brianna saban photography

it's been a long time, friends.

2011-03-18T18:02:00.002-06:00

i've neglected this blog for so long it's kind of a joke. for the past 6 months i've been working on a new blog and all the while continuing to shoot for previous and new clients.
can i just say "WHEW!"
what a beautiful ride this has been. and it's ongoing. the growth of my business over the past several years has been such a tremendous blessing. i am loving this gig and i want to continue to give my best at every single shoot and to every single client i have.
to all of you who have followed me on this journey, thank you so much! i'm sorry i left you high and dry on this blogspot over the past several months. come on over to my new blog location and continue on this journey with me.

www.briannasaban.com/blog

booyah!

behind on blogging.... albuquerque {lifestyle} photographer

2010-10-07T18:31:00.000-06:00

..words just can't express how busy my life has been lately.
my 3 boys are all in activities that require major drive time and commitment on my part (ugh) and my photography business has been a whirlwind of shoots and edits and personal galleries fulfilled, but blogging just hasn't been on the plate these days.
so since i am a handful of shoots behind on the bloggity, i thought i'd post a few snaps from each shoot waiting in the wings for their moment of blog glory. (my personal archives are over flowing with picture goodness...but those are always last on the list.)
more to come of each...this just feels right, right now.

oh my sweet sweet addison.
baby girl just turned TWO and is growing up so fast!
i feel SO SO LUCKY to get to photograph these fleeting moments for her parents.
also, mom kristi, just opened up a business of her own! you can check it out HERE:)

my loyal, loving, dear friend andi hired me for her annual family shoot.
since we last did a family shoot, they were a family of five.
then they added sweet, beautiful elle.
and now they are the fabulous six.
i feel so lucky to call andi my friend. and what an honor that she asks me to photograph these people whom she loves more than life.

this hottie tottie is nick.
a cibola senior who is going places.
i won't embarrass him too much here....but did you know he is the state champion in wrestling??
well now you know.
and his eyes are insanely beautiful as is his shy smile.
(gonna get a few snaps of him and his beautiful girlfriend really soon:)

emma!!!
i had SO.MUCH.FUN with emma and her family. everyone knows i have sister envy and it was baaaaad while hanging out with emma and her cute sister.
i jokingly renamed them skylar and selah (my daughters names...if i had ever had any:)
emma is a senior and her sis is a freshman and they play together on the soccer varsity team. apparently the first sibling pair to do so at their school. how cool is that?
and they even have a secret handshake that they do before every game.
oh how lovely skylar and selah have grown up to be....

patsizz is BACK.
and we took a bench out to the desert at sunset which equaled one of the best shoots ever. (i say that to all the girls, i know. but it's true every time!)
i am in love with all of her pictures. and her, of course. and her cute family. i always have such a great time with them. not to mention they brought beer. (just one. as we sat and talked and enjoyed the sunset.)
i love my patsizzle. i do, i do.

my assistant.

this is lily. and one very sweet picture from our shoot yesterday.
i am now mentoring a beautiful and insanely talented senior from la cueva and this is the first shoot she accompanied me on.
i don't know how i ever lived without camille before yesterday. she and i are going to have a blast together this year.
and lily and her brothers sure loved camille too:)

ok, peeps.
i'll be back soon with more.
love to all ya'll readers and lookers.
XOXOXOXO

besties ~albuquerque, nm children's photographer

2010-09-10T23:24:00.000-06:00

oh boy.
i mean, oh boys.
i had this idea rolling around in my head for a few days after i came across some really cool 'fedora-like' hats for kids.add a few white tanks, fake tatts and some aviator sunglasses- plus my asher and his two buds--and this idea came to life.
i love the dynamic between these guys; asher, beck and stoney.
they were all born within months of each other.
i was so lucky to be preggo with a couple of my really close and treasured gal pals (andi and patsizzle)-- only to birth fast friends.
this has to be one of my favorite personal shoots ever...

boys rock. they just do.

XOXOXO
bri

full of beauty and grace ~albuquerque, nm high school senior photographer

2010-09-09T13:13:00.000-06:00

jordan grace.
such a perfect name for this teenage beauty.
she is truly as sweet as they come...and it's easy to see why.
her family rocks the casbah. i loved them all.
they didn't mind at all that i had my 3 boys in tow, or that it was as hot as could be, or that i planned on taking a million photographs of them.
nope, not a single whine.
and so, because jordan and family have been ever-so-gracious in their patience of my processing of their gallery...this is just the tip of the iceberg.
i plan on picture overloading them:)

mother daughter sweetness ~Albuquerque Family Photographer

2010-08-23T18:17:00.000-06:00

i left this shoot wanting to be a better mother, to be more like amy.
she was so easy going and loving and complimentary towards her adorable little girl,
it really touched my heart.
she was quick to do cart wheels and roll down hills, even though it made her queasy:)
she was quick to tell her baby girl how special she is and how much she adores her.
they played soccer and had inside jokes and never stopped hugging and cuddling.
this shoot was a just because shoot.
just because mom wanted to celebrate her beautiful daughter and the bond they have.
i'm grateful to have been a part of a couple of their hours together....

thank you amy and sadie:)

XOXOXO

the best way to end the summer ~albuquerque children's photographer

2010-08-13T17:34:00.002-06:00

oh what a day it was!
i promised the kids ONE MORE DAY at cochiti lake last thursday (before school started for us this week.)
so i put the word out on facebook for anyone who'd like to- to come join us there.
we had a great bunch of kids ready to eat and play allll day long.
about an hour in...the most insane rainstorm hit.
the park rangers even made us go home because lightening was everywhere.
:(

BUT!
plan b was to go back to my house and just let the kids play in the rain while us moms hung out and watched.
it was SO.MUCH.FUN.
the torrential downpour filled the sidewalk gutters with rushing water and the kids went wild.
it was so cool to watch them play and laugh and scream and get soaking wet in the rain.
i couldn't miss taking pictures of this perfect childhood moment and i'm so grateful that i decided to get my trusty camera out for the action.
the kids played non stop for four whole hours.
so even though we had a lake trip on our hearts that morning, God had bigger and better plans...
it was bliss.

and that was my favorite day of our entire summer.....

vegas beauty ~las vegas, nevada lifestyle photographer

2010-07-25T19:01:00.000-06:00

i snapped these while in las vegas this past march for wppi.
a bunch of us gals were standing around talking after a class and out of the corner of my eye i saw this...

there was a beautiful girl peering through the glass window of a restaurant, and the way the lights were reflecting off her pretty face completely caught my eye.

i quickly snapped a couple of photos...but then thought i should approach her and ask permission.

she said 'yes' and i got these gems.

i almost forgot about them but the folder caught my attention today.
so here.they.are.

viva las vegas.

XOXOXO

a hometown sendoff ~albuquerque, nm family photographer

2010-07-25T16:54:00.000-06:00

this is the shoot that almost didn't happen.
i am SO GLAD that it did!
this beautiful family is moving from the land of enchanment and starting over in the northwest.
they decided between the stress of packing and moving to get a family shoot sendoff. what a cool way to pay tribute to their hometown and family's roots.

when everyone stepped out of the car the first thing i said was "you are my dream family!"
3 girls?! HELLO?!
that was supposed to be my lot in life, wasn't it?

i'm sure mom, gina, is so tired of hearing this from people....but come on... REESE WITHERSPOON!

is that the most uncanny resemblance, or what? and we had her here in the Q all this time!!!

this next one makes me laugh. this is something my husband would totally do...

best of luck on your journey, my dream family:)))

XOXO

my pretty neighbor ~albuquerque children's photographer

2010-07-23T17:53:00.000-06:00

this is my beautiful neighbor, chloe.
or 'klo-dawg', 'c-loc', 'lil mama' or 'mommy' as i like to call her.
i could stare at her pretty face all day.
she is growing up right before my eyes and i am so lucky she lives in my hood. on my street.
i'm even luckier that her mom and i are friends.
chloe's mom is hilarious and suggested that we come up with chola names for each other. (you KNOW i LOVE THAT, ese!)
she calls me desi and i call her leti. (no offense to any cholas out there. we love you gals.)
enough about me, here's more of lil mama....

love you girlzzz!

