Sweet Millie is one year old!

It has been a pleasure photographing this little darling over the past year. Sleeping newborn, tummy time, sitting up, crawling, standing, and now just about ready to walk. It is really amazing what babies learn in their first year!

Millie is such a joy! Her smiles and giggles will make you laugh with her. She has always been so engaging, even at two weeks old, she looked into your eyes and had so much to say!

Can you believe she smiled at the camera and put her hand on her heart? Seriously Millie, you are the sweetest little gal! Happy Birthday!

I love to create albums from my sessions, and it is a great way for my clients to enjoy all of their session favorites.

The press printed albums are flush mount albums with thick lay-flat pages printed on high quality UV coated paper. This family album shown is 10 x 10″ with 10 pages/20 sides. Custom photo covers add a great personal touch. Fabric and leather covers are also available.

The albums are a great keepsake for any session: babies, children, high school seniors, families etc.

The album template that I used to create this album is from the fabulously talented Jamie Schultz.

I had the pleasure of photographing this sweet baby in his home. Watch out… those blue eyes will melt your heart.

so many new things to explore… “you call this a belly button, eh? what does it do?”

his expression below kills me ~ I just love it!

hanging out with Dad…

and big brother Mitch. These two are going to have a lot of fun together.

Mitch is 3 years old and as adorable as they come. A sweet, athletic, smiley, big brother.

and future photographer?

Just a few favorites from this session… with adorable, cute, pudgy, darling babies like Matt I could go on & on!

Kristen & Todd, thank you for a fun morning photographing your sweet boys!

It’s those little things I need to remember, write down, photograph … before they grow up.

how Nate loved going to the Children’s Museum so much that he wore the wristband from the trip for over a week. how he still loves his little bear blanket named Bingo. he’s become a snuggler & a mama’s boy. he sucks his right thumb. never the left. he loves his twin brother, even when they’ve fought. he says bascetti for spaghetti. and loves to play in the bathtub. he’s Nate, he’s 4 1/2 and he’s mine…

This is a family that is precious to me…

Ellie : dancer, giggler, shy, keeping up with big brother… daddy’s girl

Kyle : athletic, creative, kind soul… mama’s boy

Catherine & Roland : good, funny, resourceful, caring, considerate… always there. I could go on for days about these two.  I just love them. These are friends you put on speed dial… know what I mean? We love to spend time with them.

are you ready for some sugar?  sisters Millie (4 mo.) and Rosie (4 yrs.)

Beautiful girls…

Just look at Millie’s expression!  What a darling!

and big sis Rosie… 4 years old, adores her little sister, loves her mom & dad very much… and Scooby Doo

and watching Glee… I was photographing Millie when her mom said quietly, “look at Rosie dance”.  There she was, lost in her thoughts, dancing like no one was watching.  It was such a cute moment that just made you giggle.

being a big sister brings big responsibilities, and Rosie has stepped up to the job.  Hugs… check.  Kisses… check.

sisterly chats & advice… check.

just look at these kicks!  every girl likes a little bling now and then!

the girls’ beautiful quilts in these photos were lovingly made by their mom, who is completely talented in every crafty and cooking way, and could beat Martha Stewart with her hands tied…

More favorites from Banner & Harry’s session.  A bit of romance…

Passion, mystery… I absolutely love this one!

Banner’s orange heels turn on the heat!

This one below was really fun to shoot.  I wanted to play with proportion & composition, and I just love how this turned out!  I just kept asking Harry to “back up a little more…”

Banner’s expression and stance is fabulous, she looks like a superhero…

What’s your story?

I’m a sucker for a good love story…

When Banner was 5 years old, her family was stationed at an Air Force base in northern Italy, in a small town near Lake Garda.  They lived in the same apartment complex as the owner of a restaurant, and once a week, her family and a group of friends would meet at the restaurant to have dinner.  She has childhood photos standing in the old buildings (built in the 1500’s) amongst wine barrels and cows on the farm.  The restaurant, Mirrabello, and the family that owns it are still near & dear to her heart.

The first time she met Harry, she was bussing tables at Mirrabello during a visit back to Desenzano.  One of the owner’s daughters, and whom Banner used to play with as a young child, asked her to bring drinks to Harry’s table because they were English speaking (he is from the UK).  There were about 10 people there with him, but Chiara pointed her in Harry’s direction because she knew that they both enjoy rock climbing.  She was right, and they hit it off immediately.  But that was that.   She returned to her life in the U.S.

A year later, Banner returned.  Traveling to Italy this time was for a much needed break, an escape.  A time start a new, fresh chapter in her life.  One night, Harry and a friend came into Mirrabella after a snowboarding trip for a late dinner.

(insert falling in love here…)

…and the rest is history!  After many phone calls, emails, visits and flight miles, Harry moved to the USA, and they were married this past spring.

True story.

Driving by this historic train station in Salt Lake City this summer, I thought of my own honeymoon, where we spent 4 weeks traveling by train in Italy.  There is something romantic and quaintly old fashioned about train travel…  It made me think of Harry and Banner’s story, and I knew they were the perfect couple for this location.  Their session was really fun because of the energy they brought to it.  They were incredibly relaxed and natural in front of the camera, and what I really loved was that you could really see how they feel about each other every time their eyes met.

I want to thank a couple of good friends of mine that assisted with this photo shoot…

Hair and Makeup :  Brooke Cousino at Studio 13, Salt Lake City, UT   801.712.9763

Brooke specializes in color, cuts, styling and makeup artistry. She has a very outgoing and fun personality, and you will walk out of her studio feeling and looking fabulous!

Sunglasses provided by  :  Abundo Eye Care, Salt Lake City, UT  801.255.8500 www.abundoeyecare.com Roland Abundo and his team provide a warm and welcome atmosphere in their office, and pride themselves on the personal relationships they build with their clients.  They have an incredible selection of the latest frames available.  Roland is the doc that I trust with my own eyes.

and of course, my amazing assistant Catherine!

Part 2 coming soon! A few outfit changes and more fun locations from the photo shoot…

a sweet family for you to meet…

I was honored when Krista, a longtime friend and fellow photographer (Krista Ellis Photography) asked me to take their family photos.  Bill and I have known Krista & Ben for years… before our first homes, when our dogs were our first “kids”, through pregnancy (Megan was born 4 months after my Noah), to now, as we both get ready for those little babies to enter 2nd grade!

love this laugh…

mama’s sweetie

and, of course, daddy’s little girl…

Thank you Krista, Ben & Megan for a fun session & fantastic dinner afterward!  I think my family was a bit jealous that I got to hang out with you all night!  🙂

Banner met Harry in a restaurant in Italy and they fell in love.  True story, and it’s a cool one.  More on those two coming soon…

Jump ahead a few years later, many trips overseas and a move to Utah, and they are married and enjoying being a family together with Banner’s two boys.  A rock-climbing, snowboarding, mountain biking, camping, gourmet cooking family.  Don’t be jealous… they’re very nice.  Banner, Harry, Van & Cael… now you can be jealous of their incredibly cool names.

Van & Cael : rambunctious sweet mischievous adorable adventurous brothers

Happy family.  I love that!

Harry & Banner, it was a pleasure photographing your family!  (mosquitos & all)  Cheers to a happy life together!