"THE GIRLS" - BOUDOIR SESSION

Last week a past client contacted us inquiring about a boudoir session as a gift to her husband for their 1 year anniversary. Our "boudoir" sessions are a little different in that, in addition to the normal studio/lingerie photos that one typically thinks of with this type of shoot, we also photograph what we call "environmental figure studies". In other words, we photograph nudes within the context of the landscape. These are meant more as fine art images and are usually printed in Black & White though occasionally we will produce some in color.

We set up the shoot for this past Monday and before long she had two other friends on board wanting photos for their significant others. This shoot was so much fun! The girls were completely comfortable and really had fun with it ... which is how this type of shoot should be. We all had a great time and to anyone considering one of these shoots, let us know ... we love doing them :-)!

AMANDA AND TONY - ENGAGEMENT SESSION

This past Sunday we met with Amanda and Tony to photograph their engagement session. They will be having their wedding in Sedona at Los Abrigados in May and we can't wait. They were so much fun to work with (as was their sweet Golden Retriever, Butters) and as you can see, they make a lovely couple.

We started the shoot at Snowbowl. We were in search of wildflowers though and the top of the mountain is starting to die out for the season, so after grabbing a few shots we headed down the I-17. This is not where you would typically think of finding beautiful wildflowers, but there is a very large pasture near Munds Park that is drawing crowds of photographers for its magnificent display of yellow flowers. Due to the great snows we had this past winter, this field has exploded into a giant yellow carpet of flowers the likes of which we have not seen before ... an amazing photo opp! From there we went to Merry-Go-Round Rock to finish up. Amanda and Tony live in Tucson and had never been this far north, so it was a nice excuse to show them around a bit. Thanks guys and we look forward to May 2nd!

KRISSY AND ADAM WEDDING - THE AMARA, SEDONA

This past Saturday we photographed Krissy and Adam's wedding at the Amara Resort & Spa in Sedona. We have to start off by saying that by far, Krissy was one of the most "expressive" brides we have ever worked with! Her laughter is infectious and her smile just makes everyone happy :-).

It was a warm, beautiful day and all details couldn't have been more perfect! One highlight was the slideshow that was presented during their reception. We love watching these as you really gain insight into the couple's lives individually and together. Notice too, the photo by the fire pit. This is one of the coolest features of the Amara and we always love using it for a great photo opp. Krissy and Adam, it was so good getting to know you both ... we had a great time! Perhaps you will end up back in Flag one of these days (they live in Washington right now) :-). Enjoy!

MARYANN AND RANDY WEDDING - THE NORDIC CENTER, FLAGSTAFF

While I was shooting at Snowbowl, Kevin had the pleasure to photograph Maryann and Randy's wedding at the Flagstaff Nordic Center. The Nordic Center is new to hosting weddings and it leaves you wondering why when you see the beauty surrounding it.

Maryann was a lovely bride and from what I understand, Randy has an amazing singing voice, as was demonstrated in songs he sang to his new bride. Kevin and I both loved the wedding arbor made from Aspen trunks ... amazing!!

Kevin wishes to extend his sincerest thanks to the couple. You were both so kind and he really enjoyed having the opportunity to work with you! I just wish I could have been there :-). Best wishes and we hope you enjoy the sneak peak!

TINA AND HUNTER WEDDING - SNOWBOWL, FLAGSTAFF

Still playing catch up so if we are a little shorter than normal on our comments, it is no reflection on our wonderful couples :-).

Tina and Hunter's wedding was held at Snowbowl in Flagstaff on September 6th. It was a beautiful day and the couple looked amazing! I have to say though, this is the first time I have ever had to do the "couple formals" in 5 minutes. Not the couple's fault though ... the timeline just ran a little tight. It was so hard though - the light was unbelievable in the meadow ... we were so robbed :-). None-the-less, their photos turned out beautifully!!

Thank you to Tina and Hunter and to their wonderful parents who were all so welcoming and complimentary ... you were all a joy to work with! Enjoy!

DESIRAE AND BRIAN WEDDING - RADISSON, FLAGSTAFF

On the same day as I was photographing the wedding on Orcas Island, Kevin found himself back in Flagstaff for Desirae and Brian's wedding. They held a large event and it was beautiful. Their ceremony took place in downtown Flagstaff at the Nativity Church, which I understand lost one of its ornate gargoyles the week before in a rather strong storm. They chose to do formals at the spectacular Pine Canyon Golf Course and their reception was held at the Radisson Hotel.

Though there was some rain here and there, everyone took it in stride and enjoyed their day. One special note ... the ring pillow was made of lace taken from Desirae's grandmother's wedding dress, a particularly special touch. You will also notice the couple's daughter in many of the photos below ... she is soooooo adorable!!

I was sad not to have been able to be a part of this wedding, but at least I will still be able to work with you both on your "Day-After" shoot :-). Kevin absolutely loved working with you both and really enjoyed himself! We also wish to extend a special thanks to our second shooter, Melissa Dunstan - great job!!!

