Sweet Baby James' First Bath

I'm finally getting to editing some of my earliest documentary photos, the ones where I would just bring my camera everywhere with me and ask people if I could hijack their family experiences.

These dear friends of mine were gracious enough to save their sweet baby's first bath at home until I was there with my camera. I will be forever grateful to all the friends and family who have supported me in my silly photo schemes.

This handsome little man was so fun to photograph! And he has the cutest little cry. Ugh, the way his little chin crinkled and his little bottle lip puckered out.... My heart aches just thinking about it!

Watching these two bathe their baby James with such care brought back all those familiar new parent feelings. Sleep deprivation, love, overwhelm and the sense that the  whole world of this new little soul rests on your inexperienced shoulders, and that feeling of "we did it!" after each thing you face as new parents. Maybe it was the exhaustion or the roller coaster of emotions, but I distinctly remember my husband and I nitpicking about how to do it the "right way" as we gave our baby boy one if his first baths. Of course we both thought our way was the "right way."  hahah! Ok it was mostly me... We all know my husband doesn't nitpick, and I'm the one that thinks there is a "right way" to do everything In my feelings of inadequacy, I was trying so hard to do everything just so. And now, a year later, I realize I will always feel inadequate, just trying to do the best that I know how, feeling like the whole world of this little soul rests on my incapable shoulders.  Isn't being a parent grand!?

I love photographing these moments! Thank you Sheridan and Brian for letting me into your home and your world for that brief moment.

The Willdens - Coming Home

This is story about a house, rather a home, and the wife and husband, mother and father, grandmother and grandfather who live there. This is a story about the Emma and Ron Willden. As I listened to stories of family dinners on the back patio, seeing grandpa making his own wine, and grandma throwing her pots, I could sense the years and decades of life and love this house held. When their granddaughter contacted me she expressed such sadness that her grandparents would soon be moving from their lifelong home.

Visiting the Willden's home, Emma and Ron can be found sitting at the kitchen counter, Ron reading the newspaper and Emma doing the puzzles in the back.This is how I found them that day, at the kitchen counter, leaning over the paper. In my time with them I realized they have developed their routines of togetherness (each having their own spot on the couch, Ron watching the tv while Emma did her needlework), and yet they've maintained their own hobbies and passions separate from one another.

They showed me the things they love to do, took turns telling me what whey remember about how they met, and told me the stories of the various rooms and items throughout their home, many handmade by one of them. Ron was so eager to show me downstairs where he made his wine, developed film and printed photos, did his wood work and geology work. Emma, on the other hand, was humble and didn't see the need for the paparazzi. I worried that I wouldn't be able to get enough photos of her and her hobbies, because I didn’t want to impose myself and my goals to get her photos, but it became clear to me that although she was a potter, and made amazing cross stitches, her current passion and love was her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She has such a charismatic, and playful personality and it came out whenever she interacted with her great granddaughter.

Although this home held the stories and memories, it is clear that Emma and Ron were the ones that made the house a home and although they moved shortly after this session the connections and love would remain with them and the memories would love on through their photos from this session.

Hannah and Jon Wedded

I don't normally photograph weddings, but when one of my favorite people asks me to photograph her's, of course the answer is YES!
Hannah and Jon chose June 11th to get married in the Draper, Utah LDS Temple and planned a beautiful backyard wedding in rustic Alpine, Utah. The weather..... had different plans. Although it was rainy and windy, and an indoor reception was not what Hannah and Jon had in mind, it was so awesome to see their families pull together to make a magical indoor reception for these two. The twinkly cafe lights helped too...  We were fortunate enough to have a small break in the rain, just long enough to allow us to get some photos of the two of them at the temple. I feel lucky that I was there to document the day and these two and their families coming together. It was a ball getting to know their awesome families!  And I can see where Hannah and Jon get their sense of humors and whit, which explains why I am always laughing through our photo sessions. (Like I may have peed my pants a little....)
Wishing these two many years of good luck! They certainly deserve it for embracing the rain as a part of their special day!

