Fourth Light Photography; Coos Bay and North Bend Oregon Wedding, Family, HS Senior Photography

Willow Caroline

2012-01-22T14:53:00.000-08:00

This, this is what I've been working on ;) She's perfect and I'm in love. My sweet Willow was born December 16th and we've had a blast ever since! Here are some favorite photos from her first month with us;

A Break

2011-09-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

Most of you know I'm having a baby in December. If not, I am! And I'm elated to have another little one, a girl little one, to add to my amazing little boys. That being said after much discussing with my hubby and as much as it pains me I am taking a break from professional photography until I get back into the swing of things and life after a newborn and pregnancy slows down or at least gets to a new normal. I've finally decided I need time with my little ones more than I need mommy time in the photography world. I am praying and really trying to be diligent about guarding my time while these kiddos are so little and growing so fast. That means that other things, things that I truly love, will have to wait. Oh how sad it makes me sometimes just because of all of the support and wonderful references every one of my clients has shown and given me. I can't tell you how hard it has been to decline shooting numerous weddings and families this year and next but it's the right choice for now. I will still be keeping a wait list for those of you interested in being alerted when I do come back to Fourth Light and pick back up booking sessions and weddings so please don't be afraid to call or email me with interest in being on my list. I will hopefully be back sooner than later but it will, most likely, be at least a year. Thank you for all of the support and for understanding!

Speaking of my little ones here are a few photos of my baby Bear and my big boy Lincoln!

His two year photos :)

They love each other so much!

GORGEOUS

2011-08-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

That's the word, yep, that's it. These two little ladies are GORGEOUS. I love taking photos of them. They came up to my house last night and we had lots of fun as the sun set behind my house. This was a "school photo" kind of shoot for these two as they enter third and sixth grade. I love watching these sisters interact. Megan is always the comedian and Mckayla is such a sweetie. They love each other and I'm always encouraged to see these two get along so well, even in the midst of the tween years and all that comes with it. They play, laugh and keep each other going. They are so much fun! Blessings on a wonderful, new and exciting school year sweet girls!

I LOVE this!!!!

The S Family

2011-08-18T23:06:00.000-07:00

I've never been the kind of girl to have a best buddy. Usually I have a group of women who I love and learn from regularly and back in school I was pretty much a solo act ;) I was weird... I guess I still am! Anyway back to buddies, this shoot was special to me. I really wanted to do well for this family not just because I like to bless every family I shoot with great photos but because Angela has given me so much in terms of wisdom and support that I wanted to repay her with some really nice photos. She has been my buddy since we married our husbands, moved to this small coastal community, and rearranged our lives at nearly the same time six and a half years ago. Her husband and mine went to elementary school together and share an avid love for hunting. Its been a HUGE blessing to have her in my life, going through the same things with hubbies and kiddos and I love her and her beautiful family dearly. Angela has been that best buddy to me.

That being said they are an energetic bunch :) Luckily I've known each of the little ones since birth and have seen them grow from infancy to wonderful little people with such unique personalities. I knew what I was in for! We had fun lumbering along the abandoned train tracks and racing along the boardwalk in the beautiful sunset light. The kids jumped, danced, ran and played their little hearts out with giant grins and lots of belly laughs through out the session... they love their aunt Ashley and I love them!

The M. Family

2011-08-06T22:04:00.000-07:00

I truly love this family! I love chatting with Alisa every time family photo time comes around because she has a GREAT eye for style and for photography. I remember the first time I met her we were at her house and she had pulled up this beautiful photo from a famous photographer that she loved and wanted something similar in feel and pose for her little girls... I was a bit intimidated :) But then as our first session went along on a rainy afternoon indoors, Alisa and the girls made me feel right at home and I could tell she trusted me. Then I met Dave and well, he doesn't looove family photo time but he tolerates me and all of my crazy antics! I think I've grown on him! This was my third time shooting the family photos for Alisa and Dave and I feel like part of the gang. Alisa told me that I could take her to a car wash and she would trust me so I know I've got a great friend and client in her! I didn't make her go to a car wash. I think Dave might have thrown in the towel right there! I hope you love these Alisa and know I enjoy you, Dave and your girls so very much!!

Duke Again and Light Tests

2011-07-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

Can I do two posts on one baby? I think YES! I had to share this little story board I created with one of my light testing images and a Duke photo because it just goes to show you that when God creates he only does amazing!

If you're thinking to yourself "what's a light testing image" well let me just explain. Before each shoot I scout. I try to go out right around the time of the session and it is really important for me. I don't like going out on a shoot blind so I usually take test images of random things and I often give those to the client as bonuses just for pretty. I can manage without a scouting session but I like to go prepared. Duke's session was slightly different because they just came over to my house. Since Amy and Duke are my neighbors I went outside one evening and BAM! Light, gorgeous light! So I still did some test images to make sure what I was seeing would translate to how I envisioned it and then I just called her and said can you come now? At 8:00 at night... with your two year old and newborn? How considerate am I, I know :) But she was willing and the light was oh so right! I can't ever stress enough that lighting is key. You can be in a dirty ally, a car wash anything as long as there is good light you're golden... and for the record I've shot in dirty allies and car washes... several times :) The other great thing about these shots is that there was a lot of natural reflection happening, another crucial key to natural lighting. In the shot of the plant there is back light but there is also a source of reflection coming straight up from below the bush where the sun hit the ground. In Duke's shot he's looking straight up at the sky which always means amazing eyes or in this case amazing lighting for his sleepy little face. Reflection off something white like the sky, a white building or even glass can really make skin appear super smooth and helps get beautiful catch lights, or the twinkle in someone's eyes. Other things of different colors work well for reflection also. I've used brick walls, metal surfaces, and concrete is a personal fav and is almost always available. So next time you photogs are shooting around try to think reflection and find something that lights up your subject naturally.

Duke

2011-07-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

What a name! It was on my list of favorites with my first son but Levi didn't love it, of course so it was left on the cutting room floor BUT my beautiful neighbor Amy just had her second son and they named him Duke! Awesome :) He is SO handsome and so small weighing in at 5lbs. 2 ozs.. That's three pounds smaller than my Lincoln was! Oh how I love itty bitty babies especially when I'm pregnant. It's like I just can't get enough snuggles, hear enough labor stories or see enough newborn onesies. It's funny! I enjoyed my time with Duke so very much and luckily he lives right up the road and I can go see him pretty much whenever I want until my little one arrives in December!

Set Apart

2011-07-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

Set Apart is a local worship band that just so happens to rock my Church every once in a while. And please let me tell you how amazing worship always is when they are there; it's AMAZING! I know church isn't about the music but it sure does elevate the whole Sunday service when the music is really great. God has blessed our church with several amazing bands and Set Apart is made up of several dear friends and a couple of new friends. Their shoot was rainy and pretty yucky but since getting pregnant and having to take a break I've had a serious creativity back up. I had so many ideas that I wanted to use for this shoot, I mean a lot... of very untraditional ideas that may or may not have been rolling around in my head for weeks before the shoot. You see lead singer Shalendra is a rocker. He also works at our post office and so for the past couple of trips into the office we would chat about the shoot and he had some grand ideas which I am a total sucker for grand ideas. Well with his help and ideas and all of my randomness this was one of the funnest and best shoots, creatively, for me yet! I really got to let my wacky brain all out there!


