Matt + Marcy | Alice In Wonderland Inspired Engagement Session | Agua Caliente, Tucson, Arizona

{Matt + Marcy | Engagement Session | Agua Caliente, Tucson, Arizona | July 2012}

I showed up to M + M's e-session striving hard to take myself seriously. I was climbing (awkwardly of course-pregnant) out of a borrowed single cab pick up truck that was decked out in NFL Broncos everything AND I had those child's play sticky tattoos plastered over my right arm, ankles and wrist. I didn't regret the play time I had had with my kids just before the shoot, though it might have helped me feel more pro if i had scrubbed them a little and gotten over the fact that my license plate screamed 'TEEEBOW". Sharing these superflous details DO have a point by the way. Turns out Marcy actually WORKS at a graphic design lab FOR the very company of tattoos I had just divulged in with my kids that afternoon. I could have hugged her. It was free entertainment for a solid 2 hours that day. Ahmazing bliss. I didn't hug Marcy but she got a kick outta the fact that my arm tattoo of a bear was one that she had particularly designed herself. Ironic yea? ... Matt & Marcy are shooting for a garden-esque/earthy-meets-whimsy/a-little-dash-of-alice-in-wonderland theme for their wedding next April. I loved that they both showed up to their e-session aware of those details and fully prepared to walk around for an hour in large-and-in-charge shoes no matter what the cost. Vanity before comfort right?! Matt said he 'was looking for a wedding photographer who can help him feel comfortable.' What a fantastic challenge. :D  I did my best... They really seemed to have a lot of fun together!  Love these two.

Thank you guys for letting me hang out with you for an evening!

Chance + Ashley | Tucson Engagement Session | Green Grass and Quarry Romance

 {Chance + Ashley | Tucson Engagement Session | A Random Orchard off of the side of the I-10 | July 2012} I hopped in the car, checked my gps to make sure I wasn't seeing things--yup, i was meeting my couple about an hour away in a place I had never been. Admittedly, I was anxious. I typically like to be in charge of scouting out locations--making sure I know where light is going to hit, where things are, have my plan-of-attack all set up in my head... but I was taking a chance this time. An hour later I arrived at a Starbucks that felt like it was in the middle of nowhere. The monsoon dreariness lay thick and threatened to spill out from pockets of darkness that mingled with other hopeful pockets of blue sky tinted with little flecks of gold--a tease of a sunset that made my little photographer's heart whisper a quick prayer for something cool that evening. As we talked wedding details and downed a few preliminary glasses of triple-filtered water, Ashley explained that there was an orchard right off the freeway exit down the road. A what?!  Potential green stuff? No. Way. Skeptical, I carpooled with C + A over to this perfect little oasis and I ate my heart out. I. LOVE. GREEN. I aimed to keep poses casual and natural--to really fit the chill personalities of the two engaged. On a side note, speaking of eating hearts out, all mosquitos available in a 100 mile radius must have received the same memo that there was a pocket of lushness waiting right off of I-10. It's been a week since the shoot and you could still play 'connect the dots' on my legs with the remnants of the darn bugger's thankless feasting. Chance & Ashley bore down and delivered some wonderful snapshots of tender lovin' despite the bugs. Even when I found myself standing  in a  red ant nest while snagging that last set of images over looking the nearby quarry,  C + A graciously let me go into an intense 'excuse me i'm going to silently freak out and try not to cry' zone for a minute as  i stripped off sandals and swat the crap out of my feet. Oh the things we do for a good shot. I've got battle wounds from this session...but now that i get to share a few highlights, i'm feeling much better thanks. :D | lkm

Peter + Vanessa | Hidden Oaks Rancho Cucamonga California Wedding Photography | Sunset Session

 {Peter + Vanessa | BUGBEE-JOHNSON WEDDING | Upland, California | 06.16.12} As I was editing some of my very favorite sweetheart images from P + V's wedding day, I wanted to share a few! One of the biggest things that struck me about P  + V's wedding was their love and concern for those coming to celebrate with them! These two were so intentional as they planned their wedding ay and did their absolute best to cater to the different needs of guest, kept guests and family in the loop while planning, asked me a plethora of questions that would make sure they capitalized on as much photo time as they could--they were brilliant! Since they opted not to see each other before the ceremony, we knew we would have to really be attentive to the time constraints for their post-ceremony pictures without making guests wait too long. That interlude is often pretty tricky to navigate. After their reception grand entrance, we b-lined it straight to sunset picture time. While guests enjoyed food and bonding, we embraced the golden sunlight spilling into the back of the property! We whipped out some stellar images and wonderful memories as they relaxed and got ready to party with friends and family! | lkmlove you guys!

