of photographing this beauty~beach style.

I was super inspired for this artistic shoot.

So, we pulled out all of the stops!

And I am so excited with our outcome.

World, meet the fabulous Christina, class of 2012.

Weston is a cutie.

2011-10-05T09:29:00.002-04:00

This little man is a mover and a shaker.

And an extreme cutie.

He turned one a few months ago.

And we froze his cuteness in time to celebrate.

It's true...they really do grow up too fast.

Debbie & Mark got married!

2011-10-05T09:23:00.003-04:00

Join me in offering a big congratulations to Debbie & Mark.

Here's a preview of their nuptials.

All the best to you Mr. & Mrs. Rupert & family!

Helene celebrates the big 8-0!

2011-08-15T13:49:00.005-04:00

In my other job as an occupational therapist,

I have the privilege of working with the elderly.

It's a joy to be with older folks

glean from their wisdom.

This lady, however, is not elderly.

She's younger than I am.

At least, that's what one would think. :)

Meet Helene,

the youngest 80 year old that I've ever met:

Her family planned a grand celebration in her honor.

And I was there to make sure that all of the fun and details

were recorded through pictures.

Enjoy some of my favorite photos from her special day:

Special friends.

Grandchildren.

Harleigh is a Big Girl.

2011-08-15T13:34:00.006-04:00

Sweet baby Harleigh is about to turn 1.

Here are some of the best shots

from our recent time together.

The weather was frightful

(Florida-style frightful,

which means 110% humidity and 200 degrees...)

okay, maybe a stretch, but not if we go by what it felt like.

Anyways, back to the cutie.

So glad we managed to still capture Harleigh's sweetness

in the midst of the early morning swelter.

And even a great family shot!

And it's a good thing she's even super cute when she cries.

Thanks for toughing it out little bean!

And happy almost birthday to you. :)

Sofia is 2!

2011-07-30T21:20:00.007-04:00

This sweet little pea

just had her second birthday,

welcomed a baby brother,

and is moving to a new state

all in a very short period of time.

And she's still smiling.

That, my friends, is a big deal.

Here's to hoping that all of your transitions

in life are smooth, little one.

The M Family adventure.

2011-07-26T16:02:00.002-04:00

This lovely family is about to set off

on a wonderful adventure of epic proportions.

They are moving to Thailand indefinitely

to become missionaries.

I have a lot of respect for their courage

and love for who they are.

Maybe, I'm even a tad jealous. :)

I am starting to work a plan

so that I may go over to visit them one day...

Surely, there is a need

for more photographers in Chang Mai!

If you are interested in this journey,

have a heart for Thailand,

and would like to learn more

visit mcgownfamily.wordpress.com for more details.

It's Official.

2011-07-26T15:59:00.001-04:00

The official Imago website is up and running!

http://imagophotography.net

Yay. :)

Baby Cannon is in the oven.

2011-07-26T15:20:00.005-04:00

This shoot was such a blast!

Melissa had a specific vision for what she wanted.

I LOVE that! And I love the results of her vision.

Can't wait to capture pics of that baby boy

as soon as he gets here!

Melissa's first baby. :)

Callen made a grand entrance.

2011-07-26T15:11:00.005-04:00

This little man decided that 9 months

in the womb was just a little too long,

so he picked 8 months

to make his grand entrance.

SURPRISE!

I barely did his pretty momma's photo shoot

and posted the lovely results

before he decided to be born 4 weeks early.

Thankfully, he overcame all potential complications

(no more whimpy white boy, thankyouverymuch!)

and got to head home to his family in no time.

His big sisters are in love.

And so am I.

Nolan, the future Texan.

2011-07-10T21:55:00.011-04:00

This little nugget is baby Nolan.

He made his debut on earth at the end of June.

He doesn't even know what a cowboy is yet.

But, he's about to find out.

This sweet family is on the move to Texas.

Nolan is a great cowboy name.

We'll miss you C family!

