One of the many benefits of being a photographer is getting to document different stages of life. The first year that I did any type of work in photography I was an assistant at this clients' wedding and I feel very honored that 12 years later she asked me to photograph her two boys. She has gotten into the photography business herself and it is always flattering when someone more familiar with the business hires me. Her boys were so easy to work with, up for anything and full of smiles. I had to add a few extra of her son w/ his cape...he was hilarious!
This is rare for me...two urban sittings in a row...it is a great time for the urban setting and I always love taking people to a place they never would think about for family pictures.

The first few days...

Here are a few favorites from the first few days in Laos. We spent a few days in the beautiful World Heritage site town of Luang Prabang walking the alleyways and night market was the highlight. The food was tasty but I avoided many of the offerings that were roasted on a stick. There is a picture here of roasted intestines but I missed taking pictures of the roasted frogs and chicken heads...YUCK! Enjoy...

A successful surprise!

Last month I was asked to be a part of a husband's surprise birthday gift for his wife. The husband was excited and nervous about pulling it all off. I reassured him that he was giving a gift that would be a home run. It is rare that I meet a mom that doesn't love photos of her children and that he thought to give this as a gift was so great. His kids were so great to work with and they were troopers. It was a very cold morning but there was not one word of complaint...they would have made their mom proud. Not only did dad arrange the sitting he went big and had a canvas made for her of their beautiful kids. Her birthday was a few days before I returned from my trip and I was excited to hear how it all went.

This is the email I received when I got home...
"Tara,
Every husband who wants to surprise his wife with the ultimate gift of a portrait MUST call you! Your work is beautiful and you make "our" job as husbands/dads very fulfilling. Your creativity, professionalism and unique, yet casual style compliment each picture you take. Our children were extremely comfortable with you and you brought out exciterment, love, and laughter within them. This was the BEST gift that I have given my wife! Surprises are wonderful and you touched our lives in such a remarkable way with your lovely work."
His email will stay with me for so long. I am so happy that his hopes for a great gift were realized and I had so much fun helping him make it happen. I finally get to meet his wife next week and I cannot wait to hear her perspective of his wonderful surprise.
So now that the surprise is out of the bag I can finally share a few images from their shoot.

Monks of Laos

So I am trying my best to work through images before I get completely buried w/ work this week. I started out trying to compartmentalize the images and choose to start w/ something that I never grew tired of seeing, the monks. I was always reaching for my camera the first few days of the trip everytime a monk was w/in eyesight. Their orange robes against the textures of the street scene was always stunning. In the morning if you wake early enough you can watch a beautiful scene that plays out every morning. The monks pound a drum outside the temple and then exit the Wat grounds to take alms. It definitely got my photographic juices pumping.
Here are my favorites...