A Mountaintop Elopement / Tibble Fork Reservoir

Last week I had the opportunity to capture this gorgeous mountaintop elopement with Pop Up I Do. They created this company to provide intimate, destination style wedding ceremonies that focus on the most important part of getting married… You and your soon to be spouse. Everything else is taken care of. Marisa is an ordained minister and florist, Alysia is their regular photographer and I normally cover their videography needs.

Plan your wedding with ease. Imagine the most beautiful and private location, a lovely bouquet/boutonnière, a short and sweet ceremony, a dessert + bubbly setting for a stress free celebration all prepared for you. All you have to do is pick a date and show up ready to say I do. Get married surrounded by some of the most impressive scenery Utah has to offer, and have it documented by a phenomenal visual media team.

They’re able to set up a humble gathering for your closet friends and family, or cater to you and your significant other alone. Arrange to have a delicate altar set up, or opt for the awe inspiring natural backdrop of the location. If you’re looking to elope, It’s a brilliant way to start your life together!

Michael + Andy flew in from out of town, they’d actually never been to Utah before. When they arrived to the scene at Tibble Fork Reservoir they were in a state of amazement. As they breathed in the crisp mountain air amid the tall pines and gazed at the snow capped peaks that could be seen in every direction. It was like something out of a dream.

They exchanged vows, rings and a kiss, then toasted to their new life together and nibbled on some delectable gourmet pastries. Afterwards they drove down the winding scenic road out of the canyon to their dinner reservations. In the morning they began their honeymoon, taking in the sights of Capitol Reef. Congrats and best wishes to them and a huge thanks for letting us share in their elopement atop the mountains of Tibble Fork Reservoir!

Life + Style Studio Sessions / Draper Utah

I love shooting in the studio, it’s located in Draper Utah and is perfect for lifestyle sessions! (Hence it’s name Life + Style Studio ;) ) If you’ve got a itty bitty human on your hands, you probably notice that they’re happier in the mornings and early afternoon. Which makes a studio session a good choice for them, as the natural light that flows in during that time of day is ideal! Shooting outdoors in the afternoon can have it’s challenges, which can be fun to play around with when you have cooperative adults. But babies have their own agenda and just letting them do their own thing often gets the best results.

It’s also helpful to have a space where they can sit and lay without the icky feeling of grass on their skin, or the distraction of rocks, twigs and all sorts of interesting things to observe (and chew on). With distractions at a minimum, and optimal lighting, we’re better equipped to just focus on each other and those tiny little features! To go along with being able to book studio sessions earlier in the day means more opportunity to shoot. My weekend evenings fill up very quickly, but when we’re able to book a studio session during the day, I’m more likely to be open for last minute sessions.

Additionally, there’s no need to worry about the weather. There’s no concern If it’s extra windy, if the clouds look a little sinister, it’s been pouring all day or it’s chilly outside. The studio is a safe haven from all of that! Especially in the winter months, when you want to capture baby’s milestones but it’s just too cold out.
One thing to consider when booking a studio session is time constraint. Because studios tend to be used by several people, and rented by the hour, we’re required to stick to our allotted time frame and aren’t able to extend our session there.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever had a studio session, do you like them, why or why not? I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

Spring Blossom Sessions in the Orchard / Provo UT

I am so excited to be offering these this year! I am delighted to already see some buds sprouting on the branches. The orchards make for a beautiful backdrop any time of year with the seemingly endless rows of tree, but they are especially beautiful in the spring!

When all the twigs are covered with blossoms and petals are scattered all around, like confetti from the celebration of warmer days! It’s almost as if you’re walking through your own fairytale complete with tunnels of floral embellished limbs everywhere you look. It can feel so magical!

These are going to take place in an orchard in Provo, UT. I will be offering full and minis sessions, both will include all of the hight resolution images with basic edits. I deliver them in a downloadable online gallery , perfect for sharing. If you ‘d like to secure your spot, you can do that here . Spots are limited, so book your appointment soon, as they fill up quickly!

