Saturday, June 27, 2009

Fourth Grade Friends

I was fortunate to have the chance to meet up with an old friend for a photo session the other day. Rachael and I met in 4th grade... I had just come to Washington from Alaska and we met in school. We remained friends all the way through high school. Years have passed now, and it was really fun to reconnect with her, meet her beautiful kiddos and spend some time with her husband.Even though many years have passed that I was not in contact with Rachael, it was amazing how easy it was to reconnect with her. Rachael and I went through a lot together over the years, and I am so happy and proud of the person she has become. It was an honor to take these photos, thank you!Her two little ones are adorable, and they were so much fun! They better lock their doors when this blonde blue eyed cutie gets a little older!She will however have an older brother around to help keep her safe!This little guys infectious smile and sense of humor had me laughing all the way home from the session.The next two images are a couple of my favorites from the session. They are so quiet, so powerful. No one is looking at the camera, no one is looking at the beautiful setting we are in, no one is smiling at me, BUT you can feel the deep and sincere emotion in each person. This little girl can feel the warmth and security of her daddy's breath on her arm, and he can feel the soft touch of her hand on his back as she rests her chin on his shoulder.I love how happy a child gets from a good hug. Sam's feet are off the ground and he can hardly contain his happiness from this hug! I can almost feel her tight squeeze as she quickly contemplates if there is any way to keep him from growing up. What a pleasure it was to spend some time with you guys at the beach. I am glad that I could stop chit chatting with you guys long enough to capture some great moments for your family! I hope you enjoy these for years to come!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Life After the Flu and a Sneak Peak for Jodi!

Life has been busy around here. The flu has been visiting our home! YUK! Immediately after we covered from the flu, we were headed out for a camping trip to Cannon Beach, Oregon. I am so glad that we were well enough to travel to Cannon Beach because it was amazing!!! There were horse rides, sandcastle competitions, great weather, kite flying, campfires, and the list goes on. Now, we are back, recovered and looking at the HUGE mess that is our home. YIKES! Well... it was worth it.

I did fall a bit behind on my editing, so this post is really for Jodi. I had the opportunity to meet her family a couple of weekends ago. She has been patiently waiting to see the images from our session, so I thought I would give her a sneak peak on the blog.She has a busy home. It reminds me of my own home a few years ago. Two little girls who are as beautiful as can be and going in opposite directions all of the time. Those were wonderful days that I would not trade for any amount of money.It was fun to capture all of their different emotions and see this great family interact. They were so laid back and welcoming. It was a pleasure to spend the morning with them.OK... could these two girls be any more adorable?!
I think that these next two images are some of my favorites from the day. When I am able to look deep into a child's eyes, I feel like I can hear their spirit. There is no smile.... but the emotions of these thoughtful little ones spill out of the image and right into my heart.What a privilege it is for me to be able to see into this part of their personalities.

I hope that you guys enjoy this sneak peak of the images from our session! More to come soon!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Listening To The Leaves

My sister and her husband have suffered a devastating loss in their family. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they begin to recover from the loss of Joe's son. Adam, was just 23, and the world will miss this wonderful young man.

Today was the memorial service for Adam... It was in Vermont, and I was unable to attend, but I have been thinking about him all day. I walked around my yard with my camera and looked at things in a bit of a different light.

I looked deeper into the flowers....
I looked closer at the leaves...
I thought about the family that lived in this nest... it felt like each leaf, each branch, each petal were quietly whispering their own story to me as I passed them by.
Joe and Kaia... I will be praying for you.