Red Poppy Photo

20/04/2022

What are your favorite memories of senior portraits from the 80’s? I’ll go first. Those fog machines really get me. 😜

20/04/2022

Sooo the secret to the perfect golden tan is being on the high school beach volleyball team as it turns out. 😘

18/03/2022

Looking forward or looking back?

…………
Thinking about and praying for Ukraine and citizens of Russia a lot this week, but still feeling very grateful for a special week in Oahu last week with my forever five.

last week.

24/11/2020

The candids are definitely the most fun. 😉
Day 3 I’m short on time this week due to photo shoots and Thanksgiving, but that’s probably one of the best times to pause for gratitude right? I’ve been thinking about how grateful I am for the skills/talents/hard work of others. For days I’ve been thinking ‘if it weren’t for whoever invented or created this or that, I wouldn’t be able to do xyz...(manage my daughter’s arthritis well with her biweekly injections, use the internet to pursue interests/connect with friends/help my business/easily access inspiring content/navigate around easily, own a digital slr camera that helped me learn and craft my skill, manage my health and my family’s health when needed, watch the world face deadly conditions with expert help and expert inventions, and more). It truly is necessary and such a blessing that we’re all so different in so many ways, because that is the very thing that helps us serve and provide for each other with our varying skills, talents, and hard work. If the whole world were like me, I think we’d be without electricity, life-saving measures, without vehicles, without first responders, and more. Thank you all for what you offer the world. Keep contributing what you contribute. I need your contributions and the world needs your contributions. Thinking about all of this, I feel grateful and humbled. What are some of the contributions of others’ that are life savers for you? Literally or figuratively?

( your girls are the best!)

04/08/2020

Moving forward, while weathering rocky ground, one step at a time. Together. 👊🏻❤️
Easier said than done but progress is worth a continual self-check. And when it feels overwhelming, that’s where the one step at a time comes into play. Maybe today you made progress by starting virtual school for your kids, in whatever fashion that may look like for you. But you started! Maybe today you decided to eliminate some small thing in your life that wasn’t adding purpose and uplift. Maybe today you hugged a family member first thing. Maybe today you recognized that instead of making progress in an area that’s meaningful to you, you’ve digressed and instead of shaming yourself, you just decided it’s time to move back in the progress direction.. With that next little step.
Wherever you are and however you feel on the scale of progress, I have confidence we can all find that forward motion.
What helps you get going when you’ve been feeling stuck? Emotionally? Spiritually? Socially? Physically? I’d love to hear your tips. Lately at times that I have felt stuck, I have tried to focus on what I have to offer and hone in on that. ..Instead of focusing on the ways I’m lacking. Let’s help each other here. I’d love to hear your thoughts! I know we can do hard things. 100%.
❤️❤️❤️

30/07/2020

Have you ever heard of a half first look? The bride gets to peek at the groom and they hold hands back to back, but the groom doesn’t look at the bride. Torture for the groom right? Haha. I knew I loved first looks, but I might love “half” first looks even more. The emotions to this moment were so unforgettable.
I’d love to photograph your upcoming wedding if you want to DM me! Available for destination weddings and elopements too. This one was in St Augustine, FL!

29/06/2020

All the pretty colors..
All of the different textures and colors mixing together. They are so beautiful. They enrich each other to no end when they work together. They are so much better sharing the stage than staying apart. Pretending the blue and pink don’t complement each other and help each other stand out would be futile. It would be a loss to look at this photo color blind.
All those pretty colors...

