[ 58mm, f/4, 1/125 sec, ISO 2500, bounced speedlight ]
I don’t know if I’ve ever really done a “top XX” where I declare my absolute favorites and after attempting this one I know why. It’s far too hard to narrow it down and I’m sure I missed some favorites, but with that said, there are definitely some images I captured & created this year that will forever join my portfolio and if I had to pick an absolute favorite from this year I think the above shot just might be it. I love every little thing about it and it’s an image I’ll never be able to recreate which makes it that much more exciting to me.
As you’ll quickly see after viewing this post, I love posed images with a more serious tone, but there’s a storyteller in me that can’t resist playing on the wedding day when moments are happening all around. It’s a challenge to light the scene and nail my setup/exposure, but when I do, I hope I’ve created memory magic for my clients who get to relive their wedding day over and over with the work I’ve done. If I had a wall to put this on, I’d paint it a bold color and then print this huge, probably a 60×40 gallery wrap, so it’s as if you’re standing right there in the moment with Kelsy & Zarek everytime you walk by.
With that said, I want to walk you through the rest of my Top 15 clients images from 2015. I’ve included my camera settings & lighting setup below each shot. Above the image I’ll tell you exactly what I love about it and why it made the cut. I’ll do the same with my Top 15 images of my kids from this year.
Ready to see which shots make the cut? Scroll on!!
This entire session & location blew me away but there’s something about this image that I can’t get past. It’s such a straight up amazing portrait that portrays strength, beauty & confidence. The larger than life boulders fit Colby’s 6’7 frame and the combination of their hair, skin & outfit colors with the setting are a perfect match. The lighting on Lydia’s face shows off her incredible bone structure and their serious but pleasant expressions drive the image home.
[ 66mm, f/4.5, 1/200 sec, ISO 200, soft box camera left ]
This image now hangs in my office as a gallery wrap. The rich fall colors pop off my cobalt blue walls. The lighting on Jenn’s face is exquisite and though this image isn’t painted, the background boka makes it feel like it is. The colors of her bouquet are scattered throughout the background & Jenn’s hair. Her beautiful curls seems effortless.
[ 150mm, f/3.2, 1/320 sec, ISO 400, reflector camera right ]
I’ve photographed my sister so many times now that it’s hard for me to produce something new for her at each session, but this shot is one that I’d never taken before. She feels like a cloud soaring with the birds (who I did NOT Photoshop in). The dramatic lighting shows off her barbie doll figure and I love the way her veil billows around her face softly drawing you in.
[ 70mm, f/4.5, 1/640 sec, ISO 50, reflector camera right ]
This is another shot/painting I wish I had a wall for. This setting was surreal in real life and screamed to be painted. I love how sultry yet sweet Paul’s kiss on Sam’s shoulder is. The arch in her body/legs matches the falled tree they’re seated on.
[ 200mm, f/3.5, 1/200 sec, ISO 1250, available light, composited with another shot then digitally painted ]
This shot is on my life of images to paint this January. I love the dark purple sky and how her red lips steal the show. The fact that you can see her hidden eye if you look closely seals the deal for me. Dramatic shadows with just enough light & wind to tell the full story…yes please!
[ 200mm, f/2.8, 1/160 sec, ISO 2000, LED light camera left ]
I know I’ve mentioned the story behind this image before, but for those of you who haven’t read that post, this image was created to document Kimley during her battle with thyroid & breast cancer. This was taken a week before she started her round of surgeries. I wanted to convey the quiet strength this mother of three carries with her. Her natural beauty goes without saying, but it’s truly her faith that leaves me in awe.
[ 102mm, f/8, 1/200 ISO 100, studio lighting setup ]
The simplicity and genuine feeling of adoration are what I love most about this image. Liz seems to fit perfectly in Blaine’s arms and I love that this could be a shot of them ten years from now, hanging out at a park with little kidlets running wild minus the formal attire.
[ 165mm, f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 64, available light ]
This entire wedding will be hanging out in my office soon once I order the sample album I designed from it, so it goes without saying that there were several shots from it that I wanted to include in this post. But the lighting, color harmony & perfect profiles (cowboy hat and all) make this one a favorite.
[ 200mm, f/3.2, 1/400 sec, ISO 400, reflector camera right ]
Yes, it’s another image of Colby & Lydia. But can you blame me? I have a soft spot for Lydia’s entire family and this classic engagement shot had to be shared again. As I was taking it I knew I wanted the background door to frame them so we worked to pose them just so making sure we captured a little kicker light in their eyes to really draw you in. I don’t often crop my images, but this one begged to be square.