Curtis + Jenna | Downtown Casual Engagement Session | Tucson, Arizona Wedding Photography

 {Curtis + Jenna | Downtown Tucson Engagement Sessions | July 2012} Working with Curtis + Jenna has been such a joy. For what little i know of their ins and outs, they couldn't be any more opposite! But it's pretty neat to see God folding them into each other's lives. Folding--that's exactly what I stretched them to do during this engagement session. I wanted Jenna to just fold herself into Curtis. The objective was to make this man feel strong--to accent Jenna's delightful joy and Curtis quite strength. They wanted to keep things 'subtle' and really natural. I tried to capture the little things--the nuances and subtle conversations--the little touches.  I even told them to give me a 'signal' if I asked them to do anything that 'felt funny.' ... oh this face...i love this face almost as much as i love her heart :D 

i really like this black and white...

remember that 'signal' i mentioned above? yea...i got it once... :D these are my favorite... one of their favorite swank little cafes... :)We went to go change wardrobe...check out that stellar glasses! I wish we had played with those more :D its the little looks, ya know?below right was one of my favorite split-second moments during the whole shoot...Jenna spontaneously just whipped her arms around Curtis and gave him a big wet one :)Jenna specfically scouted out this wall and asked for a series with it...this is their REALLY excited face...So incredibly excited to celebrate with these guys on their wedding day in 4 weeks!! :D EEK! | lkm

[untitled] | personal

{ Judah & Jordyn | one radon day in april | Tucson, AZ | April 2012} I found a grip of family pictures in my abyss of 'personal pictures to edit later' stash. Lawson snagged these few while on a daddy-date with the kids a few months ago. The picture above of my daughter, Jordyn, makes me smile. This chick is SO girl--neither Lawson or I can  get over it. (note--she went through three outfits before being content with the below. destination? a walk around the block with dad. (roll of the eyes). Judah is equally all boy. And while sometimes the differences between both of my children can spark explosive results, they are in a pretty rad 'he's my favorite playmate' stage. Judah protects her. Jordyn streches him to be more daring. They squabble. They wrestle. They giggle their brains out. For all you moms of ONE out there--having TWO is SO much easier. So much more fun. :D I know. Weird. You can choke on your drink if you'd like thinking i'm crazy. But i'm not joking....It just MAKES sense to see them grow together. Learn together. Resolve fights together. Now THREE...(gulp) that might be another story. and in three+ months. my tune might just change a little...for now, i'm embracing all there is in a growing quiver. :) | lkm

Peter + Vanessa | Claremont, California Wedding Photography | The Bride

 {Vanessa (Johnson) Bugbee | My New Sister! | Claremont, CA | Johnson-Bugbee Wedding 06.16.12} My brother, Peter Bugbee, turned 25 today. Well--yesterday technically. On the 4th. Along with promised fireworks, I was dead set on releasing a few teasers of his brand new bride...i may be 30 minutes late, but alas, beauty still drips and my heart is full as i post a few favorites of Vanessa on her and Peter's wedding day. Happy Birthday Brotha! I love you! | lkm

 So so so much more to come... love you both!

DILKS Pt. 1 | Proudly Patriotic | Tucson Family Photographer

  {Dilks Family Portrait Session | June 2012 | Davis-Monthan Air Force Base | Tucson, AZ} Mariby found me online as she 'searched the snot' (slight paraphrase of how she described her photographer hunt) for a family portrait photographer. I had yet to shoot on base and was THRILLED to hear of her different ideas with red, white and blue and her desire to capture her little girl's 1st year. Both Mariby & Ken beam with pride to be an air force family! | lkm

