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« July 2008 | Main | September 2008 »
You may remember these triplets from last summer. They sure remembered me! As soon as I got out of my car they came running over to me and I got three big hugs! We headed down to the yard near the beach and I snapped pictures as fast as I could get them all together. Luckily once they were all sitting on the wall they were ready to hug and smile. Even Mom and Dad got in on a few this year, and even stole away for a few pictures near the water without the kids!
Grace and Charlie made my session easy...they were full of big smiles and we had an absolutely gorgeous location to shoot. Grandma and Grandpa's lake cabin had the most amazing landscaping complete with all kinds of flowers and a waterfall--even a little bridge over a pond! And this was all before even stepping foot on the beach. It was fun to shoot with loads of yummy diffused lighting, and the colors of their outfits make these pictures just pop! Here are just some of my many favorites!
So I mentioned before the wind was a factor during my day at Pelican Lake and I think Lexi's session got the worst of it! Still, this little one managed to keep a smile on her face (when she wasn't trying to block the wind!) and I captured some pretty cute moments. You may remember Lexi as the one with all the hair when I shot her seven month photos back in April. Well, this time she celebrated her first birthday with a big cake, although she was a bit curious of the sweet frosting and only tasted a few bites. Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and Uncle joined in on a few shots too, check 'em out!
It's time to post the Pelican Lake sessions! I spent a whole day at this beautiful lake last week driving around to each session. It was a beautiful sunny day with one exception--the WIND. Luckily Chloe's cabin was on the side of the lake with a little calmer water so we had no troubles here. When I arrived Chloe's mommy had the neat idea to document a typical day at the lake for them. Starting with waking up in their cozy bed in the sun porch and playing around in their PJs for awhile, walking down to the dock to drink morning coffee and sit in their adirondack chairs, and going for a swim! Chloe also just turned one so we celebrated with some yummy cake!
It was a gorgeous summer evening for my backyard session with these three lovely ladies and their parents! There were plenty of spots around for pretty backgrounds, even in the tall weeds (I love tall weeds--at least for pictures!) at the end of the soybean field. Even the family pup joined in on a few shots. These girls definitely have spunky personalities and were tons of fun to photograph!
The last time I saw Brooks I had to keep a big secret...that he was going to be a big brother! I took a picture of him in a shirt that said "big brother" for Mom and Dad to use when sharing the news, (so I didn't post it on the blog). Well, the news is definitely out and little sister Hadley is here! I had so much fun photographing these two. Brooks is the perfect age for those curious and funny expressions, and baby Hadley is so adorably plump with perfectly squishable cheeks! We definitely enjoyed the sunny summer day!
Here is one of my favorite returning clients, little Olivia! I saw her last on her first birthday, and after photographing her entire first year I can say she definitely has entered the "little girl" stage--pigtails, pink skirts, and quick moving feet! It was hard to keep up with her since we met at the park this time and she had so much room to explore. Even Boone the dog joined in and we got another shot of the two of them bonding. Here are some of my many favorites!
You may have noticed I've been away the past few days, but that's because I've been photographing almost nonstop since Thursday! I had a full day of sessions on Pelican Lake, a wedding on Friday in Moorhead, a family session in Kennedy, and a senior session and wedding reception in Thief River Falls on Saturday....yikes! I'm finally home for a little bit now so I have some time to catch up and get a few BLOGS going. I've got so many pictures to share! Let's start where I left off... Marc and Veronica are engaged to be married next spring so we met up at the University of North Dakota Spiritual Center, where their wedding will be taking place. Veronica's son Javier joined in and we had fun exploring the area and getting some great shots. It was my first time shooting here so it will be neat to go back again when they get married!
A year ago I decided to take a huge chance and resign from my day job at UND... leaving my benefits, health insurance, and a wonderful group of co-workers behind. Was I crazy? I had been doing my photography business on the side for over two years but I knew I had to make that leap of faith sooner or later. I'm happy to say that today I am overwhelmed with the success the last year has been for me and I look forward to many more. To have been able to photograph all over the country in deserts, tropical islands, wheat fields, and even the local backyards of the Midwest for so many amazing clients has been incredibly rewarding. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that this is really my life! I enjoy being my own boss so much, but most of all I enjoy meeting so many incredible families who let me into their lives over and over again to capture their most precious moments, from babies growing up, kids graduating from high school, engagements and of course getting married!
Thanks to all of you, though, for without your faith in me and my lenses I wouldn't be here today!
P.S. And of course I can't forget my wonderful assistant--my MOM--who does all those behind-the-scenes projects, album designs, and makes sure my packaging materials and labels look fabulous!
