Mo has fun in the desert - Tucson, Arizona

 Now Mo, DO NOT GET TOO CLOSE TO THE CACTUS! Yes, I am a typical parent. I was a little paranoid he would get too close and stick himself! He is very inquisitive and investigative, a typical kid. But he listened well and didn't get too close. It was SUCH A BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON! I really enjoyed our visit to Tucson and this park in particular. Lots of beautiful cactus and the landscape is just gorgeous!
 Mo was mesmerized by the sheer size of this cactus!

 It was really funny, Mo picked up this branch and pretended to vacuum. He's at that age he wants to help out so much around the house and vacuuming is one of those fun things he loves to do.

I absolutely fell in love with being there and the scenery, but I am happy to be back. I love the grass and trees and open fields. Kansas is definitely where I want to be!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bre and Trent's Big Wedding Day - St John Vianney Church - Maple Hill, KS - Topeka Weddings

Image
Bre and Trent’s wedding day was such a beautiful celebration. They were married at St. John Vianney Church in St. Marys, a church well known for its beautiful Latin Mass. The day began with them getting ready separately at their family’s homes, so they didn’t see each other before the ceremony. The traditional Catholic ceremony was absolutely beautiful and filled with so many emotions. I didn’t realize until later that Bre and Trent have been together since high school, which made the day even more special. After the ceremony, we headed to Shawnee Lake and Reynolds Lodge for some beautiful portraits. I absolutely love photographing at Reynolds Lodge because all of the beautiful window light makes it such an amazing place for photography. Of course, one of the biggest parts of their day was their brand-new baby boy, Toby. He is absolutely adorable and has the cutest little smile! It was also so wonderful seeing the love and support from both of their families as everyone came together t...
Read more

Parker Turner - Washburn Rural Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
I knew pretty quickly that Parker’s senior session was going to be a good one. We started at Washburn Rural High School in the room where he trains for wrestling, so we had some fun working the wrestling theme into his photos with some different poses and shots. Parker has a lot of confidence, and it was great seeing that personality come out in front of the camera. From there, we headed downtown and made stops at the Capitol and one of my favorite graffiti spots, where we got some really killer shots. We finished up at a parking garage just in time for an amazing sunset. The light was incredible, but honestly, Parker made my job pretty easy because he was so comfortable in front of the camera. We had a lot of fun hanging out with Parker and his family throughout the session, and there was plenty of laughing along the way. This was one of those sessions where everything just seemed to come together, and I think we got some photos that really show Parker’s personality. T.H. Peterson: W...
Read more

Interview with Talan Robertson - Washburn Rural Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
Talan is one of those seniors who clearly loves baseball. A lot of athletes who are naturally gifted end up playing several sports, but Talan has really put his focus into baseball. You can tell how much he loves the game when you talk to him. We started his session at Washburn Rural, then headed to the Governor’s Mansion and finished up down along the Kansas River. He brought great energy to the whole session. He was excited about everything we were doing, easy to talk to, and just a really fun guy to photograph. He is also very photogenic and has one of those smiles that makes my job pretty easy. One of the things I really enjoyed was getting his guitar into the session. The photos we were able to create with him playing guitar had a totally different feel to them. They were artistic and dramatic, and I really liked how they turned out. All in all, this was just a great session from start to finish. Talan has a great personality, he was up for anything, and his passion for baseball r...
Read more

Interview with Ean Winsor - Holton High School Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
When Ean stepped out of his vehicle, I was pretty excited because this is a BIG dude! As a football player at Holton High School, he has the kind of stature that really stands out, and he absolutely towered over us. I knew we could make some really tough-looking images of him, and we definitely did our best to capture that side of him. But it didn't take long to realize that underneath that big football-player exterior is a giant teddy bear. Ean is such a sweet, friendly, and considerate young man, and I wanted to make sure we captured that side of him too. We started his session on the football field and talked a little about football and his great team at Holton High School. The session was pretty quick, and then we headed out into the country for some photos on a gravel road. The setting sun gave us this beautiful, warm, vibrant background that really made the images pop. Ean gave us some awesome smiles, and we were able to get tons of great images during his session. It was a r...
Read more

Nora's Newborn Session - Interview with Mom - Topeka's Best Newborn Photographers

Image
Nora was such a beautiful little girl, and she had the sweetest little faces throughout her newborn session. She was a little fussy when we first started, but after a quick diaper change, she completely passed out and was ready to go. From that point on, she was an absolute dream to photograph. Nora gave us so many sweet expressions and posed perfectly for her photos. I especially loved all the little details, from her tiny hands to the way she curled up and settled into each pose. She was such a great little model, and we were able to capture some beautiful memories of this very special time for her family. T.H. Peterson: What did you think when you first saw Nora? Chelsie: When Michael and I first met Nora we were so happy to hear her little cries. The first comment was, “Look at all that hair.” The nurses couldn't get enough of her. Her dad and I both had waited a long time to meet this little girl and couldn't believe she was finally here. T.H. P.: How did you come up wi...
Read more

