Wings of Blue Photography ~ Custom Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Elko, NV

I'm moving!

2011-04-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

I started this blog in March of 2008 to start showcasing some of my favorite photographs. The time has come though for me to move from Blogger to my own domain. I need the control that a blog on my own domain/server will afford me along with the additional tools that Wordpress offers, especially in the area of Search Engine Optimization(SEO).

So, please join me over at www.blog.wingsofbluephoto.com for new posts!

Update your feeds accordingly please. :)

February Photography Series, Elko Photography

2011-02-05T20:23:00.000-08:00

Love to Hate

I'm the mommy to 4 beautiful children. I love them dearly but sometimes they drive me bonkers.
While contemplating what to photograph this morning I noticed these markers left out. AGAIN. We have this white board that sits on a table in our living room. It got put there once to that I could use its magnetic properties do display photographs when I had the studio set up there and it just kinda stayed. The photographs got moved and then the kids discovered some dry erase markers and it was all over with. It gets erased, and changed nearly daily. They loving having it around, and I love seeing their drawings. Lily however switches up the lids on the rare occasions that she puts the lids back on. Drives me nuts. Do you know what gets dry erase marker out of clothing, and table cloths.?.. Nothing. (So if you know the magic answer please enlighten me!)

Joy in Love, What They Wear

2011-02-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

The photography prompt for today was "What They Wear". I KNEW that for this one I had to feature my little fashionista. Somedays I'm not sure whose child this is... I'm such a jeans and a t-shirt kinda gal and she wore a bolero jacket, fancy scarf, skinny jeans and boots to school today. Gotta love this girl. :)

Now what she would really like to do is wear a prom dress to school every day.. not gonna happen. This girl seriously loves her sparkles.

But it does make today the perfect day to announce my upcoming "Rock the Dress" sessions.
On two Saturdays this spring, just before the Elko High School Prom, and just before the Spring Creek High School Prom I'm going to hold mini sessions for girls to have a rock star day. We'll have the studio set up and plenty of room for snacks and hanging out. Lots of mirrors and access to outlets for your last minute touch ups. Make a fun day of it with your friends!

Call me at 775 340-5518 or email wingsofblue.melissaATgmailDOTcom to reserve your time.

February Photography Series, Wedding vs. Now

2011-02-03T21:38:00.000-08:00

Today's photography prompt from Joy in Love was "Then and Now"

Next month Kevin and I will celebrate our 12th Anniversary. Can it really have been that long since our wedding?

I was SO sick in this picture. Our photographer was fantastic I would cough cough cough and then quickly smile and he would snap. In all our photos he only caught me coughing once, with film. He was a brave, brave soul.

This is this evening after putting 4 kids to bed. My how life has changed. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

And just for kicks, here is the one of the two of us from this spring, back at the same place. Tara does a much better job than my self timer. :)

February Photography Series, Elko Photographer

2011-02-02T20:16:00.000-08:00

Ruby Dome in February

The Joy of Love, February Photography Series

2011-02-01T21:10:00.000-08:00

I know it is hard to imagine but Elko has had way too much going on lately. I haven't even taken many photographs and I have totally gotten out of the blogging habit. I fully intend to get back to it. Starting NOW.

Last year I did a series titled "28 things I Love" It was really fun. I wanted to do something similar again this year. Kelly Willete is running a series called The Joy of Love. Each day comes with a prompt and a short lesson. I think between the two ideas I might actually get all the days done. Click Here to find out more and sign up for the quick lessons yourself!

Day 1 and I am LOVING it! I think I shot more frames today than I did in the whole month of January!

Today prompt was DOING. To capture the people/person you love doing what they do.

I caught my delightful George putting together his 100 days project for school tomorrow.

This boy LOVES his math so this project was right up his alley. He was concentrating so hard on getting the 10 smarties just where he wanted them. He looks like he hates this, but really he was having a ball.

I can't wait to get started on tomorrow's prompt.

If you want to join in leave a comment and I'll come over and say hi, you can post the pictures on your blog, Flickr page, Facebook, wherever. :)

Anthony and Sami ~ Elko Studio Photograher

2010-12-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful....

I adore using nature's beauty as a backdrop, but with it getting dark in Elko by 4:30 in the afternoon that gets tricky. Anthony and Sami needed a picture for their Christmas cards, the weather was bad and work schedules made it impossible to get out before the sun went down. Solution? Studio session of course. :) The great thing about studio sessions is that it really lets me focus in on people, their connections and emotions even more.

Jessica and Edward ~Elko Wedding and Basque Clubhouse Reception

2010-11-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

Jessica and Edward were married at the St Joseph's Catholic church here in Elko. The bridal party then scooted over to the Star for a few drinks while guests gathered at the Basque Club house. The trolley brought them to greet their guests for dinner and dancing there.

The Catholic Church here is such a beautiful venue. So much light pours in from the windows on both sides of the sanctuary.

I have to sneak in one of the detail shots here, aren't Jessica's shoes to die for?

Dance time. I don't think it gets any better then it did that night. The heat of the day was starting to wane and our bellies were full from the scrumptious food, and the light, oh my goodness the light, the light during the first dances was PERFECTION.

Jessica and Edward

Father / Daughter Dance

The sun set and the DJ canked it up for a PARTY!

Thank you Jessica and Ed for letting me be a small part of your special day.

Images photographed for Adrianne, of Aidge's Images.

Newborn Eli ~ Elko Photographer

2010-11-19T14:02:00.000-08:00

This little, well, not so little guy was SO sweet! He slept good, and even when not sleeping barely cried. He and I played and snuggled and his mom caught a short (and I'm sure much needed!) nap on my couch. Even if he hadn't been such a dream, newborns are always worth the effort.

I get asked occasionally about baby photos and keeping baby content during them. First thing I do is I crank that heat up! I keep the studio space pretty warm during the session so that baby is totally comfortable. Second, we take our time. Newborn sessions definitely involve way more time spent soothing, nursing, and rocking than actually spent taking photos. Third, while a later session is not unheard of, I prefer to photograph in the first week or so of life, up to about 10 days. This is when babies are still sleepy, and like to be curled up. They change so much even just in those first few weeks, this ensures that we capture the "newness". This little guy was born in Boise and then came home to Elko so he was a week old before I got my hands on him. He still slept like a charm though.

I love babies!

All the little parts...

Can't you just smell him?!

Love the faces they make!

More of little Eli can be seen HERE .

