Many of you will recognize Sara and Junior. I photographed their (pre)engagement photos at a Jacksonville carnival and their elopement wedding in Key West. Since I last saw the Eugene’s, they’ve had Layla. I was honored when they asked me to photograph their beautiful family during my latest visit to Jacksonville.
Daddy-daughter pictures make my heart melt.
We whipped this session out in 30 minutes. I can alway count on Sara and Junior to rock their photos. I love every single shot.
These two photographs were taken 11 months and 3 weeks apart. What a difference a year can make- most importantly, healing and new life.
I wish that I could put into words the way my heart feels- but the words I come up with never seem adequate. That is especially so when I speak of Holly and my forever connection to her family. Our relationship began with the pregnancy of her second child and I’ve been photographing all of their momentous life events since. In 2009, Holly became pregnant with her third baby- a little girl. But at 17 weeks she was diagnosed as having a fatal anomaly. Holly and Josh knew there was a good chance that baby Atalina wouldn’t make it, but they chose to continue on with the pregnancy. I have this amazing respect and admiration for Holly and am in awe at the courage she showed throughout her pregnancy and delivery.
I am not currently a NILMDTS photographer, but I had the honor of acting as such for the birth of Holly’s little girl. On April 31 I arrived at the hospital with Holly and Josh so that I could be there to photograph the birth and short life of sweet Atalina. Atalina Hope was born on May 1, 2010. I spent 15 hours at the hospital with her and her family- from labor through delivery. Photographing Atalina was the most difficult and heart-wrenching, yet the most rewarding thing I have EVER done and I am so happy that I was able to give that gift to Holly.
Almost exactly a year later, here I am photographing Holly’s gorgeous pregnant belly again. Inside is Willow- a perfectly healthy little girl who will arrive in the world a little over a year after her big sister. What a gift.
Holly, you are strong, and wonderful, and full of grace. I love you.
I normally don’t shoot a wedding and post pictures of it on the SAME day. However, I just can’t contain myself. Robin and Neil were an amazing couple to work with and I am so excited about the great images we captured.
Here are a few:
Natalie was one of my very first clients and I’ve been photographing her little ones since they were little babies- but I’ve never had the chance to photograph Chet and Natalie together. Natalie usually visits Jacksonville when Chet is traveling for work so this session was my first time meeting them. This session was special because, I believe, aside from a few wedding pictures- it is the only time they’ve had pictures done of just the two of them. In addition to this outdoor session in one of my favorite locations we also did some sweet/sexy bedroom photos, but I’m not allowed to post those. 
I photographed him before he was even born and as a newborn. I always love being invited back to clients’ homes to see how their family has grown/changed. These were shot when Gabriel was about 10.5 or 11 months old- right before I moved to Colorado.
The photo on the left was blown up into a large canvas! LOVE naked baby pictures.
This shot was also made into a large canvas. Isn’t he adorable!?
Josh and Holly and their family are very near to my heart. I photographed Holly throughout her pregnancy with Titus and was present at his birth. I’ve had to privilege to be a part of many of their intimate moments and I hope they’ll forever be in my life. Holly is a super-mom and if I ever choose to have children she’ll be the first one I go to with child-rearing questions. 
The weather has been beautiful here in Florida. I’ve pulled all my favorite vintage dresses out from the back of my closet, my feet are incredibly happy in sandals and I routinely let my hair go crazy/beach style.
This will be my last summer in Florida (at least for awhile) and I’ve been trying to soak it all in and capture as many memories as I can before leaving (more about that later). Whenever I can make it, I spend my Saturday mornings at the Riverside Arts Market (I’ll post more pictures soon). There I get my fresh, locally grown, organic produce for the week and take in the amazing smells and lively music. This weekend I decided to walk along the river from Riverside to downtown to attend some Earth Day festivities and take some pictures of the Jacksonville skyline to add to the Florida photo book I hope to make.
I didn’t travel far before I was stopped by a man’s deep, southern voice- I hadn’t even noticed him.
“You take pictures, often?”, he said.
“All the time, it’s a hobby of mine”, I said”.
“You know, they say a camera never blinks. It’s amazing, the memories it can capture”
I agreed and asked his name.
“Willie”
Thats all.. just Willie. “Hi Willie, I’m Katelyn and it is a pleasure to meet you,” I said while holding out my hand.
We shook hands and I sat down beside him. Willie talked for awhile and I listened…wondering what his story was. After awile, I got up to finish my trip downtown. I told him if he was still there on my way back that I’d bring him a cold drink and we could chat more.
Fast forward 2 hours. I bought a fresh squeezed lemonade from a street vendor and wondered if Willie would still be on his bench.
He was and I gave him his drink . I don’t think his smile could have been bigger. I asked if I could photograph him. Willie enthusiastically said yes. While I was shooting I asked Willie about his life.
Where did he work before becoming homeless? Where does he sleep at night? Tell me a bit about your life?
“Maxwell House. The shelter, some nights. So many people are a few paychecks away from being homeless, especially these days-I wish people wouldn’t judge-never thought I’d be homeless-I know things will get better, they have to-someday things will be good again.”
I wish I could write more eloquently about my encounter with Willie.
I wish I could express how much our meeting moved me.
But pictures are my words, and these will have to do. I hope you can see what I feel. (Willie gave me full permission to use the photographs I took of him.)
“I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment; and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” — George Bernard Shaw