XOXOXO

my peeps! ~albuquerque, nm family photographer

2010-07-19T23:10:00.000-06:00

i first met liz when i photographed her sweet baby avery back in february. we instantly hit it off and she is now a personal friend.

and not only a friend, but also our financial advisor. do you know how fun is it to say that.. "meet liz, our financial advisor..." it makes it sound like we are millionaires, and we aren't!

(quick back story: whether in good times or in bad, laurence and i have never consulted with 'an outsider' about our finances. when i learned what liz did for a living, i knew that we could benefit from her expertise. she now has us on the fast track to get completely out of debt and on our way to bigger, brighter things. her ideas for my business are prized.

not only is liz completely down-to-earth, funny and personable but she knows her stuff, TRUST ME.

it was HUGE to get my husband to talk with 'an outsider' about our money and he now loves liz.

i highly recommend her services if you need anything from debt counseling, to investing your riches, to insurance and retirement plans. email me for her contact info:)

liz's step-daughter, alyssa was in town for avery's 1st birthday party and thought it would be a good idea to begin the shoot at her favorite abq restaurant, flying star.

yes, please.

daddy's girls. 20 years apart....how cool is that?!

we stopped by this watermelon sign for a picture...well, AND a watermelon...but they were EIGHT DOLLARS!!! blessed by Jesus or not, 8 dollars is watermelon inflation.

thanks for the picture though.

see you soon, liz and family

grass, golden light, and california girls ~albuquerque children's photographer

2010-07-12T22:47:00.002-06:00

i really look forward to photographing this family every year now for the past 3 years.
not only are they are chalk full of gorgeous cali girls, but these sisters are growing up right before my camera and it's amazing.
the first year i met them, they were tiny tots and not too thrilled at the aspect of having a camera in there faces.
fast forward 3 years and now they're running and jumping on me and giggling at jokes and full of silly.
i had SO MUCH FUN with these gals the other day...

and as always, we make sure to get a few cousin shots to mark the occasion:)

see you next year, gals!

XOXOXO

fields of gold ~albuquerque, nm lifestyle photographer

2010-07-12T00:19:00.005-06:00

i love that we have the same sense of humor, this family and i.

i love that they can laugh even when their toddler boy is in a bit of a grumpy mood for pictures.

i love that they didnt mind i brought along bribery treats for the tots- and let me stuff them with sugar.

i love the dresses the girls wore....especially mom's.

i love how kind all of the children are....especially the big brother.

i love that they've entrusted me time and time again to capture the love, bonds and laughs that they share as a family.

i love that they treasure photos as much as i do...

thank you once again, friends:)

XOXOXO

the loveliest little girls ~albuquerque family/ children's photographer

2010-07-05T17:28:00.012-06:00

words just cannot express how much i adore this cute family.
i first met them last year when the mom, sarah, hired me to do a shoot just for her little girls in her amazing backyard. some of my favorite images of all time came from that shoot. you might recognize big sister, elise, from my splash page. also, both girls are on my opening slide show on the website.
the moment sarah booked me again, i was sooooo excited to see them all.
and this time mom and dad were getting in some shots too.
i just have this instant connection with these little girls. they make me happy!
not only are they the prettiest of the prettiest, but they are super polite and spunky and artsy and just...fun.

mom had a fantastic idea of taking some shots at zap oh! a children's clothing boutique located in nob hill. she is friends with the owner who ever so graciously let us take over the store for a photo shoot. the girls got to try on hats and skirts and dresses while i snapped away. seriously, what more could a photographer/mom of three boys ask for...

(if you've never been to this store, you need to check it out. they have THE MOST ADORABLE OUTFITS for babies and children. like, to die for stuff.)

i call this next shot "wind."

i just love all the girls' wind whipped hair here...

mom and dad's next great idea: to get some gelato with the girls over at ecco.

i love how bright it is in there, the yellow against the contrast of the black and whites, and that this is something they do as a family a lot.

and last but not least, i took the girls over to a favorite place of mine. a beautiful, fairy-like field that has the most beautiful wild grass and gorgeous sunlight.

add elise and sage and their mama, and you've got magic...

we ended with a few chalk drawings on the sidewalk....

...and some on sage's face:)

thank you lovelies!

until next time....

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

bri

she's ONE! ~albuquerque, nm family photographer

2010-07-01T17:42:00.005-06:00

since last photographing baby kaitlyn , she has changed so much!
she's got more hair. she's almost walking. she's even more alert and bright and inquisitive than ever.
she is really such a sweetheart little girl with a huge family who adores and loves her completely.
being asked to photograph her first birthday party was such an honor for me.
everyone was so friendly and welcoming. i truly enjoyed the time i spent with this family and the friends that love kaitlyn so...

i probably told melissa 20 times during and since this party how much i adore her sweet grandparents. they are the cutest, kindest, SWEETEST couple.

oh how i wish they were mine!

kaitlyn's best friend/ sister friend is avery. don't let their disinterest fool you. my money says that one day these gals are gonna be double trouble:)

after kaitlyn had her fair share of cake...the adults dug in.

and then began the food fight which was awesome...

kaitlyn ended her birthday shenanigans with a nice nap....and so i went home and did the same.

xoxoxoxo

bri

a beautiful blast from the past ~albuquerque, nm family photographer

2010-06-30T15:52:00.004-06:00

about a year ago as i sat under the hair dryer at a beauty salon that i will never return to (the day the dude turned my roots ice blue...) i looked to my right and said, "hey, i know you!"

and there sat amber.

she and i had a photography class together in high school.

now she's all growed up, newly newly married, with a beautiful daughter and a very charming step son. not to mention a handsome husband. not to mention that she is gorgeous and fit and looks better than ever. she was super cute in high school, she is smokin now.

what a wonderful surprise it was when she booked me for some family pictures.

through our emails i learned that neither she nor her husband are huge fans of having their pictures taken.

perfect. i love to make believers out of non believers.

and even more perfect....they showed up with ice cold beer for us all.

a little beer spill never hurt anyone

i loved how laid back everyone was. my kind of people, totally.

you wouldn't know it, but we were all dripping sweat right about here.

look how well they played cool!

i don't remember what i said to get the reaction in the next pictures, but i'm damned proud of myself. i can practically hear her laughter:)

i want this picture of me and my husband. so so bad!

aaaaaaaaaaaand, scene!

xoxoxoxox

bri

it's about time ~albuquerque, new mexico family photographer

2010-06-13T19:39:00.007-06:00

the last time i photographed serena, she was pregnant with isabella.
it's been a while!
these guys are really good friends of ours.
we love 'em.
rueben and laurence play poker and fantasy football together, and serena and i get together for social functions and birthday parties. and if we're lucky a girls night here and there.

we're watching our kids grow up right before our eyes and so i was very honored when they asked me to take some new family photos.

