She's Kind of a Big Deal

Right now my lil' sis is in the process of deciding which University she is going to play basketball for. How did she even get this old? She's got a lot of great options to choose from. Flying all over the place, meeting teams and coaches. Basically just being the big deal that she is.

Check her out:


Basically, Amy Harris is going to be an even bigger deal soon.

Exciting Things To Come

Hi.

Just wanted you all to know I'm still here. Still taking pictures. Lots, actually.

New logo and website are in the works. I'm pretty excited.

I'm working on posting this summers work here on the blog this week.

It's my goal.

So stay tuned...

And, October is my favorite month... Maybe we'll celebrate with a special. Check back soon!

{The Getty} Los Angeles, CA Photographer

I think we can all agree that I'm the worst blogger. Ever. I'm getting over it, really. Be prepared for my blog to take over your Google Reader feed - it's happening. Starting today.

Last week I was in LA for a wedding. Everything about the 3 days I was there was magical. Including my convertible rental car. Yes - that happened. I have a sunburned scalp to prove it.

I had half a day to do whatever I wanted, so I went to The Getty museum in Los Angeles (across the freeway from Bel Air might I add...). I've wanted to go to The Getty for years and never had time to do it, and I have to say it was one of the best days of my life. <>  I saw a real life Van Gough, Monet, Manet, Messerschmidt, Ritts and so many more.

I should probably stop typing now...

I, of course, couldn't stop taking pictures of the museum itself. I probably embarrassed those I was with because I held up lines taking pictures of things... It had to happen.

My not so good attempt at architecture photography:

Bel Air, CA

sorry, is this inappropriate? I had to...

I Love What I Do, I Do What I Love

I definitely haven't blogged in a looooong time. Oops!  So many things have happened. Probably. One for sure being that I got a new job back in February. I'm working at a photography studio in Orem. And... it takes up a lot of time! The hours aren't typical hours, so it's really all I've been doing. Especially working all day Saturdays. Horrifying, I know. Oh well. I'm getting over it.  For now at least.

Image of Evan and Sky from tonights engagement session!

Why am I blogging today? Because I love what I do. At work, I take pictures of a lot of kids, families, and missionaries. Yes, it's fun for sure. But, I'm stuck in a studio the entire time. Part of my passion in photography is the new and creative things I get to do - outside. I've gotten a lot bit down lately in the photography area of life lately because it's hard to find my passion for it when I'm stuck in a studio. There are no new things to do, it's just the same routine thing. Over and over again. Which, is fine. But I began rethinking my desire to pursue photography as a career. My own thing - not my current job. I haven't been loving photography like I used to. And it started to make me sad.

But then tonight happened.

I was able to take my cousins engagement pictures tonight. I got to do what I wanted, and I absolutely loved every minute of it. It's one of those things that gets the heart warm and fuzzy and you can actually feel your love for what you are doing. I love showing pictures to those I photograph and see the excitement and emotion they have. Right now, there is no greater feeling than that. (probably because I'm not in love and all that... hmm)

I still have sooo much to learn with this art, but I seriously am in love with what I do. So I'll keep doing what I love.

{Spring In Utah} Orem, Utah Photographer

I was over winter before it even started. So when I could finally start to feel the sun on my skin and the blossoms started blossoming, I couldn't even handle the joy that consumed my soul. Serious. I love spring. But I don't love bees, so sometimes it's a hard thing.

I took a little Sunday drive and found a pretty tree. Believe it or not, it was in a parking lot of a police station. I was there by choice. 100%.

Now I'm In Trouble

After Devin's funeral, his family had SO many plants that their house looked like a nursery. So they gave me one.

Rewind to last summer when Devin had given me marriage advice AND a marriage deadline. Read about the hysterical details here:

Where Devin finds it necessary to give me marriage advice AND a deadline.

Where Devin finds it necessary to start praying for me - because I'm not married.

