Category Archives: Personal

{What ______ looks like} ‘siblings, swimming & sugar’

It’s that time again!!  These are so fun and I so look forward to making sure I squeeze these into our busy life.  I usually have my iPhone camera where ever we go but this forces me to get out my big camera and capture every day fun.  This month has been nuts and I wish I could’ve captured more fun, simple, living in the moment fun.  This month was the opening of ‘pool season’ (sort of) in the May house.  Brielle was dying to go swimming so she talked her brother into coming out and jumping in with her.  They ended up only getting in to their shoulders since the water was still 70 degrees.  Ty’s only a fish when the water is 80 degrees.  Brielle is normally always a fish but she only wanted to get in all the way  if her brother joined her.   Below, is a treat!  We try to really manage the amount of sugar we give our kids (don’t laugh) so this was a BIG DEAL!  Cookies!  Girl Scout Cookies!  The kids made me giggle as they got these out, stacked them and then asked me for some cookies.  Yes, guilt trip!  So I made a little shoot out of it and had them wait a little.  I asked them questions and got some silly expressions.  I’m easily entertained by them. After scrolling through this post please click through the circle to see what the other talented ladies in the group have posted. I’m sure Jenny Cruger will have some amazing eye candy.

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glass clampMay 9, 2013 - 10:38 am

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seaphotography.co.ukMay 2, 2013 - 2:39 am

I love how natural your images are. Kids are great and you show this in your photos. Lovely work :)

Catherine VargasMay 1, 2013 - 10:44 am

I love your pictures and those kids are beautiful :)

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amy graceApril 11, 2013 - 9:03 am

i feel like you’ve bottled up summer, and it’s only yet spring! your colors are out of this world beautiful. and it all starts with those eyes. it must be tiring hearing about the beauty of your family, but i have to add that i wholly agree. you make gorgeous images, kara.

brendaApril 11, 2013 - 6:53 am

Oh what fun! Summer is definitely upon us! Swimming and Girl Scout thin mints say it all….time for Summertime fun! Every time I see an image of the two of them together, they seem so so extremely close…I adore that!

Jenny CrugerApril 9, 2013 - 6:45 pm

These are stunning. love the tones and light and your kids are gorgeous!

shalondaApril 9, 2013 - 1:01 pm

oh kara y’all crack me up hahahaha love the eyebrow ones hahahaha

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LeslieApril 8, 2013 - 1:03 pm

This looks like so much fun! And swim season already?! You’re so lucky, we have snow! And your post has me craving Thin Mints! Love every photo!!!

KendraApril 8, 2013 - 12:56 pm

Freaking adorable!!! I want to swim in your pool and I’ll eat cookies with your kiddos too. These are just too cute!

Maria MendezApril 8, 2013 - 12:34 pm

Honestly! These are amazing and your kids need to be signed with a modeling agency if they aren’t already!! I love how fun these are!

SharonApril 8, 2013 - 7:40 am

Love this! Looks like lots of fun and laughter!

[...] you don’t make it to the end, please continue through the circle to the talented Kara May of Kara May Photography  for a glimpse at her life last [...]

{What_____ looks like} our Saturday entertainment.

You don’t  know how much I look forward to this monthly project.  It gets me used to capturing simple moments at home that I otherwise wouldn’t be photographing.  This past month was a crazy busy one but I didn’t want that to stop me from capturing my own families moments.  The kids are at such fun ages.  Brielle is adamant that she wears her converse boots daily (except on PE days) and her hair in a bun most every day.  I love the little person she’s become.  And Tyler, still not loving to be photographed…just got his braces off!  That’s HUGE!!  He looks so handsome with gleaming white teeth and his retro glasses (oh the round nerd glasses pictured further down on this post are NOT his new glasses – we were playing and he got those out).

So what is this month’s post all about?  It’s what our Saturday entertainment looks like.  Primarily…dressing up August with play clothes.  He doesn’t love it but Brielle made sure she had treats on hand for him.  He’s such a good sport!  These are the moments I want to remember.


Continue through the circle to see what the other girls posted about this month!   Click here to go the Stephanie Moore of Stephanie Moore Studio and see what she posted for this months project.

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Summer MurdockMarch 22, 2013 - 8:54 pm

Wowza, these are gorgeous Kara. Love the first two and the black and whites of your daughter. Really really love!

