Kimberly Zay Photography Blog

no seriously, don't vote

2008-10-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

i can't get enough of these

Contact form is fixed

2008-10-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to let you all know that the contact form on my site has been restored and I was even able to receive the lost contacts I've been sent while it was down. If you were one of the people who've emailed me and have not heard back, you can expect a response within a day or two. If you don't hear from me this week, chances are your message never came through. So please email me at kim@kimberlyzayphotography.com Thanks!

Big girl

2008-10-26T20:13:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, Little A decided she was over her crib about 3 weeks ago and hopped right on out. She never showed any signs of wanting out, and I seriously thought I'd have her in there for AT LEAST another 6 months. But nope, AWOL. If it were up to me, she would have been in there until her head and feet touched both ends of the crib! ;)
I was totally dreading the thought of transitioning her b/c of all the horror stories I've heard about kids not sleeping well anymore, getting up a ton at night, playing with their toys instead of being in bed, etc.
Well, she's done so awesome. I should have had more faith in my baby. She's so easy going and always great with change. I'm a lucky momma! HOWEVER her naps have been getting shorter & shorter and I'm starting to think she'll be dropping them soon. To say I'm upset is an understatement! Ha! tongue

Anyways, I finally got the chance to document how big my girl is getting & a few changes to her big girl room. Note the fake sleeping with leg half hanging off the bed, the mound of stuffed animals & blankets as well as the kiss to lamby in the 2nd storyboard. I love this b/c it's SO HER! My big girl, just shy of two, growing up WAY too fast.

Website contact form

2008-10-24T08:39:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I just received an email from my web host informing me that the contact form on the sites have been giving them trouble & it's possible that if someone contacted me though the contact form on my website, it may have never come through. The problem is scheduled to be resolved by tomorrow evening.

In the meantime, if you've contacted me recently and have not hear back, please email me at kim@kimberlyzayphotography.com

Thanks!

Mini sessions completely sold out!

2008-10-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

What a great response to the holiday mini sessions! I've gotten the chance to work with some amazing new families and re-connect with a few previous ones which is always a blast! I completely booked the alloted spots put aside for these sessions last week and I can't tell you how much fun I've been having. I'm seriously blessed to have such amazing clients!

don't vote

2008-10-05T19:11:00.001-07:00

Daydreamin'

2008-10-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Gazing out the window at the world. What a wonderful life you have in store for you baby E.

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-09-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

I can't count how many times I've had something come up that I want to share on my blog but once I start typing it out, I realize that there's really not enough content to deserve a whole post dedicated to it. Because of this, miscellaneous monday has been born.

__________

Fall is by far my favorite season of the year. Especially here in New England. The trees are populated with radiant reds, oranges & yellows. The days are perfect at a cool 78 degress and the nights are crisp and cold, perfect weather for cuddling up with a blanket on the couch sipping hot cocoa.
__________

With fall comes apple picking. Each year we try to check out a new orchard. This year was Macks in Londonderry. Bring on the apple crisp!
__________

September is always a busy month, but this year it was especially busy. We had my b-day, Adam's b-day, our anniversary, an over-night in Mohegan Sun for my BFF's bachelorette party, a big 30th b-day bbq for a good friend of ours, and a wedding to attend for aforementioned BFF in which I was the photographer for. Phew, I'm exhausted just thinking about it.
__________

Adam surprised me with a dinner date night and Cirque du Solei tickets this past Saturday (is he the best of what?). The show was unbelievable and we left with our jaws on the floor. To say it was incredible is an understatement. We've been before but it was a few years ago and a different show at the time. This was by far was the best we've seen. KOOZA!!!
__________

Did you hear about the new Canon 5d Mark II being released?! It looks incredible! I'm hoping to get my hot little hands on one sometime in the near future.
__________

I'm in search for the perfect halloween costume for Little A. I had my eye on the Tom Arma ones last year but waited to long to order and her size was sold out of all my faves. This year I'm ordering sooner than later. I'm considering the Monarch butterfly since monarch butterflies hold a special place in our heart. There's way too many cute ones to choose from. What's your fave?
__________

I've had a great response to my Holiday Mini Sessions. I have only 4 more dates open for the entire year! If you're planning on booking a mini (or any session for that matter), I suggest you do it soon. Dates are filling up quickly!
__________

It's that time of year: HOLIDAY MINI SESSIONS are here!

2008-09-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it may seem early but in the photography world, it's the beginning of the holiday rush.

This will be the first year I offer holiday mini sessions. These are great for those of you who are looking to get your hands on some gorgeous high quality custom holiday cards and pick up a few print as gifts for the grandparents.

These sessions are limited and are sure to fill up quick. Send me an email and book your holiday mini today!

Out of the office

2008-08-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I am currently out of the office until Tuesday 8/26. I had a few issues earlier in the week while attempting to set my out of office within my email due to a calendar issue so this is the best way to get the message out to everyone for the time being. Thanks!

I know, I'm behind on blogging

2008-08-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

But I'm just about caught up on work so that's got to count for something right?

All the lovely rain we've been having has led to many double & triple session days, which in turn has led to many long nights of proofing marathons. Man, I love what I do!
And what do you know, the forecast for the weekend is calling for...you guessed it, more rain.

I have a bunch of cute clients to share as well as a bucket-load of Little A pics. Is it pathetic that I feel bad when I go for more than a week without blogging?

Brides get even too

2008-07-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you who do not know about my current project that is in the works, the title of this post is sure to confuse you. But until the new site is rolled out, consider it a hint.

I had a great session a few weeks ago with Micaela. She was a blast to shoot and was totally up for anything. I LOVE THAT!

Check out the slideshow below and see what I mean.

*And don't forget to turn your speakers up LOUD!*

Edited to add: I tried embedding the slideshow but it wouldn't embed. Use this link in the meantime:

Slideshow

Raspberry picking

2008-07-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

We went Raspberry picking this past weekend at Parlee Farm in Tyngsboro. It's a great little PYO farm with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries & fresh flowers. It also has a few farm animals with feeding stations for the kids.
I absolutely love picking fresh fruit. Little A on the other hand could care less about picking the fruit and was more interested in the tiny flowers on the ground that were much more accessible to her.

And would you check out the look of death she gives me now whenever I point my camera in her face! It went from her not looking at me, to her running in the opposite direction, and now the dirty eyebrow. What's next?

New wheels

2008-06-18T12:55:00.001-07:00

My little baby's growing up.

About 3 weeks ago we bought her her 1st tricycle and she's been obsessed with it ever since!
Each day consists of at least 1 cruise around the cul-de-sac which typically takes about 20 mins. We go. We stop. We get off. We make sure we collect enough sticks to build a nest. We neatly pile aforementioned sticks in the trunk. We hop back on for another 5 feet. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Glam Urban Bridesmaid

2008-06-17T10:54:00.001-07:00

As mentioned previously, I have this really fun new project that I've been working hard on. And while I still can't reveal the details until it is finished, I have a few photos to share that may help clue you in on what it's all about.

I'm still looking for a few more Bridesmaids, so if you're interested, shoot me a line.

Peabody apartment fire

2008-05-30T11:09:00.000-07:00

We got caught up in a bit of traffic on 128N yesterday on the way to a birthday party in Peabody. It was around 4:00pm so I chalked it up to the beginning of rush hour traffic. It wasn't until we got a little closer to Peabody that I noticed the black cloud of smoke in the sky.
Come to find out, The Highlands at Dearborn apartment complex in Peabody had caught fire (yet again). Thankfully no one was hurt, however, it's been reported that a few pets did not make it out. 20+ units suffered damage though and I can't imagine what the people who lived there are going through. My heart goes to these families.

Here's a few photos and a quick video I took with my little pocket camera while driving. Excuse the shaky video, I was trying to be somewhat of a good driver & keeping my eyes on the road while sticking my hand and camera out the window.

