0 new blog

2009-08-20T11:49:00.001-07:00

My new blog is up and running! I won't be posting here anymore =) My new blog is www.gretchenphoto.com/blog Bookmark it!

still here

2009-07-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the delay on blogging! I have been holding off, so that I can post on my NEW blog! =) Which should be up in the next week or so! I am excited!

In the mean time I have been busy filing print orders, designing albums, and shooting of course! Here is a shot I fell in love with from a family session I just did.

super kids

2009-06-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my BIRTHDAY!!! yea! =) I am so beyond blessed in every aspect of my life. I have an amazing family, great friends and i get to do what I love! Now if I could just lose 20 lbs.. =).

My mom bought these superman capes for my kids, and I caught this little gem at the park a couple of weeks ago:

changes

2009-06-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

People change and so does their branding. I have been working hard backing up files, updating new contracts, making what to wear guides and as much as I loved my old brand I just felt like it was time for something new!

I wanted my new brand to reflect my photography and be a little more me. Simple, fun, colorful and real. =)

My website is currently under construction, and I have a lot of updating to do! Thank you for your patience.

beach wedding

2009-06-08T16:08:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I had the honor to second shoot a wedding at the famous Hotel del Coronado, with one of my good friends from Arizona, Mr. Andy Andrews of Muse Photography. It was a gorgeous day, a beautiful wedding, and a blast shooting with Andy!

Here is a sneak peek!

Kyle + Lisa

2009-06-06T00:27:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed getting to know Kyle and Lisa over the past couple months. I have never met two people who were more in love and totally meant for each other than these two!

One of the best parts of my job is that my awesome clients become great friends! I wish them all the best, and Lisa knows I can't wait to see her little red head babies!! =)

Bridal session:

temple session:

One of my faves! :

today...

2009-05-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

The saying "heaven is a little closer in a house by the sea" is sooo true! We are so lucky to live only four short blocks from this paradise! *** I snapped these today with my point and shoot.

Cinco'

2009-05-08T00:34:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I was in Phoenix shooting Lisa and Kyle's bridals. Life has been so crazy with moving I have been scheduling myself out for some much needed family time. Things are starting to settle down and I can't wait to shoot my scheduled San Diego clients! Anywho, here is a sneak peek...... kinda Lord of the Rings-ish. I love those movies!!

While we were in Phoenix we had to head over to the annual Cinco de Mayo chihuahua races in Chandler. Pedro was the raining champ, so we had to defend our title. ;) Turns out last years win wasn't just luck because Pedro took home first again! YAY!! Not only did he win an awesome trophy and $1000, he is still the fastest chihuahua in Phoenix! The bottom pics were taken by a photog for AZ Central (news).

run Pedro run!!

smile!

2009-04-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago my sister Allie came out to visit us from Virginia during her spring break. Before she left we had to do an impromptu session! We were driving around and got permission from this nice man to shoot on his property. This little pony may look like he is not happy, but it was the opposite! He was a complete ham, and was totally smiling for my camera!!

kyle + lisa : engagements

2009-04-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

I have had the BEST clients! Kyle and Lisa are a photographers dream! They were so fun and easy to photograph! I am going back to Phoenix for their bridals and wedding in a couple weeks!

I took this picture as a joke, but I loved how it came out! They might kill me for posting it, but it totally imbodies how cute they are together. =)

One of my favorites from the day:

Carl and Melanie

2009-04-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

We made it to San Diego!!! I am playing catch up on my work and especially blogging!! I did engagement pictures for Carl and Melanie a couple weeks ago. They were so fun and open to all of my crazy ideas!

her ring is amazing!!

They met in an airport! How cute is that! So we headed over to Williams Gateway for some pics that would be sentimental for them!

moving!!

2009-03-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

So I haven't been blogging lately, and I need to be because I have so many shoots that need some blog love! I have a good excuse for the absence though.......we are MOVING!!!! We are going back to San Diego. My husband was offered a great job with lots of opportunities for advancement. He has loved working at his job here, but it will be great to be around family and good friends again. ( San Diego is where I was raised, where I met/ fell in love with and married my husband and where are story began.)

