sunshine

Lime Creek Canyon (Part One)

My second favorite set of images from last year is quite different from the engagement shoot of the last post. Over labor day last year, a friend from Kansas and his brother came out to Colorado for a camping and climbing trip with us. This adventure took us to what quickly became one of my new favorites spots. Driving into the canyon (Lime Creek Canyon) was like a scene out of a movie. We arrived right as an afternoon thunderstorm was moving in, with low, heavy clouds rolling over the surrounding hills. It started to downpour, with thunder booming close. The storm only lasted a few minutes though, and once the rain stopped we quickly piled out of the car and set up camp, in case another storm rolled in. I let the guys handle setting up the tents (there were three of them, after all), so that I could wander around grabbing images of the stunning setting. 

After camp was set up, we went for a brief hike to explore the area. The clouds started to clear up as we hiked, creating some of the most amazing light that I have ever seen. We were pretty damp from hiking around after a complete downpour, but it was all completely worth it. The evening ended with a sunset fit for a dream, putting an exclamation point on the start of our trip. 

Next week: Part two of the Lime Creek Canyon camping trip, with even more amazing views. Slowly but surely I WILL get caught up on the huge backlog of images I have. Be sure to click the "subscribe" button off to the left in order to stay in touch! And as always, thank you for stopping by!

Farm Light

Yikes. Life has been a complete whirlwind lately, making it basically impossible to get things edited, let alone posted to this blog. In the past month I have made three separate trips to Denver, had my last day of work as a nanny, moved to Denver, started a new job, climbed a few times, camped in an epic location, and hiked the tallest mountain in Colorado. It's been madness I tell you. I am sort of starting to settle into something vaguely resembling a routine, which has given me a few minutes of down time and allowed me to spend some time editing and writing. That said, it's catch up time, folks. 

This first post will be short and sweet, with a focus on one of my obsessions: light and shadow. The images below were taken the night before Scott, his dad, and I drove out to Denver with the moving trailer. We stayed at Scott's parents' farm that night, and the light was mesmerizing. Dinner was ready, but I ran outside with my camera, snapping away furiously, hoping some would turn out. Luckily I was not disappointed. 

Summer Fishing

I skipped Monday's post. Scott's birthday was on Monday, and it also happened to be his last night in the country for three weeks. Call me crazy, but I thought maybe that was an alright reason to ignore my potentially silly, self-imposed blogging rules. 

This last Sunday Scott and I finally had at least a partial lazy day together. He defended his PhD dissertation a few days before that, so the past few weeks (or really months) have been crazy busy and stressful for him, not leaving much down time for us together. So Sunday we hopped in the car and drove out to one of the lakes nearby to do some fishing. We got a rather late start to the day, so the fish weren't exactly biting, but it was still so nice just to be outside together.  

It is a bit strange to think that was likely our last time fishing in Kansas. This fall we will both be moving to Denver; with his current trip, and the move happening shortly after he is back in the States, it is unlikely we will get out again while we live here. However, I'm sure we have many fishing trips with mountain views in our future. 

Ferguson Farm

Last weekend Scott and I went to visit his parents on their farm. We were only there for one night, though we were treated to some amazing clouds and light that evening. Walking around the farm to photograph on evenings like this is absolutely soothing; it calms me and rejuvenates me. The quiet and solitude of the area are often times just what I need.

I also took some self-portraits on the same evening, which I will be sharing on Wednesday. Be sure to hit the "Subscribe" link on the left to keep up to date, and feel free to share this post via the link below!

Have a wonderful Monday!

Little Ones (Nanny Life)

The first summer of my graduate school career I nannied full-time for a precious little family in Manhattan. I came to absolutely adore the kiddos (it didn't take long), so I was extremely excited when they asked me to spend the summer with them again!

They added one more little one to the bunch since the last time I was with them (the one below), and she has quickly stolen a piece of my heart as well. 

I'm always trying to think up new things to do that will keep them all occupied, and also burn off some of their energy for their mom and dad. This particular day we used up every last bit of the chalk to draw a massive road all over the driveway. We brought out cars (and a random Barbie), and had a blast "driving" around. 

When I first got my camera out they just wanted to pose for me, but after a bit they went back to playing, forgetting about me and my camera for the most part. I love sitting back and watching what their vivid imaginations come up with while they play. They are so creative, and the scenarios they come up with range from hysterical to super sweet, and everything in between.

It was a bit hot, and very humid that afternoon, so even though they weren't running around a ton, everyone was sweaty, dirty, and even a little tired. :)

I will likely be sharing lots more images of these guys throughout the summer, so be sure to check back in the coming weeks to see what we have been up to. In the mean time, have a great Wednesday! And, don't forget to check back on Friday for the Flashback Friday post (hint: more images of the beautiful Red Rive Gorge will be up)!