Rooooooouuuund 4!! Here we go! Heidi was one of my brides from years ago and now she’s my neighbor! So fun! She’s also a fabulous photographer herself… pressure much? I love how these turned out though. And look. at. her. BOYS!!! They are totally stealing my heart! Allllllllll the heart eyes for these guys!
Round 3! Something I simply adore about my job is freezing time for my clients. Catching those babies exactly where and how they are RIGHT. NOW. The chubby hands, the missing teeth, the sparkling eyes, the wiggly bodies, the wild hair. ALL OF IT. Why? Because its something we’ll never get back. The days seem long, but the years are short. And now i’m thinking about how quickly my own kids are growing… annnnnd i’m crying. Literally every day, I think about what my kids will probably be like as teenagers. It’s ridiculous. And strange. But I can’t help it. Part of me mourns for what will be lost as they grow. But another part latches tight to the fact that they are still silly today. That right now, they want to snuggle and play tag and try and sneak a kiss on my lips (not really allowed at our house… haha). Life is brief. Invest in freezing it from time to time with precious photographs. Now excuse me while I go wipe away the tears from my ugly cry sesh. Enjoy these cute kiddos and their mamma that clearly adores them. xoxo.
Round 2 of these Mother’s Day mini sessions. I’m really enjoying working and creating again! That’s one of my favorite things about life… creating. Specifically creating beauty. And to me, there’s precious little more beautiful than a mother’s love for her child. When I met my clients by the field where we were going to shoot, the SPRINKLERS WERE ON!!! So to avoid getting soaked, we quickly ran to another nearby orchard in someone’s yard that i’ve been eyeing for eternity. The owner was so gracious and let us shoot there as long as we needed. I love this community! So willing and giving! I’m actually so happy the sprinklers were on because I think they turned out to be a better location with grass under foot instead of weeds in the field. Way better for tiny, less stable feet. Blessings in disguise! *fist pump*
Oh hey there, Corona. What’s that? We’re allowed out of our houses and to gather in small groups again? Well me oh my, okay then. *then proceeds to book 1000 shoots* These Mother’s Day minis were a hittt. I love this little family! Rest assured, their home is full of love, laughter, craziness, silliness, and so. much. FUN! I’ve loved highlighting mom’s love for her kids in these mini sessions and I hope these photos will become something these mammas will love forever!
My sweet niece got baptized and I loved doing photos for her! This stay at home deal has me bummed out in so many ways… but one plus is that i’ve been able to catch up on blogging. Can’t wait to get back out to shooting! I miss…. basically everyone. Dear covid 19… go. away. Thanks. K buy. I need to get out of my house and shoot alllllll the things.
When we first moved to Utah, Rachel’s dad was our home teacher. She was literally a teeny tiny baby. And look at her now. All grown up, beautiful and marrying the man of her dreams! This apple orchard was the perfect fall location for their formals. We just laughed so so much all through the session! We all just completely clicked together. When your clients are also your people, there’s nothing more fun! Annnnnnd Rachel’s dress and florals are to die for! The perfect fall arrangement. Whimsical and rich. *heart eyes* and I love the vintage vibe of her gown. the lace, the silhouette. Yummo!
I’ve known Ainsley since junior high. Another old friend that I would probably never see if it weren't for photography! She was pregnant with the twins at the same time I was pregnant with my oldest. We’ve gone through many life stages together… but apart. And guys, i’m a little jealous. I’ve, not so secretly, always wanted twin girls. Yes, I very much realize it would be intensely hard in a lot of ways, haha. Especially as newborns… but I mean, looooook at them!!! SO SO ADORABLE! And just look at their relatioooonshiiiiiiip! Have you ever seen anything more precious? The photos of the girls are just beyond darling to me! You can just tell they love each other so much! And seriously, all the props for Ainsley for not dressing them identically. Don’t get me wrong, i’m all aboard that train. BUT as a photographer, it makes it much easier for me during the shoot when they’re not dressed identically. What if I get SO MANY photos of one and none of the other and have no idea? It could happen, folks! What a mortifying discovery that could be after gallery delivery!
This, literally, is my favorite family shoot of all time. Like, does my brand now only take clients that live on farms with chickens and ponies? Maybe… probably… yes please. I mean, it doesn’t hurt that every single one of them is GORGEOUS, either. #amiright And SO. MUCH. HAIR. Y’all know I love hair. But I’ve literally never seen so much hair in one shoot. And its heavenly. Maybe they each were ponies, themselves, in another life.