Michaela K.March 14, 2013 - 6:15 am

Really very wonderful blog, beautiful photography and music to it. :-)

julesMarch 10, 2013 - 9:40 am

so much beauty in your saturdays … your kiddos are gorgeous and I love the bond they have with one another. that little pup of yours is such a good sport … looks awesome in the cape! I adore the bw of b so much … just gorgeous!

shannon sewellMarch 7, 2013 - 7:01 pm

your ‘everyday’ images are just so beautiful… (as are your kiddos) ;) and if i looked that cute in a bun and cons, i’d wear them everyday too!

andreaMarch 6, 2013 - 9:37 pm

firstly, your children are strikingly beautiful. second, your processing is fantastic. third, i adore those images of the kids snuggling your pup. so sweet.

Lindsey BergstromMarch 5, 2013 - 9:35 pm

Kara…these are beautiful. what amazing children and images.

Wendy VonSosenMarch 4, 2013 - 11:32 pm

Kara, these are so fun and beautiful at the same time. What a patient dog you have. I totally get the bun stage that your daughter is in. Mine went through several similar phases with buns, braids, hats, and bandanas. And getting braces off is huge! We’re counting down the days over here. Well done!

CJ AndersonMarch 4, 2013 - 11:31 am

Beautiful post of beautiful moments. Luv your vision and how you see everyday moments. Thru your eyes there is so much beauty and magic. You truly have a gift. Please keep sharing that gift with us. It’s so inspiring.

amy graceMarch 4, 2013 - 10:51 am

kara, this one is my favorite so far :) the level of beauty you have in your home, your gene pull…my goodness are your kids out of this world gorgeous. and then so fun, and kind and full of humor. this made me smile a big smile, as i was ohhh-ing and ahhh-ing. what an amazing job you did, using your signature eye and style to make something special, more special :) xoxo

Kelly StewartMarch 4, 2013 - 10:42 am

I just LOVE your work! I hope I get to take a workshop from you someday!

Alex HMarch 4, 2013 - 9:23 am

Completely inspired!!! The emotion in your pictures is undeniable. Each one is so deep and real even though its a very simple moment. Amazing!

JessicaMarch 4, 2013 - 8:46 am

Wow!!!! Your b&w’s give me goosebumps. All of these images touched me. Your daughters room is so magical. Little fairy tale with the door. Love these!

Maria MendezMarch 4, 2013 - 8:27 am

I love each and every one if these!! You captured childhood and siblings perfectly!! Always in aw of your work!

Heather CarrawayMarch 4, 2013 - 8:19 am

Kara, these are amazing!!! It almost makes me want to get a little fluffy dog and I am a total big dog person ;) Haha!! Your children are stunning :)

Stacey WoodsMarch 4, 2013 - 7:53 am

Well, your son is just gorgeous! Congrats on getting his braces off! The black and white images of your daughter made my breath catch – she is stunning! And then I lost it when I saw sunglasses on your dog’s rear end. LOL! What a fun family. Beautiful, beautiful work, Kara!! xo

Michele QMarch 4, 2013 - 7:43 am

ahhh, I never tire of looking at your photographs!

[...] and diverse circle of photographers, sharing what lifestyle photography looks like to them. next is Kara May, Scottsdale Children’s [...]

{Something’s different about him….}

My little man looks a little different these days.   Something has changed…and he can see better in class as a result.  Yes, Tyler got glasses!  He was having trouble seeing the smart board (I keep calling it a chalk board but I’m quickly corrected) from the back of the class, so it was time to take him in for a ‘real’ eye exam.  It took a long time and Ty was pretty nervous.  I was by his side the whole time watching him struggle to read the letters on the wall from a distance.  I couldn’t believe what he couldn’t see.  But in the end his vision really wasn’t that bad.  He only needs the glasses for distance and his vision is 20/30 and 20/40 so it’s pretty minor.  But the new glasses…they’re kind of a big deal to my little guy.  He was nervous but excited about this new addition to his face.  :)   He’s very careful too, reminding me how to properly care for the glasses (guess I’m not as careful with them as I should be).  Anyway, this ‘new look’ called for a photo session, so we did just that – then the rain interrupted and we ran for the car.  So this was what we were quickly able to capture.

 

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Katie CawoodFebruary 12, 2013 - 10:16 am

Two words: Buddy Holly. :)

Cassandra GilesJanuary 30, 2013 - 1:24 pm

For reals??? This is awesome Kara! What a little stud!

TanyaJanuary 29, 2013 - 5:39 pm

Love these shots Kara & Tyler’s new glasses, they look so good on him!! I have to say, Tyler is growing up so fast & growing into one very handsome young man! x

MariaJanuary 28, 2013 - 9:52 pm

Sooooooooo adorable Kara! Love these. Tyler is getting so big.

Lindsay Tres'January 28, 2013 - 9:50 pm

Seriously one cute and stylish hipster you have there! I’m in live with his look. Adorable!

YvonneJanuary 28, 2013 - 4:11 pm

I LOVE his glasses. They look great on him.

