photos by karyn

Fort Huachuca Redeployment Photos HERE!

2011-03-26T16:08:00.004-07:00

My heart was a lump in my throat for these families before I even set foot in Barnes Field House. When I had planned to photograph these soldiers arriving home from Afghanistan they were supposed to get in right around dinner time. Text message after text message alerted me to their later arrival times. Finally I set my alarm for 2:30am and headed to bed figuring they would arrive later than sooner. I've been in the shoes of these husbands and wives, waiting on eggshells for the plane to land, waiting and fidgeting as we received word that they were finally boarding the buses at the airfield. It is nearly impossible to wrangle the babies and toddlers, half asleep in their footie jammies, barely understanding the enormity of "daddy coming home"!
And so it was, around 3:15 in the morning that they finally filed into the field house, exhausted from their travels, excited to kiss their spouse, hug their parents or children, meet their newborn for the first time. It was a privilege to wander the floor and capture a few of these moments. I wish I could have gotten an image for every single, totally deserving, family there. I've posted some of my favorites here in this blog, to see the rest and save them for your own scrapbook, please click on the link HERE to access a Shutterfly album of your redeployment. May God bless you and keep you safe during this time of readjustment and reintegration, and heartfelt thanks for your service to this awesome country!

Reflections

2011-03-15T00:05:00.001-07:00

I cried when I saw this picture download off the camera. It's one of those images that I didn't see completely when I shot it.
He turns one year old today. Time has never flown by so quickly. He has surprised us so many times. He himself is a surprise. His quick and easy arrival was a big surprise to me. His easy going nature, relaxed demeanor, patient presence, has all been a delightful surprise. Everyone remarks at how even keeled this little guy is. In fact, the first year has been so mellow in his presence that lately, during play dates, should he express an opinion or distaste he is met by gasps and laughter from the mothers who know him and didn't think him capable of a complaint.
This baby is so funny. He is so very charming and coy, flirtatious and giggly. His smile is easy and his tears seldom seen. He's becoming extremely independent. He's fearless. Which of course makes me terrified. Our dining room, leading to the staircase, has become a kind of lock system, similar to those that allow boats to move up and down canals. Multiple gates temporarily stall his progress but it will only be a matter of time, minutes probably, before these baby gates become mere hurdles for this child.
I thank God that I am a photographer. Every tiny detail that makes this tiny person unique is bound to change dramatically from month to month over the coming year and sometimes it seems as though I cannot record enough detail and preserve it for all time. Someday he will talk back. Someday he will storm out of the house and slam the door. Someday he will have his heart broken by a girl. Someday he will call home from college and ask for a batch of my cookies, I hope. Someday he may become a father himself... And on those days I will want to reflect back to these easy going times, and the simplest of images.....
Happy Birthday Darling Boy!

Birthday Kimono

2011-03-14T21:20:00.002-07:00

I don't think she knows this, but my friend Pauline was the first person to know that I was pregnant with my third son. We were newly moved to Fort Huachuca in the summer of 2009 when Pauline called me and introduced herself. We met in person for the first time at Buena Highschool Senior Registration Day. It was on this day I was carrying around the surprising and somewhat overwhelming news that I was pregnant, again, rather unexpectedly, and I confessed this fact to Pauline. I think it's rather common to confess big news to a stranger- after all, you get to release something aching to come out, and practice the words before telling your family, and you probably won't see this person much anyway. Fortunately for Pauline and I, the "not seeing more of each other just hasn't been the case". One year ago at 9:22pm I was in the middle of a blissful, epidural induced, nap. They would eventually wake me up and ask "Mrs. Kuniyuki, are you ready to meet your baby?" And the following day a dear friend would visit me in the hospital to meet my new little man. Over the course of 2010 this friend, Pauline, and I would share countless stories, insights, creative thoughts, realizations that we are two people of very similar tastes, opinions, and interests. Pauline shares many special gifts with our family. The gift of her musical voice and strumming fingers rang out clear on Christmas Eve as we lit luminaries on our historic block. The gift of her friendship, her inviting home, filled with delicious smells and always a fresh cup of coffee. The gift of her love with generous hugs and silly remarks for my children who always giggle and smirk and linger in hopes of another tickle. The list is endless. Today there was an extra special gift. Today my friend produced a treasured family souvenir, a kimono from her days living in Okinawa, a baby kimono just the right size for my birthday boy! Only this friend, a fellow photographer and creative mind, could see the potential images combining my sweet little guy and this precious vivid piece of cloth. Thank you so very much for sharing your many treasures with us, we love you so very much!

Empire Ranch, Sonoita AZ

2011-03-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

If it weren't for all of the "Beware Of Rattle Snake" signs, I'd be trying to figure out how to live at Empire Ranch! I saw the historical landmark sign by the road a few weeks back and knew that when my parents were here visiting we would have to go back and explore Empire Ranch. It's located about ten miles outside of Sonoita, AZ, to the north, on route 83 which leads to Tucson through some of the most beautiful rolling hills one could hope to drive through. The ranch has an incredible history that is detailed on the walls of the still standing ranch house. There are nature paths and restrooms, essential for traveling with little ones, and is well worth the drive if you bring a picnic lunch and stay a bit. I already have Red River, starring John Wayne, in my NetFlix cue, as it was filmed at Empire Ranch and I'm dying to know what this beautiful property looked like in it's hay day. Check it out if you're local, just watch out for those rattlers!

Gorgeous Baby Blues - Sneak Peek!

2011-03-05T20:18:00.003-07:00

(If the images in this post appear blurry, click on them individually for a clearer preview.)
I'm always really excited when my client is a tiny person. I love tiny people. Sometimes I think I should only photograph tiny people. They are challenging, adorable, always changing, and such a joy to work with. When this gorgeous little man arrived today for his 7 month old portraits I was immediately smitten with his beautiful baby blue eyes and eyelashes that super models would kill for. Seriously, his lashes were almost 3/4 of an inch long! We sat down to chat for a moment on the floor before starting and he relaxed right into my lap, what a doll! I can't wait to present this collection of images to his parents; I don't know this baby well but I know that I captured some of his most treasured "looks" today. Thank you for sharing your precious little one with me today! Enjoy your sneak peek!

Eyes On The Bride

2011-03-01T23:04:00.000-07:00

If I could get married again there are few things I would change. But one thing I always think about it how not clever I was about my details. These days it's my job to notice the little details, and they are everywhere! If I were a bride today I would not shy away from an unforgettable themed wedding, a totally western wedding, or a Hollywood glam wedding. I would definitely wear shoes with bling, or red shoes, or blue shoes, or vintage shoes, or couture leopard print shoes... I would choose a bouquet of succulent cactus instead of roses, I would carry a bouquet made of vintage butterfly pins, YES there is someone who now makes those on Etsy! There are so many ways to make a wedding special, and most of them are a photographer's dream come true... Speaking of dreams come true- I am so desperate for the opportunity to photograph a traditional Indian Wedding I think I would do the leg work for free. Know someone having an Indian Wedding?

Tombstone

2011-02-27T22:54:00.003-07:00

It was darn cold, and down right windy, but my photography students from Fort Huachuca braved the elements for a chance to "Photo Walk" in Tombstone. This was our first walk in Tombstone, and in fact we did not walk that far as there are so many characters and distinguished actors milling about the main street it is hard to stray far from the beaten path. Parents be advised that the legends speak in rough cowboy tongues and don't seem to curb their slang for even the littlest of curious ears! And EVERYONE is willing to pose for a snapshot with you, even if only for the chance to whisper something completely inappropriate in your ear... It was a great day, I think my favorite image is the door handle to the Tombstone courthouse, of all things, a door handle, but it sure it "perty"! Our next Photo Walk will be in Bisbee on March 12th, at 9am. Please contact me for information on how to register and join us!

All In The Details

2011-02-27T22:48:00.002-07:00

I LOVE to shoot the details... Gosh, sometimes I think I can spend an entire day shooting the little details, things that most people walk right by. In fact, today even, I was out on the parade field on the post, it had been snowing which is rare in this part of the country, so I was out preserving the details with my camera. I nearly got arrested preserving those details, apparently the Army frowns upon people photographing on the installation. Duh, I realize my husband's office if off limits but the local cactus? Really? Here are some lovely details from a winter wedding, though you can't hardly tell it's winter as we are in the desert.

Stunning Saguaro

2011-02-23T16:07:00.004-07:00

(If the images in this post appear blurry, please click on the image itself, it will open in a new window and look a lot better!)

Every time my parents visit from New York we try to explore some place new. Last week we took them to Saguaro East National Park on the eastern side of Tucson. We arrived at around 3pm and stayed until sunset. You wouldn't think that in the middle of winter there would be much to photograph. In a few weeks everything will be in bloom, and in the middle of summer the monsoon storms will roll in from the mountains and create fantastic light and clouds. But right now everything is that dull brown characteristic of winter desert. Just makes you work that much harder to study the lay of the land. I think I have about fifty awesome macro shots from the day, it will be a miracle if I ever get to play with them and post them. The kids are just so busy and into everything these days. But here are a few that jumped out at me. The full moon rose that night as well. Of course, those busy kids had had enough of traveling, they were hungry and tired and sick of being in the car. I got to snap three or four shots off the side of the road as it crested the Rincon Mountains, and that was all.... This place is well worth the visit, bikers beware, there are some serious hill climbs should you choose to cycle the 8 mile loop!

A Few Favorites

2011-02-23T14:18:00.005-07:00

(If the images in this post look blurry on your screen, click individually on the image you want to look at. It will open in another window and appear much clearer.)

I've had the privilege of working with this young lady several times as she graciously volunteers to model for all of the Photo Walks I lead for Fort Huachuca. Recently we took a group of seven photography students to Bisbee, AZ, to roam the streets and practice portrait lighting techniques. The morning was really beautiful, if not a little chilly. We were shooting on Brewery Gulch, a street that at 9am boasts sunshine on one side of the street and shade on the other. It was the perfect situation in which to learn about bouncing and reflecting light and then diffusing the light for that perfect glow. All of these shots were taken with natural light, no flash, and come straight out of the camera except for resizing and watermarking. Flawless skin, gorgeous girl, glorious morning = perfection! Thank you "T" for always volunteering and honoring our every request!
A couple of these shots feature my students in action, just thought I would throw in a little perspective. If this kind of event sounds like fun, we have another walk scheduled for Saturday, February 26, at 9am. Please contact me for details! We also have additional walks coming up in March!

Saint Valentine was a Knight...

2011-02-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

Saint Valentine was said to be a knight.
Just thought you should know.
In a house full of men, one must twist the details of this delightful holiday,
to engage the interest of those less interested in flowers, candy, and the mushy love stuff.

If you think this is a clever Valentine, which we made into stickers and gave out to friends with candy, check out the uber creative mother behind the concept at Mila's Daydreams.

"Oh!"

2011-02-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

This was literally The Bundle's very first reaction to seeing snow. Can you hear him? It was more like "ooooooooooooooh!" and it was stinkin' cute! Gosh I'm in love with my little people, they are so charming!

Winter Wonders

2011-02-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

Winter in the desert can be a total bore. I like to take this time to go for long walks with my camera and really look at the landscape in search of hidden beauty. I'm really enjoying "fractals", which are naturally occurring patterns, but I'll save that for another post. My kids love to harvest these seed pods and then stomp on them to watch them break open and float away in the wind. I don't come home with a hundred pictures on these walks, but I always come home reminded that if I just slow down and look, there is always something beautiful waiting for my lens.

Coming Soon! Tombstone Photo Walk

2011-02-04T14:52:00.002-07:00

Wish you knew a little more about how to capture the essence of your town? Wish you knew how to use your camera's settings? Wish you knew more about light and how to make it look awesome? You should consider joining me for a photo walk!

What is a photo walk? A three hour walk through an amazing local nook, complete with models in period dress! I will show you what to photograph, how to do your subject justice, how to find the best light, and how to walk away with the best images your camera can create!

On February 26th, from 9am-12pm, I will be leading a photo walk through the town of Tombstone, Arizona. I am working on behalf of the MWR Arts & Crafts facility on Fort Huachuca. Call their office at 520-533-5550 to register for this class and get all the details about meeting our group!

Sweet Dreams

2011-02-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

Could anything be more precious than a napping infant? Even after they overtook your marriage bed the night before? Even though their little feet remained wedged firmly in your rib cage through the wee hours of morning? Even though they camped out at the breast for eight hours straight? Yes, nothing could be more precious....

