kara elmore photography

Utah State Fair!!!

For a few years now I've wanted pics at the Utah State Fair.  Never seemed to get there!  Lucky for me - Jess Curren and I were able to team up this week!  I shoot her fam - she shoots mine!  And because I LOVE staying in my pajamas .. I decided to quickly look through and post some of hers RIGHT NOW! (and NO I am NOT in my pajamas ......... or at least I will be out of them in the next few hours!)

Such a great family "adventure" ... :)  A way to document your life that's not stiff.  But rather real.  Because we all know none of you sit and pose all perfect like in real life!!! :)

 
Ohhhh the way I got this pic ... hahahahahaha!!!!!

And ending the night ...

 

Thanks Jess!  I love being with you!  Your family is fantastic!  Annnnnnd ... good luck with mine tomorrow!!! :)

BABY BERRY'S FIRST BIRTHDAY!

I can't believe she's ONE already!  Tonight - at 9:04.  My sweet little baby berry ... one year old.

This photo was taken just 30 minutes after she was born.  All wrapped up in her little cocoon.  

And then the next morning - as she laid in my lap - as we waiting for the kids to run into the bedroom to meet her.

And now she's ALL big and mini chubs.  Weighing just about 21 lbs. With light blond hair and blue, blue eyes.  And the longest, most loveliest straight eyelashes anyone would ever want.  Her first word was YAYYYYY!  (uhhh of course!) while she learned to clap at the same time!  Followed a few days later with "HI!"  She got her bottom teeth first - at 10 months (quite a bit later than the other kids).  And quickly learned to bite mommy.  Mommy was sad about that - and sometimes screamed. :)  Baby Berry doesn't bite anymore. :)  She then got FOUR teeth in 4 days (poor thing!) just 2 weeks ago.  She loves Quinoa mixed w/ almond milk and mangoes or bananas.  Followed by "green smoothie".  My mother would say "poor thing" ... but I say YAYYYYY!  :) She's a very strong and noble spirit - who loves her family.  You can feel her love for everyone!  I know that SHE knows she belongs with us.  And because of that we work extra hard to make our family strong!  She loves mommy most ... followed by Miss Flava and Oscar.  :)  But if mommy is holding her, she loves everyone else.  You can tell she's either hungry, tired, or "unsure" if she's sucking her left pointer finger.  Cracks us up!  So predictable.  So mild mannered.  So "go with the flow".

WE LOVE OUR BABY BERRY!!!!!!!!!!  Happy first birthday my sweet petite! 

 

Why does summer have to end?

I know I've been horrible at blogging.  How do I know?  Because ONCE AGAIN, I'm getting CRAZY emails from some of you!  Yes I'M ALIVE.  But really ... I don't LOVE blogging.  It's a TON of work.  And because it's not a personal blog (although I DO write mostly personal things ... mixed in w/ client photos!) just sitting down at the computer to write takes major brain cells.  And because MOST of those brain cells were destroyed while proofing said client pics .... you can see which takes priority.

I've been traveling most of July doing photoshoots.  It's been SO great!!  I love my clients.  LOVE THEM!  I am sweating by the end of the session (And you all KNOW I don't sweat ... remember my pits and feet and face ... DO.NOT.SWEAT... which is kind of dangerous when you think about PASSING OUT!) ... and my make up is gone - and my hair is flat.  And then I look at the beautiful mommies with flowing hair ... and I'm like UHHh yaaaa - not getting MY  picture taken today! :)  Summer is flying by WAY too fast.  And although I do LOVE the schedule that school provides.  I LOVE that tomorrow morning my kids will sleep in until 9:00 (HOPEFULLY!) and my 1:00 a.m. bedtime schedule will not be so awful! :)  My sweet husband arranged a 4 hour get a way for me tomorrow because he just left for scout camp for 4 days.  And WHY IS IT that my SISTER is going to be judging a Miss Bear River ALLLL DAY LONG.  ON MY SHOPPING SPREE DAY!!!  AHHHHHH!!!!!  !@#$.  So I'll be forced to spend Nate's money alone.  I was thinking of buying school clothes.  But opted to spend his money on me.  :)  Now ... what to buy .......