So the last time I received pressure from him, he kindly extended my deadline, for the third time, to March 16th. Well, that was about a week ago and... there was no wedding.

Now fast forward to the plant his parents gave me at his funeral. On March 17th, it started looking like this:

Coincidence that it starts dying the day after his deadline?

Maybe.

Devin being disappointed with me?

Probably.

the one that got away

A couple years ago, I dated this guy. Shocker, I know. He was even a guy who met the family which is a rare thing for me. His family knew one of my uncles and his family which kept things a bit interesting - being questioned even more so (which I absolutely hate being questioned about boys I date. Drives me insane.)

Things didn't work out with said boy - clearly.

Now boy is getting married, which is great. I still think he is great and couldn't be happier for him.

Wedding announcements arrives in the mail. Cute. Aunt and Uncle get theirs too. But there's goes missing...

Turns out my cousin who is in 6th grade threw it away. "If he isn't marrying Sarah, then we will NOT be going to his wedding. He's marrying the wrong girl."

I'm over it, but I guess my cousin isn't...

And I absolutely love him for that. My little protector.

{Winter In Provo Canyon} Utah Photographer

On Sunday, I went up Provo Canyon with full intentions to take a lot of pictures. It had just snowed, and it was really pretty.

However, I have a thing against winter clothes. And it was cold out... so I only was brave enough to get a few shots.

Hoping it warms up soon.

On Cloud Nine Ready To Fire

Two years ago for Christmas, I asked for a gun. A small black one - like in the movies. I was serious about my Christmas gift idea and even promised I would only shoot things - not living things. Duh...

Well, Christmas came and I got a gun. It was small and black - just like in the movies. BUT IT WAS AN AIRSOFT GUN! 

I was mocked.

Fast forward to last April - 4 months after I was mocked with an airsoft gun. I was driving on I-15 up to school and passed the new apartment complex I was about to move into when I suddenly spotted a building with a huge sign on it that said "INDOOR SHOOTING RANGE". I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I got. I think I called everyone I knew to tell them the news that I was going to live practically on the same block as an indoor shooting range. Dream. Come. True. It was like another "sign" that Orem was where I was supposed to move. It confirmed my decision.

Last weekend, I finally went shooting. And, I think it was the most magical night of my life. If not the most, at least in the top 3. I shot 3 different handguns (I now know that they are called handguns and not small black guns.) I might also add the fact that I rocked it. As in, 95% of my shots were in the target range - the bigger circle on the head that has the smaller circle within it. My fellow shooters were impressed. BOOM!

I'm imagining that I looked this cool. But I don't know. I'm just imagining.

My heart had never been so full of joy. Ever in my life. I felt like I could conquer the world after that night.

I'm totally asking for a handgun this year for Christmas. Again.

{Josh, Delroy & LeRoy} Utah Portrait Photographer

The day we shot these was quite possibly the coldest day I have ever experienced. Including my days in Canada. It. Was. Fridgid. But, when someone like Josh asks you to take pictures of him and his 'two boys', you don't just pass that opportunity up. Especially when there are two trucks and only one Josh to drive them. Consequently, I had to drive one out to the lake where we took these pictures.

It may have been the best afternoon of my life. Driving LeRoy (the red one). I like driving big trucks, and getting mud on their tires. Good thing Josh brought a towel to tidy them up. Oops...

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present: Josh, Delroy & LeRoy.

I usually am not much of a photoshop/crazy colors/fake looking kind of gal, but today it needed to happen. For Josh.

if my life were a musical, i'd be fine with that.

I would really love it if this happened to me in real life someday. So often am I wanting to break into a dance while walking, so it would make it a lot less awkward if everyone would just participate with me!

Ignore the reason why he is dancing. I refer only to the dancing part.

{Mini Sessions} Utah Portrait Photographer

Shoot me an email if you are interested!  Most will take place in Utah County, and some in St. George (end of February).

