So just when I think I am old enough and my kids are grown enough for me to be past the "baby fever" stage, I meet this sweet little baby boy and I find myself coo-ing and goo-ing and kissing and snuggling and loving every minute of it. While what I experienced was not exactly a "fever" and, if I'm being honest, not really even a longing to have another, it was definitely a strong enjoyment in holding a brand new baby again.

Just look at him -- can you blame me?

This newborn baby boy was just so adorable and slept so sweetly while we worked with him.

I was astonished at his strength -- he actually held his own head up and he was only a week old!

He didn't mind when we took his clothes off to photograph his perfect skin and chubby little body.

Check out the rest of his pics below.

I love putting the babies in my ski hats!

I want to thank his wonderful parents for allowing me to come into their home to photograph their new baby baby. I hope you love your newborn pictures!

My family and I lucked out this year and scored a very generous invitation to stay with some friends at their mountain house in Deer Valley, Utah. I had never been to Utah before but had been told that the snow is the best in the U.S. and I was just excited to have a new place to take some beautiful pictures.

We had only three days to squeeze in a snowmobile trip and of course skiing and I lugged my camera gear out there with high hopes of capturing some fantastic views from atop the gorgeous mountains. Unfortunately, the weather once again was not wanting to cooperate.

We had fantastic snow, yes, but it was cloudy and snowing during the snowmobile trip and the visibility was not good. I was very disappointed to have missed out on what we were told were typically "breathtaking views". My camera gear stayed strapped to the snowmobile for most of the trek, aside from one 15 minute break we took when I was able to snap some shots of my kids and some pretty trees.

The next two days we were up early and hit the slopes all day. I am not a good enough skier to risk taking my D3 on the slopes but I did take my point and shoot and got lots of family snapshots. Each day was cloudy and snowy and by the time we returned to the house the sun was setting and I did not even take my Nikon out of the bag.

Then, on the last morning as we were packing for home, the sun rose over the mountains and I was presented with this fabulous view looking over Deer Valley. Despite my husband's rush to hit the road so as not to miss our flight, I grabbed my gear and captured the stunning scene. And as any photographer knows, it's not how many shots you take, it's the quality of the ones you get and I was able to come home happy with these. (of course the snapshots of my kids skiing are my absolute favorites!!)

For more information on Deer Valley, go to www.deervalley.com. We hope to go back again!

My favorite little twins were back last weekend for their six month baby portraits. I had been looking forward to seeing them again to see how much they had changed. And I was very excited to see that they are growing quickly and are happy, chubby, perfect little angels.

What I love about photographing these twins is that one is a boy and the other a girl - so I get to play dress-up with both and experiment photographing these babies with blues, pinks and every color in between.

During this baby photography session, they were so sweet and cooperative. The twins posed happily together and then each separately, allowing me to get a wide range of great baby portraits for their parents who fortunately ordered my CD package so they don't have to leave any cute expression behind.

The day they came to my Alpharetta photography studio for their session was a very cold, very rainy, dark day (which seems to be the norm for Atlanta weather this winter) and we had no natural light to work with. These two were happy though to play inside my studio and they loved looking up into the bright studio lights.

The twins weren't quite able to sit up on their own so we plopped them into a basket where they sat and played and cuddled together.

After photographing these adorable twins together for a bit, I then worked separately with each so that we could capture their individual personalities and also so that I could play baby-doll a bit. This sweet baby girl makes a beautiful little ballerina, don't you think?

This baby boy was so full of smiles and was happy to lay in a plush blue blanket and just play with his own chubby little toes.

He was a very busy, wiggly baby and he kept me laughing with his curious personality. He was great to work with and even managed to hold himself sitting long enough for me to capture this sweet baby photograph showing his beautiful back and neck.

While I was photographing her little brother, this twin decided she was tired from all of the modeling and fell asleep wearing this ruffly little tutu.

Look at those eyelashes. And those lips! She was truly a sleeping beauty and I could have just photographed her all day in this dreamy state.

