~Year in Review~2011~

Wow. That pretty much sums up my 2011 year. It was a year of firsts and growth.


Looking through my photographs I can see so much change (for the better) throughout my shooting. I love finding new angles, making a few mistakes so I know how to fix them the next time. I started shooting in RAW this year and will NEVER go back! It took some getting used to, but is totally worth it.


I jumped right into wedding photography with both feet this year. Yes, it was totally crazy, but weddings soon became my favorite events to shoot! All of my brides and grooms were wonderful to work with and appreciated the fact that I will do anything for a laugh! Six weddings are now under my belt. No, not a huge number, but enough to know that I want to continue with them in the future!


Another first was newborn photography. Since I became a Mother I knew the importance of these precious moments. I loved meeting the little ones and parents! Learning poses, and then realizing that the interaction between the parents and the new little bundle of joy was what I wanted to capture. Yes, newborn photos can be oh so cute, but I find the most emotion in watching a Father and Mother cuddle their newborn, and the comfort they give them. A lot of the shots truly brought tears to my eyes.

I have two photos that are my absolute favorite this year. It was so hard to choose! I have favorites from every session (see my Facebook page for the best of 2011).


The first was from a wedding I shot in Breckenridge,CO in July. It was an odd situation from the start, the bride was out East and the groom was in Germany. In fact, his whole family is from there. Everything was booked via email and phone calls, paypal was a Godsend for this wedding! I didn't get a chance to meet the bride and groom before the day of the wedding due to unforeseen circumstances. Which was fine, I am good at winging it! The venue was a lookout down a hiking trail, and as my assistant and I made our way, it was breathtaking. Perfect day for a wedding. They had a string quartet in the trees and a lovely view for the ceremony. The bride and groom arrived a little late and I was able to quickly introduce myself before they started down the isle. The nice thing about this couple, was they were so laid back. I knew the whole day was for them, and was in no hurry. After the ceremony we took a lot of posed and candid shots. As we were leaving the venue I was relieved of my duties for the day, but I turned around and caught this amazing shot.

It is my favorite image of 2011.

The second image is a personal one. I took my Son outside on a nice day and shot is two year photos. Every year I try to get a photo of him and our dog, Maverick, as they are best buddies. This was a shot I was so excited to get, that it didn't matter to me that it wasn't perfect. This just speaks volumes of the relationship between my son and his dog. 

No, the whole year wasn't filled with great things. I had a few clients bail on me last minute, so I had to enforce a retainer fee. Sometimes the photos weren't what I expected them to be after I got them on my computer, and had to make the best of what I had. More often then not, the client was more then thrilled with what I was able to put together. I always prepare myself, however, for the bad reaction. That's all part of the job, not everyone will like your work, but those who do, love it.

2011 was a great year. My clients are the best I could ask for, and look forward to watching their children and families grow.

 We are ready for 2012! Some changes in prices, as I had mentioned before, but there will be specials EVERY month! And for the fun of it, there are THREE in the month of January! :-D I will also be doing "Photo Fridays" and sharing a photo from my week with all of you here on my blog. It may be from a session, or my everyday life. Something so I can look back over my year and relive it, and also for you to get to know me.

The biggest surprise of all?! We are moving! My family and I are headed to Northern Nebraska! I will be serving  most of the state of Nebraska and South/Western South Dakota. I am very excited for this next chapter in our lives. This will bring us within driving distance of both sides of the family. Which will be nice, since we are getting married!! EEEKKK!! Yes, let's add some MORE excitement into our lives! ;-) 7.5 years together and we decided to make it official. We are oh so very excited.

So, bring on 2012! 

~F~ Family 2011

Last year I was contacted by the ~F~ family for a session here on the ranch. They were so much fun to work with and little ~E~ was such a little ham! I was so pleased to hear from them again this year. This time I made my way across the pass and headed into Steamboat. Now, I haven't shot a lot over there so locations are a complete mystery to me. I have always noticed this foot bridge down by the river each time I would go over there and wondered what it would be like to shoot there. Well, my wish came true, and another favorite location was born!

