Don't Blink... | Tween Session Experience, Kansas City Family Photographer

Before you know it, she will want to ditch those overalls & braids and go for mascara and heels. The carefree days of running barefoot in the grass at the park will be behind her, as she asks you to take her shopping at the mall and stay close, but not too close. Those sweet little eyes will soon roll at your requests and she will crave independence and freedom. But not just yet...

For a little while still, she will be young. Lying outside on a park bench, she still looks at the clouds and sees teddy bears and turtles. Maybe even a unicorn or fairy...because they're real, you know. In just a couple of years, ten will become thirteen and then thirteen will become sixteen. The days of her innocent little smiles and daydreamy gazes are the here and now.

That's why this is the perfect time to give her the gift of a special day all to herself, to be the center of attention and model-for-a-day. Perhaps you might treat yourselves to breakfast, go for a walk or shopping, or maybe go out to lunch, then come to the Studio Loft for a special Tween Session. Not just for girls, either! Boys would love a day just for them. Bring a couple of changes of clothing, a small prop or two, and let me pamper your child and make them feel special. What's the bonus? They think it's all about them, when it's also for you, too. I will design a custom cover, photo book of your son or daughter using images you choose from their session, and they will get a Mobile App for their phones so they can show all their friends. The best part is the memory you and your child will have of the day spent together. What a treasure!

The Tween Session Experience is a premium customized session, which will take place either at the Studio Loft in Olathe, or a Kansas City area location of your choice. As mentioned above, in addition to the premium session, you will receive a 12x8 hardbound photo book with personalized photo cover and magazine-style pages, and your son or daughter will receive a custom Mobile App of their images for their phone. The session, the book, and the app have a value of over $670. These sessions are being offered for a limited time at an all-inclusive price of $399. This would make an amazing birthday gift idea, or simply "just because". Bring a friend and you each get $50 off.

How to book:

These sessions will only be offered until November 1, 2016. Session spaces are limited. To book your child's session, please call me at 913-219-3167 or email me at kelly@kellyalleyphotography.com and set up a complimentary consultation. This brief appointment will allow you, your child, and me to meet and get to know a little about one another. It's important that I get a feel for their personality and what styles they prefer, plus it gives you both a chance to look over the book, see the studio, and get an idea of what you will be receiving. I look so forward to meeting with you and your child, and giving them this little boost of self-esteem during such a tough stage. It will be loads of fun & an experience to remember!

Maternity Session | Kansas City Maternity & Newborn Photography

I love a mix of traditional, posed photos as well as the candid, lifestyle images. A great way to provide both is to do them in your own surroundings. For this maternity session, we did exactly just that. Jason and Hilary invited me to their home, which is exquisitely decorated by Hilary herself, an interior designer! I was in awe with how she did their nursery. Right out of a magazine! The best part was being welcomed in by their son, and I just know this little family will welcome their new addition with open arms! He couldn't be in better hands.

Newborn Family Session | Kansas City Family Photography

I just love this family. We met for DeJa's maternity session and had a great time. We got some amazing photos, and I couldn't wait to meet their new baby. When their little boy was born, they came to the studio and we got some amazing shots of all of them...both lifestyle and some posed images of just their newborn son. Big sister jumped in for some eventually, and she's going to be an amazing sister to this lucky little one. I truly had a ball with them, and I hope to see a lot more of them in the future as their little family grows!

Newborn Session | Kansas City Family Photography

I had a ball with this sweet family and their new little addition. Big brother was a huge help, and we got some really great ones of him and his new baby brother! Personally, I was enamored by his beautiful head of hair! All my blondies were bald until they were about three, so I foolishly thought that only babies with gorgeous dark locks got a full head of hair. NOPE! This little guy has it going on in the hair department. Such a cutie.

Family Photos at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, Lenexa KS | Kansas City Family Photography

I had the awesome pleasure recently of photographing this awesome family. I have known them for just a little while, but they are a fantastic couple with three amazing kids. What a great group they were!

