3 Dotters Vintage Markets (the coolest thing I've seen for awhile)

Hello Everyone!

   This last weekend a wonderful person/mentor/vintage lover/amazing person/Jennifer had this absolutely GORGEOUS vintage market at the Old Pleasant Grove Recreation Center, and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to photograph a few of the amazing vintage pieces that all of the vendors brought to sell.

   Long story short I took almost 600 photos.

   Oops. (the best kind of oops!)

   Now, when photographing an event (especially one as cool as this one!) you have to remember three things:

   1. Photographing from lots of different angles = some amazingly cool pictures.

 
  2. You never know what you'll find at a vintage market, so take pictures of EVERYTHING:

This is a necklace made from vintage light bulbs. SO. COOL.

Who wouldn't want a mailbox full of lavender?

I'm not sure what this is..... But it's vintage so it must be cool!

3. Lots of people love all things vintage!

Luckily I had the presence of mind to pick up a few of my own gorgeous vintage finds in between pictures, because if I had waited until after then they would have been gone!

To all those that were vendors at the market, your pictures are coming soon. Please enjoy these few while I look through and edit the other 575!

Everyone else, ENJOY!

Do you have an upcoming event? A party, birthday, celebration, or anything that you would like to have photos of? I'd love to help you out with that! $40 event shoots are now available! Email, text, call, or send smoke signals to schedule a shoot.

P.S. A huge thank you to Jackie Johnson, who got up at 6am to carry my stuff for me while I hopped, climbed, and crouched my way through 600 photos.

My New Best Friend! (The story of how a two year old is the best best friend)

Hey Everyone!

   So, since I've moved up to Provo I haven't had ONE photo session...... AND IT HAS BEEN KILLING ME.

   I LOVE photography, so when ever I go a significant amount of time (like, 3 or more days) without a shoot I start to go a little bit crazy. Luckily I have several shoots coming up in the next few weeks, so some semblance of normalcy will be coming back into my life soon.

   That's why my posts have been (just a bit) MIA.

   However, just because I haven't had any new photo shoots does not, by any means, mean that I haven't taken any photos. My new favorite photo subject also happens to be my new best friend!

Why yes, my new best friend is a 2 year old ginger. Why do you ask?

    Since I've moved away from Squishy, I've had a bit of toddler withdrawal. (P.S. A bit means "climbing the walls and calling everyone who's near her to hear her talk and say my name so she doesn't forget me" right?)

    I think that if I were staying with anyone else then I might start having some serious withdrawal symptoms.

    However, Janae and Bob are so great! They decided (two years before I even moved in with them) to have a baby just so I would have someone to focus my toddler love on! Aren't they sweet? (I mean, they say that Graham wasn't born solely for my benefit, but I'm not sure I believe them.)

   Regardless of the reason behind Graham being born, he has quickly become my new best friend!

   You guys, being best friends with a two year old is FANTASTIC! I would highly recommend it.

 He's getting really good at talking, but there are sometimes when I just can't understand him. Instead of getting frustrated and walking off like an older best friend might, he just grabs my hand and leads me to whatever he wants. Perfect!

He always shares whatever sticks he finds with me. 

 He makes me food. In this picture he was making me toe-toe (toast) in the rice cooker. 

Did I mention how willing he is to share with me? In this case, he saw that I didn't have a bay-bay (blanket) so he went and got me his extra one so we both could have one!

He's always willing to crack my back for me. By sitting on it and jumping up and down (repeatedly).

Honestly, who can resist this face? And his amazing hair?! 

   All joking aside, this kid resides in a place close to my heart. Everything this cutie does is hilarious! 

   I seriously have the most fun time with this kid. And out of the two of us I definitely get the better end of this best friendship. I mean think about it, all this kid wants is some one to tickle him and give him animal crackers, and in return I get endless laughs and just general good fuzzy feelings inside.

Also, I let him make bridges out of my legs for his trucks. So win-win.

Also, I have taught him the glories of Dr. Pepper.

 

His parents are very proud. 

