WPPI Trip

Here's a funny story. Juli & I flew into Las Vegas this last weekend for the international WPPI Convention. Very exciting! But by the time we arrived, the hotel had no non-smoking rooms with 2 beds left. None. So we were upgraded by the very cute gentlemen checking us in. Upgraded to the most expensive suite in the casino. So expensive you can't even reserve it- it is set aside for the "high rollers" - ironic because I couldn't figure out how to work the nickle slots and gave up after spending a dime. Here are a few photos of the room:

Juli posing in the jaccuzi tub:

Our view of the city:

Yes, a workout room (as if):

(Here's not a funny story. After spending 3 straight days at the convention when we got to the airport my wedding ring was missing. I had lost it. I'm heart broken.)

Sarah & Jack

Jack hates having his photo taken. Don't we all? But he was quite relieved when I told him that I wasn't interested in having him look at the camera during this 15 minute engagement photo shoot on a Boulder trail- he could just focus on his lovely fiancé. He was SO relieved that he actually glanced my way a couple of times! I was so happy with the photos I got of these two- such gracious people that I am glad to know! And I got the cameras tucked away just before it started to downpour! A triumph!

I tell my clients that the engagement photo session is about as awkward as it will get with me- because the next time I'm shooting will be on their wedding day and I'll be surprised if they even remember whether or not I was present! My engagement photo sessions are super casual and I move us all around a lot to keep things from feeling stagnant. I love shooting motion and expression so the time goes by very quickly!

I was so excited about this very last image I shot! I showed it to them in the camera and we decided to have a big canvas print made to display at their engagement party! It was a big hit!

Kate Stickley

This was a very fun shoot! I did portraits of Kate when she was just a couple months old in the doorway of my old house last year. She basically laid in the basket and skrunched up her face and cried and bobbled around. Her parents thought, as all parents think as they watch their newborn being photographed, "ugh, our baby is going to look so miserable in all of these photos." But not so!! We got piles of the cutest expressions and baby fat rolls! And here is Kate one year later posing by a life-size canvas print of herself! I love it!!

And these are a few more of my favorite images we made. She's like a orange sherbet ice cream cone. And I am delighted with all the light streaming in from the studio windows! It makes my job just delicious.

First Studio Portraits!

Hurrah! We got a trail run today of the new studio space. Juli's husband stopped by with their 2 little girls- Lucia & Mercy. Juli and I couldn't help but pick up the cameras and do a little impromptu shooting! These are some of my favorite shots of the day!

Mercy is always the first to try anything new and daring. She is completely undaunted. Even by this very scary rocking horse!!

And here is my favorite family shot! Recipe for success: smoosh everyone together, ask what a monster sounds like and throw in a shark puppet. Voile!

This may be one of my all time favorites. I am indepted to my amazing Associate Photographer and best friend for catching this moment on film. I call it "the love triangle." Obadiah is my cattle dog mix and he loves nothing in the world better than myself (and I him); Lucia is my beautiful god-daughter and I am enchanted by her; Lucia is in turn enchanted by her mother who was behind the camera. Ah, l'amour.

This one makes me smile. But it needs a bit of explanation. Mercy was concerned/obsessed with the possible existence of a monster in the studio basement. She is staring at the door trying to work up the courage to investigate and attempting to persuade me to accompany her (i.e. carry her down the dark stair case). Obadiah is very interested in being near me but is quite weary of little Mercy, not known for her gentle ways. I love how he is casually regarding her. (And I think I'm looking especially cute in this photograph! A feat in itself! Congrats, Juli!!)