The Switzerland of America

It is as pretty as it looked in the pictures. Go take a look here.

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday to me, as my family heads out of the big city to this little town...

Ouray, CO {via here}

..to celebrate my sis's wedding. I can. not. wait. Bridal shower goodness, loved family and friends, snow capped mountains, favorite photographers, amazing wedding dresses (just you wait), and New Years Eve vows between an ocean bride and a mountain groom. I can't wait to capture pictures to share with you!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones!

Holidays, weddings, and puppies.

My sister called me after I posted my entry yesterday and told me I made her cry. Sorry sis, I guess some things are better left unsaid. But I love that I have someone (although she's thousands of miles away) that gets it, and that we get each other. I'm a lucky girl for that.

On a lighter note, I'm wrapping some last minute editing up for clients and getting ready to pack our bags. We leave next week for Colorado, and will be there through the New Year... when we'll party at my sis's wedding! I'm so excited to see my family and to celebrate this time with her... I haven't seen her since my own wedding and that's far too damn long!

We'll be leaving Tucker behind and it's hard for me to think about abandoning him for 2 weeks, but it helps to know he's in good hands of a very capable woman and animal lover. But still, I'm gonna miss that boy, even though he messes all my shit up.

For example, today he:

-Didn't let me sleep in.
-Turned on the hazards in my car when I left him to run into the restaurant to get my dinner.
-Ate half of my dinner while I ran into the wine shop to get a bottle of sake.
-Pooped too many times to count (how many times does a dog have to go?!)
-Chewed up my new belt (which I was going to RETURN)
-Barked at me every time I was tried to talk on the phone.
-Tried to jump all over me every time I sneezed (worry wart).
-And looked adorably apologetic every time I yelled at him.

I love that damn dog, but I can not WAIT until he grows up. 10 months is not old enough.

I really hope I wont say the same things about my kids.

via {ckp}

Almost more than I can bear.

I am homesick beyond words today, literally making me sick. I made the mistake of looking up my childhood home, which is now sold to new owners.  Stupid me. When I refrain from remembering what I used to have, it's easier to be content where I am. Other times it just hits me like a punch to the guts. When anyone has lived the kind of life I had, it's almost impossible to get away from its grasp, always trying to pull you back to where you came from no matter how hard you try to move forward. The trouble is, I don't see a way I can ever be home again.

That part of growing up is brutally hard.

All pictures taken from the bay I grew up in, credit here.

Hello Indie Washington Wedding!

So strange, I hopped over to Ruffled today and saw this wedding... and totally took a double take! I've met Karli numerous times in Oregon through our large group of mutual music loving friends-for-life kind of people, and was so excited to see 1) she got engaged 2) she got hitched 3) she got a badass photographer 4) it was obviously GORGEOUS. Like ultimate rustic-bridal-world eyed candy.

Congrats Karli and new husband Caleb-- hope to see you in the near future!

**Thanks to Kelty for reminding me! All photo credit goes to Ben Blood!

You're kidding me, right?

I'm sorry, but where the eff did they find a lumber yard? Where are my future clients that are willing to climb over logs for badass photos, and WHERE are normal people who want to have their weddings during the hours of daylight!!!

Phew, just had to vent there. Let me put it this way:

Dear Future Clients,

I love you already, I really do. There's just  a few things I ask you fulfill in our relationship. Please consider having a first look. If you want good portraits, you need to let me take them when the sun is still in the sky. It's a very romantic notion to wait until your sweetie is walking down the aisle to see each other, but for me it was SO much more enjoyable when things were taken down a knotch and I could just BE with my love for a little while and in the meantime, get some badass photos together. I want this for you. If you have your ceremony at dusk and then want your portraits done in a timeframe of 5 minutes afterwards, you're going to get what we've allowed for. Which is shit, compared to what I WANT to get for you. I know I'm a little new to the game, but please don't doubt my vision. Hire me if you're the creative, free spirit, nature loving, new best friend to everyone type. Please think out of the box, please hire me because you're creative and are looking for someone to capture that creative goodness flowing out of you. Please hire me not because I'm less expensive than other photographers, but because you know I'll crawl around in the dirt and climb on top of precariously balanced objects to get the absolute best angle I can find for you. Please hire me to be on your team to create the most amazing day EVER for you, the one that loves you best, and the community that you share that extended love with.

I (really really) can't wait to meet you,

Your photographer.

Picture via {w. scott chester photography} who look like a super creative, talented picture taker duo.

Portraits of Another Kind

I Piccsy'ed across some amazing images this morning. Tim Flach. I'm inspired.

Dog Days

I know I said I'm enjoying winter, but then I looked through my summer pictures. F.M. Now off on a morning run in the SNOW. Thank god for imagination, I'll pretend I'm running to this place. Right there. Perfect puppy day.

{CKP}

Tucker's Snow Day

It turned to winter here fast, and we're cuddled up again in our warm home out in the country enjoying the snow. It is, of course, Tuckers first winter, and he's loving it like a little puppy should. I'm especially loving it because after a long hard summer of working overtime, I've now made the transition to being a full time photographer. Which is really damn exciting!!!!

In my opinion, it's been a better year than I can ask for. I've had a blast working with the crew at NCA as their lead photographer and front office manager, and since getting my camera gear in May I've shot 3 weddings, 2 family sessions, 1 engagement session, and 1 portrait session. Now I finally have the time to edit like I should be editing, and to have the energy to be creative.

Evan and I have lived 1 year in Asheville and we've loved it. The country side in Western North Carolina is gorgeous, beyond what I expected, and the little communities are brimming over with good, honest, hard working people. Now it looks like we may be headed back West, and although I'm attached the area here... a part of me is still excited to go someplace unknown and closer to where I feel like I'm home. We'll know by the end of the month if we're moving, but in the meantime I'm okay waiting and enjoying winter right here where I'm at now.

And getting back to blogging. :)

Picture via {CKP}

Perricone Winner!

And the winner is.....

Sarah Nadine!

Sarah Nadine has been one of my loyal blogger friends for a long time, so I'm excited that Random.org drew her name! Congrats Sarah, please contact me with your shipping address so that we can send you your product!