Wayfarer Studio

We've Moved

2011-09-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

This is a loooong overdue post that we've moved to our new site: www.wayfarerstudio.com! We've also moved our personal blog, chronicling life in Shanghai: www.wayfarerfamily.com. Come by for a visit!

Amy

2010-10-24T08:59:00.001-07:00

We were so excited when Amy contacted us for some "Farewell Dubai" portraits. We've gotten to know Amy through our softball friends, and she is the loveliest person! My favorite memory of Amy was when we attended a mutual friend's bachelorette party- well, I attended, Amy hosted! And let me tell you, she was the hostess with the mostest! This girl went all out! The party had a flapper theme and when the guests arrived, Amy was ready with strings of pearls, hand-made feather hairpieces, and the cutest pill box filled with gum and advil (what a smart gift for a bachelorette party!) for each of us. I was so impressed with Amy's creativity, and desire to make things beautiful! As we wandered through sun-streaked alleys and strolled on the beach during our photo session, Amy talked about her future plans. Ready for her next adventure, Amy is preparing to move back to the States and do something different. Exactly what that is, she is not completely sure... perhaps consulting, perhaps opening a bakery... Amy considered each possibility with a dimpled smile. What a lucky lady- the world is her oyster! Whichever field Amy chooses to pursue, there is no doubt in our minds she will be very, very successful! All the best to you and your future adventures, Amy!!!

Struckmeier Family

2010-10-01T02:02:00.000-07:00

I love how summer is a time for togetherness. The warm sun and family picnics act as a magnet, and dispersed family members all find their way home to enjoy the company of their loved ones. Our Aunt Janell was thrilled to have all her kids and grand kids home at the same time this summer! We were able to snag a few portraits for them during our Summer 2010 Albaugh Family get-together.

These two just crack me up!

LaRoccas... La mia famiglia!

2010-10-01T00:32:00.000-07:00

This summer we spent a week in New York for a teaching convention. We were thrilled to be able to spend a few days of our trip out in Long Island with my brother Mark, and his family. We thoroughly enjoyed every moment with these guys... collecting sea glass on the beach, velvety wine and cheery sunflowers at the vineyard, Mark's incredible grill-master skills, Isaac's wrestling matches with the boys, and of course, the new york pizza! We managed to pull the camera out for a few minutes just before the sun set one evening...

Jake's cool duct tape glasses =)

I just love this little wild man look he has going on... popsicle stains and all!

It's possible Aunt Jenni was just a little enamored with Jake!

And I couldn't leave out sweet sweet Foxy!

Love you guys! Hope we will get to see you again soon! xoxo

Kelli and Adam

2010-09-17T23:44:00.000-07:00

Aw, Kelli and Adam. I've tried to put this post up on several occasions already, and every time I see these images I turn into a big sappy mush pile. This photo session (which turned into two, thanks to rapidly fading light on the first evening) was a goodbye gift for our friends who left Dubai last summer and moved to Tunisia. Kelli and I taught grade 2 together, and I still miss her terribly! Selfishly, I wish they hadn't left, but I'm so thrilled that they're continuing on such an exciting life adventure together. And, we now have a perfect excuse to visit Tunis!

We attempted to drive out to Bab al Shams for the photo session, but after one wrong turn, we lost so much time getting back on track that we wouldn't have enough light to shoot once we arrived. That scenario is so typical with Dubai roads! So, we decided to head back into town and go to Madinat. In the end, that worked out perfectly! With some pleading and serious puppy eyes, we were able to convince the guard to let us onto the private hotel beach for 20 minutes. After our sandy expedition we enjoyed a delicious dinner together.

Several days later we made it to Bab al Shams. It was a gorgeous afternoon!

Doesn't Kelli know how to rock those gorgeous flowing dresses?!

Hehehe... Adam's prized image of the day! He may or may not have been reprimanded by one of the resort's staff...

On the way back into town we stopped near some dunes for some images with the couples beloved car, Snowball=)

Love and miss you guys to pieces!!!

Baby Owen

2010-09-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

Remember this gorgeous bikini-clad Mama-to-be? It wasn't too long after our session that her sweet little son, Owen, decided to join the world. This little snuggler quickly stole his Mama's heart... along with just about everyone else's! He was such a little trooper during our whirlwind photo session last June. We're looking forward to seeing how much he's grown over the summer!

LOVE those dino jammies!

Getting some love from his sweet cousins!

Catching up... Alkhamis Family

2010-09-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

We are back in Dubai after 2 1/2 months at home in the states. It was wonderful to spend so much time with loved ones, but it sure feels nice to be back in our own home. I was actually surprised by how much I missed Dubai... like, really missed Dubai! Weird...
Tomorrow we start back to work, and it sounds as though it's going to be quite a crazy year! What better time to start posting some of our spring photo sessions from last school year, than on the eve of the new school year?! I thought it would be a perfectly appropriate to start with my Kristen's family. Yes, MY Kristen. Kristen and I have been lucky enough to work together for the past 3 years, and we're thrilled to be teamed up for a 4th! I am so thankful to be taking on the insane challenges of the new year with such a good buddy. For now, enjoy some images of her lovely family...

The "Etisalat Ad" photo =)

vanBaggen Family

2010-08-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

We have enjoyed some fabulous family gatherings this summer! One such get-together was our family camping trip at Belknap Hot Springs Resort. We spent several days soaking in the hot springs, reacquainting ourselves with good books, admiring the colorful gardens, and lounging on the emerald green lawns of the campsite. One evening, our beautiful sister, Rachel, was able to round up her sweet family and sneak away from the coziness of our campfire for a few family pictures! Our niece, Morgan, just might be the CUTEST thing on two legs. Oh my goodness, I love that girl!!!

Makes my heart melt every time I look at this one!

Morgan figured out how to make raspberries on this trip... I love that everyone has kissy faces in this shot!

Love you guys to pieces!!!

Leah Ann

2010-08-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting on the deck of our family beach cabin, bundled up against the cool breeze, staring out over the rolling, gray waves that snake for miles down the shore. Despite the moody clouds and the nip in the air, it is a stunning site, and I absolutely love it! Even with all of the wonderful places we have had the opportunity to visit, the beach cabin remains my favorite! Still, I can't help but wish for warmer weather, and that makes me think back to sunnier days here from earlier this summer. On one such evening, our sister, Leah, and I decided to do an impromptu shoot. Isn't she gorgeous?! Just as beautiful on the inside too...

Love you, sister! xo

Daniel and Lindsey Sneak Peek

2010-08-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

So honored to be a part of the day that celebrated this incredible love...

Robin and Neal

2010-08-17T14:55:00.000-07:00

I was beyond thrilled to have had the opportunity to take my dear friend, Robin's, engagement photos while we were home this summer! Growing up together since 1st grade, Robin and I share countless memories, but none are as precious to me as our weeks spent at Rockaway Beach. Every summer our families would gather together and share a cozy beachfront house for a week. Rob and I had the greatest beach adventures... usually trying to scout out cute boys! Good thing we got in so much practice, because Robin has found herself the perfect fiance! Neal's kindness and strong character were apparent the first time we met, and I couldn't be more thrilled to know my dear friend will be marrying the man of her dreams!
Thank you both, again, for asking me to take your portraits. I loved every minute of the beautiful, sun-drenched evening we spent together! Wishing you MANY years of love, laughter, and adventure together!!!

This picture just cracks me up! I suggested they give each other a little smooch, and these two lovebirds didn't let a little awkward positioning get in their way! Yep, these two have what it takes!

Neal found an old shopping cart... and Robin sweetly went along with our silly idea=)

Robin and Neal Sneak Peek

2010-07-28T14:42:00.001-07:00

SO sweet...

More of these lovebirds coming soon!

Summer Photo Sessions!!!

2010-07-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hello, NW friends and family! This message is especially for you! We're thoroughly enjoying our summer vacation, and are soaking up all of the beauty the Pacific Northwest has to offer. While the time off is lovely, we're missing our cameras, so we've decided to offer a limited number of portrait sessions while we're here!!! Families, newborns, lovebirds... whatever! If you are interested, please shoot us an e-mail and we can discuss details and pricing. We look forward to photographing you!
I&J
wayfarerstudio@gmail.com

Dance Portraits

2010-06-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Isaac and I were so flattered when we were asked to take dance portraits for the ASD dance students again this year! We spent the morning with a talented group of the sweetest and cutest girls you've ever laid eyes on! I've got a gazillion images to share, so I'll stop blabbing and get right to the pictures... enjoy!