Great for couples, families, kids, babies or just you!

they think they're so tough

Boys may sometimes be stronger, but girls are always tougher.

BAM!

update: marriage advice from an eighth grade graduate.

Warning: In order for this to make sense and more enjoyable, read this.

Also, this happened quite a while ago - I just never posted the update to the story. No, I'm not engaged. Really? Come on. If that's what were here hoping to read, you can stop reading now.

A few months after Devin's dating advice came about, he soon realized that July 30th was a little bit of a stretch for me. My marriage assignment deadline was then extended to November 13th. Early November, I went to Devin's to hang out while his mom took a day to get things done. The first thing he asked me when I walked in his room was "Hey, Pink. How's that marriage assignment coming along?"

Really? I can't even get a hello?

I updated him on the dating situation in my life. I don't think he quite understood why I hadn't asked the next worthy available guy if he was interested in marriage. He was so confident it would get me married.

I could tell that Dev was a little disappointed in me when he said, "well, I guess I will start including you in my prayers." really? I worry them all that much...

He then reviewed with me the advice he had given me earlier that summer, prayed for me and extended my deadline.

Adorable proof, right here:




Dang, I miss him.

I'm in love I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!

I think I may have fallin in love.

With Chuck Bass.

Oh, he's a fictional character?
I got so caught up in it that I didn't realize...


hmm...

Oh well... at least I'm learning how to love, right?

Treat everything like the world series

It's that time of year again where we're all working on our New Year's Resolutions. Hopefully since it's still week one we're doing okay. But if you are anything like me, that okay soon dwindles down to not okay, and the New Years Resolution is forgotten and excuses of a life full of busyness sets in.

This year, I didn't really set any New Years Resolutions. Instead, I'm living this new year with a new perspective.

About a year or two ago, I heard a story that has stuck with me. It was one of those stories that impacted me big time. That story is what I am basing my new years new perspective on.

Paraphrasing from Jasmine Star's Wedding Photography workshop @ CreativeLive.

Jasmine Star, rockin wedding photographer, told a story of a photographer who really wanted to shoot the World Series. This photographer was really good, he believed in his ability to shoot the world series, but no one would hire him for larger gigs. He finally landed a gig in Podunk USA, shooting t-ball games. He was so frustrated because he knew of his abilities to succeed, but he was shooting t-ball games. He was shooting the t-ball game like it was a t-Ball game. It didn't hit him until one day he realized "If I shoot this t-ball game like I'm shooting the world series, I will one day shoot the world series."A few years later, he shot the world series and received several awards for his work. 

This new year, I want to try and do everything I do as if it were the 'world series'. Not just in photography stuff, but in everything. I will run like I am running a marathon (okay, maybe 5k), treat relationships like it's my relationship with the most important person in my world, cook like I'm cooking for Prince William Harry,drive like I'm the star of Fast Five, and shoot like I'm Jasmine Star.

Okay, some of my examples aren't real, but you know what I mean. Live and do everything to it's fullest. That way, all those new years resolutions that I would've made are taken care of my just one resolution; my new perspective.

I've Always Had a Little Thing for the Bald Ones

Excuse me...

I love PITBULL. I don't know why. Maybe because he's bald. I don't know. And I love that sideways thing he does with his lips. He's just so... cool.

Currently obsessed with this song also my New Years gift to you:

{Snow Canyon State Park} Southern Utah Photographer

Have I ever mentioned how I am from one of the most beautiful places on earth?

Well, in case I haven't mentioned that before, I am.

Southern Utah rocks my socks off.

Here's why:

Note the biker above: wearing regular biking clothes. Not winterized biking clothes. WARM!

Consider my socks rocked. Because I love the red rock.
I'm rapping right now. If you couldn't tell.

Currently it is 61º and it's January 3. I may just go lay out by a pool.

Another cool thing about Southern Utah? No jacket was needed in January to shoot these. It's that awesome here!