i got their kids nice and wriled up during this shoot which is always my pleasure:))

i have a thing for ponytails in the wind.

i.LOVE.this.shot.

the weather was so bipolar the evening we shot, which only made for a brilliant sky.

mateo pretending to be carried away by a gust of wind=awesomeness.

isabella perfomed her favorite song for us.

watching her belt it out had to be the sweetest thing ever...

my older boys love mateo. they say he's nice AND cool.

what a combo:)

and last but not least, i INSISTED we get a picture of isabella in

her favorite pair of tutu legz.

mom isn't only a client, but the president:))

now go get cha some!

xoxoxox

bri

i love summer evenings ~ albuquerque, new mexico family photographer

2010-06-11T17:43:00.010-06:00

eric and bj are friends of friends and more recently, facebook friends (oh, the power of facebook...i love it.)
little kendyl had me at hello.
i said, "hi little mommy!" to which she responded "oh, i'm not the mama- she is." and pointed to her mom.
in a few minutes flat she was swinging for me, riding her dora bike and jumping all over mom and dad.
big brother kaimyn showed me his serious side and amazing baseball skills.

what a cool little familia....

when kendyl sat in her dad's lap for a picture he lost his balance and fell backwards....thus equals my new favorite picture.

and i freakin love this one too.

oh, and this one...

and this.

too many favorites to count in this shoot.
the light, the love and the laughter made this a really special shoot.
i love this job....i am so lucky.

XOXO
bri

oh my freakin cute! ~albuquerque, nm family photographer

2010-06-02T23:37:00.004-06:00

adrienne and i went to high school together but weren't really aquainted back in the day.
i had known she was a nice girl (and maybe she knew i was not. ha!)
but here our paths have crossed and it was such a pleasure to photograph her sweet family.
her little boy, jackson, JUST turned one, and like a boy--he was moving and climbing all over the place.
i love this age.

the way they use every limb to balance as they toddle from here to there is hilarious.

mom and dad fittingly name this 'the drunken sailor walk'....

jackson's hilarious cousins came for some photog fun, too.

the little dude noah, on the left, told me ever-so-humbly..."i'm pretty much the funniest person in this family."

i can't disagree. this guy was pretty funny. he even mooned his aunt and uncle in a shot.

(that one goes in their private gallery:)))

addison on the go ~albuquerque, nm children's photographer

2010-05-24T22:54:00.010-06:00

addison is a crack up.
i seriously love this little girl.
she is ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL GO.
little mama is a blur. it's almost miraculous that i get any stand still pictures of her.
i first met her last summer, when she had just turned one and was hardly mobile.
now, she is so fun to watch in action.

she first wanted to show me how she can hang on her new big girl bed...

then we went outside to swing. addison lives on some BEAUTIFUL land in the mountains and her playground is amongst the trees. HOW.FUN.

she took me out to her daddy's garage and showed me how she can

TURN ON his tractor all by herself.

hilarious.

and then i got some smiles from her as she closed me in the garage...

and we ended with her running from me. again:)

much love to all the toddlers out there!

XOXOXOX

lovely lauren/ class of 2010 ~albuquerque high school photographer

2010-05-23T02:23:00.012-06:00

this girl couldn't take a bad picture if she tried.
not a chance.
not only is lauren beautiful, but she is a really nice girl!
like, super nice.
and sweet.
and outgoing.
and friendly.
and funny.
and freakin CUTE!

i absolutely LOVED hanging out with her and her mom for the evening.
(they didn't even bat an eye that i had my kids tagging along in the car for a while. i'm so professional like that...)

check out lauren in all her senior glory.

i see myself in the mom's of graduates....it won't be long until i'm there too. and i will be glowing with pride on the outside while bawling my eyes out on the inside, i'm sure.

after taking about 50 pictures i stopped and said, "miley cyrus! you look like miley cyrus--only prettier! does anyone ever tell you that?"

"i get that all.the.time." she said.

-------->do you see it? <----------

this is mom's car, by the way.

hot dang!

it fit perfectly into our shoot...

i would kill to have these legs.

kill.

yes, murder someone.

and guess who got a soccer scholarship to college?

mmm hmmm.

fort lewis boys...here comes a heart breaker. (a really sweet one:)

now go take on the world lauren!

and don't ever forget your worth.

YOU ARE AMAZING, sister.

XOXOXOXO

big girl sofia ~albuquerque family photographer

2010-05-22T18:16:00.007-06:00

one of the best best things about repeat clients--- is getting to watch the babies grow up.

i photographed newborn sofia just about a year ago.

today, she's a walking, talking, super sweet 'big girl'.

(and i mean, this little mama TALKS! her vocabulary is insane. i have 3 boys who never talked this early and so much!)

this is the stage where they give you 'kisses' which are actually an open mouthed slobber fests. i miss my babies doing this...

this is my new favorite couple picture.

i have a thing for long green grass, and laughter.

i.love.this.

i can't wait to see what she's up to next year:)

XOXOXOXO

happy mother's day! ~albuquerque, nm family photographer

2010-05-09T13:09:00.006-06:00

this was my second time photographing cynthia, tom and sweet baby chloe.
this time around, grandma and grandpa came along- with auntie and uncle, also.
first i want to say that i LOVE these folks style. total rockabilly, vintage coolness.
(i wish i knew how to rock the 50's...but i can barely keep up with the '10's.)

we met in downtown albie for some train station, urbanesque photos.
it was early evening and the light was INSANE. (insane meaning perfect.)

chloe and her grandma have a super special bond since grandma watches her from day to day. everytime a finger goes in chloe's mouth, she makes that blubblubblubblub sound. SO CUTE.

we ended our shoot on the old train station's steps.

cynthia's grandfather worked at this railroad station...so it has sentimental value (and totally goes with the vintage theme here!)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXO

the sisterhood ~albuquerque, nm lifestyle photographer

2010-05-04T13:48:00.007-06:00

this was fun.
reeeeeeally fun.

these beautiful women have been best friends since college.
they meet annually to keep their connections alive and share precious time with each other. and beers.
i've heard so much about these awesome ladies over the years, as i am friends with patty (patsizzle). this year, they met in albuquerque and then drove to santa fe for a girl's weekend extravaganza.
after the fun we had on our shoot---i wanted to go with them!
laughing, laughing, laughing. lots of laughing. and i was lucky enough to have my camera on standby to capture the joy.

what time is it? BEER THIRTY!

we had a little dance off in an alley.

it was awesome.

Oh no she didn't!

(...and there are so many more it would be obnoxious to blog them.)

i love patty, and i love that she has these besties in her life.

i am a girls girl through and through, myself.

my best friends are my everything, too.

i don't know how people get through life without the love and support of true blue girlfriends.

if you don't have one, go out and get one- STAT!

if you do have them, make sure they know you love em-STAT!

"My friends are my estate" ~emily dickinson

XOXOXOXO

prose for portraits/ the nitafan family ~albuquerque, nm family photographer

2010-04-21T18:28:00.013-06:00

meet the nitafan's.

i chose them during our prose for portraits contest back in february.

we've been waiting for the weather to warm up so they could enjoy a warm, sunny, outdoor shoot with their boys and awesome new dog, chloe.

the nitafan's have been through a really tough time these past couple of years.

two years ago, elaine's mother was diagnosed with terminal glioblastoma (brain cancer.)

as they cared for her in their home during her last year of life, elaine's younger brother had a continued battle with alcoholism.

soon after elaine's mother passed away, she learned she was pregnant--which seemed to be a silver lining for her family.

a few months later, on the day that the nitafan's learned that their unborn child had died, they also got news that elaine's brother had died too.

how much pain can one person bare?

i just don't know.

they have been through such an intense grieving process these past two years, i knew they deserved a ray of sunshine--as small as it may be.

despite all of these hardships, this family is closer than ever. i wanted these pictures to represent the joy that they all are to each other.