Looking for past Bridesmaids!

2008-05-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

There's a new project in the works that I'm totally excited about! I can't share the details with you yet, but the title of this post should give you a small hint of the direction it may be going in.

If you're a past bridesmaid who still fits into her bridesmaids dress, we wanna talk to you!

Whether you loved your dress or hated it, doesn't matter!

So, if you're in the MA/NH area & you're interested in jumping back into it for a little free photo fun and be part of a really cool new concept, contact us.

I meant to do that!

2008-05-27T18:39:00.001-07:00

Often times when proofing a session, I'll come across a handful of images that I LOVE and mentally mark as favorites. And when my client places their order, it's fun to see which they've chosen as their favorites and compare.

I'm lucky in that most of my clients are typically looking for something a little more untraditional then what you'd find at the chain photo studio and I think the images on my website portray that. Being on location gives me that freedom.

Typically, a few of my faves are in what they've ordered, but there are definitely times when I'm completely surprised to see the shots they've chosen. It makes me wonder if maybe they don't completely understand the look I was going for or simply just don't care for the particular expression in a certain photo.

That being said, just recently I came across this little blurb on a photographers blog I frequent and I think it really helps explain my style and why I do what I do...

“Tight Crops” –

This means super close close-ups where often the face fills most of the frame of the image. These images are about the eyes, and often the top of the head is not included in the image. I meant to do that!

“Not-So-Smiley”-

So many of us have been brought up to believe that a smile is a requirement to make a great photo. So not true! I love a pensive look as much as a big grin. I meant to do that!

“Let’s Be Negative”

Negative space is when the subject is placed off to the side of an image and the rest of the image is empty—this is done for artistic impact. I meant to do that!

“Left of Center”
The most boring position for a subject in a photograph is smack dab in the middle! I know, I know, not what you always thought, right? Trust me! There is a little something in design called the Rule of Thirds that we photographers often employ to enhance visual interest.

The rule states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines (like a tic-tac-toe board). The four points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to align features in the photograph. Aligning a photograph with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the photo than simply centering the feature would.

Huh? Trust me, your child does not need to be right in the center of an image for it to be a good portrait! I meant to do that!

“The Light in the Eyes”

The hallmark of good portrait photography is good lighting, and the hallmark of good lighting is something called a “catchlight,” – a reflection of light in the eyes. I love big catchlights! I purposely position my lights for the best and largest catchlights, especially for close-ups. Flip through any parenting or glamour magazine and look at the eyes—what do you see? Big bright catchlights! A lack of catchlights leaves the eyes looking flat, dull and lifeless.

I meant to do that!

Email is back!

2008-05-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

Finally, my email is restored.

If you sent me an email within the past week and have not received a response, please resend it. I apologize for the inconvenience. While I have received a few that appeared to be stuck out in email-land, I want to make sure there were not any that didn't make their way to me.

I still have a few sessions that need proofing, so neverfear everyone, I haven't forgotten about you!

Still working on email issues

2008-05-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

It's taking a bit longer than expected. If your issue is urgent, please give me a call @ 603.296.7047
Otherwise, I will be in touch once email is restored.
Thanks for your patience & understanding.

Email is down

2008-05-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to let everyone know that I'm having email issues. I've had a few people tell me that emails they've sent have been bounced back undeliverable.

I have someone working on it, so in the meantime, I apologize for the inconvenience. I'll post again once the issue has been resolved.

We're moving!

2008-05-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

Yup! You heard right. We're moving. But before I give all of our family & friends heart attacks, let me clarify. The Kimberly Zay Photography blog is moving! Not the Zay Family. But it won't be for another week or 2 at least.

In the meantime, those of you who have our site bookmarked as www.zayphotography.blogspot.com, please update it to www.kimberlyzayphotographyblog.com. The new site address will actually be www.kimberlyzayphotography.com/blog but since it's not ready yet and the www.kimberlyzayphotographyblog.com address will stay the same to ensure everyone can find us, we're just telling everyone to use that. Phew! Got all that?

I anxious for it to be done and can't wait to debut the new blog AND the new site design. You're gonna love it!

Boston Apple Store Open's Today!

2008-05-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

6:00pm. The biggest of all the apple stores in the country. THREE floors! Supposedly at 3:20pm there were already 126 people in line and growing quickly. As much as I'd like to check it out on opening weekend, I think I'm going to have to wait until the hype dies down before I head in. Can you imagine the chaos?

Look how purdy it is!

There's those beautiful blue eyes!

2008-05-13T06:15:00.000-07:00

I’m not done proofing this Saturday’s session yet, but when I opened this one up today and saw these big beautiful eyes starting back at me, I knew I had to share it with Alyssa immediately.

We weren't sure if I was able to capture any good ones of little A in the short time that we shot her singles. And if you look at the few family photos I shared, you'll notice she's not looking in any of them. It's tough trying to shoot fast while making sure all 3 kiddos are looking my way (and not making funny faces or closing their eyes!)

Seriously. How adorable is she?!

Sharing desktop backgrounds

2008-05-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

I started creating desktop backgrounds a few years back when I 1st started digital scrapbooking. It started out as a fun little thing for me to do when I had new photos of Little A that I loved. From there, I started sharing them out with friends and family. I'd have them send me photos of their little ones or even their pets, and send them back the finished version to set as their desktop background.

Anyway, while I was creating this month's desktop for myself, I got to thinking and wondered if maybe some of my blog readers would be interested in them too.

So, as a token of my appreciation to all my totally awesome blog readers, I've decided to start sharing out the desktop backgrounds I've created for you to use with your own photos. The only stipulation is that you must have a version of Photoshop in order to insert your own pics. I'm creating these in CS3 but I'm pretty sure they are compatible with Elements or an older version of PS as well.

Now, I realize not everyone has PS so I'm willing to help some of you out. All of my past or current clients who do not have PS but still want to use the backgrounds, email me the photo(s) you want to use and I will create the desktop for you.
I'd love to be able to do this for everyone, but according to my blogstats, I just couldn't do it. There's way too many of you (and I love that. THANK YOU!).

And for all of you who do have PS, download your free desktop HERE.

If I see that a lot of people have downloaded this, I'm going to try and share one every Monday. Just a little something to start your week off right!

And of course, if anyone has any issues with downloading the file or trying to figure out exactly how to insert the photo, leave me a comment and I'll do my best to try and help you out.

Be sure to leave me some blog love and let me know what you think.

Enjoy!

Party of 5

2008-05-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

I had a great session this morning with an adorable family of 5. When Alyssa contacted me a few months ago, we both started brainstorming locations for the session. And unfortunately, since I’m not familiar with the part of NH that she’s in, I wasn’t much help.
But when I talked to her a few days before the session, she suggested Prescott Park in Portsmouth. And when I googled it and saw how gorgeous it was, I was pretty darn near excited. Granted, it’s not quite the season for all the beautiful flowers and water fountains the park has, it still has a great view of the water, lots of luscious green grass, some cool buildings and a great little fenced in area with beautiful foliage. They apparently also have lots of events in the summer. If you’re looking for something to do on the weekend, I highly recommend stopping by.

While exploring the grounds we found this quaint little restaurant called The Dunaway Restaurant at Strawberry Banke that was actually a cute little purple converted house. There was no way I could pass up a few shots by it.

Doesn’t it look like they live there!

This is the fenced in area I mentioned. I can’t wait to go back when the fountains are up and running!

And here’s that purple I was talking about.

I actually shot this from across the street and out of the 50+ cars that passed us by, 2 actually stopped so I could snap. Which is totally not what I was aiming for but we thought it was pretty funny!

Alyssa & Tim, thanks for inviting me to photograph your beautiful family today. I had a great time playing with you guys!

P.S. If any one's in the Portsmouth area and interested in an outdoor portrait session here, shoot me a line!

Yup, It's down...it's ok, I know.