Saunier Family

2010-05-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

Meet the Saunier Family! Melonie sent us the sweetest letter, asking to set up a "Dubai" family portrait session before moving back to the United States this summer. We spent a toasty, but fun-filled afternoon with the Sauniers at Madinat and the beach. The kiddos were full of wonderful spunk, and we looked for every opportunity we could to have Andrew get tickled! It was such a joy to document this beautiful family at some of Dubai's best-known sites, and it was our hope that these photos would act as a warm reminder of their time in the UAE. Not everything goes as planned, however, and sometimes unexpected changes turn out to be wonderful. Not long after the session, the Sauniers' learned that they will not have to move. They are staying in Dubai! Woo hoo!!! We're so happy for you guys!

Heath Maternity

2010-05-25T08:12:00.001-07:00

I was so excited when Kristi told me she had a bandeau style top... and that she was willing to wear it for her maternity photo session! You'll see why... =)

Tim and Kristi were just a few days away from welcoming their precious son, Owen Charles, into the world, when we met for maternity portraits. We started at Madinat... such a popular site for our portraits here in Dubai. Every time we go, we try to find some fresh new sites for our portraits, and I think we found some goodies! Tim and Kristi were absolutely adorable together! Their love for one another was evident and their excitement for the arrival of their little boy was tangible. Kristi was absolutely glowing- doesn't she look fabulous?! Can you believe she was just about to have a baby?! She was so tiny!!! Just before sunset we headed to the beach, and the bandeau top made its appearance...

See the love?

I was afraid Kristi would think I was crazy when I suggested she don a bikini and wade around in the ocean during her maternity session, but she jumped right on board. Yay!

Isn't she stunning?!

Kristi is a middle school science teacher. I was a zoology major. So, what do two science nerds do when they get together? Conduct an experiment, of course!

We decided to test whether 9-month pregnant women could float.

Please forgive me for not using the scientific method... I have limited time these days... so, skipping the background research, hypothesis, blah, blah, blah... we ran a few brief tests.

Our conclusion?

No. No, they cannot float. =)

I ended up needing a change of clothes... waded out a little deeper than I'd planned... but the soaking wet clothes were well-worth it! Thanks again, Tim and Kristi for such a fabulous evening! We can't wait to take portraits of little Owen=).

Change of plans

2010-05-22T10:31:00.001-07:00

I love it when plans don't always go as you had expected...

and the outcome is better than you had planned=).

Peek for Reena

2010-05-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

Can you handle all this cuteness?!?! More to come of sweet Malia and her wonderful family!

Sneaker

2010-05-16T10:23:00.000-07:00

A peek at who's coming up soon!!!

Allie and Chad

2010-05-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Allie and Chad are brand new friends- in fact, we met the morning of their engagement session! Our mutual buddy, Christine, went the school with Allie back in Canada, and then they reunited years later here in Dubai. Isn't life funny like that?! Christine, together with two of her sweet friends, hired us to take Allie and Chad's photos as a surprise engagement present! What fun!!! We spent a very bright and sunny morning together, in search of shady spots at Bastakiya. Allie and Chad were absolutely adorable together, and so clearly in love! We chatted about their lives, engagement, and wedding plans- in Costa Rica! WOW!!! Just a tad bit envious of those plans... =). We thoroughly enjoyed our time spent with these gorgeous lovebirds, and are so honored that we were able to document this exciting time in their lives!

Allie and Chad, it was so wonderful meeting you both! Wishing you many years of love, laughter, adventure and happiness together!

Watch out for the birds!

Here are the lovebirds and their fabulous friends who organized the photo session! Thanks again, ladies!!!

Theodore Scratch and His Family

2010-05-15T02:22:00.000-07:00

Introducing... Theodore Scratch!

He's quite possibly the cutest...

and certainly the most patient...

kitty in the world!!!

Seriously, isn't he adorable?!?!

This is Theodore's sweet family...

We spent a sunny afternoon playing around in their beautiful yard... it was so much fun! And before we left, they fed us tacos! With scrumptious guacamole!!! Yes, these guys really know how to get to our hearts=).

We had plenty of silly moments...

and quite a few sweet ones...

*A little side note...Rudaina is in my class this year... how lucky am I to spend so much time with this cutie?!

there was lots of love and plenty of snuggles...

and we ended up with some priceless images like this!

Thank you, Theodore, for sharing your wonderful family with us for the afternoon! You are one lucky little kitty!!!

3 Generations

2010-05-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Remember this cutie pie? We were so excited when Allyson asked us to take more portraits of Ella- not only because she is one of the sweetest little babies we have ever had the pleasure of meeting, but because her Grandma was visiting and we got to capture three-generation images!!! It was absolutely heartwarming to witness the love these three share for one another... makes me eager for the future when I will experience tender moments like these with our kiddos and mothers=).

We met on beach, under the towering Burj al Arab, just as the sun was setting. Ella wasn't so sure about dipping her toes in the water, but she loved playing in the sand and absolutely ADORED being showered with love and affection by her Nana! Thanks again, ladies, for such a special evening!

Ella makes the cutest faces!

Wow!

2010-05-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

So glad Kristi indulged me with my crazy maternity photo idea... had a fantastic time wading in the gulf this evening!

Sneak Peek

2010-05-03T10:24:00.001-07:00

Here are a handful of the sessions that are just around the corner...

Wish there were more hours in the day!!!

Reese

2010-05-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

Ah, sweet baby Reese... how precious is this little pumpkin?! She is the firstborn of our friends, Sam and Julie. It's been a while since we took these photos... about 5 months now... eek! If it's possible, she's even more adorable now! She has the most stunning hazel eyes, and the sweetest pouty lips. I absolutely love talking to Reese, and I'll admit I am a bit ridiculous (ok, over-the-top ridiculous) with the baby talk when it comes to this little one, because it elicits the CUTEST smiles ever! Whatever works! =)

Check it out...

Oh yes, I totally just went there with the cheesy candy reference=)

Procrastination Station

2010-04-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to be writing 3 reflective essays from my experience at the NESA Spring Educator's Conference in Bangkok last month. It's a painful process... not having written much lately, I'm having terrible writer's block! Soooooo, what do you do when your brain won't cooperate, and the mounting stress you are experiencing is becoming absolutely palpable because you procrastinated (as usual!) and put this miserable task off to the last minute??? Well, do anything, but what you should to be doing! I decided to edit a few more pictures from our adventure in the Ubud Monkey Forest... =)

I absolutely love this little guy, and the tenderness of this moment with his mama...

I cannot wait to share more images from our stay in breath-taking Bali... =)

Now, back to the beastly essays I go. {insert disgusted sigh here} I definitely need to write more. Hmmm, like maybe on my poor, neglected blogs? It shouldn't be this hard!

Shehadeh Family

2010-04-26T23:54:00.000-07:00

Maha and I worked together in the grade 2 team our first year in Dubai. She has since moved schools. Interestingly enough, we are still working together, as I am tutoring one of my former students who is now her pupil! I am finding it more and more interesting how connections form and change as you go through life...
We were so excited when Maha contacted us to take portraits of her beautiful family. (Just a little side note: I am in awe of this family's eyes- each and every one of them has the most striking set of peepers- seriously gorgeous!) The Shehadeh's showed up in such rich shades of blues and purples... just perfect for the beach. We spent a relaxed evening strolling through the sand and documenting their interactions- and the boys sweet soccer skills;). We even found some spikey sea life to include in the photos!

Ashley

2010-04-26T23:36:00.001-07:00

Ashley contacted me about taking some portraits to update her modeling portfolio. We met at Safa park, just as the sun began it's daily descent to the horizon. Bathed in a soft, golden glow, we meandered casually through the park, chatting about Ashley's college plans, art (she is interested in working in computer animation- like Finding Nemo stuff- how cool is that?!?!), modeling, and our Valentine's Day plans (yes, I'm still that far behind on posts!). Lots of good girl talk! Thank you so much, Ashley for allowing me to take a small part in your creative journey. Best of luck to you in all your artsy endeavours!

Aya

2010-04-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

Aya is yet another talented and lovely soon-to-be graduate at ASD. Deep, sooty clouds were forming as I drove to the beach to meet Aya for her senior portrait session. Luckily, just was we started shooting, the sky opened up, and the most gorgeous light beams streamed radiantly through the darkness. Within moments the angry clouds faded, leaving the most wonderfully moody washed-out sky as our backdrop.

Aya's good friend joined us for the shoot, and hung out just over my shoulder to make sure that Aya was smiling "normally." They were so cute! I love seeing sweet friends together!

I think she did a great job... seriously, look how gorgeous Aya AND her smile are!!!

Thank you, Aya, for asking me to document such a special milestone in your life! Best of luck to you in all your future adventures!