I want to thank everyone for all for your wonderful support. It has been a blessing to build my business in Arizona. I have had some amazing clients and made some great photographer friends along the way. I LOVE what I do, and will continue to do it in California. =)

There is a huge list of things I will miss here in Phoenix, but we are excited about what the future holds for us in San Diego.

even more...

2009-03-05T07:32:00.000-08:00

Paige and Ben just got married a little bit ago so they are still in the puppy love newlywed phase. Which made for some great pictures! They were so cute together.

I literally only took these two pictures of Lauren and I loved them both!

more hotness!

2009-03-01T19:45:00.000-08:00

Another great couple from the "all american" shoot. Danny and Kalynne ( love her name! ) They were so fun to shoot! They are a photogs dream because they were up for anything!

We actually found this ax on the property where we were shooting!

all american

2009-02-28T09:32:00.000-08:00

I have become friends with some amazing photographers here in Arizona. We have so much fun getting together and doing themed shoots, just for fun. We just did my dream shoot on Thursday! The theme was "All American". I had a blast with my friends and the models were so much fun to shoot. I have sooo many pictures to share, so I am going to break up the posts.

First up is Michelle and Dave! They looked so great together!:

Urban Grunge!

2009-02-05T14:18:00.000-08:00

As photographers we like to have fun and do different types of shoots - just for fun! My good friend Tara Keator, came up with this awesome idea for a shoot! She set up the whole thing, and this shoot was AMAZING!! By far my FAVORITE shoot I have ever had the opportunity to participate in! Thanks again Tara, I had a BLAST!!! =)

Here are my favorites:

My favorite image of the day!:

Thank you's also go out to to the BEAUTIFUL models! - Lauren, Kat, Laura, Cici and Sydnee! And fabulous makeup by the talented Celestial Williams!

BUMBLERIDE!!

2009-01-27T19:40:00.000-08:00

Ava is already 1 and we still have never broken down and gotten a double stroller. My secret wish might be granted! I love this blog : inevergrewup.net . Not only do I have a chance to WIN a double stroller, but they are giving away the mac daddy of all strollers!!!! The bumbleride indie twin! WISH ME LUCK!!! and to find out more info click here! =)

Look at this beauty!

One of the many reasons I REALLY need to win this!!!:

sneak peek

2009-01-27T11:14:00.000-08:00

I seriously have been so swamped lately I haven't had a chance to really get to these pictures yet! There is more to come from this fun shoot!

cake face

2009-01-22T20:44:00.000-08:00

I don't usually post tons of personal stuff on my photography blog. But I wanted to share these cake pictures I took of my baby girl, Ava. yummy! =)

Happy Birthday AVA

2009-01-20T01:00:00.000-08:00

My baby girl turns 1 today!!!

Brothers

2009-01-18T23:12:00.000-08:00

I love brothers!!! My friend Kristen has the cutest boys! They are so spirited and fun together. Kristen came out to AZ for the weekend so we had to do a mini shoot. She wanted to get some pictures for Valentines Day. Don't you love their heartbreaker shirts! Kristen is such a fun mom, she does cute stuff like that all the time!

Dylan:

Brody:

Dylan and my son Kody have been buds their whole lives:

I can't wait till they are in High School and we can show them this picture! What little studs!

Ventola fashion shoot

2009-01-08T14:34:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to assist in my first fashion shoot. It was a great learning experience and a big thank you to fellow photographer Kim Ventola for having me there.

I spent most of my time learning and assisting, but toward the end I was able to catch these images:

This is one of my Faves!

Love this one! So hot!

A Special thanks goes out to:

Kym Ventola and Mackenzi- it was great to finally work with you. I had a BLAST!

Venue: Hilton Garden Inn (Avondale)

Gowns and tuxedo provided by: Molina Bridal

Flowers by: Endearing Floral Design

Wardrobe Stylist: Robert Ballew

Make up artist: Rosie Reed of Dollface Ink

Hair stylist: Amy Freudenberg

Amazing models in my pictures: Samantha, Kimberly, David and Erica

yesterday

2008-12-21T00:32:00.000-08:00

I once again had the pleasure of helping out my good friend and awesome photog, Rachael Earl. These are a couple from the temple:

That night I helped her at a party and snagged this pic of Santa. I think it is pretty cool!