It was a tad chilly, but we all "weathered" through, and we got some really nice shots! Little ~E~ has grown up so much in the last year, but was still very photogenic! How could she not with such beautiful parents?

The gazebos were amazing!

Like I have always said, sometimes the candids are the best shots. These were a couple of my favorites, just a family out on a walk.

We lucked out and still had some green grass!

I can't wait to work with this family again. This is why I love what I do, making connections with people through my art. Life is good!

T&J Engagement!

I was so pleased to be hired by T&J to take photos for their wedding in June 2012. We got together last weekend to shoot their engagement photos. Poudre Canyon was still holding it's color, after this snow we just had, not so sure what's left. One of my favorite spots to shoot has a little grove of trees, beach right by the river, trails, and many places to get some great shots! I wore my muck boots so I could get in the river to get the right angle, yes, I will do anything for a great shot! :-)

I love the feeling of Fall in this photo

They were so cute!

Sometimes I think my clients aren't sure what to do with me. When I say, "Now peek around the tree like 'helllloooo'" and start laughing, I expect them to tell me to leave, lol. Every time, though, they laugh and go with it, I love that!!

Am looking forward to June more and more. Sounds like it is going to be a beautiful wedding!

~D&A~ Say I Do!

I was so pleased that D&A asked me to capture their big day! It was the last wedding of the season for me, and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. The venue was beautiful, and everyone was so nice.

I love getting shots of the "stuff"

The colors were so perfect for a Fall wedding!

The girls were so funny, I love telling them "get sassy"! This is what they came up with :-)

The more I see the sand art, the more I like it

Mr. and Mrs. N!

They were so cute, couldn't keep their hands off each other after the ceremony, I love seeing such pure Love!

It was a GREAT wedding season, couldn't have asked for better clients to work with. Thank you to everyone who helped, my wonderful assistants, and everyone involved with each wedding. Looking forward to 2012!

~B&M~ Canyon Engagement Session

I had the pleasure of photographing a beautiful couple yesterday. ~M~ won my Facebook contest I held a few months ago, and was thrilled that she was able to get a free engagement session with me!

 We met in Poudre Canyon at one of my favorite locations. The river wasn't too high, so we had a lot of areas we could use.

I am all about the kissing photos! hehe

I am looking forward to working with them again after their big day. Probably in the canyon again! I can't get enough of that location!

Family Session 9-26-11

I gave a friend of mine a gift certificate for her baby shower. I got a chance to redeem it while in Michigan. I hadn't met her handsome little man yet, and my heart just melted. I love this girl with all my heart and I feel the same about little ~S~. He was such a ham, even though it was nap time. I was right in my element too, seeing as they are farmers and we trekked around in the hay meadows and cow pastures! We even got a shot of Little ~S~ on one of their tame bulls, that was exciting!

I was in love with the fall colors up there.

How could I have asked for a better backdrop???

Blue jean baby! I had found that green and yellow shirt before I headed up north, and it was SO well with his John Deere hat!

Was sad I didn't get a chance to get together with them again, time just seems to fly! Hoping to see them when I return Thanksgiving weekend! Love you guys!

Family Session 9-25-11

A good friend of mine asked me to take her family photos while in Michigan. This woman is pretty much the reason I met my other half :-) We used to have so much fun when I lived just down the road many years ago! When I showed up we went right back into our normal spats back and forth, it was so much fun!

Smiles were all around as they laughed at each other and at me!

I fell in love with the corn when I showed up, this shot just made itself!

Oh teenage daughters :-) They are such a sweet family.

We had to bust out "Olly" the restored tractor. This is Grandpa's pride and joy!

I am so happy that I got to see this wonderful family again! The weather wasn't perfect, but we dealt with it, as always! Looking forward to taking ~M~'s senior photos next Summer! Love you guys!

