Courtney & Josh Bridals, Big Cottonwood Canyon
Utah mountains. I. love. you.
My brother and newest sister-in-law flew me out to Utah for their winter wonderland bridals and I could have died of happiness right on the spot, right there in the middle of the mountains. I’ll always be a mountain girl at heart and so I’m sure you can imagine my happiness when my brother told me their mountain snow globe vision for these bridals.
The first look was so tender. I didn’t expect anything less. Courtney was a winter goddess and Josh was so sharp. Tears were flowing from all parties involved. Ugh. I get butterflies just thinking back on this shoot. I really could have posted all of the images from their gallery but I was able to narrow it down to my absolute faves. Enjoy…
Alyssa Benjamin, Maternity Lifestyle
A little bit of my heart is left in each of my client’s homes when I shoot there. It’s so important to me to capture the feeling and atmosphere of your home that it feels like a piece of my own home by the time I leave. I’ve always been enamored by the feeling of a home and that’s another reason why I loooooove lifestyle sessions. Even if it isn’t your forever home, it is home to you now, and you can always look back on those images and immediately remember how it was to live there. How it felt with just the two of you, before you brought home a new baby. How it felt to bring home a new sibling. How it felt to be in your first home.
This session was full of feelings of anticipation right before the arrival of their first baby complete with a freshly home baked apple tart. The light that poured into their home was perfection and provided the perfect moody atmosphere at the end of our session (my favorite kind of light). Scroll through to the end to see!
Mares Family, Wild Meadow
One thing that has thrown me for a loop is cold weather here in Texas. One day it’s 80 degrees and sunny, the next day is 50 degrees and chilly. Much like this day, where a random cold front came through and we thought we might get rain! Luckily for us the rain held off, but the cold remained. That didn’t stop us from getting perfectly moody, fall rustic photos! Love, love this location and love the diversity. The Mares family had overflowing love for each other and their new addition (who was probably the coldest he has ever been in his whole life!). Enjoy my faves from this session!
Condiff Family, Galveston Beach
One of my family traditions since moving to Texas in April was to explore all of the beaches in Galveston. The moment I laid eyes on this beach, I knew I had to do a session here. It was so cute, unique and classic beach town! When Kelsey told me she wanted her family pictures at Galveston island, I knew this spot was going to be the winner. I am SO GLAD we went here! I love the building structure, boardwalk, beachy areas and of course, the ocean. It makes for a great variety of images and is drop dead gorgeous during golden hour. I would highly recommend getting your pictures taken here if you are considering it! And, it’s beautiful year round! To find some insanely adorable and affordable little girl outfits on Amazon, click HERE
Affordable & Adorable
Family pictures. The thought of getting them done is instantly stress-inducing, isn’t it? Just trying to find outfits that will coordinate with each other, look good individually, and look good in all family relationship combinations is enough to make one go a little crazy. You might be the kind of mom that can throw together amazing looks from whatever is already in your family’s closets. Maybe one day I will be that kind of mom, but today I am not that kind of mom. I’m an Amazon Prime mom through and through.
Finding my outfit was the first thing I needed to get out of the way. I knew I wanted it to be a flowy dress with lots of movement and make me feel confident! Once I found THE dress, I could go off that and plan the rest of my family’s outfits.
My criteria was that I wanted a different look from past years pictures, I wanted a cool/warm color palette, and I didn’t want to be too match-y. Which made it a little harder, but overall I was very happy with how our outfits coordinated with each other.
Here are some tips that I kept in the back of my mind while finding outfits:
Add texture. Whether it’s lace, fur, leather, ruffles, corduroy, etc. texture always adds subtle interest without needing to introduce a pattern.
A general guideline is to mix warm and cool colors. This adds lots of depth and variety. Also adding in a few neutral outfits is easy because they already match everyone and your palette!
Dresses are always a good idea! They add softness, flow, and movement. Not to mention, little girls looove to twirl and spin when they are wearing dresses and it makes for fun images.
Choose an outfit with a pattern you love and pull colors from there. Mix with solids for more impact.
So, being the Amazon Prime mom that I am, I decided to look on there instead of usual go-to spots and found lots of affordable and soooo adorable outfits. Here is a look at what I chose!
PC: Kathryn Ann Photographie
Ivory Lace Dress
Rust Pinafore Toddler Dress 
Sage Baby Lace Romper
DIY Eyelashes 
Eyelashes: I’ve done my own lashes for years now! I love the fluffy, full, voluminous look and especially love the drama they add for pictures. These are my favorite! https://amzn.to/32Hd8P1
Other details not found on Amazon:
Ruffle Seafoam Maxi Dress (currently out of stock but I will update): https://www.vicicollection.com/
Men’s Italian Leather Belt (use code MBFRIENDS for 10% off) : http://missionbelt.com
Bows (I use a bow subscription so I already have many bows to choose from! Such a lifesaver): http://chicpipsqueak.refr.cc/malaet
While I was on the hunt for picture-worthy outfits for my girls, I found SO many options. I kept thinking to myself that I needed to save all the ones I found for later pictures. Soon my list got super full and I realized I probably needed to share these good finds with my clients. My girls range from seven years to one, so I have a good mix of outfits in that age range. I was looking for mostly fall-type clothing, but I found lots that can be used year round! Lots of these can be used for layering pieces as well. I hope you enjoy my finds! Click on the image to find the link!
