Queen Creek

because, you know, we're trying to live in every city/town/township and range in the greater Phoenix area by the time we turn 30.  

I love how rural this area is.  I loved that I could rollerblade only in our community because no where else had sidewalks.  I loved that I saw the same ladies biking every morning.  I loved driving for ten minutes and passing nothing but fields and fields of corn and grain and alfalfa.  

that is, until I needed milk.

which I probably could have just picked up from the goat farm next door, but I was too shy to ask.

these film images are virtually untouched, and its this top image that reminds me daily that I'd chop off and sell my right arm to be able to buy a camera and shoot with film again.

but until then, I'll just drool over the colors of these photos and dream of buckets and buckets of money being dropped on my doorstep.  (you know, I have one of those now!  it feels so fun to say "MY" doorstep!)

to order these prints or any others, go here.

wedding on film

I know I've been the worst blogger of all time, but WE GOT A HOUSE!  Well, not technically I guess, not until we close, and apparently the closing date is subject to change?  madness. 

so in hopes to make up for my time gone, here are some of the wedding photos I took on film from this wedding, as promised. 

I always tell people that film and digital are like twins.  for everyone unfamiliar with it, it may be hard to tell them apart, but to someone who is with them all the time, they are completely and totally different. 

(confession:  I STILL can't tell the olsen twins apart if they have the same hair color, which really says a lot since I grew up watching them solve any crime by dinner time.)

I was assisting Ashley of 41st Avenue Photography for this shoot so my shots are pretty random, just whenever I could pick up my film camera and snap.  you like that ONE PHOTO I got from the reception of the soda bar down there at the bottom?

so, can you tell a difference between this post's pictures and this one?

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!!

Joe and someone ELSE'S fiance.

apparently the real fiance couldn't make it.

which is why I'm amazed at how well these turned out, despite the fact that she is indeed engaged to another, likely just as colorful, gentleman.  he wore ray-bans and orange pants.  she wore an orange feather in her hair to match.

I love fake wedding shoots that I wish were real ones.....

Red Butte Garden, Salt Lake City, Utah (ektar style)

the colors of these photos seem a little off, since ektar isn't known for being a cloudy day film, but I actually really like how these came out.  Thanks to my sister for letting me tag along for her morning walk, and thank you Salt Lake, for only snowing for two seconds.

Christensen

(shot at FIND Orem)

dyer wedding (color)

Here are some more of the beautiful Dyer couple in color.  I LOVE THEM.

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)

black and white wedding

I seriously didn't know people could be this beautiful!  I was really disappointed that I had black and white film in my camera for these two, because they were so impeccably dressed and her bright red lipstick was stunning, but I could NOT be more happy with the way they turned out.  I absolutely love b&w.

aven

aven had two takes for this shoot to see if we could grab some peaceful sleeping shots, which never happened.  this little girl did not want to miss a THING!  she was only a a few weeks old and just as awake and alert as could be.  and boy oh boy did she love to eat!  I love taking newborn shots because it proves that we come to this earth with a big personality.  she was such a doll and her mom was so patient and already had the mom thing down to an art.  I mean, look at her!  she's a natural.

the black and whites were done in some really old expired film just for fun and I ended up loving them the most!

friday favorites

more engagements

C&C engagements

shot at FIND Orem April 2012

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)

holy cow

I got back from the FIND workshop with Jonathan Canlas yesterday.  It. was. amazing.

more to come on that later, but since I'm so completely obsessed with this picture, I thought I'd share.

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).