One Handsome Little Fella March 7, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Photography , 2commentsThis is my eight year old nephew.
He just got baptized over the weekend.
Isn’t he cute? :)
Perspective February 25, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Thoughts , 4commentsPlease.
Excuse me while I take a minute to think about what really matters in life.
I tend to stress out a lot.
David on the other hand, doesn’t get his feathers ruffled too easily.
This makes us a good team.
But still.
I need a moment to think about what really matters in the long run and not what matters RIGHT. THIS. SECOND.
My New Studio February 24, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Little Man Dallin, My Handsome Husband, Photography, Princess Hannah , 7commentsI know.
You can smell Dallin’s adorable face through your monitor. :)
I shot this image of him in my new studio, in the garage.
Well, first let me back up. I’m a student at AAU and I’m taking a class this semester called “Quality of Light.”
Sounds easy, right?
Turns out, it’s been a very complex studio class for me so far.
Basically, I knew nothing about light a few weeks ago. Well, nothing about how to shoot in artificial light.
I had to order a bunch of studio equipment for my class, and now, I have a studio.
I still don’t know how to use everything, and when to use everything, but I’m learning.
And THANK GOODNESS David doubles as a computer/technical equipment geek because who would I direct all my geeky questions to if it weren’t for him? Plus, he can set up my studio and take it down in record time. Maybe I should hire him to work for me for free as my go-to guy? Oh, wait . . . he already does that.
This is my temporary studio for now . . .
It’s in the garage. :)
I ordered everything from B&H and let me tell you, that is a very dangerous place for me to shop. I could easily drop a lot of money there.
This is my assistant Hannah. She is turning out to be quite the photographer herself. She has her own director’s chair, and when my twin, Brian, lent her an ear, she told him all about the white umbrellas and the diffused light I was trying to produce to shoot his product. (OK, so she may not have said that.)
I have black and white back drops. My back drop is huge. Let’s just say I was more than “shocked” when UPS dropped off my back drop paper.
I did several product shots for my brother Brian, (who’s launching something very exciting) and I hope to share a few images with you soon!
Since it was so much work for me to watch my husband set this up, I thought I would take a few pics of the kids before letting him take it down.
Hannah is wearing all of her most prized possessions: ballet shots, crazy tights, leotard, a skirt that twirls, and her favorite umbrella from my friend Cheryl who brought it all the way from Singapore for her when she visited last month.
Tigger is Dallin’s most prized possession.
And together, they can’t hold still for less than 1/60 of a second. :) On a side note: kids should never be photographed at less than 1/60 of second. They are just too busy and inevetebly, you will get motion blur (the unintentional kind that looks sloppy and not artistic). To photograph this, I set my shutter speed to 1/60 of a second and took a light reading from my Sekonic light meter
With that said, Dallin has had it. No more photos, and no more talk about f-stops and apertures!
Newborn Session February 22, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Photography , 5commentsPlease, excuse me while I catch my breath from a busy weekend.
For now, meet my new nephew, Jace. He is almost two weeks old and was born five weeks early.
This is my sister-in-law Sheri (Jace’s mom and David’s sister). Doesn’t she look good?
Who’s next in line for newborn pictures? 
In Cahoots With My Siblings February 18, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Photography, Projects, Thoughts, Utah , 2commentsWhat can I say?
It’s possible that I have one too many projects on my plate right now.
But I’m having fun.
Especially since I’m working on some exciting things with my brothers.
Ben (left) is a business mastermind who knows everyone. Brian (my twin on the right) is an artist and a master at product design and patent drawings. They are both well connected and brilliant, so I’m in good company. Check out Brian’s site here.
I’m only invited to this “all boys” project because I take pictures. Hopefully good ones.
They’re working on something really cool and hopefully you will see it (and be able to buy it for yourself!) in a Costco near you in 2011.
I’ll post more details later.
Happy Belated V-Day February 16, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Holidays, Little Man Dallin , 1 comment so farHappy belated Valentine’s Day from our house to yours.
I hope your kids got roughed up a bit and loved every second of it.
Two is Better Than One February 4, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Little Man Dallin, Parenthood, Princess Hannah, Thoughts , 4commentsWhen planning a family, just know that if you want a baby, you must commit to at least TWO.
Why?
Kids are like potato chips. You can’t have JUST ONE.
Even in my fertility stricken days, I was a believer in the zero-kids-or-at-least-two-kids theory.
There are certain things kids can only learn from having siblings, and vice versa, there are certain things parents can only learn from having more than one child.