[ 98mm, f/4, 1/250 sec, ISO 400, LED light camera right ]
I’ve always loved this image of McCall and today as I was choosing favorites I realized it was one that was born to be painted. The softness of her hair, flowing gown, expression & lighting are my happy place!
[ 170mm, f/4, 1/250 sec, ISO 200, available light, digitally painted ]
I’m looking forward to seeing these two officially sealed as husband and wife in 2016 but I love that they let me capture them this fall, especially the night of an amazing sky/sunset. This was my first time shooting at the Oquirruh Mountain Temple and I couldn’t have asked for me. We played with some backlit flash
[ 66mm, f/4, 1/80 sec, ISO 250, flash behind couple ]
This is my dear friend Jamie & her husband Matt. I admit I may be biased on loving this one, but because I know how much she adores him this image speaks to me in so many ways. I love photographing couples who’ve been together for long enough to have weathered some storms. It makes their connection that much more real. It’s less giddy and more sure. Jamie has decorated their bedroom with this session and I am dying to make it out to her Rush Valley home to see the results!
[ 122mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec, ISO 200, LED light camera left ]
Of course you’ve seen this image several times now. It went Loan (the best an image can do) this past year at the International Print Competition. But even before it was award winning Amber’s poise & grace sold it to me. The almost monochromatic scene pops her fiery red hair and then leads you to her beautiful almost cat like eyes. “Something Blue” is what I titled this one!
[ 130mm, f/4, 1/200 sec, ISO 200, LED light camera right ]
And last but not least (none of these have been in any particular order) I can’t get enough of the story behind this post capture double exposure. In fact, merging these two images is what made me look into shooting true double exposures done in camera. Though these two had to wait a while before they found their happily ever after, what mattered most is that they did find it.
[ 200mm, f/2.8, 1/160 sec, ISO 1000, LED light behind couple, composited double exposure with the shot of the sign ]
And now for my kids! I haven’t done very well sharing the various “sessions” I shot this year featuring my kids. Whether or not I’ll ever find the time to post the full sessions I don’t know…but I did in fact take them and will print them in an album so my kids and family will enjoy them which is what matters most. With that said, onto my Top 15…
This little man wrapped around my man…how could I not love it? Peirce doesn’t believe in wearing shirts much so I knew for his annual session he had to wear his beloved jeans and not much else. His blue eyes still leave me breathless. I’m super sad that he’s growing up even though I realize his behavior will improve with age. Yesterday he colored all over his carpet with crayon (I didn’t even realize you could do that). When I angrily asked him why he did that, he calmly replied, “I wanted to make a rainbow.”
[ 200mm, f/4, 1/800 sec, ISO 320, available light ]
This baby has me wrapped around her finger more than any of the other kids. I don’t know if it’s because she sucks her fingers exactly the way I did or if it’s just because she’s my baby right now, but I dearly love her. She’s spicy but calm and almost always happy (unless she’s telling you where to go or that there is “no way , no way” she’s doing whatever it is you asked). For her 18-month pictures we went out into my mom’s cow pasture. She would not participate in the session without this corn cob in every shot. But it works for me in every way. I attempted to paint this picture today, but it’s tricky because it’s backlit in that trendy/filmy look way, which most painting aren’t so I’m not sold on the end results. But as is this pictures makes me smile every time I’m on my ipad (it’s my background there). Her dress…I found it at the DI!
[ 92mm, f/5, 1/100 sec, ISO 200, reflector camera left ]
This IS my Hazey Babe. Enough said.
[ 200m, f/3.2, 1/250 sec, ISO 400, available light ]
Ella can seem at times to have a split personality which is why this image tugs at my mom strings. Though pink isn’t really her color, this image feels organic to me which is right up her alley. She’s such a strong, exact & fiercely loyal personality. She’s become so helpful this past year and her happiness level is off the charts compared to last year. She changed schools and is now in an extended learning program and that has made all the difference in our home.
[ 66mm, f/6.3, 1/800, ISO 160, in-camera double exposure so settings listed are for silhouette exposure ]
My girls. Totally not the shot I was going for. Totally real to life. Hangs in their bedroom!
