There’s a really special place in my heart for ranch dog breeds… Australian Shepherds, Blue Heelers, Border Collies… I fall in love with them very, very quickly. Nalu won my heart the moment I saw him. He is such an incredibly loving dog with the best personality. He and his mom share such a special bond!  Nalu’s mom told me she wasn’t planning on adopting him but when she met him and he looked her in the eyes, she instantly felt a connection and knew they were meant to be family. Usually dogs will have trigger words that quickly get their interest — like treat, wanna go, or dinner. Nal ..read more

It feels like our 2023 Great American Road Trip was over in the blink of an eye! Our final month-ish of travel was spent alongside the jagged Bitterroot mountains and alongside creeks and rivers in the quiet pine forests of Southwest Montana. I told Greg more than once that I wasn’t leaving — and he reminded me more than once that there was a week of -30º temps last winter. Fine, Greg wins.     After leaving Glacier National Park, Greg, Roxy, and I drove south to Missoula for two quick nights. We actually thought it was only for a night and as we were hitching up to leave, the camp ..read more

If I had one word to describe Northwest Montana it would be: unexpected. I knew this area of Montana would be beautiful but seeing it in person stopped me in my tracks. The trees here reach skyward, trying their very best to touch the clouds. The crystal clear river waters rush over colorful rocks, wearing them smooth as they tumble downstream. Big rivers, tiny creeks, and lakes of all sizes fill the landscape around every turn, down every dirt road, and in every valley. Our first few nights in Montana were spent at a small off-grid campground between Yellowstone and Bozeman called Greek Cree ..read more

I have one word to describe our time in Utah: magic. As I sit here under a juniper tree with Roxy by my side, in a valley surrounded by red rock cliffs, I watch the thunderheads forming and continually think, “is this real life?” A distant roll of thunder reminds me that, in fact, it is — and I am so grateful to be right here, right now. When Greg and I decided to spend a month in Southern Utah, I wasn’t really sure what we would do or see. We had only ever driven through there on our way to Yellowstone and I hadn’t recalled seeing much from the 15 freeway. Well, let me tell you: as soon as we ..read more

Saddle up, cowpokes! The Great American Road Trip is back for Season 2! This year, we’re heading to the Wild, Wild West(way) to photograph all the li’l doggies we can find! Greg, Roxy, and I traveled so far and so fast last year that a lot of our trip seemed like a blur. We didn’t always have enough time to explore all the things we wanted to so we’re doing things a little differently this year. We’re taking it slow and steady to give ourselves the time we want to do a bit more adventuring around all of the places we’ll be visiting. We’ll be on the road for five months this time around! Terran ..read more

Having a solid shot list going into your commercial photoshoot is paramount. Your images go everywhere, so they need to leave a trail of glitter and amazingness. Okay, maybe not the glitter because that would get super messy, but the amazingness… you definitely need to be leaving that stuff everywhere! You can start doing that by including these 3 types of images in your next commercial shoot: Product/Service Showcase Let’s hit the road running here: We live in scroll-culture. That means you have about a split second to show off what sets your product apart. Think about all the imagery you scr ..read more

I’ve spent the past few months surrounded by some of the most beautiful parts of this country, but today I want to share with you the beauty of — and the need for — simplicity in your brand’s imagery. I love storytelling images filled with emotions and details and *sunlight sparkles,* but I am equally fond of minimalistic images that make a soul-stinging impact on the viewer. Those are the ones I am highlighting here… Simplicity in Settings Four words: Let the products shine! An image with a single product is providing a clear direction for its audience. When you watch out for distracting col ..read more

There’s an elephant in the room that no one ever wants to talk about but here we are so let’s get to it: budget. Going in to a photo shoot, you know you have a certain amount that you can realistically spend. What happens, though, when you find the photographer you want to work with and the quote comes back more than your budget? Do you immediately give up or do you have a conversation with your photographer? From the photographer’s standpoint, I’ll say this: please have a conversation with us! There are so many details that go into pricing a photo shoot which means that by adjusting things, t ..read more

Greg, Roxy, and I are absolutely LOVING life on the road. We get to explore new places, see old friends, and meet new people… which, honestly, I thought would be the least enjoyable part of our journey but meeting new people has actually been fun! From campground neighbors to Harvest Hosts farmers, we’ve met so many kind, generous, and genuinely friendly people! In mid-July, I had a commercial photo shoot for a brand that needed a very specific shot of  a very specific type of dog running through a creek. We found the perfect spot and two fantastic models who were able to give us exactly ..read more

In the battle of product vs. lifestyle photography there is no winner. You need BOTH to fully capture your brand’s story. Lifestyle photography is a great way to develop or enhance your brand identity and elevate the look and feel of your business as a whole. Here are a few reasons why every brand needs lifestyle photos that go beyond simply showing your products. 1. It eliminates over-selling Your brand is more than just the things you sell. You have core values of who you are and what you want to help your customers achieve. Plus, no one likes to be sold to all.the.time. Photos without prod ..read more