JKP has moved!

This past month, my little family and I said goodbye to the place that brought us all together: New Orleans.  We now call NYC home, and are so excited to explore our new city.  

This spring was filled with a lot of packing, NOLA bucket list items, new opportunities, emotions, and not a ton of time for me to update my blog.  I didn't stop taking pictures, however, and would love to share some shots of the amazing folks I got to work with recently.  See below for a few pics from Leah and Rob's magical wedding at Audubon Zoo, Margie and Greene's fun Treme wedding, Soraya and Jerel's intimate wedding weekend, and Annica and Jaime's sweet French Quarter wedding.  Special thanks to these three couples for letting me be a part of their respective special days! 

David and Kenneth's NYE Wedding

2016 was filled with a few downs and lots of ups, and I was so thankful to end the year on such an incredibly high note.  David and Kenneth got married on December 31st in front of ten of their closest family members (three of which via FaceTime) in the Ernest Hemingway Suite in the Hotel Monteleone here in New Orleans.  There was not a dry eye in the house when the grooms recited their vows, and I loved that the simple ceremony focused not on decorations, flowers, food, etc., but on what all weddings should focus on: the love between two people.  Congrats, David and Kenneth! 

Muff-A-Lottas in the Krewe of Jingle parade

There are a lot of things I love about being a Muff-a-lotta--the amazing women I get to hang out with, the fabulous costumes we get to wear, the fun events we get to be a part of...the list goes on and on.  This past Saturday, we got to shimmy all over downtown in the Krewe of Jingle parade, and I brought my camera along for the fun.  It was a dream come true to have 30 great looking ladies in costume to photograph in great light.  Here are some of my favorite shots!

Jeanie and Mike's Mid-City Wedding

Jeanie and Mike love riding bikes, playing cards, and changing the world.  They are truly a beautiful couple, inside and out, and their wedding was a reflection of how perfect they are together.  The ceremony and reception presented lots of dilemmas for a photographer.  I bounced around shooting the couple's friends having a blast, Isaac from Toups' Meatery putting on a show with his roasted pig sidekick, the fun at the photo booth, and the absolute cutest flower girls (yes, plural) you've ever seen.  Thank you so much Jeanie and Mike for letting me be a part of your day!

Penny's Newborn Session

While photographing newborn Penny and her fur brother, Walker, I whispered to myself multiple times, "Man, I love my job."  These two could not have been sweeter, and it was such a privilege to be able to spend the morning with them!

Liz and Luis's Engagement Session

Liz and Luis are good friends and former coworkers of mine.  They are incredibly giving and skilled educators that I admire very much and, in addition to that, they are really cute together.  They'll be getting married in Reading, PA, next summer, and I am so happy for them!

Lana and Blake's Wedding

On Saturday, November 5, I had the great honor of photographing Lana and Blake's wedding.  Though we did not know each other very well prior to the event, I felt so welcomed by Lana, Blake and their families.  The ceremony and reception took place at the House of Broel on St. Charles Avenue, and the party continued at an after party for friends at the Bulldog.  I could not be happier for you, Lana and Blake!  Congratulations!

Shannon and Kevin's One Year Anniversary

Shannon and Kevin's wonderful family came together to celebrate the couple's one year anniversary this past weekend!  Shannon looked breathtaking in the coral gown that her cousin hand made for her (!!!), and the love that Kevin showed for Shannon throughout the party gave me goosebumps.  Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Walker!  To many more happy years!

A magical City Park engagement session

When you have an adorable, fun couple and a backdrop like City Park, it's really, really hard to get anything but magical shots.  Kelly and James were a dream to work with, and their excitement was infectious as we took pictures in the exact place their wedding will take place in a little less than a year.  Thank you, Kelly and James!

Gert

My husband and I often say that while our schnauzers are the old men of the dog world, our neighbor's dog Gert is the beach babe.  A Katrina rescue, Gert adores her dad and is a great watch dog.  Don't be fooled, though--for how much she barks at the mailman, she's a total sweetie at heart.

Shivangee and Mike's wedding week

Over Labor Day weekend, I got to celebrate one of my favorite couples.  Shivangee, a friend from college, and her love, Mike, got married in Detroit, Michigan, and their wedding was more a marathon than one single event.  Though she had already hired a photographer for her wedding ceremonies, Shivangee asked that I capture everything leading up to the big day, including Thursday's Mehndi, Friday's Pithi, and a few shots of the bride with her lovely bridesmaids early Saturday morning.  Shivangee and Mike are such a caring and beautiful couple, and I wish them all the best in the world as they begin their marriage to each other!

