Is it bad that I’m JUST now getting around to posting photos from Thanksgiving this year?! It’s been busy, that’s for sure!

Mark and I spent a day at my parents’ house over Thanksgiving weekend. My brother and sister-in-law wanted a couple of photos with their adorable dog Happy, so we used the dusky evening sunlight on my parents’ farm as a backdrop.

While there, I also grabbed a few shots of our horse:

…always comes from unlikely places. For me, it’s usually anything visually bold and striking. Painfully bright colors, wild contrast, breathtaking poses. Dramatic light, modern style, all things glamorous. That’s my inspiration, and that usually describes how I see the world through my camera.

But lately, I’ve found myself inspired by all things soft, girly, dainty, ethereal, “princess,” vintage. It’s certainly not my style, but I’m feeling the need to delve into that artistically.

Here’s where I’ve started. I think I’m definitely going to work with this style some more, at least in my personal work!

I couldn’t be more exhausted…but it was soo worth it!
I had the pleasure of spending last week in Las Vegas attending Skip’s Summer School, an amazing photography conference with some of the most inspirational people in photography. I was blown away by the speakers, everyone from Jerry Ghionis to Bambi Cantrell. So much fun!!

On the last night of the conference, Dane Sanders held a shoot-out. What is a shoot-out? It’s basically a super-nerdy date where a bunch of photographers get together to walk around and shoot things. And to be nerdy. Together. It’s pretty awesome!
One of our challenges was to partner up and photograph each other…in just five minutes! As an added personal challenge to myself, I decided to use all-natural light and just one fixed length lens (See? See how nerdy??). Well, I lucked out, because my partner Brian Palmer might as well have been a professional model for a living. He was incredible! Five minutes was MORE than enough to photograph Brian!

Also a part of my small group was Brian’s lovely wife Perla and Ara of Aralani Photography. I wasn’t supposed to be photographing her, but I caught this one over the shoulder of the photographer who was making her portraits.

I also grabbed a few shots one night while photographing the Bellagio fountain.

Going to Las Vegas is so much fun, but I’m always really glad to be home again! Between the 8:00 am - 10:30 pm classes and the late-night shoot-out, I’m pretty wiped out.
Despite my exhaustion, however, I had to make time for the $4.25 hotdog and beer special from Bill’s…always a winner!