Until then, enjoy a preview of your little man.

Proud big sis.

Extreme Makeover.

2011-07-10T20:45:00.003-04:00

Welcome to the Imago's newly made over blog.

That's it.

Just worked really hard to change things up a bit

to fit better as a companion to MY NEW WEBSITE!

Oh yeah.

It's coming soon!

Yahoooo!

Good choice folks!!

2011-06-26T22:00:00.003-04:00

And the winner is...

Appropriate that this little bean's name is Journey.

Because that is definitely what this is all about.

Yay for a free fabulous print for her family.

And yippee for a be-a-utiful cover model. :)

The winner of the photo shoot giveaway

that went along with this contest is...

Tiffany A.!!!

Congrats Tiffany. I look forward to

working with you soon.

Thanks for voting everyone!!!

Your support and encouragement

mean the world to me.

"Cover Model" Contest Details!

2011-06-21T12:37:00.025-04:00

Okay, here are the details for

the last official giveaway

leading up to the launch

of Imago Photography's official website.

{Yippee!!}

Vote for your FAVORITE photo

to be featured on the website cover page...

you can make someone a cover model. :)

The picture that receives the most votes

will be featured front and center

on Imago Photography's NEW website.

How do you vote?

Glad you asked.

Vote for a picture by COMMENTING on this blog post

on which # is your favorite and why you love it.

The photo that receives the most votes

will be printed for the winner in

a FREE 8x10 or 10x13 copy of their star portrait.

{Their choice!!}

(You can also vote for this contest on

Imago Photography's facebook fan page.

Results will be tallied from both sources

in order to determine the winners.)

And to offer a little voting incentive,

I will throw in a free photo shoot

to a random commenter

with 25-30 images on cd for you to use at your discretion.

If you live far away from Central Florida,

don't let that stop you from voting!!

We could schedule a sesh while you are here

vacationing in the sunshine state!!

Are you ready?!

Here are your choices for favorite photo:

{PHOTO #1}

{PHOTO #2}

{PHOTO #3}

{PHOTO #4}

{PHOTO #5}

{PHOTO #6}

{PHOTO #7)

{PHOTO #8}

{PHOTO #9}

{PHOTO #10}

{PHOTO #11}

{PHOTO #12}

{PHOTO #13}

{PHOTO #14}

{PHOTO #16}

{PHOTO #17}

It was so hard to narrow down to this many.

So many photogenic people.

So much personality.

Phew.

Now, my job gets easier...

because it's in your hands!

Voting will run through 8pm on Sunday, June 26th.

HAPPY VOTING!

*Only one vote per person please.

*If you don't have a google account,

you can still comment.

Just be sure to leave your name with your comment.

*Please do "follow" this blog to hear about future announcements

and see the latest photography adventures.

*If you live far away from Orlando, I'd be happy

to enter you in the giveaway...then you'd have

a great excuse for a vacay to the sunshine state. :)

UPDATE: some of you are having trouble.

*Click on the blue hyperlink just below to comment...

it says "12 comments" or however many there are now.

Then, it will take you to the magical comment place.

Gary & Helen. And Patches, of course.

2011-06-20T14:46:00.014-04:00

If you are the dreamer type,

you know how when you've got

this vision in your head of some creative project

that you'd like to do?

And it just keeps growing

and getting more exciting as time passes?

And then one day that vision comes to pass

and it's right in front of you for you to marvel at?

One fall morning, I came across the sweetest couple

as I was walking at Lake Eola.

Those of you who know me well know

that I have a special love of the elderly.

When I saw them, walking with their little dog,

I thought man, it would be so fun to take their picture

and try to capture

their beauty,

their love,

their sweetness,

their smiles lines.

Then, I felt dumb. And so I let the opportunity pass.

I kicked myself afterwards,

and went looking for them for a while to no avail.

I thought about that missed opportunity

a hundred times in the coming days.

And then, I met up with a friend again

at Lake Eola a week or so later.