For these head shots I asked each band member to hide half of their face behind a concrete wall... in my mind it captured the "Set Apart" idea perfectly because I knew that the concrete would turn white (pure) and that it would tell the perfect story of being purified through Jesus and truly being Set Apart. The band didn't think I was too crazy :)

In an attempt to find shelter from the dreary conditions we dodged into this car wash that I've had my eye on for sometime... it's been waiting for willing subjects :)

This shot was also inspired by the Set Apart name and involved the same concrete wall idea but incorporated the other band members into the background.

This shot also had been envisioned for a while. I found this vacant bank drive through that looked really fun and linear which is perfect for my eye. I like the effect of the rain on the pavement which was a little reward for laying down in a puddle ;)

I'll have some more things to post later this week including some details on why my site says No Longer Booking which has got some of you concerned :) I'll explain, I promise! And Happy Fourth Of JULY!

Edit to add; Some of these darn photos won't clear up even after resizing for web! I've never been good at getting that resize thing down so any advice would be much appreciated!

The .C. Family

2011-05-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

Did I mention I love meeting new people through this hobby? Well, I DO! I met this wonderful family tonight. They are a family with teenagers, nearly teenagers and a couple of cute tweens too. The C family was an adventure. In fact right when I arrived I was warned that little Trent had stabbed himself in the eye a couple of days ago and to avoid shooting his right side... OH MY! I was able to meet them at their home, which was made by dad Jason. AMAZING. The landscaping was phenomenal and the house was so warm and inviting. I really enjoyed getting to know this group and am thankful that my camera brings me new friends.

Edge Jumpers

2011-05-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

I love doing photography for other artists. Whether they're painters, writers, musicians or fellow photographers there's just something different about their thought process that makes the creativity flow so seamlessly into their session. Siadus, the lead singer and guitarist of Edge Jumpers had a vision for their first album. She wanted something eclectic to fit the album title, something different with wide angles and some different views. I was so excited to try and capture her vision. I just hope I did it justice! Here are a few of my favorites from our session that made me think "Album!".

Wedding Album {Legend}

2011-04-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

During my little vacation over the winter I was blessed to have a 12x12 Legend book order come in for Nellie and Casey's wedding. I was elated to get to do a book for them! It turned out amazing and with it being the first book from a new printer I was so pleased with the outcome and REALLY impressed with the quality. The thing weighed 14 lbs!! I told Nellie that I had a really hard time giving it to her because I wanted to keep it :)

There are 20 spreads in the book, 40 sides and since Nellie and Casey's wedding was so unique and amazing I think their spreads are some of my favorites ( I did just do a book for Laura and Chipper and that museum and her bird cage veil made for some awesomeness too :). Here is a peak into Nellie and Casey's book;

Cobe {2 Years}

2011-04-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

I've had the privilege of watching Cobe grow from a bump in his momma's belly to a wonderfully energetic two year old. He is always so fun to photograph! His momma mentioned doing some new photos for his birthday and I agreed knowing that the past THREE sessions had been rained out and rescheduled. So I told her I'd just call her when I saw sun and low and behold there was sun just a couple of days after we chatted! Lucky for me she lives just up the road so she hopped down to my house and my boys followed us around the backyard while I chased Cobe around :) That's how most two year old shoots go, I'm running... a lot! It's so fun and challenging and I really think photographing toddlers and weddings are two things that will make any photographer better. With that HAPPY BIRTHDAY COBE!

New Product; Accordion Books!

2011-03-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

I love these SO much that I am going to have to get one for my own purse! These little wallet size accordion books are perfect for mom's, dad's, grandma's and just about anybody. They showcase ten images in a beautifully sturdy and durable little book with leather like front and back covers, a rigid interior and gorgeous print quality. For more details check out your client gallery or the investment page!

Chipper & Laura .... Coos Bay Oregon Wedding Photographers

2011-02-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

Well I have been waiting for this wedding ever since I did Chipper and Laura's engagement session last year! I really enjoyed getting to spend that time with them, dreaming over what their wedding day would look like and it was so much fun to see their dreams come true. Chipper and Laura planned a beautiful day to celebrate their love. They were married by Chipper's grandfather in the church he helped build and start. Their families are already seamless and Chipper and Laura have plenty of support and love as they embark on this new phase of life.

All of the girls started the day at The Beauty Bar where Kayla did hair and make up;

After everyone was all dolled up we headed over to the Coos Art Museum for some fun Bridal shots!

Onto the guys! Jamie had guy duty and she kept saying how on top of everything they were. In fact they were waiting for her ready to put on cuff links and ties just for pictures! Now that's my kinda' Groom :)

The ceremony was perfect. It was reminded so much of my own wedding complete with some of the same songs! It really brought back some memories;

I was so excited to get to do Chipper and Laura's Bridal session in the Coos Art Museum where the reception was held. It was an amazing venue and really captured the feeling that Chipper and Laura wanted to convey. I know how hard Laura worked to secure a reception venue after her initial site had to cancel because of a broken water pipe and the resulting mildew problems. I think after seeing her efforts come together at the Museum she was so happy that they had to change up their plans! I can't believe how wonderful "option B" turned out!!

Congratulations Laura and Chipper!!!

It was a good day for me...

2011-02-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

I just got done shooting Laura and Chipper's wedding. It was a wonderful, wonderful event and so beautiful! And I came away with a new favorite ring shot ;) Their theme was 1940's red, black and white so how perfect is this! More to come!

The .P. Family

2011-02-05T00:18:00.000-08:00

My how time flies!! It's been nearly a year since I last photographed these guys and WOW have these little ones grown. What an amazing difference a year makes! Last year little Cooper had literally just started walking, days before our session and the weather was well, horrible. Let's be honest :) Cooper wanted nothing but the air in his hair as he tested out his new "wheels" and the skies just wouldn't let up. So we managed through the storms and in between hail all the while Cooper just kept on running. Needless to say I felt I owed Amy a "real" session with no hail and Cooper's well worn running shoes. I don't think we disappointed this morning! Cooper and big sis Grace were in GREAT moods and guess what, we had SUN! I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Amy, as always, and the kids just lit up when Dad Chris joined for a few shots. It was a wonderful morning and hopefully I'll get to see Amy and her family before next year! That's what play dates are for right? Mom time!

Jamie

2011-01-26T19:47:00.000-08:00

I usually have a lot of fun getting out and just shooting for fun but man, was this session FUN! Jamie and I started out kinda' stumped. She knew what she wanted for the re-design of her new web presence and head shots to match and I had in mind a quaint little white chapel to start us off but when I realized the old, antique doors had been replaced with new fiber glass doors complete with mismatched windows I was sorely disappointed. BUT then we found loads of other spots that I was able to use to get the desired effect that Jamie had in mind. I love it when I can thrill a client (even if she is my sis in law and probably wouldn't say if I had totally failed ;) with their photos and it was so wonderful to hear Jamie say how amazingly perfect these photos will be for her new site. Ah! Such a great feeling! I am so thankful for my gift and for God's grace in letting me feel that wonderful feeling of blessing others through his creativity! It was a GREAT session!

Glimpse - Jamie

2011-01-21T21:56:00.000-08:00

I am full to the brim after getting to spend a day with my awesome and talented sister in law Jamie! Here's just a glimpse of some of the fun we had today;

More to come!!

