what About Me?

Ah, the dreaded About Me section. I'm in the midst of giving my website a serious makeover, and I've stumbled upon that nasty little section that, when done properly, boom, you're booked before the client even sees your rates. (Well, not exactly, but it might get an inquiry.) And when done wrong, you can come across as fake, a cheeseball, or that just plain sounds like everybody else's About Me section. I absolutely love the art of writing, and I think it is important that words flow together in a way that they - pardon the cliche - roll off your tongue when read aloud. So with that said, here's what I'm all about, according to www.morganlamare.com.

Wanting to bring a fresh style to the art of wedding photography, and truly loving photographing two people in love, I began my wedding photography career in early 2008 in southwest Montana. I approach each wedding as an opportunity to create a masterpiece for a couple who are celebrating one of the most important milestones in their lives. My style is an essential mix of editorial and photojournalistic . . . I look for the most beautiful, available light for every portrait, and compose them to reflect the moment in a way I hope evokes some emotion inside. And just as importantly, I stand back quietly to observe other moments and understand what is about to unfold, so that it can be documented and remembered for many, many years to come. My clients and their happiness are extremely important to me, and I do my best to operate my business from their perspective.

When I am not photographing or spending time with my computer, I absolutely love spending time with my family. Ava and Stella are my beautiful, dimple-faced children who you’ll see quite often on my blog, and Joe is the man who I am never, ever letting go. We have a wonderful group of friends we entertain quite often, enjoy spending countless hours in the kitchen cooking and sipping a favorite wine, listening to music and laughing. And reading and writing help me escape from the frenzied world I am so incredibly happy in. I love fresh flowers, I like my steak medium-rare, and lots of Tae-bo and yoga help me keep it all in perspective.

Cheers to you and your engagement! Enjoy the photos here, and there is always plenty more to view on my blog. Happy Wedding Planning!

Is it rolling off your tongue? Now, let me clarify a few things. First, Joe and I do all of those things I mentioned above, but it's usually me in the kitchen, and him on the couch, and we do that whole laughing thing I talked about from across the room (it's an open floor plan). I usually have Amos Lee or David Gray on the iPod, and he is simultaneously watching sports, a hunting show with way too much whispering, or a cooking-challenge show.

I used to be an avid reader, and I'm trying to set goals for myself to finish what I start, and make the time to get lost in some knowledge, or just plain trashy fiction. My goal for September was to finish Raising Happiness by Christine Carter, Ph.D., The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (a re-read - it keeps me in check), and Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand (all of her juicy novels are set in Nantucket, one of my most favorite places I've only ever been to once but someday will own a home in). At this point, I have three more evenings to finish 300 pages so I'm thinking this month's goal will not be met. : ) It's all good!

And finally, my favorite fresh flowers come via delivery of Angela Klotz with Fresh Designs or Leslie Lukas of Leslie Lukas Weddings & Events. Here is a sneak peek of Angela's amazingness from our second night in Wyoming. You can read all about the first night here.



If you stuck with me on this one, thank you! : )

evan, dan and mira: july 9, 2011

I met Evan, Dan and Mira at The Daily coffee shop in Bozeman one evening last spring. As I bounced Mira on my lap, smiled and nodded at the couple, I learned that the type of wedding they would be having was the type of wedding - dare I say it? - that all people in love and wanting marriage should be having. They didn't care about photographs of the shoes, or the dress hanging in a window. They didn't need their rings strung onto the prongs of a fork. And they didn't really care to remember what they ate that evening, although I'm sure they wanted it to be delicous. Instead, Dan looked me in the eye and said, it's about the people. It's not about the things. It's about the people who are there, celebrating with us. It was about the laughter and the smiles, the words that were spoken, and the reactions felt.

They tugged at my heart strings, and I happily accepted the job when it was offered to me. The setting was incredible . . . the ceremony was held at Bohart Ranch, high in the Bridger Mountains, and all of the fixings for a fantastic time were brought in by Genevieve Burmeister.

Below are some of my favorite moments from the day, and a slideshow wraps it all together in a perfect little presentation meant to show that it was, truly, all about the people. Dan and Evan, thank you for having a marriage, and not just a wedding. Much love to you and Mira always . . .

love . . .

For some reason this evening, kind of out of nowhere, I decided, I am going to blog something deeply personal. And I don't know if it is something I need to do to just keep the ball rolling on the ol' blog, or if it is because I know sharing these little snippets of my life are so important, and I happily oblige, because I am an open book. I just haven't done it in so long . . . but I am going to share something with you . . .

I am so ridiculously happy, content and in love with my life and the people in it.

