It's Hot!

Today is a hot one in SLO Town and my sweet niece is here spending the day with me. Cameron is out of town getting ready for a workshop - Check out that post here. So Kate and I are having some girl time and I bet she is happy to get away from her 3 brothers for the day. She is cooling off with a sprinkler splash and some rootbeer with licorice straws - yummm. I love being an Auntie. - here are my fun shot from the day.

Oh yes and P.S. I have so much to blog I will updating all of my recent shoots soon!! So much to do so little time!! Stay tuned.

Mountain of Magic (or something like that)

Cameron and I have been working extra extra hard these past few months and now we are taking a little time to relax. We recently had a few weddings in Seattle, Wa and were able to play a little there after the weddings were over. This picture is with our point and shoot from Alki Beach in Seattle - So pretty and great food over there!
After getting back, we had 2 days of scrambling around to get work done before heading out again to Lake Shasta, Every year my side of the family takes a trip to the lake for some epic wake boarding and death tubing - this is where the boat driver tries to kill you and you try to stay on! We rented a houseboat with all the bells and whistles, it fanTAStic.

After getting back, we were so proud of ourselves for staying on top of the piles of work we decided to take ride some thrill rides at Magic Mountain (A roller coaster theme park in Ca). We had soooo much fun screaming and laughing with my Uncle and Cousin on the roller coasters and eating dip 'n dots and funnel cake. De-lish-ous. I thought I would share some fun photos and a fun video from Superman The Escape Ride. I can't stop laughing on those rides!!

I Get to do That

Over the past few months I have been thinking a lot about what I do and how I can help make a difference. How can I - a photographer really make a difference?!


As you all know I have photographed brand spankin' new babies and seeing them minutes after birth is such an amazing time to capture. The thrill of the parents and family and the new life just blows me away. I have to tell myself to focus so I can capture those quick little moments. I really feel honored to do what I do. To produce a tangible product for people so they can have those moments for the rest of their life, long after they've forgotten what the hospital room looked like or what it looked like when their new little one had their first bath. A beautiful product where the subject is highlighted and you are drawn into that very moment. Now, I am not talking about a point and shoot photo of a first bath where the doctors arm and large head in the foreground is what you notice first - I am talking about a carefully choreographed photo that you have a professional capture. I get to do that!!! How cool is my job!


A week or so after the Keller Baby Shoot , one of our friends lost their new born baby. He was only alive for a couple of hours before they realized he was born without kidneys. It was extremely tragic. It was so hard to hear about our friends loss. It was the extreme opposite from the miraculous birth I had witnessed a week earlier. Our friends asked us to edit the photos taken of their little one and I was so honored to be asked I jumped at the chance. These were photos that family had taken for them. I worked on cropping, converting to black and white and a little photo shop edits here and there. They were so incredibly personal I couldn't believe they entrusted me with such precious photographs. I wanted to do this little beautiful life justice. I was producing something that the parents would have for life, their only lasting memory of one of their most precious possessions. It was heartbreaking and at the same time so fulfilling. I cried as sent them to print and packaged them up for the parents. What was I to do with these contrasts? I realized I was giving these parents the same lasting memories just like I had the first. After wrestling with it for some time I came to the same conclusion, I get to do that. How cool is my job.

After helping out our friends I realized I wanted to do that more. I had heard of a non-profit organization called, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. They commission photographers to take photographs for terminally ill children and babies, stillborn babies, etc. in their area. I had heard about this organization before and I didn't feel that I was ready to commit to something like that until now. I really felt like God had prepared me for this. It takes me a long time to warm up to certain ideas - especially when they seem scary. The neatest thing was it wasn't scary at all, it was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had. I trust that God will continue to prepare me for all circumstances where photography is concerned.



If you have the time you should check out this site: NILMDTS
It is really a beautiful service. Get involved if you can!

She's Here!!!!

I am so happy to announce the birth of sweet little Ashlee!! I was so honored to be a fly on the wall for this special day. Stefanie had a cesarean birth so I knew exactly what time to be there, it was very convenient. They prepped her and then took her away to get ready for the surgery. Brent was a nervous wreck! He was such a thoughtful husband worrying about his wife.



When Stefanie was all set to go the doctor came in to 'summon' Brent. I love his look of fear and pure joy as he takes one last look back to all in the waiting room. He was only gone for about 20 mins. before he came back with little Ashlee.




Stefanie wanted me to be her 'eyes'. She wanted me to photograph all that she was unable to see for herself. All of those little special moments of first's. Once you have a cesarean you have to wait in recovery until you can feel your legs - that's usually about 2 hours. So I was busy capturing all I could until she finally got to hold her new baby. It was so special how Brent and big sister Amanda were able to weigh, measure, bathe, dress, brush, and hold Ashlee.







This was their second shoot in their New Life Series package, one more and then I can create them a beautiful album! Check out their maternity shoot here: Maternity Shoot.

Thanks again Brent, Stefanie, Amanda and now Ashlee! It was such an honor being your eyes. I can't wait to see how she's already grown so much!

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

Thank heaven for little girls
for little girls get bigger every day!

Thank heaven for little girls
they grow up in the most delightful way!

Those little eyes so helpless and appealing
one day will flash and send you crashin' thru the ceilin'

Thank heaven for little girls
thank heaven for them all,
no matter where no matter who
for without them, what would little boys do?

Thank heaven... thank heaven...
Thank heaven for little girls!

Maurice Chevalier - Lyrics from the movie "Gigi"


I was so pleased to capture these sweet little ones for their Father's Day Present to their Daddy. I wanted to blog them awhile ago but knew I couldn't because I would ruin the surprise. The oldest Lilly was a bit shy at first but at the end of the session had me running around with her. Little Lauren had the most adorable little dimples! We got her laughing and in no time she was flashing them for the camera. When I went to post this blog I just kept hearing that song from the movie Gigi and I had to check out the lyrics....they were so cute I had to post them. Thanks so much girls! You were awesome!!

Note: Fire Burns

Okay, I was not going to post this but Cameron made me. Well, maybe he didn't make me but he talked me into it. So my last post was about my nephew's First birthday party and since we don't have 3 sets of all our equipment I brought our Canon 20D with a fish lens to take pictures with....that's all that was left. The story begins with the cake section of the party. My brother lit the candle and placed it in front of Ethan.....well you can figure out the rest by the photos.





So my brother is an AWESOME Dad even though he forgot to blow the candle out himself. Ethan had a taste of the sugary goodness and he forgot all about his charcoal hand.







Ethan was ready for a nap after the emotional roller coaster with the cake. In other news my brother is not the only one that felt crappy about hurting the little guy, I nicked his head on a fan the same weekend!!! There, I confess, It's the worst when you do stuff like that - you feel like such a jerk!