New Year New Bag

2011-01-03T15:17:00.000-08:00

I am in loooove! I have long carried a crumpler bag, and I loved it a whole lot but it was just so heavy and after an eight hour wedding day my back was killing me so when I saw this gorgeous leather bag I was all over it! It's the epiphane Lola, cute name :) It's so soft and there's plenty of room inside for my lenses, camera body and flash plus all those little things like cards and batteries. I've carried it around on a couple of shoots and man oh man is it a huge upgrade in the comfort category. The leather shoulder strap is just flexible enough to hold all my gear and fit snuggly onto my should without cutting into my neck. It's an awesome bag!!

The New Fourth Light!

2010-12-23T21:49:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So "they" say you're not supposed to change things. "They" say it's bad for "brand recognition" or whatever but, I like change... well at least in blog form :) Yep, I've changed it up again but this time for good, or at least a really long time. I've finally landed on something that's a fit which has been the problem from the beginning, figuring out what's a fit for my mangled mess of a creative bent. It's been tough really. Defining my style in a website. Pinpointing what I want Fourth Light to look and feel like. I think this is it! It's home spun and eclectic, classic and modern, it's a mesh of what I love and what I want you to understand about my art and my personality. I love that timeless, vintage flare. I love simplicity and intricacy. I am a science geek, hence the weird butterfly. This is Fourth Light!

2010 Fourth Light Couple's and Weddings!

2010-12-19T20:33:00.000-08:00

So as you all can tell by how long this post is I LOOOOVE a good wedding or engagement session :) I just couldn't cut it back! I had to include all of the highlights from my 2010 weddings and say a huge thank you to these wonderful couples for allowing me the privilege of capturing their special days. It was truly an honor!

Dan and Kayla's wedding extravaganza!

Nellie and Casey's amazing "Ranch meets Anthropology" wedding;

Awesome party!

One of the best reception bands ever!


My first helicopter ride! I am still stoked just looking at the pics :)

Doug and Julies beautiful, pink wedding

And because I can't get this computer to function and get things in order here's Dan and Kayla's stinkin' awesome engagement session;

And my soon to be first Bride and Groom of 2011, Chipper and Laura;

Here's to some amazing new friends and some awesome and memorable experiences with my Brides and Grooms!

2010 Fourth Light Senior's & Portraits!

2010-12-18T20:44:00.000-08:00

I love doing senior sessions and portrait session and this year I got to do some new things with them including helping out my sis in law, Jamie with her workshop as well as working with Clint a couple of times on his commercial head shots.

Lillie was awesome... she always is :)

Oh and I can't forget Liz's session... I sure do treasure my time with these seniors. It's just such an exciting time and Liz made me remember just exactly what I felt like when I was there, in her shoes.

2010 Fourth Light Family's!

2010-12-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed spending time with all of the families this year! Here are my fav's from my family photo stash:

One of my favorite beach sessions

Some sweet fathers and sons;

The biggest fourth light family session yet!

Again, this session I had so many favorites and the light was just perfect;

And this one has a place in my heart just because I love a girl who can dance to her own beat!

2010 Fourth Light Kids!

2010-12-12T12:25:00.000-08:00

I had so many amazing sessions this year and like I said, I am blessed by new friendships and amazing memories of all of the fun I got to have! So in honor of an awesome year I thought I would do a few 2010-Year in Review posts just so that I could do all of my favorites from the year justice. Lets start with the kids, shall we?!
Oh and you'll also get to see how many times I changed my logo and framing set up! I am a mess when it comes to making up my mind!

Let's start with Matthew!

I Love these kids!

And these little beauties;

Oh and I can't forget my vintage baseball card inspired shoot with Cobe;

And this smile!

And this little newbie snuggled safely in dad's arms;

Or this little character;

How could I forget this light! And the beauties I got to shoot in it;

These cuties, I just can't get enough of;

Oh hey! I know these two :)

I love watching these kids grow before my camera;

and some new faces... which I loved as soon as I saw those big brown and blue eyes!

I can't wait to see you all next year and meet some new kiddos too! And this is my favorite picture EVER of my sweet Lincoln, just to bring extra cheer to your Christmas Season :)

The .D. Squad

2010-11-20T21:53:00.000-08:00

Every year for the past three years I have been privileged to photograph the D family and every year they are hilarious!! I mean, I am always laughing so hard that my eyes are watering and I have a hard time focusing the camera... it's kinda' a problem :) But a good problem! They laugh a lot and always full force. This year our session was rained out, canceled for a case of the flu and then rained on again but we managed to get a few keepers in their front yard between storms. I am loving the story boards so here's another one of the D's;

And a few of the hilarious out takes of father and son because this session ALWAYS has the best out takes!

This session is my last session of the year so while I enjoy my vacation from "formal" (HA!) sessions I'll try to update the blog from time to time with more personal posts and a year in review post for sure. I just want to say thank you to all of the bride's, families, seniors and baby momma's that have supported Fourth Light this year! What a great year I had capturing memories for you all and I was blessed by each one of you more than you will every know!!

Chipper & Laura .... North Bend Oregon Photographers

2010-11-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

She said they met through a friend of a friend of a friend... Chipper said he was done with women. Luckily God had it all orchestrated so that Chipper didn't have to give up on finding "The One" and Laura didn't have to keep being the friend of the bride. No matter how many friends Chipper and Laura had to get through to finally meet each other, when it happened it happened and they've been together ever since.

Chipper and Laura are so sweet! They are my kind of people ;) Their relationship is so comfortable and pure. You can tell they just fit and that their wedding will be a wonderful celebration of God's ability to know just what each person needs and his faithfulness to provide it. Congrats Chipper and Laura!

Laura is so gorgeous and has a wonderful laugh!

I brought out the 'ol chalkboard to have some fun with Chipper and Laura and they decided they liked the idea of having a "thank you" picture for their thank you cards after the wedding;

I love it!!

The .I. Family

2010-11-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful time the other evening with my friend Karen and her little family. Matthew has grown SO much since the last time I did photos for him and oh my is he a handsome little guy! He came out for a play date today since I just didn't get to snuggle him enough during our fast and furious session. I always forget about day light savings time and sadly we ran out of light during our shoot but it gave me a good reason to practice with my new flash! At any rate I thought I'd present these photos in a slightly different way just because Karen is so fashion forward and really did great on the outfits for her session! These pics make me ready for Christmas!

The .C. Family

2010-11-14T13:36:00.000-08:00

Nothing makes me more nervous than taking pictures of kids the same age as my very own. There's just something about three year old boy's and one year old boy's that doesn't work in photos, at least in my own home ;) So when I scheduled the C family, knowing that Holly's kids were about the same age as mine and both boys I must say I was intimidated, nervous, even a bit worried! After all I am supposed to be good at this photo thing since going "pro", right? I should be able to take great photos for the people who entrust me with the job, right? Well yes I should and thank heavens Holly's boys aren't quite as used to my crazy antics as my boys which made things so much easier. That and the fact that they are an adorable family provided for some great photos. And lucky for me my sister in law did our family photos a couple of weeks ago and she did way better than I've done on my own :) Those will be coming later but for now enjoy the C family!

Liz ... Coos Bay Oregon Senior Photographers

2010-10-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a little slice of heaven for me! Liz and I have emailed a few times in planning her session and I was so excited about all of her ideas and all of the thought that she put into the shoot. I am a planner so working with someone like Liz made me so happy. That's not the only thing we have in common. Actually Liz felt like a kindred spirit to me in a lot of ways. Her dad is an anesthetist, which was my future career goal all through middle school and high school. Her mom's name is Linnae which is the same as my husband's aunt and I've never met another Linnae (both of them are awesome by the way :). Just talking to Liz reminded me of my final year in high school. All of the preparation, excitement, curiosity. I truly enjoyed spending time with Liz and her parents. It was a little slice of heaven!

