Nashan Blog

Sarah and Ben's Beach Wedding

2009-11-19T12:00:00.000-08:00

Sarah and Ben just got married at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, Florida. There is nothing quite as romantic as a late afternoon wedding on the beach, won't you agree?

Cindy and Sophie shot the wedding, and the couple couldn't have been happier about the way their wedding photographs turned out.

"I cannot begin to tell you how pleased we were with Cindy and Sophie. They were so easy and professional to work with the day of and the pictures exceeded my every hope and dream!!! Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about Nashan," Sarah wrote in a recent email.

The details on Sarah's dress are just exquisite.

What a beautiful sunset!

The happy, newlywed couple rejoices.

The warm October evening provided perfect weather for an outdoor cocktail hour.

Check out the rest of Sarah and Ben's wedding -- especially the gorgeous bridesmaid dresses -- here.

Kaci & Darby's South Carolina Wedding

2009-11-18T10:47:00.000-08:00

Kaci and Darby's wedding, shot by Melanie at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina, caught the eye of Ami over at Elizabeth Anne Designs -- check it out! I LOVE the details, and the table settings are exquisite!

Featured in the Women And Business series

2009-11-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

The lovely and talented photographer Davina has featured Melanie in her "Women and Business" series on the Davina Blog. Read Melanie's exclusive advice on how to stay organized, run a business efficiently, raise a family, and love what you do -- all at the same time -- here.

2009-11-02T08:02:00.001-08:00

I LOVE these portraits of Elsa and her family at their home at the Woodlands in Bozeman, Montana. The day before the portraits we talked about having a little tea party outside and found the perfect spot to set it up. I LOVE the setting in the woods with the foliage just starting to change in color.

This is one of my favorite photos. I LOVE How Farris is watching Chuck and Elsa loving each other in the background and the details of the antique tea set on the table.
And then how she was bored of looking at them and more interested in getting the goodies we had in the containers.

I LOVE how they are all having fun together.

Getting Farris to slow down and sit still for a photo was really a challenge. Elsa had given me fair warning and I wasn't too concerned about it until i tried to get a more formal photo. I always try to give a few more formal shots for family members that might appreciate them more than the candid spontaneous portraits that I LOVE to do.

Then at the very end of the shoot Elsa and Chuck carried the sofa out into the woods and here is the result of their hard work.

I can't stand how beautiful she is on the couch in the middle of the woods with her tiny violin.

Thanks Elsa and Chuck for having me photograph you and your family! It is always such a pleasure to be around you....

Another beautiful Montana Wedding

2009-10-31T09:22:00.000-07:00

Rebecca and Marc's wedding was so quintessentially Montana in a different way than usual. Instead of choosing a western theme they chose to really focus on ways to incorporate the natural things they LOVE about Montana in their wedding.

The setting for the photographs for the first time they saw each other was perfect. The trees and canopy of leaves creates an intimacy and surrounds them in the environment they LOVE.

When planning your wedding seriously consider seeing each other for the first time before your wedding ceremony. The anticipation and actual experience is a wonderful thing to share in private, it really allows the two of you to enjoy the moment in a more personal way.
After Rebecca walked down the tree lined lane they got to share a few minutes together while being photographed in one of the most beautiful settings at the venue. By seeing each other before hand you get to be alone for as long as you like, you get to take all of the posed photos that you would like to do done with and you get to enjoy every aspect of your wedding with your family and friends.

Typically every couple wants to have some posed family photos taken at the wedding. If you plan on doing it before the wedding it will take less time to finish them because everyone is there to take photos and nobody gets distracted by other guests. You can make it like a cocktail hour for your friends and family to make it a bit more festive and fun so the time will fly by a bit quicker. Once all of the photos are taken then you don't have to worry about taking any more for the rest of the day. You get to enjoy all of your friends and family during every aspect of your wedding. Typically a wedding will last about five hours including the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and the reception. It is a shame to take almost 1/5 of that time in order to take photographs that can be taken beforehand.

Marc painted the Thank You sign and we took a few photos with it so that they can use the image as a thank you note for their wedding.

On their wedding day the wind was HOWLING. Unfortunately it was blowing in the wrong direction. We were able to take the photos of the men with the Bridger mountains in the background without any hair issues.

Unfortunately we were not able to take many with the women because of their hair blowing in their face. Always make sure your vendors have a backup plan for inclement weather. After getting blown around in the fields I brought the wedding party to the ceremony location which was protected by trees and we were able to take photographes without being wind blown!

Rebecca and Marc created a wedding that was very personal. He and his brother had gathered all of the antlers that lined the aisle and I thought it made a perfect location to take some portraits of the two of them and of their wedding party.
I LOVE these photos of Rebecca because she is the perfect picture of the Montana Bride. She loves the outdoors, and was able to work with Marc to create a wedding celebration that brought attention to everything that makes a wedding, a Montana wedding.