2008-05-10T17:56:00.001-07:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the site is down. I received a few concerned emails wondering what was going on, but don't fret, we're in the middle of the re-design and decided to take it offline until it's finished. Should hopefully be back up in a few days.

Re-Design

2008-05-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a little glimpse into the site redesign that I've been working on.

My goal is to be finished with it this week. Hope you likey!

Shoot swap

2008-05-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday little A and I had a shoot swap with a local photographer friend of mine, aka "the other Kim". For those of you who don't know what that is, basically I shoot her kiddo, she shoots mine. The benefit of doing this is b/c you'd be surprised how hard it is for me to get any glimpse of eye contact from little A. Most of my photos are of her running out of the frame or giving me dirty looks. Also known as PCS=Photographers Child Syndrome (a joke amongst my group of photog friends). Plus, it gives you photos of your little one in a style that is different from your own. Always fun!

I've only done this once before and it was when she was a lot younger, stationary and easier to photograph.
Kim and I had big plans to head into Boston with multiple clothing changes for the kids, shoot at the Public Gardens, ride the swan boats, head over to Copley and stop by the Trinity church and then to Faneuil Hall to shoot some more. To say that things didn't quite go as planned is an understatement. We started at the Gardens and there were these crazy squirrels that were so used to being hand fed that they would literally run right up to you and CLIMB ON YOU! So as we were shooting, we were constantly having to watch our backs and keep the kids (and us) from getting attacked. Since we brought so many clothes and had them draped over our carriages, we looked like those homeless people with shopping carts full of random crap. This meant that we couldn't stray too far away from the carriages in fear of someone swiping our stuff. There was no way I could concentrate on shooting & keeping an eye on our carriages all while chasing the kids and making sure they didn't dive into the pond with the ducks that they were so interested in.
On top of the chaos, it started to get cold and putting little A in one of the 3 dresses I brought was out of the question.
But despite all of this craziness we had a great day walking around town, people watching in Copley and grabbing lunch on Newbury Street. And I was happily surprised this morning when I downloaded the pictures and found a couple of cute ones of "the other Kim's" Little A. Here's a few favorites. Hope you like 'em other Kim!

And click here for a short black & white slideshow with the rest of her images from the day.

Storyboard for Amye

2008-04-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

Little sweetheart from yesterday

2008-04-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

I had a really great session yesterday with an awesome little family. Amye & Gene were super nice and we spent a majority of my time there chit chatting about what it's like being new parents and just life in general. I love that. The fact that I get to meet some of the nicest people that I would have never met otherwise and even become friends with some of them is so awesome. And then they let me "play" with their kids. This is my JOB?! How cool is that?!

Baby A is adorable (as you'll soon see) and was really such a good sweet natured baby. I know Amye was a little concerned about her being one of my tougher clients, but really she was close to one of my easiest. She was awake for most of the session, which can be difficult photographing since they like to flail their arms and legs around a lot at this age, but I got some really sweet expressions out of her.

Amye & Gene, Thanks again for making me feel so welcome. It was great meeting you both! I hope you didn't mind me hopping up on your countertops!

Guess who's home?!

2008-04-22T18:40:00.001-07:00

YUP! It's been an unbelievably long cold 3 months, but Niko is finally home!

I received a message on Sunday from a woman who saw a few of our signs hanging around town saying she thinks she's seen Niko and has been feeding him off and on for a few months. I tried not to get to excited b/c we've received a few calls already but none turned out to be him.
Also, we didn't tell anyone this but our neighbors who were helping us with the trap called a little less than a month ago saying they saw an animal on the side of the road with colors & markings similar to Niko. After that, we stopped seeing him and I hate to say it but I had begun to give up hope.

Anyways, when I called her back she told me she had been talking to him each time he came around and then finally after a few months of coaxing, he came over to her and she was able to pick him up! (and yet when he saw us a month ago he ran?!)
She said that he'd most likely be back around dinner time (now that sounds like him! Ha!) and when he was, she'd scoop him up, give me a call and put him in the bathroom till I got there. 5:00 rolled around and the phone rings. It's her and she has him. Adam was sick with an awful stomach bug that I had the day before so I had to go by myself. I joked that if I wasn't back in 20 mins, it was a setup and to call 911. But seriously, you never know. I grabbed my camera (in case I didn't recognize him, I planned to snap a pic and show ads), cell phone and carrier and ran out the door.
As I drove to the house, a million things raced through my mind. Would he recognize me? Would I recognize HIM? What if he's sick, would be able to keep him? Is he going to hide in the basement for months? Will he be a skiddish mess? How's he going to act with Little A? When he left she was barely walking and now she's everywhere.

I walked in the house not knowing what to expect. I see little ball of matted fur lying on the floor, bend down to look at his face and sure enough, it's him!

His cute little face looked the same and he was completely recognizable despite the utter mess he was in. His purring let me know he recognized me too! My heart immediately melted and I broke down crying in the living room of this strangers home.

I couldn't bring myself to hold him right away. He looked so fragile (and dirty), so I had my new friend help me put him in his carrier. Like most cats, he's never been a fan of it and we'd usually wind up having to shove him in it before vet appointments. But this time he walked right in and laid down; he wanted to go home.

Later that night before even letting him out of his cage, Niko & I made a trip to the Veternairy Emergency of Manchester. The Docs were shocked that he made it through the second snowiest winter New Hampshire has ever seen.
He's bald on both sides of his neck from the mattes he had all over his body as well as a few other bald patches on his side. He's down from 14 lbs to 9 lbs with every bone in his body protruding and has wounds all over from ticks/bugs and or fights (it's hard to tell from the picture). But overall, he's doing pretty well. After a rabies booster, a few scripts for antibiotics & tick meds, we were sent home.

I felt horrible making the poor little guy who had already been through so much spend his 1st night home in the bathroom, but until he was groomed in the a.m., we couldn't let him roam the house.

Following a nice shave and flea/tick bath he's home resting. He's surprisingly still super friendly and gentle. If he's not eating, he's sleeping. I can't even imagine how exhausted and weak he is.
We picked him up a nice new cat bed that he refuses to sleep in. I was able to snap this one picture of him after I put him in it and tried to convince him to like it. He hasn't been back in it since.

So, if you've read this far, you're a good friend! ;-)
Thanks to everyone who has prayed and sent well wishes throughout the past 3 months. They worked!

Do you Flickr?

2008-04-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

I've been a flickr member for quite sometime now, using it to share photos with friends & family as well as host my photos for sites like this.
But it wasn't until recently that I started really diving in a bit further to see what all the flickr rage was about. If your one of my "just-getting-into-photography" blog readers, and you don't know about flickr, I suggest you go check it out. If your like I was and haven't really checked out flickr, do a little more poking around. The site is a wealth of information and the message boards on there are awesome. Doesn't matter what type of photography your into, there's likely a group of people out there that are into it as well (with some exceptions of course).

So, if your on there, add me as a contact and check out the beginnings of my photostream. If your not one of my contacts, you can't peek b/c I have all my photos set private to family & friends only.

Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to try to update it with more of my recent work. Right now there's only a few things on there. But I plan to try and keep up with it a bit more regularly as I participate in a few of the contests and sharing forums on there.

A few conversions

2008-04-13T07:29:00.000-07:00

I've been working on creating my own B&W action since I've been on a pretty big B&W kick lately. After a few tweaks, I think I've got it. What do you think?

The park

2008-04-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

It was close to 70 degress out yesterday and we decided to enjoy the weather out at the park yesterday. This particular park is completely surrounded by trees and by the looks of these pics, you'd think it was fall.

Hope you all got a chance to sneak out and enjoy some of the weather too!

Redecorating

2008-04-04T12:56:00.001-07:00

If your reading this from a blog reader or saved link, hit refresh or come directly to my page and check out a bit of the redecorating I've done to better reflect my new branding. Next is the website but that's a month or 2 in the making. Oh, make sure you view it in full screen for the full effect. And don't forget to leave some comment love and let me know what you think.