Did I mention Liz is GORGEOUS!

Liz's signature red slippers :)

Liz brought all kinds of wonderful and very personal props. This camera and some of her favorite books worked out perfectly and really made for some memorable images!

Liz also loves fashion and brought a whole wardrobe!! This dress was SO beautiful and really captured the "Audrey Hepburn" feel that Liz wanted to bring out in these last pictures:

The .K. Kids

2010-10-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

This is the third year I've done the K kiddos and my how fast kids grow! Every year they get so much bigger and now the older two are getting so much more mature. It makes me feel like I am getting old :) I do love these kids and they are so fun to hang out with. It's also so funny to see how accustomed the kids are to my style of photography. The minute Trey stepped out of the car he was in high speed and so excited! I think he knew I might have some fun things up my sleeves... and sure enough I did!

The true K Kids :)

And that trick up my sleeve? Soda and Licorice :)

Now that's a great way to end a kids shoot!

Casey & Nellie {Just Married!}

2010-10-05T16:51:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I had the privileged of photographing Casey & Nellie as they pledged "I do" forever. My cousin Kim joined me for what was a beautiful day spent with a beautiful family at a beautiful ranch for a beautiful event! Casey and Nellie are sweet, I mean so stinkin' sweet. The minute I heard Nellie's voice over the phone I knew it would be a fit for me. Casey and her are rancher's kids. They both lived on ranches and are hard working, quiet and genuine. There's just something about growing up in the country surrounded by open air and dirt roads that's good for raising kids and Nellie and Casey are proof of that. They are great people! Their wedding was definitely the talk of the town!

The day started out great with professional hair and make up from across the state. Oh I get so excited when I see professional artists working their skills in the hair and make up department! It seriously impacts the quality I am able to achieve in my photos.

Nellie looked so amazing!! She has such a beautiful classic look!

And Casey? Well he looked great too! The amazing boutonniere was made by a friend of Nellie's:

Kim did amazing second shooting and being in charge of the guys and details:

Nellie's inspiration for the reception was anthropologie meets the ranch... AWESOME!!! Her brother Jake designed most of the pieces involved in the wedding and at the reception. He did and amazing job and seriously should start a wedding business!

Laying eyes on each other for the first time during the ceremony:

Again, the florals and details were outstanding! I love the unique flowers used in Nellie's bouquet. They tied into all of the other details so well:

And as a little surprise to the guests at the reception and ME,Nellie and Casey made a grand entrance to the reception via HELICOPTER!! DUDES I got to go in a helicopter!! Casey, Nellie, her brother Jake and I had an awesome ride!

My view of the venue!

The details were so cool and the reception was quite the party!

Okay, so the music. WOW! The reception featured three different musical groups. The first was an awesome "Jack Johnson" style soloist, Matthew Price. Etoufee was the AMAZING second act and they really got the party started. I am pretty sure camera shake kicked in because I was totally bouncing to the beat. They rocked. The night was finished off by an equally amazing country band, Sweet Town Little, that, in thanking Casey and Nellie, said they felt like they should have paid the bride and groom for being a part of such an exciting night.

First dance as Mr. and Mrs.:

These cowboys knew how to dance!!

What a day! Oh what a day! Congratulations Casey and Nellie. I wish you both the best and thanks for the helicopter ride :) You made my year!!

Clint's Back!

2010-09-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

Clint and I went out for another shoot to do some head shots for his Broadway portfolio, this time sans cowboy hat, guitar and beard. We went for a more contemporary look in hopes of marketing him to a broader spectrum in the entertainment industry. Can I just say, Clint is easy peasy to shoot! He loves doing photo sessions and loves the camera... and the camera likes him a little bit too :) Oh how fun this shoot was! My friend Rachel came along to glean some photo tips and sport the reflector for me, thanks Rach and Clint worked it out behind the camera. What a great evening!!

SUCH a great laugh he has!

Singing his heart out:

Lily {Senior}

2010-09-19T23:31:00.000-07:00

Lily gets the award for worst photo session weather without a reschedule! Despite the hideous weather outside she was able to pose and didn't complain or shiver... I am not sure how that happened! Needless to say she is a rock star and so is her sister April who came along to create a little artificial sun with my reflector. Without April I am pretty sure Lily's photos would look cold and dreary! Thanks, girls, for sticking through the weather and hanging with me for the evening, I sure do love ya's!

Lily you look beautiful even when you are pelted by rain and wind blown :)

I love lily's laugh, she can make anyone laugh with this giggle!

Part of what I love about photography and senior sessions in particular is that I get to offer a bit of styling advice when asked. I brought a trunk full of boots, scarves and clothes for Lily to pick through and then because of the rain I even got to sacrifice my hair clip to do a little impromptu hair design! Yeah!! I really enjoy styling sessions and if ever you need styling assistance for your session please always feel free to ask!

My Boys

2010-09-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

Here they are, the reason I picked up a camera in the first place, my boys. Lincoln and Barrett are two (nearly three) and one. They are full of life and spunk and craziness! I am partial... totally. They make me a better person daily, more patient, more loving, more compassionate. And they make me laugh till I cry and want to pull my hair out all at the same time! Now that is amazing :) They rock.

The .M. Family

2010-08-31T14:53:00.000-07:00

Alisa and I, we get each other. She has two beautiful girls nearly the exact same ages as my two handsome men and while boys and girls are worlds apart three year olds across the board know what they want and one year olds simply love life and want to explore more of it. So we get it. It's that unique unspoken connection between mom's who are right there in the thick of it right alongside you. It's comforting!

I love shooting these girls and it was an absolute pleasure to incorporate mom and dad this time. There simply could not be a more gorgeous family both in front of the camera and behind!

I often encourage parents of little one's to bring a comforting toy or blanket. Leila brought "Monkey" and while he did appear in some of the photos I absolutely love to capture all of the special things that will bring back fond memories for the child. I think Leila will love this one of "Monkey"!

And while Leila snuggled "Monkey", Nina just needed Dad!

Couldn't decide which I loved more, this one;

Or this one;

Leila loves to dance and sing! That's definitely one big difference between my boys and these little girls, while Leila looks like a ballerina my Lincoln would look like a mosh pit member!

The .P. Family

2010-08-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

I, of course, love these guys but I didn't realize how much until the other night when I did their session. Again, I cannot say how amazing this photog gig is! I get to know people in ways that I would have otherwise never seen. It's really awesome! They are such a fun loving, tight crew. I could definitely tell that they enjoy and cherish the relationships with each other and to tell the truth the girls reminded me of my sister and I, hugging one minute and wresting each other to the ground the next :)

The lighting for this session was amazing. If you are a budding photog and want one key piece of advice that will change the way your images look for the oh so better it is this; learn what good light is and FIND IT! Oh honey, it makes such a difference. I prefer sunset light but I can get by with open shade (found under thick trees, just before the sun rises and just after the sun sets) or back light (where the light is low enough to be positioned behind the subject). Call me crazy but I also love a good overcast day and provided the fog isn't too thick it can be a great natural diffuser!

Onto the P family!!

A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.

G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S.

