Behind the Scenes Roadside Shoot- Mead, Colorado

Have you ever seen a 'Behind the Scenes' image? Of course you have! Well I've been thinking lately about how a lot of what I do behind the lens and the images I produce can look drastically different than the environment I took them in.  It wasn't always like this... I have learned a lot over the 8 years I've been studying photography. I've taken online courses from industry leaders and pushed myself to learn how to work magic in any situation I find myself in. As a photographer, I think people expect my images to be amazing no matter what... it is our job right??  The reality is that most of the time, the surrounding conditions are less than ideal and it takes a lot of technical knowledge to get an image to look the way you want straight out of camera. But that's the fun part- read on to get a glimpse into my 'Behind the Scenes' roadside shoot... in a field of weeds!

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We live about 20 minutes North of the town we both grew up in. It is very rural out here so we have to go into town for pretty much everything. After living here for about 6 years now, I have come to know the back roads pretty well. I prefer them over the main ones. I like to shake things up a lot and my daily routines lie somewhere between “completely erratic” and “creature of habit”. So it’s not unusual for me to drive one way into town and then a completely different way home.

The most common route for me to go though, passes through farmland before cutting through small neighborhoods to get to my house. For several days in a row, I was noticing that the fields were all turning green. The first signs of spring were popping up everywhere and one day, on this particular route, I spotted a huge patch of purple just off the side of the road. I knew what it was immediately… well sort of. I know they are weeds, and they have a distinct smell. I don’t know the name though so if you do, please tell me!

Anyway… these weeds are everywhere each spring and for me, they carry the scent of summer on its way. I smell them and instantly think about the warm summer evenings and long walks to come. And as I got closer, this patch was so large and dense with these bright purple flowers, I couldn’t stop staring at it. It was a little beacon of hope that yes, in spite of the roller coaster weather we’ve been having, all the other blooms of spring will be here any day!

This little spot of beauty is just off the side of the road. It is surrounded by dirt that is not yet inhabited by crops or other weeds so it honestly isn’t a very pretty area. There are neighborhoods on both sides of the road and they add nothing to the aesthetic appeal. But I knew that if I worked the angles, I could come up with a scene that made it seem so much more appealing. Well at least I wanted to try. I decided to make a project out of it and see if I could transform the ordinary surroundings into a ‘Narnia’ like setting.

I passed by that huge plot of purple several days in a row and it kept calling to me. I really wanted to stop.  I knew I had to bring the girls here! And my camera. But I kept putting it off. Getting too busy, making all the excuse of why tomorrow would be better. I almost missed my opportunity completely.

The stars aligned just right last Thursday afternoon and I just happen to have my camera and both girls in the car with me. We were headed home from dropping our dog Huckleberry, off at grandma’s and were leaving for Nebraska in less than 2 hours. If I wanted to pull this off, I had to just do it. If I waited until we got back, the chances of the field being dried up were pretty high. The little flowers don’t live long and to be honest, this spot was only 1 or 2 days away from turning crispy. On top of that, I was up against some tough obstacles, It was about 12:30 in the afternoon with very harsh sunlight overhead. I would’ve liked to do a sunset shoot but alas, the time was now or maybe not ever. Which isn’t like the end of the world or anything but I wanted to pull off this challenge I had given myself gosh darn it!

We pulled over and I got the girls out. I let Lydia run wild as I got my camera settings dialed in. I set Emmy down towards the edge of the field and walked away about 5 yards to give some distance. It was so fun figuring out which angle worked the best. I found that if I got down on my belly, I could make the flowers look larger and more whimsical looking. If I stood up, the flowers faded and the brown dirt took over the entire image. I played around for a good 20 minutes. I’m sure anyone passing by got some amusement out of it. The girls enjoyed the unstructured play, and for the most part, did their own thing. I made sure to take some shots of the area and how it looks normally so that I could show the comparison.

Narnia

Reality

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Narnia

Reality

This part of photography is my favorite. I really love a good challenge and the technical aspects of photography are infinite. Trying new things always teaches us valuable lessons and this, like any art form, is not one to be perfected. It is a lifelong commitment and journey to grow, learn and enjoy getting better. Perfection and mastery are not motivators but rather inhibitors. If you constantly feel the need to be the best, you’ll sacrifice the joy that comes with progress. It’s all about falling in love with the process of making an image… and then showing those images to the world.

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Narnia

Reality

Feedback is wonderful and I would love to hear yours! What sort of ordinary moments have you made extraordinary?

Adleigh Ann's First Birthday -- Mead, Colorado

A first birthday is absolutely a reason to get fancy. Little Miss Adleigh Ann's first birthday is a big deal! She has a lot to celebrate after all, she made it through 1 whole exciting year of being a baby. You know the more you think about it, it’s hard work being a baby… learning, growing, changing by the minute, relying on others for everything. But as she hits this milestone, things are going to get even more exciting!

So, yes! Put on that fancy tutu, fasten a giant bow to those lovely locks, rock the glitter and chase some balloons baby! It’s your FIRST birthday!

