Families

Some families just have it. Sure it often takes a little to get warmed up to a camera in front of you and I get that. Though, some families are able to just settle into their own unique vibe rather easily. That was my experience with the McDaniel family. Love, warmth, joy, playful… silly. As a human, so much fun to be around. As a photographer, so much fun to capture. We met in Camino on a beautiful fall evening and spent about 30 minutes or so playing around in the lovely fall light. When our session ended I felt energized,…

It’s the evening before Thanksgiving and if you live in Pollock Pines, you likely just got your power restored after enjoying about 24 hours of lovely snowfall. While it’s hard to have the last working day before the holidays…powerless, I’m grateful for the oven. Yup, the oven. Sigh…mountain loving. But, before I retire to my own family gathering, I wanted to share this blog of some of my favorites with you. This is the 2nd year that I have gotten to photograph the Gustafson family. I went down to Folsom to their new home to accommodate their new pup, Gidget…

Well sorta….it was two Gray sessions in one weekend. We just split one session up….first was an early morning with Jack at the Cameron Park Airport before his flying lesson (really what teenagers want a family session at 7:30am?) and then the next afternoon I met the whole family at a more reasonable hour at Sly Park Lake. There’s so much love in and around this family- it’s always a pleasure. The love seeps in to those around. Melinda and I just determined that it has been since 2005 ish that we’ve known each other as our kids went through school…

While Ashley and Adam are getting ready to welcome their second son, Braxton is getting ready too- to be a big brother! Come Thanksgiving time the Wells family will be four strong and Braxton, no longer the baby. It all goes by so quick. I loved getting to make these photographs for Ashley and her family out in the late afternoon sunshine as the last time I photographed them was when Braxton was in her belly. And Braxton ….oh and Braxton, I fell in love with Braxton….those eyes, his sweet and playful personality, his cute expressions….as you’ll see from ALL…

Quick- we have power, we have internet! Upload, upload, upload images, run laundry, run the dishwasher GO!  You think I’m kidding? That’s the reality around here at the moment…how long will we have power? No one knows. The last time I got to photograph the Valdez family we were at Sierra at Tahoe and along with my “sherpa” husband, we chased them around the snow slopes making captures of their favorite winter sport together. This time around, instead of a winter theme, we went with fall…because fall is really the best around here and you don’t even need any power…

I got a chance to reconnect with the Heather family at their new home in Camino earlier this month. Well, then insert a couple power outages and a mean flu-like illness for over a week and I am just getting to these images that made my heart smile the whole time I was capturing them. Little Miss Sassy Pants is truly a heart melter and Megan and Robert are so kind. Sessions like this remind me why I love my job- it’s the people. It’s always the people. I have the best clients…thank you Megan, Robert and Paisley for a…

When you are seven years old and slip into the lake upon arrival for photographs gently soaking your blue jeans, what do you do? Well, you just roll with it…or run with it, or jump with it, or ride with it. Does it matter to a seven year old? Not really, well…..perhaps a nudge on the knee and a nudge on the ego but after that, did it even happen? I’m grateful for Tom and Graydon and getting to capture this father and son. Tom has an amazingly big heart that his son has clearly inherited. Grateful for Graydon, grateful…

Andrea and Paul have been married for 22 years and in that time they have opened their hearts and their home to grow their family in many ways including through the foster program. I met Andrea and Paul through my amazing neighbor Leslie who also opens her heart in so many ways to help the community. They all met through Westside Church about 15 years ago and it was Leslie who said to me, “this family needs some photographs.”  And they did! Andrea and Paul got into the foster program for the simple goal of wanting to keep families together.…

  Look at this little whipper snapper- and at just three weeks Jack is already stretching his legs and ready to take on the world! Jack Banks Heacock is the precious first child of Rebekah and Nathan. He is also the grandson of a dear old friend of mine, Miss Ruthie of Emigrant Trail Pre School fame where my oldest daughter attended (who now, btw is applying to colleges :0). Jack is also the grandson of Miss Rhodes (Nathan’s mom), who taught my kids to play the piano. Crazy. And so the story goes…and it’s a great one. Miss Ruthie’s…