God and family are the nitafan's loves.

oh! and chloe! chloe is their newly adopted boxer.

she has become elaine's dear friend and has been instrumental in the family's healing.

we chose a park that allowed chloe to be a part of the fun, too.

this next picture has to be one of my new favorites. i love it. i love that each child is encompassed in an activity that they love and dad has the pitch stance. it's the perfect candidness.

this little guy is an award winning jump roper. he was too cute showing me his jump rope skills. with one missing tooth and one yellow tooth (from a fall) in that big smile---how can you not just love him!

the nitifan boys are also extremely talented in karate. i love this shot of them showing me a routine. (is it called a 'routine'?? i don't know...i'm karate lingo inept. sorry.)

and we ended with the boys rolling down the hill a few times.

perfect.

not only did i meet a beautiful, godly family....but i walked away with new friends.

elaine has to be the most friendly, kind, most gentle beauty i've ever met.

her hugs are beyond special.

i can't wait to grab a mojito, sister;)

XOXOXOXOXO

dylan/ class of 2010 ~albuquerque senior photographer

2010-04-19T17:38:00.009-06:00

(*afterthought* Q: how do you know you are getting old? A: when you refer to teenagers as "kids". OH MY GOSH, i never thought this day would come. didn't I just graduate from high school yesterday?! apparently not.)

where do i begin about mr. dylan, here?
THIS GUY AMAZED ME.
from his phone call booking his shoot, all the way until i took the last photo--i was in awe of dylan's personality.
he's driven, kind, polite, well spoken, outgoing, charming, one of the best big brothers i've ever seen in action (i should know, i have one who is anything but...) and just an all round NICE GUY.

when we were talking about his shoot on the phone he said, "i have one request..."
me: "sure, what is it."
dylan: "well, i have a two year old brother who i just love to death. he is my world. i can't imagine taking senior pictures and not having some with him in them..."
me: "DONE!"

did you just melt? cause i did.
A TEEN WHO LOVES HIS SIBLING ENOUGH TO REQUEST HIM IN THE PICS???
really?!

dylan has 2 loves: his family, and baseball.

i want the recipe for raising such a great kid.
i'm holding dylan's pictures for randsom until his parents give it to me....

...and dylan was super stoked to wear these tie dye shirts that his mom and aunt make. aren't they cool? i thought they were PERFECT for these pics with his brother. fun and colorful, like these guys...

another great idea of dylan's was visiting his favorite barber shops downtown that he's been going to for several years. here's a few from ace barber shop .

baseball.

i told dylan, i am so selling these photos to the highest bidder when he becomes a famous baseball player. i'll start taking bids now. email me:)

XOXOXOXO

spencer/ class of 2010 ~albuquerque teen photographer

2010-04-13T17:29:00.006-06:00

isn't 'spencer' the coolest girl name???
i love it.
i love that she even looks like a spencer.
what does a 'girl spencer' look like, you ask?
spunky, way cute, laid back, fun, and a little mischievous.
that's a girl spencer to me.

i loved meeting spence and her awesome dad--who is also the baseball coach at her high school.
what impressed me most about spencer was that at one point in her high school career, she went off the road a little...but was now back on track with great grades and ready to graduate in may.
that impresses me--and resonates with me--because that was ME in high school.
i really took a detour from the 'right way'--and it wasn't until after high school that i was able to get my act together. i know what it's like to have everyone in the family think you are doomed, but to somehow find the strength to make better choices and surprise them all.

at one point i heard her dad say, "i never thought we'd get here, buddy." and i almost cried.
i'm sure my dad has had that same thought from time to time.
the moral of the story is: 'naughty' teens can turn things around. it happens. don't give up hope, parents. and when they do get their act together--celebrate, just like these two....

fyi--this was all spencer's idea. "do you want me to stand on my car?" she asked.

response: HECK YES!!!!!

congratulations miss spencer.

can't wait to see where life takes you:)

XOXOXOXO

mia and the cherry tree ~albuquerque photographer

2010-04-08T16:03:00.004-06:00

this is sweet mia again.
her mom is a huge fan of baby as art (so am i!) and sooooo badly wanted a picture of her cherished baby girl hanging from a cherry tree.
i was scared to even attempt it.
i consider myself a lifestyle photographer through and through and this isn't the kind of photography i know too much about-- but jayme has been a loyal, supportive client and so....after MUCH convincing on her part, i was game.

i have to say that i am THRILLED with the outcome.
these are going to look absolutely precious hanging in mia's beautiful, pink nursery.

jayme gets all the props for cutting down the branch, hot gluing the blossoms on, and dying her own cheese cloth the perfect color pink.
i was just lucky to be invited over with my camera.

magic.

p.s. and DAD, christian, gets major props for coming home from work to hold the cherry tree branch in mid air for these!!!

XOXO

american idol fans ~albuquerque photographer

2010-04-06T22:42:00.002-06:00

this is how my boys set themselves up every tuesday and thursday night.
they are american idol fans to the core.
and as you can see, even the dog is one.
me? not so much.
but luckily i have a view of my favorite people-- watching their favorite people--as i work on my other favorite people (my clients) and their shoots.

xoxoxo

isn't she lovely ~albuquerque family photographer

2010-04-02T00:33:00.004-06:00

when i grow up i wanna be as happy and as joyful as mia.
this baby is a dream.
she has to be one of the most easy going gals i've ever met.
she let me mess with her for hours the other day. HOURS.
you couldn't pay any of my kids to let me take their pictures for hours. no way.
so, like i said, she is a dream baby.

here she is in all her 6 month old glory, sitting up.
(and that is mama's dress from when SHE was 6 months old. perfect.)

now off to a whimsical little spot for some whimsical pics. this was so fun.

mia, you rock:)
XOXOXO

father/ daughter bond, you break my heart ~albuquerque family photographer

2010-03-25T21:44:00.006-06:00

this is loren and his sweet/smokin' daughter, kelsey.
they. were. awesome.
and the fact that they were getting a father/ daughter shoot was even awesomer.
(i love my dad SO MUCH. i do. he's a funny guy. but he would never have done this with me. not when i was in high school and not now. he's not one to show a soft side....)
so knowing that this was a rarity made me appreciate it even more.
i think more dad's need to do something like this to make their daughters feel special!!!

another bonus: kelsey is a student of my brother's.
it's so easy to get a teenager to smile when i'm dogging on my older brother (their teacher) and exposing all of his secrets.

i wish i wish i wish i had a picture of me and my dad like this one below:

just us hanging out and laughing.

they wanted to stop for some icecream (PERFECT!) so i kept my camera out...

xoxoxo

bri

nothing but love for the eby's ~las vegas, nevada family photographer

2010-03-25T01:35:00.014-06:00

the eby's are new friend's in vegas.
i happen to be out there recently because i attended WPPI (which was flippin' UH-MAZING by the way. pictures to follow. soon.)

over email, laura had mentioned wanting some family pictures taken out by red rocks--which is pretty close to where they live.
i love red. i love rocks. i love pictures and i love people. GAME ON.
this place is so beautiful.
all of these odd shaped red boulders are just jutting out of the desert landscape, in the middle of no where. pretty cool.

and luckily, before we left for our final destination, i was able to get a few pics of little man getting in some wii time.

i entitled this ensemble "the power of the wii."