First birthdays are not only a huge deal for baby, they are extremely important to the parents as well. It’s a celebration for mom and dad for surviving a very trying year together. A new baby comes with many adjustments, lack of sleep, overwhelming emotions and lots of unexpected changes. New routines can feel chaotic. Simple tasks have now become stressful. ie. taking a shower! Anyone that has children totally knows what I’m talking about here. And the more babies you bring home, the more challenges you face. But you know what else comes with it? JOY! So much joy! Oh the joy people!! I mean look at her little face… she’s just so happy. I want to live in that happiness with her, don’t you?

Adleigh’s mom and dad are my heros. You see, she is baby number 3 for them and they model such grace and patience, it’s truly amazing to witness. I’ve had the privilege of knowing this family for several years now and they have been such a blessing to me. It was my honor to photograph this precious milestone for them. And their little girl was just so sweet… I had so much fun hanging on the floor with her, chasing balloons, singing songs, playing peek-a-boo (mostly with myself ha ha) and helping her mama with her fancy outfits. Babies are the best.

If you are thinking about documenting a special milestone in your family’s life, let’s talk! The days go fast, the years even faster. Relationships change, children grow, new life begins and loved ones pass on… photography is the most accessible way to preserve those family bonds. For more info, head to my contact page.

And to read a little more about why I love photographing families, check out this blog about newborns!

Thank you for stopping by! Don’t be a stranger ;)

Erin's Gift of Family Pictures

Deats/Tice Family- February 2018

Let me introduce you to my friend Erin.  She did the sweetest thing for her family.  She gifted them a photo shoot!  Her family is everything to her and she wanted to get them all together to capture this particular season of life.

We met on a beautiful and rare warm February morning.   With snow still on the ground (from a quick storm a few days ago), we wandered around in the warm rays of sunshine as if 60 degree days are normal this time of year.  The weather here is unpredictable and can change in an instant… at least that is the rational explanation for snow one day, sunshine the next.  But on this day, I think it was more luck than anything. 

We gathered the whole family under the giant willow.  A tree that has so much presence. And if you’re from here (and especially if you do portrait photography) you know about that tree.  The magical way the branches cascade from the sky.  How you can stand on the north side of the tree at a higher elevation and get the beautiful landscape, the reaching branches, and your subjects all in one frame… it’s a perfect place to start.

After a few warm up shots of the whole family, I decided it was time to give the “kids” a break and pull mom and dad aside.  You know I love to bring couples together and let them have a moment to themselves during shoots.

Steve and Cynthia, were there with their grown children and 2 teenage grandchildren.  So I knew that when I asked them how long they’d been married, that the answer would be a higher number than the younger families I am used to photographing.  But it was higher than I expected.  I don’t really know why.  Maybe it’s their youthful and active appearance.  Maybe it’s the way they still wrap up in each other.  Maybe it’s the way he looks at her when she laughs--in a way that gives me all the feels.  When they said, “44 years” I stopped.  Lowered my camera and literally had my mouth open in astonishment.  44 years people! 

I am only 34.  I think about all the hard times I’ve had, the long days and even longer nights worrying about things… like my family, my kids, my marriage, my friends, my career.  Thinking that my husband and I have been through so much in our almost 17 years together.  Nope.  We are just at the beginning.

When I look at a couple who has been married for 44 years, surrounded by their adult children, one of which has given them 2 grandchildren, I know that they have seen way more than me.  They have gone through this crazy life together side by side and in this particular season, are still smiling at each other!  That is a powerful testament to marriage.  I love that I can look at them and know that as the saying goes, 'the days are long but the years are short.' 

As we continued on, walking around, stopping for snapshots here and there, they told me the only photo shoot they’d ever had was for their church directory many years ago.  I knew in an instant what those kind of photos probably look like and couldn't help but laugh.  I was even more energized by this nugget of information because that meant that this was the first time  they had ever experienced a real family photo shoot!  Not to say studio pictures aren’t real but I mean...come on let’s be real.  If you have any of those relics with the boring grey background, hair that’s too big, clothes that are a bit too fancy and your sibling has his or her hand resting on your shoulder (when in all reality they would've probably never willingly touched you unless the photographer made them) then you know what I’m talking about!! All of which this family does in fact have...Erin sent me a picture to prove it!

But don’t get me wrong, those pictures are special too.  They have a place in history and they documented a time in life that was worth documenting.  It’s just very exciting for me that I am growing my business in an age where family photo shoots are a lot more authentic-and to be totally honest- fun! 

Erin knew the benefit in having this style of family photography from a shoot we did a couple of years ago.  So when she wanted to do an extended family session as a gift to her family, I was pumped!  I was excited to be with them again because they are really fun to be around.  She is one of those cool moms that have children that totally adore her even though they are in their teen years.  They love on each other, tease each other, laugh a lot and are genuinely happy to be spending time together.  Cuddles flow freely and usually result in a rib poke… you know, family stuff.

What Erin did for her family was more than a gift of pictures.  It was a gift of time.  Time spent getting ready, driving in the car, talking, laughing, hugging, smiling, remembering, slowing down, catching up, going for a bite to eat afterwards and just being together.  And since we don’t know how much time we have left on this Earth together, what a wonderful way to spend a uniquely warm & sunny morning.