~W&S~ Say I do! 9-17-11

September 17th was a busy day for me!

I had done W&S's engagement photos so I knew this would be a fun wedding. This was the first wedding I shot where I took the photos before the wedding. I got to capture the special "first look" shot, and I got chills. ~W~ was so patient, but let us know it was "so unfair" that he couldn't see ~S~ while I set up the shot, hehe.

They are such a sweet couple, ~W~ kept telling her how beautiful she looked. I enjoy weddings so much, they make my heart melt every time...

Some leaves had started to fall, but we still had some really nice green grass....

I love Fall wedding colors!

Each wedding always becomes my favorite, I can't lie. The more I do them, the more people I meet, and the happier I get. The fact this couple actually climbed a jungle gym before the wedding, now that is fun!!

9-17-11 Little ~E~ Three Months!!

I had the pleasure of taking Little ~E~'s three month photos on September 17th. I met her at her newborn session back in June. She still has a TON of hair!! We went to the flower garden in Fort Collins, and thankfully the flowers were still in bloom :-)

Beautiful hair! I just can't get over it!

Like I always mention, family is key. I love incorporating everyone present in the shoot. Makes for a really fun day! 

They are such a fun family! Little ~I~ was all over the place (as she should be, she is almost two!), so it was fun chasing her to get her in the shot, and making things exciting for her as well as Little ~E~.



There is nothing like a Mother and her girls!

Looking forward to working with this family again! They are a hoot and a pure pleasure to work with.

9-7-11 Newborn

Catching up with my blogging is becoming a bit difficult! Seeing as it is October first, I plan on getting at least September blogged by my first October session (on the 7th).

On the seventh of September I met a beautiful baby boy! I made sure the room was warm, and was all prepared. However, I have found that I like nontraditional newborn photography. Let the session take itself. Maybe a few props, maybe a common pose here and there. For the most part, though, I like letting the child direct me. Let him sleep on the beanbag and snuggle up, detail shots are taken then. Let his Mom comfort him back into sleep, loving shots are taken then.

I love this one...he was giving them a present as I shot :-)

Oh little cowlicks...so sweet

So, as we all know I love to shoot the WHOLE time, to get the sweet candid photos. I love baby peach fuzz, I love little wrinkles. You will see those when I shoot newborns, that's what makes them so precious.



Goal has been reached!!

I have met my "big" weight loss goal! Now what? lol I need to maintain this weight as best I can. I know that fluctuating within 5 lbs is normal, and I am ok with that. I am aware that when I go back to MI in a few weeks that I won't be as conscious of what I eat (come on it's vacation!) and will probably gain a bit. These things don't bother me. It's returning to the point where I felt not so good about myself.

This was May of 2010. I had already lost about 30 lbs and was feeling so good that I could fit into my wranglers again. Of course they were a size 14...huh. Looking at this photo I remember feeling so much better, but no where near how I feel today!

Just took today! (Don't mind the blocks and mess the only full-length mirror is in my Son's room) I feel GREAT! I am now in a size 9 and haven't been here in YEARS! I only have two pairs of pants the fit me at the moment though.

Like I have mentioned before, ANYONE can do this! Three meals a day, healthy snacks, fruit, veggies, and portion control! If I miss breakfast, I constantly graze and go over my points allowance. Skipping meals has never been in my plan anyway, I love food too much, hehe.

Hang in there, those of you on this same path. Time is your friend! This took me two years, and that's ok (gave me some time to save money for new clothes, hehe). I now know I can stay this weight and still enjoy life. I never wanted my life to revolve around food, calories, restrictions, etc. I think about what I eat when I'm hungry, and some days I do fall off the wagon (especially when baking!). It's all part of it.

Most of all ENJOY LIFE!! Do something that makes you happy to help you lose the weight! Make sure you are satisfied with the way you are living, and LIVE!

"The only person who is with us our entire lives is ourselves...be alive while you are ALIVE!"