Bentley’s 8-Month Family Shoot!

Today, we’re featuring Tatiana’s old friend Stephanie, her fiance, Ryan, and their adorable little man, Bentley!

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Before Bentley could make his photogenic debut, he had a hidden role in another photoshoot we did last fall for Stephanie’s maternity photos.

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Fast forward to this past Sunday, and Bentley was exactly 8 months old to the day! His parents celebrated with getting some family photos at Unity Village.

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Look at this precious face! He definitely knows how to work the camera. 😉

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And those baby blues are gonna be dangerous when he gets older!

Bentley was particularly fond of the fountains at Unity. When we told him he couldn’t get in the water, he began to create his own fountain — of drool. HAPPY EIGHT MONTHS!

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We were able to distract the drool machine for just enough time to get some shots of mom and dad.

Stephanie and Ryan have been together for almost three years and met through work. It’s so wonderful to see the love in their eyes!

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So other than drooling and smiling, Bentley’s other favorite activity is eating his fingers. He fits in pretty well with the other 8-monthers in town.

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But he has a heart of gold and doesn’t mind sharing!

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We can’t wait to see Bentley and his parents again! Their smiles are contagious!

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Thank you so much for booking with us and sharing all the smiles!

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This Dog Posed With An Engagement Ring On Its Nose! A Unity Village Engagement Shoot

We first met Tyler in January, when he called Kansas City Photography about his secret plans for a surprise proposal for his girlfriend (now fiancée), Taelor!

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This was his adorable spiel to me over the phone:

“I’m planning on proposing to my girlfriend, and I want a photographer to be there to capture the moment. But, I don’t want her to know you’re there for us until after I am down on one knee.”

We chatted about when and where to meet — everything was set in place. We met at Kaw Point Park … and then this happened:

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Gorgeous, right?! It has one of the best views of the Kansas City skyline.

Since their surprise proposal session was a mini shoot, Tyler & Taelor decided to bank the rest of their engagement shoot time for when it was a bit warmer outside. Liiiike this Monday! And boy, it sure was a lot warmer. So hot, in fact, everyone at the shoot joked about jumping in the fountains there!

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They picked Unity Village from our list of Top 10 Photo Locations in KC. It’s full of glorious roses, but has amazing architecture as well — as you can see:

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This time, they even brought their doggy, Bentley! Tatiana was thrilled, dogs are pretty much her favorite thing in the world! Miss Bentley definitely isn’t well loved, poor thing!! 😉

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Also, we absolutely have to mention how well behaved she is. Tatiana was able to put Taelor’s engagement ring on Bentley’s nose! She didn’t even try to eat it! Although, they did walk around Unity Village a few laps beforehand to make sure she was nice and tuckered out.

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Taelor met Tyler through her brother, Alex. They all went to UCM together. Props, Alex! You introduced your sister to her future husband. That must feel really awesome!

Taelor also has impeccable taste in clothing. Both dresses she wore were beautiful. One was lacey, with an open back similar to a wedding dress (how fitting since she’s going to be a bride soon!):

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And the other was long and flowy — perfect to twirl in! Also, great practice for their first dance at their reception!

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Taelor, feel free to dress us any time — your taste is amazing! Tyler was dapper himself, don’t feel left out! That yellow was a perfect choice!

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We are so excited for your wedding! To see their surprise proposal shoot, click here.

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A Dance Shoot Before Severe Weather!

We first met Natalie and her family in 2013. She was a little 5-year-old with a big ol’ smile that could melt your heart. We love repeat customers! <3

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Fast forward, and now she’s a 9-year-old with that same heart-stoppin’ smile — and she’s a dancer now, too! The best part is — we used Unity Village in 2013 and 2017. How fun!

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She taught us a thing or two at the shoot — like this pose below is called the “Tinkerbell,” or maybe it was the “Tinkerbell Leap.” Uhhhh, we still have more to learn!! Regardless, it was a fun shot to get! Natalie had to jump 5-6 times in order to get the perfect shot. It was worth it!

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Natalie didn’t want to get too close to the flowers in this next one. We understand, they’re pretty — but those thorns can be painful! Plus, we didn’t want anything to snag her outfit!

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We have some great silly poses, too. Natalie was so fun to photograph and is definitely a 9-year-old you want to have in your life! This one really captures her fun personality!

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Natalie’s mom, Candice, came prepared with a bunch of poses, which Tatiana said she really appreciated, especially for this type of shoot. There was never a pause where we had to stop and think of what to do next! 

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Dancing is such an elegant sport. It takes a lot of hard work, training, and memorization. Many of the different stances are still said in French,  and memorizing different dance routines is no easy task!
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 At the shoot, Tatiana had the idea to pick up flower petals (we didn’t pick these off the roses, no worries!) and put them in the fountain next to her head. Candice helped out and kept the petals close to her head while Tatiana took the shot.
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This was actually the last thing we could do before a voice came out over the Unity Village intercom and said we had all had to leave because we were under a severe thunderstorm warning!
We barely made it to our cars before the rain came flooding down. There was no “Dancing In The Rain” for us! 

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It’s hard to believe that at the last photoshoot she was this little:
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It’s Graduation Time — Clarissa’s Associates Degree Celebration!

Tatiana here, ready to share with you Clarissa’s journey of higher learning! Clarissa contacted us wanting to capture her monumental triumph: Getting her Associates in Science! 

We decided on Unity Village, which she discovered from our Top 10 Photoshoot Locations in Kansas City blog post!

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Which by this amazing flower arch, you can see why! There are thousands of roses there, it is an absolutely beautiful location.

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She graduated from Kansas City Kansas Community College, with plans to become a middle school teacher (good luck with those pre-teens)!