I LOVE the photo of the two of them kissing and the antlers in the foreground.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.
You never know what the weather will be like in Montana.

I can't overstate that enough. Be prepared to be boiling hot or freezing cold during your wedding in Montana. Rebecca and Marc had some blankets for people at the ceremony and every one of them was being used and shared. Just a few days prior to their wedding it was hot and then the weather changed and it was freezing cold for their wedding day.

Rebecca went to great lengths to personalize the wedding. She designed the invites and then had them letter press printed, she designed and made the programs, she bought coordinating robes for herself and the girls.
Be creative when thinking of how to personalize your wedding. Rebecca and Marc asked each of their guests to sign a moose antler. Which turned out to be her favorite thing at the wedding.

Rebecca took the elk that she drew and featured it on the invites, the programs and the welcome packet that they made for their friends.
Rebecca and Marc had a long engagement and asked their family members to gather fall leaves and iron them so that they could be used to make the aisle ever more personal. I love the discreet ribbon they used so that the wedding party would be the first to enjoy the walk.
Everyone knows that although we all hope to keep our high heels on throughout the night while dancing it really is wonderful to have an alternative. Offering the option of flip flops at the reception is a perfect way to ensure that more people will actually get up and dance.

Rebecca and Marc used pine cones to hold the place cards.

Leslie Lukas created the beautiful flower arrangements and planned the wedding with Marc and Rebecca.

Each table had their own bottle of 'toasting' wine with tiny mason jars for the toasting glasses.
All of the drinks including a specialty drink that Marc and Rebecca made beforehand were served in the larger mason jars with stir sticks that Rebecca had made.

The letter press invites that Rebecca designed introduced the Montana Elk theme.

The beautiful centerpieces and table tops were filled with personalized details including hand painted numbers...
and pine tree seedlings for each of the guests.

Rebecca and Marc made little bride and groom wood pieces for their chairs.
The guests were treated to a hay ride through the fields with a magnificent view of the Bridger Mountain Range. Marc is a helicopter pilot and was going to give rides to all of the guests in a helicopter that his boss was flying over but because of the inclement weather they were not able to get the helicopter over to the wedding venue.

Almost every bride wants the most beautiful shoes to walk down the aisle in. Don't forget to bring something comfy to slip into afterwards. It is hard to navigate grass, gravel, mud, wheat, etc in 4" heals.

Use ribbon to discreetly tell your guests where they are not welcome to go.

Choose a perfect intimate site for your ceremony. There are usually a couple of places at each venue site that people have their ceremonies at. Really look at the venue and see what is the best place for you to have your wedding ceremony at.

I LOVE the feeling of the upstairs of the barn. Some places don't even need any decorating.

Kristen Jorgenson & Scott Jorgenson get married at The Wild FLower Gardens in Red Lodge

2009-10-29T04:04:00.000-07:00

The first time I photographed Kristen and Scott we were running from a huge rain storm. After deciding that we could not outrun it, we decided to do the photos in the rain and then suddenly it stopped and the light was beautiful! Here is a link to the engagement session:
http://www.nashan.com/2009/06/arnoldjorgenson-engagement.html

Thank goodness that was for their engagement session and not their wedding. Their wedding was held in September at The Wild Flower Gardens in Red Lodge on one of the last really hot days that we had this summer.

Kristen and Scott met at a branding and he works on a ranch and his family runs cows. All of the vessels from the wedding were gathered from his family's ranch. I LOVE all of the old milk bottles and various containers that they used to decorate the tables with.
Not only were they beautiful, they brought meaning into the beautifully arranged flowers.

They used the colors of the wedding and topped the cake off with a small bouquet of flowers.
Kristen had made all of the programs and displayed them in a milk bucket on the welcoming table.
Each guest was asked to write a short note on a note card that Kristen had made.

Each guest was given a carmel coated apple on their way out....
Kristen's dress was just perfect for her and her boots were comfortable throughout the night.

One of Kristen's bridesmaids was fluffing te under part of her dress just minutes before the wedding.

I Loved the small details that really made Kristen look so beautiful!

In the heat of the afternoon Kristen walked down the aisle without a cloud in the sky. When you plan your Montana Wedding you need to be prepared for all sort of weather. Although it was piping hot during the ceremony it did get a little chilly for the reception.

I LOVED Scott's feather...

As I was walking around photographing the wedding I saw this Cowboy standing behind the last row of chairs and I think it is one of my favorite photos because it captures the feeling of the wedding and gives a very clear sense of place.
Scott made the Arbor that they were married under...

One of the best times to photograph a couple is as they walk down the aisle right after being pronounced man and wife.

The good, the bad, the...

Kristen and her sweet niece.
I Loved photographing Kristen and Scott's wedding for so many reasons. They were both wonderful to work with, their wedding was relaxed and truely a celebration of the two of them getting married and everything was so simply western.