And as fate would have it,

even though it was evening,

I came across Gary and Helen again.

They were walking Patches

as they do several times per week.

I immediately approached them.

(I get that this is weird for some of you. :) )

They were happy to give me their contact number

so that I could schedule a session with them.

I showed up to do the shoot and to my dismay,

they were unable to make it

because Helen had injured her foot

and was unable to walk.

The Lord had another special opportunity

for me that morning in Melvin,

but that's another story.

In the past several months,

my life and schedule have been so hectic.

But I always kept them in the back of my mind...

I thought of them again yesterday

and gave them a call.

They were available this morning.

And so here, be still my beating heart, are the results:

Gary and Helen have been married for 61 years.

Helen is 81.

Patches, the dog, is 4.

Gary & Helen have one adopted son.

And several grandchildren.

Gary is 81.

(And as Helen whispered softly,

he is starting to lose his memory.)

There is a childlike heart in all of us.

And there's something invaluable about lasting love.

My most favorite of all:

"It makes me remember my days as a boy."

Catharsis in it's highest form, my friends.

L is for leaving.

2011-06-20T14:26:00.020-04:00

Oh, the L family.

It pains me to write a little ditty

about my dear friends who are about to leave Orlando.

Writing a celebration of them is easy for me,

but saying goodbye, not so much.

Emily and Nicholas have been friends for many years.

They are good peoples.

They are real peoples.

Their 2 boys are as sweet as pie.

Sweet as really sweet and yummy pie.

And before I start bawling like a crazy person,

I'll just showcase them in the best way that I know how:

through pictures.

Parting is such sweet, sweet sorrow.

I'll miss you and love you much!

Stephanie

2011-06-06T14:19:00.006-04:00

The savvy business woman always

has a great headshot or two.

Stephanie is a multi-talented professional

and gardener extraordinaire.

You can learn more about her

GREEN gardening initiative here.

And see her pretty face below...

Goodbye Cathcart.

2011-06-06T13:42:00.014-04:00

Carol Beth was the second giveaway winner

from a few weeks back.

She referred her friend Kathleen

who won the Maternity Photo Shoot.

Carol Beth and her roomies have lived

in a lovely {ginormous} house near Lake Eola

that has been an epicenter of our church community.

The Roomies

And so for her session, we decided to pay homage

to the Cathcart house with a photo shoot

dedicated to the time they spent there together.

I love how they turned out.

Thanks to you gorgeous ladies for giving me

the privilege of snapping your memories. :)

Urban Baby Momma.

2011-06-06T13:31:00.009-04:00

This session was a little twist on the usual outdoorsy,

nature thing that is usual for me.

I love being challenged in that way

and never getting comfortable with the same old scenery.

Meredith and I were all about Orlando

in order to capture her belly

as she is growing the first little man

in this generation of she and her extended family.

Isn't she beautiful?!

Can't wait to meet you Baby C!

The Giveaway "Twinner"

2011-05-26T20:19:00.017-04:00

Meet the winner of my latest photo shoot giveaway:

This is the beautiful Kathleen.

This lovely lady is about to be the mother of 4 boys!

4 boys 4 and under...!

That's right, there are boy twinsies

in momma's belly.

Here, we have the big brothers:

Let's just say that little "big brother"

might not be ready for this transition.

Sharing a firetruck with one brother

is hard enough!

The soon-to-be party of 6.

This goes down as one of my

all-time favorite photos!

I love when people feel free to

be just who they are!

Biggest brother reporting for duty:

They call this little guy a "pistol."

And that he is. A cute pistol. :)

And yes, she really is this sweet and genuine.

All the best to you R fam as you add to

doubly to your family. :)

Baby W is about to make her debut!

2011-05-26T19:58:00.011-04:00

This will be installment #1 of several mommy sessions

this week! All maternity, all the time baby! :)

Carrie is glowing like a lightning bug

and is really gifted with photogenicity.