Another New Feature!

2010-08-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

I'm just on a techy roll! Seriously though, my new client gallery feature is so fun. I've got it up and running and just for kicks I wanted to show you all a slideshow put together through my gallery of my last wedding. I will be doing these now from time to time on some sessions and hopefully on lots more weddings to showcase a few more images!

Dan and Kayla's show

Client Galleries!!

2010-08-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

Well I've finally figured it out :) I am a little slow... I am the first to admit that! Now, for your convenience Fourth Light Photography offers private online galleries with ordering capabilities! Yeah!! No more paper forms (well, unless you want to use them). Simply click the link in the toolbar above and you'll be whisked away to the Fourth Light Client Galleries page where you can view your password protected gallery and place orders easily from the convenience of your own home. If you've had a Fourth Light session and wish to use the new Client Gallery feature please shoot me an email or give me a call and I'll upload your gallery! And henceforth I pledge to join the rest of the world in the pursuit of technology... okay well maybe not... but at least this is a start! And here's a pic from a recent camping trip just because!

Daniel & Kayla {Just Married} Part II - Coos Bay Wedding Photographers

2010-07-31T21:24:00.001-07:00

Alright, back to the fun! Kayla and Dan set their wedding day up in a very unique and thoughtful way. After the ceremony their family and friends went home and changed, helped further decorate the reception area and rested for the reception which started about four hours after the ceremony. It actually worked out really well for me! Jamie and I were able to go home, look through some of my images, head to the reception to do a few more shots of the bridal party and the detail work. GREAT plan!

The reception was amazing! It was a party to beat all parties and Kayla and Dan surely celebrated their marriage in style. They had so many super cool elements to the reception that I've gotta' share with all you future brides and fellow photo lovers!

Mechanical bull!? Say what!!?

Lots of boots and dancing;

Awesome 80's hair band?! YES!

One of the cool things was this wall. It was literally one side of the "Grooms Barn". which housed a cigar bar and the drinks, and it was coated in chalkboard paint for guests to sign and write sweet notes to the happy couple...GREAT IDEA!!

Beautiful handmade pom poms and white lanterns accented the vintage inspired table scape;

So if you are a bride to be take a look at this next shot and think about the lighting, please! It's UHMAZING. Kayla took things like lighting into consideration in planning her day and boy did it ever pay off. Her whole reception was soaked in gorgeous sunset light that made for great photography. I think there were other reasons for the time too but I like to think it was all about the photography :)

The "Brides Barn" was across from the "Grooms Barn" and it held a chocolate fountain and candy bar!

Goodbye sweet sunlight;

Helooo awesome candle light!

As Jamie and I were leaving the reception I made one last loop to make sure I'd gotten all the requested photos covered and someone suggested a GIANT group photo! My stomach sunk, my heart went KABOOM and I instantly thought "oh goodness... this could be bad" but ya' know what, I kinda' love this shot! I think it captures the fun of the evening just right with the kiddos sporting blue candy mustaches in the front, smiles all around and the wonderful Bride and Groom front and center. Thanks again Kayla and Daniel for an AWESOME day!

Daniel & Kayla {Just Married!} - Oregon Coast Wedding Photographer

2010-07-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

As usual I was so excited I couldn't sleep over this wedding :) I guess I love my work a little! With thoughts of cowboy boots and a wedding dress, how could one sleep!? I mean really, what could be better than a beautiful formal ceremony followed by an awesome country, shabby chic reception? Daniel and Kayla's day had so many amazing details from getting ready at an old Victorian mansion to all of the intricacies of their ceremony to a mechanical bull, cigar and candy bar reception... the day was packed full of fun for everyone! And Jamie, my second shooter, and I were in the middle of it all! As is custom with many of my wedding posts there will be another post to come dedicated to the awesome reception for this wedding but for now here's a good introduction to the awesomeness of Kayla and Dan's wedding day;

Gorgeous bride? Check;

Awesome dress? Check;

The ceremony was beautiful;

Boots? Check!!

Kayla was so fun to shoot, she just never ran out of fierceness!

The whole crew;

Love the laughs of which there were many. Such a great day!

Rose

2010-07-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

A while back I went scouting at Willamette University with my sis in law and we stumbled upon a beautiful rose garden.

We stopped and shot roses for a good 25 minutes. It was wonderful. The roses reminded me that God's creation is so magnificent. Just look at how many petals are on this one rose! And he fashioned each one, on each rose to be uniquely suited for that one flower. Amazing!! That's a big part of why I love photography so much, it makes me stop and think more about God's awesomeness. Something I take for granted each and every day as I walk past bugs, flowers, and trees all of which have been designed and created uniquely by an amazing creator!

The .C. Family

2010-07-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

I was asked to come to the C family "reunion" and attempt to get a big group shot while they were all together. This family has been through a lot in recent years from gun shot wounds to cancer and to tell you the truth you wouldn't know a single thing was wrong. They love God and each other and that is so evident. They are an amazing bunch of gorgeous people and I was blessed to spend an evening with them!

Doug & Julie {Wedding}

2010-06-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

Doug and Julie tied the knot last weekend and I had the absolute privilege of second shooting with my sister in law Jamie. It was A BLAST! I am usually quite energetic, especially when it comes to things I am passionate about. Let's just say I am very passionate about photography, so much so that as Doug and Julie's wedding got closer I about had an anxiety attack about what I was going to wear! Me, the second shooter... what was I going to wear?! I was so excited I couldn't sleep!

I got groom duty, which is the usual second shooter position and it was so fun. I must say I had a great group of guys to shoot! They were up for it all and made my job a piece of cake;

Doug and Julie opted for a first look and I am so happy they did! The day was rushed enough as it was but the first look gave them the time to relax a bit and to take it all in before all the people arrived and they had to entertain their guests.

Julie was an absolutely GORGEOUS bride!

Doug giving his beautiful bride a stunning bracelet;

Julie made SO many of the details of her wedding. This super cute "just married" sign made for some awesome pictures. She sure did put in the effort to making her wedding images amazing!

I was also in charge of detail shots... um... YES!! I LOVE shooting details. I could shoot details all day long I think :0)

Their rings deserved some extra attention. I walked outside the reception, rings in had looking for the perfect place to plop the bling and I spotted the getaway car. AWESOME. There was a crowd of guys standing around admiring the car and as I asked to borrow the hood ornament for a minute I knew I'd either get the "you're crazy, don't touch my car look" or the "hmm, this could be interesting. Go ahead". Luckily I got the latter and as I placed the rings on the chrome V8 ornament all the guys burst out "that is SO cool!!!", "WOW!", and "What a great idea!". Only car aficionados would be so encouraging about such a random idea. I do have to say it was one of my better thoughts ;0)

Julie found pink peonies at Trader Joes the day before her wedding. I think that was God's wedding present to her and us photogs!

Well, it was so fun! Can't wait for the next wedding for sure!!

Daniel & Kayla {Engagement}

2010-06-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

This shoot was so much fun! I have REALLY enjoyed getting to know Kayla and Dan. I met Kayla during Kelsey's wedding. She runs the Beauty Bar and did Kelsey's amazing hair. The atmosphere in the Beauty Bar before Kelsey's wedding was SO fun! When Kayla called to talk about her own wedding I was stoked, I mean really stoked! We have talked quite a few times about what she wants for her wedding photography and about all of her wedding details and let's just say this girl's got style and CRAZY cool ideas for her big day... I want to share so badly but I'll wait until July to let her wedding speak for itself... and Oh the things it will say!!

