Kari Sikorski Photography Blog

The Cherney Family : Utah Family Portrait Photographer

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:19:19 -0700

Meet Riley & Sophie...

These two sweeties were so fun, and had a great time running through fields and jumping stepping stones across the creek...

Jenni & Chad will be celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary this fall... Congratulations! Still bringing on the hotness!

I'd bet these two kiddos get just about anything they ask for when they smile like this for their Grandma! Truthfully, had there been a Toys R Us nearby I might have been tempted to spoil them -- they are that sweet!

This arch is hidden in a beautiful spot in the woods. Looking down to the water far below made my stomach jump, so I was thankful for the fence separating me from the edge of that big hole. That might be why they are all smiling so much, it took a lot to release my death grip on the rail!

The Cherney's family portrait session included everything I love about my job... a fun family to shoot, lots of laughs and a beautiful & scenic outdoor location.

Jenni & Chad -- you have a beautiful family, thank you for a great session!

Brooke & Curtis 6.12.10

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 02:00:49 -0700

"Rain on a wedding day is considered good luck - with the idea that a wet knot is harder to untie... since marriage is often referred to as tying the knot."

Brooke and Curtis planned a beautiful outdoor wedding on the Gallivan Center Plaza in downtown Salt Lake City. The skies threatened rain, the Weather Channel predicted scattered storms, and our afternoon view out the window of the bridal suite looked like this...

We were blessed with sunny skies just prior to the ceremony... enough time for the bride & groom to have their "First Look", and to shoot formal pictures of the wedding party and families. The bridal party made it back out of sight... and then, before you could say umbrella, the rain came down. And, I mean it poured!

There was a mad scramble to bring all of the chairs under the trellice, and the wedding guests took cover. At one point I counted 30 umbrellas up in the air, not including the parasols Brooke and her attendants were carrying. I worried for Brooke & Curtis and all of their plans, until I saw Brooke come down the aisle with her father... look at that smile! What's a little rain anyway, right?

The way that Brooke and Curtis looked at each other during the ceremony was just heartwarming. True love, best friends... surrounded by family and friends in their moment.

Shortly after the ceremony, the rain stopped and the sun came out... in time for guests to enjoy cocktails and dinner on the plaza.

I was very excited to see all of Brooke's planning come to life. Their wedding colors of Green, Black and White were so vibrant and were reflected in so many different elements... right down to the candy treats!

The happy couple...

Congratulations Brooke & Curtis! Cheers to a long and happy life together!

Salt Lake City Bridal Portraits : Brooke

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:41:12 -0700

Brooke's wedding gown is so beautiful! She had the tailor add this side bustle option, to show off some of the extra detail of her gown with a quick button.

A gorgeous bride to be!

Don't you just love the laced detail of the back of Brooke's gown! Stunning!

I fell for these windows of this old factory the moment I drove past them & couldn't wait to shoot a session with them as the backdrop.

And just as we were thinking it would be so cool to have a train come through the scene...

there it was...

sweet Millie...

Sat, 15 May 2010 13:42:47 -0700

Beautiful little Millie is two weeks old, and just precious! She is such a sweet baby and her parents and big sister love her so much!

I am just loving the soothing wall color in her nursery, and I think Millie will too.

This is just a sneak peek until we create her baby announcements and they are in the mail... so, until then... Enjoy!

a pirate's life for me

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:47:47 -0700

When my oldest son was 4, he dressed up like a pirate every chance he got. This lasted for about a year and a half. He would wear his costume to the grocery store with me and wonder why people smiled at him and said "Arrrgh!". Pirates of the Caribbean was a big hit, and he couldn't get enough of it. He begged his Grandmother to sew him a Captain's jacket to add to his costume & she did him proud.

Now my 3 year old twins have found the wonder in dress up and imaginative play. We often have pirates or cowboys running through the house, off to their next adventure.

I love it. I love to hear the stories, the giggles, the songs. "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me!" To be invited to be a character in their story is the ultimate compliment...

even when they make me be the alligator.

Bahamas Destination Wedding : Gregg & Denise

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:36:51 -0700

Gregg & Denise chose Great Guana Cay in the Abacos islands of the Bahamas as the location for their destination wedding. The invitations read:

"We've decided on a destination wedding... and the location is as unique as our love!

So, in our island lovin', sandal wearin', sand in your suit, boat until the sun goes down style... we would love to invite you to join us for a week in paradise!"

The ceremony took place on the beach at Orchid Bay, with stunning views of the ocean and barrier reef. The wind picked up, and clouds darkened as the guests were seated. Rain drops chased everyone under the shelter of the pavillion for just a few minutes, but the skies cleared and the sun peeked out just long enough for the ceremony.

