Some things are just meant to be…like meeting the Moua Family. It’s pretty unlikely to get a last minute, holiday weekend appointment with me, but Sheng happened to call at just the right moment.  She was flying into Sacramento from Seattle to surprise her parents with a quick weekend visit.  Her brother and sister-in-law were coming from Phoenix and Sheng really, really, REALLY wanted to bring her parents, 4 siblings and all the kiddos out for an open field evening session to celebrate the love their family has for each other. I could tell it was important to her – there was something in her voice I connected to. I could hear in her voice a deep love for her Dad.  A longing to want to honor her parents and her family’s legacy through photography.

But on the day of the scheduled shoot, she called in tears because Papa Moua was in the ER for some issues with a long term illness he’s fighting.  He simply could not make the shoot. And that’s a problem when the star of the shoot isn’t there!  My heart ached for her.  I could hear her disappointment – anguish actually – about not having the shoot.  She was leaving in a couple days and she very much felt like this was a limited opportunity.

Thankfully, and not by chance, I was still open the following evening and even though Papa Moua was tired, we finally all met in the open field. They were all decked out in blues and browns and were ready!  I hadn’t been able to scout out the location at such short notice and the first field we came to didn’t work.  Let’s just say that star thistle is NOT MY FRIEND!  Thanks to modern technology, we hopped in cars with the GPS and text and Google, and we happened to come upon the perfect place nestled between some commercial buildings.  We set up and were ready just in time for the perfect light.  The family turned on their charm and the love started oozing.  Our time was short, but we made the most of every single minute – shooting until it was simply too dark to shoot another frame.

Thank you, Moua Family, for the honor of spending an unforgettable evening together.  Everything was beautiful.  Your smiles, the setting and surroundings.  But the most beautiful part was allowing me to witness and capture your incredible love for each other.  You are truly inspirational to me. And even though the odds seemed stacked against us at the beginning, some things are just meant to be…

Enjoy your slideshow one more time! ;o)  And another special thanks to my bestie Linda, of In With The Old Vintage Rentals (website coming soon) who really sets the scene in amazing ways and my other BFF and talented assistant, Michele.  Couldn’t do it without you guys!

Huggs ::

Treacy

I had breakfast with Megan on Monday.  It was the first time we had really had a chance to catch up since the last time I took photos of her family 5 years ago. We both had my favorite breakfast burrito at the cafe down the way.  We caught up and laughed.  Spending time with Megan is easy time.  But there was the moment in the conversation that maybe we tried to avoid, but it was inevitable. See, Megan and Big Ben just dropped “Little” Ben off at college – and she was still in the raw stage of trying to figure out how to manage the new life of not having him home.  We shared some tears and some common ground. Just last year I was in this same place.  Days filled with trying to get rid of the lump in my throat, never knowing if it was going to turn into ridiculous laughter or sobbing.  Days filled with counting down the weeks until Kyle would be home again.  Days filled with looking over photos of kid’s growing-up-days that instantly felt more precious than the last time the shoe box got pulled out. Way more precious. So precious that the photos could easily become the most favored possession.

The ordering session that we had together was easier in some ways because we’ve done it before.  We joke about blowing up the photo of her with Big and Little Ben into a poster for the dorm room.  But it’s also harder, because there is something about the family portrait that happens right before the first kid leaves for college that is so symbolic and so…well…milestone-ish that fills your whole body with emotion. Worthy of celebration!  And worthy of a few tears. You know when you look at that kind of photo, it’s easy to see that life as you’ve known it for the past 18 years will not be this way again.  Another transition.  And a great one – but totally unfamiliar territory.  That’s how it is with your oldest child.  Every change with the firstborn is unchartered territory.  So, if your kids are small – squeeze those little bodies while you can!!  And relish their free little spirits.  If they are older – listen long into the night when they want to pour out there hearts (and you’re STILL wishing for sleep!)  And most of all – get out your camera and document your family’s life together.  You’ll never be sorry.  Promise.  And if you are not sure about wanting to use your camera…well…you know how to find me!

What common ground are you celebrating today?

Did you think I fell off the planet?  I just about did…but I’m coming up out of the haze – finally.