So for her engagement shoot she wanted a few things; she wanted some at her fiance Dan's house (where their reception will be), she wanted some with her and Dan's guns (they hunt lots, made me feel right at home :0) and she wanted some beach shots. Can you say "photographers DREAM"?! So we started at Dan's place;

Kayla put so much thought into all of the details of her shoot. She had outfit changes for her and Dan, she had everything all ready and really made my job so much faster and the final product really shows her hard work! I LOVE that she wanted to do the gun shots in a dress and cowboy boots... now there's a girl after my own heart!

Then after Dan's place we went out to the beach;

We found this gorgeous parking lot :0) Seriously, this "field" was right by our cars!

Oh I CANNOT wait for their wedding!!!! Thanks Kayla and Dan for letting me shoot until my heart's content. Dan withstood THREE hours of pretty much non stop shooting, what a guy!

The .L. Family

2010-05-31T22:00:00.000-07:00

Now this is what I am ALL about; Great light, willing subjects and apparent, obvious, overflowing love! This family's shoot had it all and then some because not only were they willing subjects, right on down to the four year old BOY, but they had poses that were slathered with grace and that wonderful loving feeling... uh oh... I feel a song coming on.... You've got that lovin' feeling, ohowo, that lovin' feeling. You've Got that lovin' feeling now you're gone, gone, gone, wowowo. Sorry. I had to. I am done now.

Thanks L family for braving the cold beach... barefoot :0) Onto the pictures!!

See what I mean about "even the four year old BOY" (he's awesome, by the way!);

I had some fun shooting around at random stuff and the sunset in between snaps. Here are a few shots I picked up through out my session with the L family;

I think I am going to blow one of these sunset shots up and center it between a couple of these more artistic shots. I'll hang them in my bedroom and pretend like I am lying on an island beach somewhere soaking up the sun!

100mm's of Awesome

2010-05-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

I just got a 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM... wow, that's a name! And it lives up to that name!! I LOVE it sooo much! It came fedex this morning after a horrible tragedy occurred yesterday (I missed the delivery guy because I was changing a diaper!) prolonging my wait. There wasn't much to shoot today, flowers are a muddy mess from all the rain and nothing is really budding, so I just played a little to test the water. Well, that water is JUST fine ;0)

Style Guide {Summer 2010}

2010-05-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

I have a few sessions scheduled for the beach and some more natural looking places around town in the coming months and so I thought a new style guide might be helpful to both my current clients planning and for the general Fourth Light Follower who might have a beach or outdoors session in mind down the road. I love the more romantic styles amidst the fashion minded right now. It seems the current trend is toward all things vintage and being a fan of the 20s, 30's and 40's I was in heaven creating this style guide... it made me want to go SHOPPING!

Remember when styling your shoot to think about coordinating colors and not necessarily about matching perfectly. You can see in this style guide that the overall theme is blues, creams/khaki and gray but their is very little matching as far as patterns go. I think mixing and matching solids with different textures and patterns is what really makes a simple color palette go a long way.

These styles can be found at Ruche, Mini Boden, Old Navy, The Gap and on Etsy .

Diamond Lake

2010-05-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

My family and I spent a wonderful weekend in Diamond Lake, fishing, resting, hiking and spending time together. I was able to take my camera out and about, capturing a few shots of this amazing and beautiful place!

My early morning sunrise shot;

Everything at Diamond Lake was still recovering from the bitterly cold winter. While it felt like spring had sprung during our trip, the plants and the lake were still surrounded by the remnants of winter.

A little sunset action;

Another Favorite

2010-05-11T13:54:00.001-07:00

Oh, and one more!!

.Bear.

2010-05-08T22:53:00.000-07:00

His name is actually Barrett but in these parts he's referred to as Bear. I love my sweet little Bear. He makes our family so much happier, sweeter and squishier... he is just so squishy! Look at those cheeks. I just have to squish them! He'll be nine months soon. I've been trying to gradually collect shots of him since he was born seeing as how "sessions" don't really work with my men right now... they've got better things to do... like chop wood, build bon fires, fish, hunt and this little guy? He likes to EAT!

Clint

2010-05-07T20:53:00.000-07:00

Clint's going to be a Country Western STAR. For sure. He is charismatic, charming and above all else he is an outstanding singer! I was stoked to do his shoot. I had all kinds of ideas and scouted spots to take him and he was up for it all! What a great subject he was. He and his mom brought tons of outfit changes and he was even willing to shave his beard off at some point in the shoot if I thought it would be a good change for some of his shots. I spared him the task of shaving in a parking lot, you're welcome Clint;0) I am so happy with what we came up with and Clint's handsome face is a much welcomed addition to my portfolio! If you are in the Coos County area and like country music be sure to catch Clint performing at the Colgate Country Showdown and Performing locally at several events throughout the summer.

Clint {Sneak Peak}

2010-05-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

So those of you who are faithful followers of Fourth Light (all two of you ;0) know that when I do a single shot sneak peak it's important 1. because I am so excited that I can't hold back long enough to edit a whole post worth and 2. because it's going to be good... real good! Without further ado here's Clint's sneak peak... oh and the rest are going to be good... REAL good!

The .S. Family

2010-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love these guys! They are always so fun and ready for anything. For this session I brought a trunk full of "vintage picnic" stuff. Sadly, Titus wasn't feeling the photo shoot and seeing as how his momma is an awesome photog herself I imagine that he is no stranger to the camera, just like my two little monsters. So we tried and gave it a valiant effort but you can only coax a two year old so much. Nonetheless we had a great time trying!

And this last one makes me giggle. I can tell where Titus get some of his mannerisms!!

Landscape Photography

2010-05-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

When I do a family, senior or wedding photo shoot I am moving... a lot. I am constantly thinking about the next pose, shot, angle or set up and I move quickly to catch each moment as it happens. I have recently tried my hand at landscape photography and can I just say I admire those of you who have a natural talent for this area! I unfortunately do NOT have the landscape eye or steadiness that landscape photography requires and most of all I do NOT have the patience. I have heard that a portrait photographer sets up a shot in 1 minute while a landscape photographer requires 1 hour! Upon realizing my lack of patience in photography I decided to start practicing my landscape technique, in hopes that some of the steadiness and patience would help along my progress as a portrait photographer. So I went out scouting today for some shoots coming up next week (hopefully the weather cooperates for those) and I decided to take it nice and slow, taking my time to set up each shot and not getting frustrated when the first shot wasn't the best. I think I like the results... at least I like them a lot better than most of the other attempts!

I have also been working on a "tree" project for a friend. How can a stationary object be so difficult to take a picture of?! This is my favorite tree shot to date... I am still working on it.

Steven {One Year!}

2010-04-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

I love everything about this age! One whole year, 12 whole months, 52 whole weeks... it's just the right amount of time to develop a wonderfully spirited personality accompanied by the ability to jabber, giggle and nearly walk. Oh it's just so precious. Little Steven, and last week's Cobe have given me some time to relish in the idea that my Bear will be one in 4 short months... and it makes the fact that time is flying TOO fast a little easier to swallow. Steven is so cheerful, snuggly and sweet. He's quite the charmer ;0) I can just picture him as a spunky two year old, an intelligent four year old and quite the young man as he approaches adolescence. To think that these boys will be grown and gone before we blink an eye is a painful thought, seeing as how my boys are right there with them, but it's so amazing to see God's hand at work shaping these babies soon to be boys soon to be men. And I am comforted.