  

Happy Birthday America! (Why I Feel Birthday's Are Important)

Hey Everyone!

   As crazy as it seems, the fourth of July has already come and gone. Lately it feels like the years are coming and going at a crazy speed! I feel like I'm going to blink and then open my eyes and I'll be 90 years old. And almost dead.


Anyway......

Onto happier subjects!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!!!

I celebrated America's Birthday the way that most people do, I think. By barbecuing and scarfing down an obscene amount of MEAT.

I had pictures to show you all but they seem to have disappeared... Dang it. :( 

Anyway, let's move on from this very disappointing discovery and look at some cool birthday pictures!

In honor of America's Birthday, I present to you........

LOTS OF BIRTHDAY PICTURES OF PEOPLE I LOVE!!!

     I will freely admit that I get WAY more excited about birthday's than the normal person does. I'm not just talking about my birthday either. Nope, any birthday of a family member/friend/friend's child/ random people I meet on the street gets me really excited!

Most people who know me assume (not incorrectly) that it's because it is an acceptable excuse to eat cake. But let's be honest, since when have I needed an excuse to eat cake?

Nope, the reason I love birthday's is because it symbolizes something SO COOL. Not only does it celebrate the day that you were born but to me it's a celebration of everything that you've overcome that past year.

Think about it. Think about everything you've been through. Every trial, every bad day or fight with someone you love. Think about every time someone has made you feel as though you weren't good enough, or pretty enough. All the tears and atrocious thoughts that have made you forget just how awesome you are. Every single thing that has made you feel like crap throughout the year.

Then blow out those candles on your Birthday and celebrate because you made it!

You beat those thoughts, or people, or job, or car accident, or disease that made your heart break and you came out stronger.

To me, birthdays are important because they are a way to tell the entire world (and yourself) that you survived everything in your life that was trying to beat you down.

So, yeah, I love getting excited for birthdays. (Also, just realized I may be over thinking them a bit. Oh well.)

In honor of America's Birthday (also a symbol of everything that we as a country have overcome, FYI). I'm offering a killer deal on birthday photo shoots!

- If you book a birthday shoot with me during the month of July you will get the entire shoot at a location of your choice for $40!

- To be clear, you just have to BOOK the shoot. The birthday doesn't have to be during July. And it doesn't have to be your birthday. It could be a friend's birthday, a kid's birthday, a family member's birthday, etc..... Doesn't matter I will shoot them all! (Which I realize makes me sound like a psychotic killer. I'll just trust that you all know I mean shoot with a camera.)

- For those of you with children: If you book a shoot and have an idea for an indoor shoot, say with your child tearing apart a cake in the amazing way that only children can, then I can also offer studio shoots for the same price!

- I'm booking shoots for Northern and Southern Utah. 

Email, call, text, or facebook me to book a shoot!

See you soon!

Intro To My Brothers (Read At Your Own Risk).....

Hey Everyone!

Meet my family!

Many of these beautiful people have been showcased on my blog before! But you unlucky ladies and gentlemen haven't had the privilege of meeting ANY of my brothers!

Quick! We must remedy this!

(Please read the following sentence with a drum roll sound on your head.)

I'm proud to present.....

THE NEILSON BOYS:

From left to right: Nate (also known as Dad), Joshua (father of Squishy), JP (recently returned missionary/ninja), and Jaysen (who looks extremely bored in this picture and most of the time in real life)

 The reason you don't see these boys very much on this here blog is because they don't like to let me take their pictures very often. I can't imagine why!

This is literally one of three pictures that I have of Joshua. I took this when we straightened his hair and he looked kind of like Jesus.

Not gonna lie, most of the pictures I have of JP are shirtless.

Okay, so maybe the pictures I take of my brothers usually lean towards hilarious rather than glamorous.

But it's only because they are constantly making me laugh! That's what I love most about my brothers, their ability to make me smile and laugh constantly.

In other words, they're pretty cool dudes and I love them a lot. 

They're not bad looking either, huh? 

Many thanks to Tara Wright for taking the pictures on her camera and then not minding when I asked if I could edit them! Thanks girl!