12/06/2020

I love this by . My phone has been out of commission for the last many days, but I’ve been following news & Facebook discussions closely. I’ve been trying to listen & learn everyday & as I’ve tried to open my mind & my heart, it feels like my heart has grown all the more about this. There is much work to be done, individually & collectively. When someone has hurt you, the most healing thing that person can do is try to listen to & understand you, & then show cont’d effort in righting their wrong & treating you better, while not for their own gain, but with sincerity. I’m not pretending to know the thoughts & feelings of black people & people of color, but each time I think of that comparison, it helps me in wanting to see what more I can do, instead of thinking I’ve done enough,
that I’m not part of the problem because I didn’t think of myself as racist or that I can’t do anything to help make things better. I can definitely take actions to help make it better & to offer my heart. The more I listen & understand, the more that I want to do about it. I’m seeing so many open & willing hearts out there right now, & so much action. I’m hopeful that it is turning a tide on anti-racism & providing some healing. I’m going to mention some actions in my life solely because I learn from others’ actions, right or wrong, & I’d love an open dialogue here. ..Previously my actions had been teaching my kids regularly about how black people & other people with visible differences were sometimes treated poorly & valued differently in the world, but that they are worth every single bit as much as any other & that these ill treatments are absolutely never ok, that our family is to treat every individual with kindness & love. We have some dolls & kids books with people with dark skin. We make sure to watch good family movies about racism issues as we find them & have continued discussions with our kids. Some things like this. But now, I am learning there is so much more I can & should do. Now, I am trying more to teach my kids to do something about it if they witness racism happening. Now we are adding extra emphasis on how beneficial -(cont’d in comments)

18/05/2020

01/05/2020

This is a pretty photo, I love it. But there is so much more to it than meets the unmet eye. Just like in a photo I may have taken for you or may yet take for you. What you don’t know about this photo is that I took it a year ago in Florida, when I photographed that beautiful bride’s wedding, and she’s my sister. What you don’t know is that my niece Hannah, is doing my sister, Tiffany’s makeup, before Tiffany would marry a wonderful, stand up, gentle, long-awaited for man, ..hours later. What you don’t know is that Hannah is graduating from scholarship-provided undergrad any day now, which she has worked so hard for, & just agreed this week, to go to med school at the UofU for the next handful of years. (👏🏻👏🏻👊🏻👊🏻🏆🏆 Go Hannah!!!! Whoop whoop!!!!)
And still.. what you don’t know is that Tiffany is wearing the emerald green robe I wore while laboring with my son, Griffin in the hospital halls a couple of years prior. What you don’t know is that Tiffany made it by the skin of her teeth by flight, to be my sister-doula for that birth. She held me up in those hospital halls as my contractions intensified, preparing for an intense & somewhat scary birth experience. What you don’t know is that 4 years before that, she had hoped to make it to the birth of my daughter, Simone, who was born 13 days after Tiffany’s son, Sully had died suddenly... These photos I get to take - there is so much that everybody else doesn’t know, and that doesn’t matter. You know. You know how hard you worked to improve that marriage that is still standing in your family photo. Or that relationship with your teenager, who finally smiled for one photo in the shoot. You know how new and scary & yet meant to be you felt as you held your little newborn baby in front of my camera. You know how right and peaceful & full of hope you felt as I photographed you and your new spouse. I live for important feelings & endearing or critical moments. It’s in my nature & while we’ve all been laying low, I can’t wait to truly get back to it & photograph all of those moments where you know.
DM or text me so we can arrange a safe photo session during safe times to capture all.the.things.❤️❤️❤

20/04/2020

“Don’t forget it: he has most who needs least. Don’t create needs for yourself”. -Catholic Saint Josemaria Scriva .... I loved this quote in an article on happiness that I came across last night. It said a considerable portion of happiness is your mindset; in practicing gratitude, being happy with what you have, and curbing your wants. Always a good reminder. Have you found it easier to be happy with what you have during this pandemic? Or harder? What about your kids? Easier or more difficult? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’ll share my thoughts in comments today.

I shot this in the desert last night on another sunset drive. This is my pic, but I took the big guns along too. ;)

20/03/2020

Hello friends, do you have extra fabric sitting around, or beds sheets to spare, know how to sew, or know someone who does? There is a great need for hospital gowns and masks to be sewn right now and my friend is spearheading this effort here in Mesa. The video tutorial link is in my profile and her explanation of this is in the next photo in this post. I would be more than happy to pick fabric or sewn gowns and masks up from nearby doorsteps! Please consider sharing and/or providing this effort!
Also I’d love to hear of any other service opportunities you all might be aware of right now!! We may be staying home, but there are still ways to help! ❤️❤️❤️

12/02/2020

Not technically a senior portrait here, but man, can you picture on-location senior portraits like this? And can you get over her amazing locks? 😍😍()
Check my last post for a 3 day promotion I’m running if you book senior portraits with me this week!
😆

12/02/2020

Booking senior portraits now, both
in-studio and outdoors. 10% discount to those who book with me by this Friday. Additional 15 photos given if you book with me AND have a referred friend book with me too!! Tag your high school friends (and the moms too ha)! 😘😘
Can’t wait for these sessions!
Peace out friends! 😜😉

04/01/2020

Included in our 2019 weddings, Paul and I photographed the family weddings of 3 nephews, 1 niece, and 1 sister!! 🎉😍🤗
Each one landed a spouse that we truly love and adore and Mitch was no exception with ! ❤️We loved photographing and being a part of their special day a couple of weeks ago!