When she woke up she was wide-eyed and happy and she allowed me to drape her in colorful ruffles to get this wonderfully bright and fun photograph.

Of course I couldn't let the shoot go by without getting some photographs of toes. I love babies' little toes and these cute little piggies are some of the best I've ever seen.

Say hello to big sister! This beautiful, blue eyed girl is the very patient and very sweet big sister of the adorable twins. She is always happy to pose for a few child portrait shots for me and, as you can see, she is extremely photogenic.

Big sister's love for her little brother and sister was apparent but she had a bit of a difficult time trying to hold two wiggly little babies in her lap (who wouldn't have a difficult time with that, right?). So, she was very happy and relieved when I suggested that they all just lay on the rug together.

In early December, after my last holiday portrait session, I was able to take some time off and was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel with my husband to San Francisco for a long weekend. Of course, with San Fran being one of the most picturesque cities in the world, I excitedly packed my camera bag and was almost giddy with anticipation of the incredible shots I would get.

And then the rain started.....

We landed in some pretty dense fog -- which is not unusual for the area so my spirits were not dampened ... yet.

By the time we got to our hotel, which was the fabulous Palace Hotel in downtwon San Francisco, it was downright pouring. And it didn't let up for four days.

Sooooo, needless to say, my dreams of a photo tour of San Diego did not materialize. However, somehow the Golden Gate Bridge manages to stand magestic and very photogenic even in low-lying thick fog and rain. I ran from the car trying to protect my gear and snapped these two shots quickly as my husband and I made our way to Napa on the third day of our trip.

While these are not the photographs I envisioned -- you know, the ones of the bridge rising through fluffy white clouds, or the close-up of an old streetcar glistening in the California sunshine -- they are still kind of neat and show the unique qualities of this beautiful area of our country (this one was shot out the window of our car as the rain continued to fall).

We had decided to spend a night in Napa Valley and, being big fans of good wine, we were very much looking forward to some great wine tours. Of course, being from Atlanta, I had no idea which wineries to choose to visit in the limited time we had or where to stay. Based on some great recommendations from a very well-informed friend at Best Brands (a wine and liquor distributor), we made reservations at this beautiful, quaint bed and breakfast located in Napa. This cozy, romantic Inn had large, beautifully decorated rooms with whirlpool tubs and fireplaces -- the works for a romantic weekend. The thing that sold me though was the four-course gourmet breakfast they served in the morning. WOW!

After a very restful night and with our bellies full from the fabulous French-inspired breakfast served at the Inn, we headed to our first wine tour appointment at the famous Robert Mondavi Winery. Our friends at Best Brands had set up a private tour of the Robert Modavi Reserve Cellar and we were greeted by a very knowledgeable, friendly tour guide who carefully explained the process and art of making fine wines.

Look at all of the barrels filled with wine! This was in the cellar where the wine was carefully aging in neatly lined up barrels. We were taken to a private room where several bottles of special reserve red wines and a plate of dried fruits, cheeses, crackers and breads had been laid out just for us. We considered just camping out there for the rest of the day!

But we had another wine tour scheduled and decided we had to find a place to get some more substantial food to absorb all the wine, so we reluctantly left Robert Modavi and headed straight for the popular Oakville Grocery and Deli. There, we found an incredible deli counter and store stocked with every imagineable food one could pair with good wine. I was also happy to see that they had a coffee bar where I ordered a hot latte to chase the chill from the wet, cold weather.

We ate our lunch in our car while we drove slowly toward our next destination, enjoying the beautiful view along the way. Despite the rain and fog, and the late season the dormant grape fields were nonetheless gorgeous, impressive and very picturesque.

This shot was taken as we pulled up to our appointment at The Hendry Ranch Winery -- a family-owned "boutique" winery with a small but impressive operation located in Napa Valley.