Motherhood

2011-02-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

Nothing compares to scooping up your baby and having them cling to you, hug you, rest their head on your shoulder, nothing. Awhile back we were at the playground, my friend and I with all of our kids, with cameras in hand. Granted, with four little ones and my youngest finally mobile and getting into everything, we seldom get more than 5 clicks of the shutter before someone gets injured, has been assigned the role of "monster" and no longer wants to play, or needs to be hoisted into a swing... I met this friend when she attended my digital photography classes offered through the Army, and she is such an eager student, I just love when she calls and wants to get out to "play" with her camera. So on this day we got talking about sun flare and in the briefest of moments I demonstrated where she should stand her subject, and where she should shoot from, and I think I took three frames before I was blinded by the sun. When I got home I found this picture and man, does it ever make my heart flutter when I capture a great shot of a wonderful person in my life!

Horsin' Around

2011-01-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

I seldom photograph people's pets, it's a really hard business, requires a lot of time and patience, it is almost exactly like photographing toddlers in fact. My girlfriend rescued this horse this year. She has nursed it back to health, groomed and trained for hours, rebuilding a trusting relationship between human and mare that was no doubt completely ruined by the previous owner. Her love for animals is admirable, she has a touch, a way with living creatures, it is her gift. I got home from this afternoon of play and have a handful of great shots of my friend with her horse, but for some reason I keep going back to this one. It's playful, it's magical, it's bright and sunny, I can't explain it but I love it.

A Boy, His Girl, and a John Deer...

2011-01-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

Friends of ours live out in the country with land to roam, a fence to keep cars away and kids close, and it's a great place to go and let the children run. It's also a fantastic place to let them learn how to drive! We all laughed as this scene played out, the two of them driving off into the setting sun, but in the back of my head I thought, this exact thing is going to happen for real some day and I will probably be crying.

Ten Months Old, Ten Times More Motion!

2011-01-16T15:04:00.001-07:00

Ten months already. He can stand, he has figured out that if the music table is on hardwood flooring he can push it around and actually walk from place to place as though it were a walker. He has his favorite kitchen cupboards, cooling racks and cutting boards all over the kitchen floor every evening as I cook supper. He smiles more than anyone I know. He babbles and makes noises with his tongue that make the rest of the family hoot with laughter. He is adorable, and he totally knows that we are all wrapped around his little finger. He isn't a big boy. He's very tall, but lacks the rolls of baby fat his brothers both had. Probably because he eats healthier than all of us combined. He gets mostly homemade baby food and has a voracious appetite, in fact that is the only time you will hear him scream or fuss, if you aren't shoveling dinner fast enough. And then he wants down again, to crawl, and stand, and scoot, and boy is he fast! He is predictable, as though God looked down upon me and thought "she has three, and this one was unexpected, so he will be an absolute joy, an easy baby." For all of this I am grateful.

A New Year, A New Pace

2011-01-12T15:01:00.003-07:00

Nearly a month has passed since I last blogged. Darn that felt good. And, to be honest, it felt right. I took the month of December off to spend some uninterrupted, unrushed, quality time with my family. Goodness knows I was still taking pictures, but I was also building gingerbread houses, decking the halls as creatively as one can with kids helping, and hosting "tea time" in the afternoons where my boys took to calling me "mother" with pretend accents, which I secretly really like. My boys have changed so much in the last three months, and not just The Bundle, who is sprouting teeth and mastering forward motion faster than I can blink away an eyelash! The Boy is about to wave goodbye to his "lady love", a precious preschool friend for whom his heart throbs, as she moves away to Fort Hood, in Texas. My Middle Man has decided that the toilet is a fine invention worth his time, and now we investigate the restroom of every facility we visit, at least twice. Every day leaves me in awe and I find myself thinking that this time, this age where they want my help, are hungry for my hugs and kisses, and happily climb on my lap for a dozen books, is not going to last as long as I'd like it to. I guess I always thought that everything would get easier as they all got older, but in fact no, with three on the move now, I am feeling like something has got to give. So, I've made some decisions, scaling back on work, which will include less frequent blogging, and I'll be saying the word "NO" a lot, to the adults in my life, and not so much to my kiddos.

The Custer's Last Stand

2010-12-10T07:15:00.011-07:00

(For a larger and clearer image, click on the pictures individually.)

Wednesday was a crisp, sunny, winter morning. It was a morning that has been scheduled and cancelled several times, a fact that has been the root of many jokes and speeches in past months. On this very special morning, Fort Huachuca finally bid farewell to a Command Team like no other, Major General John Custer and his wonderful wife Audrey.
I first met Audrey Custer at a spouses coffee hosted at her home just a few short weeks after I arrived at Fort Huachuca, 2009. Knowing I was one of the most junior spouses on the block I made certain to be on time. Knowing I was one of the most junior spouses, I was nervous. I was the first one to arrive... But as Audrey gracefully fluttered around the house with final preparations, her easy nature instantly set me at ease. She was relaxed. She was kind. She was and always has been, in one word- LOVELY. How a woman with a lifetime of experiences under her belt makes everyone in her presence feel an equal, I can only hope to learn and portray myself some day. Words cannot express the impact this woman, this couple, has made on our post. It has been an honor to watch them command, to applaud their success, and to enjoy their company as neighbors and friends.

I set out on Wednesday with camera in hand, not to capture the cliche Change Of Command images that twenty other photographers on the field would certainly cover, but to record the essence of the day: Colors waving beautifully in the wind that whips down Huachuca Canyon, the 36th Army Band drumming out a toe tapping march, the smell of fresh red roses honoring a spouse's hard work and sacrifice, yellow roses as bright and cheerful as the sunshine welcoming Brigadier General Potter's wife into her new role. While most of the cameras were focused around the podium I had the delight of wandering the parade field, my favorite place to be, seeing the sequence of events from the vantage point most are not permitted. It is there that General Custer and General Potter begin "trooping the line" together; why exactly was that final contingent situated 15 feet behind the rest of the formation? Nearly skewering the command party walking by? It will certainly remain a distinct memory from the ceremony, but that is no longer the concern of General Custer as he relinquishes command, retires from the Army, and embarks on a new path, a civilian path, with bride Audrey still steadfast by his side, and a major retirement home renovation on the horizon. The formation on Brown Parade Field, situated in front of historic Quarters 1, the Pershing House, which the Custer's had the privilege to call home during their command at Fort Huachuca, was an amazing send off, and it was a honor to witness every smile and salute!

Three Of Everything!

2010-12-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Happy "Birth" Day to ME! And a very Happy Birthday to my Middle Man! He was my most difficult to bring into this world, in fact, after his birth I proclaimed that there would be no more babies. So why should it be any surprise that he remains my most challenging child to date?! I'm praying that the terrible twos are over with, that the threes are going to be filled with patience, calm, and wonder, or at least many visits from a loving baby sitter and a spa gift certificate. He loves art, music, Star Wars, sweets, and his lovey. He also loves Darth Vader, and is affectionately known around our house as "The Prince Of Darkness" for more than one reason. He loves chicken nuggets, but won't eat real chicken. He hates the mere mention of a toilet, shoelaces that come untied, and food that doesn't resemble plain noodles with butter. As I sat tonight looking for nine of my favorite images, trying to find the faces I see on a daily basis, including the sour ones, I was flooded with love for this amazing tough guy. I was reminded of his sensitive nature, which makes him extremely tender towards others. I was reminded of his incredibly charming habits, his mischievous grin, and the joy he shows when playing Big Brother to our new Bundle. I didn't find so many images of him enjoying the little brother role he plays, insight for Mommy to pay more attention to I guess. He has fears, and great concerns. He wants a Buzz Lightyear for Christmas, and a Backhoe Front loader that beeps and talks. He is a complicated little fellow. He is the spitting image of me, then and now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-29T15:59:00.002-07:00

It was a relaxing and relatively quiet weekend spent at home. No out of town guests, no friends over, just the five of us; a mom, a dad, and three savages... I have some cute pictures from the weekend, the kids helping with the cooking, none of which they ate, and I mean nothing! But for now, a very Happy, very simple, Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!

Until I'm Blue In The Face

2010-11-29T15:18:00.002-07:00

No, I didn't leave him alone with a marker. No, he isn't showing school spirit for Michigan. Yes, he is breathing just fine. If you've never heard of Gentian Violet, it's an herbal supplement used to treat some conditions associated with brestfeeding. He is being treated; it stains EVERYTHING. You can readily see which fingers he favors. This was just too funny not to post. And during the week we had our family portraits scheduled! Fortunately it went away in time.

Memories...

2010-11-15T15:15:00.003-07:00

Here is one more from my shoot on Saturday. I was sitting here editing while all three boys napped (insert applause for napping miracles HERE) and when I came across this image I just sat and starred. Just because you are a photographer does not necessarily mean that you are as good in front of the camera as behind. Most often I have found that photographers are rather uncomfortable in front of the lens. I just hope when its my turn in a couple of weeks I can appear as relaxed as Sarah and her husband. I just keep thinking how neat it is to capture a mom, in her element, like no other has captured her before. I'm floating today...

Life On the Other Side of the Lens

2010-11-14T19:12:00.004-07:00

It's autumn in Arizona, one of the absolute most beautiful times of the year to photograph in Arizona. Which is why everyone wants family portraits taken in November, everyone including the photographers themselves. Allow me to introduce you to Sarah Neyhart, an incredibly creative portrait photographer/gorgeous mother of one/doting spouse. I've had the pleasure of chatting with Sarah only a handful of times; but that is all that is necessary to know that you want Sarah to be your dear friend for life! Her enthusiasm for her craft is infectious, her easy going nature is perfectly charming. After connecting on Facebook I had the chance to peek into her private family albums, thoroughly enjoying her captures of handsome hubby Bryan and their darling daughter. But I also noticed a distinct characteristic that permeates my own family albums- many pictures of the husband and kids, very few pictures of Mom! I made such a remark and not shortly after the idea was born to photograph each other.

I have long debated the concept of hiring someone to do the work that I personally take so seriously. It is extremely difficult to hand over the job, especially if you are a Type A "I'll do it better myself" kind of woman, which my husband would most definitely categorize me. But the more I thought about it, seeing my family through someone else's lens would be priceless. Seeing pictures of myself with my children would be a treasure to behold. What I didn't expect as I prepared to hold up my side of the trade, was how nervous I would feel. Knowing that Sarah had never before been photographed by another professional certainly raised the bar for me. Knowing that she had ideas and a creative vision brewing in her head sent my own mind spinning - what if I don't even come close to what she had in mind?! I'll summarize by saying that the evening was filled with laughter, the most stunning light one could hope to have on a perfectly sunny autumn day, and Sarah made posing with her lovely family in front of my lens look as effortless and relaxed as when she is working behind the camera herself. Here is your sneak peek: thank you so very much for trusting me to make these memories for you and yours! See you in two weeks!

Shutter Bug Meets "Shutterfly"

2010-11-09T13:57:00.004-07:00

With the birth of my third child in March, boy number three, all under age four, my mantra shifted from "everything must be perfect, or else" to "Does that thing make life easier? I'll take three!" We went to the Grand Canyon, by train, so we wouldn't have to drive. We went camping this fall, in a cabin, so when it rained, and it did, we wouldn't all be miserable in a tent together. For Halloween, my husband came home with a big old grin on his face and three store bought Star Wars themed costumes. I knew my friends and family would never approve, but I leaped up and gave him a huge kiss for his efforts in making our lives easier. I'm all about making my life easier these days. Especially since the next two months are jam packed with parties, decorations, craft projects, and day trips.

Today I'm featuring a company that makes our lives easier in a big way - Shutterfly! Shutterfly lets me share my hundreds of family photos with everyone I know, for FREE! Shutterfly hosts my sister-in-law's private family website, for FREE! Shutterfly keeps all my uploaded pictures and never deletes them, even if I don't order prints from them. So last year when I spent 2 weeks photographing Christmas homes on Fort Huachuca, and uploaded them to share, and then lost all the originals when my hard drive crashed, I was able to order books and a CD wit all of those images on them to keep forever! That part wasn't free, but it was priceless!

Last year's Christmas card (shown below), designed by yours truly, took me way too many man hours to remember. And, it cost me almost $2.30 per card to print. My husband said "send an e-card" when I wondered out loud when I would find the time and energy to accomplish the growing card list for this year. As if! Christmas cards, the tangible, holdable kind, are what I look forward to. I love catching up with old friends and hearing about new babies and graduations, weddings, and big career moves. I simply can't wait to share a handful of my own photos and show off how much my boys have grown and changed since last year. In steps Shutterfly. I just visited their holiday card selection and was floored to find five whole pages of new designs that will accommodate from 1-6 of my favorite pictures. They will even print a photo inside the card AND a lengthy message so I wont have to hand write the same info in each of my 100+ cards!

