The 2013 Shoot to Fight Cancer is LIVE!

Our 2013 Relay For Life team (Connolly Tacon & Meserve: "Connolly's Crew") is off to a fabulous start -- we've raised more than $30,000 for the American Cancer Society!

THE GRAND PRIZE
For the last five years, I have donated a photo shoot from Finian Road and raffled it off to benefit the American Cancer Society. More than $8150 has been raised from the tickets sold for the Shoot to Fight Cancer. I introduce this year's Shoot to Fight Cancer. A photo shoot with your fam from Finian Road + the digital negatives + two beautiful gallery-wrapped 16x20 canvas of your two favorite images from the shoot...all while fighting cancer at the same time!


You can use the shoot yourself, or give it away as a gift (and you would be the best gift giver EVER!).

WHERE THE MONEY GOES

100% of every dollar from every ticket goes to support the life-saving work of the American Cancer Society...saving lives and creating more birthdays by helping you stay well, helping you get well, finding cures and by fighting back.

HOW TO BUY YOUR TICKETS

• Go to our online website for the Relay For Life. You'll see our sweet baby Alexander, dreaming of a cancer-free world.
• Click on the orange button "DONATE NOW" button under our names. 
• Enter the amount you wish to donate under "select gift amount": $100 buys you 4 tickets, $75 buys you three tickets, $50 buys you two tickets, and $25 buys you 1 ticket. And you can always buy more than 4!
•  Follow the prompts to complete your donation to the American Cancer Society. We will receive a notice that your donation has been made and your ticket stub(s) will be in the mail to you within 48 hours. 
• Please note: the ticket(s) will be sent to the billing address for the credit card used to pay for them. 

We have just 100 tickets available this year -- don't miss your chance to win!

A VERY SWEET THANK YOU (AN AWESOME COUPON)

Each ticket has a coupon for 20% off a Finian Road shoot or product, good through August 31, 2013! So really...every ticket wins something! :) The drawing will be held on April 30th at 6:00 pm, Pacific time. The winner will be announced that evening, just after drawing.

Good luck...and thanks for supporting the American Cancer Society!

Just a year old...

How is it the end of August already?

You can catch a glimpse of this summer's shoots (that have already been posted) over on Facebook...and half a dozen more to come both here and there!

Loved meeting this family and spending some time in our crazy warm summer days...celebrated Evan's first birthday with a shoot with his parents, grandparents, and sweet cousin! 

He is one lucky little man to have so many who love him dearly!  :)

A few of my favorites from the shoot...cannot wait to share the rest with them! 

The 2012 Shoot to Fight Cancer is LIVE!

Our 2012 Relay For Life team (Connolly Tacon & Meserve: "Connolly's Crew") is off to a fabulous start -- we've raised more than $20,000 for the American Cancer Society!

THE GRAND PRIZE
For the last four years, I have donated a photo shoot from Finian Road and raffled it off to benefit the American Cancer Society. More than $6500 has been raised from the tickets sold for the Shoot to Fight Cancer. I introduce this year's Shoot to Fight Cancer. A photo shoot with your fam from Finian Road + the digital negatives + two beautiful gallery-wrapped 16x20 canvas of your two favorite images from the shoot...all while fighting cancer at the same time!

If you don't win the grand prize, you could still win second prize: a $250 gift certificate to Finian Road or third prize: a $100 gift certificate to Finian Road! With the exception of the cure for cancer, I can't think of a sweeter deal. Tickets are $25 each, and there are just 125 tickets available. Great odds for a prize package worth $850!

You can use the shoot yourself, or give it away as a gift (and you would be the best gift giver EVER!).

WHERE THE MONEY GOES

100% of every dollar from every ticket goes to support the life-saving work of the American Cancer Society...saving lives and creating more birthdays by helping you stay well, helping you get well, finding cures and by fighting back.

HOW TO BUY YOUR TICKETS

• Go to our online website for the Relay For Life. You'll see John Paul in his Relay "Grand Club" tee, getting ready to Relay. (He's also the cover image for this year's ticket, albeit a little younger in that photo!) 
• Click on the purple button "donate on my behalf" button under our names. 
• Enter the amount you wish to donate under "select gift amount": $100 buys you 4 tickets, $75 buys you three tickets, $50 buys you two tickets, and $25 buys you 1 ticket. And you can always buy more than 4!
•  Follow the prompts to complete your donation to the American Cancer Society. We will receive a notice that your donation has been made and your ticket stub(s) will be in the mail to you within 48 hours. 
• The ticket(s) will be sent to the billing address for the credit card used to pay for them. 

Our goal is to sell out the tickets before the end of the month...so don't miss your chance to pick up your tickets!

A VERY SWEET THANK YOU (AN AWESOME COUPON)

Each ticket has a coupon for 20% off a Finian Road shoot or product, good through August 31, 2012! So really...every ticket wins something! :) The drawing will be held on April 30th at 6:00 pm, Pacific time. The winner will be announced on the blog that evening, just after drawing.

Good luck!

My most very favorite moment as a photographer. Ever.

Did you know that November is National Adoption Month in the United States?  Now you do!

It's no coincidence of the timing of one of my most favorite moments as a photographer...and I just had to share.

A while back, I was asked if I could shoot some "updated photos" for a very special couple who were looking to adopt a baby.  Being an adopted child, I was thrilled to help.  And as a graphic designer, overjoyed to be able to help layout the 'preview album' for prospective birthmoms to look through...to help them get to know this amazing couple.  They selected photos of their life and I laid it out for them to help tell the story of who they are and why they would be great parents.

I'm thrilled to share that in less than two months, they will be welcoming a sweet little boy into their family!

When they met the birthmom of their son, they asked her what helped her make the decision that they were "THE" parents.  She handed  them the album, turned to the last page, and said, "This image.  I can see you walking along, hand in hand, with your child."

I give you the image above from the last page of their album, taken on our farm, by two of the world's best parents-to-be.  I can't begin to describe how happy my heart is to be able to be part of this journey and to be able to capture it as a photographer.  

And I cannot wait to welcome this little one as well...with tears, open arms, and of course, my lens.  ♥ ♥ ♥

Sweet Evelyn at One Year

How can Miss Evelyn be a year old already?  It seriously feels like it was just yesterday that we were shooting her mama's beautiful maternity images.  To celebrate her one year, we shot down at Pt. Defiance and the Rose Garden. 

To Evelyn's signature plan, her parents added the maternity shoot + an 18 month shoot, so her Signature album will be extended to add in the finest from each shoot.  I can't wait to pull it all together -- I just have to wait 6 more months!

A few of my favorites...be prepared to be captivated by her blue eyes!

---

Looking back at how she's grown...

• In the womb
• As a newborn
• At three months
• At six months 
• At nine months

The Wee Ones: Gracie and Graham

The first shoot back following maternity leave.  Time was of the essence as he was scheduled to deploy to the middle east a few short days later...and we pulled it off!

We spent an hour on the farm with their two beautiful wee ones before he left.  One of the things I adore about where I live is that because we have the lower fields without trees, you'd never know we were shooting on a Christmas tree farm!  You can capture some fabulous northwest images with dozens of different backdrops and beautiful light.

I LOVE coming back to shooting with a family like this. I'm so grateful for the chance to be able to shoot them together before he left! 

A few of my favorites from the afternoon...

Loved shooting Gracie and Graham. How can you not adore these little smiles?!?