Stephanie

2010-03-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

No, contrary to popular belief, we aren't dead... just super busy! And unfortunately, the blogs suffer when we get super busy. Sad, but true... =(

Introducing yet another talented, beautiful ASD senior... Stephanie! This girl has a set of pipes like you wouldn't believe. Her powerful, soulful voice will just send shivers up your spine! We've seen her in a couple of school musicals, and every time, we can't help but drop our jaws when she starts singing. I am so eager to see where Stephanie's incredible talent leads her. I met up with Stephanie a couple of months ago- Months?! Really? Are we THAT far behind??? Eeek!- just before sunset at the beach. The afternoon turned out to be oh-so windy. And beautiful Stephanie... well, she has loooong, flowing hair... enough said, you can imagine our dilemma... We spend the majority of our session patiently waiting for momentary pauses between gusts, and still managed to walk away with some gorgeous images where her hair wasn't standing on end!

Thank you, Stephanie, once again for asking me to document this exciting milestone in your life. Best of luck in all your future adventures, and whatever you do, keep on singing!

Christine

2010-03-05T10:05:00.000-08:00

I'm pleased to introduce Christine, another one of ASD's gorgeous and talented seniors! We first saw Christine when she portrayed a bubbly love-struck teen in our school's musical, All Shook Up. Donning a sassy pair of horned-rim glasses, and totally hamming it up, she was just too cute! We met with a far more subdued, but absolutely lovely Christine at Bastakiya for her senior portraits. Along with Christine's mother, we wandered through the narrow alleys and dreamy open air galleries, oohing and ahhing (ok, I'll admit I was even sqealing with delight at times!) as we stumbled upon perfect photo site after perfect photo site. Christine's mother surprised us at the end of our session with a beautiful book about the Bastakiya. It was such a thoughtful gesture, and a lovely momento from our day. Thank you so much!!! I seriously can not get over the incredible beauty of Bastakiya! Nor can I get over the incredible beauty of our model! Christine carried herself with such poise and grace, and she was so natural in front of the camera. I was absolutely floored when I learned that she had never before modeled! I think I must have asked her, "Are you SURE you've never modeled before???" somewhere around five or six times. I guess I was thinking if I emphasized the word "sure" enough that she would somehow change her answer. Umm, Christine, if your future plans don't work out, I think you could have an incredibly successful modeling career!
Thank you again for asking us to document this milestone in your life- we had an absolute ball with you!!!

Be ready for lots of images of this stunning lady! I just couldn't narrow them down...

Tytus

2010-02-23T08:01:00.000-08:00

Remember these gorgeous parents-to-be? Well, here is their sweet son, Tytus! Born just before Christmas, Tytus came into the world with the most incredible full head of black hair. I love it... and I'll admit it, I'm a little jealous! Our newborn portrait session took place in John and Shelley's dizzying high rise apartment on a bright, sunny afternoon just after the first of the year. We were so happy that Ty's lovely grandparents were visiting from South Africa, and were included in some of the portraits. When they weren't doting on their grandson, they were feeding us! They introduced us to pancakes with cheese and syrup, which sounded strange at first, but was delicious! What a lucky little guy Tytus is to have been born into such a loving and caring family!

Tytus has already perfected a range of "funny faces" =)

And of course, when in Dubai... =)

Congratulations once more, John and Shelley! He is wonderful!!!

Sweet Sneak Peek

2010-02-21T09:37:00.000-08:00

How cute is this little peanut?! More to come of this little one soon...

Brock

2010-02-20T07:47:00.000-08:00

It's pretty common for our friends and colleagues at school to stop and chat with us about Wayfarer- thank you ASDers for your support! Whenever anyone asks whose senior portraits we've taken recently and we say Brock's name, their immediate response is, "Oh, he's such a great guy!" Every single time! Without fail! How cool is that? And he truly is a great guy. He's so kind, and has a wonderful easy going sense about him. It was a beautiful, breezy afternoon when we met up with Brock for his senior portraits at our favorite beach spot. His mom, one of those fabulous ASDers we work with, tagged along, and it was so precious to see her watch Brock with such obvious pride and admiration. We know she thinks- scratch that- knows he's a really great guy as well!
Thanks again, Brock and Tammy, for asking us to document this exciting milestone for you! Best of luck, Brock, with all your future adventures!!!

JC and Christy

2010-02-20T03:57:00.000-08:00

We were so excited when we found out JC and Christy got engaged this past fall! We met this wonderful couple through softball- Isaac and JC play on the same team, and Christy and I do our best to hold the bleachers down during the games... it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it=). We were so honored when they asked us to take their engagement portraits, and we had an absolute ball (no pun intended) spending the afternoon with them! We started our session in Old Town, at JC and Christy's place, so that their handsome pup, Romeo, could get in a few shots... he's so cute that he made it into plenty! Then we headed down to Bur Dubai and explored an AWESOME art gallery called Bastakiya. We couldn't believe that in our nearly 3 years here, we'd never been there before! Well, we've already been back (interestingly enough, for a senior portrait session the next day- more to come on that soon) and we are looking forward to some special exhibits and events that will take place at Bastakiya this month! During JC and Christy's session the weather was incredible, the light was dreamy, and our models were gorgeous- couldn't ask for more than that! There were so many fascinating little nooks and crannies to explore in Bastakiya, and we eventually found ourselves down by the creek just as the sun set. We worked up quite an appetite shooting, and afterward we all enjoyed a fabulous dinner- many thanks again, guys!

Even the sewage grates had wonderful, quirky details...

There were some flies that were causing trouble in the following series...

JC and Christy, thank you so much for asking us to take part in this exciting time in your lives! You are a beautiful couple on the inside and out! We wish you many healthy years of love, laughter and adventure together... starting with your honeymoon- GO TO COSTA RICA! You will not be disappointed!!! =)
Love,
I&J

Joanna

2010-02-19T02:58:00.000-08:00

Joanna is another lovely ASD senior. She's an incredibly talented actress, and we saw her portray a fabulously sultry museum curator, in our school's hysterical fall musical, All Shook Up. Beautiful, intelligent, a great sense of humor, and oh-so talented- this girl is going places! We thoroughly enjoyed spending the afternoon getting to know Joanna while taking her photos at Jumeira Beach Park.

Hello, gorgeous!

There's a little of that sultry museum curator look... =)

Uh-huh. Yeah, that's right. 'Cause we're rebels like that.

...Or it's 'cause we didn't see the sign 'til we were finishing up =)

Thank you, Joanna, for asking us to document this milestone in your life, and best of luck to you in all your future adventures!!!

Dana

2010-02-19T02:07:00.001-08:00

We had plenty of laughable moments during beautiful Dana's senior portrait session. They began when a Japanese tourist interrupted us so he could have his photo taken with me... definitely strange! This was followed by a little good-natured flirting with a security guard at the Mina A'Salam as a means of getting ourselves onto the beach for some shots (good thing Isaac wasn't with us for this shoot... don't think we would have been as successful in this venture!). And finally, darting in and out of honking traffic in the crazy intersection by the Burj al Arab in order to get just the right shot, while tourists snapped pictures of Dana's car! Definitely plenty of silly moments! I had a great time chatting with Dana and her mother, and enjoyed hearing about Dana's plans for the future. Thank you again, ladies, for such a lovely afternoon!

Just love this! Isn't she gorgeous?!

Dubai: Deira Fish and Vegetable Market

2010-02-05T02:14:00.001-08:00

Waaaay back in December, when our friends, Nicole and Katie, were visiting to shoot Brittany and Cass' gorgeous wedding, we took them on a little trip to the Deira fish and vegetable market. Oh, what a site we must have been- four wide-eyed Americans wandering through the stalls of a local market, stopping to photograph green beans and dead fish, with a surplus of bags and camera gear slung about our necks. Most of the workers were completely enthralled with us, and not only allowed us to take pictures of their produce, but eagerly asked to be in the photos as well. As soon as the shutter clicked they would bound over to look at the camera screen and say, "Check! Check!" The loved to "check" the photos.
The fish and vegetable market is an incredible visual experience (it can do a number on your nasal passages as well!). It's a kaleidoscope of bright colors and textures, and the energy around you just buzzes. Gorgeous, freshly picked produce is trucked in each day, and the men arrange their fruits and vegetables in a orderly displays. They eagerly wave bundles of chartreuse herbs at you as you walk past, inviting you to purchase from their stalls. Their prices are unbelievably low, and the food is often far nicer than what you find in the stores, but Deira is just too far from Barsha to make it a regular stop. We mostly reserve trips to the Deira market when my mom visits, and afterward we host a giant seafood feast at our apartment=). The fish are brought into the market fresh off the boats, and often still flopping around- a site that is just a little too much for this girl to handle. Despite this, the market is one of my favorite places to visit in Dubai.