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Her 4-year-old, Jason, has the brightest smile!

She’ll have plenty of time to learn the inner workings of a teenager’s brain, because she’ll have one to come home to faster than she can say “Master’s degree!”

One of the best parts of being a photographer is being able to capture that love you can feel between them. (Don’t worry, we can capture your love on camera, too!)

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Being a typical 4-year-old, it was a challenge for Jason to look at the camera. So, sometimes you just have to let the kiddos loosen up a bit! We let Jason run the show and show off some of his funny faces. Mom followed suit pretty well!

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Jason was really happy with the swinging idea. Momma Rosa was also was at the shoot, so I asked Clarissa if she wanted to say a few words to commemorate this moment in her life:

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“Thank you sooo much for always supporting me in every endeavor of my life. I know I can be indecisive, but you have always supported me and I couldn’t have asked for more than that. You and Jason are the center of my world, and even from Nebraska, you will always be the center of my world. I love you, Mom & I will miss you ! 💖 (P.S. Just 2 more degrees to go! 😆)”

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Clarissa is literally on the bridge to success. We from Kansas City Photography wish her the best as she goes on to the College of St. Mary in Omaha, Nebraska!

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Top 10 Photoshoot Locations in KC

Hooray, you’ve booked the photoshoot! The next question: “Where do we go?”

We get asked this by photography clients a lot. So, here’s a list of our top 10, with an honorary mention — all with photos we personally took at these locations!

Here is our list for the St. Louis area (Kansas City Photography is in both locations)!

Honorary Mention: Loose Park 

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Yes, it’s gorgeous. But, it’s only honorary and not on the 10 countdown list because of how incredibly busy this place can get. It can be hard to get a shot without people in the background (and editing people out takes time). Plus, photographers everywhere.

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It’s not a hidden gem — and if you get caught shooting professionally in this area, and you haven’t paid their photographer’s fee, you get fined.

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10. Bass Pro Waterfall Park

Wait. Do a shoot at Bass Pro? Hear me out.

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This particular location has an outside park that includes waterfalls. Waterfalls, people! 

9. Parkville

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Yes, I just used an entire city as a photoshoot location. It has a population of around 5,500, and a whole lotta character. It boasts an adorable downtown area — not to mention this bridge!

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If you walk over the bridge, there’s a nice, open area with grass — and a  nice view of the Missouri River. There is a path you can follow along it, so you aren’t getting your shoes all muddy!

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There is also the “Hogwarts Castle,” which is actually Park University.

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8. National WWI Museum and Memorial

It’s a nice, open area with a killer view of the Kansas City skyline. Plus, you can explore some history while you’re there.

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But they will yell at you if you sit on the ledge like we did. We actually had no idea there were huge speakers for them to yell at you … until it was happening to us.

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Leaning is OK, though.

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And standing in front of it is all chill, too!

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7. Swope Park

This park has lion statues. And 1,805-acres. What’s not to love?

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Also, it’s Kansas City’s largest park. Glorious.

6. West Bottoms / Graffiti Walls

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It can be tricky to find, but when you go explore downtown KC, especially on the side roads by Restaurant Depot on 12th Street, you’ll find it. Colorful graffiti. Perfect for the urban setting. The senior pictures. The fun, funky group.

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Plus, the grafitti is ever-changing, so you’ll never get the same shot twice! It’s always so bright and colorful, and sometimes you can find fun little messages, like “feminine” above. On the flip side of that, you also have to watch out for not so nice words, too.

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5. Burr Oak Woods

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For the person who wants nature shots. This is also the perfect location for those fall photos — colored leaves and trees everywhere! Plus, they have great trails you can utilize after the shoot!

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4. Bingham-Waggoner Estate

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I usually suggest this one for my repeat clients. With these clients, we’ve usually already hit up the No. 1 spot (no peeking until you get there), and probably a couple others on this list.

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It’s a great change of pace. Plus, it has great scenery, a bridge, and a gorgeous estate that serves as a wonderful backdrop.

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This location is also dog-friendly! Their only requirement is that your pup has to be on a leash, and that you clean up any poo that may happen!

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3. Lake Jacomo

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The best place for water shots! On the way, they have several stop-offs with gorgeous water views. If you know where to go, there is also a great miniature waterfall area.

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If you drive further in the park, you’ll hit the yacht area — there’s a trail you can take back with gorgeous trees and tall grass.

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If you walk far enough, there’s a break in the trees and you can see the water in the background.

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There’s also the option of walking out onto the docks!

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2. Love Locks Bridge

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This hidden gem is a wonderful tribute to the love locks bridge in Paris. I love going here and seeing all of the different locks, looking at the dates, and the sweet engravings.

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If you walk past the bridge, there is beautiful tall grass, and even train tracks!

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1. Unity Village

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I can’t define my love enough for this place. A lot of people have never heard of it, and hearing them gasp at the sight hundreds of roses the first time they step foot onto the property is something I never get tired of hearing.

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Every breed of rose you thought you’d heard of, plus many more you probably can’t even pronounce (I know I can’t!).

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And let’s not forget those fountains! There are several throughout the property — including a huge one the size of a swimming pool in the middle.

img_5014img_0827 copy.jpgThe fountains are turned off once it gets chilly. But, even in the colder non-rose months, the architecture is fun to play with.

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And this is just the front. If you explore the grounds even farther, you will find the old stone buildings. This place is teeming with possibilities!

And as if it couldn’t get any better — this location is also dog friendly! It’s the same rules as Bingham: Leash required, clean up poo!

Don’t forget — our list of Top 10 photography locations in St. Louis is also available!

Please Note:Christine, Dawn, and Tatiana with Kansas City Photography took all of these photos! No stealsies!

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