Oh Kara what a handsome boy, I love these photos!

mugsie5January 28, 2013 - 1:16 pm

love these shots. If anyone could rock these it is Tyler

Heather A.January 28, 2013 - 1:15 pm

Um, adorable! He’s so cute and growing so fast. Even though I’ve never met your family I feel like I know you. Thanks for sharing this with us!!

Jessica HogenJanuary 28, 2013 - 1:12 pm

This post ROCKS! My little girl wears glasses and I love to see them as the central theme like this in a photo shoot!

Kay ZJanuary 28, 2013 - 12:59 pm

He’s so handsome! Love that you did this! He’ll love these when he’s older.

Katie McGeeJanuary 28, 2013 - 12:45 pm

What a handsome little guy! He looks dashing in those glasses!

Kat GambleJanuary 28, 2013 - 12:42 pm

Omgosh! He is the cutest little hipster boy I’ve ever seen!

What ______ looks like! December {summarized}

I’m so excited that I was asked to be a part of this amazing group of ladies doing this great monthly project.  So what is this project?  As busy moms and photography business owners we don’t take enough time to document our own families lives.  This project is dedicated to our families, our lives, our passions and whatever makes us happy.  So each month we will be posting ‘What_____ looks like’.  And in the blank we can fill it with whatever we want, it could be our family, it could be the daily things that make us happy, it could be objects.  The options are endless and with that comes a unique spin on what each photographer shares.  At the end of this post I’ll share the link of another talented photographer in this group from there you can click through to complete the circle.

For this first post I decided to recap some of December.  As we all know, December is a very busy month for everyone.  It’s full of parties, celebrations, decorations, twinkling lights, family, baking (which I admit right now, I didn’t do nearly enough of …not a single loaf of eggnog bread this year), late nights, trips to the post office, eggnog and other fun libations, etc.  I didn’t photograph near what I had hoped to this year but I was needing a breather from my camera after busy season.

Here’s a little taste of Christmas at our house:

The kids doing homework by the light of the tree  Instagram pic (below)

A little comp of Christmas from my Instagram feed also

Our very messy Gingerbread houses.  The kids were soooo proud of them.  I laughed (inside) at their final product.  They also made trains and a fire pit.  Can you find the fire pit?    I love their creative mess.  So much fun!!

A little blast from the past mixed with this years photo with Santa when we did the ‘North Pole Experience’.  I LOVE looking at old Santa pics. And Brielle was so entertaining in these.  This years Santa was the scariest and she was her happiest. 

Brielle, Grandma May and me at Brielle’s class play ‘The Gingerbread Man’ .  This is the first time B had a gingerbread cookie .  She decided she liked decorating it more than eating it {not her favorite}.

Brielle spent 3 weeks of December sick.  She had strep throat and pneumonia!  Poor girl.

And we had an elf.  Like many of you this little guy stayed at our house for the month.  This was a night off  for me so when I saw what the elf was doing the next morning….I just shook my head.   Jeff.  All I can say is, Jeff.

Our neighborhood is amazing.  Have I mentioned that before?  This is our first time celebrating Christmas in this house and our neighbors invited us to their tradition of having everyone over on Christmas Eve for food, libations, friends, cheer and Santa!  Santa came in with a HUGE red bag full of gifts for the 20+ kids that were there.  Each child got Christmas PJ’s from Santa as well as a toy.  Seriously?!!  Yes, it was a blast!  Such a great night and so magical and fun for the kids. We have the most amazing neighborhood!

This year Brielle and Tyler handed out ALL of the presents while Jeff and I sat and soaked it all in, just in aw that our kids were growing up and so mature and sweet about making sure everyone had a gift and watching each other open presents.  

The day after Christmas we headed to Seattle to see my family.   The kids were greeted by excited cousins.  And the playing and bonding lasted the whole trip.  This photo was taken just before saying good-bye.  They had a great time with their cousins, Grandma & Grandpa.  

We arrived home on New Year’s Eve. We were a little under the weather so we had to cancel our plans with friends and just laid low at home.  We spent the evening pulling out most every game we had.  Then the kids got this 1,000 piece puzzle out.  The kids helped for about 30 minutes then they realized it was more fun to play under the table than help with the puzzle.  At 9pm we all read books.  The kids wanted to stay up till midnight so bad.  So we told them they could read quietly till midnight knowing they would fall asleep.  At 11 I went to check on them.  Brielle was out and Ty was still reading.  Groggy eyed he said excitedly,’ It’s almost midnight.’  We all read together for the last hour and tried to get Brielle up but she was out!   We promised Ty we’d toast with eggnogg at midnight if he made it.  And that’s just what we did.  He was soooooo sweetly proud of himself for making it to see the ball drop.  Love his sweet spirit.  So this was our December – summarized. 