I absolutely love waking up every morning next to Joe. I actually watch him sleep before I get out of bed. And I start my day thinking about how much I love this man. This man who made the choice, after all of the contemplation that it deserved, to love a woman like me, who not only comes with two shorties trailing behind her, but who cries at Tim McGraw songs still, and leaves clothes in the washer for three days. And his response is a hand-written note that I keep on my desk that reads, "Hello love, Please empty the washer. Had to restart this A.M. Stunk real good. :) Love you."

We are by no means perfect, but we respect one another. We know what makes the other tick. We know when to walk away. We know that sometimes, it actually feels kind of good to be a cranky pants, and moan and whine about things that may or may not be important in the grand scheme of things. And the next morning, we wake up, declare it a new day, and make it amazing.

This afternoon I was getting the mail out of the mailbox, and Joe came walking down the driveway, bent over, and kissed me on the lips. Just because. He left to go hunting shortly afterwards, and his phone call right before he lost cell service told me that he loved me, and to tell the girls he loves them.

The girls. They are the apple of my eye, and yet I don't feel I've truly learned how to enjoy being a mother until this past year. It is so easy to live the day-to-day events and not think twice about them, but when we do, we change their lives. This morning I dropped miss Stella off at her day care, and one of her teachers, who is utterly in love with her as everyone should be, came to give her a giant welcome hug. I started to walk out of the room, and realized that if I did, when Stella was done hugging her, she would have looked for me and seen nothing. I walked back in, called her name across the room, blew her a kiss goodbye, and left knowing she was happy and content. Small potatoes, I know, but being so much more aware that every stinkin' thing I do affects who they will become makes it quite a serious feat.

And it turns out my girlfriends are pretty freaking amazing, too. We are 100% different from one another, and yet we adore each other for a million different reasons among the five of us. I am going to write a book about The Assets. Every woman should have a group of go-to girls who can bitch with you, cry with you, love the best things about you, call you out on the worst things about you, and plan, design and photograph a wedding like a mo fo. ;)

And because posts are so much more fun with photos (especially on a photography blog!), here is some eye candy for you . . . these are some of my recent favorite personal photos that remind me that happiness is a choice. Love is a choice. That we are exactly where we are meant to be. And when things fall apart, they always come back together, better than before.



Stella Bella - she is a beautiful little girl!



Eyelashes, freckles, and the need for a floatation device on the slip and slide is why Ava deserves so much love : )



My girlie whirlies . . . taken with the point-and-shoot! Happy girls!



And one of my all-time favorites . . .



Happy day to all of you who stumble upon this blog!

boudoir special! . . . just in time for the holidays ;)

Don't you love a good deal? : )

Starting TODAY, all boudoir sessions scheduled for the months of September and October are $75.00 OFF . . .

The gift of confidence and sex appeal might just be the very best gift to give a man . . . cook him a good meal before you deliver the book and you'll live happily ever after ;)

WHAT: A 1-hour boudoir session with an 8 x 8 album of 25 images (and a DVD of the digital negatives delivered with the album)

WHERE: Usually in my home - trust me, it's a wonderful setting. Music, champagne and snacks are provided!

COST: $225

And on a side note, boudoir images are never, ever, ever published on my blog without permission of my client, so please don't avoid a shoot with the fear that anyone else would see your images except you, me and the gift recipient, if there is one.

I was given gracious permission by this lovely client to re-post some of my favorite boudoir images . . . enjoy and schedule today!

on a beautiful table, deep in the Wyoming mountains . . .

The end of this summer's wedding season ended with an extremely memorable, check-yourself experience deep in the mountains of Wyoming with one of my very best friends, event planner and floral designer extraordinaire Angela Klotz with Fresh Designs . . .



To summarize this 3 1/2 day affair, Angela was hired by the lovely Stanley family from Memphis, Tennessee, who were traveling to Wyoming to celebrate the wedding of their son Josh to his fiance, Melissa. Josh and Melissa met in their teenage years attending two different summer ranches 8 miles down the road from one another . . . on Thursday evening the welcome dinner was held at Elk Creek Ranch, where Melissa spent her time, and Friday evening's rehearsal dinner was held at the 7D Ranch, where not only did Josh spend his time, but his mother Mary had been traveling to the ranch since she was a little girl as well.

Whew!

A little snippet of the evening, the guests, the amazing flowers and table decor, and as always delicious-beyond-belief food by Sarah Knecht . . .







Since I was there anyway, I assisted Angela with the setting up and tearing down of the event and oh. my. god. . . . I have an entirely different appreciation for what Angela does . . . we worked our tails off in the pouring rain, surrounded by thunder and lightening, at different portions of the day, and she kept herself together completely where I would have fallen apart. Wedding days and other immensely-planned events deserve someone who when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. She pulled it off amazingly again the second night, which is another post to follow very, very soon . . .

Happy Thursday and First of September, everyone!