Rachel, Adam, & Shore

Spring Lifestyle Session | Whetstone Park of Roses

My favorite part of my job is capturing couples in love at every phase of their journey. From engagement, to the vows, and on to the next step... family. You may remember Rachel and Adam from their romantic elopement this past Christmas, which is at the top of my list of favorite events photographed ever. It was so much fun to see them again and catch up after they've been married for a few months! It's these milestones, the memories that only happen once as time continues to fly by at an ever-quickening pace, that make my job worth every second and then some. Enjoy these favorites from their spring lifestyle family session, and if you've been thinking of capturing some memories of your own family, I'd love to be a part of it :) You can find me at michelle@michellejoyphoto.com!

Smith Family [Chestnut Ridge Metro Park | Carroll]

When Josh and I uprooted and moved our lives to Columbus in March of 2014, we weren't quite sure what to expect. We knew Josh would have a new job and we would have a new church family, but for an introvert like me, meeting a ton of new people all at once (especially when they already know who you are, because you're the music director's wife!!) can be daunting and overwhelming to say the least! Out of the crowd of faces popped Lydia, who simply came up and asked me if I would be interested in joining their small group. A group that's small, very much unlike the huge gathering of church members that I was supposed to be mingling with? Count me in! Don't get me wrong, I love our church family, but I struggle to find my place in a large group when everyone is trying to talk to you at once. So the next Sunday, I went - and immediately felt at home. I felt connected, loved, and no one seemed to care that I was "the new pastor's wife."

Needless to say, their entire family has been just as welcoming and I love that we get to call them friends. Michael has been a great support to Josh, and Mikayla actually second shot Kamola & Jason's wedding for me! (You can view that wedding by clicking here; I couldn't have made it through the day without her.) I'm so thankful for all four of you! :)

2015 Holiday Mini Sessions

Happy Thanksgiving blog readers! Today's post seems so appropriate because Thanksgiving is a time of food and fun, but most importantly, family. I was so blessed last week to take family pictures of some wonderful families who just ooze love and care for one another. A few of them had precious little ones celebrating their first ever Thanksgiving, and the joy that radiated from Mom and Dad was such a joy to capture! This Thanksgiving, focus on the people who matter most to you, who are more than likely the ones who will be seated around your table later today. Some families spend so much time fighting that they forget what a family is... the ones who will always be there for you, whom you can never get rid of, who were there in your best moments and in your worst. Show your family grace and love this Thanksgiving. Embrace joy, peace, and thankfulness. And of course, some pumpkin pie.

Libby [Toddler Session | Groveport OH]

When I met Libby and her parents and asked if they wanted family pictures or just pictures of her, they were confident. "Nope, we don't need any of us! We just want pictures of our little girl."

Libby is a care-free and unquestionably ADORABLE 18-month old who loves to run around and play. What kid doesn't? I had such a fun time chasing her around and watching her pick "flowers" (dandelions), play with leaves, and run away from her parents laughing when they snuck up on her singing the Jaws theme song... yes, you read that correctly. I loved it.

Congratulations on turning the big 1-8 months, Libby! Congratulations to Mom and Dad for raising such a joy-filled little lady. :)

Kirby Family [Chestnut Ridge Metro Park | Carroll]

Meet the Kirby family! I'd seen this sweet family around at church, but it was such a joy to get to know them a little better during their family session! We were so fortunate to find an area that still had some fall foliage... those autumn leaves have been magical this year, but in the past few weeks the scenery around Columbus has changed rapidly from oranges, reds, and yellows to, well, brown. I was so happy when we found some green grass with this gorgeous colorful backdrop!

If you're a mom planning on having family portraits done soon (by the way, I still have some holiday mini slots open for November 21!), take note of their outfits... they couldn't be more perfect. The navy pops away from the fall backdrop but isn't too distracting from the image itself, and the whole family coordinates but doesn't necessarily match. Every shirt even has some sort of visual interest, whether it be texture or print! In my book, this is a PERFECT goal when planning outfits for family portraits. Major credit goes to you, Cheree! Cherished readers, that tip was for free!!! :)

Enjoy these lovely shots of this amazing (and super photogenic) family! Happy Wednesday!

Burns Family [Slate Run Park, Ohio]

It's hard for me to explain how much I adore Missy and Billy and their little family. They are close friends of ours from church, and they have two devious but precious little boys... I can't believe how big those kids have gotten! Anyway, I digress. These two play a significant role in Josh's and my life and we love them for it! Whether it's an early morning text from Missy (usually something about coffee or something funny the baby did) or a late night game on Xbox live (Josh and Billy, obviously), we are so grateful for their friendship! They love Jesus and selflessly serve those around them so much more genuinely then lots of people who are well beyond them in years. So when Missy asked me if I would take some family pictures for them, of course I responded with an enthusiastic YES! Although I may need her to make me some of her famous cookies, a pie, or maybe a cheesecake as a thank you... ;) Seriously, this girl can bake like a seasoned professional and she's not even halfway through her twenties. It's impressive! If you're looking for a sweet family to brighten your morning, look no further. Happy scrolling, friends!!! :)

Striker [Family Session | German Village]

I feel like I say this after every family session, but I really had such an amazing time with the Striker family! Ania is from Poland and speaks with a darling accent that I adored, and she met her husband Jon when he was overseas teaching English classes. They live in Columbus now with their adorable daughter Nina. She just LOVED posing and smiling for the camera, which automatically made their session amazing! They are such a sweet family and their love shines through their images so clearly. Happy Monday readers!

Ben Turns Two! [Family Session | Inniswood Metro Gardens, Westerville]

Happy birthday to Ben!!! I had the privilege of taking 18 month photos for this adorable family just six months ago, and time has flown since then! I had to double-check my calendar when Michelle emailed me about setting up another family session. This little guy just turned two and his smile lights up a room! Thankfully he was a lot more comfortable in front of the camera this time - the toddler meltdowns were at a minimum and Michelle & Scott were absolutely great! We started in their backyard to grab a few shots of the whole family (dog & cat included, of course!), and also a few pictures of Ben with an Ohio State & Michigan flag that you'll see below (yes, they are on ONE flag!!). Then we drove just down the road to Inniswood Metro Gardens for the rest! Whoever is in charge of landscaping and gardening there does such a fantastic job... it looks different every time I go but it's always so beautiful!!! Anyway, enough of my rambling. You came here to see adorable toddler photos, so go ahead and scroll down... happy browsing!! :)