Tam + Fam: So cute, they rhyme!

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My friend Tam is just one of those friends. We can go for months without touching base... and yet, when we get back together, it's as if no time has passed at all, and we pick back up again right where we left off. :) I love that. Tam makes me laugh like, well.... in a way that only she can, so I always look forward to catching up with her. Last time I saw Tam, she and her husband Loren, along with their two kids Evie & Lyla, were living in San Francisco where Loren was finishing his MBA at Berkley. Emir and I caught up with them in Seattle where they literally just finished unpacking their last moving box... yet somehow already seem remarkably settled into their new home overlooking all the splendor of Mt. Rainier.

In honor of their recent 10 year wedding anniversary, Tam & Loren rounded up the girls for a quickie family photo session. :) A few quick faves...

I think this shot is so perfectly telling of their various stages/ages. Evie is whizzing by on the swing in the background, while Lyla just sort of dangles... content enough to hold herself in the swing like a 'big girl.'

These two have an incredible history together. From their undergrad days at BYU to new beginnings at Amazon.com in Seattle... I'm so proud of them both and their inspirational example of commitment and teamwork.

Ca-yuuuute!

Lyla wasn't having any of this shot.... but I still love it. :) Hugs to you all!

Class of 2011: Jami

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It's that time of year again, where I start to wonder how it is that I always seem to end up with the most gorgeous people in front of my camera... I mean... for real!? How does this happen? Of course, I'm not complaining... but geesch... It's starting to give me a complex! LOL! :) Somehow I'm always a pile of sweat drops punctuated by out of control bangs... and they're... well... gorgeous. Always. Even when it's 10 bazillion degrees out. One of these days I hope they let me in on their secret... :) In the meantime, here's the ever beautiful Jami!

She's a dancer... and fell in love with my orange tutu when she walked in the studio....

I LOVE this.

Couldn't leave out Keaton!

Great stuff! Enjoy the rest of your summer and have a crazy fab year!

Class of 2011: Allie

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Summer is here and in full swing! That means sunny days, cookouts, trips out to the lake... and... seniors! :) Allie is among the lovely graduating class of 2011... and though it's hot, humid and pretty much disgusting outside now, spring and the arrival of her much anticipated graduation day will be here before we know it! :) Enjoy all your travel this summer Allie... and have a fabulous senior year!

The Good Stuff

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Shoots like this remind us what it's all about. Young families. So much love. So much to believe in. So much.... energy & giggles! :) Once Marti got warmed up to me and the camera, she was firing on all 8 cylinders. And little Ryne... he had the most adorable 'scoot' move ever.... even though he often left me in his dust... ha! Here's a quick glimpse at some my favorite moments from our session. :)

Down the Aisle: Micaela + Chris

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It happens now and again... I'm honored to work with so many wonderful families... and occasionally.... they make me cry (in the best of ways). When I see a family so full of life and love, it carries me through the day, into the reception... and sends me home with a warm-fuzzy feeling that reminds me how important it all really is. To know what it means to share a father's hug, a laugh with mom, a sisterly glance or a brotherly joke... is to understand what love is all about. The more I learned about what wonderful people Chris and Micaela have in their lives.... the more inspired I was by them. How fortunate they all are..... they have between them, a gift. One that only grew larger and more precious yesterday with the official expansion of the family, to include the newlyweds.

I am honored to have shared in this momentous occasion... and sleep well at night knowing there are so many fabulous people in the world. Thank you!

These are Micaela's shoes that were as daring as they were darling... what you can't tell in this photo is that they easily added 4+ inches to her height on wedding day... brave girl! :) She pulled it off flawlessly.

Micaela had the incredible fortune of having much of her family present at the wedding, including grandparents and great grandparents! This photo captures four generations of women.

So... the purple 4+inch heels were just the beginning.... Micaela had lots of fun details that made for a photolicious good time. Here, we catch a glimpse of her pink hair as she and Chris have their wedding day 'first look.' :)

The wind was blustering at a speed that can easily be described as 'uncomfortable,' but we managed to get this shot.... Chris and Micaela are so cute!

OK wait...we need to talk about her dress! It was knee-length and hand-made from an artist she found on etsy. Why did I not think of this for my own wedding? Genius! Nothing for people to step on and it shows off her cute shoes (the heels and the sandals)! The dress is actually two separate pieces (three if you count the belt). Let those wheels of inspiration turn ladies! (Great choice Micaela.... you were simply gorgeous!)

I snuck into the back room before the ceremony and caught this moment of Micaela with her dad, Mario. Not only are they both adorable, but they also happen to both be runners. Micaela ran Lincoln's Half-Marathon last weekend too... and completely kicked my butt! Again.... very inspirational...

Their wedding took place at St. Michael's Parish in what used to be the town of Cheney, Nebraska. It's now part of Lincoln, but is still charmingly somehow different.... just darling!