Everyone smiled as Gregg watched Denise walk down the sand aisle. He bit his lip as their eyes met and gave her a big smile.

Gregg told a group of us the night before the wedding how he first met Denise. How he saw her from a distance, looking cute in her hard hat. He knew. He told us he had a hankering for her. "awwwwwwwww..." we all exclaimed. Sweet guy.

The beautiful details & wedding planning were taken care of by Wedding/Events Coordinator Patrice Cooper of P & F Party Rentals & Supplies, Cooper's Town, Abaco, Bahamas. If you need assistance planning your wedding in the Bahamas, be sure to contact Patrice at pfpartyrentals@hotmail.com, she will take great care of you!

This rock formation was just perfect to frame a bride and groom. Isn't her dress just gorgeous?

Guests braved the rain and travelled in a caravan of golf carts to the Panoramic View, a grand home at the highest point on the island for a fantastic dinner including locally caught grouper and lobster.

The cake was decorated with frosting shells and coral... delicious!

Denise was a radiant, beautiful bride. She is a sweet soul and a perfect match for Gregg. This is a couple full of life, laughs and love.

It was St. Patrick's Day, and the guests consisting of 30 friends and family danced into the night.

and this is how every island wedding should end...

Cheers, Denise & Gregg! To a long & happy life together!

WPPI 2010, Las Vegas

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:55:33 -0700

WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) was a fantastic, inspiring experience full of learning, fun and friends. I roomed at the MGM Grand with 3 good friends -- Kellie, Krista P & Krista E. We had a blast running to classes, wandering the tradeshow, staying up too late and just goofing around. I met so many new friends, and had a great time catching up with the incredibly sweet & talented Kamee June whom I met last September at Jessica Claire's workshop. I know, we all have K names, right? It was funny, because it continued as I met more talented photogs like Kia, Kate, Katie...

There were so many things to take away from this convention... a HUGE wealth of knowledge, all in one place. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend classes held by Audrey Woulard, Jesh de Rox, Tamara Lackey, and Jasmine Star. All incredible photographers, each with their own amazing style. I laughed, cried (Jesh de Rox's presentation didn't have a dry eye!), wrote notes furiously, and smiled... a LOT! I also had the opportunity as part of a VIP pass, to have a portfolio review with Alycia Alvarez. She was so friendly and turned what I had set up in my head to be a 5 minute shaking in my boots review into a 40 minute chat with great feedback to grow from.

A highlight of the trip was a mentoring shoot held by CA wedding photographer Victor Sizemore, and styled by Summer Watkins of Grey Likes Weddings. We were driven out about 45 minutes into the desert to a dry lake bed. Well, apparently not quite dry enough, as our motorcoach sank into the mud up to it's front bumper & made me think we might be camping for the night! It was somewhere around 40 degrees, and we were COLD! Shivering, fingers frozen to our cameras cold! I was amazed as the models handled the frigid temps and posed for us until the sun set. I swear I can still feel the cold when I look back at the pictures! The sets were fabulous, and it was surreal to see them there in the middle of the desert.

Ok, grab a drink and sit back... I have so many favorites from this photoshoot that I want to share with you! Leave a comment & let me know what you think, I'd love to hear from you.

and... a few behind the scenes shots. Enjoy!

Here I am with 49 other photographers enjoying the shoot.

Kentucky's own Kellie Carter & I kickin it in the desert with our Converse... (ok, I know... I was all tangled up in camera & bag straps! This happened somehow in the rush to grab everything off the bus, and I was too cold to figure out how to fix it haha!)

a close up of my tangled up state...

Victor Sizemore giving us a few pointers

Victor and his darling daughter, getting a hug after her modeling debut...

and a shot of the motorcoach sinking into the mud... I wish we had a shot of our faces turning around and seeing this!

Thank you Victor for a great opportunity & a fun afternoon!

Credits:

Victor Sizemore Photography: http://www.vcsphoto.com/blog

Styling by Summer Watkins: http://greylikesweddings.wordpress.com

Historical Jewels: http://www.historicaljewels.com/

Make Up & Hair: Jill Guin of Darling Bride: http://www.darlingbride.com

Video: Elysium Productions http://blog.elysiumproductions.com/

Senior Portrait Albums

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:45:35 -0700

I just love how this senior portrait album turned out! It was fun to create, and I know that this will be a wonderful momento the family will cherish. A press printed album is a great way to show off all of your favorite portraits from your session!

Below are two of the full spreads. Please ignore my watermark on them... that is not printed on the final product ;)

This senior's album is a press printed 20 page, 10 x 10 book, with high quality, UV coated hinged paper and a custom photo cover. I created this layout using a fabulous template from Jamie Schultz Designs.