This gentleman wanted me to take a picture of just about every vegetable he had!

Even as I was walking away he was calling out to me and holding up items for me to photograph

We had the opportunity to take many portraits of the workers. There's just something about this man's soft, sad face that warms my heart...

Funny how this little kitty has almost the same expression on his face as the man above. I resisted the urge to take him home (the kitten, that is), but I did give him a good snuggle!

This is my favorite portrait of the day! Love, love, love it!

A little wink!

Here are a group of the men gathering around Nicole to see the photos she has taken of them

We visited the market right around Emirates National Day, so everywhere you looked there were red, white, green and black decorations and flags.

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts, la-la-la-la...

This man was so funny! He stopped and asked me to take his photo, and as soon as he looked at the screen he did a dramatic double take. He stared at the image for a long time with wide eyes... I think he was feeling pretty good about himself!

I just love how all eyes are on Katie as she walks through the market, and she's in her own world, just doing her thing!

After the fish and vegetable market we made our way over to the old gold souk. We stopped inside some nut and date shops along the main road on our way in.

Mmmmm... pistachios!

While in the gold souk, we ducked into a little side alley and explored a small textile shop. After some hard bargaining we all walked away with some goodies

We didn't bring the camel home, though he was very cute!

This is Katie's blanket. We also picked up a similar blanket, in pale green, for my mom for Christmas. They are all hand-made, reverse embroidered! Gorgeous!!!

I'm so happy to have finally found some time to go through these photos and post them. They are a lovely reminder of a very fun day with great friends!

vanBaggen Family

2010-01-29T20:42:00.000-08:00

While we were home at Christmas time, we got to snap some quick family portraits of our sister Rachel's growing family. Portrait day happened to be a pretty frigid Sunday afternoon, so we made a mad dash from the car, snapped a couple dozen images, and then raced back to the car, just as it began to drizzle. I think we got some pretty sweet images in just that short time. Our super cute niece, Morgan, was such a trooper! Oh, can I just take a moment to share with the Internet how much WE LOVE MORGAN! Seriously, the cutest little peanut! I cannot wait to take more photos of the beautiful family this summer- woo hoo!!! Love you guys so much!!!

The vanBaggen Family Christmas Card 2009 =)

Allyson and Ella

2010-01-28T22:34:00.000-08:00

It's been a looong blogging hiatus... not by choice, but sometimes we get so busy taking pictures, that we don't have time for posting pictures. I'm sorry=(. Really. I promise! I've definitely learned over the past few months that one person cannot have two full-time jobs, and maintain their sanity or health... bummer. That being said, there are many more posts to come, and I am so excited to share them, but it may take a little time, as my real job (and the 16 spunky kiddos who depend on me to be ready to impart valuable knowledge each day) take priority. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your patience and continued interest in our little blog=).

We met up with Allyson and Ella at Safa Park in early December for some mommy and baby portraits. We had an absolutely wonderful time, and really enjoyed getting to know them. During our session we learned that sweet Ella was born very prematurely. Given such a scary and uncertain beginning, newborn portraits were not the first thing on her mommy's mind. Thankfully, Ella is a strong little cookie, and despite the many obstacles she faced, she continued to grow and thrive, and is now one healthy and beautiful baby! We were so honored to take Ella's first portraits! Get ready for some serious cuteness...

You see what I mean? SERIOUS cuteness!

I could just eat her up!

Most of the time, Ella was so calm and gentle. But we captured a prime example of that fiesty spirit we know she has hidden in there...

Have you ever seen such incredible eyelashes in your life?!?! Neither have I. Cross my heart, I did NOT enhance her lashes.

Um... the Gerber baby, perhaps... =)

There's that spunky monkey again!

Be on the lookout for more pictures of Allyson and Ella in the coming weeks... we were lucky enough to get to spend another lovely afternoon on the beach with them when Ella's Nana was in town to visit=)

Croley Family

2009-12-21T08:52:00.000-08:00

Our afternoon with the Croleys was filled with laughter, snuggles, and an abundance of marine critters... my idea of a perfect afternoon! The genuine love this family shares for one another is absolutely tangible, and it made our job of capturing their family dynamics a breeze.

Mary's brother, Ike, was visiting from the states and it was so special to be able to include him in the family portraits- not to mention so much fun to spend the afternoon with two Ike's!

Hermit crab investigations...

And what better way to end a family photo session than with a friendly rock skipping competition...

Thank you, Croleys and Ike, for such a fun and relaxing afternoon! The love your family shares for one another is precious and inspirational! Wishing you a happy, healthy, and hermit crab-filled holiday season!!!

Sherman Family

2009-12-11T03:40:00.000-08:00

The weather was absolutely perfect when we met up with the Sherman family few weeks back- warm, with clear skies and a light breeze. Oh, how I LOVE Dubai weather in November! I was thrilled the conditions were so perfect, as Amy and I had been planning this session since last year! We teach with Amy at ASD, and I was so fortunate to have her younger daughter, Elena, in my class last year. She is such a cutie pie! Our afternoon with the Shermans was absolutely lovely, and the Souk Madinat provided fabulous backdrops for their family portraits.

Sweet lovebirds...

I just love this series of the girls... these sisters have so much spunk! They have quite different personalities, but are both such gems...

They are absolutely gorgeous as well...

Must get their good looks from their beautiful parents!

Amy has the most incredible golden Barbie hair in the world- seriously, horses are jealous!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this picture!

Thank you, Shermans, for a wonderful afternoon, and for introducing us to such a yummy restaurant! We've been back twice already... mmmmmm=)

As I mentioned above, Elena was in my class last year. She is every teacher's dream- so sweet, thoughtful, bright, and totally enthusiastic about learning!!! We share many of the same passions, including COOKING! Miss Elena LOVES to cook, and would completely light up whenever we had a cooking project in class. I know she has a growing stash of cookbooks at home, and loves to try new recipes. So, I thought I'd add to her collection share one of our recent family favorites...

I created this recipe on the fly, and though I have made it many times, I've never measured anything... don't worry, though! It's easy and delicious, and you can tweak it to your tastes.

Italian Sausage and Zucchini Fusilli with White Wine Sauce

For the super yummy pasta you'll need {roughly}...

--3/4 box+ of Barilla whole wheat fusilli {I am a picky pasta eater, and this whole wheat is awesome! It has the overall taste and texture of regular pasta, but is just a bit heartier and healthier}
--1 package of hot Italian {or regular} sausage, casings removed
--1 zucchini, sliced in about 1/4 inch rounds
--1 large onion, diced
--4-5 garlic cloves, minced {the more the better... can I get an amen???}
--olive oil, 2-3 turns of the pan
--1/2 cup to 1 cup of white wine {I use whatever we have... sauv blanc, pinot gris... I'm sure anything would be good}
--grated Parmesan {handful or two}
--salt & pepper {I am a sea salt and pepper corn user... love my grinders!}
--cream, for drizzling on top

First set the water to boil for pasta with lots of salt {throw the pasta in once it boils}.

Then, heat a little olive oil {2-3 turns around the pan} over med-high heat and add the sausage. To save time I squeeze the meat straight from the casings over the pan. Break up meat with a wooden spoon, cook through, and remove to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Then add a little more olive oil and chopped onion. I add a bit of salt to my onions to help them soften. After onions are soft, I add the garlic.

Once the garlic becomes fragrant I push the onions and garlic to the sides of the pan {this is my lazy "time and dish saver" method}, and add the zucchini to the center of the pain {with more oil, if needed}. I brown the zucchini and season generously with salt and pepper.

Once zucchini is browned, I mix it with the onions and garlic and add the sausage back in to reheat. Then pour in some white wine over the mixture {I add quite a bit as it is the liquid for the sauce... almost enough to cover everything}.

Then I let everything simmer for a few until the wine reduces. When the pasta is about 2 minutes from being done I pull it out with a big spoon and add it to the sauce {this way a few tablespoons of pasta water is added to the sauce}. Let it all cook a few minutes. Then turn heat off and mix in a couple handfuls of Parmesan. Check for flavor, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Before serving I like to drizzle a little fancy zigzag of cream over the top. Looks good and adds just a little hint of creaminess.

Next, devour! Enjoy!!!

Sneak Peek for Amy

2009-12-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

Amy, your girls are so beautiful...

