Every now and then we get an unexpected visitor at our Mashpee home-studio that makes us stop & take notice. This morning, I was looking out the window when I spotted a beautiful ring-necked pheasant patrolling the backyard. Still in my slippers, I grabbed my camera and dashed outside for a closer look. As soon as he spotted me, he got visibly nervous and headed for cover.

Measuring 20-28 inches in length, with a wingspan of 22 to 34 inches and weighing sometimes as much as 6 1/2 pounds, these colorful birds are not native to the Cape, nor to the country for that matter.

The Ring-Necked Pheasant was introduced into North America from Asia in 1857 as a game bird and over the years has become an established species over much of the continent, especially in agricultural lands.

Today, the Massachusetts Division of Fish & Wildlife stocks & maintains pheasant populations in various wildlife management areas across the Cape, including the Francis A. Crane Wildlife Management Area, which is located along Route 151 in Mashpee, just a stone’s throw from our house. It is apparently a popular area for hunting. I really can’t imagine killing one of these beautiful creatures…

A cool pheasant fact: In very bad weather, pheasants are known to stay on a roost for several days without eating. So glad I’m not a pheasant. Then again, with their diet, what are they really missing.

Pheasants eat seeds, especially cultivated grain, grasses, leaves, roots, wild fruits and nuts, and insects. We’ve seen ring-necked pheasants in our yard before and I like to think it’s because Andy has a lot of bird feeders all over…but maybe today’s visit was due to our inattention to the fallen leaves. See honey…it was good to wait another week before raking!

Whatever the reason for his visit, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that this little guy stays safe. Thanks for visiting little buddy….you’re welcome here anytime!

As photographers, one of the biggest compliments we get is when another photographer wants us to take their picture. I admit, my reaction to the request is always the same…a combination of humbling awe, excitement and a good dose of boot-shaking fear.

Don’t get me wrong…Andy & I feel pretty confident that the work we do makes our clients happy, and we don’t expect the reaction to be any different when our subject is another photographer…it’s just that knowing our subject is a photographer themselves does somehow turn the heat up a bit.

As intimidating as it can be, it’s also really flattering, and especially so when the photographer is willing to trust you with the thing they value most in the world…their family…particularly when the photographer has been in the business longer than you and has a very solid reputation for being one of the best in the industry.

Yes, the heat was turned up pretty high two weeks ago, when we photographed Brewster photographer extraordinaire, Amy Dykens, at her beautiful home and with her two gorgeous boys, Charlie & James. It was especially nice that it was Charlie’s birthday and we got to celebrate that with him and his family.

Amy was interested in getting some portraits of herself, which we think is wonderful and something we really need to do ourselves. It’s quite pitiful how few photos we have of the two of us…like a landscaper with a bare lawn.

Amy’s home studio is gorgeous and offered beautiful window light….exactly how we like it. Here are a few of our favorite pics of this sweet, unassuming, talented, beautiful lady…

Slightly more serious….still oh so pretty.

The birthday boy, Charlie, with his momma & little bro, James. Are they cute or what?

With their land abutting Nickerson State Park, Amy & her boys often go for long walks in the woods…so we decided to join them, but before we left, James gets playful with his brother’s super cool hat.

The beech trees were in full bloom. The color was spectacular.

James, Amy & Charlie prepare to jump off a fallen tree limb for a more candid family portrait. Love the giggles!

Way to catch some air, birthday boy!

With my sisters and so many of my friends now mothers, I have a much more profound appreciation for just how special the bond of mother & child is….when I see moms with their children my heart beats a little stronger. I hope these next couple of photos of Amy with her boys do the same for her…

Not only are they super close, but they’re also super cool!

Love, love, love this next candid moment as James snuggles with his mom and watches as his big brother gets his moment in the spotlight. Having spent just a little time with him, it is obvious that James is an incredibly sweet boy and I can’t help but think that just comes shining through in this next shot…

This next one is what was happening while James & Amy were looking on. I just looooove the colors of the leaves and the sunlight peeking through, providing a dramatic spotlight on Charley’s handsome 14-year-old face! Model scouters sit up & take notice…this boy has got a face that was made to be photographed.

Next, Amy & James had their turn in the spotlight. Oh, the joyful smiles…how they are contagious!

Something a bit more dramatic. Charley is learning to play the guitar and James plays piano…should Amy ever decide to trade in her camera for a microphone and start a band, I’m thinking this would make a great album cover, no?

