Got to meet up with Julie and Brian who were married in 2008 up here in Pollock Pines. I remember that day- not only how easy going and fun their wedding was but how my commute was about two minutes. Not many wedding commutes like that:)  Julie and Brian are now the proud parents of Juno and Kona who spent the day at the groomer getting spiffy for the shoot. The fall colors are just starting to emerge up here and it was great to catch up AND capture them in my lens!

The Haffners’ are one of those families that everyone seems to know here in the Pollock/Camino area. I had the pleasure of both meeting them and photographing them a few years ago for their 20th wedding anniversary, and this time it was not only time for another family session, but also Colby’s senior session. We met up at Sly Park Lake on what turned out to be a burn day (that’s mountain talk for smokey), but we used it to our advantage and got some awesome shots of Colby emerging from the smoke and sun flare on his bike. It…

I have a bunch of techniques that I use to get people to loosen up a bit and smile, but during this shoot Jeff, my husband, who was assisting me on this Tahoe shoot, utilized one that had honestly never crossed my mind before. Fortunately the camera was facing the direction of the clients or my white balance would have been really off….see if you can tell which image it is! I only instructed him to be witty and charming- I swear! We had a great family weekend with the Little’s getting away to Squaw- hiking, eating, tubbing and the…

Keith and Tiffany are expecting a baby and I know they are going to be fantastic parents. I first met Keith and Tiffany when they asked me to photograph their wedding back in August of 2010 in Grass Valley at the Harmony Lodge. I love working with these two (soon to be 3). They have a love for adventure and a warmth of spirit that just makes you want to spend more time with them. “Finn” is going to be a lucky little boy! We met up down by the river in Sacramento where the two of them hopped on…

Kate and Aaron’s wedding started on a most beautiful Lake Tahoe day. I left Pollock Pines for the fresh aired fall drive along the river and then around the east side of the lake to arrive at Northstar several hours early to check out shooting locations and make a plan for the day! I met Aaron in the Northstar Village. He claimed that he couldn’t smile on command, but I think the fact that two of his three sisters were there to make him laugh helped to remedy that. Kate got ready in a suite with all the other girls…

One of my favorite parts about doing extended family sessions is getting to watch and capture how the whole family interacts. Cousins hanging out, grandparents interacting with their grandchildren, parents “working” their young children for natural expressions….and knowing that I am capturing a moment in time for this family that will be forever a part of their family history. I met up with the Tyack family for their extended family session at Sly Park Lake. The air was crisp, the light was beautiful and I couldn’t have asked for a better evening for this session. The kids and adults skipped…

Even a week before a wedding, an engagement session still has so many benefits. I got to meet Albert and Melissa and see how they are as a couple outside of what sometimes can be wedding day craziness. We got to go sit out in the dirt with the farm animals at Fausel Ranch. And as a bonus, I got to see my friend Deanna the owner and coordinator at Fausel Ranch who is also just happens to be Albert’s mom…not to mention I left with a case of peaches that were amazing, thanks Fausels- you always take such good care…

I love that I get to witness families both start and grow as part of my job. I was happy to get the call from the Gustafson’s that they were ready for their family session. I had worked with Sara and Eric and their dogs a few years back, and was excited at the chance to meet their new little guy, Clayton, aka Mr. Smiley. Now, as Sara told me, she had a new camera but very few images of the three of them OR of her and their new son Clayton- THIS I understand as I have been documenting…

I first met Sarah and Etan on the Pier behind Tahoe Tavern Properties where they and the rest of their group were staying for their Lake Tahoe destination wedding. They were from New York and had arrived at Lake Tahoe earlier that week. Sarah made her beautiful dress for the day, along with the handkerchiefs that Etan, and her father carried for the day. The ceremony and celebrations took place at the Christy Hill Restaurant overlooking the lake in Tahoe City. During their ceremony they took the time to mention by name every person that was there, and thanked them…

About one week after I had visited them in the hospital, I made my way over to Ross and Kristy’s home to photograph the new family after they’d settled back in. Everyone, including their dogs just couldn’t seem to get enough of little Nathan. Ross had the idea of measuring Nathan against his 300mm lens, and I love how Nathan just had to stick his foot out to show Dad just how much bigger he was than that silly lens. I think a 400mm (and perhaps a matching “birth” ring) might be in your futures. Congratulations again you guys, I…

I first met Ross and Kristy several years ago for their engagement session. I loved getting to work with them and their daughter Kiki both for their engagement session and their wedding, and have since become friends. Ross has become my go-to tech guy over the years, and has even become a bit of a photographer himself (though he’d never admit it). He even helped me with my most recent workshop and has become a moderator of sorts on my Workshop Facebook Group. Recently- we were invited to go see Kiki play a soccer game and my daughters were very…

September 6, 2011 When you attend a memorial for a “child”, as a parent, I know, you know, we all know, this could be you. How can this thought not run through your head? This just as easily could have been one of your own. Fear then sadness then compassion. As I sit here putting this slideshow together, tears running down my cheek, I am just as moved by these raw emotions each time it plays. Being a part of the community of Pollock Pines, I arrived at the memorial for Travis certain of the strong love and support of…