Something about this one

2008-04-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what it is about this one that strikes me so much. Maybe it's his soulful eyes. Or the expression of despair & helplessness on his face. Like he's wondering what this whole "life" thing is about and what his journey has in-store for him.

Slideshow

2008-04-02T06:57:00.001-07:00

A quick slideshow b/c I just realized that I never share these on here.
Double click the center of the box to start {and don't forget to turn your speakers on!}.

Perfection

2008-04-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

Quick storyboard from this weekends session.

Two weeks

2008-03-31T18:45:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of meeting a great little family on Sunday for a fun newborn shoot. This little guy, weighing in at a mere 9 lbs was absolutely adorable. See for yourself...

Thanks Stacy, Frank, Little D & Baby J, It was great meeting you guys!

Spring is here!

2008-03-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

And look what I found sprouting up in my garden today.

I swear, these were not there yesterday. They just happened to pop up on the 1st day of spring! Oh how I love tulips...

Website Wednesday - Etsy

2008-03-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 1st week of Website Wednesday. Some of the blogs I read incorporate a weekly post topic such as miscellaneous Monday, Friday giveaways, etc. I've decided to do Website Wednesday's. Basically, every Wednesday I'll post about a website that I like that you may or not know about. Some may be photography related (for all my photog readers) while others may be about randow cool stuff. So don't forget to make sure you stop by on Wednesday's for a new fun site to surf.

I can easily say that one of my favorite sites by far in all of the internet is etsy. And if you don't know what etsy is, immediately go there and check it out.

I actually thought that everyone knew what etsy was. I figured, you know ebay, you must know etsy right?! Yesterday I found out that was not the case when talking to a past client/new friend about this really cute necklace I found on there. So I figured I'd post about it for those that may not have discovered this little gem of a site.

Etsy is an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade. You can find some of the coolest things on there like bags & purses, candles, ceramic art, TONS of stuff for children, clothing, jewelry, knitted goods, stationary, soaps, things for your pets, things for your electronic gadgets, you name it.

What's also cool about it is that there are a number of different ways you can shop. There's a gift guide which sorts items in different categories such as who your buying for, what the occasion is, what are they into or what time of year it is.
There's also a color tool where you pick a color and it narrows down your search to items only in that color range. Very cool if your searching for accessries to match an outfit or home goods to match your current decor.

I have a TON of favorite stores on there, too many to name actually, but here's a few that I've purchased from recently:

New laptop sleeve for my Macbook Air

Kids superhero capes

THE cutest little girl aprons

Babylegs!

The best kids hats I've found on there

What are some of your favorite stores?

In a couple of weeks, I hope you all add MY STORE to your list of favorites. Check back for more on that...Happy Shopping!

Look what came in the mail today

2008-03-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to bring myself to open it...

Covered bridge tour

2008-03-10T18:59:00.000-07:00

I've always had a fascination with bridges, especially old ones. So when I saw that the local photography group that I belong to was coordinating a covered bridge tour, I had to sign up.

We visited about 5 bridges in 6 hours all throughout New Hampshire. It was a ton of fun to explore parts of northern New Hampshire I'd never even heard of before, but the best part was meeting other local photographers.
I was lucky enough to already know someone in the group. We wound up car pooling together and talked shop all day. Good times.

Here's a few shots from the day.

(and don't forget to click on the photo to enlarge)

Guess where we went Thursday night

2008-03-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

Yup! Elton John! Adam surprised me with the tickets for Valentines day. We both love Elton's music and neither of us have seen him in concert, but always wanted to.

We had great seats, 2nd from from the floor, halfway down the arena.

All I can say is that it was amazing.

Let there be light

2008-03-05T14:59:00.001-08:00

In case you forgot, Daylight Saving Time is this weekend! Sunday March 9th, before you go to bed (actually it's technically 2am), be sure to set your clock forward 1 hr.

I've already noticed it getting darker later then usual. It's always nice to have Ads home from work and there still be enough light out to play in the yard before bath time.

This time of year is especially good for us on location natural light photographers who schedule all their sessions around the sun. And really, who doesn't enjoy extra daylight?

Also, if you don't do this already, don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. Many fire departments encourage people to change the batteries in their smoke detectors when they change their clocks because Daylight Saving Time provides a convenient reminder. We stocked up on 9 volt's last night!

Baby sign

2008-03-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

I started teaching Little A to sign at around 6 months (if I remember corectly). We started with about 10 basic signs. More, milk, mama, daddy, drink, all done, bath, fan, book & cat. I was pretty consitent with it for a good 4 or 5 months. But then I went through a short period where I stopped (but I did re-start it after a few weeks of realizing I wasn’t doing it as often). Even though I had put a list on the fridge of the signs we were working on, after months of signing without any sign of comprehension, I started to forget to do it as often.
Well, apparently she was comprehending b/c 3 weeks ago, at 15 months, she out of the blue signed back to me!

We were at Target doing our weekly errands with little A in the shopping cart. I was handing her dried fruit a few at a time while browsing the store. As I’m pushing her, I feel her hands moving and look down and she’s signing MORE. At first I thought it was accidental. It’s a pretty basic sign that can be confused with the clapping motion. So, I passed her 1 piece at a time and waited. Sure enough, the fingers start moving and again she’s signing more! more! more! I couldn’t believe it. All this time I wondered if she was getting it and she was. I must have given her ½ the bag while we were in there just to watch her keep signing to me.

Since then, I’ve seen what looks like “all done” & “milk”, but not enough to say that she is definitely signing those words.

For those of you expecting, or even if you have a young child who isn’t speaking yet, I highly recommend starting to sign with your little one. It’s never too late to start. The book Baby Talk is awesome and I definitely recommend you pick it up. It was recommended to me by other moms and it’s great. We also have This Baby Einstein DVD. I don’t know if the dvd helped as much as me doing the signs with her but we figured that since we were letting her watch one dvd a day, why not let this be one of them.

I’ve heard from other mom’s that once they start signing one word, a signing explosion soon follows. Fun times ahead. I’ll keep you guys posted on our progress.

2008 Birth Announcements are here!

2008-03-02T16:38:00.000-08:00

This years birth announcements are ready and I'm so excited to reveal them to all of you.
My goal in designing these was to create something different then the birth announcements you typically see. Something that stands out. And I think I did that.
All 25 designs in the collection are 5x5 in size & have a contemporary/modern fun fresh design.
All cards are sold in lots of 24 and include a choice of 5x5 or 5x7 envelopes. (Please note: 5x5 envelopes require extra postage.)

And the best part about this collection is that we'll be offering them to everyone, whether your a photography client or not.
What that means is that you can choose your design, send in your own photo and and order your cards that way.
Of course, those clients who use photos from our session will receive a discounted price.
So, even if your not in NH or MA, you can still get your hands on these. Pretty sweet huh?!

This is just one of the new and exciting things I previously mentioned in store for Kimberly Zay Photography this year!

Here's a small sneak preview of all the cool new designs.

For a better view of the designs, visit the Kimberly Zay Photography site, click on Portfolio, then Birth Announcements.

Contact me for pricing or more details.

Catch & Release

2008-02-26T08:26:00.001-08:00

We caught Niko this morning. We set the trap in our neighbors backyard around dinner time yesterday with no luck. Animal control highly suggested not leaving it set overnight b/c the chance of catching a skunk or raccoon would be pretty high.
So, we went over around 10:00 to unset it and it was already unset. Apparently something bumped it and set it off.
This morning around 10:00 we set it again and within 10 minutes, our neighbors were calling us to tell us he had been caught. The trap worked! I couldn't believe it! And so fast!

We had decided that once we caught him, we'd bring him right to the vet before even bringing him in the house. So I called the vet to let them know we'd be heading in and I also wanted to find out about what could be done to check for rabies and other diseases he could have caught. Unfortunately, we think he may be a few months short on his rabies vaccine. And according to the vet, they cannot check for rabies? That sounds odd. Anyone know anything about that?

