While I love photography in lush natural settings… there is something extra special about the historic districts we have here in Kansas City. This past weekend I met Breely, Brandon and little Elliott down at our Historic West Bottoms district for a family and smash cake session. Sweet little Elliott celebrated her first birthday with friends and family a few weeks before, so she already had a little bit of practice under her belt.
We beat the heat that day, and enjoyed a stroll through some of the streets… What I love about this area is it feels like you’ve almost stepped back in time. Remnants of the past, from a time when this area was really booming. A little birdie had told me that one of Elliott’s great-grandpas even worked down in that area many years ago; which makes this family session extra sweet.
 If you haven’t been to the West Bottoms in a while, you really should check it out. There are many new and exciting changes happening to the area. It’s really coming alive with shops, bars and businesses. I foresee a lot more good things coming to that area in the future.
Enjoy a few of my favorites from this urban classic family session.

Cue the cuteness! It feels like yesterday that I was shooting little miss Mae's newborn photos.  This gorgeous family have been clients of mine since... well the beginning!  Nothing makes me happier when I get to share a history with my photography families.  I was blessed to be a part of another moment in their life as we hiked through Burr Oak Woods in Blue Springs. This gorgeous conservation area is filled with trails, woods, fields and a pretty cool education center. We spent a wonderful hour together and took many amazing shots. Enjoy!

I'm not one to jump on the bandwagon too often, but milk bath sessions really caught my eye! It's a beautiful and alternative way to capture a toddler during these soft, sweet first years. Little Adler was my very first milk bath session and I couldn't be more pleased! This was an intimate backyard session on a beautiful Spring day. We took a little stop down the road and made a quick outfit change (is it really a change if they're in their birthday suit in the first part of the session?) for a little Mommy and Me session time. A truly beautiful session! Enjoy.