The Great Salt Lake, Utah

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 10:48:27 -0700

** update ** Our video won a full registration to WPPI courtesy of Shootsac! I am so excited to go, THANK YOU Shootsac!!

Last Thursday, I drove out to Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake with my 3 yr old twins to shoot a video entry for Jessica Claire's Shootsac contest.

I am hoping to win one of the 10 WPPI passes she is giving away for turning in a creative video showing why I love my Shootsac. The Shootsac allows you to quickly change lenses during a shoot, and safely carry them in a stylish way. I really do love mine, and it's so much easier to carry than the big backpack I had been using!

Here is a pic of my Shootsac with the Baroque cover posing with the Great Salt Lake in the background... pretty isn't she?

The twins dude'd up in their western gear and we shot the video at the Fielding Garr Ranch. This is Sheriff Hayden...

...and this is Cowboy Nate & his "tired horsey"

We laughed a lot, shot a lot of film, and thanks to the amazing iMovie editing on my iMac, I think we came up with a really fun entry. (The video is posted on the Shootsac Fan Page on facebook.) Wish me luck, I really REALLY would love to go to WPPI in Las Vegas!

Brotherly love

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:43:03 -0700

Spring is near, I can feel it coming.

I am so excited to watch our landscape turn from snowy white to lush green. To see vibrant flowers blooming in Utah's mountain meadows. To smell the rain, and feel the heat of the sun.

and to hear these little guys playing in the backyard...

Noah

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:34:52 -0700

Noah. My first born, first grader. He loves math just like dad and art just like mom. He is a great big brother to the twins. They adore him, copy him, fight with him, and laugh with him.

Noah will be 7 next month... they grow up so fast! In 10 yrs, I'll have to compare these pictures to his senior portraits.

This one... this is the smile that we love to see. Happiness.

and... the need for braces in the future apparently. He really does have bottom teeth under that overbite, and they are really cute, I swear!

and this one... usually means he is up to something, but he's so cute he'll get away with it!

And there you have it... my three sons in the first three posts for 2010. It was fun having portrait sessions with each of them, and I will make sure that it happens more often. I love that each of their personalities were captured in the photos. I'm a very lucky mama.

Hayden Jett

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:51:26 -0700

This is my youngest, Hayden. He is 4 minutes younger than his twin, sweet, smart, and fast -- his feet barely touch the ground when he runs. Hayden has the polite manners of an old English gentleman, and says things like "How was your food, Mama?", "You made a very nice dinner." and the latest... "We have a beautiful home." He's a charmer.

He started off a bit shy and then broke into giggles... and that is so Hayden.

Sweetness...

My handsome little guy...

Nate

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:52:33 -0700

I love this picture. Love it. This is my Nate. Nate-o-potato. Age 3 1/2.

I realized in November that I hadn't taken new portraits of my own children in... well, quite a while. The frames in our hallway -- the ones I meant to update yearly -- still contained the twin's one year photos! You've heard the old expression... The cobbler's children have no shoes? Determined to fix this, I told each of my three boys that they would have their own portrait session with me complete with a candy bribe. I was surprised to find that they were actually excited... and not just about the candy!

Nate did a great job showing off his handsome little self...

This photo makes my heart melt. It shows so much about Nate and his little sweet self that I want to remember.

George & friends

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:24:35 -0700

This little darling's name is George. He loves to ride his bike and skateboard, play LEGOs, has a natural talent for baseball, and loves his dog Oakley who has been there from as long as he can remember... and his new pup Dreyfus. We shot these pictures in the beautiful October leaves in Millcreek Canyon.

Oakley was Betsy & Jim's first baby, and they love him a great deal. He's seen a lot of adventure in his life and I'm sure he'll have a lot of fun in the years to come.

Meet Dreyfus. This pup was about 10 weeks old at the time of this shoot. He is now about as big as Oakley and still growing... He is a Mastiff, and about as cute as they come!

Sweet, isn't he? I'll try to remember that when he's 90 lbs and running towards me to say hello!

Lincoln

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:24:18 -0700

Lincoln is turning 2 years old in December. Oh, to be two again!

The trees in the canyon were peaking with Fall colors, and it was the perfect place

for a little boy to run, throw leaves, and look for bugs!

This little charmer has the brightest blue eyes I've ever seen...

Pure sweetness!

See these precious looks he's throwin' at his mom & dad?

This boy is so loved and he knows it!

I've been photographing this little man since he was a baby bump, and I love that I get to watch him grow and capture the milestones & memories along the way.

That is a very fun perk of my profession!

Thank you Krista, Dave & Lincoln for another fun session!