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It was one of those sunny, golden fall afternoons that make me pinch myself: not only do I get to live in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains, but I also get to follow happy families around while they enjoy the outdoors, trading jokes and snapping photos.  (And I call this “work?”  Ha!)  With the loving, energetic, incredibly photogenic Jen family as my clients and a bright blue sky overhead, it was a great day at the office for sure. The Jen sisters are close in age and also very close to each other.  Watching them goof around was so much fun and…

A marriage 20 years in the making… Linda and Kelly celebrated the lifelong commitment they made to each other over two decades ago at a beautiful wine country wedding filled with family and friends.  From the outside, you might think they had just fallen in love!  You can see their strong bond in every look and every move: the way Linda gazes at Kelly, emotion in her eyes and a shy hint of a smile…the way that Kelly clutches Linda’s hand in hers, bursting with excited energy and enthusiasm.  There’s no question that these two were meant for each other. I first met Linda…

Proof that it doesn’t always take months of planning, Steve and Stephanie organized a breathtakingly-lovely riverside wedding in only a few weeks!  Having worked closely with Steve in the wedding business, I am completely versed on his easygoing, calm style, so there was never a doubt in my mind that he and his bride could pull this off without breaking a sweat.  They even handled a last minute venue change with ease: when many more guests arrived than what the couple had expected, they moved their ceremony from the hilltop to the river to accommodate all their friends and family.  Any…

On a warm late summer evening at David Girard Vineyards, Jenna and Casey said “I do”.  The sun may have been blazing hot but not much could hold a candle to the love that shone from these two.  These sweethearts proved how sweet they really are on each other by lighting a “unity Sterno” during their ceremony, which they then used to toast marshmallows for s’mores.  Sounds funny at first, until the bride and groom told us that they had shared s’mores on their very first date.  And before she slipped into her elegant lace gown, Jenna had been wearing the same dress that…

One year ago, two of my longtime clients brought a beautiful baby girl into the world.  How lucky was I to get to document her first birthday!  I love photographing celebrations, and there have been many of them in her family’s life.  It all started with an engagement session for Mom (Michelle) and Dad (Tim), followed by a fun and easy going wedding at Fausel Ranch, then the maternity, newborn and six month sessions for sweet baby Madelyn. Time flies and I am so grateful to have been part of these major milestones!  I am always gratified and humbled when I…

Chelsea and Chava celebrated their wedding on a sunny summer day in August at the Wedgewood Sequoia Mansion – and what a celebration it was!  Between the handmade, personal touches (s’mores trail mix!) and the enthusiastic mariachi band, this was a wedding that was guaranteed to make you smile.  Of course, a bride and groom as completely in love as Chelsea and Chava are doesn’t hurt matters, either!  Chava kept us laughing with his joking ways, and Chelsea’s bridesmaids (who also happened to be her sisters!) kept things light and fun for the bride. Chelsea and Chava shared their how-we-met story…

When you’re a professional wedding and family photographer, you spend a lot of time photographing other people having fun, but don’t always capture images of your own fun times.  You’ve got to set the camera down sometime!  That was the plan when I headed to the Camp Wakka Chikka music festival Labor Day weekend: just some real R&R with family, music, food, and dancing.  Still, being a photographer, I always have to have at least one camera and lens in my bag as insurance against those “I can’t believe I missed that shot!!” moments.  Fortunately for me (but unfortunately for my…

It’s not easy as you might think it would be to get many generations of family together in order to capture this moment in time. It can take some planning, some coordinating and some flexibility but it’s generally never regretted. Kudos to my friend Carol who did just that this summer while her family was in town for a visit. In fact, we did this several years ago over the Christmas holiday too. Living close to Goldridge club, we were able to utilize the playground which always keeps the kids engaged. Lots of smiles and lots of grandkids (ok, and a few…

When Kevin approached me to create a photo montage of the Pollock Pines schools in his district – Pinewood, Sierra Ridge, and Silver Fork – I knew this was going to be a special and very meaningful job.  You see, for 6 years Kevin has been my kids’ school Superintendent, and our community has gotten many good opportunities to get to know him.  Always approachable, he would stand outside the school entrance at drop off to socialize with the students and their parents.  Everybody knew Mr. Monsma!  This hands-on approach has always been something I really admired about him.  This summer he moved on to a…