I feel like I say this in every blog post where little kids were present… but guys… ITS TRUE. The littles are skittish of me at first. But. Wanna know my secret weapon? Dance parties. I’m not even lying. I bring a speaker, turn on some tunes, put my camera down and we just DANCE together. I show my best moves and they show theirs. It breaks down barriers and lets the silliness flood in.
Also, I want to note that Ainsley was so gracious and not mad at all when I brought my 2 year old to the shoot. *yikes* This is NOT something I normally do. But my sitter fell through and my hubby couldn’t get off work to watch the kiddos. Soooooooo she came. The shoot had already been rescheduled due to poor weather and I wasn’t about to throw cold water on our next try. As a result, there were a few shots where I literally had to crop Pyper out of the background. This is where having your client also be your old friend (and a fellow mom) comes in handy. Pyper looooved the Apple Jack and Gemma and alllll the chickens. There’s enough at their farm to keep that girl occupied for dayyyys. What a life filled with magical moments for these girls! Now get lost in this dreamy light. The dreamy hair. The dreamy farm. The dreamy love. xoxo.
Something I really love about photography is that I often get to see people from growing up. If I didn’t have this job, that opportunity would pass me by. It’s such a blast to see old friends after so many years and see their families and where life is taken them. Yes… there’s social media that everyone uses to stalk and keep tabs on each other… but I love the real connection of seeing people face to face and giving hugs and the kind of catching up that you get personally rather than just seeing what’s going on in someone’s life through a post. I’m thankful for social media, but sometimes it can feel like noise. Heading out into the wilderness with long lost friends and making art for and of them is just so special to me!
Also, i’m so thankful to live in such a beautiful place!! There is so much variation and rich landscaping here. Even though there’s about 2-3 weeks in during both the summer and winter where I feel like I wanna die from the heat or cold… I wouldn’t trade that for the beauty all around!
Malini and Craig. Such special people. Malini has been the kindergarten teacher for both of my precious boys. She’s vivacious, bright, fun, incredibly kind and puts WAAAAAY more in to her job than anybody asks her to. I am constantly amazed by how she goes about teaching her class and how she’s able to hone in on what each child needs. I feel like I can’t gush about her for too long because I will start crying. Seriously… its happened before… more than once. Anyone that cares about my babies as much as I do earns a pedestal in my heart. She’s such a jewel of a woman and I’m so blessed to have had her in my life! This whole cover-19 thing has really been unfair! My younger son (who is in kindergarten) is missing out on the last quarter of her being his teacher and *ugly cry* I’M missing out on seeing her everyday! Even though it’s just at kindergarten pickup. Any chance my kid could do kindergarten again??
This day was so much fun. On a windy and somewhat stormy late June evening, I got to meet Malini’s fabulous entourage. The ones I’d heard about for so long! Addie, with only 3 legs. Mia, the crazy one. Craig, the other half. We shot in their backyard and I brought both my boys. My oldest had just finished kindergarten and he was a little shell-shocked when his teacher invited us into her home. Much to my pride and delight, he took a look around and said with glee, “What a beautiful home you have!” *Still wiping up my heart puddle over here... its fine… carry on*
I loved freezing time for this cute family. I loved seeing them in their space. Their dynamic. Their love. When we got done, Malini said to Craig and me, “That kind of felt like therapy!” haha. Shoots with me are sometimes an emotional journey. For real though. I sure love these people and I can’t wait to see Malini’s cute face at school again! Til then, I’ll just love on these photos while inhaling cheezits. As you were, soldier.
Oh Morgan. Strong, confident, playful, gentle Morgan. She has such a beautiful heart and sweet spirit. I usually end up with a special kinship with my clients, but really, Morgan… can we hang out? I mean, give me 5 more years and I’d be old enough to be your mom, but that’s irrelevant, right? Aside from Morgan being one of the sweetest humans I know, she’s a very VERY talented makeup artist. I’m not sure if she’d approve of that title or not… but I just call it as I see it. She did her makeup for this shoot and I, very badly, want her on my crew for my next styled shoot. Sadly, that moment will have to wait about 18 months, because this beauty is headed out to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Her bright spirit and pure heart make her PERFECT for spreading the good news about our Savior, Jesus Christ. I wish you all the safety, blessings and success in the world, my dear girl!
