Happy Tuesday, you guys! Let’s talk for a second about how it’s already the middle of April. What in the world? Wasn’t it NYE, like, yesterday? In a conversation last night with my sister, brother in law and a few kind friends, we talked about how time is flying.  Noah will be 2 next month!  Beth is getting married in 7 months! When you’re younger, time seemed to crawl – especially when it was 3:05 and you eagerly anticipated that bell to ring granting you freedom to rush your behind home so you could catch the Rosie O’Donnell show. (Whoa, tangent. Times have changed. You didn’t do that, too?) Crazy Rosie O’Donnell aside, I crave the way time seemed to quietly float and never land when I was younger. Why is it when you’re older, there’s this constant buzz and hurriedness to accomplish that next thing on your to do list?? I’m doing the best I can these days to quit rushing the moments. It’s a constant battle but so worth the fight. There’s a lot of happiness to be had in this moment and I don’t want to miss out.

But on to Natira and Jenn. Oh, these sweet ladies! They honestly might be two of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Our friendship started over the summer when I first skyped with them and got to know them (and their cat) a little better. They both were living in Baltimore at the time. I loved sharing stories and hearing how they met. We took their engagement photos last weekend and ooo Lord, it was a windy one! We had such a great time! I’m so thankful for this business of mine that brings awesome people into my life. I’m enormously blessed and so grateful for wonderful clients and friends.

N+J – Thank you so much for coming out and sharing an evening with me! (And not once complaining about the wind!) So excited to be with you on your big day in August. It’ll be here before we know it!

Hugs,

Caitlin

I’ve recently been drawn to all things polka dot so you can imagine my excitement when Natira showed up in this adorable number!

See what I mean about the wind? They were troopers! : )

That would be Natira holding her dress down from the wind. Love this shot of Jenn on the right.

Real quick before I dart, saw 42 over the weekend. Great flick! Can’t wait for this movie, this movie and THIS MOVIE to come out this year. Ahh! Gonna be a big year in the box office!

Happy eve! xx

Happy Tuesday! I’ve been excited all day to share this sweet couple with you all. Meg and Andrew were my first engagement session of 2013 – and boy did it feel great to dive back into my work. Winter and the slower months are always so wonderful for taking time to rest and refocus. Come springtime, I’m usually so eager to get back to work. My season this year starts earlier than ever (my first wedding is in two weeks! yeahhh Lesley + Colin!) and I’m looking forward to working with amazing people over the coming months. God is working overtime on my heart right now. 2013 will be my year to expand and improve in my business and personal life.

Meg and Andrew were so much fun – entertaining my wishes to photograph outside in February in the freezing cold. (Bless you two.) We were able to break and warm ourselves up by stopping in the City Market. Andrew is in med school and Meg is in school at IU. We had a great time documenting this awesome time in their lives.

M+A – SO fun meeting you guys. Thank you for giving me the chance to do what I love. Best wishes with your destination wedding! Hope it’s everything you dreamed of and more…

Caitlin : )

I’ve been anxious and excited to share these images from my most recent trip to New York. I’ll keep this short and let the images speak for themselves.

A little over two years ago I was blessed with a scholarship to attend a Making Things Happen workshop with Lara Casey, Emily Ley and Gina Zeidler. I walked out of that workshop with a a fresh outlook on life and my potential. I learned about action. I realized the importance of claiming opportunity for myself and step by step, making my dreams a reality.

I’ve always wanted to photograph a couple in New York at Christmas time. A girl can dream – maybe that opportunity would fall in my lap but instead of wishing and waiting and letting yet another Christmas pass, I decided to take action and create the opportunity for myself. With the help of my sister and her sweet friend, Mary, I found Jen and Wayne. Together the 5 of us ventured around Manhattan almost 3 weeks ago as I made one of my dreams a reality.

The adrenaline I experience now seeing these images as proof that I made this happen is just awesome. This is what it’s all about. ACTION. Leaps of faith. Pushing yourself. Stepping far outside of your comfort zone to grow. I’m thankful now for two new friends and a trip I won’t soon forget.

J&W – Thank you! For showing my sister and I around the city and letting us step into your world for a day. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to photograph you guys and look forward to visiting next time B and I are in New York

Hugs,

Caitlin

When these two showed up in these outfits, I’m pretty sure I squeaked out of excitement. No, I’m sure I did. (I can’t deny I love a good bow tie!)

I wonder what this man in the red coat is up to today. Maybe photo bombing some other photos?

I’m a sucker for a beautiful red coat. Ever since I saw Love Actually and Natalie’s character darts through the airport towards the prime minister in that GORGEOUS red pea coat?! Ooo boy!

They’re fun.  :)

A very brief stop in to see a coffee shop Jen and Wayne frequent..

This is one of Jen and Wayne’s favorite spots to eat : )

Maybe my favorite photo of the bunch. Sweet slow dance in Grand Central. Love is awesome.

Happy weekend!!