The Browns

2008-12-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the oppertunity assisting my friend and fellow phog Rachael Earl at the Mesa temple. When I wasn't bouncing light I was able to snag these cute pics!!:

Davis girls

2008-12-11T23:28:00.000-08:00

These girls are too cute! And their amazingly talented mother made their dresses!!!! We did a mini session at the park by my house. Here are a couple:

details

2008-12-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

These are a couple random detail shots from a reception I helped Angie with a couple months ago.

Lynn Dao

2008-12-07T12:28:00.000-08:00

My friend and fellow photog, Lynn Dao, and I went out searching for some new places to shoot months ago. I found these images I had taken of her when I was going through some files. Isn't she a beautiful model!

I love hoe the sunset through the trees made the pictures sparkle!

Naylor family

2008-12-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

The whole Naylor family was together for Thanksgiving so we went out on black Friday to get some good family pictures. I was a little tired because I had been up since midnight braving the shopping crowds. We went to a new location, I thought they turned out really cute!:

as we were leaving, they spotted this owl!

Nelson family

2008-11-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

Lara is one of my dearest friends. I love her 3 boys they are so much fun! I was so excited when she asked me to shoot her family pictures again this year. Here are some of my favorites.:

Dagley family

2008-11-26T05:47:00.000-08:00

Lani is another one of my bestest friends. When I went to San Diego in October, we got together so we could get some pictures of her adorable family! We went to one of our favorite beaches and little Jordan was such a trooper! Here are some shots I liked:

Earl family

2008-11-25T07:32:00.000-08:00

My good friend Rachael, of Rachael Earl photography and I did a family photo shoot swap. We love their family and are so lucky to have such great friends! Here are a couple of pics I took of their fam:

Both of the girls have the most amazing blue eyes!!

My baby girl Ava and Rachael's baby girl were born at the same hospital on the same day!!!

Mammoth Men

2008-11-21T07:38:00.000-08:00

If you haven't been following the Mammoth Men, you should be!.........

Well, the guys are back for their much anticipated third installment of the MAMMOTH MEN. watch the mayhem unfold as these 12 photographers board their prevost and head into the american southwest to document their route 66 road-trip. packed with more guys, more miles and more camaraderie, it's not just a roadtrip...it's a lifestyle.

These are some of the most talented, fun, creative group of guys I have ever known. I love to blog stalk them and I even won Mark Brook's Sac!!!! I am SOOOOOOO stoaked!!!

Cash

2008-11-18T21:39:00.000-08:00

This is April's in laws! They are the BEST! They are so much fun and so cute together!! It was great to see them again and update " their wall". =)

One of my favorites!! So cute!

One more of Kory and April, just cuz!

Roop family

2008-11-16T16:34:00.000-08:00

I got a chance to shoot this family the last day in New Mexico. I was starting to get sick and felt awful but was able to pull through it and I am so happy we got some cute pictures!!

Jana is April( my friend in New Mexico) 's mid wife. So when I saw this sign I knew we had to take some pictures there!!

This was such a pretty spot! I loved it!

Smith family

2008-11-15T11:45:00.000-08:00

I have known the Smith family since we moved out here to Arizona. Their oldest daughter was my son's first babysitter. They are an awesome family and I was so excited to get some great pictures for them!

Cochran family

2008-11-11T15:58:00.000-08:00

The Cochran's are another family from New Mexico. It was cold and windy that day, but they were troopers! Their kids were full of energy, and so much fun!

This is so cute! I love it!:

Morris family

2008-11-09T22:57:00.000-08:00

The Morris family was another great family I had the opportunity to meet in New Mexico. We found some cool spots and had a good time!

all of their kids had the most amazing blue eyes!!:

one of my favorite shots:

Cash family

2008-11-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

This is my bestie April and her family. It was so great to visit her and see what life is like for her in New Mexico. She is one of my biggest fans and has always supported me. Her girls were so much fun, she has such a beautiful family.

the line up:

one of my favorite shots:

Thanks a million for everything Cash family!!