Christopher~ Spring Creek High School Senior Photographer

2010-11-18T13:35:00.000-08:00

Chris is SO funny! In one of my initial emails with him he filled out a questionnaire for me so that I could get to know him better. In his answers he said that one of the things he wanted to remember about this year was Homecoming Cheerleading. I was trying to figure out how to incorporate a cheerleading uniform and an appropriate location into the shoot we already had planned and the time frame we had. I laughed so hard when I figured out he was talking about powder puff cheerleading... I had totally forgotten about that. I've been out of high school longer than I thought I guess.

Christopher was a total trooper and followed me all around downtown Elko. There are some great spots for photos in this little town but they are certainly not all right around the corner from each other! We also spent some time at St. Joesph's Catholic Church to get some more personal shots as religion is very important to Christopher.

Christopher's Gallery can bee seen HERE.

More posts coming soon... I will get caught up on my blogging!

Lacy ~ Spring Creek High School Senior

2010-08-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited to show you Lacy's Senior portraits today! Lacy is an amazing young lady full of life and personality, and gorgeous to boot. We had so much fun shooting in the beautiful light in Lamoille. Seriously, the light was amazing.

When Lacy contacted me about her portraits she indicated she was hoping for portraits that were laid back and showed off how happy she is this year.

I told you Lacy was fun!

We had a little visitor on the shoot too.

Lacy you are beautiful inside and out. I hope you Senior year is a blast and is the wonderful jumping off point for your future you hope it to be.

Enjoy a slide-show of Lacy's images here.

Sweet Melanie ~ Newborn Photography, Elko, NV

2010-08-15T00:17:00.000-07:00

I just don't think it gets any sweeter than this little girl. Typically I like to photograph Newborns within the first 10 days of life. This is when they are still all curled up, very sleepy and very pose-able. That wasn't possible with Melanie, but I think I might like this better. :) At 3 1/2 weeks she was really starting to show some personality! She stayed awake for much of the session, but we did get her to sleep a bit at the end.

I love being able to capture all the little bits that make babies so amazing.

I don't think there could be two more loving parents than these two.

Fall will be here before we know it! ~ Elko Portrait Photographer

2010-07-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

Summer has been a whirlwind!! I can not believe that August is almost here! I have traveled from Elko, to New York City and back again. I thought things would slow down when I got home but they haven't. It is wonderful. :) It does make me nostalgic for the lazy days of summer of my childhood. Wait, they weren't lazy, we were up for 7am swim practice every day, then home for chores and who knows what else. Thanks mom for putting up with all that! :)

Photo wise I am barely keeping up with my editing, and loving every minute of it. Seniors, have you had your portraits done yet? If not I have a fantastic deal for you in August. $125 for your session with a $50 credit towards the prints of your choice. And as a bonus for booking before the end of August (shoot Aug-Sept) get a pack of 50 "411" cards.

A Senior session includes:

~Approximately 1 hour shooting time at up to 2 locations.

~Unlimited wardrobe change (you can change all you want, but change fast!)

~Minimum 15 images, typical is 20+, dependent on locations, wardrobe changes, props you bring.

~Minor retouching on all final images (no need to stress out over that pimple)

~Online gallery available for 6 months

~Use of web sized images for sharing via email/Facebook

And as an additional note... Families, are you starting to think about that holiday card photo yet? Fall schedules fill up fast, so be sure to lock in the date that works best for you.

2 Quick Sneak Peeks ~ Elko, NV Photographer

2010-06-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

I am headed out of town on vacation. NYC for a family wedding and then wander our way back across the country visiting family and friends. It will be several weeks before I am back, and I am computer-less on the road (all 3000+ miles of it EEK!) I wanted to give these two understanding families a quick peek before I head out since they have to wait until I am back for their full galleries.

I had so much fun with this little princess and her family!

And another amazing maternity session. I am so glad that we did this session last week before all the mud slides in the canyon!

Mr and Mrs Coleman ~ Elko, NV Wedding Photographer

2010-05-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

I am SO honored and blessed to have been a part of John and Lee's Wedding Celebration. We started the day with all the girls getting all dolled up, then over to the First Baptist Church for their ceremony. Both Lee and John have been married before and told me several times that this time around they really wanted to do it "right." I think they fully and completely accomplished that. The ceremony was short, but oh so sweet. You could really feel the love between them as they spoke their vows. They are truly dedicated to one another no mater what the future may hold.

We then headed straight over to the Red Lion ballroom for an amazing party. Lee had thought of every detail and it really showed. Elegant, elegant, elegant, WOW! What a fun night, thank you for letting me be a part of your day.

Congratulations and best wishes for many happy years to come.

More highlights going up on their Gallery over the next few days.

Amanda ~ Maternity Pictures Elko, NV

2010-05-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

To say I was overjoyed when Amanda called me about maternity pictures is an understatement. I LOVE babies and bellies! There is something so miraculous about pregnancy. This is actually one of my photographic regrets, that I do not have a beautiful reminder of that time in my life. I am glad to be able to provide this memento for Amanda and her growing family.

Amanda, you are beautiful! Enjoy this sneak peak.

I had to GOYA~ Elko Photographer

2010-05-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

I've been following Zack Arias for awhile, but he really made an impression at Photocamp Utah. One of the things he has been posting on his blog lately are GOYA shoots. Get Off Your Arse shoots. They are Great! It is amazing what he and the people around him come up with in those short time frames. I don't have a studio of assistants to shoot with but I have been trying to do this more. The previous spring weather post is from one of those days. :) Today's pictures are from another day. I recently applied to be a part of an international not-for-profit organization (more on that soon). One of the requirements for the application was to submit 3 samples of portrait work in each of 6 different lighting situations. Some were easy to pick and some well... not so much. One section I really struggled with was outdoor light with fill flash. It s just not something I shoot a lot with. I had few samples to pick from and most were from the same shoot and I wanted to submit more variety. I stressed, I fretted and then one day I decided I just had to GOYA. I had 45 minutes while kids were at various practices, the clouds were cool and so I just went. I grabbed the daughters of a good friend and headed out into the sagebrush. (We do have an abundance of that to photograph in Elko.) They were awesome models. It was FREEZING (snowed later that night) but SO much fun. No pressure to deliver, no expectations, just shooting for the joy of it. Completely solidified the fact I need to do this more often. Anybody want to go with me?

Spring Weather.

