10 on 10 - June

What the heck does 10 on 10 mean?! It's fun, it's exciting, and it's never been done before!! I'm just kidding, I'm certain that I was not the first to think of this, but 10 on 10 is a new project of mine. 

Remember back when I first started this blog and I used to post nothing but fun weekend pictures? Well, ever since I have been doing photos professionally, I've barely had time to take photos of my own life and my family. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I LOVE taking pictures for everyone else, but when I do a Christmas time recap, I miss seeing all the photos of stuff we did throughout the year. Enter 10 on 10.

On the 10th of every month, I will be posting 10 photos of one day that month. It could be anything: BBQ with friends, visiting family, making dinner, etc. The only rule is it can only be 10 photos, all ten photos should be taken the same day, and they'll be posted on the 10th. Okay that's three rules, but you get the idea. This will force me to take photos of my own life and also give you all a little glimpse into the life of me. :)

That's not even this best part... There will also be other photographers participating from around the country! This month it is just myself (setting the example), but next month, I will link to a few other photographers that are also participating in 10 on 10, and I highly encourage you all to check them out because they are all fantastic photogs.

Okay, enough blabbing and let's get to the 10 photos. The day I chose this month was just a regular weekend day around our house. It started out with a little yard work. If you've seen our yard you know that we could very easily spend all day, every weekend out here and still have work to do. Slowly but surely though, it's getting better.

And if you are doing yard work at our house, you are probably simultaneously throwing a ball. It's an acquired skill.

...but it often leads to this. A tired dog is a good dog!

Later in the afternoon, Nabil and I had some family in town to visit (more on this later). Please excuse my husbands very dirty shoes...

In the evening, I met up with another photographer from Portland, Sara Adams. We scouted a few locations for future shoots just north of Portland and also took some headshots of one another (also, more to come on this later).

The best part of the evening was the view at the end. Man, I love Oregon!

It was a pretty average weekend day in my world, but I absolutely love these kind of days. Family, home projects, and photography. What could be better?!

So that was the first 10 on 10. I hope you all enjoyed. Come back on by next month on the 10 to get the links to some spectacular photographers around the country.

Until next time...

Ahna and Jeff's Engagement Photos

Guess what?! Two of my very good friends are going to be getting hitched this fall! Guess what else?! They asked me to photograph their wedding!!! I can't even tell you how excited I am to be able to be a part of their big day.

A few weeks ago we had a great engagement shoot at a few locations around town. I love hanging out with these two in the first place, but put a camera in my hand at the same time, and I'm in heaven. The best part about the whole shoot was that I didn't really have to tell them what to do. They are so lovey-dovey and excited for the upcoming nuptuals (...and nervous about the big glass eye staring at them watching their every move) that they just got into place and started giggling. You know me, I'm a sucker for giggley, lovey pictures.

We then left the forest and headed to a small neighborhood park in Beaverton. It's funny because Ahna and Jeff put an off and house and it was accepted the week after this shoot. Their new house is only a few blocks from this park! I didn't even plan that. It's like it was meant to be. Now they will get to stroll through their beautiful neighborhood park on summer nights and reminisce about their super fun engagement shoot. 

I realize that these two look very romantic, but one of my very favorite things about them is their sense of humor. This is Jeff's seductive face. ...and this is Ahna not able to control her laughter.

And then Jeff threw her overboard.

Luckily she dried out fast. ;)

When we thought that we had wrapped up the shoot, we found a beautiful clover field. We couldn't help ourselves. There were bees all up in there, but these kids weren't afraid, and it was worth it in the end. ...and there were no casualties.

A little side note, I've started to add make-up and hair to all of my engagement photoshoots. Make-up and hair (for Ahna) for this shoot was done by Julie Senders.

Until next time...

Make A Wish Fundraiser Event

Last week, well, I guess two weeks ago now (darn me for too much working and not enough posting), I had the opportunity to photograph a Make A Wish fundraiser event. Can I first just say that Make A Wish is the best non-profit. I mean there are a lot of great organizations, but I love that Make A Wish focuses on giving the opportunity for kids to just live, to be a regular kid, and to forget about any medical conditions for a while.

During the event, Make A Wish announced that Geanna (pictured second from the right below) and her family would be given the opportunity to go on a trip to Hershey Park in Hershey, PA. Can't you just imagine all that chocolate?!? It's going to be a-mazing!

What an amazing girl and an incredibly strong and supportive family. Her dad is in the back scoping out the candy-YUMMY!

Deb Knapp is one of the anchors for local news stations. She is very active with the Make A Wish foundation in Oregon and was there to speak and show her support.

The man below was one of my favorite speakers at the event. His son was the first kid in Oregon to get his wish granted! While he would have much preferred his son to choose going to Hawaii with the family (admittedly so), his son decided he wanted to meet Erik Estrada from the hit television show CHiPS. (insert audience giggle).