We enjoyed our tour of the Hendry Winery very much. While quite different from Mondavi in both the philosophy and the process of wine-making, Hendry's operation was impressive and the wines were fantastic. My husband and I typically stick to reds but we tasted a few whites during our tour and tasting at Hendry and had to admit that we liked them very much.

This shot, taken of the Hendry grape vines is my favorite shot of the trip.

As we wrapped up at Hendry, the sun was already setting and we had to head back to San Francisco to spend one last night in the city. While our Napa trip was short, it was packed with quality experiences. We had spent way too much money purchasing some of the fantastic wines we had tasted but as we drove back through the Valley heading for town, the setting sun made its first appearance through the trees and I thought how memorable this quick trip had been I didn't care about the money. I knew that each time we would open a bottle we we would recall the trip and the wines would just taste that much better.

Happy New Year everyone!

2009 went out in a whirlwind -- whew, it was all I could do to catch my breath in time to enjoy an amazing white Christmas in New England with family.

Fast forward to 2010, which has started off with a bang -- or perhaps maybe just a big sigh, as I had the pleasure of photographing this incredibly sweet newborn last week.

This beautiful, tiny baby has inspired me!!

I want more -- lots more! And I have been thinking about what I can offer that is new and fresh in 2010. I have gone shopping and I have some new things and some really fun ideas I want to try.

But I need some brand new babies!! Sooooooo..... I am sending out a casting call for newborns! I need some babies less than 7 days old to come to my studio and help me out. These babies need some open-minded, adventurous parents who will be willing to let me play (of course, safety is always my #1 priority) and try out some of these ideas.

So, if you or anyone you know is expecting a baby soon, please give me a call. I am offering a complimentary -- yes FREE!!! -- newborn session where we can test some of these new ideas and see what we get. I'm offering five free 4x6 prints from the session and then if you like what you see, you can order more at a 10% discount.

So call me, send an email, tell your friends and help me find some cuddly little subjects and most of all, don't forget to KISS YOUR BABIES!

The true spirit of the holidays is captured by spending time with family, right? Well, if that is the case, this fantastic family has cornered the market on holiday spirit!

These beautiful children are all cousins - and friends - and they absolutely love to spend time together, whether it is a holiday or just an average day.

I first met this family several years ago when I was hired to take newborn photographs of this beautiful hazel-eyed little girl. If you have followed my work, you will see her pictures throughout my sites and previous blog posts.

Since then, her little brother has arrived, along with a few cousins to boot! The family is very close and they like to have their child portraits taken together. Of course, many photographers might find this more challenging but let me assure you that with these kids, its a FUN challenge!

They are all so photogenic and also very cooperative. But most of all, they are each HAPPY. And I mean, seriously, spiritually, genuinely happy. Their smiles come from deep down -- nothing fake or phony. They laugh and play and honestly enjoy their time together.

Each child is unique and while I strive to capture the group shots that the family adores, I love photographing looks like this one -- the looks that show each child for who he/she is. Their personalities shine through their expressions and as I have gotten to know each of them over the years, I find myself looking at each child's portraits saying things like "oh, yes, that is sooooo him" -- as if I was a relative with the inside scoop.

With this family, though, it's not hard to feel like "one of them." The reason these kids are so happy and easy-going is because their parents are that way. From the first newborn photography shoot, I felt comfortable with them and over the years I have come to think of them as dear friends rather than just the great clients that they are.

So far, I have been lucky in that the parents love photos and they seem to appreciate my journalistic, natural style photography and so they sign up each year for a year's worth of child and family portrait photography. And I look forward to every shoot.

Of course, I am not-so-secretly hoping that they will continue to allow me to photograph these amazing children and if I am lucky I will be posting senior portraits and maybe even wedding portraits of each of them.

But let's not get too ahead of ourselves here....

Meanwhile, I am going to keep photographing these captivating huge hazel eyes and anticipating this cutie's next adorable outfit (she is always dressed in the most adorable clothes).

