A-SESSION LOCATIONS- Mountains

Jen and Dave are getting married in August, with a weekend long celebration at the American River Resort in Coloma. And, as you can see, they enjoy kayaking. Living in the Sierra there are so many beautiful slopes to ski, trails to hike, and lakes to explore. I just love it when I run into couples like Jen and Dave who enjoy outdoor adventure as much as I do and want to incorporate that into their session; it’s the perfect blending of my two passions plus it makes their session so much more unique and personal. The “Just Engaged” signs…

Beautiful Cammy is graduating this spring and heading to California Baptist University in Southern California to study drama. She is currently in the El Dorado High School production of “Cats” and so she is no stranger to the stage. We met up recently to commemorate her graduation at Sly Park Lake, where we talked about her summer plans to run, hike, and camp with friends and family. I loved Cammy’s sweet and playful nature, making goofy faces in the field and splashing in the lake. She definitely has enough personality to light up the stage, the same way she does the camera,…

    Oh what beautiful light we had at Alder Creek Tract for Emily’s Senior session! With Emily’s beautiful hair blowing in the breeze, her rosy cheeks and warm smile, it made it almost impossible to take a bad photo this evening. Emily’s parents, Barb and Steve, are both teachers in the Pollock Pine School district and I first met Barb when she was recruiting volunteers for the new school community garden at Pinewood. As soon as I met her, I know I would like her! So, when she called me to schedule a Senior session for her daughter, I…

While my photography is always about capturing emotion, something true and personal about my subject, it is also about the artistry of light. This is never truer than during sunset sessions, like this one with Senior, Kyle, at Alder Creek Tract. The light is so perfect during that hour or so before the sun goes down and it’s so fun to walk through these gorgeous settings getting to know my clients while eyeing the scenery for the most dramatic backdrop. Kyle is the son of a family I got to photograph a few years ago and he is graduating from…

I love Senior session time! As a mother myself, I feel the mixture of emotion and excitement for these “coming of age” photos. It’s such a great opportunity to mark the first step into adulthood and, quite often, one of the last times that parents get to celebrate their sons and daughters as they were when still living at home; so much changes from hereon out! This session was all about Dylan, whose brother, Ryan, I photographed a few years back for his Senior portraits  For Ryan’s session, mom attended the session but shied away from the camera.  But this year…

I have been photographing Wyatt and his family for some time now; he is the last Nickel son to graduate this coming May. Over the years, I have photographed his brother, Matt, on his snowboard, and Hayden on the golf course,  so it seemed fitting that Wyatt and I would take advantage of whatever late-season snow was still around, to get in jumps over at Sierra at Tahoe. I’m a BIG fan of Senior sessions that capture the personality and vitality of the guy or girl I’m photographing. You’re only a Senior once, at your physical peak and with so…

Diane and Brian are beginning the process of adopting a child and called me to schedule a session that would express who they are as a couple to potential birth mothers and fathers.  Like many of my clients, they found me through referral, this time via a Facebook friend and wedding client. Facebook is so great for turning an otherwise “invisible” connection into a new relationship! I have shot “adoption portfolios” before and what I love about them is the photographer’s challenge to really dig deep and get to know the couple, then bring that out, naturally in the images.…

  What a fun and playful session this was! Kellie told me that she and her family wanted their photos taken playing in the snow. In February the white fluffy stuff isn’t normally hard to come by but not so this year. So, it took a bit of searching through up-country to find the setting we needed. We drove up Iron Mountain Road, which snakes between the 50 and the 88, parked and walked in until I found some truly gorgeous light coming through the trees. Ahhhh… I’m so lucky to work in such a beautiful area! Unfortunately, along with…