Pssssst…..a little extra.
Outfits for Mom
My outfit was the hardest part! I was very picky and wanted lots of flow. My original Amazon pick was trumped by the dress I found on vicicollection.com because it came back into stock just in time, but Amazon had some treasures that I had to share!
And there it is! I hope this was useful for you (especially those with little girls!). I will be adding to this post AND posting another blog post with little boy outfits soon. I’ve got to do a lot of research for that one! ;) I’d love to hear if you use any of these in your family photos! Drop a comment or tag me if you do! xoxo
Phung Family, Conroe
I cannot get over the lighting we had for this session. It was the perfect moment when the setting sun hit the trees so perfectly and gave us ultra dreamy, sun soaked images. It was the icing on the cake for this adorable family session to celebrate their little boy turning two years old….
Alex & Christan Wedding Day, LA & Santa Barbara
I was beyond excited when Alex asked me to be her wedding photographer in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara — some of my favorite places in the world! The foggy morning was a perfect start to the day and eventually turned into a perfect sunny day after the ceremony. Alex and Christian were beaming from the moment they stepped out of the temple. Their bridal party photos are probably some of my favorites that I have taken. Their backyard reception was TO DIE FOR. Surrounded by orange tree groves overlooking the hills of Santa Barbara and filled with the prettiest exquisite details. Alex’s dad served his famous for tri-tip steak at the reception, which I’ve honestly got to say was a major highlight and THE best steak I have ever had in my life. The evening was full of love, laughter, cake, singing, and dancing. They ended the night with dazzling exit and it was perfect. It’s a day I could relive over and over again. Best wishes to eternity Alex and Christian!
BHLDN Wedding Dress: https://www.bhldn.com/
Alyssa Fall Portraits, Provo Canyon
One of my dearest friends wanted some bomb fall portraits up in the mountains of Utah, so that’s just what we did! I’m missing that fall foliage pretty bad right about now and these made my heart happy! The diverse lighting is so fun to play with in this location. I face the sun behind my subject when it’s up above the mountain line, and then when the sun dips I turn my subject around to catch the last bit of glow from the sun to light up their face. Here are my faves…enjoy xox
Cooper Family, Aspen Grove
While I was visiting Utah this summer I got the chance to visit one of my favorite places up Provo canyon and photograph lots of families there! It made my heart soooo happy to be back in the mountains and around ASPENS! They don’t exist where I’m at in Texas. We found a perfect pocket of light and had the best time. It’s so obvious how much this family adores each other in every single picture. And the check out the personality of those little ones!
Holly & Travis Engagements, Conroe
The light that filters through this forest is UNREAL. Since it’s so thickly wooded, I can shoot here almost any time of day and get some amazing light. It’s so diverse and I love the different looks I can get here. Holly and Travis pushed me out of my comfort zone (she had to catch a flight home that evening!) and we shot at mid-day. I loooved the results! It added a whole new element of whim. These two could barely keep their eyes off of each other. Also, flowy dresses is a straight way to my heart. You can’t go wrong with a flowy dress. It’s science. I loved frolicking around with these two gorgeous humans and capturing their love. A few of my faves…
Martinez Family, Humble Texas
When Nichole reached out to me and said she was drawn to moody, whimsical, calm and candid photos my heart did a leap. I immediately had a vision for this session and was even more thrilled when we found the most perfect earthy location complete with mossy trees, boardwalk and even a sandy beach! Their gorgeous earthy toned color scheme added so much to the organic feeling of this session. It felt like each image was taken out of a southern storybook and I’ve got to say that Texas is growing on me! Something about that Southern charm. Take a look at the hardest-to-pick favorites I chose!
Call Family, Conroe
Golden hour, mystical forest light, and a kind-hearted, beautiful little family makes for pretty gorgeous images. Since moving to Texas, this has been my number one requested spot. It’s easy to see why and I love it just as much. The carefully lined trees that perfectly filter light makes it beautiful almost anytime of the day. There are trails that make it easily accessible, or you can go off trail and adventure like we did to catch some serious golden glow and risk losing shoes. Which totally happened. But it was worth it, we decided. I love Madolyn and Austin’s love for each other and for their sweet baby girl Adelaide. I’ve said it before but some of my favorite sessions are the first session with a new child. The love abounds everywhere and those little babies are soooo fun to photograph. As always, I have a million favorites. So enjoy…xoxo
Edenfield Maternity, Lifestyle
When Christene told me she wanted a maternity session in her home I became super giddy! In home sessions are always a favorite. It allows for raw, real, and genuine moments in your own home and create beautiful memories in the place you spend the most time!