A few notes on this shoot… first off… can we just drool over these blossoms for a sec? White and pink, my two favorite colors! We began the shoot with some direct sun shots. I really can’t tell you how much I love intentional and carefully crafted direct sun photography. When it’s done right, there’s seldom anything better. The sun was being slightly diffused by some very stringy, wispy clouds. So the sun was just kissing Morgan in the most glorious way! Next we busted out the trusty speed light and got some dramatic images! After some fun with that, we put the flash away and got some lovely backlit images. Which style is your favorite?? We didn’t shoot as long as I would’ve liked in this location, but we DEFINITELY weren’t the only ones there trying to catch those blossoms before they were gone. Lastly, let’s talk about her hair…. I had been to a workshop held by the infamous “Hair and Makeup by Steph” as one of the models a couple weeks before. The stylist did this style on me, and I loved it so much that I recreated it on Morgan. And I’m slightly obsessed with it. I've always loved hair design and its fun to get to play around and try new things on clients!
When I delivered this gallery to Morgan, in her response, I got one of the biggest compliments I’ve ever received from a client. She said (among other things) ‘I feel like I'm seeing myself the way Heavenly Father sees me.’ Y’all. when I read that, I legitimately started CRYING. This is why I'm here. This is why I do what I do. Creating images that people love of themselves is just so unbelievably rewarding and truly an honor. Capturing connection… whether it’s connection between family members or connecting with yourself to promote more self love and a stronger sense of worth! Enjoy this dreamy girl in these dreamy blooms. And let’s all wish Morgan all the blessings for her as she embarks on this wonderful chapter of there life!
Spring is my favorite season. I mean… literally every season is my favorite for one reason or another. But spring. UUUUGH… SPRING!! So many flowers. Even on the trees. Magnolias. Peach and apple blossoms. Tulips. Peonies. Hyaicynths. Perfect temperatures. New life on every corner. Spring never comes too soon. I love elements of winter. Like Christmas, hot chocolate, Christmas, family, cozy pajamas, Christmas, snow pictures, Christmas…. Did I mention I love Christmas?? But seriously, once Christmas is over, SPRING NEEDS TO ARRIVE IMMEDIATELY. I have zero tolerance for being cold. Does this paint a picture for you? My favorite gift i’ve ever received from my husband is my heating pad. MY HEATING PAD. I use that thing on the daily because being cold IS. NOT. O. K!!!
Valentine’s Day does give winter another small lift. And usually, THE SECOND Valentines Day is over, I put up spring decor. In hopes that if I collaborate with the ground hog and bring spring mojo into my house, that Mother Nature will get the hint and catch up. This year was different, however. In the middle of February, my husband’s company sent us on a company retreat to Panama, where my husband served his mission. That vacation was a dream. It wasn’t perfect, but i’m so happy it happened! We were gone from our babies for a whole week. And wanna hear a secret? I didn’t really miss them. haha! In fact, I could have happily stayed at the resort for another week and been just fine. Normally, I really miss my loves when i’m away from them… but I think it had probably just been too long since I had been away from them. I don’t think we had ever left our 2 year old…. and it had been a couple years before she was born that we had gotten away together. Anyway. back to my mantle. Because of the trip, I put it together a bit later than normal, but I’m really happy with how it came together this year. Especially since I only spent $6 to make it all come together. And that $6 was spent on wood to make frames for those prints. Everything else I just shopped my home for. I didn’t realize how much stuff I already owned that would work with the look I was going for.
Holiday and seasonal decorating always takes me more than one day. Coming up with a vibe in my head, finding pieces, placement, adjusting, fine tuning slash tweaking. Several days, people. But i’m so happy with how this all came together. I love it and I hope you do too!
I’ve also included a list of where I got each of the pieces I used on my mantle. Probably most of my sources are disappointing, because they’re either thrift store finds or something I got a long time ago (shopped my house, remember? ;)) But make sure to keep a look out when you’re at secondhand stores. They always have gems!
Botanical Prints: Etsy
Frames: 1/2” square wood dowels from Lowes
Milk Glass Vases: Ebay
Books: Danny’s Collection
Tin Planter: Dollar Tree
Faux Eggs: D.I. (my church’s version of Goodwill)
Fresh Greenery: Smith’s
Faux Greenery: Hobby Lobby
Geometric Bird: Smiths
Round Chargers: D.I.