What caught my eye? This card features the exact color scheme currently laid out on my bed for our upcoming photo shoot. Gasp! Yes, the professional photographer has made arrangements to be photographed by someone other than the self timer! We are having a camping themed shoot in two weeks, and this card would coordinate with our outfits perfectly! AND, I can order matching address labels! Sweet!

You're interested. No?! What if I told you that you could get 50 cards for FREE! Follow this link to learn how!

Lovely

2010-11-04T15:10:00.001-07:00

I've just finished up some images for this beauty's modeling portfolio and had to share this one. She is just so lovely, a beautiful person inside and out, and the patience of a saint. It will be a shame when Vogue finds her, I'll lose my best babysitter...

Cleared for Take Off, and Never Again...

2010-11-03T00:01:00.002-07:00

Two weeks ago I had a very interesting collection of house guests. John Chua, Canon Photographer and owner of Ad Photo in the Philippines, and his lovely wife were in my living room reuniting with my father-in-law after 35 years of working together in Manila. Joe Cantrell, another talented photographer doing groundbreaking fractal artwork out of Portland Oregon, was driving through town on his way from Oklahoma to Portland. Joe was also part of the good ol' days in Manila. He was giving an impromptu macro workshop on my dining table floral centerpiece. The weekend was full of incredible, New York Times Best Seller quality stories of wartime, love, loss, and the future of digital photography and advocacy work. I bustled like a worker bee between the kitchen, the kids, and the camera trying to keep up with everyone.

Keeping up with everyone, and feeling the need to impress and spoil my guests, I arranged for a local pilot to fly John, his wife, and myself over Cochise County at sunset to capture some desert panoramas. It was an awesome idea in theory. I did not account for extreme air sickness. I did not account for succumbing to altitude sickness either. After 2 hours at 10,000ft elevation in a Cessna 182 with the window wide open I was freezing, vomiting severely, blindly sticking my camera out the window, and feeling a distinct urge to sleep. That would be from lack of oxygen. It's taken me over a week to recover, including a side trip to the hospital for fluids and treatment for the AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). It was an experience I will never forget, and an experience I shall never repeat.

I do hope to find time to write more about this amazing weekend with these incredibly down to earth individuals who so lovingly encouraged me to continue my work and take on some new challenges. Until then I leave you with these captures (the changing quality of light amazes me- for being up there only two hours before sunset, the light changed the lay of the land so dramatically)...

First Halloween

2010-11-02T14:40:00.002-07:00

I confess. Online I appear uber organized. But in real life I'm still wearing my pajamas at 2:42pm. There is no picture of all three boys in their Halloween costumes, together, because I haven't taken it yet. The Bundle's Ewok costume hasn't been unwrapped yet. It's November 2nd. Halloween came, our tiniest lad didn't sleep a wink all day long due to a cold and teething, so come 5:30pm as we are costume clad and ready to go out the door for some trick-or-treating, he was ready for bed. So to bed he went. He slept through the fun. But since I'm a mother of three, I let him sleep, because he really had no idea what he was missing. I can take the picture today, or tomorrow, or next week, and unless he reads my blog as a teenager, he will never know. But gosh, he was awake and adorable for his first trip to the pumpkin patch.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T17:00:00.004-07:00

I'm happy to report that I am well again. I've been under the weather for the last week and have so many exciting happenings to blog. But for tonight I just want to post something fun, a family tradition we have where we put our newest addition inside their pumpkin! They NEVER like it at first, I have images of all three boys being lowered down inside and screaming like banshees. But they warm to the idea, they do a little teething, and I never grow tired of snapping away, capturing each unique glance.

And just for fun, because my mother loves to do this, I put them all side by side. From left to right: My first born in 2006, my middle blond baby in 2008, and to the right is The Bundle, born in March of this year.

Son-rise

2010-10-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

My beautiful baby. He's 7 months old now, and though he sleeps quite well at home, the excitement of our camping adventure turned his little inner clock Topsy-turvey. Or maybe he just knows snuggling between mommy and daddy and warm flannel sheets, through the cool mountain air filled nights, is the best way to go. Either way, he had me up EARLY. And you can't have one baby awake in a two room cabin without quickly having a whole family awake. So off we went, camera in hand, on a partly cloudy morning at dawn. And His precious gift to me that day - was a sunrise like no other. Theses are SOOC images:

Angle Orchard, AZ

2010-10-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Over one hundred years ago, this family had the grand idea to plant Angle Orchard in the shadow of Mount Graham in South Eastern Arizona. After spending four days at Lake Roper State Park, watching the clouds hang over the mountain range, the rain coming and going over the foothills but hardly touching our cabin hideaway, it seems to be the best place in all of Arizona to plant fruit trees. It was completely by accident that we stumbled onto the orchard. The day was going to be hot and windless and we headed up the mountain for some cooler temps, a change in scenery, and a picnic. Not 30 minutes away from our campground we saw the tiny sign for Angle Orchard, leading us down a single track dirt road, deep into what I'd call.... a valley? a ravine? I'm not sure what to call it, let's call it "heaven for apples". The trees grew abundant everywhere. My only regrets of the day was that we arrived when the sun was high, not great for picture taking. And it doesn't take but ten minutes to fill a bucket of apples when you have two enthusiastic helpers and a baby strapped in the bjorn. I would have liked to linger among the trees, I could have stayed for an hour with the kittens in the barn. The host was quite gracious, letting the boys explore to discover the apple polishing machinery, the kittens hidden away in the loft, the tractors, and samples of all the apples they could pick. The golden delicious are my favorite from the day, so crisp and sweet, easily the best and freshest apple I've ever tasted. A lovely unexpected adventure, the best kind.

(Im toting my new Canon 5D Mark II, with the 24-70mm 2.8, and aside from sharpening for the web, these are straight out of the camera. Even the apple picture two down, I'm still trying to figure out what happened there...)

Duke Of Hazards

2010-10-11T22:16:00.006-07:00

(Note: Clicking on the individual image to open in it's own window should provide a very clear image. For some reason unknown to me, my blog will sometimes pixelate images.)

I came home from tonight's shoot needing to watch an hour of 70's television... I think it was the hair, which is all the rage right now in Arizona. The neighborhood is fraught with long curly side swept dos that drive the mothers nuts. In steps Matthew, with an easy smile and the most playful blue eyes you've ever had the pleasure to gaze upon. I was so busy giggling over his antics, trying to coach him into a semi-serious "I'm leaving the nest and heading out on my own" look, it wasn't until I got home that I truly studied the curls. One thing was for sure tonight. The moment we started in on the bike, a relaxed, composed, confident Matthew took center stage. I've never seen him in action but any fool could tell he knows his stuff and feels good on his ride. My hope is that I managed to capture the joy, the fun, the charm of this young man, before he heads off to bigger, more challenging roads. My best wishes to you Matthew! Never stop laughing, it makes everyone around you melt!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2010-10-11T13:01:00.003-07:00

A few sessions back I had a great evening with this goofy group of gals. Having a long history of team sports back in the day myself, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing their bleacher talk, and observing their team spirit, which quite obviously there was plenty of!

Hog Princess

2010-10-10T20:21:00.002-07:00

One week old. I LOVE these sessions. It's part skill, part luck, all timing, and a lot of patience. I don't have to worry about getting the baby to smile at this point, I just have to be ready for whatever she's going to give me. I've been waiting to photograph this precious little princess for a very long time. I've had the joy of watching her mother grow, and grow, and grow. I had the joy of fetching the big sister for an overnight when we finally got The Call. I got to hold her in the hospital nursery shortly after she was born. And in just one week she has changed so much! Perhaps the best part about working with friends is the lack of pressure to perform. Of course I want to deliver the most stunning images I can muster, but there is also a little extra room for creativity because I will ask my friends to do crazy things, like wedge their one week old newborn onto the fender of their Harley, just because it might look neat. When the Harley was offered as a prop my mind spun with excitement and I spent most of my vacation last week thinking up ways to capture the essence of the bike while keeping the focus on the babe. In the end, our gorgeous tiny subject broke every newborn photography rule and was wide awake for most of the session. Most of those sleeping shots? She blinked. But when it came to the fender, she nestled right down and we nearly had to wipe drool off the bike she was snoozing so hard. I'd say 16 years from now, we're going to have a serious biker chick in the family, but watch out boys, Daddy is a Harley riding Marine!

Bisbee Babes

2010-10-04T07:10:00.002-07:00

On Saturday I led a three hour Photo Walk in Bisbee as one of my classes offered to military dependents at Fort Huachuca's MWR Arts and Crafts Center. A "Photo Walk" is just that; a walk for the purpose of taking photographs. We meandered the narrow streets in search of architecture, flora, anything cool that struck our fancy, all the while talking about camera settings, composition, and lighting. One of the highlights of our journey was the chance to shoot willing models. Taylor, the blond bombshell above, is my favorite go-to gal who will try everything I ask of her. A huge Thank You and a very special Happy Sweet Sixteen Birthday wish to you from our whole family! And one of our photographers happily set her camera aside to pose with her beautiful growing tummy! Baby number four is arriving this December. Talk about natural beauty, she couldn't stop smiling and we can all see why! Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to practice our skills on your stunning silhouette!

I've got a whole folder of favorites from the weekend, alas, I am now officially on vacation for the next week! Just me and my boys and hopefully the soothing sounds of an owl or coyote while enjoying a crackling campfire with my loves!

On the Move

2010-09-29T00:02:00.000-07:00

He coos, he rolls, he laughs deep belly laughs, he eats peas, he smiles... there is some hair grabbing and ear pulling too. He lets everyone hold him, thank God. My baby is 6 months old and very nearly ready to crawl, though he has mastered the art of mobility like an inch worm on his back, so maybe he will skip crawling all together. He's discovered his jumperoo excersaucer and squeals like an excited monkey at the mere sight of it. What a joy! It's faces like these that get us pregnant in the first place, so don't stare too long!

I'm aware that my images are pixelating a little bit on the new blog layout. If you happen to know how I can fix this without changing my blog template please let me know!

BEAR DOWN!

2010-09-28T06:23:00.001-07:00

I graduated from the University of Arizona without having ever attended a single NCAA sporting event. I loved sports, I just didn't want to sit and watch them, I'd rather be playing myself. I don't think I ever cared about college football until I met my husband, whose love for the game and pride for his school, the beloved University of Michigan, is so infectious you can't help but dress head to toe in Maize and Blue and order chicken wings every Saturday.
Saturday night we were given tickets from a friend and traveled, sans kids, yes you heard me right, we had two different baby sitters and drove an hour from home to attend the game and enjoy a whopping 7 hours of uninterrupted adult conversation!! It was bliss. The game could not have been uglier, flags on nearly every play and no tremendous excitement until the very last minute. I spent most of the game pondering why the WildCats have the words "Bear Down" as their catch phrase... Pardon me, but all I could think about was childbirth. (Insert snicker here.) We were actually walking down out of the stadium to avoid the mass exodus, stopping at each level to peek at the progress of the final 2:46 minutes. When it became clear that there was one final opportunity for something to happen I ran down to the base of the section and looked back at the fans, hoping to get a great shot of the game winning touchdown. I didn't see the touchdown myself, but I saw it through the eyes of some very happy fans:

I always love the faithful fans who come with their padded seats, and headphones for the play by play action.

Just checking out the school spirit on all levels.

In the final minute there was a moment of confusion, a whistle blown and for a moment we all wondered what planet the officiating was coming from.

Relief and joy as we score the game winning touchdown. Go WildCats!

Playing With Light

2010-09-27T06:16:00.002-07:00

My four year old will do anything to get out of the car... Even if it means posing for my camera on a country road, sitting astride my minivan while my friend Pauline and I play with a variety of lighting equipment. I'm always looking for new ways to photograph my clients in our challenging desert landscape, and as the sun quickly sets as autumn takes over, my daylight hours will also start to disappear. It's those few minutes right after sunset that I love for photography, and maybe this idea will help lengthen my shooting time. I think it's pretty, and that model, well, I think I have a crush....

First Day Of School

2010-09-27T06:02:00.003-07:00

He has always been referred to as "The Baby" since I don't blog my children's names for safety reasons. But I guess the name has to change. Baby's don't go to school. "I've got school power" he says to me with gusto... Drop off was super, 20 minutes later he was crying and wouldn't have snack with his new friends. The school called. "We just want to let you know that he is having a hard time." In my mind I am thinking "Okay, thanks for the call, I just want you to know that I love him very much but I'm not coming right back to rescue him, and he will be okay." Can you tell I'm not a first time nursery school mom?! I'm sure there are parents out there thinking very bad things about my parenting, but as mother of three boys, I know better than to become a helicopter parent. My Non-Baby needs to do something without Mommy hovering. And I was right, this time; he is doing fine as we roll in to week three. He stumbles here and there, but hey, he's two. Of course, here is the obligatory "first day of school" snap shot on the front stoop, so cheeky.

