Chalis & Jon ~ Three Years & Counting

They have to be one of my most loyal clients, and, they have turned into great friends also. Chalis is also the beautiful lady that makes me beautiful a few times a year, my amazing hair stylist.

They have done a photo shoot every year around their anniversary, and I HOPE they continue to do so, because they are so fun!

So, on with the photos. Here are just a few of my favorites from their Anniversary session.

Jon LOVES it when I ask him to do this. Don’t let him fool you!

SUNSET shoots are my favorite!

They are stinkin’ adorable!

Jun 13

Laughs, Bubbles, Suckers and Love

I had a TON of fun with this family photo shoot. It was a shoot to remember with giggles, bubbles, secret hand-shakes, hip-checks, umbrellas, suckers, and LOVE! I will post just a few photos here, but check out a larger sneak peek from this shoot HERE! Yes, there are a ton more photos from this shoot, they are getting 239 photos from this shoot. :O

DON’T WAIT, CLICK HERE!

This will most definitely go down in history as one of my favorite shots! I LOVE the way it turned out, and all the color that came out of it makes it even that much better!

I just love a Mother and Daughter’s love!

They were TOO fun!

Such a beautiful family!

BUBBLES! They’re always fun!

This little guy was thoroughly enjoying having his photo taken. More than any 5-year-old boy I have ever photographed!

GORGEOUS!

And, Mom and Dad always need some photos of their own at family shoots too!

DON’T FORGET, click here for more photos!!!

Jul 17

FB, you suck!

Wanna know why FB sucks?!

Because, my pretty dragonfly picture looks like this on FB:

But, the REAL photo looks amazing, like this:

Get it together, FB!! 🙂

Sep 16

Baby H

This was a very special maternity session for me to photograph!

I just LOVE it when I turn my clients into friends. Jen and Justin are not just clients in my eyes, they are friends as well! It also makes me happy when a good friend is the person that referred them to me as well. I owe my friend Heather big time for sending Jen and Justin my way. It seems every time I photograph them, it is some of my favorite images that I have ever photographed. And, this maternity session did not disappoint as well!

I had the priveldge of photographing Jen and Justin’s engagement photos in Lafayette Square. And then their GORGEOUS wedding photos, at Villa Marie Winery. I have to admit, Jen and Justin’s wedding was one of my favorite I have ever photographed. It was just the perfect day, and we got the most amazing photos that day as well.

Nothing excites me more than watching my engagement/wedding couples bring new love into their little family. This CUTE couple is now expecting baby #1 in just a few short weeks! I couldn’t be more excited for them. And, of course, can NOT wait to meet Baby Mia!!

Here are just a few of my favorites from the day.

I don’t think Jen could get any more gorgeous. I mean, really!!!

These have got to be the cutest shoes I have ever seen!

Let me tell you, poor Justin was not feeling well this day, but he was such a trooper!! Thanks for continuing to be awesome, Justin!

“M” is for. . .MIA!

THANK YOU Jen and Justin for letting me, once again, capture such an important part of your life!! ❤

Jun 6

In the Distance

Staring off – “in the distance”. . .

Jun 4

~Chalis & Jon~

I can’t stress enough, how important I think color is in my photographs. When I was planning my wedding, I was on an on-line board with a bunch of girls planning their weddings too. I can remember a girl asking for recommendations on a photographer, but not just any photographer, one that can capture color. She said, “Anyone can take a photo and turn it into black and white.” I couldn’t agree more. I dress colorful, and anytime I see something colorful, it catches my eye. So, that is my main priority in my photos…..COLOR!! I just LOVE it when someone looks at my photos and comments, “Wow, how did you get the colors to POP like that?!” Cuz, that is my main goal, and I love when people point that out! There will be more on this aspect of my photography at a later date. Until then….

Welcome to Chalis and Jon’s Spring Mini-Session!

They got married in May of 2012.
It was a few months later Chalis decided that we were going to do photos one time every season, at the same place, Pleasant Ridge Park, for a year.

This is where we did photos on their wedding day, May 27, 2012.
You can see some of their beautiful wedding photos by clicking here.

We started the trend in Fall 2012, and then we got lucky and got a little bit of snow to shoot in for Winter 2012/2013.

So, one of my points of the paragraph at the top, I LOVE it when my clients wear color, especially when they coordinate like Chalis does for every photo shoot. Their Spring session didn’t disappoint!

Every season that we get together, we do a photo in front of this tree, just to show the different seasons.
The tree was gorgeous in the Fall, snowy in the Winter and now in full bloom for Spring!

Nothing says spring like those little “fuzzy weeds”. 😉

Chalis has the best hair!! I tell her that every time I see her. She takes very good care of MY hair too, as she is my hairdresser. 🙂

I am super impressed by Jon. I mean, most guys would never allow a photo shoot 4 times a year, especially just after getting married and having to smile an ENTIRE DAY! But, not Jon. He doesn’t care. And he is always willing to go along with the crazy things that Chalis and I are wanting to do. Well, until you ask him to take off his shoes and splash in puddles, right Jon!? That’s where he draws his line. haha 😉

Every session/season, Chalis has some good props she brings along to incorporate that season into the shoot. Of course, who doesn’t think of umbrellas when they think of Spring!