Happy Monday! Any week that can be prefaced with, “By the end of this week, I’ll be in NYC! ” is an AWESOME one and well, that’s this week for me. Yes yes yes – I’m going to NYC with my hilarious and beautiful partner in crime, my sister. We leave on Thursday and I couldn’t be more excited to hop on that plane for an adventure! If you are here for the first time today (or come back regularly and somehow missed the following)… I LOVE CHRISTMAS. Everything about this holiday makes me giddy. I must admit that these mid 60 temps in December are not so much my cup of tea. It’s just not right. Where is the snow? Fortunately, I live in the Midwest where our weather is terribly unpredictable and with any luck Indianapolis will have 6 inches of snow next week. You never know! I can remember one white Christmas years ago when I was in high school. A tradition in the Sullivan family, we went to the always packed 5 o’clock Christmas eve mass at our church. It was snowing and the flakes were beginning to accumulate as we walked into mass. Just an hour later we walked outside to a blanket of snow and that quiet and soft buzz that accompanies a heavy snowfall. Because we had no ice scraper or snow brush at the time, Beth and I were forced to clear the snow off of our car with a measly little medicine box – you know, that you buy Sudafed or maybe Nyquil in? As it turns out, these boxes are terribly suited for snow removal (who would have thought?). I have so many memories like this with my sister over the years. I am extremely excited for what’s in store for us this week as we venture out east together!

On to this sweet couple : ) I met Katie a few months ago now. She told me about her fiancé and how they met and it very quickly became easy to be in her presence. Katie is very sweet, warm and easy going. When we set a date for engagement photos, I looked forward to meeting Matt and seeing him with Katie. They met at Wood Wind Golf Club where Katie and Matt both worked. Together we thought it would be the perfect idea to go back to where the relationship started to take their engagement photos. During the engagement shoot, Katie escorted me in a golf cart (Thanks again, K!) as we chased the setting sun to take these photos. Katie and Matt obviously know this golf club very well and the best places to see. It was such a blast spending the evening with these two. As I drove home from Westfield that evening, I couldn’t help but smile that I can call this my job. I am so thankful!

K&M – Thank you so much for showing me around your old stomping grounds. It was so fun to see where the magic began for you two! Counting down the days until your big day in June 2013. I have no doubt that it will be amazing!

Hugs,

Caitlin

When I told Katie and Matt I’d like to start in a place with lots of fall color, Katie said she knew just where to go. We drove to this corner of the golf course and there were leaves everywhere. Fall is just HAPPY. Super, super happy.

Love is grand, ya?  :)

Katie’s hair gives me serious hair envy. I’ve photographed a lot of AMAZING hair this year.

Quick change of clothes and we took some more photos. Katie & Matt – so love this shot of you on the right! Good lookin’ couple

Love. (and again with the hair…)

I’ll end on this photo because it makes me smile.

What are you thankful for today? Remember that first, everything else second. Xo, C

Hi guys! *insert Buddy the Elf wave* Thanks so much for being here with me this evening.  Let me cut to the chase and just say that my day has been remarkable. I’m incredibly thankful for this day that has unapologetically, in the best way possible,  shifted my universe into perspective. WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR.  I hope I never, ever lose sight of that. Those tiny and minute details we worry about on a day to day basis? Well, they just don’t matter in the grand scheme of things.  As I’ve shared recently here on my blog, that all too familiar “life is short and precious”  saying has really hit close to home. Today I find myself extremely  (and then some) thankful for friends, my family, the health of all of my loved ones, my health, and this amazing job of mine to freeze a moment in time so that we can remember those who matter most to us and to each other. If you’re stressed today, I just want to take a second to reach out to you and say a) you’re loved b) you’re stronger than you could ever imagine and c) you have so much to be thankful for. Try channeling your anxiety into what you’re grateful for. Gratitude changes everything.

So happy to share another Bloomington engagement session here today. I am a proud IU alum and welcome any chance to go back to Bloomington. When I found out Lauren and Kevin wanted to take photos in Btown, you can imagine my excitement. As with most sessions booked toward the end of fall, I always worry a little about the color. Will it still be lush and colorful? Holy cow. Bloomington – I really love you and you almost never disappoint. Sample gates – you’re pretty beautiful with all of those mums! Lauren, Kevin and I couldn’t have asked for a better day to take these photos. As it turns out, we took these photos on a Sunday morning and for a college town that seems to be buzzing constantly, Bloomington felt like a ghost town that morning. There was hardly anyone out – a sure sign that not only do college students still love to sleep in but also there’s a good chance the better half of IU students took advantage of Halloween weekend : ) It worked well for us as we weren’t dodging people right and left. We started at the Sample gates, traveled west down Kirkwood and ended at the square downtown.

L&K – It was so fun meeting you two! Thanks so much for making the trek from Chicago to take these photos. I’m so glad we had the perfect day.  Best wishes with your wedding in June! I have no doubt it will be stunning.

Best,

Caitlin

Given my affinity for red and blue together, you can imagine my delight when Lauren and Kevin showed up wearing these wearing these fashionable outfits… (Elf reference #2: Affinity always reminds me of Elf. It’s just nice to meet another human that shares my affinity for elf culture.)

Oh, I love this so. Yes I do!

My job makes me really happy.

This may be a classic “IU” shot but I’m okay with that. Can’t get enough of this view!

Those mums?!? Jackpot. Love that pop of color! (Thanks, Btown! I luh you.)

Quick change of clothes and on to more photos…

Lauren – I will happily raid your closet whenever I’m given permission. : )

Love is extra sweet.

Have a fabulous evening!! I’m off to watch the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller with my family. I’m gonna be there to see that beauty IN PERSON – NEXT WEEKEND! WITH MY AMESOME SISTER! Ahhhhh! Can you sense my excitement?!?! ; ) Lots of love, C