F. Family | Family Session in Denver CO

In October had the amazing opportunity to photograph a fellow photographer.  I used to be so nervous to photograph other artists but recently I started LOVING IT!  Other artists know what they want, they put a lot of time and effort into their session and they are usually the easiest to photograph [for me anyway].  Sandy is the amazing artist behind Wild Prairie Photography .  I couldn't have been more thrilled when she contacted me.  I am already dreaming of summer when I can open up my summer lake sessions! 

Baker Family | Motherhood Session in Denver Colorado

As we all know I love everything about motherhood and I am one to believe that every stage of motherhood should be documented.  I love when mothers reach out to me to photograph this time in their journey.  It is so hard being a mother and finding time to step in front of the camera, especially with your children.  Even for me and I am definitely trying to be better about being present in the images with my children.

 The more I photograph motherhood and I understand that these photos are not for me or you or your husband or sister or mom, they are for your children. I only have a handful of photos with my mother from when I was a child, and even fewer of us just goofing off being silly together.  In the warmer months I plan on offering motherhood sessions outside once a quarter. In the winter, I plan on offering these sessions once a month at an indoor location.

Orley Family | Family Session in Denver CO

Although I generally only offer family photo sessions in the fall, these water sessions are ones I am planning on offering all summer long new year! To say I love taking families to the lake would be an understatement. There is something so beautiful about documenting a people along these shores. When we first moved to Aurora Colorado earlier this year and made our first trip to Cherry Creek State Park I knew I would be spending a lot of time here.  When I found this little, usually completely vacant shore line along the lake I knew I wanted to bring families here to photograph them.   I am so excited that next year I will be opening up these sessions as soon as the water is warm enough. 

The Orley Family is the second family that I brought to my little stretch of shore line and I am thrilled to share their gallery with you!

Uy Family in Tucson Arizona

In March was able to photograph this beautiful family in Arizona while I was there on a trip.  I have been photographing them since their oldest was born.  How gorgeous are they?!?!

May | 366 days with the Mielkes

May was so much fun around here!  We were finally able to really enjoy being outside!  We started exploring even more.  We found some really fun places to go!  My mom came to visit and we had our first outings to the lake where the girls could actually go swimming!  

May:

Theo B. | In Home Newborn Session

I have known this sweet family for over a decade now.  I was beyond thrilled to capture the birth of sweet little Theo, then about a week later I was able to go into their home and photograph for a few hours for his newborn session AND then I was able to do a full family session with them at a local park.  I absolutely love doing in home newborn sessions for my birth story clients.  

If you are interested in adding on an in home newborn session to your birth story collection, connect with me so we can make arrangements.  

Kathryn | Maternity Session in Denver Colorado

Kathryn was such a trooper.  She was my last model during our Maternity Shoot Out in February.  The sun was setting and it was definitely getting a little bit chilly out.  We even had the opportunity to use a smoke bomb.  The more I shoot maternity the more I fall in love with it.  I can't even put it into words how much I love photographing mothers.  I am currently booking births and maternity sessions for 2016.  I would be honored to speak with you about photographing your beautiful story!

Melanie and Alina | Mommy and Me Session in Tucson Arizona

Can you believe this session happened on a WHIM?!?!  I am so glad I was able to talk her into going out into the desert with me for an hour.  It was extremely windy but it was so beautiful out. I am so glad we were able to sneak in this session because she and her family just relocated from the desert to the east coast.  After I delivered her gallery she sent me message after message thanking me for these photos- she didn't have any of just her and sweet Alina.  I can't stress enough how important it is to present in images with your children.  That is something I am personally trying to do better with.   I still have a handful of mommy and me sessions available in the Denver Metro Area in May.  

Jamie L. | Maternity Session in Denver Colorado

A few weeks ago I was so excited to join several other photographers for a 'Maternity Shoot Out' We had several gorgeous pregnant mamas, and some families there for us to photograph. Each photographer styled their own maternity sessions and we all had about 30 minutes with each beautiful mama/family.  I have never participated in maternity session like this before and to say it was a BLAST would have been an understatement.  I had the opportunity to do a lot of experimenting with these fabulous ladies and I am thrilled with the results.  Here is one of my sessions from that day.. the BEAUTIFUL Jamie who is a fabulous Denver photographer and you can check out her stunning work right HERE

Theo B. | Birth in Tucson Arizona

I am honored to finally share the birth of Theodore B.  His birth story is actually one of my favorites because literally the day before he was born, his mama and I were joking around about me being able to attend.  Cierra never officially 'booked' me for her birth, it was more of a "if I can be there, I'll be there"  type situation.  Well Cierra messaged me the NEXT day saying she was heading to the birth center because she wasn't sure if she was in true labor or not.  I was on standby and I got a text not even 2 hours later saying to head on down.  Little did we all know.. Theo would be born shortly after the text.  I arrived right as he was crowning and was able to spend a few hours with them documenting his first few hours earth side. 

I am booking a small amount of births this year here in Denver and I have a few spots still available.  If you're interested in booking your birth story please email me. 

Theo. T. | NICU Session Tucson Arizona

I have known Ian for many years.  When he told me that he and his girlfriend Katie were expecting, I couldn't be more thrilled.  Ian and Katie found out when she was around 18 weeks and little did they know that they would be meeting little Theo just a few short weeks after finding out.  Theo is considered a Micro Preemie - Born before 26 weeks or weighing less than 1lb 12oz, Theo fit both of those criteria.  He was born at 24 weeks 4 days and weighed 1lb 10oz.  