CAVE-TASTIC!

laura and brian are so easy going and laid back and kind and fun.

viva las vegas!

xoxoxoxo

bri

little miss sofia ~albuquerque children's photographer

2010-03-02T18:09:00.009-07:00

i met up with sofia, her parents, grandparents and her favorite sock monkeys at explora museum for a fun toddler shoot.
sophia is two--and she is very bright, BUSY and inquisitive.
we ran from exhibit to exhibit for a couple of hours.
i'm not kidding, my legs have been sore ever since!
this little mama has so much energy--she wore me out--
and in the process, i got to document a two year old's view of this great, big, fun world we live in.

loved her and love these....

XOXOXOXO

sweet amy ~albuquerque maternity photgrapher

2010-02-23T20:52:00.009-07:00

amy grebe.
sweet amy grebe.
we met over email in 2008 and struck up a friendship.
it wasn't long after i befriended her that i realized she was "the calvary girl."
when i say "the calvary girl", that's the nickname laurence and i had given her when we first heard her angel voice sing back in 2002 at calvary chapel's on wednesday nights.
during wednesday night services, her voice made us weep.
laurence and i would leave the services always talking about "the calvary girl" and her beautiful, angelic voice.
you gotta hear her sing, people!
fast forward to '08 and i came across her photography site and was awed.
wow.
this girl has talent.
fast forward to a friendship and her third pregnancy and you have a maternity shoot.
bethany and monique and i met up with the grebe's on a bitterly cold evening for some maternity shooting fun.

and her ya go.

winter ball ~albuquerque teen photographer

2010-02-19T08:20:00.003-07:00

i'm a little behind on blogging these pictures.
volcano vista's winter ball was a few week's ago and these cute girls were so fun to watch get ready for it.
it reminded me SO MUCH of all the times me and my best girls would get together to get ready for a night out.
i was totally reliving those memories.

XOXOXOXO

PROSE FOR PORTRAITS!!!!! WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT! ~albuquerque family photographer

2010-02-14T12:06:00.009-07:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!

let me first start by saying it was SO SO SOOOO HARD for us gals to choose the winners of these shoots.
it was really hard.
no, like REALLY hard.
of course when there are more nominations than photogs, the sadness that some people will be left out starts to set in.
i hate that part.

but after lots of conversations and then prayer...and then for me just picking!--i have chosen the NITAFAN FAMILY. it seems like 2009 was a pretty rough year and we need to start 2010 off with a great big blessing.

(picture "borrowed" from facebook:))))

and if that's a no-no, i blame amy (because it was her idea. and a really good one!)

hello, elaine? are you out there? are you hearing this? i wanna shoot your precious family and get some really big prints up on your wall. k?
i'll be calling you this week to schedule.

more to come on the nitafan's.
stay tuned and have a lovely lovey day.

p.s. don't forget to check on the other winners!

AMY

MONIQUE

PAM

TAMMY.

XOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOX

inspiration vs. imitation

2010-02-13T15:50:00.008-07:00

this post by angela crutcher really resonates with me. CLICK HERE to read it.
i have had to deal with this issue first hand (and the names i won't mention here.)

taking pictures has been something i have loved to do since my parents bought me my first camera when i was a 5th grader. (a disk camera, remember those?)over the years i have become more and more passionate about photographing my family...which led to this wonderful small business i have now.
(my dear friend chrissi was a huge influence when it came to going digital and experimenting with pictures of my children.)
i love what i do and what i've created.
the pictures i take for my friends and clients are pictures that i know I would want to have of my family.
laughing together.
being together in our element.
hanging out.
it means so much to me when people entrust me to capture their families. truly, it's an amazing compliment and i don't take it lightly.
sometimes i lay awake at night before a shoot and think of ideas to really make this next family's shoot special and unique to them. i pray about it.
i get the butterflies before every shoot.
and then something wonderful happens each time and the excitement is overwhelming.
i can hardly ever wait to get home and work on that shoot.

when i first saw tara whitney's work five years ago, i was awe struck. (my friend andi introduced me to her.)
her work made me FEEL something.
i had never seen anything like it in the world.
she has inspired me in so many ways, and i've sent her emails telling her so.
i give her a lot of credit for being 'my oprah' in photography.

since starting this business, i have met so many people (locally and nationwide) who have this deep passion for photography as well.
some of these friendships have become invaluable to me because they've become a support system for a job that is pretty much solo.
i appreciate these people who share ideas openly and give words of encouragement.
i can only hope that i offer the same support to them as well. and what i love about them is that they are all ORIGINAL and we all have our own visions for our small businesses. the amount of time and money that we've all invested in this is colossal.

i have (unfortunately) had the experience of reading my bio on another local photographer's site.
i've also seen my packages.
and several pictures that were unique to my clients.
and i can't say that hasn't bothered me.
i have worked REALLY HARD to be my own person in this.
and i think it is sad when other's don't have the dignity to do the same.
(ESPECIALLY LOCALLY!!!)

apparently it happens often enough in this industry that other photographers have posted their thoughts on this issue too.

inspiration vs. imitation. there is a line and it should never be crossed.

when it is, it only hurts the imitater in the long run.

just some food for thought.

XOXOXOXO

avery and family ~albuquerque family photographer

2010-02-10T14:38:00.008-07:00

who doesn't just LOVE a beautiful, sweet, happy baby girl.
ummm, i sure do.
(hello?! mom of three boys, remember?)

so here i (accidentally) showed up 30 minutes early and the awesome ragland's didn't even bat an eye.
they were so fun and excited for these pictures which totally rubbed off on me.
i quickly got into 'the zone' and was snapping pics left and right that i just knew i would love.

and i really do love these.

my favorite kinds of shoots are ones where the family is just hanging out like they normally do. you can't go wrong photographing people in their element.

so we moved around the house with it's beautiful light and mom would say "we like to hang out in here..." and off we'd go with the camera.

and baby avery made the perfect model, see?

here she is showing off her kicking skills. girlfriend has moves.

i reeeeeeeeeeeally love when dogs get in on the fun. there isn't a more candid soul than the family dog. no poses, just real. and the way avery reacted to her dog was pure gold.

i had the sweetest break in january and now i am back to work and really excited for 2010 photography.
XOXOXOXOXOX

PROSE FOR PORTRAITS!

2010-02-01T23:28:00.003-07:00

AMY, MONIQUE, PAM ,TAMMY and I have been reading your heartfelt nominations and are looking forward to choosing the winning families.
there will be FIVE chosen families to receive a custom photography package from us.
just 10 more days until we make our choices.
if you know anyone who would benefit, please email us.

winners will be announced on VALENTINES DAY on our blogs.

california on my mind ~children's photographer

2010-01-30T21:27:00.003-07:00

i'm sick of the cold.
i'm tired of freezing my bum off when i'm outside.
i'm not a fan of winter.
and so i decided to add some pictures from my california trip this past september...to remind me of the warm sunshine, our awesome friends the richards, and the beach.

i can't wait til summer.

XOXOXOXOX

lenny ~albuquerque pet photographer

2010-01-24T20:21:00.004-07:00

the truth is, we rarely ever take our dog to the dog park because 1) we think most of the people there are weirdos and 2) our dog attacks other dogs.
(maybe i should have put that reason first...)

but we decided to get out last weekend when the weather was perfect and much to our surprise lenny got along REALLY WELL with his kind. he even met a boxer puppy and they played. that's a big deal to us because usually at the dog park he runs in and starts taking dogs down left and right (to which we respond with uncontrollable nervous laughter and promptly leave.)

not this time!

besos!