Is that a word? If not, it is now.

In other words, this sweet momma

knows how to rock it for the camera.

See below for proof. :)

Thanks Carrie and Jayson!

The S Family

2011-05-19T14:56:00.018-04:00

Let's talk about color.

And how b.e.a.utiful color is in photographs.

The S family was not afraid (thanks to a

Momma with great style) to bring out the rich tones.

Britt happens to be a sweet amiga of mine and

so I can vouch for her that she is always fashionably dressed

and this pretty and that her kids are always this cute.

I just love the way that there portraits turned out.

We photographed at a special location that they call

"the exploring place" where they used to play as a family

when the children were smallIt was majestic as could be.

And we had a ball.

What do you think of the latest shots?

The B Family.

2011-05-19T14:47:00.014-04:00

Have I ever mentioned that photographing

small children is a great workout?

Well, if not, take it from my quad muscles,

it's an excellent

substitute for the gym.

These little cuties kept me on my feet. :)

I am privileged to call The B Family friends.

We met long ago at Orangewood

and have been hanging out ever since.

Aren't they a handsome bunch?

Enjoy some of my most favorite shots:

The New Website....

2011-05-18T13:25:00.002-04:00

Hola everyone! I have been talking about this for a little while now, but just wanted to let you know that website is VERY close to being completed. It looks great and I am so excited to share it with you. When I signed up for building it myself, I had no idea what I was getting in to. But, I've learned alot (the hard way) and can't wait to show it to the world. Soon. YAY! :)

And the winner of the Baby Momma Shoot is...

2011-05-13T21:59:00.006-04:00

By random selection over at random.org, I am excited to announce that the winner of the big givewaway is:

Kathleen R.!

This beautiful mommy is due to have twins in just a few short months. Yay for Kathleen and her growing brood of boys!

And, the lucky friend that first nominated her for the giveaway is:

Carol Beth H.

So, C.B., you've got a mini-shoot coming your way sister.

Looking very forward to time with you both soon!

And don't despair if you didn't win.

I am going to discount a maternity shoot for any of the mommies

registered for the giveaway...$100 for a maternity shoot

with image CD included (for you to use however you'd like!).

As a matter of fact, I'm feeling extra givey today, and I'll even add to that...

if you book a belly shoot and a newborn shoot at the same time,

I'll give you both for $200.

That's $50 buckaroos off the usual cost.

That, my swollen bellied friends, is a deal. :)

I'll run this special for the next 2 weeks,

so book by 5.27.11 to score this great rate. And thanks for playing!

2 More Days to Enter for the Giveaway!

2011-05-11T08:56:00.003-04:00

If you are logging in to learn the details of My Next Big Giveaway, then click here. The entries are adding up, but there's still more time. So, rack your brain to think of anyone that you know that is preggars and due in the next few months. Help me spread the word about the giveaway, and I'll help you by entering you in to your own chance to win a free mini-shoot! Just think of how awesome it will be for you to work your magic for the camera. You could even bring a loved one to canoodle with if you want. Your choice! Time is ticking away folks. I will draw for the winner late Friday evening, so come back for a visit then. And thank you for your help. :)

My "Little" Cousin?

2011-05-11T08:47:00.008-04:00

This is my little cousin Kody. Well, not so much little. But he used to be, I assure you. I flew to Ohio a few weeks back to visit my family and had the privilege of shooting my cousin's senior portraits. So, if you Florida peeps see things that you've never seen before like hills and green grass and such, that's because I was not in the Sunshine State. Don't set your sights on any of these lovely nature scenes, unless you are prepared to buy us both a plane ticket to O-H-I-O. :) Here are the shots I love the most:

The Next Big Giveaway!!! Calling all ladies with swollen bellies...and their friends...

2011-05-03T13:47:00.009-04:00

I am hard at work building my official photography website friends! These past several months have been so exciting for me as I have been blessed with regular clients and the resources that have helped me to learn and grow my business fast.