Hine

2008-10-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

The Hine's were the first couple I got to shoot in New Mexico. They are two of the nicest people I have ever met. They were so much fun and totally cute together! Doing shoots with such great people makes me really thankful to be a photographer!

my favorite of the day:

Havran family

2008-10-15T10:22:00.000-07:00

I have shot the Havran family before, but this time was with a little more of the family. It was so great to work with them again, they are a great family!

Punch Wedding

2008-10-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

Another wedding I second shot with Matt Sloan was at the beautiful Biltmore hotel in Phoenix. Thanks again!

Chiles bridals

2008-09-10T21:29:00.000-07:00

Another session with our friend Matt Sloan. His wife Angie had her baby in the first part of August and is taking a little post baby break. It has been great to just go and shoot, just because that's what I love to do, and without the pressure of clients or deadlines. We shot some bridals at the Mesa Temple a couple of weeks ago.

We found out that the brides sister is Tory's cousins wife! Totally random I know.

I think this was my favorite shot of the day:

maternity session

2008-09-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago Tory (my hubby) tagged along with his good friend Matt Sloan on a maternity session. He was just shooting for fun, but he got some great shots!

this is my favorite shot of the day:

more to come....

2008-09-01T23:23:00.000-07:00

I took some time off recently because I had my baby girl and also because it is just too darn hot here in Arizona. I spent a lot of time during my hiatus spending time with my family but also learning and growing as a photographer. I am excited to be back in the swing of things now and am geared up for fall! Here is a preview of things to come..

Angie's shower

2008-06-29T14:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my friend Angie's baby shower. Her sisters did an AMAZING job making it super special for her. Everything was so beautiful. Her baby girl is due at the end of July. Here are some of my favorites:

Here are the sisters that made everything so gorgeous:

loves <3

Felicity

2008-06-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

Last week I shot Felicity, and her beautiful mom Sarah. Felicity was not in the mood for a photo shoot! We tried noises, bubbles, tickling, you name it. Although in the end I was really happy with what we got!
Look at those big baby blues!

Janis 3

2008-05-31T15:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I did a shoot of these adorable kids. They were so full of energy and were so excited to show me each of their rooms. I had fun trying to chase them around and catch some fun shots.

emma:

jack:
lily:

and their sweet puppy dog:

michael's seniors

2008-05-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

last week i did a senior shoot for Michael. as much as he said he hated being photographed he was a natural and was really easy to shoot. I got his mom to talk about girls to get him to flash that smile. ;)

Havran family

2008-05-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

this is another family shoot from last weekend. i loved shooting them because they were so comfortable in front of the camera. i didn't have to pose them at all, just guided their interactions. it was really relaxed and we were able to get a variety of shots. here are some of my favorites:

their daughter Cambria. Such a cute name for such an adorable baby girl!

by the end, she got sleepy. so cute!

viewpiont

2008-05-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I went up to Sun City to take some pictures for Kelly and her extended family. They found a great location by Viewpiont lake. I had almost 800 pictures to go through, here are some of my favorites:

Trace and Eli

2008-05-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

I am so behind on my blogging it is not even funny. Since the birth of my daughter Ava in January, I have been continually playing catch up. I am almost there. I gave my website and logo a makeover, I am continually working on my business as well as being a full time mom. There really aren't enough hours in the day!!
My husbands best friend Trace got married on the beach in San Diego in March. It was a beautiful day, Eli (his bride) was gorgeous and her dress was amazing. I was not their hired photographer, but I couldn't help myself from taking pictures. ( with their permission of course)
There were soo many good pictures it was hard for me to narrow them down for the blog.

Caught this one durring the ceremony, love it!:

Napier family

2008-01-08T08:07:00.001-08:00

When my very best friend April told me her mom wanted to get pictures of their whole family I was super excited. This family has blessed my life more than I could put into words.
Here are some of my favorites from the day:

April, her husband Kory and their THREE adorable girls:

Nelson Family

2007-11-25T22:39:00.000-08:00

Last week I did portraits for the Nelson Family. Lara is a dear friend of mine, so it put added pressure on to get a good family photo for her. The boys were not interested in taking pictures, not even for bribes. Boys will be boys.

Thanks Lara for being so patient!