This holiday portrait shoot was so much fun. We went to the grandparent's home in the mountains of North Georgia and they had their tree all decorated and set up already which allowed some great shots that I am sure will cause Santa to mark that "extra nice" checkmark on his list.

When is the last time you saw two cousins who were so genuinely sweet to each other? Maybe you are lucky enough to have close relationships like this within your own family. If so, you are very blessed -- and you should call me to take some pictures! ;)

This is one my favorite photographs from the holiday portrait session -- just look at the way little brother is laughing! A big, belly laugh, straight from the gut and displayed in a giant, contagious smile.

Of course as we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house, we had to include them in some photos. Watching this little guy with his Grandfather, I could easily see that the two share a unique bond.

I think this couple has a lot to be proud of - a beautiful group of grandchildren to make their holiday season so much fun and full of true holiday spirit.

I hope this family cherishes these photographs -- the childhood years go by far too quickly and these family portraits will help them remember how it was back "when we were young!"

Merry Christmas to this inspiring family. I thank you for yet another year of memories you gave to me -- I have enjoyed your children and getting to know all of you. I hope your holidays are full of love, joy and genuine holiday spirit.

Anyone who lives in Milton, Georgia knows what a strong equestrian community it is. Chances are, if you have chosen to live in Milton, you either ride horses or, at a minimum, have a strong appreciation for the beauty of these amazing animals and the sprawling farms where they live.

When my husband and I first moved to the area eight years ago we certainly admired the natural beauty of the area but, at the time, we had no idea how much the horse farms would become part of our everyday lives. Our little girl was three when we moved here and, while she would yell "hi horsey" everytime we drove past a pasture, we could not have known how deep her passion for horses would run.

Now, eight years, one more little girl and one horse later, the farm is our hangout. The girls ride both English and Western and we alternate between two farms that are both within two miles of our home. And yes, you read correctly, we do have one beautiful, young Tennessee Walking Horse who has stolen our hearts with his sweet, gentle nature.

As a portrait photographer living in Milton and working in Milton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming and surrounding areas and spending as much time at the farms as I do, I would be hard pressed not to have opportunities to photograph fellow horse-lovers with their majestic companions. And I consider this an extreme privilege.

The photographs you are viewing on this blog post were taken at a picturesque farm in Milton where this mother and her beautiful daughter ride together. They each have their own horse and they are able to spend hours of quality time together each week caring for their horses and riding through through the fields and beautiful wooded trails.

When they asked me to come to the farm to do some equestrian portraits, I jumped at the chance. We were fortunate to have a beautiful, sunny Fall day and we scheduled the shoot for late afternoon. The sunlight filtered through the bright leaves, creating ideal conditions for soft, naturally-lit portraits.

As a mother, this is probably my favorite shot of the afternoon.

This teenager is a super fun, super sweet cowgirl who likes to barrel race on her young mare. Her horse is named "Abby" and, despite her young age (she is only 3!), she is a calm, well-trained, loving animal who has a visible bond with her young owner.

When my oldest daugther became interested in horses, everybody I talked with in the equestrian community encouraged me to get her involved advising me that "a teenage girl who loves horses would rather be at the barn riding her horse than anywhere else", the idea being that her riding hobby will keep her out of trouble.

We'll see how that works out, but after learning that this gorgeous teen is at the barn every day, I have high hopes!

One thing that I have already learned in the short time I have owned my horse is that once you fall in love with one of these emotional animals, you are hooked for life. While she leaves the barrel-racing to the younger crowd, this mother is just as much a cowgirl as the younger girls at the farm and she clearly relishes her time with her beautiful horse, "Pocahontas."

What a beautiful pair.

For Mom, we wanted to get some soft, surreal photographs that were a little different than the previous "cowgirl" portraits she had already done. I convinced her to traipse into the wooded area above the pastures, dressed in a flowing prairie skirt with her long hair down.

As you can see by these shots, we were able to use the dappled light and the glowing Fall leaves to achieve just the soft, dreamlike feel I had envisioned.

