Everything is better in three: Lakelyn, Logan & Landon

My cousin Joe and his beautiful wife Kara were blessed with three baby girls this year. THREE! They are amazing little bundles of all things pink and girly. We cannot get enough of them! Here are the girLs and their family:

Joe and Kara, I am so excited to be a part of this beautiful journey with you. You are incredible parents!!! Enjoy!

My sweet little family.

Everyone always asks who takes our family pictures since I'm usually behind the camera. Well, luckily my Sister is patient and amazingly talented with a lens. As a photographer, I probably shouldn't admit this: But, I too get anxiety even thinking about family portraits. It starts a week before trying to get everyone to agree on an outfit. Yes Tyler, you are going to wear a purple undershirt. Then a location, and then bad hair days, lipstick on my teeth, flyaways and a one-and-a-half year old that will.not.sit.still. I get it. It happens to all of us! So...here we are! My sweet little family:

Allen Family

Here is my cousin Amber and her husband, Garrett. They may look familiar because I photographed their maternity session last year. Now they are a beautiful family of three! Welcome: Harper - the cutest, happiest little baby girl! She has her Mamma's eyes and a HUGE smile.

We lucked out and caught the most amazing light at the end of our session!! Could this be anymore beautiful??

A Perfectly Coordinated Fall Session: Gian and Brooklyn

Vanessa is my number one fan! Seriously, this is our THIRD photo session together and the best part is these kids are incrdibly amazing!! They are beautiful, full of personality and style and even more...they are so well behaved. Thank you Vanessa and Josh for raising such great kids. :) Oh, and even more for letting me photograph their cute faces, AGAIN! I've gotta give my girl Vanessa, a shout out: She coordinated their outfits perfectly!!!!! I gave her the suggestion of neutrals plus one pop color. She chose grays for their neutrals (my fav!)and made sure each family member had a pop of purple somewhere in their wardrobe. Even better, the bottom of Gian's shoes matched the location..so it was a double-pop. What-What!! PERFECTION! :) I love when my clients aren't afraid of showing their own personal style and incorporating some fun color in their wardrobe. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You four rocked this fall photo session! Enjoy!

Taylor: A recent Perry HS graduate... and more importantly, my little sister!!!

Taylor is my go-to girl whenever I need a model to practice some new posing ideas, new lens, location... and in this instance, all three! She is also the first girl I call whenever I need to vent, cry, or laugh. :) She also gives me the painful honest truth if I'm wearing a weird outfit. I am thankful for her because she keeps me young. I am so incredibly proud of my sister, Taylor. She is an amazing girl. She recently graduated from Perry HS in 2012. She is working hard striving to become an RN. She is amazingly beautiful from the core of her heart. She makes the same quirky face when she is hysterically laughing or bawling her eyes out. It's contagious. Congratulations to my adorable sister!

P.S. I LOVE my lens: 50mm f/1.4 is my new lover. This location is FAB! Can't wait to try it out on some new friends.

Bellgraph Family: Summer Fun!

If you recall, I first met and photographed this family last November. I adore this couple and these beautiful kids!! I am happy to say Michelle is now a friend :) I so love it when that happens! Holy cow was it HOT out. Living in AZ, you never really go outside in the middle of summer unless you are forced to leave your house and gosh-forbid walk to your car. The weekend before, we had a HUGE monsoon storm and it left us with some terrible humidity. Us Arizonians are pansies when it comes to humidity. Guilty! Well, we made it through the brutal weather and I am loving both the bright personalities and color in these images.

Breaking Tradition with a First Look

First and foremost, I was a bride before I was a photographer. My wedding was absolutely beautiful; I gushed over my chartreuse orchid centerpieces and am just as in love with my dress today, as I was then. However, looking back, my day was such a blur. I don’t recall even having a moment to stop and think “Wow, I just married this amazing man!” I was more focused on entertaining my guests, and what everything looked like, instead of what it felt like. I’m sure many Brides can relate. At the time, I didn’t know there was such a thing as a First Look. If I had, I would’ve jumped at the chance to see, hug and kiss Tyler before walking down the aisle. Those first moments would be hanging in ornate frames on my walls, but most of all I would never forget the priceless moment of just him and I on our day.

About the First Look: A first look is a an opportunity for the Bride and Groom to see each other before the ceremony in an intimate setting. This is a special moment where the two can live and love in the moment, together; without having to worry about the hustle and bustle of the rest of the evening. As a photographer, this candid moment yields the most beautiful, emotional images. As a Bride, being able to see your Groom before you walk down the aisle will help calm your nerves – maybe his, too. While reciting his vows, my husband actually said “I will expire you” instead of "inspire you." :) The First Look also allows for a smoother wedding day timeline – creating more time after the ceremony for family pictures, sunset pictures of the new couple…and the best part: actually being able to attend your own cocktail hour. Cheers! I hope you think about this opportunity when creating your day...if it works for you: GREAT! If not, that's okay too. Your day is all about the two of you.