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...

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...

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!

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!

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:

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!