Kristin and Capri at home.

Scofield, UT.

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?  

Shockley

I'm starting this new super fun game that no one likes to play.  I don't tell you where your photo shoot is actually going to be located, and you have to follow smoke signals to find it.  I thought just for kicks I'd try it out with these three.

AND, when you finally find your way, the location is freezing cold and within 5 minutes your baby's teeth are chattering.

but lucky for me this family are not only great friends of ours, but also great models with even greater circulation, so you can't tell at all if they were annoyed or cold (or both).   me on the other hand, my lips turn blue and I wear a perma-scowl, so had the tables been turned we'd both be in trouble.

Thanks Shockleys, for being so freaking photogenic.

friday favorites

just a sneak peak into next weeks post.

I'm kind of obsessed.

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

friday favorites

this was from my very first Christmas family photo shoot.  I was terrified.  Luckily they were the best, most easily photographed, most kind and open-minded family on the planet.

thanks for giving me a shot.

*two spots left for my fall family shoots.  contact me here if you'd like to book!*

hadlock

I had the blessed opportunity to meet this family in North Carolina while I was serving an LDS mission, and they really were a home away from home.  

needless to say I love them and I loved seeing them and being reminded just how fun they are and how many laughs they brought me in the sweet sweet south.  I still need to get back there you know, and its KILLING me that I can't go for a while now......

did I tell you my BROTHER is headed to the south too?!  Alabama to be exact, and I'm so excited for him!!

I wish I would have shot this with film.

not that he could have been any better looking, no matter the camera, photographer, or medium.

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)

June's birth

I can't believe its been almost one year since this beautiful event!  it was my VERY FIRST photo shoot and I had no idea what I was doing.  and yet, this is my most favorite shoot, even today. Birth photography is so raw, so real.  no one cares that I'm there, no one keeps checking the mirror and I don't tell anyone that a hair is out of place or a shirt needs to be tucked in.  and every moment is a realtime memory of an event that can't ever be relived.

in honor of you, June.