So, Little A and I throw on our shoes & coats and the phone rings. It's my neighbor. He got out.
Apparently he was going nuts (as expected) in there so our neighbor went to pick up the cage to put it in their sun porch and as he was lifting it, he lifted the little handle that opens the trap door to get the animal out or put the food in. And off he went.
So now the question is, is he smart enough to not go for it again? Or will he get hungry enough and take the bait?

Niko sighting

2008-02-25T12:38:00.000-08:00

I saw Niko today. Two of our super nice neighbors have called us numerous times these past few days saying they've seen a cat that looks like Niko. But we've either missed their calls or by the time we get over there, he's gone. Apparently he's made a nest in the woods in a hollowed out log behind their house. They've been feeding him but when they call him or go near him, he runs. I knew that if I could just see him and call him, he'd hear my familiar voice and come to me.

Today one of them called right after I put little A down for a nap as I was making lunch in the kitchen. I looked out the door and there he was, right in their front yard! It WAS him! I threw my sneakers on my bare feet, grabbed my keys, locked the door and ran out there in a t-shirt and capris. I bent down and called him gently like I always have. He looked at me...and ran. WHAT?! Don't you recognize me?!

I chased him through the woods but I couldn't keep up with him. There was too much snow and he was far too fast. I didn't even see where he ran off to. Plus, little A was napping so I couldn't be out there long.

I couldn't help but cry when I saw him. I was happy to see that he was ok. I mean, it's been a month since he got out. It's been freezing at night and snowing and raining off and on for days. And at this point, he could have wandered into the next town over for all we knew. I've never lost hope but I knew that him being an indoor cat who never had been out before was not in his favor. And the fact that he ran from me, well, that just broke my heart.

Hopefully the trap we're setting in the neighbors backyard works and he's home soon. Keep your fingers crossed. We're getting close.

Are you a blog stalker?

2008-02-22T20:25:00.000-08:00

I am! I LOVE reading blogs. If you're reading this, I assume you like reading blogs too. But seriously, who has time to constantly be checking everyday to see if their favorite blogger has posted anything new? Not me. These days, I'm using a blog reader to help keep track of the numerous blogs I like to stalk. No more going to my favorites and clicking on each link to find a blog that hasn't been updated in weeks.

So, what's a blog reader?

Well, most blogs broadcast their content with what is called a syndicated feed such as RSS or ATOM. What a blog reader does is run it's software through the over 112 million blogs out there to collect those syndicated feeds and present them to you. So when a blog is updated, your blog reader will pick up the feed and notify you.

Most of the blogs I stalk are photography or business related but I also enjoy blogs related to news, celebrity gossip, crafts, parenting, music, technology & gadgets; among others. What are some of your favorite blogs?

If you don't use a blog reader, I highly suggest you start. I personally love Bloglines and Google Reader. I have over 100 blogs that I like to keep up with. Yes, over 100. And without a blog reader, that just wouldn't be possible.

So check one out. And if you do decide to start using one, don't forget to add the Kimberly Zay Photography blog.

Think Pink

2008-02-20T08:26:00.000-08:00

In keeping with giving back, I am honored to announce that I have joined the Think Pink Photographer network. Think Pink is dedicated to helping breast cancer survivors and their supporters celebrate life with charitable photography sessions. Anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer or completed treatment within the past twelve months qualifies for a Think Pink session. Sessions are available to document the fight before or during treatment or to celebrate the victory when treatment is completed.

Clients will receive a complimentary session, (20) small prints, and a discount off additional print orders.

If you are interested in booking a session or for more information, please contact me

To find local photographer in your area, visit the Think Pink Photography Website

I have one more really great charitable cause I've teamed up with that I'm totally excited to share with you guys. The details are still being worked out so check back within the next couple of days for more info on it!

New blog banner

2008-02-11T20:23:00.000-08:00

LOOK! A new blog banner!

It's very Me and I think it really reflects my photography style; simple, fresh & clean with a classy modern twist.

What do you think? Like it? Love it? Hate it?

Celebrating adoption

2008-02-10T07:20:00.000-08:00

I have always believed in helping those in need. In the past, my way of giving back has been in the form of dozens of charity walks including The Walk for Hunger, The Walk for HAWC and The NSMC Cancer Walk to name a few.

Now, as a photographer, I have a new outlet for my charity work through the timeless gift of photography.

I recently had the pleasure of becoming part of a wonderful organization with a great network of very talented photographers.
Celebrating Adoption is a national non-profit organization of professional photographers dedicated to promoting and celebrating adoption through their photography.

Our gift to adoptive families is a complimentary portrait session to capture this wonderful time in their family’s life. In addition to the session, each participating family will receive a set of 4x5/4x6 session prints, suitable for framing, scrapbooking, or giving to family and friends.

If you are an adoptive family and have adopted your child within the last year, you qualify for a Celebrating Adoption session.

If you or someone you know is located in the S. NH or Ma. area and is interested in scheduling a session, please contact me. I'd love to hear from you.

If you are not local and would like to schedule a session or find out more information, visit the Celebrating Adoption website and find a local participating photographer.

Some walking pics

2008-02-07T19:51:00.000-08:00

Little A started walking shortly after x-mas. Actually her 1st few steps were on x-mas day when she walked from me to Ads while we were on the floor opening presents. Luckily we had the video cam on the tripod and captured it.

It was only a few short days later that she started full on walking. And now, she's everywhere. It's amazing how much older she seems now that she's walking around. It's almost like my baby is gone and she's a toddler now. How sad.

Would it be cliche if I said she'll always be my baby?

Still searching

2008-01-29T08:05:00.001-08:00

For those wondering, we're still searching for Niko. We've put fliers in every mailbox in the neighborhood, hung them on telephone poles all over as well as the local grocery stores and gas stations. We've also put an ad in the local paper as well as a posting on craigslist. Someone has got to have seen him???

Our next step is a humane animal trap. A rep from a local animal shelter contacted me off craigslist saying that she'd loan me a trap to see if he's sneaking around at night when no ones around. The only thing I'm concerned about is catching another animal (like a raccoon!) or another neighbors cat. And the fact that whatever we catch will be stuck in the cage overnight in the cold concerns me.
So, I plan to discuss these concerns with her when she calls me and see what she thinks. We're desperate at this point and willing to try anything.

Where are you Niko?

Niko's missing

2008-01-26T07:39:00.000-08:00

Our beloved family cat Niko is missing. He escaped Thursday afternoon and has been gone for 2 nights. We've been searching for him multiple times a day with no luck. He's an indoor cat and has never been outside so we're really worried about him.

Our neighborhood is large and surrounded by woods so really he could be anywhere. I just keep thinking that I hope that he's at least out having fun and not scared.
We've made up a bunch of flyer's that we plan to put in out neighbors mailboxes and hang around the area. Hopefully someone has seen him and maybe even taken him in for the time being. It's so cold out there!

I know it's a long shot but who knows who reads this blog. Could be some of my close neighbors. You never know. So here's a picture of him.

He's a 3yr old brown and black maine coon. Really fluffy but kind of thin. He's friendly but probably scared being outside. So he may not come to you. We live in Hudson.

If seen, please pick him up and call 603-296-7047.
Our family misses him dearly. Thanks!

New pricing structure for 2008

2008-01-22T09:53:00.000-08:00

I mentioned late last year that I had a lot of new fun & exciting stuff instore for 2008. One of those being a new digital pricing structure! Now, not only will you be able to get amazing prints from your session, but you'll also have the option of purchasing the digital files! So instead of having to immediately decide how many of what size print you want, you can purchase the digital file, along with the copyright and print them yourself. Along with the CD of images, which comes encased in a beautiful leather presentation box, you will recieve a list of reccommended print labs to use and make sure that your prints are as beautiful as they would be if you were to print them in a pro lab.

