Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Madeline







Ok, so these aren't your typical confirmation pictures, but then, Madeline isn't your typical kind of girl... she's fun, she's crazy, she doesn't sit still for a minute...I'm into capturing personalities, people. That's what it's all about. Where you are, right now. Not some trumped up notion of what you're supposed to look like in a certain situation, but an accurate portrayal of YOU! I love this kid. She's just so...herself.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Another City on my Summer Tour Extravaganza?

There are mosquitos, bees, hail and tornadoes in North Dakota during the summer, and those are some of the better attributes of the state, but by golly, I think I'm going back there this summer to shoot some fun, cool people and hang out with even more fun, cool people... I have such good friends there and I miss them! if you live out that way and want me to photograph your sweet self, toss me a line, and I'll load on the bug spray and come on out

Monday, April 27, 2009

Vanessa





I love little babies. Especially chunky, squeezable, long-eyelashed chortling little fabulous babies like Vanessa. She was so adorable and so much fun, and I got to hang out with her mom, Sandra, who is one of my favorite people out here. Oh my, I have to go lie down. I'm getting baby fever in a BIG way!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Karen






Karen is just one of those kids who has "the Confirmation Face", like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth...she's just such a natural...I love seeing these kids all dolled up and innocent looking!! Such a beauty!




Monday, April 13, 2009

Fernanda the Famous











I shoot famous people...often...but I don't think that it's right to write about their family pictures, so I don't,but since Fernanda is not only my dear friend's daughter, as well as my daughter's dear friend, I get to brag on her. This week, I shot Fernanda's Confirmation pictures, and she was in 26 forms of media, rallying the capital to re-hire CPS workers so that we can keep our children safe. She spoke to radio and tv stations, and newspapers and magazines, in English and Spanish, and she's only 9 years old!! She rules!! Above, see her weet look, her innocent look, and her "I'm 25" look. Here she is on the capital steps in the pink shirt and a ton of letters begging the governor to reconsider cutting funds for CPS. What a great kid!

Saturday, April 11, 2009







I shot Chelsea at the JW Marriott the other day...and let me tell you, the JW didn't know what had hit them!! People were asking for her autograph left and right, asking if she was Taylor Swift, Julianne Hough, and Allison Mischalka. One little girl almost started crying because she was so sure that Chelsea was Taylor Swift!! I felt like such a rock star...or maybe only a paparazzi to the stars! I ran Chelsea and her Marvelous mom, Christine, all over the property in their high heels, and they didn't complain once. They were just so much fun to be around and so cool and nice. It's the way shoots are supposed to be!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Bailey




I had the supreme pleasure of photographing Bailey Katz ths afternoon at the Hyatt Gainey Ranch. Her mom, Colleen, who I loved on sight, is a photographer, too, so I was kind of shaking in my boots, but they were both so cool that I forgot my freakout and just had fun. Bailey was an excecptional quick change artist, and made me feel young again, because we both buy our clothes at the same trendy store!! (she looks a LOT better than me though, that's for sure!!) We had a really nice time, and she was such a great girl. Beautiful, too! Yay!


Wednesday, April 8, 2009

I'm in the News!

I'm going to rock the airwaves tomorrowpromoting the HEAL calendar with Lauren Daniels of the Happily Ever After League. Check us out on Channel 10, at 8:40 a.m., and then pick up that phone and call to make your appointment to have your pictures taken for the calendar!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Prince Tanner











I don't have boys. I never thought that I would be interested in having boys, but by golly, Tanner was enough to get me back in boy baby making mode...fast. What a little ANGEL! I loved this kid! Isn't he adorable?! And I loved his mom, too. What a great girl. So warm and kind.
It's not too late to enter your child for the Happily Ever After Calendar...great pictures for a GREAT cause...helping moms with cancer.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Princess Harley






I shot the radiant Princess Harley for the Happily Ever after league calendar. She came in ready, happy, full of ideas, and every single thing she did was right, by golly. And once she started getting the accolades, she just kept on getting better and better. At a certain point, she just cut loose and went for it, which I love. She really liked being in front of that camera! What a cute kid! And her mom, Lisa, was so nice! I love my job. I'm so very lucky. We're shooting the calender through May. Call me at 480.861.4529 to make an appointment. I'll give you a $100 gift certificate as a thank you for donating to this great cause!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Getting my Groove Back...a day outside the box

Today I got stood up by one of my senior ambassadors...AFTER I had confirmed the appointment and drove 20 miles. I normally wouldn't mention this, because that's just how uptight I am, but a lot of very interesting and cool things came out of this day...we were supposed to meet in Carefree, who was having a funky little craft fair, so when it became very apparent that the girl wasn't going to show, I decided to hang loose and check out the fair. I got stopped within seconds by a Gabe, a super cool dude who thought I was one of those people who go around photographing booths. I wasn't, but in shaka brah interest, I shot that booth. And here it is.
Nice clean shot, no great shakes, but definitely not something I usually do. So it took me 30 seconds to shoot the booth, and then another little bit to take away parking lot and add grass, and to take my reflection out of the mirror, and I made a day's wages and the promise of more work, with gratitude. So I was driving home, and it's biker week in Cave Creek, and I thought I might as well stop and check it out. I used to do this kind of thing all the time, but I haven't in probably 10 years. So I just went and hung out with all the bikers and biker chicks, and it was real cool. Here's what came out of that...

Cool bike, huh? When would I ever shoot a booth? or a bike? Or a biker chick, for that matter? but I did it and combined the shots and they look cool, and I feel inspired again.

Lily








I had the opportunity to shoot the glorious Miss Lily today for the Happily Ever After League calendar at Creative Castle Preschool here in Anthem, AZ. She was absolutely adorable. I just wanted to gobble her up. Lily hadn't been to the preschool before, and loved all of the fun colors, turtles, and, of course, the awesome castle that they had in their lobby, so naturally she wanted to run and play instead of hanging with me and my boring lights and camera, but when she came around, she came around in a BIG way!! Her daddy helped a ton, too...he took her wand and was booping her on the head with it, and she's just laugh and laugh. Thanks, dad!! If you ever want a job booping kids on the head, I have a spot just for you!! Kids respond to the darndest things. I'm reminded of my dear friend Julie Widman, who brought her handsome son Bennett into my studio many times, whether for portraits or calendars, or stock pictures. Bennett had a great face and an AWESOME smile, that absolutely lit up the room, so much so that he was my preferred baby...when I had anything that could use a boy baby, he was my go-to guy... but he would only smile if Julie flipped her hair over her face and back. Then his face would light up, and he'd absolutely chortle until the flipping process was complete, then he'd go back to his Cheerios, or whatever else he was doing, until the next flip...and the next...Julie must have flipped her hair 50 times a sitting. Now that's dedication! I think I enjoyed watching her flip almost as much as I loved watching Bennett's smile, and they were both up for anything...one time we took about a thousand baby food jars, opened them, put baby food all over him and and let him go wild. That was a great shoot. Lily, I'm going to be calling you again, woman. And don't forget to bring your booper.