Graduations

Where does the time go? Jarrett was just 4 years old when I captured this image of him(below) at Emigrant Trail pre school, where my oldest daughter also attended… back in the day. These kids all grew up together and now they’re finishing up high school. The Class of 2020. Wait, it is 2020…..What? Long ago are the Emigrant Trail days. Jarrett is currently a senior at Virtual Academy and loves baseball- he’s been playing since he was 5 years old. Currently he’s a lefty pitcher for the Varsity EDHS team and is “cool, calm and collected” on the mound,…

I first met Chris in Bear Valley where we were working together, Chris as a hair stylist and me as a photographer. She was just putting the finishing touches on our bride Briana’s wedding day hair, which I might add looked just as lovely at the end of the wedding as it did at the start of the day. How do you do that? (check out Acqua Hair Design in South Lake – Chris does some beautiful work!) I was honored when she reached out asking me to come to Lake Tahoe for their first family session. It was a…

How cool is it to be a high school senior and working towards your pilot’s license? I know I’m impressed but definitely not surprised. Jack- serious and goofy, bright, humble and funny… gentle and kind ALL in the same breath. Jack’s the oldest of those  and talented Gray family kids. We all love them. Having known Jack (my oldest is the same age) since he was a pre-schooler at Miss Ruthie’s Emigrant Trail and to see him now navigating the airspace around the Cameron Park Airport- is a blunt reality check. These amazing kiddos are all grown up and getting…

I’m just going to come right out and say it. This was such a fun session. I’ve known Naomi since I photographed her in preschool and she and my oldest daughter participated in several activities together over the years before The Higgins Family moved to Folsom where Naomi now attends Oak Ridge High School. From an early age Naomi was all about swimming. She swam 6 hours a day(except Sunday when her family went to church). When she told me this, I kinda shook my head in disbelief and asked for clarification. She said, “from 4-7am and then again from…

And there really is something about Meg. She’s an easy going, sweet and vibrant high school senior. She’s also president of the Union Mine drama club. Her college application was just submitted for early decision to Dartmouth because well, she knows what she wants and where she wants to be. Love a girl like that! My session with Meg had her adoring Mama taking it all in while we both enjoyed being serenaded, hill top, by Meg… “somewhere, over the rainbow”…..a session with a soundtrack. YES! Singing really allowed me to see Meg and allowed Meg to be in her…

Zoie. Vivacious, fun, spunky, (my neighbor) and such a beautiful young lady. Currently a high school senior at Union Mine in El Dorado, CA playing on the basketball team, working for the infamous and adored, John Sanders at the Old Town Grill in Placerville and looking forward to graduating this coming May. After graduation Zoie plans to become a paramedic because she “wants to help people who really need it” and “doesn’t want people to go through trauma if she can help it”. LOVE her heart. In her spare time she likes to read, ride motor cross and hang out…

Photographing Phoebe- That cute red haircut, that beautiful smile peeking through the wildflowers- all in the loveliness of the late afternoon light….. Come May, Phoebe will be tossing that cap in the air at the Ponderosa High School graduation and become a part of the class of 2019. With a passion for zoology, she plans to stay local for a couple years at FLC and then transfer to another college. Such a very exciting time of life. I wish you the very best in your next adventure!

Last weekend I met Bryton in downtown Placerville for his senior photograph session. He was looking for some images with more of an urban backdrop- some more edge, some more lines. It suited him and it was fun for me. I was lucky enough to photograph his beautiful sister, Ayumi a few years back, ironically, in a lovely sunlit field. Goes to show you, all siblings are different, even by the same parents. Bryton is a great kid. Kind, respectful and was connected to the process of creating some senior photographs. I was even surprised by his dad Les, a…

The class of 2018 and 2019 getting ready to begin the Lantern Ceremony   Hello to the Chatham Hall community, Thank you for another great time on campus. I am working to get all of your photographs uploaded and online sometime early next week. Until then, the slideshow from graduation is now ready for viewing. After 33 years, I still get emotional putting together these graduation-weekend reflections. I move in and out of feeling like a student again,  a parent,  an artist and then sometimes all at once. I truly hope you enjoy it, too. A big shout out of…