A Year in Review: Favorites

One of the best things about the end of the year is a little down time to reflect on this past year and make goals for next year. Looking back, my goals for the year were pretty simple and probably a little too vague, but that is what you tend to do when you're just starting out. This year was first and foremost about finding my voice and getting better as a photographer and I feel very blessed that my clients allowed me the room to do this. In the process, I was able to capture a side of old friends not seen before and make new friends.

As I look back through sessions from this year, I feel incredibly thankful. I am getting to do something I love and connect with a special group of people. Here are some of my favorites from the year (watch out, this is a long one!):

Ken and Lauren: Maternity Portraits

Lauren and Ken are at a pretty exciting part of their lives; they are expecting their first baby together in January. You may remember them from this post, where she was just beginning to show. Back at that shoot when I was posing them, Ken leaned in and kissed her growing belly and took my breath away as I saw through my lens the beginning of a family.

Getting ready for this new little person is no small task, so I was thrilled when they told me they wanted to make time for a maternity session in the last months of her pregnancy. It is an incredible honor to be invited to help document their journey, to share in these moments of dreaming about who she will look like and marvel at how tiny the clothes are that already hang in her closet.

If that weren't enough, Ken and Lauren are also dear friends and incredibly supportive of my growth as a photographer. They presented me with this gift after our shoot: a fashion photography book! I am constantly looking at other photographers' work, especially fashion photography, as inspiration, so this is a gift I will spend lots of time poring over.

Ken and Lauren, thank you both and I can't wait to meet your baby girl and take baby pictures!

We couldn't resist getting a pictures of the whole family - including their adorable dog and cat (yes, they actually kind of like each other) and of course, the baby belly.

We also did some shots to show off their lovely new home with all the holiday decorations up.

Gayle, Rocky, and Sandy: Portrait

My aunt has always been an animal-lover. While I was growing up, she mostly focused on horses and she kept hers on a ranch nearby. One day at the ranch, a rambunctious, furry little dog started spending time with her, and eventually adopted her. She then got another dog to keep him company, and now has two very loving companions.

Recently, she asked me to capture some photos of their happy family, and I was thrilled to snap a few (quickly - those dogs move fast!).

I had practice moving quickly to capture images with children, but dogs are even faster! Luckily, these two are very well-behaved and posed like professionals... with lots of encouragement from my Aunt! I need to hone my doggie-mama skills before we get one.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I love the holidays. I mean, really love them. I like the food, the general spirit of the season, the smell of fireplaces and gingerbread, getting presents (okay, and giving too), the decorations, everything! I used to drive my family crazy singing and playing Christmas music almost year round.

But probably my favorite tradition around the holidays is getting all the holiday cards. I run home every day in December and eagerly open up the mailbox, looking for all the brightly colored envelopes filled with photos and stories that pour in. And while I like reading the updates from Christmas letters or scribbled personal notes in each card, my favorite part is what picture or pictures they chose to represent their family for the year. Whether it is the wedding photo of a newlywed couple, a picture of their new baby or pet, or a beautiful shot from a recent trip, the photos of so many dear friends and family are the reason I tack all of the cards up around the house.

Our family, like so many, has been remiss in keeping up on an annual photo. Realizing it was slightly ridiculous to be a photographer and not be able to take an annual photo, my mom and I set about remedying that situation this year. To make things even more exciting, we got to take pictures with the whole family including the additions, some not so recent (my husband) and the very recent (my brother's fiancee).

While I could have run around with a remote or a shutter release cable like a crazy person, I was very fortunate to have one of my favorite photographers and best friends in town, Nick of Nicholas Donner Photography to collaborate with. He helped with posing and lighting and allowed me to not look all sweaty and crazed in the photos. Nick, we can't thank you enough for helping out with this session!

Here are some of my favorites:

I have to give props to Nick for this shot on the stairs. Posing and lighting this one was not easy!

Scott and Sarah: Engagement

This post is very special for me because my older brother is engaged to be married next June. His beautiful fiancée, besides having excellent taste in colleges (go Mustangs!) is an incredibly sweet and kind person. We are all thrilled to have her join our family.

My mom likes to remind my brother, especially when we were growing up and happened to be fighting about something, that he wanted me before I was even born. As the family story goes, he asked repeatedly for a little sister, and he was one of the first people I reached out for when I finally came. When we went home that night he fed me my first solid meal.

Like any older brother, there were times he probably lived to regret wanting a little sister. I’m sure I could be a nuisance, the way I followed him around and was always in his business. Yet he took his responsibilities as an older brother very seriously. He helped teach me to ride a bike and speak up for myself. He let me sleep in his bed when I thought there was a ghost underneath mine and helped me learn the value of money with his discipline in saving.

Oh, there were times when we would fight and swore we hated each other. We are both stubborn and some of our fights ended in tears or stomping feet or a broken front door (sorry, Mom). But through it all, he has been one of my fiercest advocates and most loyal supporters, and his judgment and opinion matter very much to me. So I was very honored when he and Sarah thought enough of my photography skills to take some engagement pictures. Here are some of my favorites...

La Bella Vista

Apologies for the lack of posts lately. Life has gotten very, very busy - but things are also very beautifully full. I've been blessed with some very fulfilling work lately, both behind the camera and in my other job, and that along with spending time with family and friends (we were invited to 5 different weddings in August-October alone) has kept us on our toes.

We did take the opportunity for a quick getaway to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in September and boy, was it worth the short flight. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, our resort was right on the beach, and we did almost nothing for those few days. It was delicious.

Being there was also a reminder that my Spanish is fading quickly and I have renewed my promise to review more frequently using tapes and watching Spanish tv. (Spanish soap operas are a wonderful way to keep your ear sharp!) Although much of Cabo is losing its native charm (there is a Costco, McDonalds, etc.), there is still a lot of local pride and flavor. I hope we can return soon.

Until then, here are some of the bella vistas (good views) from our trip.

These were taken through a glass waterfall that was outdoor by one of the pools.