Of course, when doing portrait photography, I always want to give my clients the portraits that reflect who they are. I want photographs that reflect the unique personality of the person (and horse!) being photographed and not just what I think will look good in my portfolio. And, hey, when you look this good in a cowboy hat, we accomplish both!

This shot is another of my favorites. I love that it is not perfectly posed as Abby nips at some bothersome flies. The curve of her neck and her tiger-striped mane add interest and dimension to this equestrian portrait of a girl on her horse.

Mom's horse was a little more "spirited" and didn't like to do a whole lot of standing still - especially when mounted. And with Mom in a skirt, bareback and barefoot in a wooded area off the trail, things were a bit challenging -- but we got some fantastic photographs nonetheless.

To see more photos from this amazingly fun equestrian portrait session, please visit http://www.photosbykirsten.com and also become a fan of my facebook page by searching for ddkportraits on facebook.

Even if you don't have a horse at a nearby farm but would still like some portrait work at settings like this, please call me.

For information on Hunter Jumper and Western riding lessons, please check out The Farm at Pamelot and Pleasant Hill Farm, both located in the heart of Milton's equestrian neighborhoods.

Sugar and Spice and everything nice - that's what this little girl is made of. When I know I have a two year old coming to my studio for a photo shoot, I prepare myself mentally for a challenge. You just never know how they are are going to test you. Some run crazy and don't sit still for a second. Some hang on mom or dad's leg and refuse to smile even when you sing songs, jump up and down and make a complete fool of yourself. But every now and then you get one who is comfortable from the start, cooperative and simply adorable. That was this child.

She traveled with her mom all the way from South Georgia and our shoot was scheduled on a day that was cloudy and threatening to rain. So, we started her photography session inside my studio, under bright lights in a small space that is typically not ideal for shooting busy 2 year olds. However, this sweet child went right in, sat in a little white wicker chair and let me shoot away without any problem.

Of course, don't get me wrong -- I still had to sing and pretend to dance with a giant talking Dora doll in order to evoke smiles like this one, but that just comes with the job of being a child portrait photographer I suppose and, honestly, I have fun with it. I mean, when else can you get away with acting a little crazy and let your inner child out like that?

After we did some indoor shots, the weather started to cooperate a bit and we were able to head outside after all. This is when I got to see her true personality as she explored my garden, found spiders, lizards and told me all about the snails that had come out during the rainy morning.

She wanted to pick flowers for her mother and of course I could not say no. The outdoors definitely brought out her busy side and I followed her around as she laughed and talked and showed her mother every little treasure she found. Of course, Dora had to come outside with us and stood watching from the garden.

When she found my daughter's blue ballerina costume, she insisted in putting it on and how could we resist? She danced and twirled and was very happy to dress up.

I love this portrait of a tiny ballerina. She wanted to walk into the woods, not afraid of the wet grass, the spider webs or anything else -- just happy to be twirling and dancing and looking like a true princess.

When her mom scooped her up to bring her back inside I was finally able to get some sweet mother-daughter photographs. Just look at that sweet little smile. I know she steals her mom's heart every day.

I love this shot of her little pout while she cuddles against her mother's shoulder. As a child portrait photographer who sees lots and lots of children, I can tell you that this was one of the most enjoyable shoots I have done of a two year old. I had a great time and the photos we were able to capture show that she did also.

I want to thank her mother for coming all the way to Alpharetta to see me at my studio. I had a great time and it was an honor to be able to capture these moments.

Plus, she took my giant talking Dora doll home! woo hoo!! :)

I can't wait to see you again (the child, not the Dora doll).

Sleighbells ring, are you listening? .... Probably not yet, right? After all, it's only the second week of October. Not even Halloween! Why are we singing holiday songs already? Well folks, it is actually prime time to start thinking about holiday pictures.

Fall is the busiest time of year here at ddkportraits and to fit everyone in, get the photos processed and out to you in time for you to make your holiday cards and get them in the mail, we need to get busy!

