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Here you will find all sorts of things: tips and tricks, book reviews, stories of my adventures, client features, and so much more!
Tuesdays Together, New Mexico Volunteers at Roadrunner Food Bank
I know it's late, but I had to share today's adventure with y'all. Today I took the time to volunteer at New Mexico's largest food bank with the Rising Tide Society's Tuesdays Together New Mexico group.
My Three Sons- An update
I've occasionally posted about my boys on this blog, but it's been quite a while since I've given y'all an update on them. So much has changed in the last few months alone! It's a crazy ride, raising these three boys that I've been blessed with, but I wouldn't have them, or this life any different.
A Rustic, Backyard Wedding in Espanola, New Mexico- Gayle and Aaron
Gayle and Aaron were married on July 1st, 2017 in a beautiful backyard ceremony at Gayle's parent's home in Espanola, New Mexico. This amazing family came together to DIY almost everything about their wedding- from the cake and the decor, to the invitations and DJ, it all had something personal about it.
'Go Set a Watchman' by Harper Lee- a Book Review
I finished reading 'Go Set a Watchman' by Harper Lee today. Yes, it's the same one that was originally rejected by a publisher for some strange reason that caused Harper Lee to go write her more famous novel, 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. This novel features a grown-up Scout, a much older Atticus, a Jem that is present only in memory, and a few new characters that I don't remember from my middle school reading of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.
A Prairie Star Wedding- Jenna and Nestor Rios
Jenna and Nestor Rios were married this past Saturday, November 4th, 2017 in a sweet, simple ceremony at Prairie Star Restaurant. Their day was filled with small, meaningful details, such as the charm of Jenna's great-grandparents that she carried down the aisle on her bouquet.
Albuquerque, New Mexico Temple of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints- Kyle and Allison's Sealing!
I had the blessing and pleasure of photographing Allison and Kyle's wedding portraits on Saturday, July 1st, at the Albuquerque, New Mexico Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
A Family Session in Ruidoso, New Mexico- The Mendiola Family
This awesome family and I met just outside of Ruidoso, along the road to Bonito Lake for their family session over Memorial Day weekend, and it was definitely an adventurous session!
Dear Mom, Grandma, and Cathy...
With Mother's Day coming on Sunday, I thought this week's post would be an opportune moment to share with you all a little about the beautiful moms and grandma that I'm blessed to have. I honestly don't know where- or who- I'd be without them.
10 Wedding Traditions That You Can Completely Skip
Weddings come with a lot of traditions, but some of our modern traditions surrounding weddings and marriage aren't nearly as old as we may think. In fact, some of them are down right recent! Anyway, here's a list of traditions that you can probably skip without anyone really noticing- and if they do, feel free to share this list with them.
Books 1-12: A Book Review by a Photographic Bookworm
One of my many goals this year is to read 36 books. To some that may sound like a great many books, and to others, not nearly enough. But, as a busy mom of three active boys, a business owner, and someone who is dyslexic (Yep. I've worked hard to be able to read and spell well, because it's something that I enjoy!), 36 books- or three books a month- seems a reasonable goal. I've managed to accomplish one-third of my goal, and I wanted to take a moment to share with y'all what I've been reading.
7 Reasons You Should Get Engagement Photos
Engagement photos are often seen as one of those things that you can forego if you're trying to save money on your wedding, but there are several excellent reasons that you should go ahead and schedule this portrait session with your chosen photographer:
5 Things That Make Your Wedding Guests Grumpy
I'm sure by now that we've all seen a few episodes of TLC's 'Four Weddings'. We all love to watch as four brides attend each other's weddings over the course of a year, and take notes and judge each other to see who had the best wedding out of the four of them. We watch as they party it up at the reception, complain about the food, judge the current bride's dress, and make notes about how such-and-such just isn't their 'style'. While it can be fun to watch, one thing we can all take away from this show is what makes wedding guests grumpy, and try to avoid these things at our own weddings. So, here is a list of 5 things that wedding guests complain about most:
Why I Support the American Cancer Society
This year, I will be donating $10.00 per mini session to the American Cancer Society, specifically supporting the Los Lunas Area Relay for Life chapter. While I've been advertising this, I realized that I've never said why I support this organization so much; why I'm raising money for them, and why I've become the event photographer for our local chapter.
Welcome to the World, Andrew Clifford!
We are so pleased to announce the birth of our third son, Andrew Clifford Bradshaw! At this point, Andrew is two months old, and both he and I are doing just fine.
Los Lunas, NM Relay for Life- An Interview with Karin Trujillo
I've had the pleasure of being the Los Lunas Area Relay for Life event photographer for the past couple of years, and every year I look forward to this incredible event. One of the many reasons that I became involved with this organization was because of the many people in my life who've had cancer. I've had several relatives pass away because of cancer, and I've been lucky enough to have several friends who've beaten it. Using my talents to give back to this organization is my way of honoring the people in my life who've come up against this horrid disease.
How Photography Can Make Genealogy Come Alive
As I type this, I'm sitting here watching my boys decorate gingerbread houses with my mom as part of their Christmas fun. My dad is relaxing in the living room, and my grandmother is doing heaven knows what while puttering in her kitchen. We're currently at my grandmother's house sitting at her dining room table while all of this is going on. One of the things I love most about this room (besides eating dinner in it, and the people I'm surrounded by) is that it's covered in photos of our relatives. My grandmother's parents, their parents, and their parents are all represented on the walls of this room, as are my grandfather's.
Cracking the Code of Receiving Lines: Are They Worth the Hassle?
If you've ever been to a wedding, you've probably participated in a receiving line. You know. That crazy long line to greet the bride and groom on their special day directly after the ceremony so that you can pay them your respects and give them your well wishes. They're long, irritating, and mostly just annoying. I recently photographed a wedding where the receiving line carried on for over an hour and a half! Anyway, you've probably plotted various ways of ditching this long-time wedding tradition in hopes of not having one on your wedding day. Some of those plans may even involve invisibility cloaks and magic wands...
10 Tips for Letting Go of Your Body Insecurities on Your Wedding Day
This day in age it's easy to look at our physical appearances and only see the things that we'd love to improve- especially when your wedding day is approaching. You know you'll be the center of everyone's attention (as you rightfully should!), and you want to look and feel your best, but it's hard to have that confidence when you're ambushed with 'picture-perfect' models on magazine covers, social media posts, and on T.V. shows. So, how do you let go and enjoy your day?
What is a Wedding Planner, and Why Should You Hire One?
Hey, y'all! I've invited Jessica from Jessica Lynn Weddings & Events to write today's post about what a wedding planner actually does, and why you should hire one. As a photographer, I highly recommend that you at least have a wedding planner at your wedding for day-of coordination services. Oftentimes, I find myself filling in this vital role at weddings, as well as trying to do my own job of photographing your wedding, and it can get a little crazy (okay, a LOT crazy) when I'm trying to fill two very different roles. So, I'm gonna turn the rest of this blog post over to her, and I hope you guys will give her a call for your wedding!
Confessions of a Los Lunas, NM Photographer
It's hard to believe that I am once again writing this annual post. It seems like I just wrote the one at the beginning of 2016! But, here we are at the beginning of 2017.