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…

Some families just have it. Sure it often takes a little to get warmed up to a camera in front of you and I get that. Though, some families are able to just settle into their own unique vibe rather easily. That was my experience with the McDaniel family. Love, warmth, joy, playful… silly. As a human, so much fun to be around. As a photographer, so much fun to capture. We met in Camino on a beautiful fall evening and spent about 30 minutes or so playing around in the lovely fall light. When our session ended I felt energized,…

It’s the evening before Thanksgiving and if you live in Pollock Pines, you likely just got your power restored after enjoying about 24 hours of lovely snowfall. While it’s hard to have the last working day before the holidays…powerless, I’m grateful for the oven. Yup, the oven. Sigh…mountain loving. But, before I retire to my own family gathering, I wanted to share this blog of some of my favorites with you. This is the 2nd year that I have gotten to photograph the Gustafson family. I went down to Folsom to their new home to accommodate their new pup, Gidget…

Well sorta….it was two Gray sessions in one weekend. We just split one session up….first was an early morning with Jack at the Cameron Park Airport before his flying lesson (really what teenagers want a family session at 7:30am?) and then the next afternoon I met the whole family at a more reasonable hour at Sly Park Lake. There’s so much love in and around this family- it’s always a pleasure. The love seeps in to those around. Melinda and I just determined that it has been since 2005 ish that we’ve known each other as our kids went through school…

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…

When Megan contacted me about her upcoming marriage to Avery I was so excited. Not only for her, not only for Avery and not only for me (as I was obviously hoping to be asked to photograph the celebration). I was so excited for the joy that this occasion would no doubt be bringing her family, his family, their families. That made me happy. I’ve been friends with the Byers family for years and got to capture both Megan’s and Travis’s high school senior photographs. It’s connections like these that make the experience of photographing a wedding that much more…

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…

I firmly believe that you can gauge the vibe of someone by the tribe they attract to them. If the guests at Laura and Bradley’s wedding are anything to go by, this couple is authentic, fun, and playful. I mean, what a wedding! We had SO.MUCH.FUN. Our day began at the beautiful and rustic Prospect 772 winery in Angel’s Camp, enjoying the laid-back vibe of Laura and Bradley’s closest friends and family while the couple got ready for their nuptials. Although rain threatened and the sun tested us with its disappearing act, it was a wonderful, cool day for an October…

While Ashley and Adam are getting ready to welcome their second son, Braxton is getting ready too- to be a big brother! Come Thanksgiving time the Wells family will be four strong and Braxton, no longer the baby. It all goes by so quick. I loved getting to make these photographs for Ashley and her family out in the late afternoon sunshine as the last time I photographed them was when Braxton was in her belly. And Braxton ….oh and Braxton, I fell in love with Braxton….those eyes, his sweet and playful personality, his cute expressions….as you’ll see from ALL…

Quick- we have power, we have internet! Upload, upload, upload images, run laundry, run the dishwasher GO!  You think I’m kidding? That’s the reality around here at the moment…how long will we have power? No one knows. The last time I got to photograph the Valdez family we were at Sierra at Tahoe and along with my “sherpa” husband, we chased them around the snow slopes making captures of their favorite winter sport together. This time around, instead of a winter theme, we went with fall…because fall is really the best around here and you don’t even need any power…