[ 70mm, f/8, 1/100 sec, ISO 200, studio light setup ]
My boy and his dog. Peirce at times seems half canine in his actions and responses so this double exposure once again tells a story. I haven’t always been on the Raika bandwagon, but recently she stayed with Jordan’s parents to play with their new dog and they pampered her up. They claimed she was potty trained and so we’ve been letting her be in the house more and sleep with Peirce at night and I have to say she’s growing on me. We just randomly bought a Yukon this morning so we can go camping a million times this summer and I’m sure Raika will join us. Peirce basically asks if “we go camping” every day, so for these two, summer can’t come soon enough.
[ 120mm, f/4, 1/80 sec, ISO 160, in-camera double exposure so settings listed are for silhouette exposure ]
The sepia version of this image hangs above Sienna’s crib. She always smiles and points to it happily “baby!”. The dress she’s wearing was given by a dear neighbor and when I saw this blossomed bush/tree I ran home to put her in it and do a mini session. Her hands are posed so perfectly I count it as nothing short of a miracle. I love the fallen flower petals on her dress and how you can see the sky in her eyes.
[ 200mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec, ISO 200, reflector camera right ]
Hazel is going to be breathtakingly beautiful one day. I feel it. This is one time when she let me dress & style her as I desired, but most days she’s the queen of her “fashion”. She has big goals and the energy to accomplish them. Whether or not she’ll be distracted by “fun” in place of those goals I’m not sure, but her life is a party. So why do I love this calm, serene image? Because she has this deeply serious side of her too that I rarely see. But it’s more relatable to me. This is her “Elizabeth” side (her middle name) and capturing it on camera is my joy.
[ 105mm, f/4.5, 1/640 sec, ISO 50, available light ]
Ella is the reverse of Hazel. Mostly serious but with a hidden humor streak. This is her being an old lady. I’ve always told her she is an old lady stuck in a young girls body and most days she believes me. But she’s an old lady with spunk so it’s all okay!
[ 200mm, f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 400, available light ]
I painted my kids portraits and they hang above my kitchen table. This is Peirce’s. He’s seriously my dream boat with that perfect smile and yes, his eyes are really that blue.
[ 200mm, f/4, 1/800, ISO 320, available light, digitally painted ]
This image is a composite. It’s a hope for the future. These two love to fight and are always competing. In this instance that worked to my advantage since they both had to have their picture taken in the same location, same way. There’s a river behind them which made for the perfect out of focus background to seamlessly merge. I love this shot in black & white which is how it’s displayed in my home, but both girls love it in color.
[ 200mm, f/3.2, 1/200 sec, ISO 400, available light, composited two images ]
Once again, the real Hazey babe. Her eyes used to be blue like Peirce’s but have drifted to a duller, slightly greener shade similar to her dad. And she basically has his face so there’s no questions whose her daddy?
[ 50mm, f/2.8, 1/800 sec, ISO 800, available light ]
I just took this on Christmas day. I walked into Peirce’s room to find he and Jordan hanging his new glow stars in correct constellation formation on the ceiling. Peirce was helping measure…lol. He loves to play basketball with this hoop so I had the thought to lay on the floor and shoot up through the basket to capture this portrait. It’s the kind of every day portrait that I love most.
[ 50mm, f/4, 1/100 sec, ISO 2000, available light ]
1, 2, 3…Wait don’t you have 4 kids? Yes. Have I ever captured a shot of all 4 of them that I love. NO. It wasn’t until I had 4 that I was able to happily capture 3. So I’m assuming I won’t get my 4 shot until I have 5 assuming that day comes. And I’m not having 6 so don’t ask how I’ll get the 5 shot…
[ 105mm, f/5.6, 1/ 125 sec, ISO 640, soft box camera right ]
Ahhh. There she is. #4. In a world of her own. In a way this is a random snapshot. But the lighting on her little face transports me to a world of peace. It’s the kind of setup I couldn’t have planned if I wanted. Life is so beautiful when you open your eyes to see!
[ 200mm, f/3.2, 1/800 sec, ISO 400, available light ]
Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2016 is the year you choose to truly live and love and capture it with a camera!
If you’re recently engaged and wanting to make it on my Top 16 for this year, make sure you check out my newly launched wedding collections. They offer both the digital perks of the past (I used to have packages that were strictly digital but I’ve wised up) and credit towards incredible tangible products and albums to fill your home with (trust me you’re going to love them)! Click HERE to view my 2016 wedding collections.