Toolson Family | Utah County Family Photos

Toolson Family | Utah County Family Photos

Family sessions in Utah are so magical! I had an amazing time capturing Sarah and her sweet family. Funny enough Sarah and I are both from the same town in Florida and ended up in Utah. It was such a joy to connect again and make some portraits for her family. My nostalgic old-soul loves the opportunity to create memories that families will look back on for a long time. I want to create imagery that feels like a worn antique, an old home, or a classic story read for generations. They’re things you can’t replicate; their age and imperfections tell a tale that make them unique. In the same way, I want to tell a stories with artistry that has character and a bit of ethereal je ne sais quoi. I’m not seeking to create something trendy or commonplace; I want to preserve a distinctly individual and authentic glimpse into a family’s history that will still be cherished years down the road. Message me if you’d like to make something like this together.

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Lauren | Provo Canyon Senior Session

Lauren | Provo Canyon Senior Session

Lauren is luminous, so it was fitting that this day brought some of the most enchanting light I have seen in a long time. It surprises me sometimes how sessions turn out. I always pray beforehand that God will allow me to get a glimpse of how He sees the people I photograph. I love to craft the session around what I see in them, and not just spit out the same poses or use the same formula for each portrait. As it turned out, God already had the perfect day picked out for Lauren. As much as I can try to create as a reflection of Him, He is still the master artist. To be honest, I’ve never quite photographed anyone like this before. The combination of the light as subject was like discovering something as it unfolded before my eyes. The warm light that kissed Lauren was not of my making, but God’s. The colors shifted into unique hues with the changing of the sun’s rays behind the clouds. I can see and frame things, but it was all already there. I didn’t make any of the beauty that came into my lens.

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Suffering Magnifies our Blessings

Suffering Magnifies our Blessings

“The very pleasures of human life men acquire by difficulties.” - St. Augustine

I have recently found myself thanking God for things I have never thanked Him for before. For example, Jonathan has lots of curly hair, and curly hair sheds…a lot. It used to drive me crazy to for so much of his hair to end up all over our shower. (He does try to clean it up though.) But after the pain of walking through almost losing him, I find that I thank God for that hair every time I shower. It is a visual reminder that I still have my husband. Pain gives us a hard but vital lesson in thankfulness. It expands what we see to be thankful for in our lives. Who would think that hardship and suffering could make you MORE thankful? When it comes to surviving and or sinking in painful seasons, we are thrust into a crossroads

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A Mother's Example | Cherry Blossom Portraits

A Mother's Example |  Cherry Blossom Portraits

If there is one thing motherhood has taught me, it is that my children learn more from what I do than what I say. If I find true enjoyment in something, they seem to enjoy it also. If I complain about something, I find they mimic my complaints later. They mirror the way I treat them, the way I talk to others, and the emotions I express. To my dismay, they often mirror my negative qualities along with the positive. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” they say. And it’s true. So what kind of apples am I growing? What kind of tree am I?

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The Peace of Right Priorities | Raspberry Patch Utah

The Peace of Right Priorities | Raspberry Patch Utah

For the past year or so I’ve been trying to get rid of stress in my life. I realized a while back that I am often choosing my stress. Now, with five kids (including twins) life can get stressful pretty quickly with just the normal day-to-day things! Even so, I’ve been trying to get at the root of my stress. It’s not good for my body, my family, or my walk with the Lord. After many months of examining, I believe the root of most of my stress comes when my priorities aren’t right.

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