Matt and Shannon

2010-09-20T00:08:00.004-07:00

College sweethearts. It is impossible to keep a secret from her, same goes for surprises; and yet the ring was tucked inside his laptop bag just inches from her sweetly dreaming head until the perfect morning. She knew. The moment he produced the red satin bag, she knew. It was a bag she has coveted her whole life, for inside lays an heirloom set of rings and a story she excitedly paints for everyone who will listen. I listen. My heart is thumping in my chest and my eyes tearing over the details; from Grandmother, to mother, and now to daughter, three generations of beautiful southern style love.
Matt and Shannon were perfection last night as we roamed the property of one of the oldest ranch houses in Cochise County. Easy going, quick to laugh, "engaged" is the perfect title for this pair as they compliment one another whole heartedly. I have no doubt that Shannon will embrace her new role as an Army Wife with pride and grace; she's a planner, a doer, one I'm elated to have joining the Army family. And to Matt, there couldn't be another woman more charming or lovely with whom to face the challenges ahead. My most sincere wishes for a soulful and laughter filled marriage. Thank you for granting my every photographic wish!

Up With The Son...

2010-09-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

No, that isn't a typo. I was up with my youngest son, who at 6 months old still tends to get hungry or in need of a snuggle around 5am. This morning instead of nursing himself back into slumber, he drank himself silly, literally. Instead of allowing him the satisfaction of laughing the whole house awake I quickly grabbed my new camera, the Canon 5D Mark II, (insert sigh here) and loaded my giggling and gurgling assistant into the van for a "sunflowers at sunrise" hunt. I've been driving past abundant fields for a couple of weeks now, but never in the right light. I was handsomely rewarded for my early morning efforts...

Holiday Portrait Mini Sessions!

2010-09-06T15:16:00.005-07:00

This Holiday season I am teaming up with my very talented friend Pauline Fredericks, offering an opportunity for local families to have the stunning holiday portraits they've always wanted featured on their cards and gifts. Read on for more details and call for your appointment soon, spaces are filling up really fast!

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

2010-08-05T21:49:00.007-07:00

My father-in-law is in town visiting for a week, and he always comes with gifts... though we're never sure what decade they are from, there is always an interesting tale to accompany the items. Be they vintage Chinese dresses, Ansel Adams prints from a yard sale in California, or old Nikon lenses, adapters, and bellows extenders I've never even heard of before, I'm always surprised by what comes out of his suitcase. Today, the camera lenses arrived. Now, he didn't know this, or maybe he did know this from studying my work and my love for close up flower images, but I have always wanted to dabble more in macro photography. And dabble we most certainly did this afternoon, with all three children napping we spread every piece of equipment we had between the two of us out on the dining table. There was a thunderstorm rolling through making perfect overcast skies on my favorite porch. After testing all of the lenses on some seashells, installing the Nikon lens on my Canon with a Nikon adapter ring, installing them frontwards AND backwards for different effects, yes a lens can be put on backwards, who knew?! I went outside in search of a ladybug or beetle. After not finding a single insect I grabbed two flowers and a mushroom and headed back inside. I popped the red flowers into a vase full of sand, grabbed the camera and started focusing the bellows fully extended. When my image came into focus here is what I saw:

And then I nearly peed my pants with excitement when this little guy, and I mean little, the size of a dime fully outstretched, peaked out from behind! Jackpot! So the next 40 minutes was spent manipulating the scene to get the best light and the best angle- and if you think posing toddlers is a challenge...

Interestingly, he wanted nothing to do with this mushroom, he would not stay on it for even a second. We pontificated over the mushrooms possible poisonous nature... everything else in the desert is poisonous.

This was his grumpy stance. After about 40 minutes and two attempts at shrooming, he was visibly angry with me... and, I had the lens to actually be able to capture that!

I believe I saw a rude extended digit as he turned on his heel and stomped away, the flower petals were shaking, so I assume he was stomping.

Simply an amazing afternoon, and the lenses and accessories now live with me so there will be many more afternoons like this one I hope! Hmmm, I wonder what food would do under a lens like this...

Naptime

2010-08-03T00:01:00.006-07:00

He always fights it...
Inspired by my very talented pal Julie Rivera... When I saw her post last Thursday I just about melted, and then sarcastically thought "as if that would ever happen in my house!" This scene only lasted about five minutes before he woke up completely disoriented and as grumpy as a bee stuck in a jar.

Baby Mama

2010-08-03T00:01:00.005-07:00

Baby Mama. Funniest movie I have seen in a long time, and the beauty featured in this sneak peek rivals the movie's ability to make me laugh. My dear friend is having a baby, such a precious and intimate event to share with someone. She was on my "emergency call" list when The Bundle arrived, and now I am on her list. Words can't express what this friendship means to me, so I hope my images will....

A Hidden Gem

2010-08-02T22:30:00.004-07:00

Eight years ago I stumbled onto Holy Trinity Monastery. I was determined to find my way back again and brought it up in conversation with a local who immediately identified where I was describing and how to get there. One day last week when my children were driving me crazy at home, I loaded the car with peanut butter sandwiches and away we went on a good old fashioned country drive. The promise of peacocks kept my little ones intrigued as we drove over the rolling hills, saturated from morning thunder storms, to the quaint little town of St David, Arizona. The morning was peaceful, the grounds completely vacant with the exception of about a dozen peacocks... Well, the grounds were peaceful. As soon as my children saw the birds, and as soon as the birds saw my children, there was some serious peacock talking, and equally as shrill a giggle coming from my kiddos, who were beside themselves with laughter over the silly call of these gorgeous birds. It was a great outing, I'd highly recommend this little bump in the road for a stretch and a picnic. Oh, and could someone PLEASE get married here and hire me?! Talk about an amazing Catholic chapel in which to wed, photographically speaking!

Monsoon Magic

2010-08-01T00:01:00.001-07:00

It's monsoon season, a season of lightning and thunderheads rolling into view every afternoon, making the scheduling of portrait sessions darn near impossible... and though one probably should not race to the nearest highest mountain to capture the beauty of the storm, I am an addict after all, you can't stop someone with a camera no matter how hard you try.

Incredible Close Ups ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-07-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

During the summer months here at Fort Huachuca, various groups of researchers gather to catch humming birds, record various data about each bird, band them with a tiny anklet, and release them for further tracking. It is a really neat process to witness. We've gone a couple of times to the different sites that are open to the public to watch. Sometimes they even let the kids hold the bird in their flat hand before release. On this particular morning two weeks ago, we were the only family there to watch and got a front row seat. One bird seemed a little tramatized by the capture and hung out on the volunteer's hand for what seemed like forever, allowing me to get such amazing pictures I was giddy for the rest of the day! He just sat there, starring straight at my lens, and then in a blink he was off again, and all you could hear was the humming of his tiny wings...

A Slobbery Sweetheart ▌Sierra Vista Baby Photographer, Arizona

2010-07-30T13:28:00.004-07:00

Once upon a time he was a quiet and observant little fellow without too much worry or complaint. Now comes the first tooth, I assume, which has been causing a slobbery mess on all my shirt sleeves. A fair amount of screeching and screaming, mostly joyful, but still ear piercing, now rivals the parrot living next door. His gummy smiles are simply to die for, his smushy little cheeks draw so much attention I have to beat away the admirers at the grocery store. Please people, resist the temptation to grab sweet baby fingers and toes, and definitely don't try to kiss my baby if you can't even pronounce my last name! He is so precious, nothing that I write can convey how sweet and heart stoppingly adorable he really is, even if he is shrieking like a banshee...

Spinning in Circles ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-07-12T06:32:00.006-07:00

It's Day 3 of being back on my bike. I put it into storage when I moved to Korea 7 years ago and my sweet husband dug it out and had it tuned up for my birthday. So right now, every spare moment I can muster, between 0500 and 0800 while everyone is asleep and no one needs Mommy, you'll find me hitting the hills around Sierra Vista. Not a moment goes by when I am not seeing the world as though through my lens, so I was thrilled when the father of my most recent family shoot asked me to get a few images of him on his bike. I knew just the place, I knew right where I wanted to capture the shots; I didn't know it was going to rain, for the first time in months, of course, and I didn't know he'd be so damn fast! I suppose I could have told him to slow down a little, but it was more fun to tell him "Just take it from the top again Shane." The top of the hill, that is. Enjoy this sneak peek!

Cloudy With A Chance of Adorable ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-07-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

It's monsoon season here in Arizona, and though it has been threatening rain for weeks, it hasn't actually fell from the sky, until Saturday evening... Fortunately, this sweet family was game to chance the weather and hide beneath the shelter of this 100 year old ranch house in hopes of capturing something special. The most precious "something" came to them from Russia one year ago, a detail the mother wished to be conveyed through the images. It was a beautifully cool evening and smiles were plentiful, I have never seen a more cooperative three year old! Check out his reward in the last image, too cute not to share. Thank you for trusting me to capture the story of your family - you certainly have your own little ball of sunshine for any cloudy day!

Monsoon Wedding

2010-06-27T17:36:00.007-07:00

The month of June is quite possibly the most beautiful month for a wedding... that is unless you live in Arizona, and then you must pray that your wedding doesn't coincide with the arrival of monsoon season. But then again, it is good luck if it rains on your wedding day, right?! On Friday evening I had the privilege of assisting a very talented friend of mine, Pauline Fredericks. She has had this wedding in the books for months and I was more than excited to collaborate with her on the day (and soak in her vast knowledge of the wedding photography genre!) We were spared the downpour and we were blessed with amazing cloud coverage for wonderful portraits! I can't express how amazing it is to work with someone who really knows her business, thank you to Pauline for letting me tag along and learn the tricks of a very complicated craft! Now, one must understand that a second shooter goes where she is told and interprets what she sees. With that said, I sadly did not get any alone time with the groom's side of the events. However, there was plenty to capture and I'm excited to share a handful of my favorites:

Two Times The Fun ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-06-20T22:57:00.007-07:00

This morning I had the exciting opportunity to photograph gorgeous twin boys, for the second time! This beautiful family invited me into their home when these little guys were only a few weeks old, that chilly January morning was peaceful, sleepy, warm and cozy, precious. (For a peek at how tiny they were CLICK HERE) Today however, was a whole new world. In a mere 6 months we've discovered yummy fingers, delicious toes, Daddy's nose, and about a thousand other things that make us pout, giggle, and frown. It was just amazing to watch the little personalities grab hold of every heart in the room. It was a bittersweet morning for me as this family is moving, as Army life often makes us, on Tuesday! They will relocate and make a new home amidst old friends in a familiar town far from here. I am always thankful for the amazing souls God brings into my life, if only for a short time, these were GOOD times! Best of luck to your amazing family!

Side By Side Comparison ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-06-15T00:02:00.000-07:00

My boys were in an exceptionally good mood this morning. Maybe it was the marching band that was playing right outside the house for a special event at the museum across the street. Maybe it was the lovely cool breeze floating through the open sliding window. Whatever the reason, I suggested they sit and hold The Bundle for a picture of all the brothers together and they actually did it! So now I have my side by side comparison; the brown hair and brown eyes of my husband, the blond hair and green eyes are mine, and then there is the auburn haired, blue eyed baby in the middle, who must possess every recessive gene from generations passed. How I love watching them grow and change....

I ♥ Babies ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-06-14T14:34:00.004-07:00

Impossible! I heart faces wants us to choose a baby picture this week... Hmmmm. Well, I have three sons, so there are four and a half years of personal favorites to choose from. And Photos By Karyn is going on year number three of capturing life's most precious moments for other people, so Lord knows I have my favorites there too. So, in the end, I decided to choose the picture that started it all. I took this picture of my middle son, when he was just ten weeks old, with I Heart Faces contributor Julie Rivera's camera no less! I know what you are thinking: can we get some butter for all those rolls?! When I took this picture I finally realized what I wanted to do with my life, I shot my first paid session the same week.

