"Alder Creek"

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…

Backyard weddings can be a lot of work but they also can be that perfectly small, intimate vibe that you are looking for. Add in a whole lot of elbow grease, the love and support of family and friends, and an extraordinary designing, planning and styling team (Elysse Goerss, Blessings From the Moon Events Co,) and you have yourself a gorgeous celebration right in your own backyard. That said, June 17, 2023 was a very hot day in El Dorado. The sun was strong and bright and shade was hard to find. Donna started out at an Air BnB in…

Engagement sessions are so great because you come away knowing alot about a couple and how they are with each other, outside of their wedding day, and before their wedding day. Additionally, they get to know and feel more comfortable with me. It’s always a win.

Megan is in her final year at El Dorado High, her two brothers, Ryan and Dylan, preceding her. Which leaves her the last to fly the coup from her lovely and emotional mom, Trisa, who has accompanied all her kids to their senior sessions with me. Like her brothers and her mom, Megan has the most amazing, infectious smile. In fact, there was a moment when I asked Trisa to step into the picture, that I saw that their smiles are not only incredibly similar but that they crept up onto their faces in almost exactly the same manner. Including…

I’ve been watching Taylor and Ryan grow at basically the same rate as my own kids. You see, our children are about the same age and I have been photographing the Anderson family, annually since Ryan was an infant- perhaps for 9 or 10 years now? Jessica and Bret are so great about making time for this every single year despite their crazy schedules. They don’t even need to explain a cancellation/rescheduling as I’m living that same life too- kids running in various directions, working parents doing the same, soccer soccer soccer, family in town for a visit, I remember stitches one year,…

What a beautiful day, down at the river’s edge at Alder Creek Tract, just up Highway 50. The Bonzo family won an auction item of a free session that my business donated for a local fundraiser. As most sessions go, there is a period of warming up to each other, and of course, the kids, wondering…What have Mom and Dad gotten us into?! Well, I don’t want to put words in their mouths–but while those feelings may have existed–any worries soon subsided into a really fun and laid-back session. Lisa and Ed have raised completely delightful children: David, Emma, and…

    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…