Chrome Clock: Tai Pan Trading
Wood Logs in Fireplace: ksl (like our local Craig’s List) a friend cut them down to size for us
These darling people! Oh my heart just loves them so. Tara is a wonderful old friend of mine. And her son Sam. Oh SAM!! Be still my beating heart! He is so charming and precious! I have to say, he was a bit unsure of me at first. “Who dis crazy lady that’s making me have a dance party with her before we take pictures? This is so embarrassing!” But by the end, we were as thick as thieves. I’m a super silly mama, and that really came in handy with getting Sam to warm up to me. Later, Tara told me ”You’ve brought out a new side of Sam! I’ve never seen him like this before…” Ah ha ha! I could cry. Sam, my boy you have a special place in my heart. This shoot was so much fun, and was actually spread over 2 days. Tara was such a DEAR and literally booked 2 other shoots for me the same day!! Like, what?!?! So I drove up to Huntsville to take some shots near the lake. It was picturesque and perfect. We started out with Tara and sweet Sam. Then the clients Tara booked for me showed up and Tara’s shoot got cut short. So we decided to regroup her shoot and get together again the following week. I’m so happy we did. we got such great moments at both locations and I loved seeing the fun relationship these two have. A special thanks to Tara for being the best client I could ask for *tears*
Oh this little family! Kai, Kristen and Presley {Presley?! Are you kidding me? Adorable!!}, they were so much fun to work with! Presley was really shy of me at first, but you’d better believe that by the end, we were besties. She especially loved our “Good night, good morning” game. I let her take a turn at shooting my camera, and daaaaaang girl! She might be on to something here. #futurephotog Also, can we just talk about how fly Kristen is for a sec? She is rocking that dress SUH HURD. AAAANNNNNDDD {crying}. My favorite moment from this whole shoot was when poor Presley tripped and skinned her knee… wait… that makes me sound like the worst human on the planet… but no. Really. The photos of Kristen comforting her precious little girl are EVERYTHING! Actually, sad story. This was the SECOND time that sweet Presley skinned her knee during this shoot {insert sobbing emoji}. The first time, I lowered my camera and just let them have that moment because I honestly feel a little awkward when that kind of stuff happens… like, I feel so sad for the kid, especially as a mom, and my mom instincts are to try and help to make it better… but then, its not my job because it’s not my kid. You get it. So I just waited for the moment to pass before we started shooting again. But. Then. A few minutes later, this darling girl fell AGAIN!! Heartbreaking. Two bloody knees and scratched up hands. So many tears. MAN, does being a kid suck sometimes! But this time, I jumped at the opportunity {there’s not many times when life gives you a do-over right then and there} and I got the shots. Kristen’s hugs. Presley’s tears. Family kisses, then all better again. Because, you know… this is what being a family is about. Its not just about giggling and tickles {though that’s undeniably essential}. Its about being there to pick each other up when we fall. Drying each other’s tears. Putting on bandaids. Kissing those owies. Brushing the dirt off. THAT is what it means to be a family. THAT is what we should be celebrating in our family photos. Our journey here together. The highs and the lows. The happy and sad times. The love and the sorrow. Enjoy this beautiful family and go give yours a hug when you’re done!
I freaking love these people! Mama J told me that they had never had professional family photos taken, and so I was DETERMINED to make these special! This one is in the books for on of my all time favorite family shoots. So many sweet and precious moments. I’ve recently come in to this new way of shooting where I try and find the small beautiful moments that make up our lives instead of worrying about getting perfect shots. The hand holding, the hugs, the tiny lips. Its my newfound mission to celebrate these moments. Right now, where you are, as it happens. These moments will be gone before you know it!
Kaitlyn in the lilacs. I can’t think of anything more dreamy!
My soul loves Allie’s. She is so gracious and kind. I creeped on her to model for me for this shoot. I’m so happy that I didn’t scare her away by stalking her on instagram. ;) I’d been searching for the perfect model for this concept for a long time and I definitely found her. Pretty lady. Pretty soul!
You know what’s one of the greatest compliments I can get as a photographer? That the shoot was FUN. And it’s even better when that compliment is coming from a male client. Haden was not in the mood for photos. But Kallie and I brought him around ;) It’s important to me that my clients feel comfortable during the shoot, so we play little games, and small activities all throughout that help you feel more at ease and like yourself. That’s when magic can happen! And oh my stars. FRESH SNOW is the absolute best to shoot in!
Happy Galentine’s Day! I can’t even tell you how much I’ve laughed with this beautiful woman over the course of our friendship. She enriches my life to the max and I’m so grateful for her and all her gifts! She’s got a podcast she’s been working on and I truly can’t WAIT for the world to hear what she has to offer. She da bomb.