If you haven't made I Heart Faces a favorite on your blog list, it's time! Head on over by following the link below:

Me Oh My, I LOVE Pad Thai ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-06-12T22:55:00.004-07:00

I craved Thai food all of the time while I was pregnant with The Bundle, I can't believe it never occurred to me to make it myself! I've mastered a handful of Asian dishes to keep me on speaking terms with my in-laws, and to sweet talk my husband into buying me more camera gear, so figuring out Pad Thai is by no means the most difficult of recipes. It just takes a little preparation. My husband declared that it was "authentic and if you open up a little stall on post you'd make serious bank!" Though I'm not quitting photography to open my own Thai Shack, here it is:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup "fish sauce" found in any Asian market
2 TBSP Tamarind Pulp or 1/4 cup water and 1 1/2 TBSP Tamarind Soup Base Powder, also abundant in any Asian Market
1TBSP lime juice

1lb boneless chicken thighs
1 (12oz) package of rice noodles (I found mine fresh in the refrigerator section of the Asian Market, had Pho recipes on the package). They should have a flat appearance similar to a fettuccine noodle.

1/3 cup of sesame or peanut oil
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
4 eggs
1 package firm tofu
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 1/2 TBSP white sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped peanuts
1 1/2 tsp ground dried oriental radish (or 2 TBSP diced pickled radish, which adds a nice texture to the dish)
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives (optional)
1 tsp Paprika (you can add additional red pepper spices for a hotter dish)
2 cups fresh bean sprouts, rinsed
1 lime, cut into wedges

Prepare the following ingredients before you begin cooking:
-Chop 4-5 boneless chicken thighs into bite sized pieces
-Mince your garlic
-Beat the 4 eggs in a bowl
-Take the tofu out of it's packaging, wrap in three layers of paper towel or a cheese cloth, place underneath a heavy wooden cutting board for about 5 minutes, this drains excess water from the tofu. Dice the tofu into chunks.
-In a food processor, grind the peanuts until they are small but not dust. Add the 1 1/2 TBSP sugar and 1 1/2 tsp salt to the peanuts and mix together.
-Boil water in a small saucepan, take off of heat, add the fresh bean sprouts and cover, let stand 2 minutes and drain.

Cooking:
1. Begin by combining the first four ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat. This is your "Pad Thai Sauce".
2. In a wok or very large pan with high sides, heat the oil and garlic for one minute, add the chicken, cooking thoroughly.
3. In the meantime, heat a medium pot of water over high heat in which to cook your rice noodles.
4. Leaving the oil in the wok, remove the chicken and place in the saucepan with the Pad Thai sauce for later.
5. Add to the oil the beaten eggs and scramble the eggs until cooked, they will look a little weird from the oil but that is okay. Next add the tofu to the eggs and fold to combine to avoid smashing the tofu. Sprinkle with about 1 TBSP soy sauce.
6. Turn off the heat under your wok momentarily.
7. If you bought fresh rice noodles, you are going to dip them in your boiling water and stir just long enough to break them apart from each other. Literally less than 5 seconds, transfer to a colander, rinse with cool water and drain and place directly into the egg mixture. If you leave them sitting in the sink they will stick to each other. If you bought dried rice noodles, follow package directions for cooking, rinse and add immediately to rice mixture.
8. Assemble all ingredients into the wok: chicken and Pad Thai sauce, noodles, sprouts, peanuts, chives, paprika etc. Turn the heat back on to medium, stir well to combine and heat through.
Serve garnished with lime and/or cucumbers.

My Little Clown ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-06-09T15:51:00.003-07:00

He smiles when you change his diaper, hey, I guess I would too. He smiles when he knows his next meal is on it's way. He smiles when you smile at him. He smiles when he is awake, he smiles when he is asleep. He's starting to laugh and my God, it is so funny! He laughs when one of his big brother's gets into trouble. He is 11 weeks old.

The Bisbee Photo Walk! ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-06-05T17:56:00.005-07:00

What better way to come off maternity leave than with the I Heart Faces Bisbee Photo Walk?! 27 Arizonans gathered this morning for a 92 degree, 2 hour stroll through the charming streets of Bisbee, AZ. Strolling with us were a handful of extremely patient models who did everything we suggested, and then some! One of our models came in a stunning 1800's period dress; ever worn a corset in the desert?! And another model graciously slide atop an old Chevy that was so hot you probably could have fried an egg on the hood! Her mother is going to kill me! (But her father stood right next to me snapping away with his DSLR...)
I'd like to send out a huge THANK YOU to my co-leader Pauline Fredericks. Pauline came to my rescue when the walk became larger than I had anticipated, and with her knowledge and years of experience we all learned a great deal this morning about diffusing and bouncing light. Thank you so much for all of your encouragement! Thank you also to our models and extra hands; the morning was a huge success and more fun than I imagined possible because of your willingness to play along!
The next photo walk, I think we all agreed over lunch, should take place in the fall or winter, when the temps are more user friendly. And, the walk needs to last twice as long, there just wasn't enough time to do everything we were dreaming up! Here are my favorites from the morning, a mere fraction of all the great work that exploded from all the energy surrounding me:

A Lucky Number, A New Decade ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-06-03T00:30:00.000-07:00

My jersey number in youth soccer was 3. I won two state championships in highschool basketball wearing the number 30, and I shot, you guessed it, three pointers. This year I gave birth to my third child, my third baby boy. It is also the third year of business for Photos By Karyn. Today is June 3rd, my 30th birthday! Hello thirties! I'm not scared of you, I'm rather excited that you are finally here. Reflecting this week has been fun, and most of you won't read this whole list. But what I have learned about myself is: I have most often done exactly what I wanted to do at the time I wanted to do it. And I can continue to do everything I want to do from here on out, in fact, I should aim higher than ever before. I went to the gym tonight to finish my twenties good and strong, a final sprint if you will. I noticed during the warm down that my souls are worn... Tomorrow I think I might go treat myself to a new pair of Nikes to remind myself to "Just Do It", all of it.

30 MOST NOTABLE MOMENTS OF MY FIRST 30 YEARS:
1. I was born to very loving parents
2. Sang one of the lead roles in my 6th Grade musical, as the baker’s wife, Into the Woods.
3. Won back to back state championships in High school Girls Basketball ‘97, ’98
4. Fueled by the enthusiasm of 200 crazed fans, hoisted by two very strong lesbians, I slipped a hand painted fan letter into the bathroom window of the tour bus belonging to The Indigo Girls. I’m still waiting for a reply…
5. Punted on the Thames River, England, summer of 1996.
6. Graduated from High school in the top 10% of my class
7. One year in Ringsted Denmark as a Rotary Exchange Student
8. Attended one day of instruction at the Royal Danish Military Academy (West Point Equivalent), an all male academy; aside from PT, one of the most memorable days of my life!
9. Celebrated my 19th birthday in Paris, France, at the Monte Cristo on the Champs De Elyse
10. Attended a Rochester Redwings Baseball game with MSNBC Hardball host Chris Matthews, and MSNBC Executive Producer Phil Griffin. Politely requested they did not smoke cigars in my Honda Civic and declined their offer for drinks in the hotel…
11. Graduated from RIT with a degree in Photography
12. Won a silver medal in the Philadelphia Dad Vail Regatta, collegiate rowing
13. Colliding with a Buick pick-up truck while riding my Cannondale in Tucson, AZ, resulting in two broken wrists, multiple other wounds, and a brand new bike torn to shreds.
14. Worked alongside world renowned photographer Richard Avedon, at the Center for Creative Photography, Tucson, AZ.
15. Graduated from the University of Arizona with a BFA in printmaking and photography
16. Trained for and completed the Tempe Sprint Triathlon, AZ.
17. Married the love of my life, Yukio, in 2003 after a whirlwind courtship consisting primarily of swing dancing.
18. Lived overseas in South Korea for three years
19. Dove into a school of jellyfish while snorkeling in Borrocay, Philippines, OUCH! This remains the most gorgeous island I have ever set foot on.
20. Viewed the sweeping rice paddies of Japan through the windows of the bullet train, the fastest passenger train on earth; met my husband’s family and visited the family homestead during 9 days travel in Japan.
21. Hiked two different sections of the Great Wall of China, 2004 & 2005
22. Walked in the Lotus Lantern Festival Parade through central Seoul, South Korea 2005
23. Gave birth to baby boy #1, in a Korean hospital with NO medication; said baby boy also gave me my first and only helicopter ride over the bridges of Seoul at sunset while only 27 weeks pregnant.
24. I ran the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler in Washington DC, finishing in just under 2 hours, unknowingly 5 weeks pregnant with The Baby.
25. Gave birth to baby boy #2, in a Texas hospital with medication that did nothing
26. Survived 15 months as a single mother, supporting my soldier husband during his deployment to Baghdad, Iraq.
27. Started my own photography business in 2007, Photos By Karyn
28. Gave birth to baby boy #3, in an Arizona hospital, with an amazing epidural, and slept through 5 hours of labor
29. Traveling to places others can only dream about: Canada, Mexico, Germany, England, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, South Korea, Japan, China, and Borrocay in The Philippines.
30. Hot Air Ballooning over Austin, Texas, with dear friend Julie Rivera.

MY NEXT 30 YEARS (in no particular order):
1. Travel through Italy and eat a real pizza
2. Take my family on a Disney Cruise; I hear they are a lot of fun…
3. Ride the Rails, and explore the fjords in Alaska
4. Stroll the streets and beaches of Perth, Australia
5. Start a non-for profit organization benefitting military children, photographing friendships during PCS.
6. Learn how to REALLY sail
7. Own a fabulous home by the water, any water.
8. Plant an award worthy garden at said home.
9. Raise a pair of Airedale Terriers
10. When the kids are old enough, get back into attending regular swing dance exchanges, master the Balboa.
11. Travel: Italy, Greece, Scotland, Ireland, Checzh Republic, Northern Japan, Turks and Caicos, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji.
12. Act in a city theatre production
13. Publish my children’s book
14. Publish a photography book
15. Worry less about bears, mountain lions, and snakes.
16. White water raft down the Grand Canyon or an equivalent
17. Grow Photos By Karyn into a full time business by 2020.
18. Live overseas again: Hawaii, Italy, Germany, Belgium, or Japan
19. More Hot Air Ballooning; over tulip fields, autumn leaves, vineyards in Tuscany, The Rhine Valley
20. Vacation at a working dude ranch when the boys are old enough to go on a trail ride.
21. Return to Denmark to visit my host families, and spend some time on the beach, which I never really got to do while living there.
22. Teach myself how to really cook, more than lasagna and tacos.
23. Get married again, to the same man, in a church.
24. Own a Bed and Breakfast Inn on the coast.
25. Learn how to surf
26. Take my husband to a Michigan Football game.
27. Downhill ski in the Italian Alps
28. Roller-skate more
29. Host an exchange student
30. Take a dip in the hot springs of Iceland

A "Grand" Memorial Day Getaway- Part 2 ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-06-02T22:29:00.004-07:00

The Grand Adventure continues... Following our big train excursion we drove the very quick 34 miles from Williams to Flagstaff. A quaint college town chalk full of delicious eateries and delightful looking shops (none of which we dared visit, think "bull in china shop" with three kids in tow), Flagstaff is a blissful escape from the desert heat at 7,000 feet elevation. For the next two nights we rested in an adorable "Comfi Cottage". Though we never personally met our hostess, owner Pat had our little abode warm and ready for us when we rolled into town after dinner at 8:30pm. A pack and play was all ready for The Bundle, twin beds were made up for the boys, the fridge was stocked with bacon, eggs, milk, juice, english muffins, pancake mix, and syrup, and there were even stuffed animals tucked into the rocking chairs. The little stuffed black lab puppy stole The Baby's heart right away and for the rest of the weekend we were a family of five, with a dog. Vacation takes on another meaning when you can actually put your kiddos to bed and still stay up to enjoy the evening with your husband instead of sitting in the hotel bathroom with a book while your kids sleep in the one room you share... I would highly recommend Comfi Cottages to any parent who wants some quality alone time with their spouse and a relaxing place to let the kids wrestle about without concern for neighbors.
Sunday morning was day number two of photographic disappointments for me. Day number one having been the Grand Canyon at high noon. Day two took us to the Arboretum in Flagstaff. Lured by multiple magazine listings for wildflower displays and a bug zoo, when we arrived, there were neither. The wildflowers bloom in July due to the higher elevation and the Bug Zoo died two years ago. The tree maze hidden in the woods more than made up for both however. We also discovered a rotating succulent planter in the greenhouse that had a caleidescope attachment (See photos below.)

Sunday night, after a failed attempt to tour Route 66 through Flagstaff (thinking there would be a number of funky old barn sized roosters or something similar worth a picture or two, but no, there wasn't), which lasted all of 2 minutes and 30 seconds, we treated the boys to shakes and fries at The Galaxy Cafe. We were totally bummed to find out that had we gone there for dinner on Saturday night, we had driven right past it actually, we would have been treated to swing dancing with the NAU swing dancing club. I had a banana split, a wonderfully cold and sinfully delicious triple banana split, for my dinner, to console my aching dancer's heart. My children ate two of my cherries before I got a chance to document my sundae, grrr...