XOXOXOX

bri

hangin in the guest room ~denver/ albuquerque children's photographer

2010-01-19T19:36:00.010-07:00

while staying in jacqui's lovely guest room on our recent denver visit, the boys and i stayed up til the wee hours in the morning goofing around.
they stripped off their pajama tops and flexed muscles, compared bellies and acted like the little fools they are.
these two have a particularly special bond. they share a bedroom at home and have so many inside jokes i've lost track.
all i know is that they make each other laugh like crazy.
this one evening was no exception.
so glad i decided not to be lazy--and pulled my camera out.

b+l=s, p & a
xoxoxoxox

elly jane ~albuquerque newborn photographer

2010-01-18T19:09:00.009-07:00

my dear, dear friends just adopted a baby girl.
she is their fourth child.
what a blessed little soul she is.
with all that is going on in the world right now, i found it so comforting to photograph the beginnings of elly's life.
she has been adopted into a wonderful family who will guide her, protect her
and surround her with love all of her days.
God does answer prayers.
elly is living proof of that.

PROSE FOR PORTRAITS/ NOMINATE A FAMILY!!!!!

2010-01-14T12:54:00.005-07:00

AMY, MONIQUE, PAM ,TAMMY and I are all so excited for this.
we put our heads together and came up with a way to give back.

start sending your nominations people!!!!

took a little trip ~ denver/ albuquerque photographer

2010-01-12T13:52:00.014-07:00

i took two of my three boys on a road trip with me this past weekend to visit some of my bestest girlfriends whom all live in denver: amy, brooke and jacqui.
love them each so much.

do you know how good it feels to know that your trip was anticipated?
really good.

jacqui's new short doo. HOT.

james is getting SO BIG!

and this is ricky. ricky is da bomb.

bella is all growed up now too...

that was just a quick grab.
more to come.

MUCHO LOVE MY DENVER PEEPS!

sk8ter boy ~albuquerque children's photographer

2010-01-05T19:48:00.008-07:00

this is jack.
jack is a cool dude.
check it.

XOXOXO

four daughters! ~albuquerque family photographer

2010-01-04T19:36:00.006-07:00

i told this family that they were my dream family.
in another life, i was supposed to be surrounded by a handful of daughters, and spend my extra time happily braiding hair, painting fingernails, running my girls to gymnastics, ballet and barbie shopping. (is any of this realistic? i wouldn't know, i only have boys. and they refuse to do any of the above....)

so here they are, the most fun group of gals and their super sweet parents. i imagine you are required to have a good sense of humor when raising four girls (or four people in general) and these parents totally bore with me and my spastic non-stop blabbing. i was in heaven--girlie heaven--and it brought out the happy in me.

lil miss (below) is graduating this year and so i paid some extra attention to her and took some super sweet senior pics.

thank you fuller family.
truly this shoot was a blast for me.

mucho love,
bri
XOXOXOXO

asher and stoney in orange ~albuquerque children's photographer

2010-01-03T17:39:00.003-07:00

asher totally looks up to his pal stoney.
can't you tell?
these two are pretty funny together.

Happy 2010! ~albuquerque family photographer

2010-01-01T15:02:00.010-07:00

two posts in one day...woo-hoo!
i've got some catching up to do.

i'll start with sebastian john, the little love bug i posted a picture of on Christmas eve.
sebastian was born to my friend of 25 years, cherica. (we met at marie hughes elementary school, in second grade, in mrs. montano's class. it was bff's at first sight.)
she has waited for this baby for a long time, and he made his debut into the world very close to thanksgiving.
so tiny and perfect and sweet this little guy.
he didn't make a peep as i contorted his naked body to set up my shots....he was so chillaxed and EASY. i hope that's foreshadowing to the rest of his life.
cherica can only hope right?

these next 3 remind me SO MUCH of my firstborn, spencer, when he was a baby. he looked like a little turtle at times with his skinny neck, big eyes and little mouth. i LOVE when babies make these funny faces.

NEXT UP! part two of baby addison, not so much a baby anymore.

she's grown A TON in the past few months.

when i first met her she was only taking a few steps....and now?

I COULD HARDLY KEEP UP WITH HER!

the natural blur of her motion pictures make me smile.

this little girl is the energizer bunny i tell you.

and i love LOVE her parents. the night before my shoot i was a little stressed out thinking of all the things i had to get done before Christmas- but when i remembered who i was shooting for the next day, i took a deep breath of relief. kristi is so kind and easy going and she totally trusts my vision.

instantly i was looking forward to seeing them again....

(check out those hot mama boots running to catch little miss. FUNNY.)

how do you keep a toddler immobile for 2 seconds to take a picture? put her on dad's shoulders!

2009 was divine and now i'm looking forward to an amazing 2010.

i have been so blessed with the support and encouragement i receive from clients, friends, peers and most importantly, my family.

so many new and exciting things are happening with my little business.

i will keep you posted. (being a better blogger is a resolution of mine:)

MUCH LOVE TO ALL!

XOXOXOXOXO

when God wants something great done...

2009-12-24T13:37:00.005-07:00

i came across this poem very soon after our first son was born.
i remember tears forming in my eyes the first time i read it.
when God wants something great done in this world--He sends you and me......He sent Jesus.

"When God wants something great done in the world,
He doesn't dispatch a legion of avenging angels,
Neither does He call forth a whirlwind nor ignite volcanic fireworks;
No commandeering of troops into battle nor discharging zealous crusaders to holy causes;
He does not orchestrate the burst and boom of thunder nor display His fiery arrows' majesty across the sky to bring His purpose to pass.

When God wants something done in this world...
He sends a baby - then He waits."

- Anita Robinson

Merry Christmas everyone.

xoxoxoxo

bri

the new tutulegz design!!! ~albuquerque children's photographer

2009-12-23T20:08:00.004-07:00

it's been a while since i've gotten to work with tutulegz.
we met the other day so i could shoot their new design--molly the monkey.
way cute.

i am so proud of jenn and serena (tutulegz creators, sisters to one another, as well as close friends of ours...)
they have worked ridiculously hard on their creations--pouring time, energy and finances into getting their brand up and running.
so far, so good. sales continue to climb as more and more moms discover these adorable outfits.

last week, a friend of mine from california sent me THIS ARTICLE that she came across online.
click HERE to read it.
WOWZA!
so proud of these two.
they had a dream and are making it come true.
i'm blessed to be an onlooker who has seen it grow from the beginning.

and lastly, if your daughter doesn't have a pair of tutulegz--i am going to suggest you get her one. or two. or every pair.
i give them as gifts (my sons won't wear them) and everybody just dies over them.
really, really cute stuff people.

xoxoxox
bri

another cool family ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-12-23T19:41:00.005-07:00

melissa has the sweetest voice, so i already knew i liked her even before we met.
she had me at 'hello' when she called to book an appointment.
(admission: i'm always a little nervous meeting new clients. the pressure is ON. i want to make everyone feel at ease in front of the camera and at the same time i want to knock their socks off with awesome pictures. so a friendly phone voice takes a little pressure off to boot:)

as soon as these guys opened the door--i knew it was gonna be EASY PEASY in all of the above departments.
the baby was smiling at me from the get go---HELLO! smiling baby=AWESOMENESS!

loved this trio mucho.
so glad we met.

xoxoxoxo

bri <3

the bennett's ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-12-17T21:24:00.004-07:00

oh how i love teens....and this family has two.
two hilarious girls whom i love laughing with.
you wouldn't know it AT ALL by looking at these pics, but they say they don't get along. whatever! they were cracking each other up the whole time. and me.

oh how my sister envy reared it's little head again...

thanks girls! (and john!)