16/11/2019

Thinking back on my sister’s St. Augustine wedding from last April. I really should show you guys more of these images; Tiffany and Gabe are a beautiful couple and I’m happy that they make each other so happy. I have some winter weddings coming up, including a backyard wedding which is always one of my favorite ways to celebrate.

14/11/2019

Outtakes are some of my favorites and I love a good candid or outtake framed in a home or on a Christmas card! Raise your hand if you’ve ever framed in your home or sent out a Christmas card that wasn’t a traditional eyes-on-the-camera portrait! 🤚🏻 (I do agree it’s nice to see enough of the subjects’ faces on the card though, or do one of each).
❤️❤️

13/11/2019

I have a mental bucket list of the various places around here that I want my own family portraits done. 😆 I do them for photography clients all the time👆🏻, but I’d love to make it happen to get my own family out there. The Superstition Mountains would be one of them. Living room lifestyle photos would be another. At-home documentary photos or film yet another. Oh and botanical gardens would be another too! And don’t even get me started on destination photos I’d love to take with my family, (or OF any family for that matter). 😆 All while getting moans and groans from them, including . Bit by bit, we’ll make it happen. ...hopefully. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

08/11/2019

What a cutie; he was so smiley for our whole session! I have studio sessions this weekend, but one just postponed because of sickness, so if you want to squeeze a mini session in tonight or tomorrow, let me know! I have a great sofa for photos too now, which would look good with dressed down sweaters and jeans. Studio shoot clothes can look extra good when simple, so no need to stress! Just throw a few things together and let’s get you on in! I regularly help families figure out what to wear for photos, and I’m always happy to do it. :)
DM or text me to book! I’m still doing outdoor sessions too and weddings, etc, but I’m loving these studio sessions and have been working hard at fine tuning my craft!
Can’t wait to do more. ❤️❤️

08/11/2019

Thank you so much for your support on my last post and on this additional business venture (follow along at ) I’m doing with /! I can’t wait to respond more! And if you missed my last post, definitely go check it out!! This is a project I led recently. We loved making this fireplace charming and charismatic, while also brightening the ceiling, but keeping the integrity of the wooden beams, which add immense character to this home. We called it our Santa Fe bungalow (in downtown Phoenix) and despite a really tight budget, I think it turned out nicely, what do you think? Swipe right for the drastic ‘Before’ photo! I don’t know a soul who doesn’t like a good before and after.
Thanks friends!! I’ll see you over at as well as here for more interior and photography updates!! .

08/11/2019

Guess what friends!!??? A little while back I told you I had something exciting to announce soon, and today is the day!! My good friend Brittny Smith and I started an interior design business last spring and have been taking on various beautiful projects!!! Our design group is called B+B Home Design, and I would be so grateful and excited to have you follow along there at !! We have some seriously cool before and afters that we reveal over there!
I am currently beginning interiors on the restoration of a huge-potential Victorian home as well as doing interiors on an office building for Milling Machinery Inc, and Brittny is currently leading a project that is an Arcadia 60’s ranch home restoration and just wrapped up a stunning home restoration/staging in Chandler. You definitely want to run over there and take a look at !!
I’ve always loved both photography and interior design, have taken various interior design classes over the years, helped friends with their homes, and have spent countless hours brainstorming on endless projects with my handy architect husband, . I love these interior projects just like I love these photography projects and am thrilled to be offering these services now! I am still running my photography business, including my new studio shoots and am in full swing on my busy season, but this was an opportunity that fit into something I’ve always been passionate about, plus it doesn’t hurt that we get to photograph our own interior projects! ;)
Brittny is the perfect mix of exceptional talent, kindness, great intuitions, and just happens to be a great friend to me as well.
Can’t wait to see you over there! Thanks for checking us out friends!! It’s hard work starting and running your own businesses and putting yourself out there, but we are so excited about these beautiful opportunities!!! We cannot WAIT to have you come along. :)

06/11/2019

“You may be as different as the sun and the moon, but the same blood flows through both your hearts. You need her, as she needs you.” -George R. R. Martin
I really love a good sibling portrait. As a sibling and as a mother! Some years, your Christmas card can consist of a portrait of just the kids, and that’s ok! (Though I’m an advocate for Mom getting in front of the camera too, you know that right?).