I should go to bed.  My proofing fingers hurt.  Like bad.  Like my left thumb hasn't been working lately.  And I think I have "trigger" finger.  NOT EVEN KIDDING.  From shooting.  Is that real? Because I REALLY think it is.  Worried ... because I'm entering my busy season. And it's only going to get worse.

So I KNOW I'm way behind in blogging.  I couldn't even remember what I HAD blogged!  This was one of my favorite senior session (OH CRAP .. that means it WAS forever ago!!!)  He was a BRAVE soul ... climbing onto of EVERYTHING!  It was AWESOME!  Photographer's dream!

But this one takes it ... MY FAVORITE!  Beautiful clouds.  Coolest architecture.  THE GOAL POST!

HAPPY THURSDAY!  

COME VISIT MY BOOTH ....

At Syracuse Heritage Days!  And oddly enough - it's not a photography booth. But rather another something that's VERY dear to my heart ...... world domination of NOT A BROWN BAG .... or in other words a new company I'm starting called:

NABB!

Nabb stands for NOT A BROWN BAG.  And if you own a brown bag ... you MUST come see my booth at Syracuse Heritage Days!  Tomorrow from 5-9 and then all day Saturday starting at 11:00 a.m. (after the parade!)  I very LOVINGLY designed every bag.  And every bag I would LOVE to carry!  And not ONE bag has brown in it.  hahahaha. NOT ONE!!  (note - world domination of bright, fun COLORS!)

These bags are PERFECT for a hand bag, on the go diaper bag, church activity book or a scripture carrier!  My girls ADORE them.  And OHHHH I am RESPLENDENT as I carry mine around town!

So for only $25 you can own a FABULOUS piece of NABB history!  The makings of BEAUTY on your shoulder.  And really now ..... think about it ... how many times have you seen a bag and thought "Ok 1) that's WAY SUPER cute - but it's WAY SUPER EXPENSIVE or 2) uhhh that's super inexpensive ... and THERE'S A REASON!!  duhhhh ... cuz it's UG-LI-RIFIC.  NOT NABB ... ohhhh no - we combined inexpensive with DARLINGNESS.  And all because I was SO sick of seeing something and going "Ok - WHY did they put a crazy ugly pattern on that?  Do they NOT know about POLKA DOT and DAMASK?"  YA - I do ..... and now YOU can own FUN PRINTS TOO!!  YIPPEEEEE FOR KARA!!!!!!!!!

My booth will also have a few other items of DARLINGNESS!  Come see me.  I'll be wearing an apron (that isn't allowed to get dirty ... duh!)  And a giant flower SOMEWHERE on my body.  And maybe some pink heels.  Yes.  OF COURSE.  Or maybe my red ones. hmmmmmmm.....

And not to fret my wee ones .... more sizes and styles are coming!  And there's a blog TOO!  notabrownbag.blogspot.com!  YIPPEEEEEE FOR KARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

New parents and beautiful light!

And happy feelings! :)

I got the chance to photograph the newest newborn session in MY home.  Because of their situation it just worked out that way - and WOW was I LOVING it!  He was sweet and soft and like ALL my clients - he loved me. :) :) :)  But really though ... it was a sweet feeling photographing him.  And his parents.  Who were lovely before ... but now they had another little spirit who joined them and their love just radiated together as a family!  I LOVE when parents let me photograph them with their new little one.  Some moms HATE it. ALL they can see is what they *don't* want to look like.  But guess what?  Their tiny little one will NEVER think of that when they look at the pictures 20 years later.  All he/she will see is the beginning of their life and fresh, new parents looking at their baby with a little bit of worry - but a whole lot of love!

After they left for home I went back into one of the rooms to put it back together.  I just purchased a new antique quilt - and it was still laying on the bed.  And although the weather that day was AWFUL with dark clouds and rain and lightening ... the light was SO pretty just then.  I yelled for Nate to grab Marsiboo - our new nickname for Baby Berry.  I needed new shots of HER didn't I?  :) What did I love about this set up?  I sat there and pondered it .... it was the light, and the loved and lived in feeling of the quilt and that look of .... my grandmother's home in Clifton, ID where the top bedroom overlooks the giant tree that attracts GIANT bugs! :)  It smelled like her home too.  I think .. no - I KNOW I want my whole house to feel like that.  Wish I could rip out this HORRID awful carpet in this rental - and paint the walls and while I'm at it - knock out a few WALLS!  :)  But until then, this happy quilt will move from room to room.  And I'll love it.

Here's Marsiboo in her 9 1/2 monthness.

 

And here's sweet baby E in his nakedness. :)  

 
See that yummy quilt?  See that sweet squishy baby?  And his feet?? Ohhhh delish!

NOW - for those of you living in my area ... make sure to come out to SYRACUSE HERITAGE DAYS!  I'll have a little booth (right next to my husband's booth ...) and I'll have a few FUN items to sell!  THEY ARE AWESOME if I DO say so myself!  MORE to come on that!  Let's just say - they're one of a kind - and no one else will have anything like it! :)

NOW - stop talking to me so I can GO PROOF THE REST OF THESE NEWBORNS!!  Ooo and the family shoot.  STEPH you're next! :)

LAST day of school!!!

(for now ... many more years to come! poor things don't really understand just how MUCH schooling is left - hahahaha!)

Today was the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! The kids had a great breakfast of wheat cereal, kiwis, orange julius (made by my boy) and some peppers.  Not sure why.  But all the things they love.  :) I could've thrown in some steak and pancakes ... but it's all I had.

The kids are now home from school.  Baby is sleeping.  Baby Maby is in her 14th change of clothes and HOPEFULLY still at the neighbors house ...... she's been in and out eating cookies.  And un-sharing things.  And un-sorry saying.  We'll need to have a "re-grouping" of sorts tonight.  Hold please - checking on her "alive" status. ..... YES - whew.  Alive.  And now ... outfit #15.

I did a little interview with Miss Flava -  outside in the little tiny "chick" chairs the Easter Bunny brought.  Too small for comfort.  But alas,  I sat there.  She didn't want to play with anyone just yet.  She needed some mother time.  So I reminded myself to be fun.  And went outside.  This is how it went:

ME: So ..... come sit down.  Tell me about yourself and all the reasons why you love your mother.
(this went on for about 5 minutes  - talking about her favorite colors, how her favorite activity includes shopping w/ me for vintage clothes (NOT prompted - seriously!) and her love of colors (but not BROWN - ewww it's like poo).

ME: Let's talk about clothes.  If you could describe your favorite outfit - what would it be?

HER: Ok so ... (standing up as she directs her hands to "show" me) "it's going to be the best wedding reception dress ever!" (I had to clarify with her - wondering if this was her actual wedding DRESS - or for after the reception.  She informed me it was her dress as she "waved good-bye to everyone".... seriously - I did NOT prompt her or anything. All I can say is ... I can die happy now!) .... "first of all it's going to be pink ruffles that go down the skirt in a bubble thing, like this .... and it's going to be dark pink with the top being a lighter pink so you can tell the difference.  And a darker pink belt that will tie the entire thing together.  Then my shoes - they will be open toed (SERIOUSLY ... AHHH ... LOVE!) and my toes will be painted a lighter blue glitter.  And my shoes will be pink as well - but the HEEL of it will be BOWS.   And the top, where the toe is, will be a YELLOW flower with DIAMONDS around it.  Then my wedding ring will be an emerald cut (like her mothers) - but the wedding band will have flowers around it and it will be silver - like this one.   Mom - really though - it's going to be SO great - just to die for!"

AHHHHH - love love love.  I was loving this.  So happy I reminded myself to be "FUN".  And even though I'm INSIDE now ... (hahahaha!) I'm hoping to spend MORE moments outside this summer, in a little tiny chick chair, interviewing my kids.  :)  I need to be more of an outside mom - instead of an inside mom.  ugh.  So much to work on!!!!

Last day of school pic taken via phone .....

Just bought a new website.  Hopefully I'll have it complete in the next 2 weeks.  I MAY (or may not) do a contest of sorts to celebrate!  Do you want a contest?  Or no.  What should it be?

ALSO - headed to So. California 2nd weekend in August for photoshoots.  If you're there and would like one - let me know.  :)  I have some open for Thursday, August 11th still.

LOVE TO ALL ... and to ALL a great SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo

What's your favorite baby and child image I've done??

Want to help me?  Let me help you - help me, help you.  Help me, will ya??

:)

Will you tell me your FAVORITE image I've taken/shown of a baby or a child??

Thanks!!!

 

xoxo

brother and sister

Talking about myself, of course.  And my brother.  My amazing brother that I adore.  I could write 40 essays on him and how I've always looked up to him.  How I "ACCIDENTALLY" threw scissors at him (I missed ... don't fret) when he was TAUNTING me in 7th grade.  I could tell you how he INSISTED he carry me up the stairs when I was in elementary and *I* insisted I had to go potty ... but HE insisted he show everyone how STRONG he was.  Then I .... went potty down his back (see - I just don't hold things back - I tell it how it is!).  I could tell you we became best friends in high school and I was so proud telling my teachers he was my brother.  HOWEVER ... he skied a lot - so his teachers didn't really know who he was .........  So I got a lot of blank stares.  I could tell you how I cried and cried when he left to serve our Heavenly Father for 2 years in Morristown, NJ when I was just 17.  ... why?  Because I was just beginning to REALLY get along w/ my brother!  My sister and I sang "I would be my brother's keeper" at his farewell and both nearly threw up from crying.  

It's been an amazing 8 years becoming closer to him with our photography.  We had (and STILL have plans) of doing weddings together.  But ... having a baby makes plans change just a bit.  Which leads me to HIS newest addition that his wife gave birth to just last week.  I adore his wife.  She is my other "sister" ... and we all are grateful we have her in our family!  Baby #5.  She will be best friends with my little baby chunks.  Who is a GIANT compared to this IIIIITY BIIIITY nugget!  I've actually NEVER photographed a baby this small!  

I have about 48 things left to do before Saturday night... and my house is TRASHED (and I mean TRASHEDDDDDDDD!!!!) and my kitchen table is COVERED in projects that I keep YELLING at the kids NOT TO TOUCH.  And my bedroom floor is covered in LAUNDRY.  Hey - at least it's clean.  But honestly... I just wanted to play with these pics and show you how ABSOLUTELY beautiful my new little niece is.  I'm honored Chris wanted me to photograph his baby.  Love you all!  More to come.  As soon as I dig myself out of the depth of dirty house. :)

I've been planning this image for MONTHS now.  MONTHS - seriously.  And I mean I HAD to have this shot.  HAD TO.  Imagine my joy seeing it actually come about.  *sigh of relief*!

SIX months.... ALREADY??

Well - technically she's 6 days away from being SEVEN months.  But I just took these last week.  And to me - that's 6 months!!

I posted this one below on fb already.  It's gotten QUITE the laughs .... I promise she's not THAT tall - it's the wide angle lens. :)

And this is my favorite.  A little bit of baby Maby's elbow.  A little of of Miss Flava's knee and arm.  As she tickles Baby Berry.  Keeping in what is really there .... that's my approach to capturing everything.

Baby Berry makes our family HAPPY!  She is such a sweet, calm spirit.  But I can feel her strength as she observes, takes in her life, smiles to show that all is well and carries on.  SO grateful for that in her.  For what she shows us daily.

I Struggle ...

with one of my children, in particular.  I used to not.  She was one of the easiest babies.  And she came at a time in our life that was quite insane. Hmmm - we've had a few of those!!!  But she was my HAPPY baby!  I've always had a feeling about our children's spirits before they are born - and my feeling for her was one of a happy spirit.  And happy she was!  And is.  

When we moved to Phoenix nearly two years ago (hahahahaha - wow time flies when strange things happen in your life!) she was barely two.  Very loving, very spunky and very much our spitfire!  But she always is a tender spirit when moments allow - and I found her a few times hiding in my closet with her binki and snug (blanket) crying.  Saying "I want bumpa (grandpa)" over and over and over again.  Enough to make a mother weep.  My dad, bless him, would call nearly every day to talk to baby maby (mabes, mabelicious, you name it!) and it made her tears shrink up and dissolve.  Then she'd hang up the phone and say "I wanna dy-coke".  Oops.  It runs in the family.