As I am finalizing my images for the website, I am noticing that I need more baby bumps to go around. After all, if my focus is children and families, the sweet prego lady is really what it is all about. No baby momma, no babies or families. :)

And so, I am inspired to announce my next big giveaway!!!

If you have a swollen belly or you know someone that does, it's time for you to listen up! What will the big winner get, you might ask?

*a super fun and creative photo shoot in a beautiful setting where the awe of life (both yours and your sweet little munchkin-to-be) will be captured in all of it's glory

*a high-resolution DVD of 50-75 images for your keeping

*fame in the form of being featured on my soon to be launched professional photography website

So, how does that sound to you???

Here are the official rules for the contest:

in order to enter for the giveaway, you (or the friend that you nominate) needs a due date that falls on or before July 31st.
each mommy can only be entered once into the giveaway
all that you have to do in order to become eligible to win this giveaway is one of the following things:

1.) send me an email at meloniegrover@yahoo.com OR comment on my facebook fan page "Imago Photography" (which requires you to first "like" the page) OR comment on this blog post. 3 options for you to make it uber convenient. Include the following details in your correspondence:

*Name of Momma-to-be (give me first name and last initial to keep it private if you choose to post on the blog or facebook....)

*Due date

*Your name (if you are someone other than the momma-to be) or the name of the friend that told you about this exciting opportunity.

-----------------------------------------------------

Why do I need your name if you are not in fact a momma-to-be? Well, because I would like to reward you for helping me spread the word about Imago Photography!!!! I will ALSO be doing a random giveaway for anyone who enters their prego friend or helped their prego friend hear about this giveaway. This winner will receive a free mini-shoot which involves the same fun and creative photographer and a high-resolution CD of 15-20 images that are yours to keep forever. And you just might get to be famous too. :)

*DRAWING FOR THE GIVEAWAY WILL BE IN THE EVENING ON FRIDAY, MAY 13TH. *

THE WINNER WILL BE POSTED ON THE BLOG AND WILL RECEIVE

AN EMAIL SHORTLY THEREAFTER.

MAY THE BEST PREGO WIN!!:)

Email me with any questions about the giveaway or my services at meloniegrover@yahoo.com.

The T Family

2011-05-02T15:24:00.010-04:00

I had the pleasure to work with the T family recently. Pending the sale of their beautiful family home of many years (pictured below) and a move for their youngest daughter and her husband to Australia (try not to be jealous...), they wanted to mark this chapter in their lives with some extended family portraits. It helps that they have two amazingly beautiful granddaughters to celebrate also. Ruby was a natural and the camera LOVES her and Tula is sure to follow in her big sister's footsteps. I had a blast with these folks and am excited to share my faves below:

Wilson Wedding

2011-03-29T14:24:00.013-04:00

There's a first time for everything. And this was my first official wedding shoot. I was excited! I was nervous! But the lens did it's job and Sheri and Sean are now on the road to wedded bliss and here are just a few pictures to prove it. Congratulations to the Wilsons! :)

First peak at his bride:

There she is!

Welcome to the World Baby Leah!

2011-03-29T14:15:00.008-04:00

There is surely not a thing more precious than new life. And this little bean was less than a week old when I had the privilege of taking her picture. These were all done indoors in Leah's own bedroom. Behold the cuteness...

Happy Birthday Cora!

2011-03-29T14:05:00.006-04:00

Sweet baby Cora turned one recently and what better way to celebrate the occasion than to capture her cuteness in some portraits. The late afternoon light was especially scrumptious that day, so enjoy the mostly vintage editing of the shots that went along swimmingly with the glow.

Playing Catch Up!

2011-03-29T14:02:00.002-04:00

Howdy out there fans of Imago Photography or those looking to become fans! :) These past several weeks have been ones full of transition & chaos (involving a move, a vacation and the flu), so I have been slacking on posting some of my most recent work. Not to fear...I am getting back in the swing of things and want to share some special shots from my most recent photography endeavors. Stay tuned! :)

J Graduating.