... of course, you knew that already=)

You know that scene from The Office, where Michael is supposed to be working, but instead is singing, "I don't want to work, I just want to bang on this mug all day," as he drums his fingers on the side of his coffee cup? That's how I feel, only I'd rather be editing photos from our recent sessions... and I'm drinking peppermint cocoa...

She's Here!

2009-12-05T00:29:00.000-08:00

Malia Hana McCarthy was just too eager to see what this whole wide world was all about, so she decided to join us a few weeks early! She is adorably tiny, and so so sweet...

I couldn't decide which Mama and Malia photo I liked best, so I posted them both. Aren't these two gorgeous?!

Some sweet silly faces...

Welcome to the world, Malia. What a lucky girl you are to be born into such an incredibly loving family!

CONGRATULATIONS McCarthy Fam! She is amazing and so wonderful already! I'm looking forward to snuggling little Malia at every possible chance=).

McCarthy Baby Bump

2009-11-19T09:25:00.000-08:00

It's baby bump season here in Dubai (and in Oregon- our sister Rachel is going to have a little girl ANY DAY NOW!!!) and we have had so much fun documenting such beautiful moms and their adorable bellies! Mama McCarthy was no exception- absolutely glowing and gorgeous!
The McCarthy's are new friends who are expecting baby #3 in a few weeks. Micaela, the oldest daughter of this lovely family, is in my class, and she could not be any cuter! Smart as a whip, and sugary sweet-- I am so lucky to work with her each day=). In the weeks leading up to our photo session-- actually, "sessions"... but I'll get to that in a minute-- Micaela would give me my daily hug goodbye and say, "Bye Mrs. Marshall, can't wait 'til picture day!" Awww... I just love her!
We scheduled the McCarthy's maternity photo session while my mom was visiting, so she got to come along and see us in action. We arrived at their home, and were just about to head out the door when their younger daughter, Natalie, got sick! Poor thing! Since we were already there, and everyone was looking fabulous, we did part 1 of the session at Madinat, sans Natalie, and then returned to the McCarthy's for an amazing fish curry dinner! Thanks again, guys! It's always so much fun to have a little social event with our friends/clients after their photo sessions!
We met up again a week later at the beach with a healthy (and feisty) Natalie for part 2 of the session. The girls were wearing THE most adorable white dresses I've ever seen!
Reena had warned me that once Natalie saw the water she'd want to get in and splash around. I had no idea just how determined that little gal was, but just as her mommy had predicted, and despite all attempts to keep her dry, that little fish was out splashing in the water and soaked within minutes! I have to say, even though her ruffled white dress was drenched, the curls framing her face were crusted in salt, and her chubby little hands were gritty with sand, I absolutely love that we were able to capture Natalie's true essence... a feisty little fish=). Absolutely adore her too!
We had such a great time wading in the water and wandering along the beach as the sun set. Dreamy light, cool salty breeze, lovely company... what's not to love?! It was especially entertaining to watch the girls- both such unique little spirits- stomp, or tiptoe, depending on the child, through the surf. Thanks, McCarthy's for such fun sessions! We are so excited for you and cannot wait to meet your third (and sure to be wonderful) daughter!!!

Do you see how seriously cute that little Micaela is?!

These two have such a wonderful connection=)

One of the ONLY photos I have while Natalie is dry! Look at that happy expression... she is so excited to get out in that water!

LOVE this!

Splish splash! Happy as a clam!

One HOT Mama!!!
hehe... I told you that would be the photo label, Reena ;)

I love how one covers herself in sand ... while the other meticulously brushes off every grain she can.

Watkinson Baby Bump

2009-11-17T07:17:00.001-08:00

This beautiful couple is expecting their first child (a little boy) and they couldn't be more thrilled! Our lovely afternoon with John and Shelley was filled with sunshine, laughter, and sand... lots of sand! We ventured out into the desert for part of their session, in search of some dunes (You'd be surprised how difficult of a task that actually was, given that we live in the middle of a desert!). This was such an exciting session- John and Shelley were eager to create some creative images, and were up for anything we suggested. We were so impressed with Shelley- she marched up those dunes like a real trooper and still looked absolutely stunning!

John and Shelley, we had a wonderful time with you guys! We are so excited for you, and cannot wait to meet your little guy. He is so blessed already- you are going to be spectacular parents!

I love this image! Can you believe it was just a lighting test shot?!

A little ying-yang action...=)

Can't wait for Baby Watkinson's newborn session in a few months!!!

Sneak peek for John

2009-11-15T08:05:00.001-08:00

Dear John,
Your wife, as you well know, is one foxy momma... to be=)
Hugs,
I+J

John and Shelley... you are adorable and wonderful, and we cannot wait to share the rest of the images from our fabulous (and sandy!) afternoon together!

McCarthy Sneak Peek

2009-11-08T06:28:00.000-08:00

More to come of this beautiful, growing family!

Feeling Inspired!

2009-10-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

I've spent countless hours (literally!) trying to compile and organize our photos from our recent African adventure... I think I may have done it... phew!
Through this tedious experience I have learned some valuable lessons...
--We MUST become MUCH more organized and systematic when saving and backing up our travel photos (ie renaming/categorizing them by date-- why? see next bullet)
--We MUST check the date and time on our camera before we take pictures (at least on long term trips) because I HAVE TO HAVE my trip pictures in chronological order to keep my brain at peace... I don't understand why exactly... apparently there is a wee bit of activity on the left side of my brain!

I was so proud of finishing the organizational process of our Africa pictures, that I scoured through each and every one of our external hard drives, and corralled thousands of images from many of our other travels into neat and tidy folders! Ahhh, a girl can really breathe when her photos are organized!
I didn't have much time to look through the images in depth, but the glimpses I did manage were amazing! WOW!!! We've had some pretty incredible experiences in the last couple of years. Let's see... we have Jordan 2007, two Oman trips 2008, Thailand spring break 2008, Thailand/Laos/Cambodia summer 2008, Nepal spring 2009, South Africa/Namibia/Botswana/Zambia/Malawi/Tanzania/Kenya summer 2009... I think that should keep me busy for a while!
Despite the enormity of this task, I am feeling even more DETERMINED to get ALL of our travel photos not only organized, but edited, and either on our walls (in the sad, empty frames that have been hanging there for 2+ years) or in coffee table books within the school year! I WILL DO THIS!!!

Here is one lovely image from our first trip to Thailand, on a sweltering afternoon in April '08. Let's hope I have all of these photos taken care of before we head back this coming April!!!

Jazlyn and the Pumpkin...

2009-10-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

Jazlyn had such a good time getting acquainted with her first pumpkin. She patted it gently and looked it up and down...

and up and down... and up and down...

and... then her shoe became far more interesting. I don't blame her- her new shoes are adorable!!!

What was better than her shoe? This wonderful fuzzy blanket I brought along! Jazlyn loved it!

I love this face because it reminds me just how truly incredible genetics are- she looks just like her daddy here

Chewing on her fabulous new shoe... mmmm!

Such a beautiful family!

I decided to save my favorite image for last...

Comments! Feel free to leave 'em here!

2009-10-20T22:24:00.001-07:00

We are so blessed by the lovely comments we receive in passing from our Dubai friends (and via e-mail from family in Oregon), in regards to our blog. Every single kind word leaves us beaming- THANK YOU!!! It is so exciting to know that people are enjoying our photos and following along on our creative journey, as we work to grow and develop Wayfarer Studio. We would love to know who else is checking out our blog from around the world. Old friends, new friends, future friends- feel free to leave us comments when you stop by! We're looking forward to hearing from YOU!

Love,
I+J

Another single shot...

2009-10-20T11:07:00.000-07:00

... 'cause she is so darn cute!

I couldn't help myself... I had to post this single shot. This week is insanely busy, so it's taking me a while to get through all these images. A full post will follow shortly!

Sweet Little Pumpkin

2009-10-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

I just love the way Jazlyn daintily moves her fingers...

...more to come of this sweet girl soon!

William Blog-It Boards

2009-10-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

The moment I came across these fabulous blog storyboard templates I knew they were just what we needed to jazz up our blog photo presentation. I love how the simple combination of images makes them come alive and tell a story. I just purchased the storyboard templates today and could not wait to test them out! Good thing I have so many cute images of Mr. William! I am absolutely thrilled with how user-friendly the templates are, and how fabulous they look!!! Hmmm... once we find a good printer here I may have to go back and purchase the high res templates for printing... =)

Definitely check out the MCP site and see all of their fabulous actions and templates for photoshop- seriously, they are AMAZING, and they come with super-helpful video tutorials. This is our third product from MCP and we are so impressed with everything we've purchased!!!

William

2009-10-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

We spent a lovely afternoon with William this past weekend. We brought a pumpkin along to see what he thought of it. He had fun patting the pumpkin, but was far more impressed with the grass...

