This little cutie is Cynthia. I have had the pleasure of knowing her mom, Kendra, and her aunt and grandmother for a number of years, so when Cynthia was born, I got to create her newborn portraits!
Read MoreLast night I attended the Valencia Band-o-Rama concert at Valencia High School. The concert featured performances by Tomé Elementary, Bosque Farms Elementary, Valencia Elementary, Peralta Elementary, Valencia Middle School, and Valencia High School. The point behind this particular concert is March is Music in Our Schools Month, and we celebrate this by putting on a free, community-wide concert to remind people of the value of learning music in school.
Read MoreIt’s recently become more and more clear to me that most people don’t know a whole lot about what professional photography is, or what a professional photographer (like me!) does. That’s why I’ve written the last couple of posts, but I wanted to provide you all with some context for this course of education before I go too much further, and y’all think I’ve lost my mind (clearly my children have stolen it and sold it on the black market).
Read MoreOf all the sports that are routinely played in American high schools, basketball is the one I happen to know the most about. And, because of this, I was able to fully appreciate watching our VHS basketball teams play last Saturday against LLHS!
Read MoreSoccer is the most popular sport in the world, with the U.S. hosting several professional teams, and most nations in the world hosting a National Team. And, I’m sure that any true soccer fan can list off all the stats of his or her favorite player and team.
Read MoreEvery year, on March 1st (or 2nd if the 1st is a Sunday!) the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District comes around and opens all of the flood control gates so that all of the farmers and ranchers up and down the Rio Grande River Valley can begin to irrigate and flood their fields to prepare for the Spring planting season. For all of us, this is a sure sign that Spring is just around the corner- and it’s one of those annual markers I was just writing about over here!
Read MoreI never knew my dad’s parents- they both passed away before I was born. I only know the stories that my aunts and cousins tell of them. But, I did get to know my mom’s parents incredibly well. Grandma stayed home to take care of my brother and I until we were old enough to stay home alone. She came to every band concert, every football game, and almost every other important event in my life, right up until I graduated high school. She was at my wedding, and she was even there in the delivery room on the night I became a mommy. She’s still here. Teaching us about love, hard work, and having your own inner strength.
Read MoreIn past posts, I’ve shared about how our small town life means that we are connected- and interconnected- with a LOT of people, both friends and family. And, it’s true! And, I really do love this aspect of life in a small town, because there is always someone to visit with, help, or to provide help. But, another thing that I love about living in our small town is that there is a certain rhythm to the days, weeks, months, and years here. I know it sounds crazy, but stay with me here!
Read MoreOne of the things that I absolutely loved about high school band was getting to sit in the stands with my friends and watch every home game the Los Lunas Tigers played. I loved seeing the community come together to support our team, and to spend time with friends and family. It also helped that my parents, brother, and grandmother were also there supporting me! I have to say, though, that there is nothing like watching a small-town high school team play in their home stadium. Even though we lost more often than we won, the town, the team, and the school all had a great Friday night.
Read MoreIn 2014, Ms. Casey Hoyt and Ms. Donna Angelus, seeing the importance of STEAM in girls’ futures, planned an executed the first Girl Scout Silver Science event for Girl Scouts in Los Lunas, New Mexico. Event activities included Kool Aid Bottle Rockets, Baking Soda Rockets, Mapping DNA, Film Cannister Rockets, and an introduction to First LEGO League- a group that encourages people to form teams to build a LEGO robot and program it to complete certain tasks before competing to see which team has done the best job each year.
Read MoreI was a band nerd. I played flute from 6th through 9th grade, and then switched to saxophone for the rest of High School and College. My husband- Justin- was a band nerd- it’s how we met! So, it’s safe to say that band nerds always have, and always will have a special place in my heart. But, it’s much more than that! There is a camaraderie that develops when you’re in band, that I’ve never seen replicated anywhere else.
Read MoreEach year, the Rio Grande River Valley begins to sparkle and shine with bright hues of red, orange, yellow, and even a little green mixed in. That’s how you know it’s October in New Mexico! And, each year around this time, I try to do family mini sessions for my clients. This year, however, I didn’t charge for my time and talent. Instead, I asked each family who signed up to bring in at least one cleaning supply to donate to our local children’s home, El Ranchito de Los Niños.
Read MoreAs I type this, I’m sitting in my car waiting for traffic to clear out of Los Lunas’s McDonald’s parking lot after our town Twinkle Light Parade. Yes, the traffic sucks, but it is a small price to pay for this simple, small-town event.
Read MoreIn my mind, I’ve begun this post a million times, and in just as many ways, but now that I’m actually writing it, my mind’s gone blank so I’m winging it.
Read MoreI honestly can’t recall how many years Dorinda and I have been friends now, but it’s been a long time. I watched as her and her husband Nick (also a good friend) became parents half way around the world (Nick was stationed in Japan with the Navy), and again after they’d been reassigned to Chicago. After they finally moved home a few years ago, I finally got to meet and cuddle their sweet kiddos. So when Nick and Dorinda announced they were expecting baby #3, I jumped at the chance to capture her pregnancy this time around!
Read MoreI met this spunky family last September on a beautiful Fall evening. This sweet family was simply hoping to update their annual portraits, so we chose the lovely Los Lunas River Park for their session.
Read MoreI have known Jennica for many years- we were on Swim Team together in High School- so, when her sister, Cara, asked if I had time to do a portrait session for her as a Christmas present, I jumped at the chance to see my old team mate and friend!
Read MoreJane 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.
Read MoreI 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!
Read MoreI 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.
Read MoreNicole Bradshaw Photography is a locally owned and operated business that provides wedding and portrait photography services.