I was able to visit Theo in the NICU with Ian when he was 2 days old.  Let me tell you.. it takes a special kind of person to be a NICU nurse.  I was in awe of everything that was going on around me. I spent about an hour with Ian and Theo before we headed out to visit Katie who was recovering from her emergency C-Section.  I am so honored that they let me into their very personal space during this crazy emotional time. 

Theodore James was born at 24 Weeks 4 days weighing 1lb 10oz.  Today he is 50 days old and weighs 2lbs 14oz.  From all of the updates I have been getting he is such a strong little fighter.  I can't wait to visit him again when I am back in Tucson in March. 

Photo: Art by Jessica offers free NICU sessions for those families currently in the NICU that would like this time in their lives to be documents.  Please email me for more details. 

366 | Personal Images

Just a small recap of our year so far.  This month I decided to just blog my favorite images of the month.  I think from here on out though I will be blogging my entire month :)

P. Family | Military Homecoming in Tucson AZ

Being a military spouse, military homecomings are very near and dear to me.  I was really excited when Candi messaged me and asked me to come document her husbands homecoming on the flight line.  The weather was gorgeous for us and her husband arrived right on time... which is unheard of!!  I also love being able to document families reuniting.  I am now available for homecomings in the Denver Metro Area.  

R. Family | Family Lifestyle Session on Mt. Lemmon AZ

I met Haylea in a local photography group when I was still living in Tucson.  She and I became fast friends and I consider her one of my best friends!  I really LOVE photographing other photographers, photographer families are just naturals in front of the camera.  I can such minimal directing, if any at all.  I don't really do much directing in my sessions anyway, I kind of just plop people in a field and tell them to interact with each other, but R. Family just made it so easy.  I highly recommend checking out some of Hayley's gorgeous work on her website   I hope when I am in Tucson later this year I can get them in front of my camera again.  

Transition

The past month and a half has been a time of transition for my family as we move from Tucson AZ to Denver CO.  I have been documenting my family through this transition to remember this crazy time in our life. 

C. Family | Family Session in Tucson Arizona

So I have had the honor of photographing this adorable family for 3 years.  I hope I get to photograph them for many more!  They have grown right along with me and they are expecting their 3rd little one early next year!!  We had a beautiful session at Gates Pass in Tucson.  The weather was still a bit warm but they were troopers as I made them hike all over. I cannot lie, these guys are seriously the silliest family I have ever photographed.  Their sessions are always full of laughs and tickle fights. I can't wait to hang out with you guys again when I am back in Tucson for my spring sessions!!

September Part One | Personal Images

September was busy!  We started the month off without Luke, and were counting down the days until he was home again.  You can tell in this blog that we had a reoccurring theme in our summer this year.  WATER!! Seriously, water was involved whenever it was possible.  Pools, Splash pads, Sprinklers.. you name it we used it and it was such a blast!  Sorry for the huge share this month.  We also snuck in another trip to Disneyland but that will be a blog on it's own.  

At the beginning of the month we has a BBQ at my step-sisters house.  The girls loved playing and swimming with their cousins.  The next day we went to my aunt and uncles house and swam there.  A few day's later, Lilian's sister Charlotte came over for a visit and we played in the splash pad. So much water!!  It seemed like it rained all the time.. I played with some long exposures and got some "ghost" Arias.  I also found out that I love taking photos of Aria's little tiny feet...   All in all it was a good month.  Unfortunately I didn't bring my camera with me when we picked Luke up from the airport, it was a bit anticlimactic anyway.  But they sure were glad to have him home.  Aria didn't leave his side for days.  So here are my images, enough with my rambling.. :)  

E. Family | Family Storytelling in Tucson Arizona

I was graciously inviting in the Emery home.  Kelli is an amazing photographer here in Tucson and she reached out for an in home documentary session because their pup Lulu was going to undergo surgery the following day.  So much of their session was focused on her. This was the very first time a family invited me into their home for a documentary session that didn't involve a newborn- I was really nervous.. not to mention she is an awesome photographer her self and it's always new wracking to photograph another photographer.  

Towards the end of our session Kelli asked for a few 'posed' (and I use that term really lightly) photos on their bed with their family surrounding their pup with love.  E. Family, I know you are surround your sweet pup with love while she recovers from her surgery!  Thank you so much for inviting me into your home!

Ireland Jean | In Home Newborn Session

Like I have said before, I LOVE everything related to birth photography, including maternity and in home newborn sessions.  I truly love lifestyle newborn sessions.  There is just something magical about those first few days at home with a new little one.  The Randall family invited me into their home two weeks after little Ireland was born, brother and sister are still getting into the swing of having a new sibling and little Ireland was seriously as sweet as could be.  Thank you so much Randall Family for letting me be part of this wonderful time in your lives!

Jonea | Maternity in Tucson Arizona

This is actually the first of two maternity sessions with this amazing woman!  Her husband was out of town for her first session and her second session will be just them without their adorable son!  I can't lie, I was extremely nervous to photograph Jonea..  this girl is literally famous. She was photographed by the AMAZING Jade Beall for The Beautiful Body Project and several of her images have gone viral.  it did take me a while to get over my nervousness and when I finally got comfortable we hit an amazing groove and created some because art together.  I am SO HONORED she asked me to photograph her!  

I have finally decided I am just obsessed with anything about birth and mothering/nurturing.  I love being able to photograph these amazing women who are caring for and nurturing their children.  Now we wait Jonea and Josh's beautiful little girl to grace us with her presence, I can't wait to share their images from their next maternity session with the world!