Remember how I thought parenthood was the easiest thing ever and how badly behaved kids were a direct reflection of their parents?
Well . . .
Pardon me while I get my judgmental self in check.
OK, I’m in check now.
Yes, those were the days when I had only ONE child who, by the way, was possibly the easiest, most laid back, happy child ever to be born. Honestly, Hannah never cried and when she was awake, she was so easy to take care of. She was like watching grass grow, but in a fun exciting sort of way that grass grows.
Now, enter child number two who is 100% different from Hannah. I won’t get into all the specifics, but those of you who have been reading my blog since Dallin was born, know that I almost lost all my marbles. And really, I’m not kidding.
I’m a mom because of Hannah and a better mom because of Dallin.
Top reasons to give your child a sibling:
- 1. You will be a better parent.
- 2. Your kids will be better people (How else are they going to learn unconditional love? I mean, Hannah still loves her little stink-bug brother even after all the pinches and hair pulls he gives her!)
- 3. They play with each other (regardless of the age difference) and that should be reason enough!
Whenever Dallin is asleep, Hannah gets bored and tells me that she really needs a friend and could I be her friend? It’s darling, but sometimes, I’m getting into the shower, and it’s just not super convenient. :)
This is what I love . . .
Dallin was sitting on the couch first and Hannah had the pick of the room for a place to sit. There is a recliner, a love seat, several small chairs for children, the floor, and the couch. Where does she sit? Oh yeah, on the same couch cushion as Dallin. Smooshed up next to him.
A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E I tell you!
They also hold hands during the scary parts of Nemo, Monsters, and The Barbie movies. :)
Someone who thinks they can’t love the second child as much as the first hasn’t had a second child.
*Note: I know some of you would love to have more than one child, but one reason or another you cannot. Trust me when I say I understand! I spent many infertility stricken years (eight to be exact) wondering if we would ever have a family, and after Hannah was born, I wondered (though for not very long) if I could have more. This post is only intended to show how great it is for kids to have siblings.
This – This + This = This January 29, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Birthday, Family, Friends, Trips , 6commentsToday is my birthday. I’m turning 29! (Again!)
These are my plans: flying out of town with David – the kids + meeting up with some of our favorite people = AN AWESOME BIRTHDAY WEEKEND!
I love meeting up with good friends. :)
Happy birthday to my twin too! He could pass for 29 and I could pass for 21, right? OK, maybe 25?
I’ll have lots of fun pictures from our fun weekend I’m sure. :)
To jumpstart the fun, I recieved this fun little beauty in the mail:
My sister Jenn sent me white Lustregloss by M.A.C. and I LOVE IT! Apply it over any lipstick to give it just the right umph. Trust me. After you get it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it! (You see, I’m actually wondering how I survived.) I used to use a silver lipstick that I would apply over any shade of lip liner, lipstick, or gloss, but it has been discontinued. (Dang you Trucco, Aveda, and Artistry!)
Jenn first heard about this make-up must have from reading an article on what Victoria Beckham MUST have and this was one of her top picks!
I can see why.
You should too!
Celebrate my birthday by getting yourselves one of these! (Your treat of course.) :)
Packer Pics January 28, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Photography , 3commentsThis is my sister Rachelle and her family.
Rachelle is wearing braces for the THIRD time. (It was just so fun the first two times, she thought she’d try them again!)
This is Katie, and Hannah LOVES her to pieces.
This is Adam, and Dallin LOVES him to pieces.
And this is their new family picture on a 20×30 canvas float wrap, AND I LOVE IT TO PIECES!
Honestly, when it arrived, I was like, “WHY DON’T I ORDER ALL OF MY IMAGES IN THIS SIZE?”
Very cool I tell you.
Apparently, I’m Funny. January 26, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Photography , 4commentsThese are my in-laws. A.K.A., David’s parents.
They needed an updated “couple” picture because the last picture they had taken of just them was a while ago. And by a while, I mean like 10 light years ago. (Or was it just 10 years ago?) Anyway, they needed a new family picture.
Apparently, I’m funny.
I have no idea what I said, but Gloria could not keep it together.
Dennis on the other hand . . .
THE SHOW MUST GO ON! DON’T LAUGH! DON’T MOVE! (Or maybe he just didn’t find me as funny? Not possible. I’m going with “THE SHOW MUST GO ON!” attitude.)
I managed to be un-funny for like one second and look!
What a great looking couple.
Happy 50th anniversary this year!