A "Grand" Memorial Day Getaway- Part I ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-06-01T21:27:00.006-07:00

Last week my husband and I decided on a whim that it would be a fine idea to take a four year old climber, and a two year old follower, to see the largest whole in the earth, The Grand Canyon. According to Tom Tom, it takes 6 hours and forty minutes to reach Williams, AZ. Factor in a toilet trained preschooler, a newborn who loves to eat, and two children in diapers, and you have won yourself a 12 hour journey. We stayed the night at the Grand Canyon Railroad Hotel, right at the Depot where the train was to depart on Saturday morning. (Be sure to call for your tickets and get the military discount, which is substantial!) After mis-reading the alarm clock, I found myself showered and dressed at 06:00; I grabbed my camera and snuck out the door before any of the boys realized I was awake. The next 45 minutes were possibly
the most divine of the entire trip. I meandered through the quaint little town of Williams all by myself, sharing the streets with one lone Japanese tourist, also out with his Canon; we exchanged several knowing smiles over the gorgeous morning sunshine. The train excursion itself was memorable; comfortable, peaceful, we were treated to a continental breakfast with our First Class tickets. The two hour trip passed quickly and we found ourselves gazing at the view of the Grand Canyon at high noon... NOT ideal for photography what so ever, which would explain my over the top post processing of otherwise totally drab pictures of a dramatic landscape. Seriously, from 12-3pm, on a clear blue sky day, my timing could not have been worse. By 1pm, after a lousy lunch of bratwurst and ham and cheese on white bread (if you have room in your day pack you should definitely pack your lunch to allow you more time to explore the South Rim) we had The Baby asleep in the stroller, The Bundle asleep in the Bjorn, and The Boy's enthusiasm was seriously dwindling. There is no picture of the entire family together in front of the Canyon, though I did make sure nine other families went home with such an image by offering to snap the shots for strangers. Thinking that they would sleep on the ride back to Williams, we booked Coach seats for the southbound train. No such luck, we found ourselves trying to entertain two very bouncy little ones while I tried to feed a very hungry Bundle. We were treated to two musicians on the train, with oldies such as "Route 66" and some Tim McGraw. Finally, right before our arrival back at Williams, the train was robbed by bandits, who in my opinion passed by the kiddos much too quickly in favor of the Japanese tourists in our car who were eagerly waving their money with the joy of women at a "Thunder Down Under" event... Train travel is by far the best way to travel with children. You can feed them, walk them, relieve them, let them sleep, all while sitting comfortably, gazing out the window. I wish I could say the same for the 14 hour car ride home...

I ♥ Faces - Yellow ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-05-23T23:56:00.003-07:00

This week's theme is "yellow"... though I really wanted to post a military image, I just couldn't find the right one that I haven't entered into a contest already. But this kiddo is a military kiddo, and he is definitely sporting some serious yellow, and those baby blues just make me swoon. Sure to break some hearts in a few short years...

Cactus Country ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-05-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

I lived in the desert, in Tucson, from June 2001 through June 2003. I hated it. Sure, I found that I loved riding my road bike through the foothills very early in the morning. I found a handful of restaurants that were incredibly reliable. The monsoons had me mesmerized with lighting that permeated my dreams. But overall, I had the opinion that it was a hot, dry, brown, boring landscape. If only I had looked closer. I wouldn't have wasted 7 years believing that I hated the place. I'm so glad I returned. I feel so fortunate to have this second chance and the wisdom to slow down, look closer, and thank God for the beauty that can be found in everything.

Old Blue Eyes ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-05-18T13:36:00.006-07:00

I never really enjoyed the physical side effects of being pregnant, so those months went by agonizingly slow. Now, I just wish that time would stand still. He is asleep on my lap, all 14 pounds 3 ounces of him! (He's 24" long too!) He still has that wonderful newborn smell. He's starting to get that bald ring around his head from laying on his back. He's doing push-ups at tummy time. He laughs, he smiles, a lot. He looks most like his older brother, except he still has these captivating blue eyes like noone in the family. He acts with a sweet, quiet, easy going personality that is all his own. The pediatrician says that I am nursing him too frequently. Nevermind that he just slept through the night last night, and nevermind that I have, count them, THREE boys. Sorry Doc, I think by now I know what I'm doing, excuse me while I go feed my incredibly happy baby...

{These images were all captured at home, spur of the moment, around 6pm on the porch, in the span of about 5 minutes before my other two boys had a huge meltdown from hunger... Canon 40D, 24-70mm lens, right around ISO200, F5.6) I simply couldn't pick a favorite!}

I Heart Faces - Flower Power! ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-05-17T14:18:00.001-07:00

In 2004 I traveled to China for the first time. Our companions were another married couple and a Chinese tour guide. This remains one of my most favorite images from that trip; we were driving through a checkpoint of some sort, guarded by the Chinese military. I barely had time to turn on the camera and certainly didn't dare roll the window down, but what a capture! A soldier with a flower, I can think of a couple other iconic images of our lifetime that have the same theme...

For more great flower images, with faces of course, check out this week's contest at I Heart Faces:

All Smiles ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-05-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

He is two months old today! It's no longer gas, and it's ALL the time, this little guy is ALL smiles and I cannot get enough of them! On Mother's Day I got the BIGGEST smile of recognition as I scooped him out of the crib in the wee hours of morning to change him and feed him, making those two things so worth the effort ;)

Happy Mother's Day! ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-05-10T00:05:00.000-07:00

Today was the greatest Mother's Day, and one of the greatest days period. My husband dipped into my stash of frozen milk for The Bundle to give me uninterrupted sleep this morning, resulting in a fantastic dream where I was an amazing kick boxer. When I finally awoke on my own time, (wow! when was the last time THAT happened?!) I was greeted with a delicious home cooked breakfast, my favorite, french toast and strawberries with fresh coffee, YUMMO! After opening the most adorable bud vase and plaster of paris hand print from my older boys, I was gifted with a delightful outing; a short road trip revealed a historic ranch setting to explore and take portraits, and I had my most favorite (semi cooperative) models along with me for a fun filled picnic and a game of tag. Per my request we picked up a pizza for dinner and after posting these pics I'll be chillaxin' with a new episode of "Army Wives". You can't top all that. Tomorrow our playgroup is off to the zoo, and it will probably be a ZOO of a day, or a circus, depends on how you look at it.

(Gotta give huge kudos to my talented husband for snapping a couple of me with my boys on this special day!)

Honoring Mom ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-05-09T23:00:00.002-07:00

This week on the I Heart Faces Photography Blog we are honoring Mother's Day! I just put my folks on a plane back home to New York this past week after spending three wonderful weeks together oohing and ahhing over my precious newborn, my cheeky two year old, and my amazingly gifted four year old. Having my parents visit is always a special reminder of how rich my own childhood was; full of trips, treasures, adventures, for they bring it all with them again when they come to visit their grandchildren. If I wasn't standing in a doorway watching my Dad read to the boys, I was sneaking around with my camera trying to get a glimpse of my Mom cuddling the baby. And if I wasn't doing either of those things I was blessed with a nap or an evening out with my husband alone. Having my parents around always makes me wish that I lived a little closer to home. Here is my favorite image of my mother snuggling her third grandson. It's a very special moment when you get to gaze upon your own Mom holding the baby you made. I think she sat in this same chair with him asleep on her shoulder for nearly the entire day before they flew home, sweet!

MY ENTRY:

Go honor a special Mom in your life by clicking the button below!

Me Then, Me Now ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-05-02T21:27:00.006-07:00

I Heart Faces is doing something hilarious this week; a "Me Then, Me Now" theme. The idea is that you take a photograph of yourself as a kid and recreate it with as many details as you can manage. Since I have my parents visiting right now we decided to recreate an image of my father and I. The original picture was taken in upstate New York, when I was just one year old. The "Now" picture was taken in Arizona, 29 years later. I have a handful of other snapshots I want to recreate before Mom and Dad head home on Thursday, but for now we have this one, and we find it pretty funny:

Seriously, you deserve a belly laugh! Go check out the entries in this week's contest by clicking on the button below!

Seeing Like A Photographer▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-28T14:44:00.005-07:00

There has been a lot of interest in the upcoming I Heart Faces Photo Walk Across America. As leader of the Bisbee Photo Walk, I find myself advertising the event to everyone who will listen. Many people ask me "what IS a photo walk?" Other people say "I can never find anything worth photographing in the desert, it's so BROWN!" And there was once a time when I couldn't agree more. But just last night I went outside to try to photograph the full moon that was rising. Moons bug me, I can never make them appear as large as they do in person, the magic is never translated through my camera. But then I realized, while playing in the shrubbery for ten minutes, that when I focused on other things in my scene, the moon became much larger. Photography is all about how you "see" the world. Here is a little demonstration: The first image is exactly what I saw on the hill behind my house. There is construction going on and work trailers and lots of dirt, and in general it is NOT where you want to go to take pictures. But I stayed and spent ten minutes looking around, squatting down low, walking up higher, holding my camera to the ground, focusing near, focusing far, and the results were the perfect example for my demonstration. My hope is that anyone interested in photography will attend my Photo Walk and learn a little bit about "seeing" the world around them in a new way, in a way worth photographing. Lord knows the Army sends us to live in some desolate places, so this could be a valuable skill to learn!

WHAT THE AVERAGE PERSON SEES IN A LANDSCAPE:

WHAT I SEE AT FIRST GLANCE WHEN I TAKE IN A SCENE:

WHAT I SEE WHEN I LOOK AT AVERAGE STUFF:

Crazy About Bubbles ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-24T16:16:00.002-07:00

My parents find the most incredible toys for my kids. The Bubble Gun came from the New York State Fair, one of those display models that someone demonstrates with extra enthusiasm and flair and after seeing how cool it is you just have to have one. We had the boys in the tub and decided to turn off the lights to watch the bubble movie maker in action, it was too neat to NOT try to photograph it. At 1600 ISO, and using my 24-70mm wide open at F2.8, the results were very wacky, but too fun not to share.

Mother Nature, are you confused? ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

We awoke to 3 inches of SNOW! In April! Late April, in Southern Arizona! It was like Mother Earth crying out "it's my party and I'll snow if I want to!" Having already packed up the winter gear, and enjoyed two straight weeks of wearing shorts and slathering the kiddos with sunscreen, I spent half the morning hunting for stray mittens and gloves, the other half of the morning wiggling cold little fingers into the tiny finger holes in said gloves. By 3pm they were back outside in only sweatshirts without a flake of snow to be seen anywhere. It was as though it were all a dream, but I have the pictures to prove it was not!

I ♥ Faces Photo Walk, Bisbee AZ ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-19T14:37:00.012-07:00

I AM HONORED, ELATED, no, CRAZY EXCITED!! to announce that the city of Bisbee, Arizona, has been selected as one of the 20 US cities featured in the I Heart Faces Walk Across America Photo Walk! And yours truly is going to be leading this very fun morning! I've got some really cool ideas that will ONLY be seen on our walk, trust me, we live in the Wild West afterall... You don't need to be a pro to join the fun, you just need a camera and some enthusiasm and leave the rest to me! Read on!

CLICK HERE to register for the Bisbee, AZ, I Heart Faces Photo Walk Across America!

To see the other 19 locations where you can participate in this event, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

Outtakes - The Collage ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-18T21:18:00.004-07:00

This week at I Heart Faces we are doing something new and exciting: collages! I love to storyboard and collage when I get too many great images to choose from. My initial thought was to collage images of my three sons that had all been taken at the same age. Alas, I haven't found the time yet to search through my archives to find said images. But I do have this series handy, and it made me laugh when I saw them on the camera.

Anyone who has even tried to photograph a baby knows that for every perfect, sweet, sleepy, curled up infant, you have about a hundred misfires. To see more collages or join the fun yourself, click on the link below!

Wide Angle Wildlife ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-18T19:15:00.005-07:00

It was a beautiful day for photography in Southern Arizona. It was overcast! I had some homework to do for an upcoming project so we loaded our circus up in the minivan and drove off into the desert. Spring is in full bloom here, my eyes are so swollen and itchy I can barely see to type, but it certainly yields plenty of gorgeous specimens for photography. I challenged myself and left the house with only my 10-20mm wide angle lens, not my first pick for photographing flowers (I was after architecture today). I will probably drive back to the roadside wildflowers tomorrow with my 24-70mm if the light is favorable. And why is it that these incredible patches of flowers only grow RIGHT next to the road, and you only come across them when the kids have JUST fallen asleep in the car (and stopping the vehicle will surely cause them to wake?!)... So you can neither photograph them properly without getting the road in the image, and you definitely cannot photograph the children playing in them as traffic flings past you at 65mph... The first few are from the winding neighborhoods and gardens in Bisbee, AZ, and the last few are all from the roadside near the San Pedro Riparian Area en route to Bisbee. These are all pretty much straight out of camera except for resizing. The quality of light today had an incredible impact on the colors!