2010-05-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

The stormy weather lately has also brought in some AMAZING clouds lately, puffy white clouds and sapphire blue skies. I love Nevada's wide open spaces. There is something magical about being able to see a storm moving across the valley. Clouds coming and going over the course of a few hours. I could sit and watch for hours.

My Own Family

2010-05-12T09:58:00.000-07:00

I have bunches of pictures of my kids, lets face it they are easily accessible, if not always willing subjects. Once a year or so we drag out the tripod and set up a family picture. While I love having that record of my family's growth it is just not the same.

What is a girl to do?

Procrastinate that is what!

Kevin has been after me to get someone to take our pictures for quite some time. Needless to say I was THRILLED when I found out I had won a prize in a contest my friend Tara was running. I really wanted to take her up on the mentoring, but I knew that the family pictures would benefit the whole family not just me.

Tara has posted our pictures over on her blog... you should go check them out. If you are in northern Utah and need pictures, she is your gal.

Just because I think it is pretty....

2010-05-06T14:37:00.000-07:00

This is a church near where my husband grew up. I love old buildings like this. I felt like playing a bit today so I dug in my old pictures and found this from a trip we took to Illinois in 2007 for a family wedding. The wedding actually took place inside this church. However I had had my new camera for aproximatly 5 day days and well... let's just say I had not yet mastered exposure. :)

Richard 2010 ~ Elko, NV Senior Pictures

2010-04-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

This is actually the second time this handsome young man has come to me for pictures. He had a session in the fall and then we have been waiting for spring to arrive to get some pictures with bright colors. This spring has been C.R.A.Z.Y. We actually shot this session in a dust storm kicked up before a snowfall. Richard was such a trooper though. He didn't complain at all, even when I made him stand still and wait and wait for a lull in the wind so I could catch his collar down. Thanks Richard!

Full Gallery will go up here when ready.

Kallie~ Elko Senior 2010

2010-04-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

Kallie's mom was my 6th grade teacher, yup she was, an awesome one too. Though I'm not quite sure why she didn't just throw the whole lot of us under the bus because there were some real stinkers in that class. I wasn't a big trouble maker but boy howdy did I have my days. And really, who wants to deal with a bunch of moody 11-year-olds anyways? Thankfully there are teachers as great as her in the world.

I was THRILLED when she contacted me about taking Senior pictures for her daughter Kallie. I mean really who does not want to take pictures of a pretty, smart, funny and just all around great girl? When I say smart, I mean s.m.a.r.t. Kallie is a the top of her class and may even be valedictorian if all those college classes she is already taking fall into line.

Wow! She made my job SO easy.

Good luck Kallie in all your future endeavors!

Full Gallery here.

Ask me a question ~ Elko Photography

2010-04-13T14:16:00.001-07:00

Ever had a question for me? Forgot to ask when you saw me, or maybe always wondered, but didn't want the question to come from you? I'm an open book, and now you can ask anything, even anonymously. it doesn't eve n have to be photography related. Down on the lower right hand side of my blog I have added a new box. It is formspring.me.

You can also access it from this link. http://www.formspring.me/wingsofblue

I would LOVE to answer any questions you may have.

Hannah 2010 ~ Elko, NV Senior Portrait Photographer

2010-04-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

We have had some crazy weather lately. I had this senior session scheduled for Tuesday and on Monday we got 4 inches of snow. It was GREAT! Hannah was up for anything and the sky was mostly overcast making all the snow a beautiful reflector, but no shine.

I LOVE this one, the sun peaked out for just an few minutes and I got sunflare and the snow falling( off the trees)

I cannot decide between these two, the drama of the black and white, or the playful color??

Kaydra, First Birthday Cake Smash ~ Elko Portrait Photography

2010-04-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

I was SO excited when Tammie contacted me about having a cake smash session for her daughter's first birthday. Some photographers think that this is to messy, I say bring it on! Oh yes, it got messy, but the pictures were well worth it. So many, pictures, so many adorable faces, I'm still working on getting them all edited, but couldn't wait any longer to get at least a sneak peek up.

First, her adorable 1st birthday dress, this was too cute to mess up though.

Are you sure mom?

Oh yea, we had LOTS of fun!

More will be posted here when finished.

Spring in Elko, NV

2010-04-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

I think Mother nature is pranking us....

EmmaLee and Quincy ~ Elko, NV Easter Portraits

2010-03-31T14:01:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to post these Easter pictures. The weather this spring has been tricky to say the least, but we were able to squeeze them in between 2 snowstorms. The up side of that is that Miss E's adorable cousin was able to join us. I love kids this age, so full of life and their own unique personalities are definitely emerging!

Full Gallery Here

I am ready for spring

2010-03-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Spring is slowly making its way to Elko, NV. There is a hint of green in the grass and the sun's rays are occasionally popping out. On windy, blustery days like today I cannot wait for it to get here. Spring Break is next week. There are 3 early out days this week though, so I'm going to jump the gun. I planned on doing another picture a day project over Spring Break. We'll see how it goes....

SPRING IS ON ITS WAY!!!

Fairfields ~ Elko Portrait Photographer

2010-03-12T14:28:00.000-08:00

This is such a fun family! I really enjoyed coming to their house for pictures. One evening in I brought along my gear and set up right in their house. I love having this option. Especially in this town where so many work odd schedules it is great not to be tied to the clock for pictures. It had already been dark for a couple of hours when I took these. Cold, blustery and snowy and the only one who had to leave the house was me!

Full Gallery here

Out my window yesterday

2010-03-10T13:16:00.000-08:00

Seniors ~ Elko, NV senior portraits

2010-03-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

What is on my mind? Senior Pictures! Yes, I know it is snowing today, but the time is getting short for 2010 Seniors. I totally understand wanting to wait, I did. I waited until my braces were off, it was a rush though to get pictures printed in time for graduation announcements. So don't put it off, get your session in the books today. Remember, if you schedule before April 2nd (even if your session is later) you can still take advantage of my portfolio building prices.

Are you graduating in 2011? I am looking for some Senior representatives for the coming year. What does a Senior rep do? They help spread the word about Wings of Blue Photography! and in return, you get a free session, yup that is right, F-R-E-E. You can earn prints and other goodies as well through referrals. There are a limited # of slots in each school, so contact me ASAP if you are interested.

Day 28 ~ Photography, (and an important announcement!!)

2010-02-28T21:58:00.000-08:00

Well, I didn't quite reach 28. I did learn a lot though. I really enjoyed this project. I may not have actually managed to get a picture taken each day, and I certainly didn't get one posted, but I did have things each day that would strike me, I would see things in a new light and with a renewed appreciation for what is around me. I didn't set out on this project with the intent of ending it with this post, but it seems appropriate.