It's My Birthday Month! :D :D :D

 {Mooreguia Sisters | July 2011 | (yes i'm using a recycled bday picture from last year because i haven't taken any personal pictures recently. cry later.) | Tucson, AZ} Had a great birthday weekend...and surprises still continue to show up! Last night, my sister Ali took me out to dinner at Olive Garden (it's becoming a tradition. Note: you MUST check out their new Smoked Mozerella Chicken dish. B O M B) I opened the fridge this morning with my 'birthday cake' welcoming me with its burst of color and awesomeness -- a bona fide FRUIT SALD aside homemade yogurt/carmel topping. Lawson knows me TOO well. :D TOP fave gift however a sweet little email from my husband while out on a bday date Saturday. It had a pdf that was titled: "PERMISSION GRANTED"... He has insisted that i go to this year's WPPI U 2012  intensive workshop in August in VEGAS AND next year's big convention next March. If you don't know what WPPI, go HERE for more details :D Last time i was able to attend was back in 2010. It was awesome! Made new friends. Saw new industry standard stuff. Was challenged to take biz to the next level. Listened to more seasoned pros talk about their take on the industry and what makes a healthy photography business tick. Etc etc etc. Stuff that makes my little entrepreneur  heart drool. THANK YOU MY LOVE. | lkm

Jesse + Samantha | Southern California Lakeside Proposal | Riverside Wedding Photography

 {Jesse + Samantha | Proposal in the Park | Fairmont Park, Riverside, CA | June 2012} A couple weeks ago I received a sneaky text from Sam asking the sly question, "so would you happen to have December 15th booked yet? I'd like to tentatively, secretly reserve you for a particular occasion..." (smiley face smiley face smiley face). To which i promptly called back with hushed squesls and excitement. It wasn't offical. Nothing was official of course. There was no ring. And that angst was setting in mixed and colored by sheer joy. So i grinned to myself with a sprouting idea, told her timing would be perfect and hung up. I immediately called Jesse and pitched an idea that sounded a little like this, "so, this is going to be way presumptuous of me, but...i'm still gonna go for it. Would you by chance happen to have the ring yet?" He was getting it that Friday. Perfect. "I'm going to be in town to shoot in a few weeks, would you be up to letting me possibly scheme with you??" He was. He did. And i 'sponateneously called Sam the Sunday before my Monday Riverside Mini Shoots, June 18th, and asked if she could whip up a sassy outfit, grab her honey, indulge in a bit o' romance and meet me for a Sweetheart shoot 'just for fun' at the park. She was game of course.

I started off with just a few fun casual portraits. Honestly, Jesse and I hadn't really set up an agenda. So my mind was racing with a gameplan while trying to maintain a really casual front so Sam wouldn't suspect anything :) I love this picture below with that glow behind Sam's gorgeous face and sparkly eyeballs :DI pretended to hem and haw a little looking for a few more spots with fun sunbeams. Asked them if they just wanted to walk along the lake. They were down. We found a secluded peninsula. Perfect. I was able to mutter to Jesse: "the code words will be 'I'm gonna back off and you have to give me a whole 60 seconds of romance..."... So that's what I said. And that's what they did. They talked and snuggled for a little under that darn tree. I couldn't hear anything. I actually started to wonder if Jesse was gonna flip the script and ask for a different spot. Or something... I'm so glad i just shut up and watched and snapped away... (Do note Sam's funny face in that 3rd picture to the far right. You should ask her what choice explitive she used when she got a closer look at the ring. I burst out laughing) Her eyes DANCED! SO excited!! couldn't stop looking at her new bling bling SO stinkin excited for Sam! We trotted back to show Lawson and the kiddos the new finger decor.  I've known Sam for a LONG time! Watching her go from highschool, through college and into adulthood--wrestle with big things, grow with Jesus, meet Jesse and now engaged--sheesh! I'm so overwhelmed with joy for her! Can't wait for your wedding in December dear friend!! 

Sotello Family | Tucson Baby Portraits

 {Baby Sotello | March 2012 | Tucson, AZ} Little bundles of humanity...babies are really mind-blowing for me. I just can't quite wrap my head around that this ball of helpless awesomeness will one day morph into a man or woman. The level of dependence, reliance, desperate need for training and intentional upbringing--it's overwhelming. And I'm already on #3 and STILL feel like I haven't fully grasped the full length and breadth of my role's significane as mom; a child-rearing, bottom-wiping, snot-swiping, laughter-loving, sleep-needing, patience-building parent. Amos & Dulce let me capture a bit of their little one's first stage and it was a treasure :) -- though, i will secretely admit that i take a meniachal level of deep satisfaction in watching newborn parents. I giggle to myself while I think, 'oh boy...they have only JUST begun...' Cheers to beginnings friends... | lkm