Meet Adam.. you already know Julia- 299 Autism stories

So Adam was not thrilled about the idea of his picture being taking...but he is dating a photographer..so  it's sorta unavoidable. I was surprised about how he let his guard down and allowed  his playful nature to shine...but lets be honest a kiss can do that . He spoke of struggling with socialization in the past and offered some direct, not so filtered feedback on those in his inner circle.

 To be honest this shoot was simple.. dare I say normal or typical...whatever that is right? Just uncomplicated gitty love. What I learned was that he does not drive, for various reasons and because of that he has become quite the avid walker. The path behind him here is a 13 mile trail he travels often to get to where he needs.

 When I was leaving he grew quite upset that I would be driving Julia home, as she also does not drive yet. What struck me was...the raw, honest emotion on his face...somewhere between disappointment and anger and how incredibly frustrating the dependency of transportation must be for a 20 something year old young adult. With autism there are  various ways one needs assistance...but this one..ugh... is hard...it sorta takes away that adult freedom and privacy.

I made a HUGE mental note... my desire to live in a more urban area with mass transportation will one day be fulfilled when it makes sense...maybe sheerly for my husband and I or just perhaps maybe the independent needs of our son or sons for that matter. We'll see no need to rush that.... just enjoy the season we are in.

Fall fun with my guys

In between the craziness of the fall wedding/portrait season I have managed with the help of my husband and family at large to have some harvest and pre halloween fun with my loves...Batman was busy....but he'll be ready for Halloween..plus we have Sugar Skull costumes for the Day of the Dead. Shout out to Popko Studio for making my POW headband find her on ETSY!

Sun kissed ceremony and a PaRRty

 

It was a beautiful day for a sun kissed ceremony complimented by perfect wedding colors.

The vows were a beautiful blend of sincere formal commitment and something about promising to get him a snack at night and her needing extra cuddle time. It was wicked cute.

Sealed with a kiss the night is about to begin and this dress gives a great twirl.

Let's be honest when the moon is up people let loose

And this crowd was ready for fun!

 I love this candid of the bride's father with his son and new son in law...it exudes joy and a bit of what are we getting into lol....Well Dad stay tuned and dive in...watch this party unfold.

Apparently in this family "Shout" is a must have on the set list and they are not joking...yes that is the bride laying on the floor and here is the groom being tossed in the air...whew!

My sincere gratitude for allowing me to capture the first day of your story as husband and wife..all the best to you always!!!

Mini previews!

Did you know I have the best curls?

And when I am not pulling my Daddy's hair I enjoy cuddling with mom and chasing my shadow. Luckily I have the same shoes as dad.. I can keep up.

This just happens to be his last photo with baby teeth....just a little while later this big grin changed liked the leaves. It was cold but check out how perfect the light was.

Cue the swans....cue the dreamy sun.. I love all these grins to pieces and moms coat.. I want it lol!

Wait he thought he had the best curls...ok he does too..it's a tie! It has been a pleasure watching this guy grow..so fast!

These two are twins just three short years apart. I bet he'll always look up to you! I can't take this big  smile...you have to be happy when you look at him...a slight fat lip may or may not have ended their session lol...oh boyzzz.

And last but not least..these two...after my own wee heart in these caps...what a difference a year makes...they're looking mom..lol and they are so friggin adorable

Thank you for trusting me with your memories, it was a terrific day!

Meet Shelby and Richard

 

So meet this sibling duo..who happen to have been champions of a baton twirling...random and awesome right? They are part of my new photography photo essay titled " 299"  I am currently working on.  Tonight I'd like to focus on Richard. We were introduced by a mutual friend. We met several times at the Thrall library in Middletown and we would discuss his personal challenges and triumphs and how Autism has impacted his life. I suppose on my own personal level this project is as close as I will come to a crystal ball. When my youngest son was diagnosed with Autism (diagnostic/billing code 299) a sea of un know swarms you like a typhoon. In my unrelenting optimism with his future I decided I needed real life education...what does Autism in your 20's look like? Now my optimism should not be confused with how fucking pissed I am that my son or any of these individuals struggle. However...this struggle has great purpose, people have purpose and photography is my way to explore this path. 

So aside form being the first male competitor to be crowned in baton twirling, Richard is an artist who spends a lot of time designing characters and has grown his internet audience. He was also recently commissioned to do some drawings as well. He is actively involved in power lifting...hence the arms lol and we hope to do a photo session at the gym. Side bar he can do a split and wanted to share that! When I asked about his struggles I witnessed first hand his disconnect between what he is saying and his volume...and we were in a library so that was tricky to say the least. His passion when speaking is exciting...but I think its fair to say he is unaware that he just may be slightly yelling. What I was slightly jealous of was that he didn't seem to care at all...that my friends IS an asset.

 

My favorite picture is this one right above... he told me he has a difficult time with sarcasm... he said his girlfriend was helping him with that and I responded..."girlfriends usually do..."  We shared a chuckle about this. His spirit gives me a lift and I appreciate the opportunity to get to know him. 

Fallin' in love

Yesterday was a picture perfect fall day and a beautiful time to document falling in love. These two were so at ease and giggly it made for such a smooth shoot. So he put a ring on it... I think she looks pretty happy about that. Wishing you all the best and looking forward to next fall! 

Getting ready for the first look!

I always love the stark contrast between the women getting ready and the men. This bride had a small army of family and friends getting ready in one house. There was so much energy and excitement it was contagious...never mind a really good playlist jammin. The guys were totally chillin watching ESPN, throwing back a few..ok maybe a couple. I suppose I'm sorta a sucker for the sister shots..I grew up with brothers so..while it was awesome I suppose I always wonder what sisterhood would have been like...looks like it was fun! The bride caught on that I really loved photographing her curlers...but she looks so darn pretty like a movie star behind set! We also set up a Daddy first look..because hey he earned this and he was her first man.  The gold flowers were so unique and fun..just like this couple and accented this perfect fall day. This couple was extremely flexible and handled a slight snag with the party bus. I do think my ability to shift gears come from two places... motherhood and also working as a teacher. This first look "plan b" idea in opinion worked out exactly how it was supposed to...with a  little help from the best man and bridal party...using the ol neighborhood that they both grew up in as a backdrop...it turned out quite sweet and nods to the history they share. Ok after all this... it is still time to GET MARRIED...put on those watches, get in that car. It's time to get hitched. One more private kiss by the gate before you share the day with all of your loved ones! Stay tuned because the party is just getting started....