I met Stephanie paddle boarding a few years ago and we connected almost instantly. Set free on the lake, with our paddles and boards we got to know a little about each other as we headed out across Jenkinson Lake. While our lives tug us in different directions, we connect. And, while a beautiful lady, it is that part of her beauty that radiates pure kindness and self reflecting honesty that intrigues me. It’s a part of me I am always looking to foster. She seems to be always searching and exploring both internally in her heart and externally in…

Sierra will be joining this landscape in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains any day now…in fact I just heard that mama, Allyson is on bed rest in order to keep their little one cooking for just a while longer. A few months ago, Allyson posted that she was looking to have some “real” maternity photographs captured during this important experience in her life but that their funds were limited. I instinctively reached out to her because I wanted to help her and it just felt like this was something I could do for her. With two kids away at school,…

Well, since Miss Lily arrived about 6 weeks earlier than planned our Lake Tahoe maternity session ended up being inside Marshall hospital on the maternity level, during the birth. Well, not really…but sort of. I’ve been through alot with this family through the years, so we are able to sigh and then giggle to each other about this. Upon arriving in Tahoe for Lily’s 3.5 month session, we had planned to walk out to the beach and a dock but Tahoe had just had a random hail storm and the field we had to cross to get there just wasn’t…

Stephanie and Aaron drove up from San Jose for their engagement session up in high country. Little did Aaron know that he was just up this way the previous weekend when he was 4-wheeling with his friends out past Loon Lake. I enjoyed meeting Stephanie and Aaron outside of their wedding day. It’s great to get to know my wedding couples through a photo session prior to their wedding day. It helps me to better understand their connection so when the big day arrives, I know what is natural and what is comfortable for them, in order to capture them…

On a most spectacular Thursday afternoon in the mountains, my daughter Jaz and I headed to Sorenson’s Resort in Hope Valley to capture Bethany and Dan’s very intimate wedding ceremony. The day was beautiful and the drive made me realize how much adventure and road trips give me renewed energy. Bethany and Dan’s connection was clear when I first met them as we hopped in my car to photograph them together, down the road in the open meadow of Hope Valley. Here are a few of my favorites…including their dessert bar and charcuterie plate. They give you a good flavor…

Little Kinsley came into this world very quickly upon approaching the hospital a couple days before her due date. In fact, it was not even the hospital she was supposed to be born at. There are always great birth stories. Healthy, happy and now cared for on the outside by an adoring mom and dad,  Kinsley gets to grow up in a beautiful home, full of love. Jenn and Keith invited me into their Shingle Springs home in order to capture some of these precious newborn moments of their family. You never get this time back again and I love…

One of my most favorite things to do is reconnect with my wedding couples in order to capture their growing families. After Katrina and Joe’s wedding(maybe 6 years ago?), I actually had the honor to be at little Casey’s birth. Well, with the Sac traffic, about 2 minutes after it, to be exact. But just the same, the images from that day and those that I captured during her first year were put together in a bound hard book documenting those precious moments. I got to deliver it to them at our photo shoot and had fun watching Casey look…

I met Mariah, Charlie and their son Wyatt over a year ago at a coffee shop in Camino. I really enjoyed them because they were real. I know that sounds trite but honesty and joy that shines through is so refreshing and so much fun to capture as a photographer. They were down to earth and excited about spending the rest of their lives together and being Wyatt’s parents.  That day we decided it would be fun to work together so we made it official 🙂 A few months before their wedding, Mariah asked me if we could do a boudoir…

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…

Helen and Bob found each other on Eharmony and when they were ready, they chose to marry poolside in Carmichael, California. The landscape consisted of children, grandchildren and extended family and friends. Right in the middle of this mid-day ceremony, Bob and Helen broke into a spontaneous and romantic slow dance as a family friend played a beautiful piece of music for the bride and groom. It literally took my breath away and surely all those in attendance. Their happiness is an inspiration to me. It just goes to show you that it really doesn’t matter how old you are…

Emma and Marcus, born on the same date, and graduating from Ponderosa High School on the same date too! What a treat to not only get to capture the personalities of each of these dynamic, personable and intelligent kids but also their personalities and connection, together, as bother and sister, as twins. They have a lovely nurturing relationship and my camera had a great time and I did too…and we all enjoyed the gorgeous evening light down by the river. We started at Home Depot, all hopping into my car and driving down to Coloma together where I asked them…

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.  ~Confucius And so it goes…later this month Paige will grab her royal blue cap and gown and gracefully cross the stage at El Dorado High School as she retrieves her diploma. Wow. 16 years later. Our families have been friends since 2002 when Jaci, Paige’s mom had a daycare center that our children attended for years. In fact, back in the day, Jaci also used to work for me and I have always valued her as a worker, caregiver and friend. What a treat to get to photograph her oldest daughter- such a…