The 2008 Year End Slideshow...

Click on the image above to view the slideshow, or go directly to it here: 2008 Slideshow

Love what you do.

I absolutely love my job. I love my clients. During the holidays I wanted to take a moment to let everyone know just how much I have enjoyed myself this year. I will be doing another year-end slideshow and I can't wait to share with you some of my favorite and most memorable images from 2008. I am working in a brand new slideshow program, so naturally it's been a bit of a challenge... but of course it will be SO worth it! My goal is to have it up by New Year's Eve for your enjoyment. Thank you so very much for allowing me another year to do what i love. We are still in Holidays Mode over here until after the new year, so there is limited phone and email, but this week I will be returning emails and phone calls to those who called over our holiday break. We are actively booking late January/early February, so be sure and call if you are looking for a session soon! (oh, and yes, that is my family up there!)

Back to Reno!

Just one quick image from this session - I went back to Reno for an extended family shoot and it was a gorgeous (but super cold!) fall day. I love how everyone coordinated in the grey/pink color scheme. They ordered this one BIG on canvas and it looks simply AMAZING. :)

More of Matt and Kristy's Engagement Session

We had the best time at the park together. Matt and Kristy walked around, talked, and laughed while I stood in the background capturing their interactions. Mat hadn't actually proposed to Kristy yet... they were stopping in Vegas on their way to Kristy's family's house in Colorado and Matt had showed me the ring he bought her. The plan was to propose while on a hike in the mountains. Kristy just thought we were doing a simple photo shoot of the two of them together because they had been dating for awhile and while they had been talking marriage, Matt hadn't worked up the nerve to "officially" ask her yet :). I was hoping Matt would propose at the session (WOULDN'T THAT HAVE BEEN AWESOME??!), but he wanted to ask her father's permission first (collective "aaaawwww"). Who can argue with that?
Kristy says this one is Matt's "Leather Jacket Catalog Ad" pose:

Thanks so much, Matt and Kristy, for letting me photograph you two! I am so excited about the upcoming wedding and I can't wait to photograph it, too!

More fall... this time in Virginia

I absolutely love my job. And I love traveling to visit special friends to take their family photos. A couple weeks ago I got to take a trip to Christiansburg, Virginia to experience autumn on the east coast... and while I was there I got to photograph a few of my favorite people in the world!

They are also from Las Vegas, so fall is a whole new experience for them as well. We were loving all the different leaves! Red, yellow, orange - and even purple leaves! I am telling you... when you've pretty much lived your life in Vegas, fall leaves are an amazing thing.

And the boys totally loved playing in the leaves, too. Leaf piles are a new and very fantastic thing for them!

The other new and fantastic thing for them? This little puppy. He is quite an entertaining little fellow.

I am one lucky photographer.

Thanks for trusting me to cross the country and take your portraits. I am honored :)

A full house, and cookie making

Take 2 cups of flour
+ 2 wooden spoons
+ 1 bag of chocolate chips
+ lots of counter space
+ 1 really cool mom
= the best cookie making photo session ever :)

Thanks for another wonderful photo session with your beautiful family, Shontell! Enjoy your photos!

Siblings a year later

Last year I took photos of this family and their full house... and a year later they are still just as hysterical to be around...
We changed up the jumping picture and decided to take it jumping on mom and dad's bed...

And this one? I have no idea what was happening. But I have a feeling it went something like, "BOYS! Open your mouths! Girls! Look forlorn!" and as you can see, they are very very good listeners.

Next up, I will share what happens when these five siblings attempt to make a batch of cookies...

Office Closed December 3-7

Hi everyone - just wanted to let you know the office will be closed from December 3-7. All emails, phone calls, and order delivery will be taken care of upon our return! I have some blog posts scheduled for while we are gone so you have something to look forward to. Have a wonderful weekend, and we will be back Monday!

Fall in Reno, and the Fatbaby who Grew Up

So early last year I photographed the cutest, fattest baby. I loved her sweet face and her chubbiness. This image of her with her mommy was one of my favorites of all last year.
And it's been a little over a year and this little fat baby is no longer a fat baby at all. She's lost that baby chunk and has grown quite a bit of hair... and I didn't think I could love her sweet face any more than I did, but I was so very wrong...