I may have a mild obsession with his adorable fuzzy duck mohawk... =)

Tough guy muscle flex, complete with Elvis lip =)

Look at those cute little teeth!

Love the cheeky face

Sneak Peek for T...

2009-10-10T10:18:00.000-07:00

because this shot was your favorite... =)

More to come from our fun afternoon with William and Jazlyn!

C is for cookie...

2009-09-21T23:13:00.000-07:00

...that's good enough for me.
Cookie, cookie, cookie!
'Cause cookie starts with C!

Anyone out there remember that old Cookie Monster song? Our sweet little Dubai niece, Jazlyn, LOVES that song. She completely lights up and giggles like crazy when she hears it. Absolutely precious! It's quite a catchy little tune, and Isaac and I have been humming it (and adapting it... B is for Bella...) for the last couple of days=).

We've spent the majority of our 5-day Eid break lazing and lounging about- often with our friends, Donny, Natasha, and Jazlyn. It's been a wonderful break!!! We did manage to peel ourselves off of the couch to snap a few cute 6 month shots of sweet Jazlyn... love her, love her, love her!

cheeky face!

Jazlyn loves her mommy!

hmmm...

playing their "head bonk" game

sleepy girl...

but not so sleepy that she couldn't do her cute little head tilt flirt move... it's painfully cute in person!

"Where are you Auntie Jenni?" She loved to peek around the camera to try and see my face. Seriously, can she get any cuter?!?!

We lost our lighting window to get family shots... I'm sure we'll get those in the next few weeks, so check back!

A side note for Donny and Natasha- thanks for letting me hog your sweet little girl all weekend=) Jazlyn snuggles are good for the soul.

Alhamed Kiddos

2009-09-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

How gorgeous are these kids?! We were so thrilled to photograph these lovely children at an incredible beach front location last month. Newest arrival, Sultan, was still happily napping when we arrived, which gave us some time to play on the beach a bit with the "big kids." Despite the muggy heat, we had a great time, and the kiddos were so sweet and cooperative. They looked so incredibly cute in their traditional clothing running along the sand!

The kids giggled like crazy when we referred to her as "Auntie" =)

Look into these eyes...

2009-09-08T09:13:00.001-07:00

What do you see?

See me in there???

Pretty cool, huh? Working away like crazy to finish processing the photos from this super fun session! =)

Another Zebra

2009-09-04T04:15:00.001-07:00

We have finally loaded all our Africa photos- hooray!!! Now, comes the monstrous task of organizing, backing up, and editing- hooray?

As I was flipping through the images, I noticed this zebra shot. As soon as I saw it, I was reminded of the moment I took the photo. Our truck, Old Morag, had stopped to let a group of these black and white cuties cross the road, and I lined up THE PERFECT shot of a zebra's head. My finger was just beginning to push down the shutter when that blasted Morag lurched forward, and a branch obscured my view. ARGH!!!!!!! Oh, the pains a photographer must endure! I was soooo annoyed at the time. Now looking at the ethereal effect the disruption had on the photo, I'm glad it happened...

It became clear to me that while we were in Africa that I have just a wee bit of an obsession with zebras. No matter where I pointed my camera, a zebra just somehow ended up in my viewfinder! Funny how that happens=)

Isn't she gorgeous?!

2009-09-04T01:53:00.000-07:00

More of this stunning little one and her beautiful siblings to come...

Jackson

2009-08-28T02:22:00.000-07:00

Within moments of setting eyes on this little guy I was in love! Meet Jackson, my nephew-ish=).

Isaac and I were so excited to spend a wonderful afternoon with Jackson while we were home over summer break. Shane, Jackson's proud daddy, was (and is) like a big brother to me. Our moms are best friends, so we spent countless hours together as little ones... decorating cookies, playing knock out, building forts, and who knows how many games of hide-and-go-seek were carried out! Shane never let me down as my pseudo sibling, and carried out all his "big brother" duties, such as playing countless tricks on me with the help of his brother, Trevor (my other "big brother"). Of course, I know these tricks were always done out of complete and total adoration for me ;), and I hope that someday our children will know and love each other enough to share such a close bond. Who knows? Maybe someday Jackson will tie my future daughter to a packing dolly and run her up and down the the long hallways of a school- squealing, with blond curls flying- just as his pop did with me many years ago. Such good memories we share... =)

Jackson makes the greatest faces... enjoy!

Spring Photo Session Postapalooza!

2009-08-27T02:05:00.001-07:00

Spring was a hectic season for us! We were blessed with numerous opportunities to photograph many fantastic people, but just didn't have the time to post our images. Sad... =( So, to kick off this new photography season, I thought I'd create a gargantuan post to bring everyone up to date! I'll make it short on words and heavy on the images... enjoy!

We took portraits at the big ASD dance recital. I didn't think about getting permission from parents for posting at the time, so there are only a few=(. These kiddos were tu-tu cute! (yeah, yeah... cornball joke... I just couldn't resist!) But seriously... some of the cutest little kiddos and costumes I've ever seen! It was our first time shooting indoors, which was a bit scary. Luckily we were under some giant skylights, so we had plenty of soft, natural lighting to work with.

Mackzum Family

I'll describe this session in 3 words... FUN! FUN! FUN! Ok, it's just the same word three times, but we really had a blast with these guys! Such a spunky family- they weren't afraid to get sandy and were up for anything! We suggested the wade into the water and splash around a bit... before you know it, they were waging a full-on water war and the kids were dunking each other! The whole family capped the session off by making sand angels! Loved it! Amazing family, amazing session!!!

Kathy, the producers of Baywatch called... they are impressed! ;)

Love, love, love little Isaac's pant leg here=)

Han Family

Philip just graduated from high school and is on his way to accomplish great things in college and beyond! For his senior portraits (and a few of his sweet family) we ventured into the desert and then to the coast. The wind was definitely working against us out in the open, but it provided plenty laughable moments! Congrats again, Philip!!!

Caskey Family

Another laughter-filled session with a wonderful family! We spent the afternoon exploring the beautiful grounds of the Madinat Souk, before slipping our tootsies into the soft sand on a sunset beach stroll. These guys clearly adore one another and are so natural in front of the camera. They made our job a breeze! They've now moved on to Saudi to pursue exciting new career opportunities... sniff, sniff=(. We miss you guys, but are so happy for you!!!

Laroche Family

Even the intense heat couldn't put a damper on the fun evening we spent with this fantastic family! We had the extensive grounds of the stunning Jumeirah Beach Club at our fingertips for photos, and I think we made use of just about all of it. We capped off the evening with drinks and delicious munchies (thanks, guys!) under the stars... such a lovely evening!!!

Murphy Kiddos

What do you get when you mix sunshine, a playground, 3 spunky kiddos, and lollipops? A really fun morning! That's exactly what we had when we met up with the Murphy family at the park to take some portraits of the kids. Olivia was pretty smitten with Isaac, so it was much easier getting some photos of her this time! (You may remember the earlier session I had with the kids where Olivia wouldn't look at the camera, but would try and peek at me WAY out of the corner of her eye. Haha!) The kids had a blast climbing all over the equipment, and even shared their lollipops with one another- too cute!

Herrington Family

I was thrilled when the Herrington's suggested taking their family photos at their neighborhood swimming pool! Such a fun idea and I couldn't think of a more perfect setting for this active family. We had an absolute ball dreaming up different jump shots, and before long Isaac and I were splashing alongside the family in the water! How do we get so lucky with these sessions???

Murphy Family

It was absolutely sweltering the day we met up with the Murphy's for their photo session, but they were such troopers as we marched our way through Madinat, dripping and panting. They were such a lovely family and we thoroughly enjoyed sweating out the afternoon with them!

Kelsey

This lovely lady asked me to take a few head shots for her before she headed off to acting school in New York! We had such a fun time wading through the rubble of the old houses around the school. Kels is an incredibly talented individual who is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. We wish her the best of luck in all her future pursuits!

Brittany and Cass

They're engaged! Woo hoo! We were so honored when this beautiful couple asked us to take their engagement photos. We had a lovely evening wandering through Madinat, their gorgeous wedding location. Britt and Cass are such fun-loving, easy going people, and we had a fantastic time taking their photos. We are so thrilled for them and can't wait for their big day!!!

We're Back!!!

2009-08-17T18:50:00.001-07:00

After an insanely busy spring, an incredible 6-week overland journey through Africa, and a fabulous, event-filled visit home to the states, we're back! We'll be posting lots of overdue springtime photo sessions and some summer shots in the coming days. For now, a favorite from the Serengeti...