Short Stuff ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-15T20:12:00.003-07:00

We're short on a few things these days. We're short on sleep. We grab 30 minutes of uninterrupted slumber as though it were gold. We're short on balanced meals, but there is always food on the table. We're short on patience from time to time, mostly it's the boys patience with their Mama, who's about six arms short of what she needs. After a marathon laundry day we are no longer short on clean underwear, phew! It's been one month since bringing our little Bundle home from the hospital. He's alert, his cheeks are filling out, he's starting to develop those thighs that only a baby can get away with. He smiles all the time. He loves his bath as long as someone is holding his hand for the duration (see the photo below) One thing is for certain, we are NOT short on love. Love is something we have a whole lot of these days.

Note: Since this little guy loves his bath sooooooo much, I decided that I would attempt a little bath photo session for the "one month old" mark. We took the tub out on our porch, with that amazing evening light I am always bragging about. I used my 50mm lens, stayed at an F5.6 or there abouts, 125-200 shutter speed depending on which of the extra children was blocking my light.

A Stolen Treasure?! ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

A very bizarre morning it was... We had taken our children and a picnic lunch to a local park. The park is maybe 2 acres in size at most. Over the course of 2 hours, tipped off by another Mommy visiting the park, we managed to collect over 50 vintage coins from about ten different countries all over the world. The coins were scattered about in a newly seeded patch of grass and the gravel areas surrounding the playground. What fun it was to hunt and search, but it got us wondering about just how these coins came to rest in such an odd place. Are they stolen goods, cast off by teenagers who didn't realize their possible value? Or did a Grandparent with an abundant collection toss them out there for a twist on the old Easter Egg hunt last weekend? We are perplexed, maybe somewhere out there on the internet someone has an answer...

Wildflower Hunt ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's bluebonnet season - in Texas... I've been drooling over the amazing patch of bonnets that my friend, and amazingly talented photographer Julie Rivera, has been photographing all weekend. That's what people DO in the spring time in Texas; seek out bluebonnets, which hilariously enough are infested with bugs and snakes and all kinds of uncomfortable natural beings, and plop their newborns and smaller children amongst the blossoms for the annual spring photo. It's a photographer's dream! But, I fins myself trapped in Arizona, where there is NO water to speak of, a pre-requisite for bluebonnets. But things are looking up here in Sierra Vista, we not have bluebonnets, but we have Texas Sage blooming on our highways and byways! It's gorgeous and spreading like a wildfire. Now, if I could just find a brilliant patch to rival Julie's, far enough away from the road that I can let the kiddos loose...

Peek-A-Boo! ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Every afternoon at 4:30pm I find myself in exactly the same seat on the living room couch, nursing my newborn baby born, with the most incredible evening sunlight shining through a set of white curtains behind me. The resulting difused lighting is a photographer's dream... a dream you can't do much about when you are nursing a baby, and then burping the baby, and then most certainly running into the kitchen to finish up dinner preparations. Last night we were ahead of schedule for some reason and the five minutes I did manage with camera in hand, out on the porch, peeking through said window, just melted my heart:

This is one of those photographs where you catch a glimpse of what your baby might look like as he gets older, and it's the first photo where he really defines himself as "different" from his brothers...

We went to a street fair earlier in the day, thus the face paint...

Week 15 "I Heart Desserts" ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-11T18:15:00.002-07:00

I Heart Faces, a photography blog that I used to participate in weekly (back when I had a chance at winning, back when I was the carefree and well rested mother of only two children) taught me something wonderful today: I LOVE to photograph food! It doesn't get up and giggle as it runs off! It's a wacky week over at I Heart Faces because you don't have to have a FACE in your photo! I can't say that I have done this often, only enough times to get a strange look from bystanders at a party or function, but this is a kind of photography that I could really fall in love with as a profession. Right now, it's a miracle that I a.)had time to make dessert, b.)had time to "plate with pride" as the naked chef says, and c.)photograph the result- and all of this in about 7 minutes, while cooking dinner... like I said - a miracle! (I wish I'd had all day to play on this challenge!)

MY ENTRY - Dessert Pizza:

The True "Bling" of Spring ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-10T04:00:00.003-07:00

Every night that we can manage, we like to go for a family walk around our neighborhood. (My husband and I walk, the children alternate between whining and bemoaning the stroller..) We live up in the foothills of the Huachuca Mountains filling our walks with flora and fauna galore. I am usually without the camera because with three boys now in tow, one strapped to me, and 70lbs of combined older siblings in a double stroller, there isn't much room for cargo and certainly not a free hand for picture taking. Lately, the buds have begun to burst and flower, and each night I swear I will bring the camera out on our next walk. Finally! The Bundle and I found ourselves alone; he was happily asleep in the Bjorn on my chest and I was happily toting my Canon! For a wonderfully relaxing 45 minutes we were able to roam the neighborhood in lovely, dusky light, capturing the beauty of spring in our foothills. I will say that getting the images I imagined was more challenging while wearing a baby, but a wonderful evening spent (almost) blissfully alone.

3 Weeks Old ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-09T19:30:00.002-07:00

I don't care what they say about newborns and their gas induced smiles. The bundle does NOT suffer from gas whatsoever. Based on the amount of time this young man spends with his face cuddled into my breast, (what man isn't completely happy in that position anyway?!) he is the happiest baby on the block, for many reasons...
NOTE: This smile is NO joke, I have at least ten frames where he is smiling this big! If I had more time for editing and posting I would surely show you all ten!

Happy Easter ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-04-03T23:34:00.005-07:00

It's been a fun filled week of Easter activities: Shopping for special chocolates for the Easter baskets at Marshall's was cut short due to a serious diaper malfunction. Art class with all three boys found me capable of coloring eggs with a 2 year old, and a 4 year old, while breastfeeding. Thanks to Julie's gift of a "hooter hider" I maintained a very small amount of dignity. And tonight our little Bundle made his neighborhood debut at the flashlight egg hunt, which was awesome, and I'll pat myself on the back for thinking to put reflective belts on both of my older kids and didn't lose anyone. One of the most wonderful joys of parenthood is watching the excitement and wonder in the eyes of a child as they dye their first egg, or discover a plastic egg is filled with candy. I guess I should hit the hay so I am ready to make all those wonderful moments happen for the boys all day tomorrow. A very Happy Easter to our family and friends, these are for you:

(When the General's wife gives you sweet bunny ears, one must make good use of them! This is my new go-to picture for that special day when he brings a girl home...)

Why Take Pictures? ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-03-31T15:24:00.004-07:00

I think about it all of the time, but I seldom write about why I am a photographer. This week I was reading a brilliant autobiography called "Clara's War" by Clara Kramer. It is a survivor's story about a young Polish girl hiding in Nazi invaded Poland from 1939 throughout the war. While reading this book I came across a couple of passages that resonated within me for days:

"We had already lost so many friends. We mourned the fact that we had nothing, not one photo, to remember our friends by. We decided to go to Mr Domanski and get our pictures taken to have something to remember each other by. We wanted a token of our friendship to survive the war, even if we didn't."

"'Please, Bolek, there's a wooden box with pictures in it. Can we keep it?' He hesitated, then opened the trunk and took out the box. He still hadn't said a word, but he finally looked me in the eye. The box was hand carved from Russian birch and inlaid with an intricate pattern. He could tell how valuable it was. I didn't care about the box's value; I just wanted to keep the photos that proved that our family had once existed in an almost divine state of happiness and love. Our life was all there. The weddings, the brises, vacations in the Carpathians, trips to Rosa's in the country. And even the picture of the four of us on our way to Paradise Hill. There were dozens and dozens of photos..."

These descriptions reminded me of how much my images mean to me. Photography took on a whole new meaning and purpose when I became a mother in 2006. The moment I realized my newborn was changing, changing so quickly and in ways I might not remember in detail many years from now, I started to record those details with the camera. When my husband deployed to Iraq after our second son was born, he watched The Baby grow through my images. When he came home from Iraq he would search through the thousands of pictures I had taken and see all of the moments that had passed while he was gone. I do, always, have the sense that someday, generations after me, will have the images in hand, they will see the love our family shares, they will see traditions, they will see history, they will perhaps see places that no longer exist. It's really pretty powerful, the photograph, when you stop to think about it...

Today I take pictures because The Bundle is two weeks old. And he will never be just two weeks old ever again...

Spring Has Sprung! ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-03-29T15:14:00.004-07:00

Despite the fact that I'm not posting too many images, the camera is never far out of reach... I find myself focusing on the older boys as much as possible and doing as little as possible on the computer these days. Here are just a couple favorites from the week:

One Week Old ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

2010-03-23T21:12:00.006-07:00

We have officially survived week number one with our new little Bundle. He has gained 6oz on top of his birth weight and grown a 1/2 inch! One of the occupational hazards of being a photographer and a new mother is the self imposed pressure to capture every moment in detail and I frequently find myself on the itouch during those late night feedings, scrolling through newborn images for inspiration. I have made similar portraits for a dozen clients, so why wouldn't I try for the same with my own family?! Easier said than done. The scene: 5pm. Our front porch, a black backdrop and a wall full of windows. (Sorry, forgot the shot of the studio set-up.)The two big brothers, one who has napped and woke up grumpy, one who has had a full day of play and preschool, armed with Nerf croquet mallets, a gift received earlier that morning from a well-meaning visitor, fighting over who has the better "cheese maker" built from the family erector set... My husband and I on the other end of the porch, cluster nursing The Bundle to get him good and sleepy, attempting as many shots as possible with the naked bottom before The Bundle does his business. The screaming of the two boys escalates, we ignore them, we plead with them, we referee briefly. Then my husband takes the camera and I take The Bundle, after a quick nip he's asleep again, and my husband goes to work like a pro! He's half pressing and re-composing like the best of them, I am beaming with pride, maybe not over the fact that I have just given birth to this amazing little person, but because my husband has been watching me work and he makes a handful of amazing captures. I am seldom in front of the camera, so when he gets a good one, I swoon! And here are my favorites:

The Boy & The Bundle: The Boy wasn't interested in a photo shoot until he found out he was going to get to lay on the dining room table... The Bundle is showing some serious "Pirate Eye"...

Big strong Daddy arms holding The Bundle...

The Bundle's expression says it all... And Daddy is laughing because he's nervous about me having instructed him to take off the diaper...

Oh, that little mouth just melts me to pieces!

The husband gets all the credit on these two images of me...

Maybe we should change his web name from The Bundle to Little Budha? I can't believe the double chin at one week old, this kiddo is going to plump up like a brined turkey!

And, the non-participant, who couldn't give a flying hoot about the chance to get on top of the dining table...

Rest Schmest! ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-03-20T21:54:00.003-07:00

I would be getting so much more rest if I weren't a professional photographer. When he sleeps I should sleep, I know this. But I also know I only have a mere ten days after birth to get the curled up newborn images we all love so much... Still working on those... But here are two from today that just stole my heart, The Bundle with his baby blue eyes open! And The Baby bonding with The Bundle, which he hasn't yet had much of a chance to do since he has had a cold. I love when there is literally a ten second opportunity to snap an image, and you actually manage to get a good one. Oh how sweet it is to watch the two older brothers dote upon The Bundle... And oh my, isn't that Koala Boutique knit onesie just adorable?! Gonna be sad when he outgrows that, which will probably be next Tuesday!

Praises For The Day ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-03-17T22:05:00.005-07:00

Thank you to my big brother and his sweet bride for the gorgeous spring bouquet filling my home with the most wonderful fragrance!
Thank you to my super sweet neighbors, for loving on my children the night we were gone, and for adorning our front and back doors with festive Baby Boy balloons for all to see!
Thank you to the extremely thoughtful family sharing our duplex, who not only filled a generous gift bag with adorable baby must-haves, but topped it off with two butterfly nets for our older boys, who haven't put them down for a moment!
Thank you to all of the friends and family who have sent emails, snail mails, and facebook posts checking our health and progress!
Thank you to my Aunt Peg for the lovely hand sewn quilt that arrived today!
Thank you God; for giving my husband the patience and energy to act for two, for allowing me the time and ability to hide away from the world and snuggle the most precious gift, for crock pots, for feeding, bathing, clothing, and finding hugs for everyone today, for finding 30 minutes of down time on a beautifully lighted sun porch for my most favorite activity, my camera. I know this may not happen most weeks. I am grateful for every blessing.