Look at her. She's a freaking angel! Oh and how she loves her big brother. And Dora. ;)

And her big brother? Well, he loves his 10 year old cousin. Anything his cousin does, he does too. This includes learning how to climb trees, which is how we spent much of the day :)

And we also posed like rockstars.

And who could resist playing in the leaves? Not these guys.

Aaaaah. I love the fact that Reno has actual SEASONS where LEAVES CHANGE. Here in Vegas there's a day where all the leaves turn brown, followed by a windy day where they all blow off the trees. That is it. And that is quite sad, considering my favorite season in the world is Fall. I can't wait to share more fall pics. Cause I GOT EM!

Another Reno session in the park

I loved getting to know these siblings - each of them with their own, fun personalities.

This one was super funky and giggly...
And this one left the session to get ready for her Homecoming dance! I wish she had brought her dress to the park. That would have been great! :)

And this little guy - he was just sweet and adorable and a handful to boot! Two days before the session he had bumped his forehead leaping around large rocks. I was a little nervous when he was running around and jumping in the park, but all was great and he was fine. And just look at that sweet, innocent face!

... and to end the midday session, a final fun shot with their cousins under the covered bridge!

I loved our time together! Enjoy your preview!

Just a quick post

Just wanted to post a quick picture of Matt & Kristy before they headed out on their trip... still have a ton of editing to do and more sessions to post. Can't wait to share more in the next few days!

Barbara's Newborn Twins

I was so excited to get a call from Barbara. She had seen my work in Olive and Bean Boutique and needed a photographer to take pictures of her newborn identical twin girls. It was all I could do to contain my giddyness! Identical twins - NEWBORNS! I couldn't wait for the session.

When I got to her house, I was introduced to the Princess of the Universe who already lived there. She has AMAZING eyes and fabulous hair! She and I played a little bit before it was time to meet the babies.
And the babies were just so stinking cute and sweet! They were not sleepy at all, so we decided to roll with it. Awake babies are fun, and two is definitely twice the reward!

These twins were super special because they shared an amniotic sac - so the entire time they were growing in mommy they were touching each other. It was pretty clear they were comfortable being in each other's arms.

This is the way mom holds her babies. I just love this - and how she can look and talk to both at the same time!

And this was Dad's idea! Ha! We posed the girls on the pool table with their awesome bar in the background. I love the marrying of two worlds that this photo shows!

And of course, I had to try the "babies in the bowl" look. They are just so preciously cute and tiny... I love that in the years to come the family will get out this platter and remember how little their babies were.

Thank you so much, Barbara, for allowing me the opportunity to photograph your family! I can't wait for you to see the rest of your gallery.

Another Reno Session with Paddy and his Puppies

I had the most fun with Paddy and Sarah. They are seriously the CUTEST couple and their dogs are like their kids. I love that I got to capture them as a "family"...

Taking portraits of dogs is always a fun challenge. One runs away, they look everywhere except where I want them to look, they find something (like goose poop) that is far more interesting than me...

Or, in the case of these two, they found a lake. And jumped in it. So, as a result, the dog photos were cut short... but I still managed to get in some photos of just the two of them.

I love the way she is looking at him here... the way they are holding hands and the way they are just so connected. You can tell they are best friends. I couldn't stop thinking about them all weekend. May they have a lifetime of amazing memories just like these.

The first of several Reno sessions

I absolutely LOVED my trip to Reno, especially the families I got to meet. This is Marie and her family - I love that she chose me for her portraiture investment. And I absolutely love love LOVED her fabulous red hair. If only there was a way for me to bottle that color!!
We took the pictures at Rancho San Rafael, my favorite place in Reno. The fall colors were amazing and I loved the way everyone coordinated so well.

I also loved the relationship Marie and her husband have. They are seriously such a cute couple, joking and laughing and having fun...

And speaking of fun, their boy was a RIOT! I casually suggested playing in the leaves and he was ALL FOR IT!

I couldn't have asked for better weather or a more beautiful family. We had a completely great time, and I can't wait for Marie to see all the images in her gallery!

More Reno sessions coming soon... stay tuned!

And, remember... if you want a quick session for holiday cards, be sure to make an appointment for our special limited edition holiday photo sessions at Olive and Bean! There are still a few time slots available, but there is no telling how soon they will be gone. Call 228.BEAN to get your name on the list so you don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity!