Kelly & Mia . Echo Valley . Chelan, WA

Kelly is known to many as a massage therapist and yoga instructor who is amazing at what she does!  However 100% of the time she is a mother, to the most gorgeous little blonde haired girl named Mia.  This was the first photo shoot I ever completed that was planned and not just me candidly taking pictures of people.  A few things I learned from this session include:

1. Children move very fast.  And I mean, very fast.
2. Give a child something to play with to avoid #1
3. The light disappears in a canyon much quicker than it does in an open field
4. A photo session can be a workout.  I have coined it the "perma-squat" aka, being in lunge/squat form taking picture after picture with an occasional push up.  Oh yes, feel the burn.
5. It's totally okay to trespass, as long as I have good intentions hehehe ;)
6. Just breathe.  Take in each moment.  And capture the energy.

Here they are, Kelly + Mia!

xoxo
megan kathleen

To take the camera or to not take the camera?

I am always the one with the camera.  It never fails, a moment comes up and someone says, "I wish I had a camera."  And then, like Harry Houdini, I magically pull my camera out as if I knew I was going to need it.  And in the rare case I forget my camera, I am legitimately bummed that I won't have it with me.  I am not sure why I have always wanted to bring my camera with me.  It started when I was younger and would play with my parents' camera.  I remember opening the back and carefully putting in a new roll of film, and the excitement I felt setting out to take pictures.  I could often be found wondering around the neighborhood with my handy-dandy camera, snapping photos of anything I felt worthy of a picture.  It was very typical to see film rolls in their little plastic holders scattered all over my parents' home.  I wasn't very good at labeling things, so we never knew what was on any of the rolls of film.  It was a guessing game a lot of the times, "I thiiiink this is the roll from the family reunion."  Only to develop the photos and come home with 150 pictures of our cat.  Most of the time we would procrastinate on developing the film, and then all at once, my mother and I would bring down a shoebox full of film and get all the pictures developed.  I can't tell you how many times my mom was perplexed at my desire to take photos of the same thing, over and over and over again.  The printed images would come back and there would be 100 photos of a flower in the front yard.  I guess I really loved taking pictures, who woulda' thought? 

This brings me to the present moment.  In less than two months, John and I leave for our big winter trip, where we will head back to Southeast Asia and visit Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.  Last winter, I did bring my camera (duhhhh, teehehe!), however it was my top notch point and shoot.  Still small enough to put in my purse and a fraction of the cost of my current camera.  It survived, unharmed and holding precious moments from four weeks of backpacking around Southeast Asia.  I treated that thing like my baby, as usual, it went everywhere I went.  One thing is for sure, I will not travel without a camera. Nada!  So the next question is, which camera do I bring?  After shooting with my new Nikon DSLR, I can't imagine taking pictures with anything but my prized possession, however, do I want to take the risk and lug around my new "baby?" 

Does anyone have any suggestions or tips?  Any advice is welcomed!  At this point, I am leaning towards taking it.  I have a large backpack, and after seeing what little items I need to bring with me from our last experience, I am thinking there will be plenty of room for my camera to come along.  One thing is for sure, she'll be around my shoulder/neck the entire time, minus when I am sleeping. 

For the record, my little point and shoot did a decent job.  Here is a shot of John and me on the beach in Ao Nang, Thailand.  With a little touch up in Lighroom 4, it is a beautiful photo! 

Please, share with me your ideas!  To take the camera, or to not take the camera.  That my friends, is the question!

xoxo
Megan Kathleen

Kelly + Mia

Kelly + Mia...back on the blog!

This is just one of many images I can't wait to share :)  

. megan kathleen . 

Thank You!

John doesn't tell hardly anyone that he was in the military.  It isn't something he brags about or speaks much at all about.  The Navy and Marine Corps have shaped where he is in life today.  I am not a fan of conflict, but I still wholeheartedly support our troops.  My Grandpa Jack (John is his real name, coincidentally) served in the Navy as well as my Papa.  So thank you, Dad, Grandpa, John, and all of the women and men that have and do serve our country. 

Oh and, my post from yesterday jinxed fall lasting any longer.  As you can see from the photos, the first snow came last night!

. megan kathleen . 

make-a-wish

It officially feels like winter.  Most of the trees have lost their leaves.  The chill in the air inspires me to wear my favorite beanie for the first time since March.  I see my breath in the air as I exhale, and white dustings of snow in the mountains.  Most people on our street have raked up and bagged all the leaves in their yard.  Us?  Well...we haven't, yet.  I think I am procrastinating as long as possible so it still feels like fall.  After living on the east side of the mountains since 2008, I think fall is my favorite season.  I love the smell in the air, the colors, the cooler temps that aren't quite freezing.  I walked out the front door today and saw one, lone-dandelion.  It was begging for some attention, so I decided to take it's picture and then make a wish like we all did when we were kids.  I blew the little white pedals off the stem and wished for...... :)    

John and I leave January 13 for Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.  By the time we get back from our trip, it will be the near-end of February.  Usually winter is still present, however, spring is so close.  I have some winter plans for the next two months which include snowshoeing, warm fires in the house, a trip to Bend to celebrate the end of fire season with John, a weekend with my parents on the west side, and hopefully a white Christmas.  I couldn't ask for a better next couple months.  Here's to a fabulous end to 2012, cheers!

xoxo

. megan kathleen .