Wow! What a site the Rose Garden is at McKinley Park is in Sacramento right now! I highly recommend a Golden Hour stroll through the uncountable varieties of roses. Additionally, having a subject as naturally beautiful as Mirielle made it especially fun for me AND at golden hour. Let’s just say, I was not the only photographer in this garden. There were lots of us, unlike her sister Acacia’s senior session, a few years back during the Covid pandemic where we chose a quiet riverside location along Highway 50, that we had to ourselves. Currently, Mirielle is interning as a…

After enjoying a very snowy engagement session with Melissa and Josh earlier this year, I got to know them a little better. I love engagement sessions for that reason- it gives the opportunity, outside of a busy wedding day for a couple to get to know me and how I work and I get to know them, individually and also how they interact as a couple. This information can be priceless, especially on a day when everything doesn’t go exactly as planned. Little did we know at the time that their wedding day would bring in more weather, this time…

Briseida (meaning distinguished, helpful in Spanish) She’s so full of life and that big smile and warm personality just draws you right in. We met up at Sly Park Lake to celebrate her upcoming graduation from Union Mine High School in Placerville. When I asked her how she would describe her style prior to the session she said, “the weather chooses my mood and outfits to be honest”. Briseida also means “breeze” in Latin which I think is also a perfect description of this lovely young burst of energy, blowing from here to there. She enjoys volleyball, traveling, hiking and…

After just receiving her Cal Poly acceptance into their Biology program, I met up with Amelia and her mom Amy at the High Sierra Iris Garden in Camino. While not in the height of full bloom that those will enjoy this week, the splashes of color were gorgeous and created a vibrant backdrop. Nancy, the owner and gardener extraordinaire creates such a colorful and magnificent space in which to enjoy the afternoon and the many varieties of Iris. Head out there this May and see for yourself. You will be amazed. Clearly Amelia is an excellent student, but outside of…

“2 months down until forever, can’t wait!” Michelle wrote this back in 2011 while responding to their wedding post on my blog. They celebrated their wedding day at the beautiful Fausel Ranch. Over the years we’ve had many sessions-pregnancy, newborn, kids, first year, growing family…you name it. Last summer we met up at Fausel Ranch for an anniversary celebration for Deanna and David who own the Ranch as well as anyone who got married at the Ranch. It was great to see them as well as so many other couples I have photographed there over the years. We talked about…

Multipotentialite– new word for me. Someone who has many interests and creative pursuits, and the ability to excel in two or more different fields. Multipotentialites are often very curious, and can find creative ways to combine different ideas. They can also learn, explore, and master new skills, and have the potential to innovate and solve problems. I think this describes Nate to a T! During Nate’s senior session, I realized both in conversation with him and in actual doing…he loves using his hands and also building things. He is currently building a lighthouse for his school prom. He’s also built…

I discovered quickly that I could not move the jumping obstacles to where I wanted them …sigh. I kept sending him back for another loop. He didn’t care. He was stoked that his senior session turned into a photo session showcasing his motocross passion.

Beautiful, Sophia with a gentle, kind and playful personality graduates this May with the Class of 2024. At Union Mine High School she has been the assistant director for their Theater performances. Communication, time management, dedication, enthusiasm, leadership, and the ability to work under pressure-these are great skills to learn in high school and she loves being part of the team that gives a performance shape and brings it to life from the side of the stage. I was so glad when her mom, Annette reached out to me as our kids were together in grade school. In addition to…

On the morning of the eclipse I write this post about Aidan, a future space engineer. Last week, we met up and tromped around through the woods off of Bass Lake Road to a favorite mountain biking spot that this Class of ’24  “graduate to be” wanted to share. While likely Cal Poly bound this fall to study Mechanical Engineering, his plans extend further to a Masters in Aerospace Engineering. One day he expresses, “I want to work for NASA building the habitats astronauts will live in, on other worlds”. THAT, I’d say is a plan! When not shuttling off…

Four generations of the Johnson Family gathered in Sacramento this past Easter weekend. We met up at Charles C. Jensen Botanical Gardens in Fair Oaks to capture some photographs of them all together since it had been a while. Let’s just say with five kids five and under, we all had our hands full but I think we got some great shots. Kudos to Brittany for organizing this photo session as it can be hard to add more to your plate when you have a young family. More to come from this one but here are some of my favorites.…

Ahhhhh. Wow, look at that sunset…look at the sunlight through the trees…moonlight on still water…sunlight on a spider web…the sparkle in your eyes. Without light, I’d be out of business, plain and simple. As I write this, it is the first day of Spring, when more abundant sunshine signals renewal, beginnings, and a return to warmth. This is making me think about the importance of light in our human experience. Being a witness to that human experience is a huge aspect of my job. I’m lucky to love my job, I know. I’m gearing up for a busy Spring and…

Curious little one-year-old Jaxon, with the cute, energetic smile spent some time with me in one of my favorite locations cruising around like a pro in the forest with mom and dad, Frances and Bobby who just moved to the area from Carmicheal. Jaxon even learned the word “tree” (‘twee”) as he held a branch from a local species backlit in the sun. Also joining in on the fun was Great Grandma Alice who had been staying with them for several months but would be moving across the country soon.  It was the perfect time to capture some memories. Welcome…