Class of 2016 - Senior Photography in Kansas City, MO - Shawnee KS Photographer

Spring is almost here, and that means….GRADUATIONS are coming! Tis the season for senior photos. This session was a blast, as Donovan is one of those guys who feels comfortable and confident with himself and it shows. We had a great time in the West Bottoms with he and his family. We even got a few family shots. Such fun! Wishing Donovan all the best in his future, wherever his roads may take him.

Such A Natural! Senior Photography, Shawnee KS Photography

This was a senior session turned model photo shoot! Miss Logan is a true natural. I had hired a consultant, who is a former model and just happens to be my gorgeous sister, to assist us in posing and style, but boy did Logan blow us away! She posed like a pro. We wish Logan the absolute best in all she does & we know she has a bright future ahead of her in whatever she decides to do. Way to go, Class of 2015!

The Family That Plays Together....HUT, HUT, HIKE!

Oh my, how I love this family. They really go for the themed photos (you might remember them from their Rockin’ family photos with the rockstar theme) and I love to see what they come up with! This year we went with a football theme. The girls even had personalized jerseys. I love the referee uniforms for the parents.

Grandparents' Day Event - Shawnee Mission Park, Shawnee Mission KS

Grandparents Day is coming up, Sunday September 13th.  It's a terrific day to honor the people in our lives who love us with a passion that many of them say is even stronger than parenthood. Grandparents Day is a day to let them know just how much they're treasured. Why not commemorate the day with a special photo session with their grandkids?

This year, Kelly Alley Photography is hosting a special Grandparents Day Session Event. On Sunday, September 13th, bring the grandparents and give them a special photo shoot in the park with their grandchildren.

The sessions will take place at Shawnee Mission Park, from 5:00pm - 7:00pm. The fee for this session is just $149 (plus tax), which includes two (2) free 8x10s and matching digital copies to share online. Approximately five images will be taken and fully edited, from which you will choose two favorite images for the 8x10s & digital copies (you may also choose to get both of one pose/image). You are free to select more poses and/or photos or products, if you like.

I will also select TWO lucky winners to receive this session and images free of charge. To enter yourself, or a family member or friend, "like" this post and comment on it and/or tag a friend you think might be interested. Also, please share the post to your page. The two winners will be selected randomly on Monday, September 7th and posted on the blog and Facebook page. You will want to "Like" and follow Kelly Alley Photography on Facebook, so that you don't miss the announcement!

To schedule now, call Kelly at 913-219-3167 and ask to book for the Grandparents Day Event. The $149 fee is due at time of booking, however should you be one of the lucky two chosen to receive the session free of charge, the fee will be fully reimbursed to you. Don't delay, the spots available will fill up fast! This is a great way to show those grandparents we adore so much just how much they're loved and appreciated. Plus, they'll have a blast having photos taken and making memories with their grandkids!

Maternity Photos - Shawnee, KS Maternity & Newborn Photography

Say hello to Travis and Cathy, and introducing "Baby H". Travis and Cathy have been awaiting the arrival of this little guy or gal for many months, and it's almost time! We headed out to Shawnee Mission Park in Lenexa, KS for sunset photos. It has been so hot during this wet and humid Kansas City summer that we finally got a nice, cool evening and a beautiful sunlit sky to work with.

San Lucas, Guatemala Mission, 2015 - Medical Mission Foundation, Kansas City

Hola! Every year for the past six years, my husband has been privileged to be a part of a team of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals with Medical Missions Foundation to bring surgical care to the local hospital in San Lucas, Toliman in Guatemala. Two years ago, I was able to join him and I returned with him this year to photograph and blog for the trip. I posted each blog post to my Facebook page, so hop on over and give them a read here.

You can also find the blogs and see some of the other photos and stories on the Medical Missions Foundation (MMF) Facebook page, here. Please “Like” and follow the page for continued updates on this mission, as well as the many other wonderful missions that MMF makes possible.

We return this Sunday evening, and I will see you all soon! It will be very hard to leave these sweet people behind, but hopefully I will return another year to witness the selfless work of this amazing team. Go Team MMF!