Be sure to check out all the details in the investement section of my site!

It's alive!

2008-01-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

My site that is. Have you seen it?

A friend of mine today asked when my site was going to be up. It's been up for a few weeks now! That made me realize that there may be others out there that didn't realize it's live.
If you haven't already, check it out and let me know what you think.

Winter Wonderland

2007-12-31T09:41:00.001-08:00

We woke up this morning to yet another winter wonderland in lovely New Hampshire.
I seriously am sick of the snow. It's beautiful when it 1st falls and it's pure white and fluffy, but give it a day or two and it's dirty and ugly and nothing more than a nuisance.

As much as I don't care for the snow this year, it was far too pretty not to photograph.

Here's a few of our backyard and the front cul-de-sac. All taken from the dry confines of my doorway of course!

Christmas re-cap

2007-12-28T12:31:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great holiday. Ours was wonderful! We shared it with amazing family, friends & food!
Santa was very generous to us this year. So much so that a majority of little A's toys will be rotated into the basement to make room for all her new ones.

We started with x-mas Eve at my aunt's house which was just the beginning of the toy madness. We walked in to a big pile in the middle of the living room with all toys for little A from Grammy, Papa & all our aunts & cousins.
Christmas morning Santa left his mark with an abundance of gifts under our tree in our dining room. From there we headed to Nana's house and finished off the day at Adam's aunts house where there certainly was no shortage of laughs & tasty food.

We've been blessed beyond belief this year with so much love and happiness. We have so much to be thankful for! It's hard to believe we're only a few days away from the new year.

Here's to an even better 2008 (if that's even possible)!

Previous session to share

2007-12-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

I've had a bunch of great sessions this past month that I have neglected to post about. This time of year is so busy both personally and professionally. I just finished my x-mas shopping on Friday. But I'm happy to say I'm wrapped and ready to go. FINALLY.
Anyways, back to the sessions. I plan to share the ones I didn't mention in the next couple weeks. The family's are too darn cute for me not too!

I have had the pleasure of having some of the nicest clients, and adorable to boot. I have to say that this family was no exception!

Meet Little J.

I think she was one of the easiest babies I've had to photograph. She was so happy and mello, as were here parents and they were open to any ideas I had, which I love. They were just an all around happy, loving family. Both so welcoming as soon as I got there, I knew it was going to be a great session. I was right.

I always try to limit myself in the amount of proofs I show b/c it tends to get overwhelming with so many options but I had so many good ones of her, I just could choose, so I wound up showing more that usual.

Here's a few more from our session

Welcome to NH you guys, hope you're enjoying the snow! ;-)

Trip to see Santa

2007-12-19T13:26:00.000-08:00

We made a trip down to the Burlington Mall in Ma. today for some last minute holiday shopping, but more importantly, to see Santa! We have a mall that's closer to us but everyone knows that the Santa at the Burlington Mall is the best! Plus, that's the one we went to last year and I wanted to continue going to him for picture comparisons each year. However, it appears that Santa got a little work done b/c he's looking mighty different this year! What a bummer, last years Santa was so cute!

Little A was looking adorable (as always), all dressed up in 1 of her 2 holiday dresses with her fancy-schmancy sparkly ballet-like slippers.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the line was unusually short. Only about 15 mins compared to our over 1 hour wait last year.

As we walked up for our turn I felt little A's fingers dig into my shoulders. She was holding on for dear life. She knew what was coming. The photographer told me to drop her in his lap and run back behind the camera. I did and proceeded to make silly faces & noises as both she & santa stared at me looking very unimpressed (as you will see in the picture).

It took all of 5 seconds before she broke down crying. Santa said that she lasted longer than 90% of the kids her age. He probably says that to every mom.

Next years picture when she's 2 should be interesting.

And here's last years picture when she was only a few weeks old.

Little G

2007-12-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

I snuck down for a mini-shoot today with my good friend Christie's newborn daughter; Little G. She's 1 week 1 day old today and oh so very precious. Still very cuddly & sleepy...perfect for newborn photos.

I had Christie turn up the heat about 30 mins before I got there so Little G would be nice and warm in her birthday suit. It worked nicely. We were sweating, but little G was happy! Nice and relaxed. Actually, maybe a bit too relaxed. Once we took of her diaper, she pee'd and pooped at least a half dozen times including all over Mom! I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard!

Here's a few favorites from our session.

Brothers

2007-12-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to photograph these 3 little guys for weeks and I finally got the chance to last weekend. Their parents are really good friends of ours and we had tried on numerous occasions to set something up. But, as those with multiple kids know, catching them all together when at least one isn't sick (especially this time of year) as well as working with our schedules, is a task in and of itself. But, we did it and they came out great!

Here's a few from our session.

I've been neglecting you

2007-12-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

And I'm sorry! I swear, since right before Thanksgiving, things have been crazy in the Z household. We had little A's big bash which was so much fun. I have a bunch of videos to share with you guys but we're in the process of choosing a new video editing software and until we get it, I'm going to hold off on sharing.

Two days later, Ads got deathly ill. Confined to the bedroom for 2 days. Only leaving bed to get sick. I'll spare you all the gruesome details.

I've had back to back session every weekend which has been great except for the fact that my laptop caught a virus and is now under repair which means I can't proof any of my sessions. I have 2 sessions waiting for their proofs and/or a sneak peek. I didn't forget about you guys and I'll try my hardest to get them to you before my 2 week deadline.

And lastly, my good friend had her baby this week. Little G - born 12/3/07 7lbs 8oz, and absolutely beautiful. I've been visting her in the hospital the last couple of days. She's just so cute! I'm totally looking forward to doing her newborn photos!

So, that's what's been going on with us (me). Stay warm everybody!

A letter from Mommy

2007-11-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

My Sweet Little Princess,

Today was a big day for you. You don't know it, but you turned ONE! You have changed so much in just the last couple of months and you never cease to amaze me. You're on the verge of walking & talking. You're already so smart. You babble constantly and I wish I knew what was going on in that little mind of yours.

You're so good to Daddy & I. I don't know how we got so lucky. We must have been really good in a previous life to deserve a little Princess as sweet as you. I thank God everyday for bringing you to us. You've shown us what a gift it is to be parents. And it's true, I never thought I could love someone as much as I love you.

You're such a Daddy's girl. The 1st thing Daddy said to you this morning when he saw you was "Happy Birthday Baby!". He loves you so much.

Tomorrow, almost everyone that loves & cares about you will be here to celebrate. I've been planning this party since I found out you were going to be a girl while I was pregnant(ha!). It'll be beautiful, girly & fun...just like you.

So, I hope you enjoy your day tomorrow baby. You deserve it and so much more!

Happy Birthday Beautiful! I love you!

xoxo Mommy

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T17:31:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all got to spend it with your friends and loved ones!
The turkey coma has won the battle and I'm off to bed soon. Still contemplating going out to shop the black Friday sales tomorrow. Considering I haven't done an ounce of Christmas shopping, I probably should. I guess that will be decided when the alarm clock goes off.

Gobble! Gobble!

Family of 4

2007-11-19T18:45:00.000-08:00

I had a shoot at one of my favorite local parks this week with an adorable little family of 4. Kim & I had been trying to pick a shoot location for weeks and finally decided on Livingston just a few days prior to meeting. I was excited to meet her little boys especially after she sent back her "help me get to know you" form. Listed under the children's birthday's I noticed that they're irish twins! One and a half & six months old. And cute as heck! How cool is that?

I knew I'd have to be quick b/c it was COLD. It wasn't long before the temp got the best of the boys and we had to end the session. I did however manage to get a few shots before we all couldn't take the chill anymore.

Oh and Kim suggested this great little italian restaurant that we'll be getting the food catered from for little A's bash this weekend. She swears by the alfredo sauce so all of you who will be at the party this weekend, get the chicken broccoli & ziti while you can b/c if it's a good as she says it is, it'll be gone fast!