This picture is a snapshot of cameras, each has a special meaning to me. They are the tools I have used to preserve memories.

I love photography. While I have always loved photography, things have changed in the last few years. I went from just taking pictures for myself to doing so with others in mind. I love capturing the sweet innocence of babies, the emerging personalities of children, the ambition (and relief!) of graduating students, the loving and unique dynamics of families, the unparalleled joy of weddings, and everything in between. I have spent the last two years as a photography apprentice of sorts, building my portfolio and availing myself of all opportunities to learn more and sharpen my skills. I have experimented with lighting, lenses, locations, backgrounds, props, and editing. I have read and studied and shadowed amazing photographers in action, picking up new techniques and broadening my photography horizons.

This is where the big announcement comes in: I am now preparing to end the ‘portfolio building’ phase of my photography business. Starting April 2, 2010, new prices and picture printing policies will go into effect, exact details to follow as the date gets nearer. In the meantime, however, this is your chance to take advantage of the ‘old’ pricing by booking a session between now and April 1, 2010. Contact me soon at wingsofblue.melissa@gmail.com to make those arrangements!

I am excited to continue photographing past clients and branch out to gain new clients as well. I love providing a tangible memento of important life experiences and relationships and I am grateful for the opportunity I have to do so professionally.

Days 26 and 27

2010-02-27T20:40:00.000-08:00

Day 26 ~ Pizza Night.

Most often Friday night is Pizza night at our house. It took a long time, but I finally stumbled upon the perfect pizza crust recipe.

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3-4 cups all-purpose flour

Mix together water, sugar, yeast until dissolved.
Add the olive oil and salt.
Slowly stir in flour and knead well.
Let dough rest for minimum of 10 minutes.
Coat pizza stone in thin layer of cornmeal.
Roll or pat out dough onto stone.
Top with favorite toppings.
Bake for 15-20 minutes in 425 degree oven

Makes one thick crust pizza, double for 2 pizzas.

Day 27 ~ Nap time!

The most blissful time of the day of a busy mom. I had originally planned this one in my head to be a shot of her through the door, but she had brought 6 blankies to bed with her and I couldn't even see her from that vantage point.

Day 25 ~ Swirly Apples

2010-02-25T21:39:00.000-08:00

Day 24 ~ Hot cocoa

2010-02-24T13:18:00.000-08:00

Mmm chocolate. And on a cold blustery day like today there is nothing quite like having a warm mugfull. Aw who am I kidding, I drink it in the summer too. And sometimes when the kids are napping I'll make myself a mug of the really good stuff with milk and chocolate shavings. Now pleae excuse me while I go wrap myself in several layers of fleece and sit down with one of those books from yesterday. :)

Day 23 ~ Coffee Table Books

2010-02-24T13:14:00.000-08:00

Sigh..... I could sit and look through them all day long.

Days ??-22

2010-02-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

I Love the weekend... Sleeping late, relaxed schedule, family projects, Sunday dinner at my mom's. Wonderful stuff, stuff that I did not preserve for posterity, because really.. no one wants a picture of my hanging curtain rods in my pj's.

Day 21 ~ Cookies came! My house now has many boxes of these delicious goodies. Mmmmmm. May of the boxes got delived today, thank goodness, slightly less temptation.

Day 22 ~ Grandma's cross-stitch. Kevin's grandmother made a beautiful cross stitch for our wedding, and for each of the kids births. I love them. Several of the frames have taken quite a beating over the years, moving from place to place and getting knocked off the wall. I would rather replace the frames though from time to time, then have them hidden away. Every time I walk by I smile and know how much we are loved.

Day 18 ~ Drive by shooting

2010-02-19T00:23:00.000-08:00

This afternoon as I was headed out the door the clouds were fantastic. I was in a hurry though to get into town to take my daughter to dance class. I grabbed the camera and thought "I'll get some on the way" I failed however to grab the card back out of the computer. Drat! I didn't have my bag either, so no spares.

I'll share a few drive by with you from a trip I took last month. I love Nevada's wide open spaces.

Pilot Peak, check out the one little cloud hanging on the mountain.

Days 15-17

2010-02-17T17:25:00.000-08:00

Day 15 ~ I Love my husband! We spent the holiday Monday moving every single box in our garage and sorting it into categories. We still need to build shelving, but at least now all of the tools are together, all the camping gear is together, and come spring when I'm looking for the kids summer clothes, I'll know where to go looking. Oh did I mention he is still in a cast from wrist surgery? Yea, he rocks. :) He really hates me taking his picture though so I didn't push my luck that day. I do have this recent one. He was my model while I set up lights for a shoot I was doing. I didn't quite have it right yet, but I liked his smile best in this one. Isn't he handsome?!

Day 16 ~ Kitchen Tunes I adore my under counter radio. It truly keeps me from going insane. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and this keeps me bebopping along. It was a gift from my husband :)

Day 17 ~ Muffin Tin Lunches. I was introduced to these a few years ago when I was searching for summertime activities for my kids. I think there was a blog meme for awhile called Mufffin Tin Mondays or something. It is not Monday but this is what we had for lunch today. The kids LOVE it and it is a great way to use up odds and ends.

L to R starting in the top left
Ranch Goldfish, peanut butter, pepperoni, banana bread
ranch dressing, turkey, cheddar cheese, M&Ms
cinnamon grahams, lettuce, apples, sour cream

George ate almost everything, except the sour cream, I knew he wouldn't, but that was Lily's favorite part.
Lily did a pretty good job on hers too.

Day 14 ~ Coco Wheats

2010-02-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

Truth be told I don't love Coco Wheats. I actually think they are kinda gross. I do however love that my husband makes them for the kids. What are Coco Wheats? They are a hot breakfast cereal most common in the Midwest, and you guessed it my husband grew up in the Midwest. They are NOT chocolate Malt o Meal. We can't buy them in Nevada. We import them yearly via Kevin's sister. We kinda went overboard the year we visited for her wedding and my have a several year's supply. Opps. Gotta have a years supply of something I guess :)

On Valentine's Kevin cooked breakfast for the kids and let me sleep in. Glorious sleep! He made their favorite, and the one thing I won't cook, Coco Wheats.

And yes, my pot is dented, and no I didn't want to turn it around. I love that pot, dent and all.