XOXOOXOXOXOX

bri

the bartlett's ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-12-11T13:48:00.004-07:00

i have an affinity for families with 3 kids.
i know the dynamics well.
these guys were no exception--and the kids are practically the exact same ages as my kids.
they've got the dashing big brother who is wise beyond his years, the middle child sweetheart who truly has the longest eyelashes i have ever seen in my life, and then there's the charming, sweet "baby" girl who everybody adores.
SAME HERE! (except the girl part. our house is over run by the male species...)

grandma and grandpa were here for the fun too and i was instantly taken with their east coast accents (which my parents have as well.)

LOVE.

thank you robin and family.

you captured my heart with your openess and joy.

XOXOXOXO

Christmas puppies for sale!!! ~albuquerque puppy photographer:)

2009-12-02T18:48:00.002-07:00

my good friend cherica is selling the cutest litter of pure bred chihuahua puppies!
i totally wanted to bring one home but i fear laurence may have killed me.
have you seen our zoo? it's obnoxious already.

here they are, 4 males and a teeny tiny runt female.
so sweet.
for $250 you can make someone verrrrry happy with the cutest stocking stuffer EVER.

email cherica at: cherryberry1977@Q.net

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

the window ~albuquerque children's photographer

2009-11-30T21:23:00.005-07:00

this is the window where my toddler and furry sons gather throughout the day. it's upstairs and overlooks the neighborhood.
i guess it gets pretty boring in my house when i'm at the computer and so they conjugate at the sill in hopes of seeing some action out there on the streets.

today i took a few moments from work to observe the gang at the window.
so many dynamics going on here.
lenny the boxer, ricky bobby the cat and asher the boy....

p.s.we had just seen talladega nights when we were given this orange kitten a year and a half ago....so of course he was aptly named 'ricky bobby' after our new favorite character. can i just tell you HOW AWKWARD it is calling this cat's name outside every evening? i feel like a complete idiot.

p.s.s. i weighed ricky bobby last week and he is a whopping 17 pounds.
he eats dog food which i think has contributed.

this post is especially for the trujillio family.

they entrusted us with 'cinnamon', aka RB, and so these pics are for them:)

much love,

bri

XOXOXOXO

the marshall's ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-11-30T12:50:00.006-07:00

i am SUCH a bad blogger.
i can't keep up but i'm going to try harder...we'll see.
(p.s. my blogger is a grainy mess. gonna be making some big changes soon...)

this shoot was a BLAST.
i didn't have to work AT ALL to make lil ryan smile...he was mister smiley pants all on his own.
the light inside and out was AMAZING.
truly, this shoot rocked my socks.

big brother cooper made a few appearances.

much love,

bri

XOXOXO

the biggest bed in the world ~albuquerque children's photographer

2009-11-25T18:29:00.004-07:00

.....and then i felt super jipped when i went home to my 'queen' bed.
we're going to start saving up for THIS ONE, the mothership of all beds.

much love and happy thanksgiving,

bri

XOXOXOXOXO

homies from the hood ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-11-24T19:55:00.005-07:00

shannon was once just a client, and now she's a neighbor (and friend!)
she moved into the house a few doors down from mine and joined me in living on the most unfriendly street in the world. (i only exaggerate a little...)

but then there's chloe, the HAPPIEST HUMAN BEING I HAVE EVER MET IN MY LIFE.
all i had to do was look at her and she'd clap her hands and squeal and grin from ear to ear.
i LOVE THIS KID!!!
like, i LOVE LOVE LOVE her.
i can't believe she lives so close.
i'm totally going to drop in to see her when i'm in a foul mood.
she has the best effect on frowns.

clap!clap!clap!!!!!

shannon and chris,

thank you for the brewskies.

i'd prefer if you didn't smoke around me next time. thanks.

(inside joke people!)

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

the parker's ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-11-22T19:05:00.005-07:00

this is the 3rd time i've been hired to photograph the parker family.
there isn't a better compliment in the biz than return clientele, let me tell you.
and each time i get to photography these guys, it seems like their family is growing!
baby mia was born last month and she is the perfect addition to this gorgeous bunch.

let me tell you why i especially LOVE this next trio of pictures. i asked hayden what he likes to do when he's hangin in his room. "read my books and magazines" he says. so i ask him to get a mag and start reading. after a couple of clicks on my camera he's like, "wait just a sec!" and he changes magazines.

i think he wanted to portray his more 'grown up' taste in reading material.

so cute this dude.

much love peeps,

bri

XOXOXOX

ava jane ~albuquerque children's photographer

2009-11-22T18:50:00.003-07:00

ava jane brought her favorite puppy, jessie, to our shoot in the bosque- and i brought along my little helper, asher, who enjoyed taking a few pics of "ROARING" in ava's face.

luckily she didn't mind.

mucho amor,

bri

XOXOXOXOX

the kreger's ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-11-22T18:34:00.006-07:00

i am so stinkin behind on blogging my shoots of late.
there is a traffic jam on my computer of beautiful families awaiting their turns to be bloggity blogged.

let me start with the awesome kreger's.
they bid on a photography package i had offered for the north star elementary school fundraiser.
and i am oh-so-glad they did.
what a wonderful, friendly, sweet family.
i just loved them.

and as i was busy clicking away on baby brother, big sister was dancing behind me. i snapped a few shots of her without her knowing and when she realized i'd been watching (and photographing) her the whole time, here is her priceless look.

BUSTED.

much love,

bri

XOXOXOXO

makdaddy! ~ albuquerque teen photographer

2009-11-09T13:34:00.004-07:00

makenzie is somethin else.
this girl is kind, sweet, funny, beautiful, charming and has dimples!

i'm a huge makenzie fan.
all of my friends say she's the best babysitter this side of the rio grande. (i'd use her too but my parents would be a little hurt, as well as my boys falling head over heels in love which would ruin it for their future dating pool. no one will compare to makenzie in their eyes, i already know it.)

she's super excited to be cheering this year as a freshman and i was honored to capture her new passion in pictures.

GO HAWKS!!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOX

bri

really fun session ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-11-09T13:17:00.006-07:00

this was a super fun session for several reasons....
the family TOTALLY let me do my thing. they were so laid back and like, "this is what we do. we hang out together." and THAT is my favorite kind of session.
so as the kids played soccer in the driveway i started snappin away.
i also LOVE that they got the family pets involved.
two dogs, a cat and a bunny all made their debut in photos. loved it.

oh, and it's always a good shoot when the family is easily amused.
i am in love with the laughing pictures....

the kids just kind of plunked down on this couch in the courtyard...and then started interacting.

these next few remind me of a more modern version of the 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' trio...

this was a first for me.

a dog riding a scooter.

awesome.

XOXOXOXOXOOX

mucho love to all who check in here.

bri

STAR OF THE MONTH!!!!

