Kristin and Capri at home.

SONNET JAMES

I was so flattered that when it was time to make her dress website live, my sister chose to use my photos for her amazing new line of dresses.  She's seriously insanely talented, so much so that she received so many orders many of her dresses are now on back order or sold out!  I'm so proud of her.  

For her shoot she wanted to use her own kids (plus my sister-in-law and nieces) in real life mom moments.  I think they turned out beautifully. Go here to check out her site and order a dress here (good luck!)  She'll have a kickstarter video up soon so she can release her fall line.  Don't miss it!

when you're a kid at heart.

Christmas tree farm-ing on the coast.

0% Christmas tree farming

3% wreath making

3% lunch and hot chocolate

2% s'mores

2% chiming

90% swings

100% heaven!

(thank you, weather, for clearing up long enough for us to spend a magical day here.  it was worth ever single day stuck inside.)

I'm indecisive. well almost always. Actually, just sometimes.

as in, I love both of these and can't decide which one I love more.

black and white instantly feels nostalgic to me and usually feels more emotional. but color captures everything and it seems like you can actually feel the ocean breeze and taste the salt water and jump right into that moment all over again.

what say you? are you a black and white kind of person?  or are you all about color?  

Merrill

So one year ago I had a new camera and was taking a bazillion pictures of my (somewhat) newborn when this little lady asked me to do her family Christmas photos.  Actually scratch that, I think maybe I begged her to let me.  Bottom line is she trusted me even though she really had no reason to.  But we got some amazeball shots that are still some of my absolute favorites.  

I love Amy's style, I love her vision, and I especially love how she knows who she is and what she wants (and what she doesn't want).  She wants real life.  I love that both times I've shot her family its been a challenge that helped me grow exponentially.

Thanks Ames.

next year: chick-fil-a picnic with the pups.

love love love love love this family.

Hultgren

the many faces

a girl and her boys

friday favorites

the Obed family was beautiful in every way.  the kids were shy for five seconds until I asked them to show me how well they could climb, at which point they became putty in my hands :)  the little girl looked EXACTLY like her dad but with the fairest skin and whitest hair....and I was obsessed.  and the older sister reminded me of my niece Piper, so naturally, I was obsessed with her too.  aren't they stunning?!  more of this shoot to come very soon!

(shot at Thanksgiving Point for FIND Orem workshop on Mamiya 645AFD)

probably my favorite picture of all time

so proud of this shot.  i want to watermark my name ALL over it but i've been rebuked and therefore will not be spoiling photos with my name.  because really, wouldn't it take away from those eyes?  i'm mostly proud because it was the one shot that turned out exactly how I wanted it to for that entire day, and it was my second week EVER looking through a film camera lens.  unless of course you count those reception table disposables, because I was basically a professional with those. 

can you even HANDLE this little girl's beauty?  and you should see her family, folks.  all kinds of ridiculous good looks.

(shot at FIND Orem workshop with ektar on mamiya645)

FILM and FIND

two weeks from yesterday I will leave to Orem to experience the FIND workshop.  I am completely self taught in photography, besides this class that I took for two weeks online a year ago.  I have so so so much to learn, and I completely love to capture real moments in a family, in an event, and in the every day.  this is particularly fun when I get to do it alone on my own somewhere where I get to focus 100% on what moves me.

on a whim I bought a slot to this workshop.  its probably the craziest thing I've ever done.  yes, for sure it is.  I even tried to think of something else that this tops and I can't.  I actually think I'm quite boring.

Hurrah for spontaneity!

and now I'm terrified.  terrified of the cost, terrified that I'll never make my money back, terrified that I'll show up in nothing but my underwear on accident because I was too distracted with trying to look like I knew what I was doing with a FILM camera (you know, the stuff they used before digital SLR's)

a super awesome, talented, and kind photographer is letting me use her old film equipment for the workshop.  A medium format mamiya645.  its the most amazing and beautiful thing ever.  it was so fun to watch her pull out this GINORMOUS rolling suitcase out of her closet and unleash the old film equipment.  One camera still had batteries in it that had eroded over the past 6 years and so that was was pretty much toast for now.  luckily anyone who is anyone in the film world has a backup for their backup and she had another beautiful beast that was ready to go.  she even gave me all of her expired film to practice on!!  can you even believe the generosity???

so try I did.  thank you so much Jen!!  (anyone need a great photographer?  here's her website again.  just do it.)

here's my first roll and I couldn't be more proud of it.  yes its juvenile and the composition isn't perfect and some are underexposed, but I CANNOT believe how beautiful film is!! even expired for a few years!!  every spot and scratch on the film (maybe thats from the lab?) makes it more amazing to me.  one day I'll figure out what I'm doing and you'll love film too.

 my favourite (below).