Thank you everyone. I thought I would be stressed out and overwhelmed, but I'm really just intoxicated with happiness and love. Let me share the LOVE:

I know what Julie is thinking here, "oh no you didn't, putting that baby in a basket..." as I have told her hundreds of times "I don't do baskets" but the light was so beautiful and he is so malleable and The Baby walked into the room carrying the basket on his head calling himself Darth Vader, I just had to give it a whirl. I still can't believe that he actually fit inside my bump something like this. It's no wonder I was so uncomfortable.

A big Thank You to our friends out in San Diego who sent this super bright onesie that photographs insanely well!

The first thing he wants to do in the morning, and the first thing he wanted to do when he got home from school, was to hold the baby. I am in awe of how grown-up he is behaving, how loving, how patient, how interested, how gentle, I almost cried when I saw this picture.

When Mom asked for hospital photos this morning I quickly realized that I had no good pictures of my husband or myself with The Bundle, so that became the day's top priority.

He's still sporting a large bruise on the forehead, and no, I'm not going to photoshop it, some things are just real and should be. I'm laughing as I remind my husband that all images of the new Mommy must be taken from above. For snapping just two or three before running out the door to preschool, he did pretty dang good!

The Bundle ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-03-16T12:37:00.005-07:00

This week at I Heart Faces is, ready for this? "All Bundled Up". I couldn't help myself, I just HAD to have my baby THIS WEEK! And, I have to break the rules and give y'all more than one image, because I don't care about making the top ten this week, and I probably will not participate in weeks to come; I predict total chaos moving into my home. So, for all of my cyber friends and family, here he is, savor them, it could be awhile before the next batch:

March 15, 2010 - 1:36am
Weighing 8lbs 12oz
Measuring 21" long
Labor: relatively easy
Epidural: my first, and amazing! Why on earth would you NOT want one?!
Recovery: already home and, obviously well enough to be on the blog...

Introducing: The Bundle

P.S. The Bundle was born face up, and thus the bruising to the forehead, which should clear up in a week or so. For now I call him my "little Clingon".

Honey, It's Time! ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-03-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

I was perfectly content with two bouncing baby boys... then I caught my eldest son standing on his head, which, if you are familiar with wives tales, means one of two things: a.) Stock up on contraception or b.) You are too late. This is precisely the position he displayed a week before we found out we were pregnant with boy number 2, and again, boy number 3...

Other things I should have paid closer attention to:
a.) Under no circumstances should a woman in her twenties EVER drink water that has not been imported in a sealed container while living in the city of Fort Hood, Texas. For those of you who don't know- Fort Hood is the baby making capital of the world. To be safe, avoid the ice as well.
b.) One should exercise EXTREME caution when standing close to, snuggling with, or even making eye contact with a Soldier Spouse recently home from a 15 month deployment- they are the most potent men on the face of the planet.
c.) Thou shalt not sell a single baby item in a PCS garage sale (PCS is when you move from base to base in the military world). Regardless of how cumbersome the strollers, car seats, and play gyms seem, you should always make room for them in the moving van and never give them away or God forbid, resell them...

This is quite possibly my last belly shot, taken on 3/2/2010.

And for comparison, here is a little collage of ALL the belly shots I did manage to accomplish over the course of the pregnancy:

And if this has been posted, it most certainly means we are on our way to the hospital to greet baby number 3!

Jump For Joy! ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-03-08T14:39:00.004-07:00

Everyone is "Jumping for Joy" at I Heart Faces this week. Maybe if I participate with some literal jumping of my own I could be surprised with the joy of a newborn sometime this week... My husband is a total ham. This image never fails to make me smile. Is it his natural ability to make my children cackle with laughter and smile, or maybe it's the fact that my officer husband can leap in this nature in front of his home, just a few doors down from the General's house, without a second thought. Thank God he has a sense of humor or we would never survive these final weeks of pregnancy.

I'm going to do some jumping jacks, you go check out the other great entries in this week's Jump For Joy contest at I Heart Faces!

Donut Daze ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-03-01T14:54:00.004-07:00

It dawned on me that once I have a newborn in my arms, taking photographs everyday is going to become considerably more difficult. So this past weekend I found myself attempting to capture more of those random everyday moments as we trekked through our simple weekend routines. Photography at this point has become difficult, more of a standing, point and shoot effort, rather than my preferred "hang upside down with the child" methods. I used to wonder why the hippos at the zoo weren't more active; why we would only ever see them laying around, or standing at the trough. Well, at 36 weeks pregnant, and quite resembling a baby hippo myself, I know that hippos don't do that much because, well, it's just not possible to romp and run and play and squat and duck for cover when you are sporting all that girth! I apologize ahead of time, this first image is going to cause everyone to want to head out for fresh donuts...

"Mummy Yummy!"

Now if that smile isn't worth the effort of going out for donuts, I don't know what is!

The donut shop has two booths outside. It was about 55 degrees and perfect for a hot cup of coffee and some fresh sunshine. Someone didn't care for my frequent interuptions...

My, how he has grown, and the higher he climbs the more terrified I become of the teen years...

"Anything he can do I can do better! But this is getting a little high.... um, help?!"

Restoring Order ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-02-28T16:25:00.004-07:00

We've finally made it to 36 weeks pregnant! Now I can breathe a huge sigh of relief as labor will no longer require me to transfer to Tucson (where the level 3 NIC Unit is located) AND my husband is home from his business trip. So with all of these stressful factors now behind us I am busy trying to wrap up loose ends. The restoration of these 7 portraits was my last official job before beginning my much anticipated maternity leave. They come to me from one of the Fort's headquarters buildings as they prepare for Hall Of Fame week coming up this spring. There was extensive damage, goodness knows how long these images have hung in their hallways. Scratches, dust, fading, you name it, it was present. Here are the before and afters, which of course are too small to reveal the hundreds of imperfections, and appear quite a bit more contrasting than they do in print. However, the obvious improvement is evident:

Bath Time Buddies ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-02-25T00:00:00.001-07:00

I found my key to low light level photography: returning to monochrome. Whenever I find myself in low light situations, I end up hating the yellow cast that results in all of the pictures. I have found that by setting the camera up to a "user defined" monochrome setting with high contrast and high sharpness (I'm using a Canon 40D), the results are much more fun and require little to nothing in the Photoshop stage of editing. This week I find myself trying to capture everyday moments in our house before I run out of opportunities and free hands. I'm shooting at ISO 1600 most of the time (at night our big old house is like a tomb) and most shots are between F1.4 and F3.0. Regardless of the fuzzy noise from the high ISO, I still think I've caught some keepers.

Finishing Touches ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-02-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

If these projects are all complete before baby's arrival, the post will be titled "It's a Miracle!". You'd think that God made pregnancy last ten months (yes people, for those of you who haven't been pregnant, it really does come down to 10!) to allow for enough time to assemble cribs and gliders and decorate the nursery. And, you'd think that having a third child of the same sex would make it easier because you would bring out the old stuff, wash it, and just set it up. However, what they don't tell you, is that on baby number three you start to feel guilty. You start to feel like if you aren't neglecting one of your children, you're neglecting another, or worse, you've forgotten that you are married! Not to mention, I've been looking at the same nursery decor for the last four years and Mommy The Artist is bored! So here they are, my best laid plans, or at least the fabric I have chosen for them. I was also hoping that I could do some wild editing on some of my safari photographs for wall decor, but the recent death of the external hard drive may have saved me from that time consuming project. Perhaps I should stop blogging and start sewing...

The Big 4! ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-02-23T07:25:00.005-07:00

The Boy has just celebrated the most anticipated Star Wars themed birthday of his little life! He says "Please" and "Thank you" with frequency, laughs and smiles easily, can empty the silverware tray from the dishwasher, and baffles me with his never-ending stream of questions. He drives his preschool teacher crazy by refusing to write his numbers and letters properly, but surprises us at dinner when he chooses to discuss the "interface" on Daddy's computer. He has mastered the ipod. Happy Birthday to my Big Boy, I am so proud of all that you do, but especially fond of your loving heart. We MUST be doing something right...
I have been working so hard lately, to finalize every business oriented task prior to the new baby's arrival, that I had no intention of posting these. Alas, when I awoke this morning at 5:05am, eager to assault the restoration images I have waiting for me, I discovered that they were not on my computer ready for me, but rather locked up on my sleeping husband's computer. I didn't have the heart to wake him, and that is how the birthday blog came about. You might also notice that these pictures look a little wacky. Well, have you ever seen an Army facility? Usually concrete, usually old, always painted white or cream, sparsely decorated, nasty fluorescent lighting and no windows, in one word: UGLY. We held The Boy's party at the Army Arts and Crafts Center. My husband and I agree that it was the most relaxed, easiest, and most enjoyable party we've hosted yet. We didn't have to clean our house for guests, a simple ziti dinner, a kid friendly craft (they glazed ceramic "fighter jet" piggy banks, and a space to run around where the kids couldn't hurt anything. Too easy! Back to the UGLY part though, I decided that I would tinker with some filters that would modify the backgrounds. I can't say that I love the effects, but I certainly learned a little in the process, and that's always good!

Cowboys & Sweethearts ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-02-21T13:47:00.008-07:00

At last! Here is a selection from last week's "18 Annual Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering", a celebration that took place right here in Sierra Vista, AZ, including artists from all over the United States and Canada. I had the exciting task of capturing the artists during several performances as well as during an after hours jam session held at the Windemere Hotel. My only problem was finding the right time to go home each night! I hope they will let me return next year, and hopefully I won't be 34 weeks pregnant, and hopefully I will be able to stay late into the wee hours of morning because the jam session shots (the closer candids) are some of my absolute favorites. Where I was able, I tried to list the name of the artist in the image. All of the images I captured during the weekend (there are at least a hundred more) will be available to view and purchase coming this March. When I have a link for that gallery I will post it here. In the meantime, if you wish to be notified when those images are ready, please email me your contact info. And please, feel free to leave comments!

Boots, courtesy of Dennis Gaines, Kerrville, Texas.

Poet Jerry "Brooksie" Brooks, Sevier, Utah.

Co-Chair Mike Barker awaits his next introduction.

K.W. "Skelly" Boyd, of The Desert Sons, Tucson, Arizona.

Dawn Moon and daughter, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Ken and Lyn Mikell, Cottonwood, Arizona.

Tie detail; everyone came out wearing their finest duds in support of Cowboy traditions!

Doris Daley, Alberta, Canada.

Michael and Dawn Moon enjoy a tune during Saturday night's jam session.

Laurie and Cora Wood, in my humble opinion the toughest act to follow, Encampment, Wyoming.

Cora Rose Wood, is an energetic second grader who has released her very own CD Cora's Cowgirl Yodel. Bright eyed, adorable, polite, with a big voice and an even bigger heart!

Cowboy Poet of the Year (2000) Larry Maurice, Reno, Nevada.

Folklorist Tony Norris, of Flagstaff, Arizona, improvises during a jam session at the Windemere.

One of my favorite images, musician Jon Messanger.

Buckaroos eager to serve a hot cowboy lunch!

Son of Michael and Dawn Moon, showing his talents during the jam session late Saturday night.

I ♥ Dancing ▌Sierra Vista Photographer, Arizona

2010-02-14T21:59:00.003-07:00

I LOVE dancing. It's how I met my husband, at a lindy-hop workshop in Tucson. Hard to imagine right now with 34 weeks of pregnant belly starring back at me, but we used to fly to other states to swing dance for three days straight; think big band music, flowers tucked behind the ear, vintage hair and clothes, the works. Ahhh, life before kiddos...

The theme for this week's I ♥ Faces photo contest is "Dancing". Unfortunately, when we attend these awesome, very picturesque venues, I seldom take anything of value as it is ditched in the corner for the night, so very few pictures have come home with us. But as I have posted previously, some of our very good swing dancing friends recently got hitched and somehow, even at 1250 ISO, F2.8, and no flash, I still managed several fantastic action shots, this dancing sequence remains my favorite from the past year.

Come back later this week for a look at Southern Arizona's award winning "18th Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering". For my last shooting engagement prior to maternity leave (which is feeling very overdue at this point!) I teamed up with local photographer Pauline Fredericks to cover the three day event. I've got over 700 amazing images to sort through, of the most sincere, wholesome, entertaining, country folk, you could ever hope to meet and hang out with! I LOVE me some "unlimited access"!!