Feeling HOT, HOT, HOT!!!

2009-05-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

Sauna-like temperatures have returned to Dubai again. You walk outside and your clothes instantly cling to your body... a clear sign it's time to get the heck outta here! 3 more weeks until we head for cooler climates! Woo hoo!!!
Just had to post one from tonight. It is hard to look stunning when wicked humidity is determined to make you being sticky and sweaty. These two somehow overcame the ungodly heat and looked AMAZING! I, on the other hand, was sweating like a little piggy. Good thing the camera wasn't pointed on me... =)

Thanks for a fantastic evening, Britt and Cass!!!

Long Overdue

2009-05-24T10:18:00.001-07:00

Not this sweet little bundle of joy, but my photos of her! Donny and Natasha, sorry it has taken me sooooo long to post these!
Little Jazlyn is 2 months old now and even cuter (if that's possible!) I was actually given the honor of babysitting her for a bit the other night, and I loved it. We had a great time dancing to Jack Johnson together. She is truly a little angel... =)

I might have taken a little inspiration for the next few from Donny and Natasha's session a few months earlier... =)

Sneak Peeks for Everyone!!!

2009-05-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Well, not everyone... but I know this will make several families from some of our most recent portrait sessions happy! MANY MORE from these sessions and others to come!!!

Ei-hotchi-mama!!!

2009-05-15T00:41:00.000-07:00

This girl's a babe, or my name's Dumb Bubba!

Hehe... just a little joke that Kelsey will understand;). But seriously, how stunning is she?!?! And this girl is just as gorgeous on the inside. More to come... =)

Mackzum Sneak Peek

2009-05-09T10:10:00.000-07:00

We had WAY too much fun with this spunky family tonight! More to come soon...

Mike and Erin

2009-05-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

I am so elated Isaac went to the arts conference in Qatar this fall because he met these two amazing people! I knew Mike and Erin must be fabulous, because Isaac came home talking all about them. I couldn't wait to meet them, so I was thrilled when they e-mailed Isaac to say they were coming to Dubai for a visit. Mike and Erin spent last weekend with us, and to put it simply, we just love 'em! It's always exciting to connect on so many levels with a new friend, but for all 4 of us to be so in sync was just awesome! Mike and Erin live and teach art in Kuwait and Mike is the incredibly talented man (with paintbrush in hand) behind Squeaky Sneaks. Seriously, order a pair, you will love them! Mike whipped up a few new sneaks for Isaac, so we took the sweet couple out for a photo session, in exchange. I've had several ideas for photo poses and sites floating around in my head and Mike and Erin were up for whatever we suggested. They were absolutely adorable the entire time and all too willing to smooch for the camera! Mike LOVED it!!! As we later processed the photos, Isaac commented that it was so encouraging to see another young couple where the husband absolutely adores his wife and isn't afraid to show it... awwww=). Turned me into a big pile of lovey-dovey mush right then and there! But truly, this couple has so much love and respect for one another and it shows- not only in person, but in these images.
Mike and Erin, we can't say enough how happy we are that you came and stayed with us in Dubai! We can't wait to hang out with y'all again!!!

I've been itching to use this old corrugated wall for portraits...

In case you didn't already know, Mike is DA BOMB!!!

After our portrait session we came back to the house and whipped up some tostadas and corn pudding for dinner. The corn pudding was such a hit that I passed on the recipe and Mike and Erin made it back in Kuwait to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! Corn pudding is such an easy dish to make and is a great accompaniment for anything Mexican, or grilled. As Mike would agree, it's even great on its own for breakfast=). I thought I'd share the recipe with our blog readers, because it is oh-so heavenly!!!

Corn Pudding
Ingredients

2 eggs
1 (15.25-ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (14.75-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (4.5-ounce) can diced green chilies
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Preparation

Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a buttered 2-quart casserole or baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until set.

Johnsson Family

2009-05-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

We could hardly believe our eyes when we stepped into the Johnsson's outrageous lime green living room and gazed upon their vast collection of art and collectibles from around the world. These guys have traveled everywhere- and they brought home some seriously incredible momentos! For two artsy fartsy, travel-loving, souvenir-collecting folks like ourselves, we were in heaven! In an instant we began to dream of the potential collection we could have after a few more years of travel and adventure. Our future home- stocked full of eclectic carvings, paintings, and fascinating relics- flashed before our eyes. Who knows, maybe we'll even have a lime green room... =)
The Johnsson's not only had fantastic decor, they were excellent hosts and made us feel welcome in their home. They even treated us to cold cervezas and guacamole after the shoot! The Johnsson family will be moving on to China this summer, and we are so thrilled that our portraits will be added to their collection as a momento from Dubai!

Who knew the neighbors' purple house would come in so handy?!

Quick! Grab someone next to you and squeeze 'em!

Parks Family

2009-04-18T23:31:00.000-07:00

In the words of the lovable, honey-guzzling, stuffed-with-fluff bear, Winnie the Pooh… it was a blustery day when we met up with the Parks family at Safa Park for their portrait session. We decided to try for the photos anyways and I’m so glad we did!
The wind came in gusts, playfully tossing (and at times, wildly thrashing) the girls’ shiny locks. These super-sweet sisters just laughed, tossing their heads back and helping one another to straighten their tresses. As the afternoon progressed, the sun hesitantly peered out from a nest of hazy gray clouds, and the aggressive bursts of wind settled into a pleasant breeze (and Isaac and I heaved big sighs of relief). We thoroughly enjoyed our time with this fabulous family! The Parks sisters are four of the loveliest ladies we have ever met- all warm, friendly, and solid individuals who adore one another and their amazing parents! Just a few minutes with Mom and Dad, and you will know exactly where the girls get their awesomeness! Thanks, Parks family, for spending such a wonderful, blustery afternoon with us!!!

Many people never realized the Parks are such incredibly talented jumpers!

We were so happy to find this fantastic orange wall!

Mekailian Family

2009-04-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

We just wrapped up an adventurous spring break week in Nepal, and we're feeling (sort of) refreshed (those of you who have been to Nepal know it's amazing, but not exactly relaxing!) and we're finally finishing the editing of 5 photo sessions we had before break. Thank you clients/friends for your patience! This is the first of a wave of posts...

We had such a great time with our friends, the Mekailians, while taking their family portraits one lazy afternoon. Even their beloved pup, Tigger, got in on the photo action! Carol worked with Isaac last year and we both absolutely adore this cheerful and super-creative chica! She and her husband have two fantastic sons- both musicians who were willing to drag their instruments out into a dusty field of scrub brush for our photo shoot. It was such a fun and relaxed afternoon. We even learned about a great new beach- thanks for the insider tip, guys! We hope you enjoy your photos!!!

These guys are lucky enough to live in a fabulous villa near the Burj al Arab, so we decided to use this incredible Dubai icon as a backdrop for their portraits

Carol is such an artsy gal, I decided to experiment a bit with a few of the images...

My Dubai Niece

2009-04-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

I get to be an honorary "auntie" to this precious little one...

I love her to pieces already!

Al Iesa Family

2009-03-30T23:34:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun time running around the Al Iesa's yard for pictures! Capturing a "traditional" family portrait in which everyone was looking at the camera AND smiling turned out to be quite a task, but we sure had a great time trying!
Tarique and Cortney were some of the first people we met in Dubai, and we are eternally grateful to them for introducing us to Al Reef's heavenly cheesy bread! Mmmmmm... =) Cort and Tarique have two of the cutest kiddos we have ever met- just one look at these pictures and you'll quickly agree! Omar is such a happy little guy, and I am convinced he is the snuggliest baby in the world. The highlight of my day was when he cuddled up and fell asleep on my chest at the end of the session... he just melts my heart every time I see him! Little Jada is so full of spunk and personality. Watch out world- not even 3, and this little girl has her own mind and agenda! We had to use some clever strategies (finding pretty flowers, and playing in the fuzzy bushes) to convince Jada that our cameras weren't all that bad. We spent a lot of time with our cameras in her face, and as her patience waned, bribery became the name of the game... "Jada, just a few more pictures and we can get some green ice cream." That brought out the smiles, BIG time! It was so fun to follow Jada around and hear her sweet little voice. So what if her favorite word right now is "NO!" She is so darn cute when says it, especially when she gets that coy little smirk on her face. Girl's got her own little sense of humor too!
After the photo session we all walked down to a yummy pizza place for dinner, and then had green ice cream (oh yes, B&R mint chocolate chip) for dessert! What a fun way to spend an afternoon! Thanks so much, guys! Hope you enjoy the photos of your beautiful family!!!

