Spring is in the air, and I truly think I know as many babies being born this year as flowers on the crabapple tree in my yard!! It’s really the year of babies (perhaps due to this being Year of the Dragon!?) and I’m excited for all the sweet photos and snuggles it will bring me. :)
New York City has been on my list of dream travel plans for over 10 years, and this trip did not disappoint. After putting it off for so long (the pandemic didn’t help, ha!) we turned daydreams into reality. I literally had the best night of my life, got to eat so much good food, and had the “You’ve Got Mail” soundtrack on repeat in my head for our handful of days in the Big Apple. I can’t wait to share highlights of my dreamy first trip to NYC with you all!
A cozy spring newborn session at home in Ames, Iowa.
Alyson wanted to capture some photos with her horse to celebrate graduation from ISU! I always jump on the chance to get to celebrate with ISU grads, and this was a perfect session - I think you’ll love it!
A winter tromp in the woods is good for one’s mental, physical, and apparently- creative!- health. I wandered around a newly discovered park near my home on a cold, sunny afternoon and decided that this was indeed the perfect location for an editorial session, inspired by the JCrew catalogs of days gone by. The only thing that would have made this shoot better? Some rouge sheep (or Highland cows!) and green Hunter wellies!!
Clara and Duy (pronounced “you-ee”) bring so much depth and joy to any room they enter. These two are genuinely some of the most naturally funny & enjoyable humans I know, and I LOVED getting to hang out with them to capture their relationsip in their first “official” photography session together!
Lindha called me last year, asking if I had any openings for extended family sessions while her kids & grandkids were in town! Thankfully, we were able to align our schedules and it was so worth our praying- the weather was gorgeous, and the kids did great for our time hanging out & snapping some photos. These are always some of the most special sessions to me, knowing that these printed photos will be on the wall for years and years!
Nothing better than a down to earth new friend- that describes so many of my senior clients, but most of all, Brooke!! She made my time so fun and we had a blast together capturing her senior year!
I mentally look back on this wedding often, remember the perfect fall day- with sunshine and a slight breeze, and the many sweet moments shared and captured. I wish I could go back in time and experience it again! Cody and Liz know how to gather a crowd, and have some of the best humans around in their lives. I loved photographing their wedding at the stunning Wilson’s Ciderhouse venue!!
Summer and fall always bring me the best senior clients- it’s a joy to photograph them, and Riely was NO exception! Enjoy some of my favorites from this Southeast Polk senior’s session!!
Studio Minis are here!! I’m offering studio headshot mini-sessions at a discount, so jump on this fun adventure with me and update your portraits while it’s still “winter”!
Alexandria and Michael had a special, intimate wedding with just their parents on a gray November day. Even the clouds and windy couldn’t dampen their love!!
Emilia and I share a name (in pronunciation, at least!) and a love of fashion & reading. We may read very different books and watch opposite styles of film, but it was fun to get to know her & her mom during this fall senior session! I love that she included her fencing gear, a huge part of her life! Enjoy these artsy senior photos in the heart of historic DSM.
I’m a sucker for a heartfelt outdoor ceremony and elegant indoor wedding reception, and Abby & Thomas’ wedding day had both! Iowa State University’s campanile was the perfect backdrop, the rain held off until just after the ceremony, and all in all, this was the perfect start to a beautiful marriage!
Ryan’s mom hired me to take photos of her son, wanting to capture this season in his life. And it was such a perfect evening! Ryan brought his best self & smile, and we enjoyed wandering Des Moines alleyways and rooftops, ending with some portraits of him with his car & Han Solo’s ‘sabacc’ dice! You know I love a good Star Wars reference, so this is a senior session I’ll long remember!
Marissa and Moose are such a dynamic couple. It’s always so fun to see couples who have known each other for a while - these two go back to middle school! But you’ll have to click the blog title to head into the post to read their actual story. ;) I can’t wait to capture their Clear Lake wedding day this fall!
Comfort and Devin’s story is just starting, and it was so touching to witness their marriage vows & tender love. I’ve only barely had a chance to know them, since Comfort only arrived back to the USA in late fall, but every interaction I’ve had shows me that these two have what it takes for not only a long, but loving, thriving, and community-centered marriage!
This winter blessed us with mild temps and little snow until almost mid-January, meaning that the late December and early January engagement sessions were easily able to be outdoors! Rachel and Simon brought so much energy to their session, and the sun brought gorgeous golden hour & a little extra warmth. It’ll be the best day, celebrating these two + their vows in summertime!
The sweetest couple, Kirstin and Sean, planned their dream wedding day for back home in Indiana. They invited me to come along for the journey, and I’m so very thankful that we got to celebrate their love on the most gorgeous early fall day at the historic Black Iris Estate!!
Alex has a fresh, modern style so we picked some of the classic Des Moines locations for her senior photos. I loved gettin got hang out with her and the whole family, and sure hope I get to see them again in a few years! :)