Here comes honest.  This summer was one of the hardest I’ve ever had – which sucks because summer is my favorite.  I could live year-round summer.  Not kidding.  I have no need for rain or snow or anything cold.  But it was such a difficult, and yet a totally and necessary perspective shifting couple of months. The first sad thing was that Evan, our foster son, was placed in a new home in July.  I haven’t been able to talk about it much – and really – it’s so personal and tragic that I don’t have any words anyway.  I will always be Mom as long as he wants that and he has changed our family forever.  No other words come – only tears.  A few weeks later, on August 2nd, Laurel‘s oldest daughter, Lindsay, died unexpectedly after a routine medical procedure.  I know. Unfathomable.  20 years old, 3 year old daughter, leaving behind some really AMAZING, RESILIENT, AWE INSPIRING family.  Everyone is surviving the huge blow – but it’s just one of those things that sent us all spinning and reeling – and still is.  I don’t think the shock has quite worn off yet.  It’s one of those things that you can’t explain and will never be able to.  So, I cry a lot when I’m running, we hug a lot – and this summer – I pulled in hard and vowed to love my kids with more purpose, more demonstration, more focus and just basically let go of anything not completely necessary.  And one of those things was this blog.

me n ev at ravencliff

Some might argue that keeping up the blog IS critical.  That tweeting and FB’ing are all so necessary.  And, yes – it can be.  BUT FOR ME, IT’S NOT.  Not when I’m in the face of life and death, and hugging best friends that are shattered (and yes…you can do that from far away).  It’s NOT when I come to the screeching-halt-realization that at any moment my life, or the lives of people I care about could be over and I have to decide how I spend my hours.  My focus this summer has been 1) emotional and mental survival 2) preserving my own legacy with my family.  That’s it.  The blog will wait.  FB will wait. Twitter (which – uh – I hate that “DING!”) will wait.  But loving my family – and making sure they KNOW I LOVE THEM is not what is going to be waiting. Because time is short and fragile and I am fragile and they are fragile, if we are honest about it.

I have gotten lazy about taking photos of my own family doing daily things – going on vacation and just being silly – because sometimes it makes me feel like I’m at work (even though I LOVE what I do).  But, I decided to take this summer to document for myself what I do for others all the time.  And it brought so much joy to do that.  So cathartic and therapeutic (redundant – yes).

I’ll say it again – photography is something I’m passionate about because it preserves heritage, it gives sight to the emotions we feel, and sometimes – it gives us the only remaining thing we have when someone we love is torn away too soon.  Ask Neville.  The photos he has of Laurel and Lindsay have become his most treasured possessions (with the exception of the girls and pixie Leah).  And I don’t mean my photos that I took of their family, although they have been amazing for friends and family – but ANY photo he has of them is instantly more precious than they were the day before.  And I’m coming to view my photos differently.  I have the horrible weakness of being perfectionistic about my photos – the “arteest” in me has a hard time being satisfied if the lighting isn’t perfect and blah, blah, blah – but I’m working hard at being delighted with the subject regardless of composition, posing, etc.

Sigh…..heavy, right?  I know…it’s what I’ve been trying to get away from all summer.  So – I think I’m finally catching my breath – which is good, because I have so many fun shoots to share with you.  I’ve shot a magazine cover for Antique Trove and their newly renovated Garden Terrace (which btw – if you’ve never been there – you’re missing out – check them out), I loved on a set of twins, so many awesome high school seniors, I photographed two amazing families that gathered from near and far to bless their aging parents, I photographed camp life again at Camp Ravencliff for a week, I hosted a fabulous outdoor evening party for my family in collaboration with the newly emerging “In With The Old Vintage Rentals” (ahhhh!!!  So amazing what they do!!!! website coming soon!) – and so much more. But for now – here is a glimpse of my personal life – my family – my treasures – my inspiration – the people and pets that make me the happiest.

It’s why I do what I do.

Why do you do what you do?

my two blondies

always the photographer - never the photographed - typical...

reflective photography is so fun...i like ellie in this one...

lonely little pinecone leaf(?)

me and my amazing kids - and a rare look at me in a bathing suit - i have my hat on so you won't recognize me - haha!!

sand in the hair - gotta love it...

and more sand - but again - loving the reflections and light

the posse - Kyle's GF and brother + the puppies annie & ellie

we hung out on Nevada Beach (Lake Tahoe) where it's a dog beach. the big dogs love connor. or maybe it's the food...

we hiked into the beach and this was the view along the way. totally refreshing.

i fell in love with these "wishes". they were the size of baseballs. made me want a little girl twirling in a white dress...

hollie took this one of annie. she has some skills. happy dog!

one of our family traditions - rainbow jello. i know. you want some.

the boys at sand harbor, lake tahoe, nevada (on the north shore near incline)

sassy hollie always splashing someone...can you hear me scream "not the camera!!!"

why do I like this...idk...light, water, reflections, abstract beauty...

sand castle on the shore of sand harbor...i like the little flag...

sun silhouettes

add a little rainbow to that sun flare - i love shooting into the sun. it makes me happy.