This is What Happily Ever After Looks Like

Natalie and I have been friends since we met on the school bus in first grade. I haven't seen her and her husband Ben for two years! A lot has changed in those two years! They've moved back to their home state of Indiana with their baby girl Nora and their two rescues Costello, on the right, and Lexi on the left. This is the first time I've met their daughter and their dogs! They've created a very easy-going, furry family of five. 


Natalie wanted 'down to earth' grassy family shots, which my Aunt and Uncle's backyard delivered. It was perfect, we could let the dogs off-leash without any worries, and the only distractions were an occasional bird or squirrel. 


Here are two similar shots, but different focal lengths. I couldn't make up my mind if I liked the naturalistic shot with the large depth of field (more detail in the background), or the more artistic looking small depth of field (very blurry background).


This is what happily ever after looks like. 

Furry family of five family portrait, grassy wooded area, Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

Furry family of five family portrait, bokeh background Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

Seeing Nora feels like traveling back in time and seeing Natalie as a baby. Those eyes. Those cheeks! Oh my goodness! The drawer that Nora is sitting in was refinished by Natalie, and the blue knitted blanket in the background is the first knitted blanket Natalie ever made. I was there when she knitted it, probably ten years ago, because I learned to knit alongside Natalie. One of the many things I adore about Natalie is how she's so thoughtful and puts so much sentiment and meaning into everything she does.

chubby cheeks baby photo, distressed drawer, bokeh background Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

chubby cheeks baby photo, distressed drawer, bokeh background | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

nuzzling dad, bokeh background family photo | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

bokeh background, baby and parents | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015


Here are some shots of Costello. He was the first furbaby Natalie and Ben adopted after moving to Colorado! He was a little timid at first, but I gave him plenty of space and used my zoom until he trusted me more. What a handsome, fluffy guy! 

Pet photography, rescued, Australian shepherd mix, bokeh background | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

Pet photography, rescued, Australian shepherd mix, bokeh background | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

Pet photography, rescued, Australian shepherd mix | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015


Whenever a camera is around, Lexi does her best Audrey Hepburn, doe-eyed wistful look. She is the ultimate people lover, and lives to greet people. She's always by Natalie's side in the house, helping put Nora to sleep for naps, and hanging out during changing time. She loves protecting her family and nanny-ing baby Nora. Nana from Peter Pan would approve!

Bokeh, back-lit, pet photography, wooded area | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

Pet portraits, sniffing | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

Love, Love, Love. Just in case you didn't notice, those lilac colored flowers match Lexi's collar! Seriously!

Pet portraits, bokeh, wooded area | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

I worked with Costello and Lexi while Nora had an outfit change, but like the good watchdogs they are they kept checking on Momma and baby periodically. 

Dogs checking up on Momma and baby | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

This was a touching end to our session! Natalie's husband had the sweet idea to go back to Main Street, Zionsville and recreate some of their wedding shots from 2008! Those were taken in a snowy November, so the contrast and change is really fantastic. I hope they keep doing updates as their family grows and changes over the years. Can you imagine a wall gallery in their home of the changes over time? 

Furry family photos in downtown Zionsville, Indiana | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

Furry family photos in downtown Zionsville, Indiana | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

Momma hand and baby hand | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

What a joy! It was so rewarding to shoot this session for my best friend. One of our favorite things to do in High School was photo shoots in Arbuckle park in Brownsburg and neighboring corn fields. Some things never change!


And because I just can't resist, here's a picture of Natalie and I in first or second grade, at the Indianapolis Zoo, visiting the polar bears of course! That's my big brother Shawn on the left. Fanny packs! Oh boy!

90s kids wearing fanny backs at the Indianapolis Zoo polar bear exhibit | Photo by Polar Bear Studio, Copyright 2015

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