I lived in El Paso, TX for one year before returning to Seattle in 2005.  Since leaving, I have returned annually to photograph families.  For the first time, longtime Texas clients asked me to photograph them while they were in Seattle.  I was super excited to photograph them in the beauty of the NW.  And they did not disappoint.  They showed up with a great grey/yellow clothing theme which I had not seen before and absolutely LOVED.  It was so fun exploring a local park with them and ending with some blackberry picking on the shores of Lake Washington.  Thank you Jabor family for including me in your NW travel plans, I hope these pictures will remind you of your 2014 adventure.

Capturing the Moment

I have so many words running through my head about the love and admiration I have for this next family.  But I will keep it brief and let the images do the talking.  Stacey, I have always thought the world of you (I still remember one of our first coversation at the little park off Sunset) and you are giving such a gift to your kids capturing beauty every year.  You will see that the timing worked out exactly how it was meant to be...I loved photographing the kids in their rooms and seeing what they love and cherish.

The Love and Strength of a Woman

Like the previous family I shared, I have been photographing this next family for a number of years.  When I first started working with them, I got to know their mother a little better than most because she was so enthusiastic about her love of images and the love of her family.  She always had adorable outfits for her girls and worked hard to make them feel special.  I learned of the close bond she shared with her mother who courageously battled cancer for many years.  One of our sittings together coincided with her mother's visit to El Paso and I was able to capture her with her granddaughters.  And then, in 2009, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia .  Her prognosis was grim, but she defied the odds.  Even while undergoing 8 rounds of spinal tap chemo, she made sure she captured the beauty of her daughters.  

After two years and 23 hospital stays of treatments, she beat the odds and has been cancer free for the past two years.  Soon after completing her treatment, Amanda was notified that her mother's cancer had metastasized.  Amanda became her number one supporter.  Their mother/daughter bond is like no other. This year, her mother sadly passed away. Throughout her emotional and physical journey Amanda inner light never dimmed.  Regardless of her circumstances the light always shined through.
This weekend, Amanda will run her 2nd half marathon.  Just three years after completing her treatment.  She is now using her experience to touch others, running with Team in Training, fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Amanda inspires me, not because of the disease she has overcome, but because of the woman she is...a thoughtful, loving warrior.  So today, I am starting with a few of her.  I hope she sees the beauty, strength and love she gifts to those around her reflecting back at her!!  It is no wonder that her girls are so great!!

An eight year retrospective

For the past 8 years, I have been traveling to El Paso to photograph families.  I am asked all the time, "El Paso...why El Paso?"  My husband & I lived in El Paso for his first year of residency.  When we moved back to Seattle, I had one remaining wedding scheduled in El Paso (one of the last weddings I would do for my career).  When I flew to EP for the wedding, I traveled with my 8 wk old son and decided to maximize my travel and I scheduled 8 family sittings as well.  That was the beginning of it all.  I cannot believe it has been 8 years since we left.
For the first time, after the sitting that I am sharing here, I decided to look back at their images from the past and I decided to share them along with their new images.  It is really incredible to see the changes that happen and how easy it is to forget what kids used to look like as little people because the image is replaced with their current, older appearances.  As a mom, looking at these pictures was a reminder of how important and valuable images throughout my kids lives are important.  That may sound silly coming from a photographer, but even I dismiss the value in my own life.
This is a huge image dump...37 pictures.  But I wanted to share the progression of these beautiful kids' life. They have grown so much, but not much has changed...the love (for each other & their dogs), spunk, thoughtfulness and beauty that I saw 8 years ago is consistent.  Getting to see them grow, it is fun looking at the pictures and know that the beauty represented in the images reflects their internal beauty.  These kids are amazing people!
The last picture I share is to document the home they have known their entire life.  A home they will be moving from in the next year or two.  A home that has been in their family for generations and their parents have opened to me so graciously with each visit.
It is important to capture the progression of our childrens' lives and I thank this very special family for allowing me to be the photographer to do that for them and for providing me a place to continue returning to El Paso.