Sometimes....I bake.

I really enjoy baking actually. It's relaxing and something that I think is really fun. Yesterday I got the urge to make some cupcakes, and we just happened to have the cutest cupcake wrappers and flags. So naturally, like any good photographer I had to photograph them. (:

Enjoy!

Friends.

I had the wonderful pleasure of shooting two of my gorgeous friends yesterday. Despite below freezing temperatures and not being able to feel our fingers and toes by the time we were finished, we had a wonderful shoot and got some gorgeous shots...and some tea afterwards to help us warm up! (;

It's kind of difficult to keep them serious sometimes. (;

Surprise...almost.

Let me just start this out by saying that I knew this was too good to be true.

Okay, so about a month or so ago my friend, Forest, told me that he wanted to surprise my best friend and his girlfriend, Sarah, with one of his beloved 4x5 film cameras for her birthday. Forest lives in Montana and Sarah is currently here in Alaska so he needed my help. He told me he had this vision of the camera being set up in this open, snow-filled field. He said he wanted her to walk into the field and see nothing but the 4x5. So for the past few weeks I've been in the process of planning this surprise. I figured out where I was going to set up and convinced her to "hang-out" with me today. Now all that was left was to get the camera and get it executed. Once the mailman finally showed at 6pm last night, the plan was ready to go. I went to the field, got set-up, called Sarah to give her directions, called Forest to let him know that the plan was underway, and then it was time to wait for Sarah's arrival. A few minutes later, I received a phone call from a lost Sarah. (Apparently, I'm bad at giving directions.) Half-way through giving her new directions...my phone died. I was panicking because she couldn't find me and I had no way of contacting her.  After waiting for a few minutes, I decided to pack up real fast, drive back to my house and call her. I gave her the directions to the "right" field and tried to beat her back to the field so I could set-up again before she pulled up...but, she pulled in right behind me so, I just gave it to her.
Ugh.
I was soooooo close to pulling this off completely smooth. Oh well, I suppose it made it even more memorable.

It looked so wonderful, when it was all set-up.

We decided to re-create the "surprise" anyways! (:

Thank you.

I want to send out a "Thank You" from the bottom of my heart to all the veterans who have served our country and also to those military men and woman who are still serving. Our country would not be the same without their generous service and willing to give everything up to serve their country. I have many friends and family members who are serving or who have served and I know I'm always grateful for their service. So while you're reading this I ask you to say a little "thank you" to those who have served and are still serving. (: I know they would appreciate it.

 God Bless our Veterans and Troops! 

Just Kidding.

I had this grand plan of writing a (somewhat) serious blog post this week about being back in Alaska. However, Alaska is a lot colder than I remembered and the only shot I could think of doing would involve me being outside in the frigid, and I'm just not ready for that yet. So, I decided to play with my flash and have some fun *inside*. (:

My best I'm back in Alaska photo.

(and yes, I'm a moose.)

Found.

Five months ago I embarked on a journey. A journey that, little did I know, would be the best decision of my life. I came to this small town to learn my passion from only the best, however I did not know that I would leave with a complete and new understanding of myself. It was a journey filled with roller-coaster ups and downs. Smiles, laughter, triumphs, tears, short comings and downfalls. All these things, however, added up to the ultimate outcome...finding myself in Missoula. I am leaving this experience with not only some rockin' photo skills but with new friends, a new outlook, a new career, and most of all a new me. I will always remember this summer, it was without a doubt the best summer of my life. Missoula, Montana will always have a piece of my heart....and a little bit of my art.

Here's to new adventures and beginnings!