We had a gorgeous morning for Mindy's senior pictures and started off by shooting right in the backyard where there were plenty of great spots, including an tree full of apples (she took a bite!) and even a tire swing! Down the road we headed into a wheat field for more shots. Just when I thought we had done every idea possible, I learned Mindy was also on the volunteer fire department! So we headed into town and her dad backed out the big fire truck and she put on some of her gear. We had so much fun and I think these pictures really capture her personality!
I first met Sydney when she was just turning one, now she's a little older and full of personality and spunk! She was a bit shy at first and wanted nothing to do with me or my camera, but after some coaxing from Mom and Dad, a few tickles, and a melty cherry popsicle, she was ALL smiles! Plus we were able to be outdoors which was a lot of fun. We explored the gravel roads around the farm and then ended up in the backyard in the purple lawn chair! What a fun age...and her curls just keep getting cuter and cuter!
It's definitely that time of year for 2009 seniors! Abby and her parents met with me in downtown Grand Forks for a fun urban session and then we headed over to the school to do a few shots in the gym. Abby is definitely active and involved, lettering in speech, choir, volleyball, basketball, and drama! We tried to use a little of each in all of her photos. I think her drama came in handy when she gave me a fantastic piercing stare for a mix in the shots--she definitely does the serious look well!
Not only do I get to photograph kids growing up, but I also get to photograph when a family itself grows! I saw Kate last October, and now she's already a big sister! Little Emma joined in on the session this time, even sleepily smiling for a few shots. Kate is at that perfect age for fun pictures, so she climbed on chairs, jumped on the bed in the playhouse (which was so adorable with it's red accents and mini-furniture!) and of course got to fly in the air with the help of daddy's arms. Here are my picks--so many favorites!
WOW! That's what I have to say about this amazingly gorgeous destination wedding in the Florida Keys! Scott and Andrea tied the knot on beautiful Islamorada (just south of Key Largo) at the Morada Bay Beach Cafe at sunset. I was so honored to be a part of this celebration, and to photograph at such an exotic location was yet another dream come true! The skies were absolutely breathtaking and the breeze off the ocean was perfect on this hot day! This post is going to be another LONG one because I couldn't possibly narrow down some of these shots. I finally just had to stop or it would probably take up the whole page, although I'm sure you guys won't mind! And if anyone hasn't caught on by now, I LOVE shooting destination weddings and would be happy to continue doing so. (I actually have two more this year!) So check out some of my many favorites from Scott and Andrea's fabulous day!
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I had the privilege of photographing Ryan and Krystal's gorgeous wedding in Sedona last week and it was an amazing experience. They got married at the Tlaquepaque (ta-lack-a-pack-ee) Arts and Crafts Village in the heart of the town with so many gorgeous archways and staircases and hidden walkways I was in photographer's heaven! The wedding was simple and beautiful. Just like her older sister Kelli's wedding that I shot in Mexico in 2006, Krystal's father not only walked her down the aisle but he was the pastor! As soon as the ceremony was over, we rushed up to find a spot to take pictures with the red rocks before the sun set. Needless to say we just made it just in time!
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I'm beginning to think I have moved into the 'expert' category when it comes to airline travel. By the end of the weekend I'll have been on eight TEN separate flights in just the last seven days (just found out my flight this morning was canceled and re-routed..that includes connecting flights in Minneapolis and Atlanta--LOTS of flying) to and from various parts of the country. And as you know I've also just returned from road tripping the entire month of July. All in all, I'll have been through nine states in just the past five weeks. I'm definitely ready to be home for awhile now, just one more weekend though! Of course my destinations start back up again in November, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it yet again! :)
That being said, I'm aware that quality time for returning e-mails has been squished into ten or fifteen minute increments usually done at around midnight so I never get too far. I wanted to apologize for my delays in getting back to all of you interested in scheduling sessions and wedding inquiries for next year. I know my 'out of office reply' has been doing most of the talking lately! Rest assured I've received all of your e-mails and will be going through each and every one hopefully early next week so I can get caught up again. Thank you everyone for your patience! More pictures coming soon, I promise!
To hold you over, here's one of my friends and I down by Oak Creek near Sedona, Arizona. L-R: Jaime, Kelli, Grant, Susan, Charlie Boo Brown Barnes (the dog!), and ME! I set the camera quite a ways away in order to do a self-timer shot and then RAN all the way back so I could get in the picture! I took it with my 85 mm, so photographer friends will know that's quite a run. :)
Ryan and Krystal decided to do a last minute engagement session around Mesa, Arizona the day before their wedding... just in time! We had gorgeous evening light and of course I loved taking advantage of the desert landscape. We also headed over to Starbucks because that's where they first met! Ryan's son Ethan joined in for a few shots, too. Stay tuned for their wedding pictures soon!