This beautiful child has been a client of mine since her birth. I was thrilled to spend an hour or so playing dress up with her and getting these great shots.

She was so cooperative and sweet and amazingly still for a two-year old! I remember taking her newborn shots and thinking how beautiful the shape of her face was -- like a perfect heart. As she has grown, she has only gotten more adorable and her bright eyes and pretty smile captured MY heart once again.

This pretty red ruffle dress was my favorite. I love little girls in ruffles and bows. She even kept her headband on -- something my two girls would never have done at this age. Just look how pretty she looks in red against the lush green ivy and red berry bushes at my outdoor studio!

Look at those eyes and that pouty mouth! She is looking up intently at my oldest daughter (who is working with me this Fall to earn some money for a new western saddle) and she, like most little girls, is just mesmerized by her.

Even Mom joined in for some play time. As the weather was a little "iffy" -- anyone in Atlanta knows how much rain we have been getting -- we had to go from indoor studio to outside and back again. This happy girl was fine with this though and was very cooperative with each location and outfit change we put her through.

I just love this shot showing her playful side!

As the shoot progressed, the sun started to peek through the clouds a bit and we were able to head outside once again. This time, in a purple velvet dress with matching bow and yet another pair of shoes, she was all giggles as my daughter danced around and played with a giant Elmo doll. I think we were all laughing at her!

I think this Mom got plenty of photos to choose from. I am excited to see which she chooses for her holiday cards.

Love how the hat frames that beautiful heart-shaped face. I bought it prior to the shoot with her in mind. This is just one of several great shots of her in it.

This shot is one of my favorites from the shoot. Even though she isn't smiling a full smile, every sweet detail of her face can be seen. Just look at those curly lips!

Mom bought my most popular "Have it All" package (see my info page for details), which includes a CD with all of her full resolution files and license for copyright. Good thing, because I don't know how she could possibly choose only a few photos from this super successful shoot.

I want to say a big THANK YOU to this Mom for trusting me to do these shots! I had a great time. It is clients like you that make this job more of a play-date than work. This shoot just reminded me that I am NOT too old to play dolls and dress up!

The Miss USA, Georgia Teen pageant is coming to town in November and this beautiful young lady is competing for the crown. She came to me about a month ago to have some head shots done for her portfolio submission and we had such a great time glamming it up in my photography studio in Milton.

She is set to compete as Miss Milton I believe. You would never know it by looking at these glamour portraits but she is one of the youngest contestants in the pageant and she has never before competed in a beauty pageant. As we commenced the portrait photography session, however, it was immediately apparent that she is a natural and a true professional.

With her big brown eyes, luxuriously thick brown hair and big, genuine smile, this teen is the epitome of the all-American beauty. And on top of all of that she is smart and incredibly sweet. She was talkative, funny, open and we had a great time picking out tops and earrings and laughing about my battle with that one piece of hair that kept popping up to steal the spotlight.

As a portrait photographer working with teens and children I see lots of kids who, like myself, are not comfortable in front of the camera and I have to work hard at getting them to loosen up and relax enough to capture the "real" person and avoid that "deer-in-the-headlights" look.

That was not the case with this girl. She would lift those eyelids and the camera loved her so much it practically released the shutter by itself. I just know that this ease and confidence will come through during the pageant and the judges will be as impressed with her as I.

Looking at this glammed up photograph you would never know that she showed up at my studio in jeans and flip flops looking like any high school teen, albeit a very pretty one.

I saved this photo for last because it is probably my favorite. Her mother was watching the shoot and I knew that she would want to have some photos that reflected not only the amazing beauty of her daughter but also the fun, sweet personality within. So I made her laugh, evoking some big beautiful smiles and voila -- her mom's favorite shot. And, because it makes me smile to look at it, it is mine as well.

Whichever photo she elects to use and whether she actually wins the crown, I know that her pageant experience will be successful and this beautiful young woman will go on to do amazing things. Good luck! I will be cheering for you!