Tips for rocking a lifestyle session:
Pay attention to your outfits and how they will match against your home. Neutrals are usually a safe bet, however, if your home is pretty neutral, it would be fun to bring color in your outfit selections.
Use rooms with the best lighting. These areas are usually bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, nurseries. The quality of light can affect the look of your photos drastically. For this session, we had lots of natural light available but it was overcast outside. I moved my subjects close the windows and faced them towards the light.
Don’t use artificial lighting. I always turn overhead lights off so the varying color temperatures don’t mix with the clean natural light. Also it adds so much more dimension to you!
Like I said before, we took these in the morning on an overcast day so it gave us darker, moodier lighting - which I prefer! Experiment taking photos indoor in various lighting situations. Now enjoy this sweet, intimate maternity session!
Choi Family, The Woodlands
My goodness, I have had so many compliments from this session! Jenny’s classy, clean style paired perfectly with our forest location soaked in yummy golden light! I adore shooting families with a baby. It’s so fun to see new parents interact with their little magical creation. We made sure to get pictures of just the parents too — which is so important! It was the hardest thing to narrow down my favorites, but here are my very, very top!
Brooklyn Senior, Spring Texas
Brooklyn wanted an earthy, boho feel for her senior session and that’s just what we did! Her outfits were perfect and our location provided the best diversity. Grassy fields, wildflowers, tree lined paths, secluded forest, lakes, and Spanish moss trees all in one place! Not to mention we had the most beautiful sunset reflecting in the clouds. Brooklyn was a natural when it came to posing and her long blond hair was soooo gorgeous, especially when we got some wind bursts. Oh, Texas you magical place, you are growing on me!
Chelsie & Wilson Wedding Day, La Jardin
Chelsie and Wilson’s summer wedding was so dreamy. A cozy, intimate ceremony held in the gardens followed by a reception in the greenhouse surrounded by amazing floral smells and delicious food - complete with a triple chocolate fountain bar. The details from the cake down to the bouquet tied in perfectly to the garden atmosphere. The bridal party was a blast and the dancing was so sweet! Nothing beat the beaming smiles and glows from Chelsie and Wilson, though. Here are my favorite highlights from this day! Enjoy!
Pearson Family, Downtown Springville
This classic, clean, and fresh session is one of my favorites. I thought that their outfits were so reflective of their personalities and were so perfect against the white brick building!
Summer Minis, Hobble Creek Canyon
This was my first time holding summer mini sessions and I loved it! Jolley’s ranch was the perfect location for dreamy light and rustic backdrops and all of my sweet families were so perfect.
Heather & CJ Engagements, AF Canyon
This location is always a guarantee for jaw-dropping views and a great variety of backdrops. Surrounded by pine covered mountains, a gorgeous turquoise lake lays in the middle of it all complete with a cute boardwalk to the center of the lake. We found the perfect pocket of light at the beginning of our session and ended with a serene sunset. Heather and CJ were so easy going and incredibly perfect together. I don’t think we ever went five minutes without laughing. Loved everything about this beautiful lake side session!
Nikki & Justin Wedding at Durango, Colorado
This intimate wedding ceremony was held nestled in a tall wooded forest of mountainous Durango, Colorado and it was breathtaking. Every single detail down to the custom designed lace on Nikki’s J. Noelle Design’s wedding dress was perfect. The ceremony was perfect, the groom had tears while his bride came down the aisle, the flower girl and ringbearer were as cute as could be, and the vows were sweet as could be. After the ceremony was the most gorgeous reception complete with a donut bar, and any wedding reception with a donut bar is an automatic win in my book! I’ve been gushing over the details, color palettes, dreamy light, and over course, Nikki and Justin, the most perfect couple in the whole entire world. Now it’s your turn!
4th Street Salon
I love shooting big groups! The ladies of 4th Street Salon were no exception. The black against the white textured brick building was stunning! Whitney, the owner, let me get creative with individual portraits so I busted out the prism to make each one unique. Honestly, using the prism is not as easy as it looks. It takes time to find the right angle, catch the right light, catch the right angle of light, make sure it fits overall image mood, and make sure you don’t get your hand in the picture! ;)
Alex & Christian Engagements, Provo Canyon
We found the prettiest mountainside with yellow wildflowers that matched Alex’s dress perfectly! The light was so pretty and the love between Christian and Alex was electric. I will forever love the mountains in the summer! Alex’s amazing dress is from Anthropologie (I know I’ll get lots of those who ask!). Lots of the images reminded me of scenes from The Sound of Music!
Chelsie & Wilson Formals, Alpine
We adventured on the picturesque mountainsides of Alpine and found soooo many gorgeous spots. We even managed to find a few poppies! The lighting was dramatic and Chelsie and Wilson looked absolutely perfect. I loved Chelsie’s spring themed floral crown and the lace detail on her dress was insane. I had way too many favorite from this one…enjoy!