Kim & Donny - It was great meeting you guys this week. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to photograph your adorable family!

One year ago today

2007-11-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

One year ago today, Adam and I closed on our house. Four days later, my water broke. Two days following, our little turkey was born.

It's hard to believe we've lived here for a year. In some ways, it seems like we've been here forever, it's home. In others, it feels like just yesterday that we were signing the mounds of morgage paperwork. We love our house. It's the perfect size for us and it's in a great quiet neighborhood. Two things that were very hard for us to find in Ma.

We love being able to let little A play outside and not have to worry about cars whizzing by. We love sitting outside at night in the summer with a cold drink and enjoying how quiet it is. We love the fact that we have great neighbors. We just plain love it here! Ha!
So happy 1 year annoversary to us and our home.

And just b/c I hate posting without pictures to share, here's a few of the munchkin.

Baby boom

2007-11-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

There's been a baby boom within my circle of friends. There's 3 that are pregnant now, all due to give birth in the next couple of months and one who just arrived, Little C.

When I went to visit Little C for the 1st time to take her newborn photos, I was expecting this tiny little peanut. I mean, Little A was only 6lbs 4oz at birth (3 weeks early), so I guess I was basing it off that. But Little C was close to 10 lbs. So even though she was still very small, she was bigger than I expected. The pictures her parents sent us after she was born were adorable so I knew she'd be even more gorgeous in person. I was right.

Seriously, how cute is she?

Just a friendly reminder

2007-11-15T12:12:00.000-08:00

All images shown on this blog, my website, presented to you during your proofing session as well as the prints you purchase are copyright Kimberly Zay Photography and may not be used or reproduced in part or whole without written consent.
It is illegal and unlawful to scan, copy, right click & save, or reproduce my work in any manner. As an artist, I wish to have complete control over the final look of my images. Scanned images and images saved off my webpages damage my reputation as a photographer by distorting and devaluing the image quality. If you wish to share images from your shoot, I suggest you link to my blog, website or proofing session.

Thank you for respecting and valuing my work!

Kim

Little E

2007-11-13T16:00:00.000-08:00

I had a session with a great little family this past Sunday. Little E was absolutely adorable and even though he wasn't too thrilled with having me poking my camera in his face, I managed to catch a few grins & smirks.

Lindsay and Matt were super sweet and you could just tell how much they loved Little E. And it totally shows in the photos.

Then, right as I was getting ready to leave, Little E decided he'd had enough and needed a nap.

It was great meeting you Lindsay and Matt. Thanks for letting me photograph your family!

Leaf pile

2007-11-09T14:35:00.001-08:00

This week, I had the pleasure of photographing 2 of the cutest little boys in NH. Their mom contacted me off a local message board which is always fun & exciting.

Little R warmed up to me pretty quickly and sure did give me a run for my money. No seriously, money actually fell out of my pocket as I was chasing after him. Ha!
We had a blast running around in the leaves, making leaf piles and feeding the ducks...err, seagulls.

And Baby K was one of the smiliest happy babies I've ever met. He gave me a bunch of great little grins and was so good despite it being a bit chilly out.

Thanks, Jess, for giving me the opportunity to photograph your boys!

Here's a quick little preview from our session.

Canvas

2007-11-09T04:56:00.000-08:00

The canvas I ordered last week finally was delivered yesterday. I've been stalking this thing online for days, constantly checking the tracking number to see where it was and when it was scheduled for delivery.
I just so happened to be outside getting the mail yesterday when I saw the fed-ex truck pull up...to my neighbors house! My 1st thought was that maybe they stopped a bit short and were still going to be delivering to me. Then the guy hopped out of his truck and proceeded up the neighbors driveway, back into his truck and drove off. No delivery for me. However, that box looked the exact size of the canvas I had ordered. I thought, maybe I should just go look and see if it has my name on it. I snuck up to the neighbors side door and peeked at the label and sure enough, it had my name and address on it. I snatched it and took off, immediately opening it once I got inside. It's stunning and even more beautiful then I had hoped for. Canvases are my all time fave, I plan to get one for each room in my house!

Here's a few shots so you can see the details. It's 16x20. These are available to my clients in sizes 11x14, 16x20 & 20x20. Contact me for details.

Please excuse the following shots. I never said I was a product photographer! Ha!

Trick-or-Treat

2007-11-05T15:19:00.001-08:00

This year was our 1st year being in our new home for halloween. It's kind of hard to believe that in a few weeks we will have been here for a year, but it also feels like we've lived here forever. We had A LOT of trick-or-treater's in our neighborhood. FIVE bags of candy worth! I love seeing all the kids in their costumes. When we lived in the city we'd have to sit out on the front porch with our hot cocoa's giving out candy b/c none of the kids would go up all those stairs to get to our apartment. So it was nice to not have to freeze our butts off on the stoop. It got pretty chilly fast.

Little A was decked out in her Monkey costume. We put her in her buggy with her little candy basket propped under the hood and went around our cul-de-sac. Everyone got a kick out of her new obsession...waving! She waves at everyone now. As soon as someone opened the door and we said "Hiiiiiii", she'd wave. What a ham!

I'm just now getting around to looking at these snapshots but had to share.

Oh and by the way, notice how one of our pumpkins has a big chunk missing? Upon closer inspection we noticed little teeth marks on it! I don't even want to know what kind of animal is eating our pumpkins on our porch at night.

Since you asked

2007-11-05T14:37:00.000-08:00

Well, I've gotten a bunch of emails asking a bunch of the same questions regarding the winter hat photos. So instead of emailing everyone back, I figured I'd just put it all out here in case anyone else was curious too. I'll probably do this every once in a while anyways. I know I love when people share where they got certain things in photos, especially when it comes to kids stuff. So here it goes:

Yes, the flowers Little A's holding are real and YES they are from my garden. However, they came with the house and I can't take credit for growing them. We heard that the previous owners had quite the green thumb.

The hat & shirt are from Carters.

Yes those are Uggs, we got them as a gift when I was pregnant and they are just now finally fitting her. I know they sell them at Nordstrom and you can always get them here.

Anything else? Leave a comment!

Winter hats!

2007-11-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of winter, especially here in New England, but I love winter clothing, ESPECIALLY hats. I picked up a couple new ones for Little A while we were adding to her winter wardrobe this past weekend. She's a stinker though and won't keep them on so I had to tie it. It looked so much cuter untied with the sides hanging down but she's wasn't having it. I have another one I'm going to try taking photos of outside if it ever stops raining. Anyways, here's a few from the front yard the other day.

Rolling Rally

2007-10-30T18:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Little A & I went down to Boston to meet Daddy at work so we could all go to the Red Sox parade. It was hard to get many good pictures with the thousands of people there, but I managed to get a few good snapshots. Check 'em out!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!

2007-10-28T21:16:00.000-07:00

SWEEP!

My husband is going crazy right now! I think he got more air then Papelbon when they won! WOW!

Wally

2007-10-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

Wally's been peacefully sitting atop our television since the series started. Call me superstitious, but 3 out of 3 games so far...I think it's working! Tonight's the night! GO SOX!!!

Halloween Preview

2007-10-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

Ooo-Ooo-Ahh-Ahh I hear a monkey!!!

We went to our very 1st halloween party at a good friend's house yesterday. All the kids looked super cute in their costumes. We saw SWAT team members, Horses, Skeletons, Superman and Pumpkins to name a few.
I was actually quite surprised that little A didn't freak out when I put her costume on considering she was hysterical the 1st time we tried it on. Maybe seeing all the other kids with their costumes on helped?