2009-11-07T00:25:00.002-07:00

one of my photography idols is Cristy Cross of clovis, new mexico.
she is super duper creative...always pushing her work to the next level.
laurence and i were so stoked to have her photograph our family back in june.
not only was it such a great experience for all of us to be shot by a true professional, but i walked away with a new friend.
how cool is that?!

she showcases a STAR OF THE MONTH on her blog every month. It's a cute lil piece where she uploads a picture and posts answers to some fun questions she's asked.
well guess who got picked for this month???
ME!!!!!
i was star of the week in 5th grade, but it was only because the teacher was running out of students to use and i hadn't been called on yet.
this time around, it feels much more of an honor.

You can check it out by clickin HERE.

thank you cristy cross for the opportunity:)))))

XOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXXOXO
bri!

my homies the heusers ~albuquerque,nm family photographer

2009-11-04T21:38:00.005-07:00

i've already blabbed in posts of past how much i heart the heusers, so i'll can it this time around.
i will say that we were scheduled to have a family shoot at the fair, but it poured rain like the days of noah and we had to reschedule.

fast forward to a sunny, gorgeous day.
and the rest is history....

busy bee ~albuquerque photographer

2009-10-26T10:24:00.004-06:00

i've got loads to catch up on....

more to come....

XOXOXOXOXOXO

california in ten pictures ~albuquerque photographer

2009-10-16T00:06:00.012-06:00

several weeks ago i took my oldest son, spencer, with me to visit my wonderful, dearly missed friend chrissi richards who is now stationed on the west coast. woo-hoo!
chrissi has 4 of the most beautiful children on earth (soon to be five) and i couldn't wait to spend some quality time with them all.
i took hundreds of photographs during our four day vacation, but i've narrowed it down to 10 for this blog post. (that was not easy.)

#1- this is what spencer dealt with day and night at the richard's house. the girls were ALL OVER HIM. from the time we were picked up at the airport until the minute we left- this was his life. and don't let his smooshed up expression fool you. he loved it. he was glowing on the inside.

#2- baby number 5 is in there. she is expected to be as beautiful as her three older sisters and older brother. she's a richard's kid- beauty is a given. can't wait to meet her. here's mom picking out some fresh fruit. 5 1/2 months pregnant with her FIFTH, can you believe it?

#3- spencer fielding off another caroline kiss. when is he gonna learn...caroline always wins. you can't fight it son. she'll getcha.

#4- all the kiddos posing for me outside of the mall. it was dusk--practically dark--but my iso's were in the thousands and i was able to get some great shots. i love these kids.

#5- spencer and i are landlocked so when there is a beach nearby--we insist on touching it. chrissi took us to malibu. she warned us that the water would be really cold and we'd probably only want to stick our feet in. as you can tell, spencer had other ideas. this is the first wave hitting him with his shirt off. darn cold was right.

#6- caroline. to know her is to absolutely fall head-over-heels in love with her. never have i met a more friendly, outgoing human being IN MY LIFE (besides her mother. she gets these traits from her mama.) there was a group of adults listening to music on a blanket several yards away from us and at one point i looked over only to see caroline dancing around them. she did this for 5 minutes or so until they were all on their feet dancing with her! this is my favorite picture of the scene, caroline surrounded by her new audience.

#7- i couldn't get my monitor to work and this was taken on accident. i love it. chrissi's pregnant silhouette in the background is so adorable.

#8- spencer and caroline making sandcastles on the beach at dusk....the sky was purple and orange and i couldn't drink it up enough.

#9- accidental gold, again. love the birds in flight.

#10- chrissi.
on september 29, 2002 (not long after we had moved back to albuquerque from austin, tx) i wrote in my prayer journal "....please send more friends my way Lord...." (all of my high school friends had moved away since i'd been gone and my best friend was at work all day. i was a lonely stay at home mom.)
on september 30, 2002 i wrote in my journal "thank you Lord for a friendly chrissi at mcdonald's...."

this friendship means a lot to me. i prayed for it. and less than 24 hours later i received it! chrissi walked up to me at the mcdonald's play place and said, "is my daughter bothering you?" (her two year old was eating my fries. but i promise i was happy to share.)
within a few short seconds of that said to me "i'm new here. do you need friends? i need friends."
i couldn't believe she had just said that. it was SO CRAZY the timing of this. and who the heck is this friendly in real life? and why does she need friends when she has a full table of friends right over there. and really? you want my number?
and just like that i met a new best friend.

and i will end this post with her picture.
such a beautiful soul, inside and out this girl.
so thankful for that prayer. answered.

"we've got more bounce in california than all ya'll combined!"

LOVE YOU RICHARDS CHRIST.

bri.

i <3 the fair ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-10-06T18:38:00.014-06:00

i KNEW this was gonna be a rad shoot.
how could it not be? andi and her family wanted their shoot at the fair.
oh my photography heaven.

these first couple of pictures are my new faves.
i mean look at the symbolism!!!
a "welcome to the fair" sign peppered with a crying baby in the background?
hellllooooooo! perfect!
(these were the very last two pictures i took of the evening, but i thought i should start with them:)

fair food. need i say more?

if you are easily sickened--look away now.

this is deep fried bacon. i HAD to try it.
in a nutshell, it's a raw piece of bacon on a stick that is covered in batter and deep fried.
we found that the bacon was STILL RAW (and so fatty!) on the inside but surrounded by crunchy batter. as you can tell that didn't stop me from getting my seven bucks worth out of it.
yeah. i was sick for the rest of the night. never again.

i went on a ride with the boys to get a few ride shots.

i love this one especially.

andi is a loyal and loving friend.

i am SO LUCKY to know her and have her friendship in my life.

i love ya cutch!

xoxoxo

bri

patsizz and the crew ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-10-06T18:23:00.004-06:00

this is my gorgeous friend patty who i have nicknamed patsizzle because, well, she is sizzlin and smokin and all things gorj.
we met up for her yearly pics at the biopark a couple of weeks ago and just played.
patty wanted candid. happy. free.
all the things that encompass her babies.
(whom, by the way, i always have SO much fun photographing because they are super fun and silly and especially happy to be in front of my camera.)

and i do believe we nailed it.

i'm grateful for your HUGE laugh and your awesome friendship patsizzle.

love you guys.

xoxoxox

bri

baby at the biopark ~albuquerque baby photographer

2009-10-01T19:57:00.004-06:00

oh man, i promise you i could not get enough of this little doll's chubby arms.
they had SECTIONS to them--like a caterpillar.
chunky, sweet, fluffy arms and legs and cheeks--the perfect michelin baby.

what a sweet couple these guys are. this is their first baby and they just doted on her. i loved watching it.

kiss those chunky rolls for me cynthia!

~bri

flippin gorj family ~albuquerque family photographer

2009-09-21T23:11:00.010-06:00

HOT DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(is that a curse word to anybody? sorry.)

i pulled up to mr. and mrs. gorj's casa and then their kids, gorj 1 and gorj 2 emerged, and i couldn't believe it.

('gorj' is not their last name...although i think it should be. it's my new abbreviation for 'gorgeous' in case you haven't caught on yet.)

not only are they a super beautiful family, but they were SO KIND and SWEET and FUN.

i loved them.

danae (using real names now...) showed me a big wall space where she is saving room for family pictures from our session.

here are just a handful of my favorites.

i love love LOOOOOOVE having family dogs in for a few shots. the candor of a pet is priceless. RASCAL was no exception...

isn't this gal so pretty?! and she was super sweet and polite to boot. she reminds me of an even cuter, latina version of miley cyrus...does anybody else see that?

this lil dude was a HAM!!!! SUCH a ham. he was awesome.awesome.awesome.

he has me giggling even as i proof pictures.

much love,
brianna

2009-09-20T18:54:00.001-06:00