And a special thanks to my hunky assistant and second photographer, Damian Dayton.

Hannah and Jon Engagements

Beautiful, sweet, and hilarious Hannah is getting married!  I would have never guessed that our impromptu poker game so many years ago would lead to many more poker nights, great stories told by this woman, so many laughs, so much Dr Pepper, swapping dating stories, and now getting to spend the afternoon with Hannah and Jon as I photograph their engagements, complete with puppies and all! (I like to think of them their love children.)

Hannah works as the "reproduction specialist" (yeah you read that right) where Jon took his beautiful Saint Bernard to make puppies. And so begins the love story of Hannah and Jon.... *Sigh* So romantic! And also a great pitch for a Disney movie (I'm thinking modern day 101 Dalmatians...) 

And now you can understand why we had to have their puppies present for photos. These puppies really are their babies. It was a little crazy, but so fun! And I think Hannah and Jon are the perfect match!

and a little puppy bum... because it's so cute!

Celeste and Brandon Engagements

I absolutely loved photographing Celeste and Brandon's engagements! Celeste and Brandon painted the picture frame and drew and wrote all over the umbrella. I absolutely love photographing such a  fun, creative couple!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kristina and Scott

I had such a blast spending some much needed time with my old friend Kristina and her hubby Scott. Kristina and I go way back to Jr high. And can you believe, she still likes me?! (I think) I mean she asked me to do their photos so there is a part of her that still likes me, right? Anyways, I am really loving our photo get-togethers. Kristina and Scott were just here for a short visit to Utah, where we spent the evening in Daybreak. We always have so much fun at their couple portrait sessions! I sure do miss her....

To view more photos from this session click here.

Tony and April

Sheesh! I have so much to blog! I'm sure April and Tony were starting to wonder if I forgot about them. Of course not! And I have to give a little shout out to them. Thank you, thank you, thank you, April and Tony! You guys are the best! I have the best friends ever!

FIND 4

A list of reasons why this was my favorite couple to photograph at the workshop:

1. She made her wedding dress and it was so cute. Can you tell, his boutonniere is handmade as well?
2. It felt like they were the first couple that I "had" to direct solo....  It was like, "here they are. Go at it...." And I was terrified having other attendees watching, so I was elated to see that it actually worked and I didn't totally mess up.
3. He adored her and it showed (and not in a gushy, cheesy way). It's always easier and more fun to photograph people who actually love each other, have fun together and show up with their hearts wide open. Now that's my kind of client!
4. I kind of had an ah ha moment after photographing that day. (I'm gonna get personal....) I never considered myself a romantic, yet I will always deny that I am a total cynic. Granted, I might appear to be a little jaded when it comes to some things regarding the idea of a fairy tale ending, I really do think I still am a romantic at heart, deep down, buried very deep within the depths of my Grinch-sized, black heart.... hahahah! j/k.But I do feel like there is a romantic inside of me. I always joke about my second, third and fourth marriages or weddings. But I did realize that day, after photographing this couple, that the next time I get married it will feel like this. If the experience of photographing these two people who love each other reminds me that it is possible then there has to be some romantic left in me. That is all.


More photos of Adam and Tessa at the FIND workshop.

FIND 3

At the workshop I made so many great friends. This sweet wonderful photographer, Jenna let me borrow her lens and taught me how fun a wide angle lens can be.

FIND 2

It was the first day of the FIND workshop and I had just spent the first half of the day taking in all that Jon had to teach us and I was eager to put everything into practice. As I look at these photos I am reminded of how perfect the weather was. The clouds created a giant soft box and as the day went on the wind really started to pick up, just before the rain hit. I just wish I wasn't such a pansy that first day and would have taken full advantage of the perfect setting and conditions.

I heart windblown hair. (I don't even know if that's a real thing but I do love it) Sigh..... My favorite thing in the whole world is windblown hair! Well maybe I exaggerate.... Okay wind blown anything is my favorite! :)