I l-o-v-e this...

These two have been together for several years... often mentioning throughout the day and into the evening that they 'grew up' together. I love thinking about them continuing on their life journey together... and one day growing old together. :) I picture them huddled around their wedding album looking at these photos and thinking about how beautiful they were, all the love they have in their lives, and what a great day their wedding day was...

Such a handsome groom! Love that soft smile...

Chris had great spiky/curly hair.... love how it looks in this shot...

The vintage lace on Micaela's wedding veil was a worthy photo subject all its own!

I l-ooooooo-vvvv-eee this too... I think it's the look on both their faces.....

The reception was full of great surprises like video tributes from Chris and Micaela throughout the evening and Mario's 'father-of-the-bride' toast delivered as a video montage with a speech that left me in tears..... (So glad Emir was shooting with me.... speeches like that make me miss him so much!)

Simply fantastic. Huge big strong hugs to all of you!

Baby Thomas

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This may have been the first time I picked up my camera in 2010... memory fails me (more and more it seems!). Either way.... could these two be any more delicious? Is it just me or does Sarah look like some sort of 1970's goddess? I fantasize about images like this one for myself someday when Emir and I get around to having bambini of our own.... (hint, hint Emir! I hope you're taking notes!)

Big sister Olivia is all kinds of curious and helpful with baby Thomas....

I love this! He just looks so squeaky new and cuddly!

Can't get enough kisses from big sis....

2009 Wedding Photography Highlights | Lincoln, Nebraska and Beyond

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2009 welcomed many new and fabulous wedding clients into the KaBloom Studios family! I am continually reminded of how much I love my clients and consequently, my job. :) I thought it would be fun to re-post some of my favorite wedding images from the past year in one big juicy post (no small feat!). When I originally gathered images for this, I looked at the file count and had pulled 300+ shots. That. Is. Nuts. So.... I whacked the list waaaay down. This is just a small sampling of why I love my clients and my job so darn tootin' much. :) Enjoy! To make it easier to digest, I loosely arranged the images based on different parts of the day. This first group represents the 'portrait hour' I spend with clients making the iconic images that sum up what their day is all about. I hope they make you smile!

2009 brought with it the opportunity to photograph a number of destination weddings including Annette & Brandon's 4th of July celebration in Grenada. Here are some of my faves from their 'Day After' session. The wedding itself can be seen here.

Of course, 'portrait hour' is preceded by 'getting ready.' I *love* to photograph all the pretty details that go into transforming a beautiful woman into a beautiful bride.

Of course, the guys have their own version of 'getting ready.' In this case, it means listening to the ball game on the radio.... :)

Ceremony time! Whether in a church, at a park or on a golf course, ceremonies are fun and challenging to capture.

Jeff earned a shout-out for most creative 'entrance' to a wedding when he arrived to his ceremony on water skis and upon landing ashore, peeled off his 'dry suit' to reveal the tuxedo underneath. Bravo!

I'm often asked, "Do you shoot formal group portraits?" The answer, of course, is "Yes!" In addition to a few traditional formals, I love to capture what I think is even more fun.... group shots that showcase personality and spunk. Here are a few quick examples/faves. :)

Another thing I enjoy capturing at the wedding are detail shots of the rings. The possibilities are endless!

When I'm not chasing the star couple or foraging for interesting ring image concepts, I often turn my camera's attention to grandpas, kids, interesting guests and... the funny moments that are only a click away.

I later found out that the gentleman on the left in the image below passed away not long after the wedding. I'm incredibly honored to have been able to give this image to his family in tribute.

Every time I come home from a wedding, I'm more excited than before... and filled with inspiration from all the genius, creative couples I have the honor of working with. (Poor Emir... I'm constantly suggesting to him that we renew our vows and have a party with all the fab ideas I've collected over the years. Such a good sport he is!) If you're in the market for some wedding reception detail shots (eye candy), here goes!

After months of planning to pull off the whole event, the reception comes and it's time to dance!

Thank you to all of the incredible couples (and their families!) I've had the honor of working with in the past year. You are the reason I do what I do.... Much love and happiness to you all in 2010! :)

Kiki (aka: Mr. Whiskers) has a new home!

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I'm am **thrilled** to report that "Mr. Whiskers" (formerly known as Kiki) has a new home with a loving family! He is excited to be living with a wonderful new mama, a cat-lovin' papa, a big sister & another feline buddy named 'Sparkles' (both names courtesy of his 5-yr-old big sis). I'm told he loves to sleep on the sofa in the window and hasn't so much as thought about climbing the Christmas tree yet. Good boy! Thank you to everyone for your interest and support in helping this insanely sweet and friendly little guy to find a family who loves him! I will miss seeing him around the neighborhood, but I couldn't be happier about his new family and how excited they are to have him. :)