I can’t wait to create beautiful images with you and your loved ones in this seemingly enchanted place!

Stranded at the Bonneville Salt Flats

I’ve been capturing this family’s photos for a few years now and look forward to getting to see them. When Ashley first contacted me about doing her photos I was so excited! She, herself is a super talented photographer. I was so nervous for our first session, but we knocked it out of the park and have been going strong ever since. I’m so grateful for our friendship!

This last time around She wanted to go to the Bonneville Salt Flats, which are about 2 hours away, so we decided to drive together. I met her at her studio downtown salt lake and hopped in the car with her entire family including her Mother in-law and their chocolate lab. On the drive down we were deep into some pretty good conversation when she realized that she had forgotten to stop for gas.

If you’ve ever driven from Salt Lake to Wendover, you know that there is NOTHING once you pass Grantsville Which is nearly 100 miles (96.3 to be exact) to the next gas station. We had already gone too far to turn back and were chasing the sun, so we decided to just keep driving as far as the car would take us. We finally sputtered off the side of the road about 15 minutes from our destination, and had to shoot where we’d landed.

Luckily it was still very pretty, but there was also 50MPH cross winds. We managed to get these beautiful images despite our hair and clothing flying everywhere, whipping in the currents. Once the sun went down, it was time to figure out how we were going to get home. We had called triple A before we got started shooting, but there was an issue and they never ended up coming. Someone happened to pull over close-by to take a photo of the gorgeous sunset, so Zack asked him for a ride to the nearest gas station. He would then have to hitch another ride back to where we were stranded with a giant gas can full of fuel in tow.

While we waited for him to return, it was starting to get cold and the and hunger kicked in. So Ashley turned on a movie to cut the chill and keep the kiddos distracted from their rumbling tummies. When we finally spotted Zack darting across the highway, unsure how much time had passed the car shut off. Did we kill the battery!?! and just before our rescue?

We put the gas in the car and by some miracle got the car to start. We made our way to Wendover to fill the tank and our bellies. I finally made it home around midnight, happy to see my sweet babies snug in their beds and calm my anxious husband as my phone had died right after telling him we were stuck on the side of the road. I love my adventures with Ashley, I hope they don’t end anytime soon! Do you have any funny stoies about your family photos? If so, I’d love to hear them! please share in the comments below.

What to Expect When Booking a Birth Story

Congratulations on your pregnancy! You’re entertaining the idea of documenting the birth of your child. This is such a momentous time in your life and is literally the beginning of a brand new life, it most definitely an occasion deserving preservation! Birth stories are some of my very favorite things to capture, every one is a uniquely beautiful and indescribable experience.

No matter how you felt through out your labor and delivery, Imagine re-living only the best parts! That flood of emotion after seeing your baby’s face for the first time, taking you back to the feeling of their delicate newborn skin upon yours. The sound of their sonorous cry as they take those initial breaths.

Sounds amazing! But there are so many variables and every pregnancy and occasion is different. Even planned inductions can be wildly unpredictable! knowing what to expect is nearly impossible, but luckily I can give you an idea of what to expect from me as your photographer/ videographer.

We will set up a consultation either in person or on the phone to make sure we’re on the same page, and answer any questions you have. Even though it’s often irrelevant in this field, I like to get some insight in hopes that it’s helpful in my preparation. Things like is this your first child, if not, how were your previous deliveries. Do you have a birth plan, are you wanting to go unmedicated or will you be getting an epidural? Are there any special circumstances , or family concerns that I should be aware of. Who will be in the delivery room and what is your vision for how the day will unfold. Will you be wanting a follow up or fresh 48 session for your older children to be there or will they be present during the delivery

I normally try to play an observant role in my documentation, but if I see something that I think you would love I might stage a few things to aid in the storytelling. I am not one to be up in your business at that moment of truth, but I’m not opposed to getting in there. If you’re wanting something a bit more raw, I’m not afraid of delivering that (no pun intended) I’ve seen my fair share of tits and jay, and I’m unfazed. At this point I’m almost as comfortable with it as your nurses, and OB. To me It ain’t no thing, it’s just part of my job and I would not share any of it without your consent!

