The blog
Working out. We know we should do it, but more often than not, it feels like something that’s interrupting our day. Our to-do lists are already jam packed and going to the gym is just another thing we have to add. Because of how daunting working out seems, we usually talk ourselves out of going. We think there are more important things to do and that exercise doesn’t take priority over those tasks. We make plans to start working out regularly when time frees up and that it’ll eventually become a part of our routine when we’re less busy.
February 28, 2018
Every business owner goes through anxiety. You have to! There’s so much care that goes into this thing YOU’VE built and there are a lot of unknowns that come with the process of being successful. You don’t know when you’ll get your next inquiry, you don’t necessarily know if you’ll still be a business owner five years from now and sometimes you don’t even know the next time you’ll get paid.
ALL of this causes us to have anxiety and, unfortunately, when we get stressed, we turn to social media to relax and unwind. Yet, we aren’t able to. When we get on Facebook or Instagram, we’re flooded with posts talking about how wonderful everyone else’s business is. Everywhere we look, we’re reminded that we’re not doing nearly as well as we think we should be. It becomes a comparison game.
January 30, 2018
Oh, my goodness. Throughout Kelsey & Daniel’s engagement session I found myself either:
A) Completely obsessed with how wonderfully they complimented one another. The way they smiled, laughed and played made abundantly clear the love, care, and compassion they’ve shared together over the last five years.
B) Straight up laughing to the point of tears. These two are a hilarious duo that are filled with so much light and amazing silliness. It was seriously impossible for me to stop smiling the entireeee time!
December 8, 2017
Before anything, let’s be real – getting your picture taken is kind of intimidating! Even being a photographer, I still get nervous getting my portraits done! Because of this, clients sometimes have a hard time smiling naturally, making it a challenge to capture their genuine expressions! BUT. If we, as photographers, know our clients are going to get a little nervous before their session, we can take charge to help ease their nerves and keep their energy up!
November 30, 2017
One of the best parts of my job is being able to work with people as amazing as Czarina and Michael! These two are the sweetest and have an overwhelming amount of love & respect for one another. I loved seeing how excited Czarina would get to kiss Michael or how much they would make each other laugh nonstop! Their relationship is filled with genuine compassion and even though their wedding is a year away, I mayyyy already have a countdown going for when I get to capture them together as husband and wife!
November 22, 2017
The first time I saw them together was in high school. They brought so much happiness to their friends and anyone that saw them knew how much they admired one another. Since then, they’ve attended college, pursued careers, traveled to Disneyland (a lottttt) and experienced huge milestones together. That’s why when they asked me to capture their wedding, I knew it was going to be special.
Adam and Lauren planned a wedding that simply celebrated the love they’ve shared over the past six years. It was different from other weddings – They invited 20 guests, didn’t have a bridal party and created their own floral arrangements. And. It. Turned. Out. Stunning! Every thing about their wedding embraced the love these two wonderful people share and the happiness from their loved ones that they were finally coming together as husband and wife!
November 14, 2017
Hi, friends! Since we’re getting close to the end of the week, I’m getting ready to head in to my sixth wedding weekend in a row! When I first started photographing weddings, I dreamed of shooting every weekend I could, but completely underestimated how much energy it would take! Weddings take a ton of work since you’re constantly going physically and mentally. You’re working nonstop anywhere between 6-12 hours and basically don’t catch a break until later in the evening!
It can get pretty overwhelming, but there are things you can start implementing in your daily life to prevent having major burn out during a busy wedding season! With all the craziness going on, it’s important for you to come to each wedding feeling as relaxed & refreshed as possible!
November 10, 2017
Tiffany and Levi are people you fall instantly in love with. When you talk to them for the first time, you are immediately greeted with genuine kindness. They ask questions, make you feel important and the two big smiles you were initially met with never fade. When you leave, you feel like you’ve talked to two friends you’ve known for ages even if it was a conversation that only lasted an hour!
The first time I captured their relationship for their engagement portraits, I couldn’t believe how compassionate and respectful they were. Not only to me, but toward one other. I admired how one moment would be engulfed in passionate laughter while the next would be filled with soft intimacy. Their relationship is a perfect balance and witnessing it was absolutely magical!
October 19, 2017
The day before our session together, I received this email from Brooke:
“Hey Lara,
I just want to remind you that Michigan is cold. It’s usually in the 50’s in the morning this time of year!”
And she was absolutely right. I was traveling to Grand Rapids, Michigan for Brooke and Alex’s engagement session and knew it was going to be insanely special (and a litttttttle chilly)! Being from Arizona, I couldn’t stop dreaming about the autumn colors I hardly get to see, the slight chill in the air that tells you fall is here AND all the layers I never get to wear (give me ALL the scarves, gloves, boots and winter coats!!!)!
But even more than that, I knew Brooke and Alex were a special couple! From the moment Brooke spoke to me over email, I could already tell how fun the two of them were! Not only because Brooke immediately dove into session planning with me, but because she also mentioned that her and Alex would be bringing pizza, burritos, beer and wine to their session! (Seriously, how cool are they?!)
October 13, 2017
Hi, friends! I’ve been receiving questions lately about Instagram and how to effectively use it for promotional growth. A lot of Instagram users are frustrated with the app, and I honestly can’t blame them! There have been so many changes with Instagram’s algorithm that it’s sometimes hard to feel like you can really make any significant progress.
BUT. I decided to create a brand new Instagram e-book that walks you through several things you can be doing to up your Instagram game! The best part? There’s content in here for every type of user! So, whether you’re a beginner, a shadow banned user or and IG pro – I made this guide specifically so that everyone can learn something new from it!
October 2, 2017
