It's that time of year . . . Seniors abound! I'm just getting around to sharing some of my Senior shots from the Spring . . . I LOVE shooting Seniors . . . but to be honest, my very favorite is shooting Senior Guys . . . they are the best!  Everyone always wonders whether it's easier to shoot Senior Guys or Senior girls . . . The guys are just so much fun to joke around with and find out what kind of things they like or don't like.  Just find something they can laugh about and there's your shot  :D   This is Jake . . . and let me tell you . . . Jake is one talented guy!  Good luck with all your upcoming adventures as you move out and up into the world this Fall. It's just another adventure for sure . . .            

Hurray!  A lovely bridal shoot with the groom . . .  I LOVE it when that happens!  And these two are so much fun to work with . . . they are an amazing couple and seem to just read each others minds :)   All my moving and house building activities are making it difficult for me to keep the blog updated, so here they are . . . a little late - you'll notice the orchard blossoms.  What a miracle . . . we searched and searched for an orchard in blossom and couldn't find any.  Then when we arrived for the shoot - miraculously they had bloomed overnight!   Enjoy Parker & M'liss!   

Anatomy of a family shoot -     They usually go something like this . . .   Trying to get the little ones all paying attention at the same time can sometimes be a challenge, trying to get a smile on their face requires a lot of silly talent.   It usually just depends on how silly you can be . . . silly smiles, silly faces, silly sounds, and lots of goofy conversations.  That's how we roll when there's kids in the picture!  

It's a GIRL thing . . .   What else can I say?


 

One of the delightful miracle sessions of 2012 . . .   One thing you can never count on is the weather . . . you just always hope for the best and wait for those lovely moments of perfect light.  That's exactly what happened with this session, the rain stopped, the sun came out . . . and it was amazing!   So here is Anna and Alex . . . I call them the fun ones! I think you'll know why just by taking a look at their amazing photos.   Gorgeous . . . yep . . . they are!

Kristin  

Well . . . I'll be darlin' !!

 Just wanted to give you all a little peek at the cute bunch I'm workin' on this week :)

 Enjoy!

  



 And now . . .   I'm going back to my late night editing session with a little "Steel Magnolias" . . .

It's always good for making me feel all sentimental :)

Who would guess one could meet Prince Charming on the ball field . . . but that's exactly what happened.

Parker played baseball, M'liss was a softball player . . . . and now . . .  it's a match made in heaven.

Turns out they have much more in common than throwing the balls back and forth! This was a dream engagement session, a sunny day, lovely light . . . ahhh . . . dreamy . . . . . . and a visit to an amazing old bookstore - Sam Weller Book Works - quite an adventure!

 

Baby Jonathan Lee arrived to excited parents Cory & Sara . . . and surprise surprise . . . this little guy looks just like his daddy . . .

Well . . .   What do you think?

I THINK I got a little carried away with this incredible newborn shot . . .

 Somehow all I want to do is just love on these little babies, I think it shows up in my editing.  I love 'em like this -



And I love 'em like this -

 

Still trying to POST all my POSTS that I have going on from this last little while . . .


So here's a little more catching up on all my cute sessions waiting to be blogged!!


This is one of my favorites . . . a wonderful CABIN adventure in the beautiful Utah Uintah mountains!   This amazingly gorgeous place is located about 35 minutes East of Kamas on the Mirror Lake Highway.  Who would have guessed that there are more than 40 lovely mountain cabins located in this beautiful wooded forest!! Such a darling little family - meet . . . Jaycee and Chris!  And the two little wood nymphs :D

Just a glimpse now you hear . . . and don't you dare tell on me!




Only because I knew you were dying to see . . .   :D Loves!!

Then I usually open the current project up and do some editing in Photoshop. I really like to use many of the MCP actions for Photoshop, many of the Totally Rad actions . . . a little Florabella . . . But today I wanted to feature something a little different! For all you peeps out there who want to keep those expenses down (and when it comes to photography - WHO doesn't want to keep the expenses down?  Oh the money that could be spent . . .) I thought I would do a totally FREE edit from start to finish for you . . . Yes, you can do some LOVELY things without spending any money! Isn't THAT good news :D I'm going to feature one of my FAVORITE websites -

Rita is the blogger behind CoffeeShop and a stay-at-home, home-schooling Mom to two naughty but adorable little boys (Duke is 7 and Imp is 4), wife to her high school sweetheart, and passionate about all things photography.

And the best part about The Coffee Shop -  Everything on her blog is 100% free!

(although if you LOVE her products like I do - you can kick a little donation her way or

download her MEGA action pack with the works in one download for $49 - one of the best bargains you'll find online!)

So . . . let me take you through this fun edit - from start to finish - all FREE :D
 . . . this would be the unedited start up version . . .