I just LOVVVVE the colors in this photo.

Come back soon to see their Summer session. . .we have some good ideas in store!

Location: Pleasant Ridge Park
Fairview Heights, IL

Jun 3

2013 Senior – Ashley – O’Fallon, IL High School – GO PANTHERS!

It is time to get back on the blogging train. Here goes nothing. . .

Ashley’s Senior Session. We started in Downtown O’Fallon, IL, near the caboose, and we ended at Rock Springs Park. I am beginning to like shooting in that park, near the open field with the tall grass. 🙂
Ashley’s Mom and I used to work together at a law firm. I had only met Ashley one time before her shoot. She is a smart and beautiful young lady!

I was having a ton of fun with her and her cute little hat!!

I couldn’t decide if I liked the B&W or color better!
She can definitely pull off the serious look!
Ashley is headed to Nevada for college. BEST of luck to her in her journey!
Lady in red….
If I were wearing these, I would have definitely broke my ankle. I was impressed how good she walked in them, and in the grass too!
This is her Senior Homecoming dress. So cute!

I like the serious look, but I like the pretty smiles too!

Ashley in her Senior Prom dress.

Beautiful!

Again, best of luck at the University of Nevada, Ashley!!! =D

Jan 30

Blogger Press Conference | Seelen Photography Photoshoots are FUN

Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit in on a blogger press conference. Four St. Louis bloggers on the panel (who were found/researched by yours truly), and lots of interesting questions from the audience (which is where I sat). We heard from: The Extraordinary Mommy (Danielle Elliott), David Strom’s Web Informant, The Strategic Learner (John E. Smith), and The Intentional Employee (Bert Purdy). All were so interesting and great public speakers. The press conference will air on ABC 30 on Sunday morning at 9:00a.m., February 17th. It was quite an interesting day, to say the least.

It reminded me that I, Trisha Lyn (Jacoby) Seelen, made a promise to myself, and to Seelen Photography, for 2013 to BLOG MORE. So, here I am, one week since the last time I posted. GO ME!

As I sat there listening to them speak, I kept thinking to myself….”Where do they find the time to do this?” “Where do they find the content?” etc. So, I hope to be able to find the time to post at LEAST once a week, and because Winter is the slow season, some of these next posts are going to be quite random, for sure.

Seelen Photography photo shoots are fun! There are many things that are important to me when capturing the events of one’s life, but there are two that stand out as the most important to me. 1) I want to shoot crisp, bright, COLORFUL images for my clients and; 2) I want my clients, and especially their children, to HAVE FUN!! No boring ol’ portrait session at a boring ol’ photo studio with those boring ol’ backgrounds. SP photo sessions are lifestyle sessions as well, so playing and having a good time is definitely on the to-do list for photo shoot day. And, although I do like to get a couple of those formal posed portraits, which are the ones that most clients like to order to hang on their wall; if a child isn’t always looking directly at the camera and smiling formally or if they are playing and goofing off, that is nothing to fret over. Those are usually the shots that are the most popular, because they are out of the ordinary and fun to look at!

I was finishing up editing photos for my friend from her family session in the Fall. (HEY, it’s what happens when you’re a friend or family and you get a discount because of that. Full paying clients, are definitly at the top of the editing to-do list. Sorry friends and family!) 😉 While editing these photos, I came across a series of photos of her daughter, the middle child (as is yours truly), who just likes to have fun and play. So, we let her have fun and play, and consequently, I have approximately 45 or so photos of her playing on the monkey bars, which is her favorite thing to do. Surely, these two images that I chose as my favorites, will be images my friend will look at in the future to make her smile, and that even many more years down the road, little one will look at of herself and make her smile as well.

So, when you are preparing for your Seelen Photography family photo session, make sure you also pack some of your “FUN” clothes. =D

St. Louis Family Portrait Photographer; Southern Illinois Family Portrait Photographer

Jan 23

A 2013 Resolution for Seelen Photography | An Adorable Nephew to Show Off!

I told myself that I was going to be better about blogging in 2013. Well, the fact that it is already January 23rd, and I haven’t posted ANYTHING yet, probably means this resolution of mine isn’t going so hot. I can do better, I WILL do better!

Writing has never really been a strength of mine, it is actually more of a weakness. But, with my new full-time job (yes, I have two jobs now), and with it being in marketing, I’m going to have to get over that weakness and make it a strength! Practice, practice, practice.

So. . .here’s to 2013 and being a better blogger. After all, SEO is a pretty important thing, right!?!?

And, since photography blogs without photos is pretty senseless…

Meet my GORGEOUS nephew, Nixon. He has the most piercing eyes, the most adorable little smile (with those little teeth sticking out) and I can guarantee you, the cutest little giggle as well. LOVE that little guy!