See that cute little smirk? I'm pretty sure she had just told us "No!" =)

I couldn't resist...

2009-03-25T22:59:00.001-07:00

We spent a fun windy afternoon with these 4 beautiful girls and their fantastic parents... more to come soon!

More to come soon...

2009-03-22T02:04:00.000-07:00

...from these fun sessions!

Henderson Brothers

2009-03-13T08:43:00.001-07:00

Ladies, ages 12-18 will want to pay particularly close attention to this blog post, as it involves three young stud-muffins! I must preface that this is Jenni writing this post. Isaac would NEVER EVER even think to call someone a stud-muffin, let alone in label them as such in writing! Ha! As I was saying, we spent a few hours with the Henderson brothers one afternoon last week. These stellar young men came together to have some pictures taken for their lovely mother. See ladies, can't you tell they are catches already?!
We began the session with a stop at one of THE GREATEST places in the world- Al Reef Lebanese Bakery. Oh my goodness, just typing the name of that incredible place makes my mouth start watering! It is here that you can feast on perhaps the world's greatest culinary masterpiece- cheesebread. I know what you're thinking. This girl's nuts! Cheesebread? Masterpiece? But let me tell you. There are simply not powerful enough words in the English language to describe this ooey, gooey, salty, doughy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness! Mmmmmmm might be the best descriptor. It's a celebration for your taste buds (what it does to your waistline, however, is a completely different story!) Cheesebread (or Cheesy Labanesy, as we affectionately refer to it) will be, without a doubt, the thing I miss most about Dubai when we move on. So, as I was saying before I began professing my love for the awesome cheesebread... we started our photo session at Al Reef (drool!) to get some fun informal shots. All of the bakery employees were very curious about what we were doing and kept peeking out the window at us. They even had me come inside to take a picture of a guitar cake they had made.
After Al Reef, we headed to the beach to climb around on some rocks and take advantage of the sherbety sunset. They guys were such great sports for the whole event, as I'm sure having us follow them with our cameras was not high on their lists of how to spend an evening! It was so fun to watch them interact with each other and their mom. All sorts of funny family stories came out... and truly, this family is SO wonderful! These well-spoken brothers are talented scholars, driven athletes, and have such great hearts. One is even growing out his killer red hair to donate to Locks for Love! I am BEYOND impressed!!! Come to think of it though, spend just five minutes with their incredibly kind and thoughtful parents and you'll know exactly how these boys came to be who they are. We are completely and totally inspired by the Henderson's love and camaraderie. My fingers are crossed that we will raise such a close and fun family someday... Denise and Jerry, we'll be coming to you for tips!

p.s. We finally got around to creating a little logo stamp. I'm so excited about it! Don't you think it makes everything look more professional? It's all about the little things, people... =)

William

2009-03-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

Our friends, James and Teryl, welcomed William Joseph into the world on March 2nd. What a precious little guy! I got a good hour of snuggle time in with him the day he came home from the hospital, and I didn't want to give him back to his parents- he is just too cute!
When I took William's photos last weekend he was such a little trooper. He was wide awake and very alert- scowling seriously in an attempt to make sense of the rapidly clicking shutter and the strange lady in his face! William loved to stretch out and kick his little legs, and just about every antic he made caused us to "ooh" and "ahh" like crazy. Oh, the life of a baby... pretty sweet!
Congratulations, James and Teryl! William is amazing, you are the cutest parents already, and we couldn't be happier for you!

And because we are in Dubai...

Gotta rock the ghutrah!

For Cortney...

2009-02-24T08:53:00.001-08:00

While running around with the Murphy kiddos, Cortney and her 2 little ones arrived at the park. I couldn't resist taking some photos of Jada and Omar (they're going to have a gazillion photos by the time we officially take their portraits). But I can't help it... I swear, these kids have some serious cuteness genes running through them!!!

This cracks me up... don't you think it could be one of those hilarious blank greeting cards?! Hmmm... perhaps I should be contacting Hallmark?

Jada is very serious about drinking her water

This image isn't from the park. It's actually from Teryl's shower several weeks ago, but I just had to show off proof that Omar snuggled up and fell asleep on me. My heart just melted!!! Thanks for the picture, Laura!

Murphy's Monkeys!

2009-02-23T23:45:00.000-08:00

Last Friday morning I met up with the Murphy family near school. I figured I could handle taking portraits of the 3 kiddos without Isaac. Not such an easy task, I learned... little people are SO much faster than big people! Especially big people with camera gear. It was quite a challenge to keep up with the kids- parents everywhere, I applaud you! Just when I'd get a beautiful shot lined up... ZOOM, off they'd go again. A good lesson for me- FOCUS FASTER and PRESS THAT SHUTTER LIKE MAD!!! Despite the challenges I faced with the kiddos' unbelievable speed and maneuverability, they were TOTALLY cute, and it was so fun to hear their happy giggles all morning. We started off by climbing around a "digger" in a construction site. Nolan loved that! Amazing how testosterone surges through males at such a tender, young age! Next, we moved over to the school to let the kids run around on the play structures, in hopes of them "forgetting" about me and the camera. Little Olivia (who has the most adorable curls, ever!) DID NOT like my camera, nor did she trust me for a second. She did everything she could to avoid facing me when my camera was raised. She was a tricky little gal! Riley, the oldest, was such an adorable "little mother" and not only watched over her younger siblings' every move, but helped me get some sneaky shots of little Olivia. Thanks, Riley! I'm looking forward to going back out with the Murphys- and Isaac- for some more photos, and perhaps some ice cream. Mmmmm... ice cream! Not only a wonderfully scrumptious sweet treat, ice cream is a fantastic bribery tool! I have a feeling that with a cone in my hand, I'll be one of Ms. Olivia's new best friends... =). Thanks again for the fun morning (and great work out)!!!

Nolan hanging out on the "digger"

The little momma =)

Gotcha!

Riley helped Liv hang upside down like a monkey, so I could snap away

This picture just cracks me up! See how she is looking at me WAAAY out of the corner of her eye? This is what Olivia did all morning, so ensure that she never willingly faced the camera. Too funny!!!

Baby Bump Hansen

2009-02-18T00:21:00.000-08:00

We had the pleasure of spending Valentine's Day with our friends, Donny and Natasha, and their cute little Baby Bump! Little Ms. Hansen is due to arrive mid-March and we are so excited to meet her! We started the session at Donny and Natasha's beeeautiful villa. Donny is an incredible artist and it was such a treat to see his amazing creations accenting their home! We wandered around their neighborhood, making use of the distressed walls and lush foliage, before heading to the beach for some silly sand shots. Donny was such a great sport, and even let us build him a big sand belly- too funny! After our photo session we had a scrumptious candlelight dinner al fresco- Donny's homemade chili, my twice baked potatoes and a fresh green salad- YUM! The perfect way to spend a Valentine's day, if you ask me! Thank you, Donny and Natasha for letting us be a part of this exciting time in your life, and for such a wonderful evening! We can't wait to meet your little one!!!

My favorite photo of the day, featuring the adorable couple and one of Donny's too-cool-for-words fish sculptures! He is making us a smaller version of this angel fish- I am so excited I can barely stand it!!!

Belly pats... one of the perks of this photography gig=) Natasha's belly took on a variety of bizarre shapes throughout the session... we are pretty sure Baby Hansen knew she had an audience and was practicing her tumbling skills. I think she's going to be a firecracker, just like her daddy!

Muah!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

*May I vent a moment?
ARGH!!! (whistles are blowing, steam is pouring from my ears, and I'm tearing at my hair)

I do not know why my image color is still wonky and some of my pictures look all distorted (such as the one above)! These photos look so beautiful on my computer, and as soon as I put them on the web they appear lack-luster=(. I have spent far too much time already trying to tweak the photos from this session to avoid this problem, and I have finally given up, and posted anyways. Grrrr!!! (You know I am serious when I resort to growling!)

Okay, all better.

Thank you for letting me get that off my chest =). Any ideas as to how I can fix this irritating issue?

**Update
Well, after many hours of putzing and tweaking, and some more helpful advice, I think I've found a solution for fixing my photo color issues online. The photos look more like they should, so that brings me some peace=)

Donny and Natasha Sneak Peek!

2009-02-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

I need to get myself to bed, but I couldn't resist posting one picture from our photo session with Donny and Natasha (and Baby Bump Hansen) this afternoon...

More to come soon! Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Calyn... revisited

2009-02-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

I was just processing the last few photos for Calyn, when I stumbled upon these beeeautiful shots. Seriously, this girl could be a model! (Or moe-del, depending on your pronunciation ;) )

We have several more sessions coming up soon- we can't wait!