Photos at Freestone Park

Today was a muggy day in sunny Arizona but I packed the camera equipment into the car, hiked up the air conditioning full blast, and headed out to Freestone Park this morning to meet my friends and clients.


Here, Julianna and Alaya are not even bothered by the high humidity as they look over a peek-a-boo book. At one point they became so animated that I worried I may not get canvas quality shots. As you can see below, the worrying was for nothing.













Here Julianna is in black and white with the blue monkey bars framing her beautiful face.



Mom and Alaya were busy blowing bubbles...

Or catching them...

Alaya hams it up with her dad.


Julianna makes a great little model.

And here, both girls just hang out in front of the water.

It was fun hanging out with Alaya and Julianna... Oh and the adults were cool too!

Ryan's infant photos

Since the monsoons are keeping me indoors with the high humidity, it is a pleasure to have such wonderful infant photos to work on.

Ryan is 3 months old in these images...



I love this age because his little personality is clear in each image.




This one was fun to photoshop with a special filter.

What a difference between his 4 week images and these! Still beautiful but so smiley and cute!

Ryan is such a cute baby! I can't wait to take the next ones! If you want to see his 4 week photos you can see a few at facebook.com/apmphotos

Sunset Photography

I love to photograph sunsets! When I am on my way home around sunset time and it looks like the sky will explode with color, it becomes a race to see if I can get to the top of a hill, mountain, or parking garage before the colors turn to shades of grey.


This first image was taken on a backroad in Apache Junction, AZ. This is one of my favorites due to the composition.

These next 2 images were taken at McDowell mountains in Phoenix, AZ.

For the following sunset photos, the race was not to the top of the hill but from one side of the beach to the other on Isla Mujeres near Cancun, Mexico.

























Where have you seen beautiful sunsets?

Hooked on helicopter rides and photography

Last month we went to Las Vegas, and while I can't speak of everything that we did (due the the "stays in Vegas" clause) I can share that we went on an awesome helicopter ride at night. The trip only lasted 15 minutes but it was enough to get a tour of the city lights and hear a little tour guide info as well.

Now if I could only figure out how to finance future helicopter rides... I have a list going:
Hoover Dam
Grand Canyon
Niagara Falls
Monument Valley

Where would you like to go???

Diversity and photography

All my friends know that diversity is near and dear to my heart and this year I had the privilege to expand my horizons a little more by photographing two Jewish weddings.

Mark and Trini live in New York but were married at Ashley Manor in AZ. There wedding was very traditional and full of learning opportunities for me. As soon as I arrived, Mark showed me the Huppah (canopy) where the ceremony was to take place and asked me not to step inside of it until after the wedding because it represented the home that the two would build together.

I went in to the manor and shot some of the traditional prewedding images but soon it was time to go to the table where Mark was signing the Ketubah (contract). Soon he was whisked away so that Trini could sign it as well. Here the Rabbi holds up the Ketubah:

Soon it was time for the ceremony. After Trini met Mark at the alter, she circled him 7 times, symbolizing building the walls to their new home. Mark then took the tallit (prayer shawl) that he had around his shoulders and wrapped himself and Trini in it.

They drank wine from beautiful goblets and then they put rings on each other's right index finger instead of left ring finger. Later that night during the formal photos, I shot this one which became one of my favorites:

After the breaking of the glass, the reception had several traditions to capture as well. Mark's dad blessed the bread and wine so that the eating could begin. Afterwards, before the cake cutting and bouquet and garter toss, Trini and Mark were elevated in their chairs for the Hora.

Freddie and Rachel's wedding was not as traditional but no less beautiful! They were married at San Marcos Resort on a beautiful lawn where the sun fell just about the time Freddie was kissing his new bride.

The Hora:

I am honored to have been part of these two special couples' wedding days.