I will be on call 24/7 for the weeks surrounding your due date. We will want to be in contact about your progress and you care providers thoughts on how things are going. If you go into early labor I will do everything in my power to be there. I also have backup photo/videographers that I can call on if I am unable to get there. You will want to inform me as soon as possible once it’s go time. When you are in active labor and at least half way dilated, I will head over and capture the unfolding of this magnificent life event! I normally stay and shoot for another 30 minutes after baby arrives.

Post processing can last 4-6 weeks as finding the perfect song for a film can be time consuming. I will send you some sneak peeks to tide you over until then, and your photo gallery will be delivered within 3 weeks. You will receive a downloadable link to your song length film (3-6 minutes) and around 100+ images with basic edits delivered in a private online gallery. Be sure to save the files in a couple different places for safe keeping.

If you’re wanting a tangible keepsake, I do offer professional printing services. Although you are free to use the service of your choosing print, canvas and album orders through me come with hand retouching and color match calibration with my printers to ensure the best possible quality. This is such a tremendous occasion and I am absolutely delighted, and obsessively grateful to be trusted with capturing it for you!

Our Trip to Sand Hollow

This was the first actual trip in our new motorhome. We don’t normally go camping this early in the season, but we were all kinds of excited when our friends wanted to plan something! We also figured it would be a little warmer down south. We wanted to get there before dark, since we’ve never been to Sand Hollow before and weren’t even sure where we would be able to camp. But by the time we pulled in it was very black out. Looking through internet threads we drove to a spot where we thought we could pull in for the night.

When we got up in the morning, we were greeted with the owner of the property. Luckily he wasn’t upset, but let us know that we wouldn’t be able to stay there. He talked to the guys for quite some time about all of the neat things things he’s found on his land over the years, and also eerie ones - like the body of a murdered woman *YIKES

We ended up getting a spot at the state park by the beach, the view was gorgeous and they had really nice showers with heated floors. On our first ride we came up on this huge rock formation and of coarse the kids wanted to climb it, So we did. It was fun to get to almost the tippy top and look down on all the peaks and valleys. The trails were very sandy (hence the name) and it would have been nice to have some paddle tires, but we managed.

We were adventuring with some of our favorite people, The A Family. They always bring the funnest camping toys and gadgets. This time they had brought along some metal detectors. The kids love to dig in the sand (Especially Collins) and with the detectors they were able to find some fun treasures. The kids favorite find was a crystal cube from a projector that they used to play games with the remainder of the trip.

On our next ride we came to this cliff with yet another amazing view where we spent some time just taking it all in. On our way back we decided to take one last trail and Brandon found a spot that seemed perfect for him to do some donuts. Not my favorite thing, but he was having fun. As we started to pull out, we all looked back at our friends, right as they were about to spin their own donuts and watched helplessly in slow motion as they tipped over. I just remember hearing screams and saw Brandon jump out of our RZR and run at full speed to help.

Once i caught up with him, I heard them say their machine had landed on her leg, so we all lifted it off of her and then scrambled around in our side by sides in the rain to the nearest instacare. Luckily it wasn’t too far away. We decided to take the kids back to camp, he took thier kids in their Teryx and I was driving ours in the RZR, Brandon wanted to lighten the mood and play around a bit. He pulled into this area that had been primed for riding with jumps and such . He went up this jump and then just stopped dead in his tracks, as i came around the other side, at the bottom of the jump was a giant pool of muddy water. I was laughing so hard! Glad that he didn’t just blindly go for it (He never would, but still haha) At that point we called it and headed back to wait for the verdict from the hospital. She had broken some bones in her foot, but fortunately didn’t need any surgery. It was such a relief, we were all very concerned!
All in all it was a great trip, we made some memories and would definitely go back. Maybe when it’s warmer and we can actually dip in the lake!