Now click though to Stacey Woods | Clearwater Family Photographer and see what she’s posting about.  I’m excited to see myself.

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julesJanuary 13, 2013 - 9:27 pm

I totally agree with shalonda … these look straight out of a glossy, beautiful magazine. your home and your children are gorgeous! what perfect traditions and memories you have captured for them.

Julie KitnerJanuary 8, 2013 - 7:44 pm

Wow, I love your photography. I’ve been following you for a while and it’s a treat coming to your blog. Keep posting you have so many followers that love to see your work.

Shelley BanksJanuary 8, 2013 - 6:13 pm

Love your tree! All the details are so beautiful!

Shelley BanksJanuary 8, 2013 - 6:11 pm

Love, love, love your tree!

leahJanuary 8, 2013 - 12:36 pm

what a gorgeous holiday you had! super fun family memories. yes, those santa photos are priceless!

Lindsey BergstromJanuary 7, 2013 - 8:51 pm

so glad to have you in the group…what memories of christmas. I love the one of your son and daughter together with her arm around his neck. casual and beautiful. I also so wish I could have helped with those gingerbread houses…they are fantastic. looking forward to seeing next month!

Sarah cJanuary 7, 2013 - 7:48 pm

I am soooooo happy you are in this group! I can’t even begin to tell you how much I adore your work and look forward to meeting you in Seattle! I’m so glad your princess is feeling better too! You have such a beautiful home in every sense! Such a gorgeous collection of images!!!

Carrie HiggsJanuary 7, 2013 - 5:32 pm

Ah-maz-ing!%20%20I%20love%20getting%20a%20peek%20into%20your%20beautiful%20world%20Kara!%20%20I%20love%20what%20you’ve%20captured%20and%20I%20like%20the%20lifestyle%20feel%20of%20these!%20%20Just%20beautiful!!

Summer MurdockJanuary 7, 2013 - 5:31 pm

Those first two images of the glitter and lights…I love. Looks like Christmas morning was awesome at your house…those awesome jammies…love it

Carrie HiggsJanuary 7, 2013 - 5:28 pm

Ah-maz-ing! I love getting a peek into your beautiful world Kara! I love what you’ve captured and I like the lifestyle feel of these! Just beautiful!!

Looks like you had such a beautiful Holiday this year. I love all your decor and your kids look so happy. Glad you joined us this year, I love anything we get to do together ;)

shalondaJanuary 7, 2013 - 2:59 pm

kara your house, your christmas, your beautiful family, heck your life is straight out of a wonderfully gorgeous and perfectly styled magazine…I ADORE IT!!!!! digging the whcc boxes, funny i toss the tootsie pops and keep the boxes this time of the year for wrapping too hahahaha so excited to get to know you more in this group hun xoxo

shannon sewellJanuary 7, 2013 - 2:33 pm

so lovely… making me wish i had my decorations back up ;) and someway, somehow i must get my hands on your gorgeous kiddos and get them in front of my camera.
so excited to be a part of this group- totally inspired :)

Jenny CrugerJanuary 7, 2013 - 2:32 pm

How fun! I loved seeing your family’s Christmas and those PJs are awesome!

TeresaJanuary 7, 2013 - 1:23 pm

Love these!! I wish I had taken more pictures this December! Oh, and the WHCC box on the couch made me giggle. Most of my presents are wrapped in those :)

monica reidJanuary 7, 2013 - 12:48 pm

OH How I need/want to do this thanks for inspiring me!! I love you work been a fan for years! you kids and your family are just gorgeous!! I’m also wanting your living room space SO gorge!

brendaJanuary 7, 2013 - 12:47 pm

could your tree and house be any more gorgeous Kara? I love having a sneak peek of your life and home. And of course you kids are just as gorgeous as ever!!

Stacey WoodsJanuary 7, 2013 - 12:11 pm

These feel so elegant, joyful, peaceful. And your new home is gorgeous! You are blessed, Kara. I especially love the bed-head, sleepy-sweet Christmas morning images, and the “scary” Santa/Elf photos are hilarious. Oh what fun, right? ;) It’s such an honor to have you join us. Happy New Year to you!! xo

amy graceJanuary 7, 2013 - 11:41 am

kara, i love your big and beautiful life. it’s wonderful to see all of the traditions you and your gorgeous family are continuing and starting new. how fun to see the santa pictures side by side, and a family one thrown in :) happy new year to you. i so look forward to getting to know you and your work better in these coming months xoxo

[...] a new year and I’d love to include something fun that I was inspired by fellow photographer, Kara May Photography. She is fabulous and loved her “What______ Looks Like” an inspiring blog post to capture [...]