Izatt Vow Renewal ~ Elko NV Photography

2010-02-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

I am so honored to have had the privilege to photograph Lee and Aleesha as they reaffirmed their vows to one another. They held their event at the Stockman's Hotel in Elko, NV. I was a bit skeptical at first. (Lee is my brother, I'm allowed to question him) it turned out WONDERFUL! Stockman's hadled the event wonderfully, and Chip from Stonerock DJ kept the party GOING!

For their original wedding Lee had forgotten and worn white socks. They have the cutest picture of them on the Courthouse steps and his white socks are peeking out.! Aleesha made sure that this time Lee had black socks.
Oh and casino's don't like you to take pictures on the casino floor. Glad I nailed that one on the first try!

Thanks for letting me be a part of your special day!!

Full highlights here

A bit of catching up...5-13

2010-02-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

wheww I am awful, I let it slide one day and the whole thing goes kaput.

I did take a picture most days though so bare with me

Day 5 ~ Date night, this is where things went haywire.

Day 6~ my mom. LOVE her. On Saturday she was at a Mary Kay event to pamer herself. I've shot a couple of these. So much Fun!

Day 8 ~ Hiding. This one was actually not taken my me. George had picked up my camera and was playing with Lily. I love to look at the card after he is done. So much fun to see the world through someone else's eyes.

Day 9 ~ Cast Iron and a Western Sky I love to cook with cast iron. I can't kill it. Even if I burn something on it or let it soak too long, I haven't ruined it. I am also totally capable of cooking over a campfire with it, I even enjoy it sometimes, but most days I'm sure glad to have that window between me and the elements.

Day 12 ~ Cakes I am no Martha Stewart, and I have no intentions of ever selling my cakes, but I really get a kick out of making their birthday cakes. This was Courtney's for her birthday this weekend. My sugar cookie crown pieces didn't come out perfectly even, but she loved it.

Day 13 ~ Cookies for breakfast. Lily found the left over cookies from the cake last night and helped herself to them for breakfast. Who could get mad at this face??

Day 4 ~ Baby shoes

2010-02-04T20:56:00.000-08:00

I could go broke buying baby shoes. I don't. But I could. I like shoes in general, but baby shoes are my down fall. This is one of my favorite pairs ever. LOVE them. Unfortunately they are one of the least worn pairs. :( Lily wore them for a few short months before we moved to Nevada. Somehow in the move they ended up in a box of my shoes that were going into storage... Of course by the time we are finally unpacking she has long out grown them.

At least now they are preserved for posterity.

Day 3 ~ Haircuts

2010-02-03T20:47:00.000-08:00

When Kevin and I were fist married he was in the military and I was a college student. His job required him to keep his hair above the ears at all times, this necessitated frequent haircuts. An army private and a college student don't have much $$ so the haircuts were something that had to be cut from the budget quick. He couldn't go without so I had to learn to do them myself. It was SO intimidating, but with the knowledge that if I really screwed it up we could just buzz it off and no one would be the wiser I went for it. 11 years and 3 sets of clippers later I'm still doing the job. I'm not good at remembering that it needs done, but I do actually like doing it. The time together to talk and Kevin is so handsome when it is all done. He scooted off tonight to shower the itchy hair off before I could grab my camera.

I'm always glad when it is warm enough outside to do it there, it makes clean up SO much easier.

Day 2 ~ Play

2010-02-02T21:55:00.000-08:00

I love to watch my children play. In our new home we have some pretty steep stairs with a small balcony that over looks them. The kids immediately wanted to start throwing things off it. Kids. I put the kibosh on it, but then they unpacked this parachute guy. They had a blast for over an hour dropping him off and running back up the stairs to do it again.

I just may never get around to getting the TV hooked up

Day 1 ~ Sunrise

2010-02-01T15:41:00.001-08:00

I love sunrises, I really do. I even think they are better than sunsets. There is something so amazing about the light returning to the sky. Unfortunately I am not a morning person. I HATE getting up early. Lucky for you guys last night I couldn't sleep. I'm not sure why, but it probably had to do with the hundreds of boxes unpacked in my new house. This morning's sunrise was wonderful! This is the kind of thing that makes living out away from town worth it.

28 Things I love.

2010-02-01T15:41:00.000-08:00

No way was I going to commit myself to a 365 project this year. I knew that with everything going on this spring I would only be setting my self up for failure.

I did come across the idea of doing a project titled "28 things I love." One month of pictures.. and it is even the shortest month! This is an idea I can get on board with.

The goal is to take a new picture everyday. Wish me luck.... and join in if you want.

A sneak peak for Richard ~Elko, NV Senior Portraits~

2009-11-21T16:55:00.000-08:00

It is no secret, seniors are one of my favorite subjects to photograph. I love capturing these young people during such a wonderful time in their lives.

Thanks Richard for letting me be a part.

Families x2 ~Elko, NV Portrait Photographer~

2009-11-21T16:32:00.000-08:00

I have had so much fun photographing families lately! I wanted to share these 2 with you real quick.

The Stones called me last minute and we were able to jump out and take advantage of the beautiful weather on Veteran's Day.

It was COLD the morning that I went out with the G family. Everybody had to hold thier breath to keep from having billowy clouds next to them. They were all troopers though.

Brynlee ~ Elko, NV Newborn Photographer

2009-11-03T10:28:00.000-08:00

I just cannot go another day without posting a quick peek at this beautiful darling!

Whirlwind Nampa Trip ~ Sneak Peaks

2009-10-30T22:50:00.000-07:00

I was pleasantly surprised several weeks ago to find an email in my inbox from the Dalbey family asking if I was planning on coming to Idaho anytime soon as they would like to have me update their family portrait. Nothing is more thrilling (or intimidating) as being asked to return. I did have plans for a trip to see family in the area so we scheduled the day along with a few other families and I shot the day away. :) It was a fabulous trip to be able to work with so many wonderful families.

This year they have a forgien exchange student living with them. Niina is from Finland. She is super sweet, I wish I had had more time to get to know her. She is a senior this year so we got a few shots for her to share with friends here and at home.

Gorgeous!

McCrostie Family
When I lived in Idaho I would come scrapbook at their house. Again intimidating.. she has seen A LOT of portraits, and she picked me.

Izatt Family
These guys have to love me... they are family.

Chelsea and Michael ~ Elko, NV engagement photography

2009-10-30T22:42:00.000-07:00

Chelsea won a mini session with me back in August for helping me to win a slot in the JAG workshop. Here is a quick sneak peak from her session.