Their three adorable boys:

Christensen Family

2007-11-25T22:31:00.001-08:00

The Christensens are a fun family, so they decided to do a fun ASU theme for their family pictures this year. Go Devils!

Drew and Michelle

2007-10-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I got the chance to shoot a fun backyard wedding for Drew and Michelle, in Gilbert, AZ. The ceremony and reception were both held at Drew's parents house. His family did an amazing job, from the food to the decorations, to make their day as special as possible. I was assisted by the talented Denise, from Denise Nicole Photography. It was a beautiful day, here are some of my favorite shots:

I love this shot, you can see how in love they are:

They had pretty lotus candles floating in the pool:

Thank you for letting me be a part of your special day!

Kartchner girls

2007-09-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the summer I did a mini shoot with my friend Annie's two little girls. I just got a new lens and they were nice enough to be my ginnie pigs. We tried to go early enough in the morning that it wouldn't be as hot, but by 9am we were all miserable and sweating. I wasn't going to post pictures from this shoot but a couple were so cute I wanted to share them:

I love this shot, she has beautiful eyelashes!

Cash family

2007-08-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

Okay I know I haven't been blogging lately. There has been a lot going on this summer and not a lot of shoots because it is so darn HOT in AZ! Anyway I did a small shoot for the Cash family about a month ago. They were in town for a wedding and wanted to get some shots while everyone was all dressed up. It was miserably hot that day but we found some shade and got some cute pictures:

My favorite shot of the day! I love this!:

Thanks Cash family for sticking it out in the heat!

I'm a winner!!!!!

2007-07-10T07:47:00.000-07:00

The company that created and hosts my website ( Blu) always has fun photography contests for awesome prizes. I entered a couple this past week and ......... I WON!!! YAY!!

CONTEST: Take a photo of a colored wall (we love bright colors) and tape a sign that says "Blu."

We drove all over Phoenix and I found some great walls. It was 115 degrees outside and it wasn't Tory's first choice of how to spend an afternoon. Also when I went to take the bottom picture I got eaten alive by ants and the bites swelled up and itched like crazy for days but,....IT"S ALL WORTH IT!!!!! YES!!

I won a shootsac and an awesome action set!! Yay! Yay! I'm a winner!!!!!

Twins!!

2007-06-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I did a newborn shoot for these adorable 4 month old twins. They were so cute, I got some great shots:

Sunday in Rancho Brenardo

2007-05-31T12:56:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I was in San Diego (my hometown) visiting friends and family. On Sunday I got together with two friends from High School and their families. We met at this little park in Rancho Bernardo. It was hard doing a shoot and making sure Kody wasn't jumping in the lake, but we had a good time. Here are some shots from the day:

This is my friend Anna and her baby girl Ava. She is such a sweetie!

I love how he is looking at Ava:

My other friend Kristen I have done pictures for before, but you can never get too many shots of them!!

Thanks guys!

Traci and Sean

2007-05-21T00:36:00.001-07:00

On Friday I shot a wedding for Traci and Sean at the Arizona Golf Resort in Mesa. They have an amazing love story. Having been together for many years Sean decided to make a life altering decision at the age of 40, to quit his job as an Architect and join the Army. He had actually just graduated from boot camp and got home just days before the wedding! Traci is 100% supportive of her husbands honorable decision. I felt very blessed to be there for their special day. Traci looked so beautiful and her dress was amazing! Here are some shots from the day:

An Army garter- how great is that!:

The four generations:
This is the groom; Sean. (My favorite shot of the day):

Mother of the Bride:

Who's going to get it??:

Kenny and Kayla

2007-05-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

On Thursday I assisted in shooting Kenny and Kayla's temple wedding pictures. I wasn't able to attend the reception, but I am glad I was able to be there for these. They were both easygoing and fun to shoot. I wish them all the best with their future, here are some of the shots I got:

I love this picture because it was totally candid!:

Jake turned 1!

2007-05-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to do portraits with the wonderful Boudreau family and their adorable little boy Jake. They kindly asked me back to shoot Jake's 1st Birthday party. They had a clown, a mini bouncer and tons of food. Everyone had a great time. Here are some of my favorite shots:

My signature cake picture:

He didn't like his cake too much. I don't know why not, it was so yummy!:

Happy Birthday Jake!