Or perhaps this moodier version in black & white…

Amy has the most amazing collection of rocks. I’ve never thought much about rocks, but Amy has tons of beautiful heart shaped and striped rocks that force you to sit up and take notice. As does Charley, in this next portrait with his cool cap and piercing green eyes. This boy puts the cool in cucumber.

Playing with leaves….love the joyful expressions!

And these too….so fun!

But these next couple take the cake as my personal favorites of the day…without prompting, they all just grabbed onto one another….Aaaahhhhh, be still my momma-lovin’ heart!

Love, love, love this next one of sweet baby James and his soulful blue eyes!

Snuggling doesn’t get much better than this…

Amy, thank you so very much for entrusting us to capture this special time in your lives, for sharing your beautiful boys with us and for making us feel so completely at ease! It was so great spending this quality time with all of you! We hope you love these photos as much as we loved our time together. Special thanks too to Charley . We really appreciate you taking time out of your b-day celebration to humor us (and your mom) with some more photos…oh, the trials of being the child of a photographer! Thanks too to James for sticking with us longer than you probably would have liked. We really appreciate all of you and feel so honored that you called on us, Amy! We hope we lived up to your expectations. With love & hugs, Christine & Andy xo

Every year around this time, the same wonderful thing happens….Andy & I fall in love….with fall. We love the smell, the way the air feels cool & dry and the comfort that comes from wrapping up in our favorite wooly sweaters. We love the sound the leaves make as the wind sends them scampering down the street. And the colors…oh, the glorious shades of red, orange, yellow, green & brown. It’s like a symphony for the eyes.

Two weeks ago, we headed up to Boston to hang with and photograph super sweeties, Lindsay & Chris. Like us, Lindsay & Chris also have an affinity for autumn. “I love fall, especially as it leads into holiday season….fires, family & good food = heaven!” Lindsay told us. We couldn’t agree more and thought this a perfect time for Lindsay & Chris’s love session.

The bello love session, aka engagement session, is something we like to do with all of our couples as it’s a great way for all of us to get to know each other before their wedding. Let’s face it….not everyone loves being photographed, particularly by two photographers they’ve only met once before, and especially if it means public displays of affection…which, of course, weddings do!

So, we think of these sessions as a practice run, a chance for all of us to get to know each other better, to warm up to one another and to let down our guards for a mutual exchange that inevitably results in lots of love & goodness…and hopefully some fabulous moments captured in beautiful imagery.

Lindsay & Chris’s session was everything we hoped it would be. We met them at their home, on one of the prettiest streets in South Boston. We choose this location after they shared with us that one of their favorite things to do together is to go for walks around their neighborhood, which, by the way, is super cute.

Peppered with great little restaurants, cute boutiques and the kind of happy hustle & bustle that the fringe areas of the city offer, their neighborhood provided the perfect backdrop for documenting love in the fall. To make it more fun, we decided to hit some of the places they most enjoy being together. Below are a few of our favorite moments with these two sweethearts!

As fate would have it, our afternoon together was one of those quintessential fall afternoons. The air was cool, but warm enough to head out without a sweater and the leaves on their street were at their peak.

One of their favorite spots for a good cup o’joe or a little tummy treat is the South End Buttery…so cute! And, ooh, the smells coming out of this popular spot were drool inspiring!

We jumped inside the dinner section of the Buttery for a couple of quick shots. It was early in the day, so it wasn’t opened for dinner service yet, which was great for capturing some private snuggles…

Next we headed to Coppa, one of their favorite spots for dinner…

While Lindsay & Chris enjoyed a drink and a giggle, we ran around documenting their time together…

I don’t know why, but some of my favorite shots of our fabulous couples are those in between moments, like this next one, as Lindsay & Chris walk down the street to our next location…And, can we talk about the super sweet sun flare. Looooove fall light almost as much as the colors!

Hi cuties…

Nothing says fall like a playful leaf fight…

two cuties cuddling + fallen leaves = heaven!

The look of love…

A stolen moment through some beautiful wrought iron…swoooooon!

Love & kisses…

Fall perfection!

Falling in love….

These next couple were taken on Lindsay & Chris’s front stoop and in their street….fall doesn’t get much better than this.

Ivy cuddles…

We ended our session with a little street walking…southie style.

Lindsay & Chris…thank you both for showing us around your neighborhood and for being so much fun to spend time with and to photograph! Your love is a tender & beautiful thing and we can’t wait to document your wedding next summer! With big love & hugs, Chris & Andy xoxo