Hi friends. Thanks for visiting my blog. It's quite apparent that I've struggled keeping up with writing posts and updating this site... but I've just made a resolution that I believe will change this. Yesterday, I had an amazing photoshoot, and then I met with some prospective clients that made me say "wow. I love my job. I get to work with some of the most amazing people." So, here's my lightbulb moment: The reason I love my job is because of the people, so I want to tell their stories here on my blog instead of just showing you the photos. I have a lot of catching up to do and a lot of people to tell you about, but I'm really excited to write these posts now!
Let me back up to 2012 and tell you about my little sister and her husband.
Angela is amazing. She is caring, beautiful, talented, and extremely dedicated. I am constantly impressed by her ability to work hard on school and work, even when it seems easier to give up... I took this photo just for fun back in 2010 when they were dating, before she traveled to New Zealand as a missionary for a year and a half.
Now, through the years I have learned that while my siblings are quite grateful to have a photographer as a sister, it's also kind of awkward for them. I remember putting a couple of these photos of Angela and Dallin on facebook and several people thought they were engaged - why else would you have professional photos as a couple? But then, two years later, I took some more photos which actually were engagement photos! What do you think? Do they look older to you?
These were taken at our family reunion in upstate New York the DAY they got engaged. How's that for pressure? The boyfriend comes to the family reunion to ask permission for the daughter's hand and to propose to her there. Wow. But Dallin is so mature and respectful, he handled the pressure quite well. It was so fun for me to do photos of them - to watch them let go of inhibitions a little bit and actually kiss in front of me!! Of course I have to tease my sister a little bit about it... isn't that what siblings are for? But I couldn't help smiling and actually got a bit emotional just to see how happy he made her. In fact, if I can make myself vulnerable enough to admit it, I actually get tears in my eyes looking through the photos now. I am so grateful she found someone like him who will treat her well and make her happy!
OK Whitney... enough of that sentimental emotional stuff for now. Time to see more of their photos!
Choosing which photos to put on a blog has always been difficult for me. I know which photos look the most professional, I know which photos they put on their wall, which photos their friends comment on... but instead of the most professional photos, I want to show you the little bits of uniqueness, the reason why I love my job. Every couple brings such a different emotion to it, a different personality and looking through photos like these - the laughing, the romance, the funny faces - it makes me smile. Besides, Angela has a pretty amazing monkey face in this next photo :)
Ok, now this was just adorable. I've done the "first look" a few times to capture the moment when the groom first sees the bride in her dress. I have never seen a couple this cute, though. Angela couldn't stop laughing and Dallin kept telling her how beautiful she was. And it was true. She looks amazing! These are some of the photos from the formals at Bountiful temple.
I feel pretty lucky to have the opportunity to capture such special moments as these. It's really amazing that all I have to do is click a button and then that moment is recorded for the rest of our lives. It wasn't hard to find moments with Angela and Dallin, though, they were so in their own world that sometimes I wasn't even sure if they knew I was there! The day for this formals shoot was FREEZING too. I am so impressed with how "cheerfully cooperative" they were. (That's the phrase from my wedding contract that most people laugh at, but I think it's the perfect phrase. I love to work with cheerfully cooperative people!
I'll often do photos at a few locations for a shoot like this, but Ang and Dallin said they'd rather have more photos with the temple. Not only does it make a beautiful backdrop for an evening shoot, but it gives more meaning to the photos as the location also represents the commitment they are making to each other. I think this photo sums it up - the temple, the romance of the sunset, two happy and beautiful people. I'm so proud of them!