Zach and Kate's Engagement Session - Ted Ensley Gardens at Shawnee Lake at Sunset - Topeka Wedding Photographer

Image
Zach and Kate were so much fun to photograph. We met up at Ted Ensley Gardens at Shawnee Lake last Saturday for their engagement session, and after how warm it had been during the day, I was honestly a little worried about how the evening was going to feel. But it ended up being perfect. These two have such great chemistry that I don't think they even noticed the heat. They were just completely comfortable with each other, laughing, smiling, and having a good time. They have that kind of connection where you can tell they've been together for a while and are just really happy being around each other. And they're both so photogenic, which certainly made my job pretty easy. There were a few things that really stood out to me during their session. Their car was awesome, so we had to work that into a few of the photos, and I really liked how those turned out. But honestly, it was the way Zach and Kate interacted with each other that made the whole session. They just seemed so c...
Read more

Interview with Maddy Hladky - Washburn Rural High Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
We had a great time photographing Maddy for her senior session at Gage Park and the Rose Garden. It was interesting because I don't normally get a request to do an entire senior session in one location, but Gage Park has so much to offer that it was a nice challenge to get creative and capture an entire session within the confines of one location that we use quite often. We really got to explore the park, and before we knew it, the session was over. Maddy is a beautiful young lady; great smile. She's friendly, smart, and just a lot of fun to photograph. I really loved the photos we got in the Rose Garden itself. Maddy was wearing a pink top, and some of my favorite images were with the sunset hitting her hair and the pink roses in the background. It just made for some beautiful images. We had a great time, and Mom was there with us, so we enjoyed hanging out with her as well. It was just a really fun session from start to finish. T.H. Peterson: What are your plans after high s...
Read more

Interview with Keegan - Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
Keegan is such a cool girl, and we had an absolutely perfect morning for her senior session at Osage County Fishing Lake. We started at sunrise, and the light coming up over the tree line and reflecting across the water was just beautiful. Keegan has a great smile, and she made it so easy to capture some really natural, genuine expressions. Her mom and dad came along too, and they were so much fun to hang out with. Before we knew it, the session was over! We finished up at the studio and grabbed a few more portraits there. I loved Keegan’s outfit and her cowgirl hat, and the whole session had this natural, countryside feel that really fit her personality. She’s such a nice young lady, and I’m super excited about how her photos turned out. We had a great time from beginning to end, and I think these images really capture Keegan’s personality and style. Here are a few of our favorites! T.H. P.: What do you like about being homeschooled? Keegan: No rude peers, exclusion or pressure! I a...
Read more

How to Prepare for a Photo Session - Topeka's Best Family Portrait Photographers

Image
Select outfits that will make for a timeless portrait. Choose practical clothing items, and keep the location and time of year in mind.  Select clothing items and accessories that are not too distracting or that you will have to adjust often during the session (think long necklaces or ruffled tops on a windy day).  Keep in mind the weather, wind speed, and humidity/chance of rain.  If you have littles, bring them some snacks to help give them incentives during the session.  This can help us to get kids to cooperate and make or break a session.  If it is windy, wear your hair up.  Trimming your bangs/hair slightly to keep them out of your eyes is a great idea, too! Use product like mousse, gel, pomade, and hairspray to tame your mane!    Pick shoes that will be easy to walk in at the location of the session.  For example, high heels are not recommended for sunflower shoots, but would look great in an urban/downtown ...
Read more

Cassie and Brandon's amazing day! The Beacon Wedding Venue - Topeka Wedding Photography

Image
Brandon and Cassie were married last Saturday at The Beacon in Topeka, and what a beautiful day it was! The Beacon is such a classic, historic venue, and it made the perfect backdrop for their wedding. It was the last really hot day of summer before all the cool weather moved in, so we stayed inside the entire time. Honestly, though, with a building this beautiful, we never once wished we were outside. The lighting was amazing, there were so many different rooms and looks to work with, and the architecture was just gorgeous. One of my favorite moments was photographing Cassie on the huge grand staircase on the lower level, showing off her long train. It was absolutely stunning. And then there were the tears! I joked with Brandon and Cassie about how many happy emotions were bubbling over throughout the day. From a photography standpoint, it made for such an amazing experience because there were so many tender moments, happy tears, hugs, and genuine connections happening all around them...
Read more