I so enjoyed going out with Steven, this being our third shoot together but our first "real" shoot where we got out and about. The morning light was spectacular and Steven was fresh from a night's rest so he was ready to giggle :0)

Cobe {One Year- Part II}

2010-04-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

Cobe and his parents dropped by my house to finish up his one year session in style, they brought a few sports themed outfits for their little guy since dad Ben is a sports fan. I haven't done many themed shoots so this was something a little different and I loved how the pictures turned out - vintage baseball an basketball! Cobe is just such a doll and so fun to have around. It was also a treat to watch Ben and Amy play with Cobe during the shoot, it's always wonderful to watch parents love on their little ones and they really are wonderfully caring parents!

Cobe, like any good athlete already has quite the Nike collection;

This last one just cracked me up! He totally looks like he's about to throw an elbow or run some zone defense :0) He's sure to be an athlete!

Cobe {One Year!}

2010-04-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

I love this little guy! He makes me smile... plain and simple. We did the first phase of Cobe's first year photo's yesterday and hopefully, provided this little cold of mine doesn't get the best of me, we'll go out again tomorrow evening. He was such a trooper last night! It was COLD and WINDY and I made him stop and get in and out of the car seat FOUR times... he did juuuust fine!

Here's a little teaser until I can get a few more done and ready to post;

Workshop

2010-03-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

I lieu of doing my own workshop this season (don't worry, there is a Fourth Light workshop in the future... just not sure exactly when) I jumped on board with my sister in law Jamie, tagging along on her first JAZ Photography workshop. She lined up some amazing models, scouted some amazing sites and did all the hard work for me so why wouldn't I jump at the chance to go lend a hand and share a bit of my knowledge while snapping away at these gorgeous girls?! It was so fun and of course, my sister did great leading the group and sharing her amazing talent with everyone. It was a great afternoon!!

And now.... for the pictures :0) Can I just say I was in heaven and could have snapped for about three days with these girls, talk about models, seriously!

Leila & Nina

2010-03-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

Stinkin' adorable!! These two little girls were the cutest models. I was on chubby cheek overload after my session this afternoon, it was almost too much! Little miss Leila had poses all practiced up for me and I was SO flattered to know she was expecting my visit and she was prepared. Her ballerina moves were the best! Little sister Nina is such a happy little gal, so bright eyed and curious. I brought along a bouquet of tulips thinking the girls, adorned in their Easter best, would look especially beautiful holding a single flower and it worked out beautifully. The girls did their best and were absolute dolls!! Our shoot was an in home session due to the 100% chance of rain that tried to stop our adventure but as you'll see we weren't going to let a little rain stop us. Thanks so much momma' Alisa for having me over to capture such a wonderful time in your girl's lives. Your family is so beautiful and it was a treat to hang out with some girls for a change ;0)

Seriously, what a doll!

Having children nearly the exact same ages as these two, I knew it was going to be a challenge getting them in a picture together but big sis Leila just loves her sister so much. Every time we asked her to snuggle Nina, cheak to cheak, she'd close her eyes and say "Oh, Nina" in the sweetest way... just melts my heart!

The .P. Family

2010-03-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

Well it rained today... a lot! But this awesome and adorable family trusted me enough to come out and brave the weather despite the utter downpour that greeted us as we began the shoot. These guys did great and are true Oregonians! What's a little rain... or two inches!

Once we got started our shoot was so fun. These little kiddos are so sweet and cute. The little guy, Cooper, just started walking and nothing was going to get in his way! Including me and my camera. I had fun just following him around and enjoyed the occasional snuggle as he tried to pass by. Little miss Gracie was perfect :0) Just as I suspected she might be. I really do love doing photos of little girls about this age, they just eat it up and love posing. It's always a great feeling when I get home and I know I have made new friends. Mom, Amy, and I chatted for about fifteen minutes after our session was done, just about life as mom's. It's so nice to know that no matter where you are or what you've been through during the week, another mom gets it. I really needed this little outing today so THANK YOU .P. Family for getting out in the weather!

For having just mastered walking, Mr. Cooper sure could move!

And this last one of Gracie made me laugh as I pulled it up... I just LOVE a good laugh!

Bandon Wildlife Park - a Texture Tutorial

2010-03-11T13:17:00.000-08:00

We celebrated my nephew's birthday at the Bandon wildlife park and I snagged a few fun pictures of the animals. I had taken a few shots of different textures from around my yard a couple of weeks ago and these animal shots were perfect for layering textures with.

To make your own texture overlays all you do is take a full frame shot of whatever texture you want (cedar tree, pavement, cement, chicken wire the options are endless). Open your subject picture and your texture picture in the same window of your photoshop (I am sure other editing software can do a similar layering technique) and layer the texture on top of the subject. Then adjust the opacity to your liking and I usually erase the texture from the face of my subject to keep it crisp and clear.

This first one I used a wood texture from a cedar tree and I decided to use it ever so lightly.

This one I just used the texture that was present in the surroundings, in this case the chain link fence, to add depth and variation to the shot;

So next time you are out and about, camera in hand, keep in mind the textures surrounding your subject. Think about how they might play into creating a more artistic shot whether it is simply adjusting your composition to include an element or in using a texture during the post processing of your images.

The .K. Kids

2010-02-21T16:40:00.000-08:00

Energy. That's all I have to say to describe these two little critters. They are so sweet and SO energetic! I am pretty sure these boys were about the most excited subjects I have had in a while. Byron loved having his picture taken and was smiling ear to ear just about the whole time. He even held my hand in between shots! I think I have new best friend. And little Ayden, well he's a heart breaker... OH MY! I had a great time on this little mini-session with these kids and they reminded me of why I love doing photography so much. I really do get to hang out with some amazing people every time I take my camera out of my bag!

Hauser Community Church

2010-02-20T21:46:00.000-08:00

I love my church. I love the people and the friends that I have made there over the past five years and if I were ever to pick a group of people to fellowship with in lieu of my childhood church congregation the people at Hauser Community Church would be second to none. I really enjoy using my gifts to give back to my community so doing some updated head shots of the pastors and staff at HCC was my pleasure! I am envisioning a whole wall display of these images near the foyer of the church as a "get to know us" corner where newcomers and members can become familiar with the faces that lead the church with diligence and grace. While I know head shots are a necessary evil (I just had mine done a couple of weeks ago) these guys really do well in front of the camera!

Alphabet Photography

2010-02-10T22:08:00.000-08:00

I recently saw this idea for Alphabet photography and I was excited to work on it as a little side project. The goal is to capture the alphabet in and amongst everyday life and then you can make family name art and endless other possibilities. So here are the beginnings of my alphabet... I'll let you guess what letters are represented :0)

Matthew {9 Days}

2010-01-18T21:25:00.000-08:00

Nope, they don't come any cuter! Matthew is an adorable nine day old little guy who is blessed to have two awesome parents. I had a wonderful time with Karen and Kevin while they snuggled, swaddled and shushed him to sleep for our session. The session itself took a while but it was well worth the time to get to spend an afternoon with this beautiful family, capturing a few shots of little Matthew! Ug! To think my Bear was JUST there five months ago... unbelievable! Thanks Karen and Kevin for sharing him with me :0)

The .P. Family

2010-01-09T11:22:00.000-08:00

We'd past each other at church I don't know how many times, exchanging a pleasant hello but for whatever reason the P family and I had never really got to know each other. As I walked into their beautiful home I was warmly greeted by little Devin and her two dogs. Then I walked around the corner and I saw one of the biggest Elk head mounts I had ever seen and immediately I thought to myself "Why don't I know these people better!??". They just seem like the type of people that Levi and I would get along with, the guys could talk hunting, the girls could scrapbook and the kids could play. That is part of the amazing blessing that God has brought to me through photography! People that I would otherwise have been to "shy" to jump out and strike up conversation with meet me behind my camera, where I am comfortable. The P family is super sweet, mellow and their home had such an inviting and loving feel to it (along with some awesome window lighting :0). Thanks so much for the opportunity to get to know you all better!!