Dickenson Family ~ Family photography in Elko, NV

2009-10-30T22:10:00.001-07:00

I LOVE this family. Not just in an oh-my-gosh I love to take their pictures, but in a from the depths of my heart love them. Tammie and I have been friends since we were in Girl Scouts together when I moved to this little town at 10, all through the turbulent Jr. High years and traveled together to Reno on a school bus more times than I care to remember. James' parents are good friends with my parents and I was overjoyed when they wed last fall. James is in the Marines and is headed to Afghanistan at the very moment I am typing this. He was recently home on pre-deployment leave and I twisted their arms and insisted on a photo session.

Could their little girl be any sweeter?

Love you guys! We pray for your safe return James. Tammie, I am just up the street if you ever need anything.

Amanda and Steve~ Winter Edition in Lamoille Canyon

2009-10-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

Despite the weather this afternoon was AMAZING.
Snow or not these two rocked it

Best Friends

2009-09-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

These two have been best friends for a long time, Jr High?, Elementary School? I wasn't quite clear... basically forever. School, jobs, family, the business of life keep them from being close geographically so when Jessie came to visit a few weeks ago they wanted to commemorate actually being together. It was so fun to have them in my little basement studio, thanks for helping me break it in!

Pink! a favorite color I'm told.

JaG Workshop

2009-09-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a workshop hosted by Scott Jarvie. It was such an incredible opportunity and I learned a lot. At the end of the day we went outside and tried to practice what we had been learning. It was so much fun to work with Scott and to watch all the other photographers work as well.

Thanks again Scott!

Clyde Monster

2009-08-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how he got the nickname Clyde Monster, he is not a monster at all. In fact, he has to be one of the most adorable little boys on the planet. I cannot believe he is almost 3!! Where have the last 3 years gone? While I was up in Boise recently working on my house there (a desperate attempt to get it to sell) I took an evening off and took pictures of this adorableness. It was threatening to rain, and rain HARD but it held off for us thank goodness.

I have about 19 million pictures of him with sticks... every little boy needs lots of sticks.

Back to School Time ~ Elko, NV portrait photographer

2009-08-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

I posted this same special last year, but then my husband was offered a new job and I fell head first into moving plans and never advertised it. During my recent Facebook blitz to win a spot in the JaG workshop someone came across the old post and wanted to take me up on the offer.

Why Not!

Back to School Special!

Back to School sessions through September are $18
Each additional child just $7

Session can be on location or I can bring the Studio to your home or office.

This is a quick session, approximately 1/2 hour and will provide a couple of quality photos per child. The focus will be on head and shoulders shots, individuals only, no groupings for the special price. You will receive a CD with both high resolution files for printing and email/web ready files.

Have something a little more special this year... photos with genuine smiles

New Logo!

2009-08-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to have a new logo! Thank you so much to my friend Mary Prince for the design. She is so awsome. She did 3 mock ups for me and all were great, but this one really knocked it out of the park. I cannot wait to have new cards printed and to be using it more.

Thanks Mary!

Night Time

2009-08-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

This is where my kids have been sleeping most of the weekend. I couldn't resist taking pictures of it all lit up.

It is amazing what just a few minutes did to the color of the sky. I LOVE IT!

Winners!

2009-08-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

Wohoo! We have winners all around. I will be attending a full day workshop with Scott Jarvie on Aug 29th. I am so unbelievably excited! Thank you so much to all the many friends, family and complete strangers that helped me out. You guys are awesome!

Unfortunately there was a problem with Blogger comments over the weekend which made picking a winner more difficult. What I did was gather the name of every person that I found out had participated (hence the delay for gathering information) and put their name in a bowl. My daughters each drew a name from the bowl tonight.

The winners are....
Dave&Sara Taylor
and
Chelsea Gardner
Congratulations!!

Contact me to set up your free mini session or to pick a print.

A prize for you too

2009-08-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who has been helping out this morning already! Keep spreading the word.

It is not fair to have everyone help me out and give nothing in return. After clicking on the links over to Scott's sites leave a comment on this post. I'll use a number generator to pick 2 winners one from the comments and one from referrals. So tell me who sent you and they will get another entry as well. The more people you send, the more entries you get.

The prizes?

A mini photo session or print of your choice up to 16x20. A mini photo session is 30-45 minutes with one family grouping. Perfect for Christmas photos! Not Local? That is OK. I travel often to both the Boise and SLC areas. I would be happy to shoot your session on location there. Not in those areas? Pick a print or pass along your session to someone.

http://jarviestudios.com/blog
http://weddings.jarviedigital.com/
http://jarviedigital.com/

Update: There is some concern that links clicked on in readers do not carry the necessary information to the analytic program to count for points. If using a reader please click over to the blog first like you would when leaving a comment.

Please click on the links from my Facebook fan page as well
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elko-NV/Wings-of-Blue-Photography/86989658649

Click the links and leave a comment!
Two entries, one today and one tomorrow.

JaG update

2009-08-06T22:36:00.001-07:00

Jarvie's awesome game just got more awesome. The last 2 spots are going to be won in a second chance drawing. I came in a respectable 4th so I will be starting this second round near the top but there are lots of really great photographers out there who want this as much as I do.

Love me and want to help me win this workshop so that I can be as awesome as Scott? You do? Super!

Click over and check him out.
http://jarviestudios.com/blog
http://weddings.jarviedigital.com/
http://jarviedigital.com/

That's it! Ohh then tell your friends to come and click over to him and check it out too.

I would get points if you did the same thing from my Facebook fanpage.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elko-NV/Wings-of-Blue-Photography/86989658649

More details to come tomorrow. For now I'm headed to bed it was a long day painting and a long drive back to Elko. I''ll need my wits about me tomorrow. :)

JaG ~ The Jarvie Game

2009-08-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

I have been barraging my blog, my family's blogs, Facebook and Twitter with all kinds of posts about JaG lately. I thought I should let you in on what I'm up to instead of just driving people nuts. I'm trying to win a game. I know it sounds silly, but the prize is incredible. The winner gets an all day workshop with Scott Jarvie. Scott is an awesome photographer whose style I really like. He is also an amazing person. He is constantly doing things to share his craft with others. While many other photographers hold back and are reluctant to share their knowledge both big stuff and the little tips and tricks that can really make a difference. What would be the cost of this workshop? a steal at $200? a typical $300-400? $1000 like some I have seen? Nope FREE. That fits right into my budget! Heck, my sister has already volunteered to babysit. (by the way Shellece can I crash on your couch?)