Well . . . I was just contemplating which one of these exquisite edits I like the best. I can't possibly make up my mind . . . each one so adorable! I have Radlab to thank . . . I don't know how I could possibly live without it these days.  After I export my photos from Lightroom I do a little touch up in Photoshop, then open them all in Radlab.  It's like walking into an ice cream shop and not knowing which flavor to sample first! I could just hang out in there all day :D Let me know what you think . . . Which one do you prefer??


This is the original, with my touchups - no Radlab applied



 
Recipe #1


 
Recipe #2


  Recipe #3
~~ yummy  . . . yummy . . . yummy ~~ Maybe I should just start a FLAVOR of the month club :D Loves!!  ME (ps . . . head on over to Totally Rad on Facebook you can give it a try for FREE Watch out you maybe hooked for life . . .)

Yes, simply must share just one little sneak peek from a recent engagement session. I know I promised RIDICULOUS . . . but we got RIDICULOUS and DELISH!  Yes, very delish! Did you know the canyons of Utah are "springing" out all over the place!  Gorgeous beautiful scenery in Utah this spring! And what a lovely day it was . . . so blessed :) Ok . . . just one little sneaky peaky . . . Then hold onto your hearts until I post the rest of the deliciousness! Here is M'liss and Parker - truly bff's . . . truly . . .




I must say . . . our only challenge in taking these amazing photos - I never stopped laughing the whole session :)  (Very big grin!)

Welcome baby Kavik . . .

Did you know . . .

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog tails . . . . that's what little boys are made of!

Hmmmm . . . just exactly what are Snips & Snails? It's thought that snips would be little pieces of all sorts of things . . . kind of like . . .



 
little tiny toes and a little tiny nose

 
scrappy little bows and scrapes on the knees

 
throwing of rocks and the climbing of trees  
pockets full of frogs and jars full of bugs  
a ball and a bat and a baseball hat
   
make a sweet little boy
 
full of kisses and hugs :D   Yes - you are an adorable little one

Introducing Jenny and Jared . . . Jenny comes from the sunny state of Florida . . . Jared comes from the sunny state of Florida . . . And they both live here in Utah going to school   . . . Just a few more days and they will be getting married here in Utah . . . yahoo . . . can't wait for the day! We had so much fun taking these lovely engagement photos at the Discovery Learning Park in Highland Utah.  Amazingly the lake was frozen!  It was fun to see fisherman out on the ice . . . fishing . . . Then we moved on to the American Fork Amphitheater.  Oh what a lovely day!


 

During the holidays I was so lucky to get a new bee-U-ti-ful IMAC that has been a treasure to edit photos on!  But all the updating and backups and transfers and set up,  it's put me a little bit behind on the blogging! I have a few events that I'm just now getting around to organizing in a blog format - don't ask me what has taken me so long . . . Between booking, shooting, updating, editing updating websites, downloading software, attending workshops . . . the last thing I remember to work on is getting photos on the blog! So finally - I am VERY excited to present . . . Ta da!  Emily and Isaac! And a beautiful Salt Lake City / Emigration Canyon wedding!


 

Thinking of having photos of your newborn taken? 
 Newborn photography is a relatively new phenonemon . . . in the past families starting having photos done at about 2-4 months of age.
 

What to wear . . . What to wear? WHAT to WEAR - it's an age old question, and never asked by more people than the mom trying to match everyone for the upcoming family photo.  I don't think I ever take a picture that the subject doesn't ask for suggestions on what to wear . . .


I wish there was a simple answer . . . but usually it comes down to three things - COLOR . . . LAYERS . . . and ACCESSORIES

Really . . . The answer is a little different for everyone really, but I'm going to point you in the direction of something that will give you a great place to start! PINTEREST! Here's a link to my PHOTOGRAPHY board with many options to find what will work best for you. Go on . . . take a look and give it a try!   I'm going to share a few photos that are excellent examples of what to wear for a photography session.  They all are credited and linked to the photographers web sites, so please go and check out the rest of their stuff!  Such talented ladies! First,  I'm going to use this great example taken by a cute photography neighbor of mine, Chelsie Clarke - you really MUST check out the rest of her STUFF :)




 

Going to try really hard to get caught up around here! I so love these photos of this cute family - and we had more fun than a barrel full of monkeys while shooting these at the Discovery Learning Park in Highland Utah.  What a gorgeous place, beautiful park, lots of ducks and geese.  The kids fed the ducks until I think they were stuffed full! The Burke family has always been pretty precious to our family, we have loved watching these little ones get bigger and bigger and cuter and cuter!  Way to go Lauren and Doug - your family is amazing!

Sara will make an adorable mom! I love her warm personality :D

  I


I think this is my favorite - those tiny tennies are adorable!

 




 







 I'll be waiting to hear the news!