the boys of summer

melissa had this shoot planned to the T.  she had the location picked out.  the outfits ready.  the time spot on.  this couldn’t have been an easier shoot.  even duke the dog did a great job!

so we shot this fantastic family shoot over at las sendas in mesa.  the location was perfect.  plus the short walk over to the golf course made for bonus sunset images.  beautiful family melissa!  thank you for your time!

also, thank you to cassie for another wonderful referral!

alli@lifethroughalensphoto.com

480.294.3731

all for her

i love seeing how a child brings a family together! a couple weekends back i did a shoot for ashley & shane.  i met these 2 when they were pregnant, almost a year ago now.  i’ve had the pleasure of shooting their pregnancy & newborn photos, & now recently, the extended family session.  what an adorable little girl!  i think she realizes at her young age how she has everyone wrapped up on her little finger…

thank you ashley, shane & shae for the continued support.  and thanks to karen for always thinking of me when it comes time to get everyone gathered around the granddaughter again.  you all are amazing & i love our photo sessions!

 

 

 

 

 

copus family photos

after a couple location strike outs, sabrina & i decided to shoot her family session on the CCV campus.  we couldn’t have had it any better.  the weather was perfect.  the church grounds were stunning.  and the copus family itself were looking first-rate in their fall fashions!  we enjoyed our time floating around the campus, trying out various backdrops.  but the most fun to be had was definitely spent on the playground!

it’s funny though sometimes how the unplanned, candid shots turn out the best images…

check out previous copus shoots here!

alexis & mikey say ‘i do!’

halloween this year was spent photographing alexis & mikey’s gorgeous wedding & reception.  you’ve never seen such a spread!  dozens of carved pumpkins & gorgeous fall foliage adorning the tempe center for the arts.  candelabras & willow branches topping off the table spreads at the museum of natural history-a rooftop reception, of course.   and as might be expected, a wedding cake to die for.  not your typical wedding, one would say.  but still so abundantly apparent how much these two people are in love.

congratulations alexis & mikey!  and thank you!  it was a pleasure!

for affordable wedding packages, click here!

a quickie

so my sister-in-law wanted to get photos done one evening a couple weeks back. we casually put together the time & place, without really doing much research.  we planned to do it after her & her boyfriend got off work, taking our time getting ready, changing outfits, etc etc.  well…  about 30 minutes before our “scheduled” shoot…. the sun was setting.  oops!  so a nice, casual event turned into meet me at this parking lot, change in the truck, do your makeup & hair as quick as possible & run!  it became a very rushed shoot to fight the light, but we snapped a few great photos anyways.

sorry jess!  we’ll plan better next time.  :)

a family that smiles together smiles forever

‘today you are you, that is truer than true. there is no one alive who is youer than you.

~dr. seuss

oh, the pleasure of reconnecting with old friends. rachel would be one of my oldest.  from way back to the summer daycare days…  it’s amazing to see her again after so much time spent away.  and to see the beautiful family her & james have started!  my oh my!

heather & chris say ‘i do!’

‘marriage is the perfection of what love aimed at, ignorant of what it sought.’

~ralph waldo emerson

oh, where to start…  i met heather & chris several months back for our initial consult.  you’ve never met 2 more adorable people together.  they’re the couple that you look forward to being around, then regret when your time with them is through.  always quick with a witty quip, a contagious laugh & a kind word.

thank you both, mr. & mrs. syllaba!  it was an absolute pleasure!

’tis the season… almost

brandie is a good friend of mine that wanted to get a head start on the christmas card photo this year and also get the first set of extended family photos with the new addition-her niece, lilly (who happens to be the daughter of 2 more very good friends of mine-what a treat!).  so we trekked into the vistancia community out in the northwest valley for some fresh architecture, greenery & of course, a playground.  what a challenge to get four little girls to try to hold still for 5 seconds when there’s a playground in sight!!!

thanks brandie, greg, alyssa, peggy, danielle, & danelle for being the background entertainment.  couldn’t have done it without you!

fite law’s newest attorney

there’s always a time in your life when you look back on some major event & think, ‘could that have turned out better?’

and sometimes settling a case isn’t as simple as negotiating with the insurance company.  in steps a litigation attorney.  one who is familiar with depositions & arbitrations.  someone who makes the daunting & consuming tasks manageable.  someone who’s there with you through the end.

meet just such an attorney; krista mccarthy.  specializing in accident & injury litigation, krista brings fresh perspective to fite law’s office.

www.FiteLaw.com

 

for fite law’s previous shoot, click here.

sabrina & todd say “i do!”

there is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.