The Importance of A Photograph - My Personal "Why"

There are many reasons that we choose to photograph people and events in our lives. Perhaps to document a special occasion, or remember a milestone. I have loved documenting the different ages and stages of my children. These are days we will never get back. I now have a daughter out on her own, and trust me when I say that it really does go by faster than you expect. I know I will blink and my son, the baby who is now 8 years old, will be headed off as well. I’m so glad that I value photography and have so many photos of the different stages of our lives.

I have several photos that I cherish for tender reasons. I recently printed one of my favorites of my dad and me, and had it framed to give him for Christmas. We both love it, as it is such a touching photo that reminds each of us of my childhood. It allows us both to reminisce about long ago when I was little, and life was so much simpler.

There are also photos we don’t give much thought to at the time, but become so precious to us when they are all we have left. I took this snapshot of my second daughter and my my father-in-law napping, just a few months before he died. I love that we have this sweet photo of them. What I love most about it is the feeling it brings to my daughter. She doesn’t have any recollection of him, being so young when he passed away. However, when she looks at this photograph she sees and feels an emotional connection to him. It lets her know that he held her and loved her. It is one of her only emotional connections to him, and that makes it a very powerful image.

The thing about these images that means the most is that they are not sitting in a drawer or trapped on a computer. Both of these images are prints that our family has taken and printed. Neither of them are professionally taken, but the important thing to note is that they have been printed and displayed. It’s not just a matter of printing photos out for display. Studies have shown that children with photos of themselves displayed in their homes have higher self-esteem. When they see images of themselves on the wall or in frames around the home, they feel cherished and loved.

What photos do you have that mean so much? Are they displayed or sitting in a drawer? I would encourage you to have them printed and to put them out to be seen. If you don’t have a recent photo of your family to display, now is the perfect time to create one. I would be happy to set up a consultation and prepare an amazing session for you.

Bridal Open House, Country Club United Methodist Church, Brookside MO

I’m super excited to tell you all about an event coming up. My mother, Marilyn, has been the Wedding Coordinator at Country Club United Methodist Church for the past 15 years. It is a beautiful church, located near historic Brookside at 57th and Wornall Road in Kansas City, MO. The building is a 100-yr-old rock structure with gorgeous stained glass windows and period architecture. Inside boasts rich, dark wood and a romantic ambiance.

On Saturday, February 21st, Country Club United Methodist will be hosting a Bridal Open House to showcase their wedding ministry. This event will allow brides and event planners a chance to tour the church and see why it is truly a “dream wedding venue”. There will be several vendors there, including Adrienne Maples Wedding Photography, Kansas City Transportation Group, Studio 421 Floral Design, wedding musicians, and even The Knot. I will be there, as well, photographing the event. You will also get a chance to meet the new Wedding Coordinator taking over since my mother’s retirement, Jamie Kapke of Kapke & Company Event Planning. She is a wonderful addition to the church’s wedding ministry and will be an excellent asset to prospective brides, as she also was married in the church, just ten years ago.

Please join us at this unique bridal event! Bring your wedding planner, bring a friend, or simply bring yourself and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of this open house. You can find out more about the church at http://countryclub-umc.org/weddings/ or visit them on The Knot. I hope to see you on the 21st!

I Still Do...

This weekend I had a very special photo shoot. This sweet couple has been married ten years! To commemorate the special anniversary, they wanted a session with their kids at Union Station in Kansas City. She even wore her wedding dress!

I loved every minute of photographing this family, and they did so well! Even the little ones were super patient. I think we all had fun!

It's A Tea Party! Princess Tea in Antioch Park

For this photo session, we had a Tea Party! I did it as a themed mini-session, and boy did these little sweeties have FUN. Actually, I’m not sure who had more fun – them or me.  They were completely unaware that we were there for pictures!  They came for the tea (water) and cupcakes.

Speaking of the cupcakes, my friend Lisa with Custom Cakes in Shawnee made them and they turned out so amazing. Not only were they pretty, they were so tasty! The girls ate the bows first, of course. Seriously yummy! Check out more of Lisa’s fabulous creations on Facebook here.