Oh and this last one is for Adam :0)

Spring is in the Air!

2010-01-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

If you've got a session this coming spring I have put together my spring style guide to help your session styling along! Remember; have fun, make sure everyone feels confident in what they wear and pick a few colors to really emphasise. These style guides are just suggestions so take a peak and for more styling tips and ideas see my Session Information section!

These styles are from;

oldnavy.com

BananaRepublic.com

Bodenusa.com

Gap.com

Piperlime.com

The Canvas Wrap

2010-01-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

After I posted last week about my new products I recieved a canvas wrap that is fully finished and represents what you will get when you order one of these amazing pieces of artwork! Take a peak!

They come ready to hang with a hand crafted wire hanger;

Bumpers to protect your walls;

And are two inches thick! They really add some drama to a room!

See the Prints and Ordering Section for more information on Canvas Wraps!

Some Changes!

2009-12-30T20:37:00.000-08:00

Well, upon realizing that my "New and Improved for real" website just wasn't going to happen I decided to put a little more work into this little old blog in hopes that somehow it would feel more like a website and less like a blog. You'll notice that there are more pages to this blog-site now. In the right hand side bar there are different categories that you can scroll through to learn more about me!, booking a session, print pricing and ordering, session details and session tips. Take note of the new Prints and Ordering page. I have expanded my product line to include a bunch of fancy shmancy stuff! Most notably, I now have canvas wraps and books that will blow your sock off!! Here are a few shots of my most recent orders.

First up Kelsey and Micheal's wedding album;

And here's a gallery wrap from Jim and Julie's wedding;

These canvases do come fully finished with a wire hanger and bumpers (not shown).

You will also notice that my galleries have been updated to include my latest favorites and some old familiar favorites as well. Please take a look at all of the new Fourth Light features and enjoy!

Kelsey & Michael Part II

2009-12-14T14:24:00.000-08:00

I am steadily sifting through all of Kelsey and Michael's wedding images and loving every minute! This wedding really was a great time and I love doing the post-processing especially when each shot has so much feeling. So without further ado here is the second post for Kelsey and Michael!

Oh wait, a story first :0)

So I mentioned that the shoes had an adventure all their own and they did! Before leaving the hair dresser's I snagged Kelsey's shoes thinking I would have some time to shoot details before she arrived. Well on the way out to the church I saw a beautiful old fence surrounded by the gorgeous mountains and lush field grass so I pulled over. Then I saw the COWS! I so badly wanted a cow in the shoe shot so I had Jamie bring out a cup of her precious Ghirardelli hot chocolate to taunt the cow into coming in close for the shot. Too bad, the cows were not as interested in hot cocoa as we thought they should be :0)I do love shooting the details at a wedding and I really love shoes! So what better than photographing shoes?!

One of my favorite parts of the wedding was when Michael and Kelsey shared communion together. It really was a powerful testament to whose the boss of their new marriage!

Jamie snagged these next few;

And she was in charge of getting the guys before the ceremony;

Again I can't tell you how much fun we had!

Kelsey & Michael {Wedding}

2009-12-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

Wow. I got home from a full days shooting alongside my amazing sister in law Jamie and as I plopped on the couch to re-tell the day's events I felt blessed. Blessed to know such amazing people. Blessed to be able to go on a full wedding shoot merely four months after having a baby. Blessed to be trusted with a job so important as capturing memories. Blessed to have amazing new friends from this little 'ol hobby. God has really blessed my socks off more than I could ever have imagined. Kelsey and Michael's wedding was awesome. It was beautiful, filled with love and so many down right good people that I couldn't have picked a better place to be last Saturday. And the fact that my four month old Barrett, my husband and my sister (in law) were all there with me made my day even better.

I didn't even get the chance to ask Kelsey about their love story but I do know that Kelsey is kind, caring and easy going and that Michael is genuine and gentle. Together, these two are going to be happy for a long time and I couldn't be happier for them! Thank you SO much Kelsey and Michael for allowing me to take part in your amazing wedding!! You truly made me feel like a part of the family!

Alright onto the pictures! Not only did I feel fulfilled at the end of the day but my memory chips did too :0) Between Jamie and I we took about 32 GB of images... oh man. I'll do another post on this wedding but here is the first and it's all about Kelsey!

Kelsey looked absolutely stunning!

It was a very cold day, sunny but cold, and as the ice started to melt the dirt turned into mud. I, so bravely, decided to take the dress on an adventure in order to get the perfect dress shot... it was scary :0) I hiked it up a little hillside and as I began to hang it from this beautiful little tree a gust of wind came whirling through the leaves spinning the dress and nearly causing it to fall... in the mud. It would have been bad! Apparently as I traipsed the dress over the soft ground, carried ever so carefully on my head, I was being watched. My precious wedding dress tree was with in sight of the reception hall and as a small crowed gathered to watch me hang the precious white dress a messenger went to get Jamie in hopes that someone would get a picture of me. BUT I escaped without proof that the dress ever hung above a sticky, muddy mess :0)

The shoes had an adventure all their own... but that will have to wait until the next post :0)

Colby {Senior}

2009-12-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

This shoot was fun. Really fun. I took Colby along with his two best friends Jeremy and Hannah around town to catch Colby's senior year in action. Colby is such a cool kid, so are Hannah and Jeremy for that matter. They joked around the whole time enjoying life while it is still care free and full of fun. I seriously thought I was having the best shoot eva' with this one and then... then... these kids found me some graffiti!!!! We found a world war two bomb shelter covered with amazing graffiti. I about died! IT WAS SO COOL! Thanks Colby, Hannah and Jeremy for taking this old lady for an awesome ride!

I am so grateful for trusting subjects! Colby was a great subject no matter where I took him. This rusty, old train car just screamed to be the backdrop for a few shots;

And I am blessed to live in an amazingly beautiful area with some awesome structures around town!

Oh, and the graffiti? YES please!

And here are the three kids in action, so cute :0)

Best buds;

Right before I took Colby and his side kicks around town his family jumped in for a quick family shot;

Thanks again Colby for being such a great model. I had a blast!!

The .G. Wedding

2009-11-27T14:22:00.001-08:00

Well I did it, my first wedding as the solo head photographer! Whew, I must say that when I got home I was wiped out. Weddings are fast paced, high intensity, big ol' emotional events and being the person in charge of capturing the day in the way that encapsules all of the significance of such an important turning point in someones life felt a bit overwhelming! I am so grateful to the newlyweds for giving me the opportunity and priviledge of being head memory capturerer :0) I hope these images help you to remember how beautiful, romantic and intimate your special day was for years and years to come! Congrats!!