~ martin luther

a few weeks back i had the pleasure of photographing sabrina & todd’s wedding in the gorgeous & intimate ’scape of sabrina’s parents’ home at troon north golf course.  the weather was stunning; the scenery, breathtaking;  and the ceremony, delightful.

thank you sabrina & todd.  such a perfect day for a perfect wedding!

it’s a family affair-all boys!

cassie was one of my very 1st clients from way back when.  she needed a photographer for a class reunion.  i needed experience.  and it’s because of that shoot that i’ve had many opportunities to photograph her wonderful family!

thank you cassie & john for time spent with you & your boys!  always a pleasure!

a morning with dena & eddie

dena & i have been friends for a couple of years now.  she’s one of my old escrow friends back when i liked  being an escrow officer.  ♥  always had an encouraging word & supporting attitude towards my goals.  time spent with her & her husband, eddie is truly a joy.

here’s a glimpse at their photo shoot for their christmas cards this year.  enjoy!

the girl grew up already!

i cherish my various, wild, spontaneous shoots with my family.  it’s a mental unloading that is necessary sometimes.  i don’t have to be creative.  i don’t have to be speedy.  i don’t even have to be professional.  i get to just… shoot.

this shoot was supposed to be my dear little cousin’s senior photos (*gasp* she’s grown so fast!).  we picked the location.  decided on the dresses & hair.  brought the porche & motorcycle.  we thought we had it all put together, right? well, getting 3 young females out the door on any type of schedule that fights a setting sun is nearly impossible so we learned… and though we now are thinking of shooting again to get her senior photos, i still am rather pleased at what was captured.

enjoy.

for previous shoots with family, click here!

ashley & mo say ‘i do’!

you have to walk carefully in the beginning of love; the running across fields into your lover’s arms can only come later when you’re sure they won’t laugh if you trip.

~jonathan carroll

sandra bullock (as sally owens) once said ‘i dream of a love that even time will lie down & be still for.’ one of my favorite lines from the movie practical magic.  i always wondered what kind of love that would be.  what would it look like?  how would it feel?  would it be strong, quick & powerful? or perhaps gentle, kind & soft?  is it easily obtainable?  is it for everyone?

after time spent with ashley & mo a couple weekends back, photographing their wedding in heber, az, i started to understand just such the love sally owens spoke of.  it was a peaceful, strong love that enveloped all who drew near it.  it was patient & joyful.  and it was powerful.

…. but it also knew how to have a good time…  :)

ashley & clayton say ‘i do!’

i dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance,
a church filled with family and friends.
i asked him what kind of a wedding he wished for,
he said one that would make me his wife.
~author unknown

ashley & clayton have that old fashion kind of love.  the kind that carries a great respect for one another & one that will endure & prosper even through the hardest of times.  you can see it.  read it in the way they look at each other.  feel it in their touch.  trust it in their smiles.

julie & ryan are engaged!

“when you are in love you can’t fall asleep, because your reality is better than your dreams.”   ~dr. suess

i spent a wonderful fall morning at el pedregal with julie & ryan several days ago, photographing their engagement session.  it’s so much fun to work with a couple that never gets tired of the command, “okay, now give me a kiss!”  these two are just that couple!

a day of play

“listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… anything can happen, child. anything can be.” ~shel silverstein

a day spent photographing miss paityn just being miss paityn is a great day spent, wouldn’t you say?

who says family photos have to be stuffy?

i love working with families that don’t want the ‘typical’ family shoot!  not only did we have a guitar, a skateboard & a bicycle for this shoot, we had a unicycle!  imagine all the looks these guys got at sahuaro ranch park!

thank you sarah, cassie & boys for thinking outside the box!  you guys rock!

on the ball & in shape!

taking the right steps for our health is obvious, but not always easy.  eating right, walking, working out, drinking lots of water…  all simple stuff to talk about.  always goals we put at the bottom of our mental to-do lists or things we say we’ll start tomorrow.  but not always so easy to pick up & make habits out of.

so in steps the hero of our blog post.  meet jackie mueller, owner of on the ball fitness.  i’ve always thought the only way i could actually take the steps necessary to get back into shape would be to have a personal trainer holding me accountable.  but who can afford that, right?  wrong!!!  jackie has excellent pricing & packages that won’t break the bank. plus, she’ll come to you!

for more information on the services offered by on the ball fitness, contact jackie directly at

623-640-9112 or jm.ontheballfitness@yahoo.com

jana & don say “i do!”

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.

~Aristotle

meet jana & don.  within the first 5 minutes spent with them, you can tell they not only have an amazing friendship & respect for one another, but also that they are still madly in love.  their wedding day magnified that perfectly.

jana & don were married in front of all their close friends & family on a glorious evening at sahuaro ranch park.  i was amazed how cool jana was as the day progressed.  even when a bit of a storm came up & blew over the ceremony archway, she just smiled.  nothing was going to ruin this day for her.  and don!  from the first moment he saw her walking down the aisle, he could keep his eyes off her.  what an unforgettable day it was!

here, let me show you why i love photographing weddings….

for affordable wedding packages, click here.