Chandler Senior Ms. B

This senior was such a wonderful surprise.  When I first showed up in her home, she was quiet and demure.  She had an amazing bedroom and while shooting there, I realized she was darn pretty and the camera liked her face a lot. 

Then we got to her first location, found some yummy light and BAM!  Girl turned it on.  She knew how to smile with her eyes, how to give me that angle I needed, she knew how to turn a photograph stunning.  I told her Mom, "I could stay here all night.  She's amazing."

By the time we reached the final location, I wasn't shocked anymore but it was still a blast.  She was willing to try all the goofy poses I threw at her until one stuck and made it gold.  Ms. B was a blast!  She's off to college in the fall and I am soooo glad I was the one picked to document this beautiful young woman!

Corona Del Sol Senior '12

This shoot was super fun.  Ms. B was willing to go along with every suggestion and just relax and have fun.  With her mom and friend along for the ride, we got some great smiles, and of course, the eyes....who can forget the eyes?  Stunning.

Gwynnie

She just moved here, with her little family.  New to Arizona, new house, new neighborhood, new baby any day.  Add a wild and crazy toddler to the mix, just for fun.  She knew about lifestyle photography from her home back in California.  She loved it and called it photojournalism.  We decided to try a lifestyle shoot, just hanging out with the family in the new house and taking a walk in the new neighborhood. 

She said it easy and fun.  No clothing to coordinate, no location to scout.  Of course a few posed pictures because everyone needs a stunner.  But mostly just a whole lot of fun. 

Oh, and she looks like Paltrow.  Yeah, it's a hard life.  :)

There was music everywhere...

This senior was such a blast to photograph.  He definitely had his own style and he had so many props to work with, it was easy and fun.  He was willing to get up at sunrise for the most wonderful light, he wasn't afraid to try anything and have some fun, and yes, he actually plays all of those instruments! 

Thanks Josh!  You were an awesome model!

Love in the woods...

Words don't work when it comes to this shoot. So I'll let the photos speak for themselves...






































Yeah.  Pretty much, no words.  You?

Sunrise in January

Traci and Jay, some awesome clients from last year, referred Brian and his family.  Brian is a cop for the city of Gilbert, so his family photo shoot was complimentary.  I only have two of those shoots a month so they had to wait quite awhile but hopefully, it was worth it.  :)

We had a great time shivering in the Arizona sunrise.  The kids took turns jumping out of the car and flashing me some great grins, then running back to warm up.  By the end, we were just all goof balls, enjoying the sunshine.

Thanks Brian and Jennifer and family.  I had an awesome time and I wish you all the best with the upcoming adventures.

February: Celebrating Single Parent Families

I was raised by a very busy single mom, and a dad who struggled trying to connect with his teenage daughter.  I have very few photographs of me with them for over a decade.  Basically until I was old enough to want to document our relationship.

So I decided that the month of February is the time to support single parents in capturing the love of their own sweet families.  All family session fees will be $100 off for single parent families, and will include a 16x20 or 11x14 print of the their choice.

So single parents celebrate the month of February with the ones you will always love, and do it for half price because I know how hard you work to make your moments count!

Baby B is here!!!

When the hubs and I were in college and moved into family student housing, we were told by numerous people "The friends you make here will be lifelong friends."  And it is so true.  When you live on top of each other (three stories of cinder block), scrimp to make rent every month, endure the torture of finals together again and again and again, pray for babies together, pray for strength together, those are people that will always, always be part of your life. 

Even though the Reynolds family lives hundreds of miles away, and has for years, I know we'll always be close.  I know they waited for years for the this miracle baby.  And I feel crazy blessed to be able to take his pictures.  What an amazing baby!  And what an awesome family.  Hope you like the pictures.  (an extra big sneak peek for you, since the disk has to be mailed a couple hundred miles.  :)

Nominee #20

Pure joy, Mommy throwing her into the trees.  I've photographed this girl since she was crawling and getting a smile from her is like getting my 7 year old to make his bed.  Darn near impossible.  But the second Mom threw her in the air, I had another split second to catch that enormous grin.  And catch it, we did!

Nominee #19

I told them I was checking my light.  Which was true!  It just happened to be the light was spot on, Mom and Sister shared the sweetest look, and Dad talked to brother.  This photo was a huge boost for me, right in the middle of the holiday season.  It reminded me how to find emotion in the moment.  Pure love.

Nominee #18

Mama held her high in the air and she grabbed a blossom.  She discovered flowers on trees that day.  And I know I will treasure this photo forever and ever. 

Nominee #17

There are no words.  The colors.  The emotion.  Aah.  One of my earliest shots, taken last spring.  And still one of my absolute favorites. 

Nominee #16

Sometimes, the only way to get a smile is with a little peek a boo.  Around Mom's legs.  We happened to catch Dad in the background, which made this my favorite peek a boo shot of the season.

Nominee #15

A big group hug.  And the littlest was almost swallowed up.  Within moments, the sister had grabbed the light saber and was swatting with it.  But in this blink of an eye, we caught the love. 

Nominee #14

Sometimes.  Ok most of the time, babies are not happy!  I love how Dad was willing to do whatever it took to get a smile, if an upside down one.  You can tell brother is so jealous, sister is trying not to laugh, and mom is ever-composed.  Such a great capture-the-moment shot.

Nominee #13

Traipsing around Arizona State campus, trying to find some great shots.  I look from his shirt to the chairs and back again.  Are you kidding me?!  The day I took this is the day I felt proud of my composition. And that confidence affected the whole rest of the shoot.  One of my best of the year.

Nominee #12

I asked him to tell me a joke.  So he thought.  And he thought.  And he thought.  I can't remember the joke he finally told me but I'll always remember the boy who sat on the rock.  And thought.

Nominee #11

This young lady grinned like a cheshire cat the day she realized she was taller than me.  Her 12th birthday.  :)  Full of beauty and grace, she gave me one of my favorite photos of the season.

Nominee #10

There has only been less than a handful of times, that while editing a photo, I've started crying.  I think it really hit me with this one, how fleeting her childhood is.  Matt will always be Matt, smart, successful and funny.  But Gracie will soon have this photo at her wedding.  And sharing a kiss goodbye.  Oh, kill me now!

Nominee #9

The trick on this one was that she was running towards me.  So it was going to be pure chance to catch the focus on her, with her parents lined up just right and not too crazy blurry.  I'm still shocked it actually worked.  Luckily her big brown eyes can make any photo look perfect.

Nominee #8

Motherhood is intense.  And emotional.  And real. And this mom knows it.  One of my favorite baby shots of the whole year.

Nominee #7

There were plenty of "cute" photos from this shoot.  But this one was so real and so genuine.  While wrestling two crazy kids, they happened to catch each other's eye.  So sweet.

Nominee #6

A girl growing up way too fast.  We tried to make her smile.  Then we just got on outright giggle and laugh.  And it was awesome! This time next year, she'll be a young lady.  But we caught her being a kid just in time.

Nominee #5

This sweet boy brought his very best friend on the photo shoot.  When we pulled him out of the stroller, Dylan's eyes got so big and happy.  Blink and it was gone.  One of my very favorite shots.

Nominee #4

Daddy was deployed for a full year.  Finally home and a bouncing baby boy came along soon after.  This was an awesome afternoon at the lake, with Dad making Mom laugh about every 10 seconds.