(Did you see my last post about my studio mini sessions this Saturday, 11-3? See last post for deets.. 😘😘)

05/11/2019

Mini family sessions available THIS Saturday between 11-3! $200 for a 20-30 minute studio session that comes with 15 edited full resolution digitals. You can also book two back to back sessions for more time to get the realest of real smiles and the silliest of silly and prettiest of pretty candids (double the images too). Did you know most people need at least 15 minutes to warm up to the camera, let alone capture a variety of groupings and individuals’ shots? I always save my best scenes and best scenarios for later in the photo shoot because the beginning is just warm up time for most of us when we’re behind the camera. :) DM or text me to book for this Saturday! These prices and this format are a test run for me, and only available this Saturday, so they’re not guaranteed to happen again!
🎬🎬📸📸📸🎉🎉👊🏻

31/10/2019

That one year we were all vintage Hollywood movie characters. Holly Golightly, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Shirley Temple, The Professor and Ginger from Gilligan’s Island. 🎬🎬🎬

30/10/2019

Kids in my studio are so cute it’s redunculous. Yes redunculous. Not that I’m partial to this one or anything. And yes, I have a studio space! In the workshop behind my house. I’ve been doing more and more studio sessions and it’s been really exciting! DM or text me to book! 😘😘

30/10/2019

This little guy’s third birthday is in a month. He gets away with way too much as you might guess as the youngest and the only boy (we had all the best intentions of no special treatment😉), but he can also be such a loving little sweetheart. ...Kisses, ‘I love you’s’, snuggles, and so many raspy laughs and smiles. I’m going to soak it all up as long as I can get it!

29/10/2019

More slots open for my White Sands Sessions for November 9th! Let me know by November 1st, this weekend. $650 for one family or down to $425 per family if four families are booked. Photos are available at White Sands anytime of year, but for a $475-$700 range. I love shooting stunning photos for people and in ways that can be an artistic and timeless family portrait in their home for years. White Sands definitely fits the bill for that. 👌🏻😍

23/10/2019

Booking White Sands Sessions, November 9th!!!
DM or text me to book!! (Possibly 11/8 and/or 11/11 if enough interest!) I took these portraits of my talented dear friend ’s family last year and she was kind enough to snap a few of my family too. She introduced me to White Sands!!! The more sessions I book, the lower your travel fee goes, so tag your friends and come together! This really is a once in a lifetime kind of photo shoot. A stunning beyond stunning place and eh-hem, the right photographer to provide you with a large print of an artistic, serene, beautiful, personalized scene for your home. Including travel fees, these sessions cap out at $650, but if I get enough takers your session fee can bring the overall price down to $425. And honestly that’s a really big steal of a deal for this place and these photos!! So, definitely tag your friends or better yet, round up your friends and come!! You can even ride atv’s here in the morning and then take epic photos in the late afternoon. See? Win win. Can’t wait!!!

22/10/2019

I can’t wait to go back. I’m ready with just the right tricks this time around too since this place takes a learning curve. Although my session here with last year was one for the books!
Speaking of books, you should book your white sands session for November 9th ASAP. 😉❤️😍😍

22/10/2019

I have something up my sleeve to announce to you tomorrow. And actually I have a few exciting things to announce over the next week!! Stay tuned for details on photo sessions in White Sands, New Mexico the weekend of November 9th. Start tagging your friends because the best way I can make this available to you is if a few of you book these sessions together (make a fun weekend out of it!!) or charge an adequate travel fee (it’s 5 hours away). But seriously, White Sands sessions coming your way in 3 weeks!! Text or DM me to book!! More info coming tomorrow!!! And more announcements coming later this week. 😉😘