1st up on the list of things to do was to take everyone outside for a group photo. 18 kids, need I say more? So after that chaos, I plopped Little A over in the corner and tried snapping a few. I know she looks like she's going to cry, but I assure you, she was happy as a clam and crawling around everywhere in it. Poor baby was probably sweating her tail off though. I mean, it was 75 degrees out and she was wearing fleece. Let's hope halloween night is a bit cooler.

New and exciting things are coming!

2007-10-20T19:46:00.001-07:00

New webpage! New contact info! New photos! Check back soon for the latest on www.kimberlyzayphotography.com!

Baby Uggs

2007-10-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs at least one pair of uggs right?!

Good friends of ours gave these to little A as a shower gift last year. Being a size small we figured she'd be able to wear them last winter. And even though everyone said she had big feet when she was born, they were way too big. I kept saying that there was no way she was not going to get some use out of them. If they fit her in the summer, I planned on putting them on her then. But luckily for her, they didn't fit then either. I tried yet again the other day and what do you know, they fit! Seriously, how cute are these?!

Pretty Pretty Princess

2007-10-16T05:15:00.000-07:00

I decided a few days ago that I was going to make Little A a tutu. I mean, it only seemed fitting being the little princess that she is.
That night when it was finished, I anxiously awaited the next day when I could put it on her. I figured she'd hate it, try and rip it off, cry, throw a mini princess fit. I'd take a few pics of her in it and try again in a few months when she's walking.
But to my surprise, she loved it! She was crawling around in it no problem. Laughing and playing with the pieces, standing up and looking down at it. On top of it all, she looked adorable in it! See for yourself...

Game day

2007-10-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

Just a lazy Sunday at home yesterday. Daddy & Little A had their game jerseys on all day in anticipation for the PATS game.
Adam's trying to teach her to say "touchdown!" Maybe that will be her 1st official word?
During halftime I snuck them outside for a quick pic. My loves.

What's new with Little A?

2007-10-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

Well, she's been crawling for a few months now. She's EVERYWHERE! My favorite is when we're playing on the floor and she gets really excited from the other end of the room and races over to me giggling and huffing and puffing like she's running a marathon, but her knees are faster than her hands so she face plants on the rug and then looks up at me from the floor and starts laughing. It's like she can't get me to fast enough. LOVE that!

Her latest "thing" is standing. She has to stand holding on to everything. The couch, coffee table, tv stand, recliner, ottoman, toy box, window sill, the wall, stairs, baby gate, lion push toy, you while you sit on the floor, you name it, she's standing against it.

She loves clapping, blowing raspberries, making the crazy noises with her finger and her lips (what's that called?) and daddy's favorite: giving kisses! She says mama a lot, especially in distress. I guess you could consider that her 1st word although we don't think she knows what it means yet.
She loves our kitty Niko and enjoys torturing him daily. She's very into books now and will lie with you while you read to her.

She's eating everything these days and is almost off my homemade "baby food". We've gone though almost every fruit and veggie and we're working on meats. We've tried chicken, ham & beef and she's done pretty good with all. She's also had mashed potatoes, pizza, hash browns, toast and cheese but cheerios are her favorite!

That foliage I was talking about

2007-10-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

Over the river and through the woods

2007-10-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

The foliage in New England is stunning right now. Especially up here in NH. Right now the leaves at are that perfect stage of red, orange and yellow. Beautiful! People come from all over to get a glimpse of the trees this time of year, and we're lucky enough to be able to just look out the window and enjoy it.

Yesterday Little A and I decided to go for a stroll on this walking trail through the woods at this cool new park we were told about. I'll admit that going for a walk to check out the trees was only half of the reason why we were heading here. I'm always on the lookout for new places to take pics. And of course, I couldn't resist snapping a few pics along the way, especially when we saw this cool bridge!

Check back next week for a few daddy/daughter pics from here as we plan to hopefully head back this weekend.

Vintage

2007-10-06T17:28:00.001-07:00

Just a quick pic of a cool old fire truck we came across up in Milton NH.

Monarch

2007-10-04T11:41:00.001-07:00

Monarch butterflies are somewhat a symbol of my husband & I's love for one another. They have worked their way into some of our most special moments. One in particular being our wedding. For those who don't know, we were married at the rose garden at Lynch Park in Beverly, Ma. Lynch Park is beautiful with the luscious green grass surrounded by beautiful flowers and the ocean in the close distance. If you've never been, I suggest you go. It's a great place to lay a blanket out on a sunny afternoon and just enjoy the day.
We try to visit throughout the year and were just recently there this past Sunday. I was lucky enough to catch this shot while admiring the flowers.

For all the fellow Moms

2007-10-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

You'll appreciate this:

ABC's of Kim

2007-09-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

A - Attached or Single: Attached
B - Best Friend(s): Adam, Karen, Jen, Christie
C - Cake or Pie: Pecan pie!
D - Drink of Choice: Water
E - Essential Item: My Camera & currently my diaper bag
F - Favorite Color: Pink
G - Gummi Bears or Worms: Definitely Bears
H - Hometown: Stoneham, Ma.
I– Indulgence(s): Coldstone
J - January or July: July – I hate winter!
K - Kids: One precious daughter
L - Life is incomplete without: Family & Friends
M - Milk - Chocolate or white: Either
N - Number of Siblings: Zero
O - Oranges or Apples: Apples
P - Phobias/Fears: Being alone for long periods of time at night
Q - Favorite Quote: Life is like photography, you have to use the negatives to develop
R - Reason to smile: Little A – she makes me smile everyday!
S - Season: Fall
T- Top 3 movies: The Notebook, 50 First dates, Fever Pitch
U - Unknown Fact About Me: I like mayo on everything
V - Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: Meat lover
W - Worst Habit: Driving too fast
X - X-rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds
Y - Your Favorite Foods: Cake batter ice cream
Z - Zodiac: Virgo

I guess It's that time of the the season

2007-09-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

Flu season that is. We're barely into the fall season and Little A has already come down with her 1st virus-Rotavirus to be more specific.

It all started last week with the dreaded constant diarrhea. If you've ever dealt with a baby with Rotavirus, you know what I'm talking about. It's completely different and trust me, you don't want me to get into the specifics.
From there she developed a low grade fever that was on and off for 2-3 days. Immediately following that was the vomiting. I can deal with poop on any level, but vomiting is a whole different ball game. How is it that it seems like she throws up more than her tiny little stomach could possibly hold? Poor baby, I can't imagine how she's feeling. She's in such great spirits though. The only sign of her not feeling well (besides the obvious) is that she'll be playing on the floor and all of a sudden decide to lie down and rest her little head against the carpet. Like she needs a quick break. Then she pops up and is off playing again. God bless her! Kids are so resilient.
And of course, with a virus there really isn't anything you can do other than let it run it's course, keep them hydrated and try and battle the fevers with Tylenol or Motrin. The Dr estimates it should be done with by the end of the week. Yesterday's appt showed that she was down 1/2 lb. Which isn't bad considering.
Let's hope this weekend we're all out enjoying the nice weather. I'm sure she's starting to get a little stir-crazy locked up in this house. I know I am.

Day Two...almost 8 months later

2007-09-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe I'm not so good at this blog thing? But from here on out I'm going to try and keep up with it. I promise.

Anyways, life is good. We're all happy, healthy & together; what more could we ask for? Little A is now 10 months old and beautiful & smart as ever. It's hard to believe she'll be One in just a few short months! Where has this past year gone? Will I be saying this every year? Do the years somehow miraciously pass faster when you have a child? It feels like just yesterday we were eating our Thanksgiving dinner in our hospital room.

In keeping up with the 3-6-9-12 month photos, here's one of Little A at 9 months. As you can see, she's got some serious attitude! I have no idea where she gets that from...(giggle)

Day One

2007-02-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

Day One of my blog. I've been contemplating starting a public blog. I'm more of a private journaler but I feel like 2007 is the year I share a little bit more of myself with the world.
Those that know me know that 2006 was a whirlwind of a year. This year is all about enjoying being married & a mommy in our new home!