The next speaker had an amazing story, as well. She is a cancer survivor (twice) and she was granted a wish when she was younger. She wished for a horse. She loved and rode her horse and ended up surviving cancer. All grown up, she decided to hike from one end of Spain to the other. On her trip, she met her (now) husband, and they recently had a beautiful baby. In her speech she said she holds Make A Wish personably responsible for giving her the strength to push past her disease and survive. It's incredible what a few days of freedom (i.e. being able to ride your new horse) can do for the soul.

Also, remember my good friend Andrew? I took photos of him and his wife when they were pregnant and then again when baby Gracie was born. His sister was a Make-A-Wish kid. She actually did wish for a trip to Hawaii for their family. Unfortunately, his sister passed away a few years back, but Andrew still donates so much time and resources to the organization. He even planned and raised enough money this year to pass on a wish to another wish kid. It is truly astounding how community members contribute to this organization!

Below is Geanna up on stage when they announced her wish was being granted. You can see her excitement through her lit up face. Such a sweet girl!

A celebratory chocolate vase. 

Here's some behind the scenes action of the staff hard at work. I went to school with Jessica (far left). :)

At the end of the event, they brought many of the people up on stage who are actively involved in helping these wishes come true. Alaskan Airlines has played a huge part in flying families all over the country.

This group of people who attended the event came from all over the country. They are responsible for starting the entire Make a Wish organization by granting the first wish in Arizona.

And that's about it. It was a great event. It went incredibly smooth and I had such a great time hearing the stories and meeting everyone involved. Thanks again Make A Wish. Keep up the good work.

Until next time...

Meredith and Andrew's Engagement Session

A few weeks ago, I met up with Meredith and Andrew for a mini engagement photoshoot. I love working with these two. They are all giggles. I mean, I'm sure it was mostly the awkwardness of being in front of a camera, but I love it when couples start laughing instead of standing there staring like a deer in the headlights (maybe a bit of an dramatization). Laughing always makes for great, playful photos.

The more I shot with these two, the more excited I got for their wedding. It's so fun working with engaged couples because they are still in that, lovey-dovey, hands all over each other phase. Don't get me wrong, I love being married, but it's always fun to be around young love.

Seriously, I don't think you can get any cuter. I love that they just love to be around each and make each other laugh.

Andrew and Meredith, thanks so much for letting me shoot such an incredible and fun milestone in your life. I can not wait for the big day! Amazing, backyard, barn weddings are my fave.

Until next time...

Sister Sydney, All Grown Up

You may remember my very sweet sister Sydney from one of my posts about a year ago when she just got back from her study abroad trip to Tanzania. Well, believe it or not, this girl is about ready to graduate college. Yup, you heard read correctly. Sydney is all grown up and ready to face the big bad world. ...well not quite yet. She will graduate in a few short months, and then in August she will move onto grad school. Syd was smarter than I was (or maybe she just learned from my mistakes) and she is putting off the real world for another couple years. That's right children, learn vicariously from us older folk, and avoid the real world for as long as possible. It's a deep, dark hole.

But back to my sister. I can't even express how excited and proud I am for her. This may have happened to me too, maybe it happens to every college student, but it's amazing to see how much she has blossomed in college. She went into college as a fun, charismatic young lady that was ready for a new adventure and the get out of Wyoming. She has come out as an incredibly intelligent, active woman that is ready to take on the world. I mean that literally. Syd is going on to get her master's degree in social change. She is going to be one of those people that helps form the programs that make a dramatic impact on the entire world. Her specific interest lies in working with refugees and victims of trafficking. Pretty intense stuff, but she is so good at it. I'm not sure how someone could manage to still be sweet and funny while taking on the world's problems, but Syd has managed to do it. In other words, she is pretty damn cool.

A few weeks ago, Syd came to town for her spring break. We did a lot of fun things around town, but I also got a chance to shove her in front of my lens and take some photos. Our mom really wanted some photos for Syd's graduation announcements, and I really wanted to bust out my brand new camera.

We took an afternoon to visit Cannon Beach. After practicing our Truffle Shuffle for a bit (a little Goonies movie reference for ya), and scarfing down a bread bowl of clam chowder at Mo's, we hit haystack rock for our second photo-op.

Since I was with my sister, and not a paying client, I forced her to get her feet in the water. Bahaha! What are sisters for if not to get photos like this?

But, I like to think I then made up for it, by getting some "better" ones too.

So, that's all she wrote. In just about a month and a half, I will have some actual graduation photos to share with you all. Now, please excuse me while I go cry in the corner because my cute, obnoxious, embarrassing  and weird, little sister is all grown up and is now only a few of those things.

Until next time...