I have spent hours pouring over his photos and making lots of blog and Facebook comments. Whether I win or not I will have taken away a lot of knowledge from the last 2 weeks.

I am really excited. I have wanted to participate in a workshop for a long time, and not only is this a chance for me to do so within a budget, but it is with one of my photography idols as well. Double Bonus!

Scott takes full advantage of the social media outlets available. Become a fan today and you could win a print from him!
http://www.facebook.com/JarvieDigital
http://weddings.jarviedigital.com
http://jarviestudios.com/blog Add him to your Google Reader!
http://twitter.com/jarvie
Wish me luck!

Wedding Photographer

2009-07-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

My sister is getting married. To a wonderful guy and I have been so happy to take their engagement photos and am looking forward to a fall session for them as well. My sister asked me to be her maid (matron, whatever) of honor. It is a little tricky to do both that and take pictures, plus I'm worried I would be too biased to my side of the family, or worse be so worried about being biased that I miss pictures and have the whole family mad at me. Plus... lets be honest, I want to enjoy the wedding, not work.

Lucky for them there are lots of fantastic photographers available. She picked one of my favorites... Scott Jarvie. I don't know who is more excited me or her.

Scott is a Wedding Photographer extraordinaire and I hear rumors that he will be making waves in the Family Lifestyle area soon.

Definitely check him out
http://weddings.jarviedigital.com
http://www.facebook.com/JarvieDigital
http://www.jarviestudios.com/blog
http://twitter.com/jarvie

I'm SO excited!

Amanda and Steve ~ Engagement photos, Elko, NV

2009-07-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

Fix it Friday Week 19

2009-07-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

Original

My Fix

Fix it Friday week 17

2009-06-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

I have been doing lots of photo editing the last few days. Thought I would share this one.

How I did it:
CS4
Levels, slight adjustments
Coffeeshop Powder Room 2, eyes and skin low opacity
Saturation of reds just a tad to bring out all the lovely pink
Crop, the thumb is right at the lower left cross using the rule of thirds.

I ♥ Faces

2009-05-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have been doing my own challenges for awhile, but life seems to get in the way and I don't always complete them, or get them posted. I started my own challenges because I didn't know of any others and knew I needed to get out there more. Of course there are a ton out there, I just hadn't found them yet! One of my favorites to read has been I ♥ Faces.

I LOVE this photo of my niece. The wayward cowlicks (just like her dad), the look in her eye, the grin peeking through her serious facade.

Now go visit I ♥ Faces and check out all the wonderful work, or better yet enter your own!

And of course the required legal stuff....
"I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites."

Kate Part 2 -Senior Portraits Elko, Nevada-

2009-05-08T22:05:00.000-07:00

A few more of Kate. Kate was not so sure about this whole Senior Pictures thing, but admitted that she had way more fun than she thought she would. I think we came away with some really fantastic images, even with the crazy wind we had to contend with.

Not the most technically perfect, but one of Kate's favorites all made up into wallets

Kate -Senior -Portraits Elko, NV-

2009-05-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

This was a super fun session and I can't wait to finish all these. Kate claims to not be photogenic. I beg to differ!

Kaydra

2009-05-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

Cambria -Child Photographer Elko, NV-

2009-05-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

Challenge!

2009-04-10T15:25:00.001-07:00

1. You can join in on this challenge at any time! You don't even have to participate every week, we all know how life can be sometimes.
2. Please make sure you are linking directly to your specific Challenge! post in Mr. Linky. It makes it much easier for those who are looking for your picture.
3. If at all possible please post a new picture. The goal of Challenge! is to get out, get creative and try new things. Challenge yourself!
4. Take a moment and visit other participants entries, we all love the feedback!
5. There is no limit to the number of pictures you can put in your post.

Next week is Easter so keep your camera handy all weekend!

Challenge! Movement

2009-04-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

Movement!

April Challenges

2009-03-27T00:02:00.000-07:00

I thought I would plan out the next months challenges in advance this time.

April 3 Movement
April 10 Negative Space
April 17 Easter
April 24 Words/letters

Feel free to link to this blog when you post your weeks pictures. Everyone is welcome.

Challenge! Contrast

2009-03-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Contrast

I love the dark eye lashes against his perfect cheek.

Post a comment letting us know you are participating this week!

Photography to Me

2009-03-20T00:05:00.000-07:00

I love pictures. I always have. Santa brought me a Kodak 110 camera when I was 9. It was purple. Heaven's my parents must have spent a fortune on film and developing. I never did take photography in High School. I took lots of other art classes, but photography did not fit into my schedule. I did earn my photography badge in Girl Scouts though. I still have the pictures from the B&W roll I took and then developed in the HS lab. some of them are really cool. Others? Yea not so much.

I love how a picture can freeze a moment. With a picture I can take that time and hold it forever. One of my favorite pictures is of Mallory and Courtney when they were 4 and 2. Mallory has a mischievous grin and Courtney is leaned forward laughing. I can still hear her giggle when I see it. The gal at Sears wanted to retake the picture because it wasn't a "perfect"shot. To me it was.

From these challenges I personally want to expand my horizons. I want an outlet, to give myself permission to take the time to do something I love. I want to challenge myself to think creatively. I want to learn and practice my craft better.

And I want to make sure I don't miss out on a single moment.

The Challenge that wasn't

2009-03-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

So last week I promised I would have my photo up soon and then never did. I'm sorry. I really meant to get it up, but I attended the funeral of a dear friend that morning and the rest of the day I felt nothing like posting. The funeral was as lovely as one can be. I did take some group photos of the scouts that came to honor him, but they are really to personal to share. I may have taken them, but I don't feel they really belong to me.

I am so happy that so many of you posted your photos despite my deficient hosting. I completely neglected to provide another challenge.

This week share with me (and the other contributors) what photography means to you.
Why do you like photography? What is your favorite picture you have taken? Do you have a favorite by someone else? What do you hope to gain from participating in Challenges? Use these questions as a jumping off point, or just answer one of them. I'm easy going like that.

Next week:
Contrast

I'm going to leave the Mr. Linky off this week, I think for the # of people we have participating comments seem more personal.

Challenge~Group

2009-03-13T00:43:00.000-07:00

I am really really excited to see what group shots you have taken this week!

I'll have my group shot up later today, but wanted to get the post up ASAP for you early birds.