THEN - when we moved BACK to Utah just 6 months after that I found myself in a whirl-wind of a life.  Living in my inlaws basement, job for Nate wasn't great, savings completely gone, and a surprise pregnancy that left me barfing 12 times a day.  In my mother in law's basement bathroom. As I would lay on the floor all day long.  I would cry.  You would too.  

And the struggle with baby maby began to get harder.  I was frustrated in my life.  And that crept into my attitude towards her.  The other two children were at school.  And honestly, easier children.  However - they were older.  And older = easier to some degree.  Baby maby needed me ALL.THE.TIME.  And I couldn't emotionally ... let alone PHYSICALLY pick myself up off the floor to handle her.  

So I became a "OHhhhhh she is HARD" type of mother.   INSTEAD of EMBRACING baby maby for her keen spirit, her spunk, her darling little red hair and jumpity jump jump life .... I groaned.  All the time.  I smiled and laughed IF OTHERS WERE laughing about her.  But the second someone complained about HER - I was the first to agree.  To make myself feel better for my "hard life and situation".  Somehow ... saying that SHE was hard made how I REACTED to her a justification.

Fast forward to last November. Thanksgiving.  And lots and lots of cousins picking on her.  And I saw and heard people blame HER when it wasn't her.  And everyone was so quick to yell MABES .....

Why?

Because *I* was so quick to yell MABES!  

Then my aunt - that I adore...the one who Baby Berry is named after ... came to Thanksgiving dinner.  She walked in, sensed my stress to everyone yelling and blaming and saying "so .... this is the terrorist we've heard so much about" ... and SCOOPED her up and hugged her and said "my word - I've missed you.  I LOVE YOU.  You are SO GREAT!!!"

And my eyes were opened.  And I saw who baby maby was.  And who she would be if I, too, embraced her and scooped her and up told her I loved her and missed her.  I immediately had a change of heart and Nate and I decided right then and there to not yell her name.  And not blame her.  And NOT roll our eyes when others said she was a terrorist.  Rather - we would scoop her up, hug her and say "my word baby maby - we LOVE you. You are SO much fun".

And guess what we saw??  Not a little 3 year old terrorist.  Not a girl who runs and screams and disobeys.  But rather my sweet little spunky girl who is MEANT for great things.  Who is meant to be strong and wise and a SPIRITED soul to ward off the evil that is in the world.  A girl who will fight to the death to make it back to her Heavenly Father because THAT is what is important in this life.  

And today - as she sat in the dentist chair getting all sorts of drilling and fillings and possible silver teeth in the back - I saw her strength.  And I started to cry.  I saw her be brave.  And I saw her be strong.  And I saw her be funny.  And witty.  And engaging.  And all the things that our Heavenly Father sees in her.  And I wish I had seen them all the while - instead of yelling at her.  And I wish I had backed her up instead of agreeing with other people who didn't know her.

Attitude is everything.  And I'm grateful that each day is a chance to start over.  To see my children for who they are.  For what they can and WILL become if we allow them.  And I pray each day I will remember to hug them, love them and fight for them!

This is from last summer.  Obviously.  Because is snowed 4" last night ... and it sure doesn't look like THIS in my front yard!!! :)

I posted some of these last year.  But I'm clearly too lazy to figure out which ones.  So you may see these twice.  Worth it.  I normally would have photoshopped her wart off her little hand.  But my kids have little warts ... and they go away.  But this one was GIANT!!! hahahaha .... so HER!

Last frame I took.  They were done.  Even though the shoot took 3 minutes!  I was focused on Flava ... but loved loved LOVED what baby maby was doing here.  So her.  So unrefined (as Nate calls her).  

I want to remember how she runs, never walks.  I want to remember how she doesn't say her L's.  I want to remember how she SNEAKS candy and upon getting caught says "ohh NO - it's for my MOM!"  Or "I'm SAVING IT!"  (uhhh - note DENTIST appt!!!!)  

She is who she is for a reason - and I don't want to change that!