LAUREN AND CHRIS WEDDING - ORCAS ISLAND, WASHINGTON

Lauren and Chris held their wedding on August 30th on Orcas Island. This charming and scenic island is part of the San Juan chain. The wedding was held at Buck Bay Inn & Lavender Farm. This quaint farm was the perfect setting for a couple who's wedding day motto was simply to enjoy the beautiful scenery and have fun.

I grew up next door to Chris in North Carolina and used to babysit him (it took some mind training to keep from calling him Christopher all day.) Funny thing is though, that is about the last time I saw him ... as a five-year-old playing with transformers :-). And though he and Lauren now reside in the Pacific Northwest, his parents still live next door to mine and I have kept in touch with his mother, Jane throughout the years on my visits home. It was really such a joy for me to photograph this wedding and have a chance to reconnect with Chris as an adult and to meet the wonderful woman that I have been hearing about for a decade now.

Their wedding day could not have been more beautiful. Though it was chilly, they were graced with blue skies all day, which was amazing considering it had been raining the whole week prior. The couple really did embrace the idea of having a low-key, fun celebration for their close friends and family. They had cocktail hour first followed by the ceremony and what they termed "party time." They did take some time to walk around the property for some photos though and were great about accepting my sometimes quirky ideas :-). The photos with the house in the woods, or as Chris' father called it ... the witch house, were a bit unorthodox but they just had a sort of Grimm's fairy tale feeling about them that seemed to work.

Thank you to everyone involved. I had such a great time and it was truly a pleasure. Lauren, you were beautiful and I loved your dress! Chris, you were equally handsome and I loved having a chance to see you again after so many years! You both did a great job in planning - everyone had such a wonderful time, including myself :-)!!!

WASHINGTON'S WILD OLYMPIC PENINSULA

Still trying to catch up on the blogging thing :-).

After leaving Hawaii at the end of August we headed directly to Washington State via Phoenix. I was scheduled to photograph a wedding over the holiday weekend on Orcas Island so we decided it would be a good excuse to extend our honeymoon.

We spent all of our time exploring the Olympic Peninsula. We drove up to Hurricane Ridge through a silent blanket of clouds, hiked through the lush Hoh Rain Forest and to magnificent Sol Duc Falls, walked along a rugged and misty Ruby Beach, and were surprised to watch spawning salmon as they began their grueling run up river. We have never seen a place so green. Even the Hana coast didn't compare to the multitude of greenery harbored on this peninsula. This place was so full of pure and raw wilderness ... this is what we thrive on!

WPJA QUARTER 2, 2008 CONTEST RESULTS

Well, the results are in from the WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association) 2008 Quarter 2 contest and I am pleased to say I placed 7th in the "Getting Ready" category. This is always exciting for me as there is such stiff competition. This image is one of my favorites so far this year and it just goes to show that a winning image can come from any size event ... this was taken at an intimate wedding held at a private residence. Thank you to Jamie and Matt for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your wedding and to capture this wonderful moment.

CARRIE AND MICHAEL WEDDING - L'AUBERGE DE SEDONA

I am desperately trying to catch up on my blogging if you can't tell :-). This is a back-posting from a wedding we photographed on August 10th. Michael and Carrie called us a couple of weeks before to see if they could retain our services. I had to think about it simply because August 10th was the day Kevin and I were slated to leave for our own Wedding/Honeymoon.

The ceremony took place at L'Auberge de Sedona in the morning hours with a reception brunch to follow. Since they only required us for a few hours and it was on our way to Phoenix we decided we could fit it in ... and we were very happy we did!

Carrie and Michael, you were both a treat to work with. Despite the heat (it was very hot) you went along with everything we requested. It was a beautiful ceremony in an amazing location and we really enjoyed getting to know the two of you and your families and friends. Best wishes!

We also wish to extend a special thank you to Laura Lane of Sacred Unions who officiated and coordinated the wedding. It was a pleasure.

MORE MAUI AND LUAUS

We just wanted to share some of the other photos we got on our trip. We thought it would be a nice treat for us and our amazing photographer, Daniela, to attend a Hawaiian Luau the night before our wedding to celebrate. It was a beautiful experience.

Our trip to Maui was beyond words. It was more than just a trip ... it provided unique adventures (swimming with roughly a dozen sea turtles in the wild ranked near the top), a chance to see a dear, dear friend after nearly a decade apart, and most of all, it marked the beginning of our lives together. For Kevin and I, Maui will always hold a very special place in our hearts!

TINA - BRIDAL SHOOT

A couple of days after the wedding Kevin photographed a bridal shoot for me. There were a few places we had not had the time to go to with Daniela that we really wanted to shoot in. The foggy slopes of Haleakala were among the top and we couldn't have been happier with the results. We also couldn't have imagined the spectacular sunset that was in store for us that evening ... the nicest we witnessed the whole trip.