Challenge! Close Up

2009-03-05T23:12:00.000-08:00

I love how the ice seems to be hanging on. Almost as if even the ice knows spring is coming.

I originally pictured this in black and white, but after converting it found that I liked the color one much better.

Leave a link and a comment with yours. I can't wait to see them.

Next week:

Group
bunch, herd, arrangement, gang-up, people, gather, organize, crew
noun or verb, your pick

Blue challenge: Update

2009-02-27T19:41:00.000-08:00

I feel like a blockhead. I took this picture last week when I was taking George's portraits. I loved the blue sky behind the leaf buds. I had totally forgotten about it until just now. I'm going to post it with no touch ups or anything so that I can get it up quickly.

I am so unbelievably happy to have friends join my harebrained challenges!

Challenge! Blue

2009-02-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Foiled by my own plans!

I thought that the theme Blue would be easy. I had all sorts of plans for shots of beautiful blue skies, maybe some blue glassware, maybe even some baby blue eyes. The weather, time, tripod still in storage and a brown eyed baby in need of lots of loves conspired against that. I even tried to get some shots of the speckled blue tea kettle today as I heated up water for cocoa. I had one that I thought might be ok and photoshop crashed on me. I'll try to add it to the post later in the day. For now though the brown eyed baby has finally drifted off and I am going to follow her.

Share your Blue shots with me.

Next week

CLOSE UPS

Close Up Insperation

2009-02-26T23:06:00.000-08:00

Now for a bit of inspiration for next week.

The 50 mm lens, a magical lens I do not own.

For point and shoot, really it does not take a DSLR to take great photos.

There is an e-how for everything

From Pioneer Woman, who really does love her macro lens

A bit more here, and here and here.

Friday Challenge

2009-02-19T22:08:00.000-08:00

Portraits

Did you take any great portraits this week?

Next week will be

BLUE!
Let your imagination go.

Portraits Inspiration

2009-02-18T11:42:00.000-08:00

Just a few quick articles I turned up looking for inspiration this week. Sorry I didn't get them posted sooner.

Tips for point and shoot portraits Here
10 great tips Here, this was by far my favorite. I really like the focus on doing things differently and getting an interesting perspective.
Another article Here, and Here.

I can't wait for Friday!

2009-02-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

This weeks Challenge was Valentine. I decided to practice a bit of food photography.

Share your Valentines!

Next week:
Portraits

Of course I could not end with out a few shots of my all time favorite Valentine.
I think this is the one and only time she ever took a binky

Sweet Girls

2009-02-11T21:41:00.000-08:00

The girls and I had a mini photo session yesterday. Lily really wanted nothing to do with it. Bri on the other hand was a ham. She is at the perfect age for portraits. She is sitting steady, but isn't crawling away. So much fun!

Izzy, I picked out this shirt just for you!

2009-02-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Challenge!

This week was Symmetry

Friday is here! I have been looking forward to this all week.

In honor of Cowboy Poetry this last week I grabbed my kids boots and enjoyed the morning.

These don't exactly follow the Symmetry Challenge, but I like them anyways.

Did you take any Symmetrical photos this week? Share them!

Theme for the week of Feb 6-13 is

Valentine

This is a fun Challenge so let your creativity out.

2009-01-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

The theme for the week of Jan 30-Feb 6 is:

Symmetry

In Photography we often talk about the rule of thirds, but another stunning composition can be symmetry. What is symmetrical in your world this week?

I'll post my results and a Mister Linky for yours on Friday the 6th.

Inspiration:

http://digital-photography-school.com/two-shot-strategy-symmetry
http://photographycourse.net/composition
http://www.misterteacher.com/flower%20symmetry.jpg
http://www.images-photography-pictures.net/Berlin_Germany.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/justinlane/2745720157/
http://flickr.com/photos/87637435@N00/1680968470

And just because I am a silly nerd.
http://ihasahotdog.com/2008/05/28/funny-dog-pictures-bilateral-symmetry-we-haz-it/

2009-01-29T09:05:00.000-08:00

I am going to start something new tomorrow.

I have not been taking many pictures lately. I really need to get my creative juices flowing. I don't know if it was the move, winter, losing my card reader, dropping my camera and breaking my flash or what but my picture taking has come to a stand still. I would really love to take a class, but that is just not something I can commit to right now.

I am going to issue myself a challenge once a week, then post the results here. I am inviting anyone who would like to join me to do so. There is no commitment. Join on the weeks you can, if you can't don't worry. I plan to take my pictures that week, but if you can't, feel free to post an old one.

On Fridays I will post a theme then the next Friday post my results and the next week's theme. I'll put up a Mister Linky for anyone who would like to post theirs also. The plan in my head is to do a mix of "art class" themes and fun challenges.

I have not come up with a catchy name yet, but maybe I will by tomorrow!

Head Family

2008-11-19T14:18:00.001-08:00

In October the Heads were sealed in the Boise, Idaho temple for time and all eternity. They are such an awesome family and I was so very happy to be a part of their day. It was an incredibly sunny and warm day, especially for late October.

Banisters Part 2

2008-11-19T13:56:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite from the session, aren't they a wonderful couple?

Banister Family

2008-10-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had a wonderful session with a great family.
Such handsome boys and darling Tayla.

A couple of the boys were shy, but I was able to capture them just being boys.

Impending Arrival

2008-10-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

I wish I had looked like this at 39 weeks!
Hannah was such a sport. I cannot wait for the little Coco bean to make her arrival.
Love ya Babe!

Dalbey Family Part 2

2008-10-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks again for being such a wonderful family to work with!

Dalbey Family

2008-10-08T16:10:00.000-07:00

I have really been looking forward to this session. The Dalbey family is so fun and their kids are adorable. Our first date got rained out, but we had perfect weather for our rescheduled session, and the leaves had even started to change.

Leslie brought me a page from a magazine she wanted to try to recreate. I think it turned out wonderful. Thank you so much!

Demi Portfolio

2008-10-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

Demi is a young model and I did a shoot with her at the Old Idaho Penitentiary to get some pictures for her portfolio. It rained hard all morning, but the sun broke through just in time for her shoot. Demi is a joy to work with!

H Family

2008-09-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this. You guys were incredible to work with.

Back to School

2008-09-09T21:11:00.000-07:00

Want something a little different for your wall this year? Something a little more personal?

Back to School Special!

Back to School Sessions in September are just $18

This is a quick session, approximately 1/2 and hour and will provide 3-4 quality photos. You will receive a CD with both high resolution files for printing and email/web ready files.