I’m so excited about a new venture for MZP…fusion sessions!  Fusion sessions are a combination of video and still images captured during a lifestyle session in your home or on location.  They are going to roll out formally at the start of the year, but in the meantime I’m lining up some current clients for complimentary fusion sessions before the year ends.

Yesterday was a bit overcast, and my boys were playing the living room after nap…little bits of sunshine were seeping in the back door, and my little bits of sunshine we taking it all in.  I couldn’t help but pull out my camera to capture of few minutes of sweet perfection.

Fusion sessions produce a 3-5 minute DVD of the video and stills captured during the session, as well as a DVD of all the still images.  The video below is just a little sneak peek of what is in store for MZP in 2011.

If you are a current client interested in a fusion session for your family in November or December 2010, shoot me an email, I still have two spots left for this complimentary session!

my little bits of sunshine from Melissa Zihlman on Vimeo.

Yesterday I had two sessions.  My last two sessions before maternity leave.  The morning session was for a sweet one year old babyplanner at the Arboretum (to be blogged in a bit) – it went great, we even beat the rain!  Then I headed across the Metroplex for a newborn session in Fort Worth.  I’d been waiting on Ben to arrive, hoping he’d beat out my own little guy!  His big sister made mom & dad wait 10 days past their due date before making her arrival 21 months ago…and you know her if you follow the blog, sweet Sami was one of my first baby planners back in 2008.

Ben didn’t disappoint.  Arriving just two days past his due date, on Mother’s Day.  He’s long and lean, with a gorgeous head of blonde hair and blue eyes…just like his big sister.  He was perfect for the session.  Absolutely perfect…you know except for that small incident of projectile poop that covered my shirt!  The incident that caused tears to roll down my cheeks and his mom’s cheeks, that sent Nan for paper towels once she stopped laughing, the uncles to opposite sides of the room, and dad for his camera so he could document the whole scene.  Because, after all, it was a funny, very funny.

We finished the session without any problems.  Ben was awesome.  And then it happened…I totally lost my balance walking down their slick driveway in the rain.  You can imagine what it looks like when a 9-months pregnant woman, in a skirt none the less, takes a spill…not pretty.  I spent the night hanging out in L&D…getting the all clear to go home about midnight.  I’m fine, the little guy is fine, but my knee is less than stellar.  Awesome, I know.  But it explains the delay in the sneak peek, and the reason this is one session I’ll never forget!

Holy beautiful family!  I have this client, whose twins daughters are seen here pretty often, who has sent me so many referrals over the last two years…I owe her *BIG* time for this family tonight.    I was so excited when they got out of the car, not only are they gorgeous, but they were dressed awesome too! 

They needed so little direction, it made the shoot easy, and their images – stunning!!  I am so excited to work on this gallery.  Thanks for coming out tonight and for totally rockin’ it!

Also, keep an eye on the blog in November.  I’ve got some new casting calls that will be announced then!

Loyal blog readers will recognize the littlest guy in the family shot below…Vinny is a baby planner who will be one soon! Yikes!  His mom called a couple weeks ago to say that all his siblings would be in town at the same time this week and we needed to get some pictures…she called the right person!  I met three of the most well-mannered big people today…who are obviously in love with Vinny and totally adoring of their father.  Awesome!  So glad the rain held off!

I was supposed to meet J&L 10 days ago for a sunset session….but we had some crazy, tornado-warning kind of storms roll through that night.  Needless to say, we rescheduled.  This morning there was a breeze, some pretty fantastic cloud cover, and two of cutest kids I’ve ever seen – who lucky for me, were in great moods!  Mom challenged me with getting smiles from the two of them…I fully expected to have to work at it, but I was hard pressed to find a shot without a smile as I went through the files!

This session’s images will soon be gracing mom’s exam rooms at Women’s Integrated Healthcare.  My family has a special place in our hearts for this mom…she delivered my son two and half years ago – and you all know how much I adore my son, lol!  I think we got some really fun stuff today, capturing 6 years and 2 years and lots of smiles…