Cinco De Mayo, Ole!

2007-05-08T01:02:00.000-07:00

One of my clients, Kyla, introduced me to this fun website Meetup.com . You join different groups that interest you and they have different meet ups you can choose to attend. I recently joined one for local photographers and they just happened to be meeting at the Chihuahua Races and Cinco de Mayo celebration in Chandler. It sounded fun so we thought we would go. I didn't get too many pictures because it was hard taking turns with Tory either chasing Kody around or our two chihuahuas. Here are some pictures from the day:

This man said he really carries his chihuahua around in a fish purse everywhere!

Keeping my eye on the prize:

I am very proud to announce that Pedro placed 3rd out of hundreds of chihuahuas. The trick was I was at the finish line with a mini chicken chimichanga that I got from one of the food vendors! All the chaos was a little much for our other dog LuLu, that's why there are no pictures with her in them.

Pedro getting his trophy from Miss Arizona!

The trophy is bigger than he is! Now Tory calls him Champ. =)

Papago Park

2007-04-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we were a little bored so we thought we would go over to Papago Park. It is a really pretty area close to the Phoenix Zoo. The sky was grey but it was still very warm. We just walked around and let Kody explore. I thought I would share some of the pictures:

I loved all the different colors these people were wearing:

Carparelli Wedding

2007-04-27T23:59:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I assisted Bob Kaufman of Lifepetals Photography with a wedding at the Harvest Groves Reception Center in Phoenix. It was a little place hidden away with beautiful lush grounds. You almost forgot you were in the middle of the desert. Steve and Kim had one of the most beautiful ceremonies I have ever heard. It was a special event, here are some of my favorite pictures from the day:

I loved this pictures of the bridesmaids shoes:

The first dance:

In special memory of the brides mom:

The car was so cute:

Sage

2007-04-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was a second shooter at wedding in Phoenix. While we were waiting for the bridal party to take formals, I couldn't help but take some pictures of this adorable little girl:

Special thanks to her mom Tania for being so nice and letting me publish some of Sage's pictures. You have a beautiful little girl!

Mitchell Family

2007-04-25T00:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I has the privilege to do a family portrait shoot with the Mitchell family. They are a great family and you could see the special family bonds they share just by observing them. The kids have such fun outgoing personalities which helped in getting some great shots. Here are my favorites:

This was my favorite shot of the day! Love it!:

Kisses for the mama:

Jake

2007-04-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I did a shoot for a great family at a breathtaking house in Paradise Valley. Their son Jake is adorable and was so fun to shoot. He is almost 1 and is very alert and interested in discovering his surroundings. There were so many pictures I loved. Here are some of my favorites:

He was fascinated by the fountains and loved to stick his hands in and splash the water:

April Dawn

2007-04-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

April has been my best friend for about 10 years now. I don't get to see her as often as I would like because she lives in New Mexico, but she has some family here in Phoenix that she visits every couple of months, so I get to see her when she is in town. She has two beautiful girls Kynlie ( who is almost 3) and Karsyn ( who is almost 1), and one on the way. We took some pictures with her, her girls and her dad for her mom for Mothers day. I thought they turned out nice, here are some of my favorites:

Kynlie:

Karsyn:

There were so many that I liked of April with Karsyn it was hard for me to pick:

Thanks April for being such a great Best Friend. You are such a beautiful person and wonderful mother. I feel truly blessed to have you in my life. <3

Oliver Wedding

2007-04-08T23:18:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I assisted Bob Kaufman of Lifepetals Photography with a wedding here in Gilbert. It was held at the Rockin' R Ranch. I have driven past it many times but the grounds are kind of set off the road, and I was amazed at how pretty it was. They had a beautiful ceremony, surrounded by close family and friends. It was a lovely event and I had a great time shooting:

I love this picture of the flower girl peeking out of the brides room:

Kody's pool

2007-04-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

We got a blow up pool for our backyard, Kody didn't love it. He kinda stood in it an touched the water a little but wanted out very quickly.

