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Here you will find all sorts of things: tips and tricks, book reviews, stories of my adventures, client features, and so much more!
What Happens When a Photographer Takes Photos of Her Own Family- Los Lunas, New Mexico
On the day before Thanksgiving of all days, my mom asked me to take the guys in our family out and take portraits of them to send to all of my aunts and cousins in her Christmas cards. You would think that this would be one of the easiest photo sessions of my year- after all, it's my three boys, my dad, and my brother. You would be mistaken. Silliness ensues, chaos occurs, and yes- just like any other family- my kids need to be bribed to sit still and smile nicely.
'A Christmas Story' and Why it's My Favorite Christmas Movie
We've all seen the movie A Christmas Story- it's the one where Ralphie wants a Red Rider BB gun, and everyone keeps telling him that he'll shoot his eye out. It's one of those movies that has a cult following, meaning you probably either love it, or you hate it. I'm okay if you hate it; in fact most of my family can only stand one or two viewings a Christmas season before they're ready to move on to other Christmas movies (Home Alone 1 and 2, The Santa Clause, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town are all some other favorites).
Jane and Jake’s Maternity Portraits- Los Lunas, New Mexico
Jane and Jake Larson are some of the sweetest people that I’ve ever met. This past September, they welcomed their first child- a little girl named Payton. I was blessed to capture this special time in their lives- the last few weeks before they became parents and went from a family of two to a family of three.
Organizing Your Wedding Timeline to Get the Photos You Want
Wedding days are crazy busy. There is so much to do from the time you get up, to the time you (finally) kick off your shoes and fall into bed. But, after all is said and done, your photos will be the one thing that lasts beyond your special day, besides your memories. So, it'd make sense to plan your wedding day around getting the best photos possible, right? Here, I'll explain how to do that.
The Romero Family- Bosque Farms, New Mexico
I had the absolute honor of working with the Romero family a few weeks ago. This amazing family is behind Bosque Farm's Farmhouse Style- a small local business featuring reclaimed antique furniture and other goodies that come from Chip and Joanna Gaines' retail line. And, I'm lucky enough to have several of their pieces residing in my own home!
Monica and Kyle’s Maternity Portraits- Europa Coffee, Los Lunas, New Mexico
I had the opportunity to work with Monica and Kyle Honeyfield a few months ago to capture their beautiful maternity portraits. Kyle is a cowboy in every sense of the word, and they wanted to incorporate this into their session, so Kyle brought his horse, and we got permission from Europa Coffee to use their field. And, I surprised Monica with a flower crown from Ramos Flowers.
Happy Thanksgiving, Y’all!
As I sit here with my family, I can’t help but think of all that I have been blessed with. I am beyond grateful that I have a wonderful family and amazing friends, but I also have a wonderful group of friendors (other wedding vendors turned friends), and incredible clients-turned-friends. Seriously, y’all, I have the most marvelous people in all areas of my life.
My Top Five Favorite Books/Series
I’ve done a couple of blog posts about my reading goals, and books that I’ve read (those can be found here, and here, and here) , but I realized that I’ve never done a post about my favorite books. The problem with this is that asking me to pick a favorite book is like asking me to pick a favorite child; they’re all my favorites, but for very different reasons. So, here are my top five favorite books/series
Upcoming Wedding Trends!
Last Wednesday, I got the opportunity to attend the Perfect Wedding Guide of New Mexico's Wedding MBA Recap Breakfast at Tanoan Country Club in Albuquerque. Not only was the venue gorgeous and the food delicious, but I got to learn about upcoming wedding trends for 2018! So, in no particular order (and borrowing photos from others...) here they are:
An Albuquerque Engagement Session- Megan and Eric
I met Megan and Eric last spring when they were searching for an Engagement Photographer to take their engagement photos. Their destination wedding in Colorado was providing them with their wedding photographer, but they live here in Albuquerque!
Tuesdays Together, New Mexico Volunteers at Roadrunner Food Bank
I know it's late, but I had to share today's adventure with y'all. Today I took the time to volunteer at New Mexico's largest food bank with the Rising Tide Society's Tuesdays Together New Mexico group.
My Three Sons- An update
I've occasionally posted about my boys on this blog, but it's been quite a while since I've given y'all an update on them. So much has changed in the last few months alone! It's a crazy ride, raising these three boys that I've been blessed with, but I wouldn't have them, or this life any different.
A Rustic, Backyard Wedding in Espanola, New Mexico- Gayle and Aaron
Gayle and Aaron were married on July 1st, 2017 in a beautiful backyard ceremony at Gayle's parent's home in Espanola, New Mexico. This amazing family came together to DIY almost everything about their wedding- from the cake and the decor, to the invitations and DJ, it all had something personal about it.
'Go Set a Watchman' by Harper Lee- a Book Review
I finished reading 'Go Set a Watchman' by Harper Lee today. Yes, it's the same one that was originally rejected by a publisher for some strange reason that caused Harper Lee to go write her more famous novel, 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. This novel features a grown-up Scout, a much older Atticus, a Jem that is present only in memory, and a few new characters that I don't remember from my middle school reading of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.
A Prairie Star Wedding- Jenna and Nestor Rios
Jenna and Nestor Rios were married this past Saturday, November 4th, 2017 in a sweet, simple ceremony at Prairie Star Restaurant. Their day was filled with small, meaningful details, such as the charm of Jenna's great-grandparents that she carried down the aisle on her bouquet.
Albuquerque, New Mexico Temple of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints- Kyle and Allison's Sealing!
I had the blessing and pleasure of photographing Allison and Kyle's wedding portraits on Saturday, July 1st, at the Albuquerque, New Mexico Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
A Family Session in Ruidoso, New Mexico- The Mendiola Family
This awesome family and I met just outside of Ruidoso, along the road to Bonito Lake for their family session over Memorial Day weekend, and it was definitely an adventurous session!
Dear Mom, Grandma, and Cathy...
With Mother's Day coming on Sunday, I thought this week's post would be an opportune moment to share with you all a little about the beautiful moms and grandma that I'm blessed to have. I honestly don't know where- or who- I'd be without them.
10 Wedding Traditions That You Can Completely Skip
Weddings come with a lot of traditions, but some of our modern traditions surrounding weddings and marriage aren't nearly as old as we may think. In fact, some of them are down right recent! Anyway, here's a list of traditions that you can probably skip without anyone really noticing- and if they do, feel free to share this list with them.
Books 1-12: A Book Review by a Photographic Bookworm
One of my many goals this year is to read 36 books. To some that may sound like a great many books, and to others, not nearly enough. But, as a busy mom of three active boys, a business owner, and someone who is dyslexic (Yep. I've worked hard to be able to read and spell well, because it's something that I enjoy!), 36 books- or three books a month- seems a reasonable goal. I've managed to accomplish one-third of my goal, and I wanted to take a moment to share with y'all what I've been reading.