Arizona

We just got back from a trip to Arizona to visit Paul's parents and grandma. It was the first time our kids met their great grandma!  It's funny because of course they loved the usual suspects of swimming pools, cactus and model airplanes but also LOVED a trailer dinette table that folds down into a bed, escalators at the airport, and Great Grandmas house with her collection of ceramic mice and frogs. Just goes to show you it doesn't have to be a trip to Disney world to impress the little ones.  Paul and I got to enjoy a seven hour trip into the desert on ATVs with Dad while Mom watched the kiddos. Thanks everyone for all the memories!  We love you guys!

Not sure how the kids ended up falling asleep in the car holding hands but it was very sweet!

newborn baby portrait

I was so honored to photograph a beautiful three week old baby girl this weekend!  What a sweetie!  She never cried once and even gave me some smiles. I LOVE LOVE LOVE new babies! 

portraits on location

Paul specializes in portraits on location. In this recent assignment he only had a half hour with each subject to do four different looks. That means he must have his lighting portable enough to work quickly and he needs to find locations on the fly. I always think he makes everyone look like a model! 

wedding anniversary

It was our 9th wedding anniversary on Feb. 27th!  Unfortunately, that day was taken up in a very strange way ( I won't go into it here) and we weren't able to celebrate. Things have been kindof a whirlwind since but hopefully we can squeeze a dinner date in soon. I still love Paul so much and I am so happy I married him!  Life has certainly changed in nine years ( and the fifteen we've actually been together). We've gone from college 'kids" to a husband and wife with a mortgage, two kids, a dog and a small business. We've traveled, taken up hobbies, gone through medical issues, moved( several times), and so much more that makes up life and a more specifically a life together. I can't think of anyone else I'd want to go through this journey with!

digital enhancements

 As professional photographers in the digital age we have the tools to do almost anything with an image after we've created it. I've certainly done my fair share of alternative processes ( cyanotype, polaroid transfers, infrared, etc) but I am enough of a "purist" to want to see a really nice unaltered image sometimes. Paul and I were talking about this and he reminded me of how in the 70's wedding photographers thought it was so so cool to do a double exposure during the ceremony and make it look like the bride and  groom were looking down at themselves. Now that type of image is very dated and I wonder if the same will happen with this current trend of digital enhancements. It's fun and it's so easy, the trick I guess is to use it in moderation. Here is an example of an unaltered image and then an action applied to it called "aged photo". This literally took me two seconds. Crazy!

Valentine's Day

Paul and I went snowboarding/skiing yesterday at Keystone for Valentine's Day! It was so nice to get away for a day and play. We are back in the office today and working but refreshed from our day on the mountain!

Solar Energy

Paul had an editorial assignment that had to be shot this morning on solar panels even though it was overcast and  snowy. It was a really tight deadline so he had to work with the weather. I think it turned out great!  I have been especially interested in renewable energy ever since I saw "An Inconvenient Truth". Paul had a website up on the office computer for Real Goods Solar and I thought he was researching panels for our house! He was just finding the subject's contact info but you never know, it might be in our future. The problem with buying a "fixer upper" is that there is a long list of things to do before you get to the fun or  meaningful projects.