Talan turned 1

2007-03-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

My friend Allison's son turned 1 the other day, she didn't have a big party for him just some close family and friends over for some cake. In fact it was so casual I forgot to bring my nice camera with me! Luckily I always keep my point and shoot with me, just because. And everyone loves a good cake picture:

Talan is the first 1 year old I have ever seen blow his candle out!:

Congratulations Eagle Scout!

2007-03-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

Tim received his Eagle Scout and it was a very nice ceremony. He was gathered by lots of family and friends who have supported him through this long journey. It takes a lot of commitment and dedication to receive such an honor, and we are all proud of him for his great accomplishment.

Dylan's beach pictures

2007-03-21T12:14:00.001-07:00

On Sunday I took some pictures of Dylan down at La Jolla Shores beach. It was a little cold an overcast, but we got some good shots:

I love this, it's so sweet:

Happy Birthday Dylan

2007-03-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

While we were in San Diego, my friend Kristen had her son Dylan's 1st birthday party. It was fun I am glad I had the opportunity to go. I took some pictures for her because I know how crazy of a day it can be and I wanted to capture that special day for her:

Dylan is allergic to dairy so Kristen made a special cake just for him:

The only way they could get Dylan to dig into the cake was by putting cherios on it. I thought that so so funny:

Kristen and Brian are highschool sweethearts, now they have a beautiful family:

I loved this cupcake picture:

I got to see my other frien from high school, Anna, and meet her adorable new baby girl Ava:

Kelly

2007-03-21T00:34:00.000-07:00

On St. Patrick's Day I took some time in the afternoon and did a shoot with one of my step sisters Kelly. Not only is she gorgeous, but she is extremely talented in music and acting. We had a good time and I had a hard time choosing my favorites because she is so photogenic. Hopefully one day when she is a big star she will still let me take her pictures. =)

This is the Kelly we all know and love:

Miss Haley

2007-03-21T00:22:00.000-07:00

In San Diego we stayed at my good friend Sydney's house one night. These are the only two pictures I got of her cute little girl Haley but I thought they were cute:

Park Day

2007-03-15T01:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to the park with two friends of mine and their kids. It's starting to get hot here already so we are trying to take advantage of park days as much as we can, while the heat is tolerable. The kids had fun and I got some great pictures:

Phoenix

2007-03-11T22:21:00.000-07:00

I have been so excited to get out there and try my new camera. So this weekend we went up to Scottsdale and just took random pictures so I could try some different lenses and settings. I really liked how they came out. Here are some of my favorites:

New Camera!

2007-03-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

We have a new addition to our family! I got my camera!! yay! It is a little overwhelming but I am excited to learn how to master it. Jamie is going to take me out one day next week and shoot with me. I took some practice pictures of Kody just in our backyard, these are some of my favorites:

Our pup Pedro.

More fun at Freestone

2007-03-06T12:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my friend and one of my old roommates from San Diego, Ashlea, called and invited me to go to the park with the two boys she nanny's. They are a lot of fun and FULL of energy. It was a beautiful day, here are some pictures I took:

A walk in the park

2007-03-05T01:07:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, we decided to go to Freestone Park to take some pictures. It's a really beautiful park that is often chosen for portrait sessions by photographers because of the great backdrop. We weren't there for very long but these are a couple of my favorite shots...

I just loved the colors of this old carousel, it was so pretty.

"When a flower blooms, so does hope."
(This is my first try at hand colouring.)

I saw these two sisters sitting down by the lake,
and I had to take a picture.

Welcome to my world.....

2007-03-04T22:47:00.000-08:00

Photography has always been something very special to me. Something about capturing that single moment in time. Being able to look at a picture and have it bring back all the memories and emotions you felt when it was taken.
Since becoming a mom I have taken thousands of pictures of my son. Trying to cherish each moment and milestone. From time to time I have thought about it as a career but have never followed through. Since moving to Arizona I met an amazing photographer who has not only motivated me to follow my dream but has given me the opportunity to learn so much from her. I definitely have a love for editorial photography. I think the pictures that come out the best are always the unexpected candid. I love capturing photographs that are real with an artistic edge to them.
Through this blog you can follow my journey through photography, and feel free to post comments on any blogs and pictures, I enjoy the feedback. -Gretchen Knoblock