Kristen has come along as my sidekick to many a wedding (and I to hers). When I was about 9 months pregnant (and feeling very unphotogenic) she talked me into some portraits in a field and I have to say I am so grateful she did. In exchange I agreed that once my baby could be left in someone's able hands I'd return the favor and take some portraits of her and Dan. One year later I arrived with my 1 year old in tow (still not quite able to secure a baby sitter in peak hours...ok I admit - I'm a helicopter mom) and took some pictures .The kids enjoyed watching the horses, and I enjoyed capturing Kristen and Dan. Kristen dusted off her wedding dress and pulled it off better than she did ON her wedding day. How many girls can do that? There was so much light and dust and afternoon beauty that the images are all pretty intense in color and content. Eh - better too much than too little!
I've driven that road 100 times. The one to Lees Ferry for river trips and Colorado cabin trips. Something about the lines of the buttes and the ancient sand dunes and distant purple mountains of the painted desert made me always want to use the stark desert as a frame for some couple or family. Funnily enough though, it's not that easy to convince people to drive into the middle of nowhere for pictures. Especially when props are rocks and dirt and it's inconvenient to walk half a mile out into the desert and cross old barbed wire into noman's land. When Mitchell told me he loved that area and always wanted photos out there I was not about to give up the opportunity... even if it crossed my mind that 5 weeks from my due date it was probably irresponsible to be lugging people into the middle of nowhere. We were hoping for wild horses - didn't get those. Luckily no early labor though either. We did get incredible light and ultimately I can say probably my favorite engagement session yet. Thanks guys for taking the chance - I love these pictures. You two are GORGEOUS! Viva Navaho Land! 
I think I'm getting old. Or people are just doing big important things younger. Either way - it feels like these two were little kids peering over the pews at church at me yesterday... and now they're engaged. :..) I was very happy to spend an afternoon with them and their very open minds... open minds always make for much better images. You will never guess (unless you've been there) where these were taken. All Mitchell's brilliant idea. Try guessing...
And if you think these lovebirds made for a beautiful shoot in THESE pictures... just wait until you see part 2. Stay tuned!! (post now up - you have to check it out!)
As an on-location photographer you're at the mercy of so many variables. The weather; the lighting; other people intervening on your chosen backdrop; the chemistry you do or don't possess with your subjects; ... the list goes on and on. This is one of the reasons I get butterflies before every single shoot. This was no exception. Somehow though everything came together like clockwork. For the initial part of the shoot I had chosen a green barn on a private property that I'd been wanting to use for years. I had popped in that morning to ask the owner his permission and he graciously allowed me access. When Merideth and Ashby showed up it was as though they had dressed to coordinate with the barn. Score! Then the sun dropped to a perfect level for backlighting. Score! Merideth and Ashby (despite warning me of their utter lack of photogenic-ness) turned out to be comfortable and photogenic. Score! Then we went to Hart Prairie road where there were tons of wildflowers... Score!... and the most amazing sunset I've ever witnessed. Score! (which peaked right as we reached the summit of a small hill). SCORE! I wish I could take credit when photos turn out like this but really... so much was luck. Here are my favorites... AND STAY TUNED for part two - a jaw dropping sunflower-session where you guessed it - we got lucky again! :)
We have very similar taste in jewelry... and flowers... :) Her wildflower bouquet on the right reminds me of a heart. How cool!
You actually see little bits of rain in the above picture.
Okay... so it's not very often that you meet a couple with the same first names. Try meeting a couple who share a relatively unique first name and (almost) have the same middle name too! Jordan Michael and Jordan Michelle....! I cringe imagining the years to come when they're signing up for accounts, but they are (young), very much in love, and defineately up for the challenge! We went for a drive down a country road with these two and got some lovely results for their engagement pics. Jordan (female) has beautiful long blonde hair. Jordan (male) knows how to work a camera! They were very open-minded and full of ideas themselves. I had a lot of fun with them. Now that they've sent out their invitations I'm allowed to post MY favorites from the session. Can't wait for their wedding and the "post-wedding" portrait session with the horses! Congratulations you two...! (and thanks for weathering dirty barns, wheel barrows, dusty fields and scorching hot roads... oh... and we can't forget the outhouse!)
Having a Kelty Luber moment here I think...
Jordan climbed to the top of this barn in her skirt and heals... impressive!
The farm we invaded for these pics had a *really* cool old outhouse. I laughed really hard imagining them using an outhouse pic in their invitations - but they actually did incorporate the one above. Pretty funny!