Vacation shots: Cuba 2016

I just got back from a week long cruise around Cuba with my mom and couldn't wait to share my photos.  We visited Havana first, followed by Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba.  From what we saw, Cuba seems to be a country of intense contrasts, and a quote from the documentary Buena Vista Social Club stuck with me: "We're a small country, but we're very strong.  We've learned how to resist both the good and the bad..."

Satchmo Summerfest 2016

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to photograph Satchmo Summerfest 2016!  This was such a wonderful, albeit very hot, event, and the music and delicious food more than distracted visitors from the intense heat.  A HUGE thank you goes to French Quarter Festivals, Inc., for putting on this event and inviting me to have a small part in it!  Click the pic below to scroll through some of my favorite moments. Happy birthday, Louis! 

Forrest and Amelie

Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of hanging out with some of my favorite people and their two little ones.  Forrest and Amelie (and sweet Philly, the Boston Terrier) were an absolute joy to be with, and their energy was contagious.  The photos below were taken at the family's home and at a patch of wildflowers near the Roosevelt Mall at City Park.  Enjoy!

Schnauzer playdate!

Every month or so, rescues from Schnauzer Rescue of Louisiana and their people get together to sniff, bark, pant and snuggle.  We obviously have a soft spot for these bearded ladies and fellows (check out Rex and Yeats in the last pic!), but the Schnauzer Rescue of Louisiana really does do incredible work to save as many sweet pups as possible.  Even if these pictures don't convince you to adopt a schnauzer right this instant, you can support this awesome organization right now by contributing to its emergency medical fund here.

BLM Fundraiser: An Afternoon with the Rosé Rollers

What do you get when you mix rosé, roller skates, Shania Twain, and a whole lotta attitude?  The famous Rosé Rollers, of course!  I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with the fabulous women in the pictures below and, as if they couldn't get any more beautiful, they each made a donation to Black Lives Matter after the photo shoot was over.  Want to do the same?  Message me and we'll get the ball (wheel?) rolling!

Click the photo to scroll through!

Love to France

Below are some pics from the honeymoon A and I took to France and Spain recently.  France's beautiful country and people have been in our hearts since last night's news, and I hope peace comes soon to the families of the victims in Nice.

Sweet Charlie's one year photos

When Charlie's mama asked me to take his one year photos, I jumped at the chance.  Not only is Charlie the cutest little one, he and his family are the absolute best to hang out with.  We headed to City Park and Audubon Park for two fun sessions and, despite the New Orleans heat, had a blast! Click the picture below to scroll through some of my favorites!  Thanks, Charlie and company!

Best friend

Anyone who has spoken to me for three or more minutes has heard about my miniature Schnauzers, Rex and Yeats.  We adopted Rex a year ago and Yeats about three months ago, and they are my and my husband's world.  Rex is sensitive and sassy and would rather snuggle in his bed (aka our California King) than do just about anything else.  Yeats is more of a dog's dog and enjoys fetch and hiding in the train of my mother-in-law's wedding dress hanging in the closet, as well as pestering the neighbor's dog through the fence.  

These two guys are my favorite subjects to photograph, as they are, after all, the cutest dogs in the whole wide world (am I biased? Nah.).  They look at me (and my camera) so quizzically but seem to know exactly what is going on.  Rex even poses sometimes, looking right into the camera lens with his milk chocolate eyes, turning his head slightly as if to show off the best angle of his salt and pepper beard.  

Our pets' whole world is us,  so it makes sense to include them when we sign our names on Christmas cards or in our family portraits.  Here at JKP, we love incorporating the furriest members of the family in our photo sessions.  E-mail or call us today to schedule your family's portrait session today!

On joy

After teaching in public schools for eight years, my hard drive has been filled up a few times over with pictures of my students. From talent shows to honor roll ceremonies, football games to fourth period, one thing permeates all of the photos I've taken of my kids: pure, uninhibited joy.  My scholars find such joy, even in and despite the hard stuff , and they can't help but show it.  Enjoy the photos below of some of the hardest working (and most joyful) kids in New Orleans.