2011-01-31T13:45:00.013-05:00

Meet Jonathan. He's a soccer-playing musician. And he's graduating from high school this year. So, we gathered at Rollins to partake in one of America's rite of passage moments: senior portraits. We had lots of fun even before the evening turned a little crazy. Enjoy some of the best shots:

Enter the craziness. We heard something weird and noticed off in the distance a car swimming in a lake.

Looked a little something like this.

Normal car, right?

Meet "Amphicar."

The owner was such a peach that when we approached him to learn more about this wonder, he offered to take my graduating client on an adventure. Since I was being paid to capture his image, I opted out of the boat trip. (Dang it!) But, I was able to photograph the whole experience.

Hey normal car! Careful by that there water!

Looks like we are at a theme park.

I will never be able to offer a cooler portrait session

to a senior boy ever. Look at him in the passenger seat!

The owner of the amphicar. With complete strangers. In a lake. In a car.

Almost done.

This goes down in the history of me as one of the most interesting things I have ever witnessed. So glad I had my camera! Thanks Jonathan for a great shoot!

The S Family

2011-01-25T22:07:00.015-05:00

Ranking in the tippy top of my list of all-time favorite families, meet the S bunch. You may recognize her as one of my first official portrait subjects from several months back...except for now the bump in her belly is gone and her sweet girl is already 5 months old! Amy and I bonded during a group experience together a few years ago. And now, I don't know what my life would be like without her! Enjoy some of my favorite shots of she, her man, and her brood of 3 kiddies 3 and under... Fun times. :)

Hey there pretty lady!

2011-01-13T13:17:00.008-05:00

Not only is she blessed with good looks, but she has the singing voice of an angel. Speaking of a great voice, Michelle needed some headshots for local auditions. Here are my favorite shots from our time together in College Park.

The M Family

2011-01-12T16:37:00.013-05:00

For a family of 11, this was such a delightful experience! Turns out, this brood has groomed their children well...taking family pictures annually for years. Bravo! It works. Three very energetic young boys+angel behavior+a very easy going extended family=one inspired photographer+ great results. Let this be a lesson folks. :)

The S Family

2011-01-05T21:41:00.016-05:00

The S family is sprinkled all over the world. With the grandparents living in China and his brother's family in Connecticut, Matt wanted to use this holiday as an opportunity to have portraits made of everyone together while they were in one zip code. Freezing weather and gusting winds could not stop us! And so, if you notice pink noses or watery eyes and even an occasionally hibernating toddler who can only be seen as a blob of black coat.....trust us! It was cold.

The V Family

2010-12-30T20:57:00.019-05:00

It's not too terribly often that you come across a family with 5 children these days. One of the things that I enjoy most about our church is that lots of families have several kiddos. That's the kind of family I always secretly wanted to be a part of! And this just happens to be one of my favorite families from church. Mom had high hopes for getting some updated pictures of her kids and family pictures while everyone was at home celebrating the Christmas season together. We snapped away on Park Avenue in Winter Park...

The L Family.

2010-12-13T14:06:00.005-05:00

What are the ingredients for the perfect photo shoot, one might ask? A super cute baby. Check. Super cute parents that made that super cute baby. Check. Fun attire that may involve etsy and/or a crafty momma. Check. Good natural sunlight. Check. And voila! Photographic bliss. Please enjoy the faves from my favorite session yet! :)

The H Family.

2010-12-08T08:31:00.012-05:00

I am thinking of renaming the heading for this lovely little brood the "Blue Eyes Family." One second's glimpse may give you all of the evidence you need to see why. Check out the eyes on these folks! Pure blue goodness. Little man Josh has recently welcomed his new sister Gabi in to the mix and they are getting along swimmingly. Here are my favorite shots from our time together in College and Winter Park.

Had to do this just to showcase the peepers on this precious little one. WOW! Isn't God an amazing artist?