Rachel's Senior Portraits

2009-10-22T14:52:00.001-07:00

I had photographed Rachel's friend for her senior portraits and Dani had recommended me to her. Thank you Dani for the recommendation!

I LOVED working with Rachel on her portraits because she had a definate idea of what she wanted the photographs to look like. Her ideas were a perfect starting point for the portrait session, from there the two of us came up with some other options that are really beautiful.

Her step dad has a collection of old cars and trucks on thier property and this one was the perfect prop for a lot of our photos.

The morning light, was slightly diffused with some thin clouds and gave the perfect lighting for this photo.

Rachel runs on the cross country team and I love her stretching on the roof of the truck.

Rachel also wanted some photos with Ross Peak in the background so we played around in the tall grass and captured some really beautiful moments while she was moving around.

She is also a member of FFA and wanted some photographs of her in her jacket.

Down by the Yellowstone River we explored some different options including by the trees, in the grass and in the river.

I LOVE the texture in the grass photo.

Rachel, thank you for having me take your senior portraits. Keegan had told me that you were a nice young woman and she was so right. If you LOVE your photos please share them with your friends and family.

Family Portraits: Schedule yours today if you want the photos for the holidays.

2009-10-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Kari, a photographer here in Livingston, called me last Thursday asking to have her family photographs taken. She, like almost every other photographer I talk to, rarely have photos taken of their own family. I started taking our family portraits once a year several years ago and now try never to miss a year. Everyone changes so quickly and I LOVE seeing how we were as a family every year. Anyway, her husband Phil was home for a few days and she wanted to do something right away. So we scheduled the shoot for Monday in hopes of warm weather. When I left town for the shoot the thermometer read a bone chilling 19 degrees. I was a bit leery of doing the photos in the kind of weather that forces everyone to stay indoors. I was worried that their two young children would think the whole thing was miserable idea. Luckily I was wrong again! Although it was cold and there were moments that we retreated to the car to thaw out our fingers overall everyone had fun! Sledding brings out the best in all of us no matter what age! Colin, their 7 year old boy wanted to sled for the whole day. He would drag the sled up the hill, fly down and started the process all over again.

As I have said before I LOVE taking photographs for families. In this case Kari really wanted some photos of the whole family because Phil has been traveling a lot and she wanted the kids to see some photos around the house to keep him in their day to day lives. Both of our children have gone to school at Twin Pines Montessori and Maureen Bright, the owner, would ask each family to bring in a family photo for the school album. Whenever a child was missing someone in their family they would get out the photo album and feel a little better by seeing their family photo.

I LOVE these photos because I think they really capture the sweet relationship that Kari, Phil, Colin and Logan have with each other. They were playful and attentive to each others feelings. Nobody had much of an agenda except to have fun and to get some beautiful family photos.

Kari, thank you for asking me to take your family photographs. I am flattered that you asked me and happy to have spent some time with you and your family.

ENJOY!

Elegant Montana Bride

2009-10-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

This Monday morning I was given some bad news from a friend of mine. In his Email he told me that Elegant Bride and Modern Bride had folded! I LOVED each of the magazines for different reasons and have been featured in both publications many times over the past eight years. More importantly the two photo editors that I have known for all of this time found themselves out of work on Monday morning. They lost their jobs rather unexpectedly although we all know that the publication business has been in turmoil since this time last year when the financial crisis first started to hit all of us.

Both publications have been a great resource over the years for women, and a few interested grooms, who have been planning their weddings. So there will be a great gap to fill. Fortunately I also got news that Brides magazine, which has been published on a quarterly basis, will now go monthly so not everything is lost. All three publications were run from offices on the same floor in NY. Each had their own specialty and style but all of the editors were in close touch with the each other so I think Brides will fill in a lot of the missing gaps now that they are being published more frequently.

One of my favorite features of the publications was the Elegant Bride section of EB's publication. I have had two bride's featured in it over the years and thought of continuing the idea on our blog. The title of our feature will be Elegant Montana Bride. This is our first feature and we will continue to host a new bride on a regular basis. In the publication there was only one photo of the bride and we will be hosting several images that really show off the individual style of our Elegant Montana Bride.

J.Witty Spirits

2009-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of our beautiful brides, Jill Witty, who was wed last year to Graham Evarts at Springhill Pavilion in Bozeman, has started a business called J.Witty Spirits, a line of handmade, organic liqueurs. She recently debuted her first flavor, an organic chamomile liqueur. A lot of time and love has gone into creating this business, and I couldn't wait to share it with you.

The philosophy behind J.Witty Spirits is what really captured me, and I think it's worth sharing.

"We choose suppliers that are local to California and Oregon (our two homes). We favor small and independent companies over big corporations.
"We make our liqueurs by hand in small batches. We take pride in making sure that each batch tastes delicious.
"We don’t add anything to our liqueurs beyond what you’d expect to be there. (You’d be surprised at how many companies do.) There are no additives, no preservatives, no shelf-stabilizers. So when you open a bottle of J. Witty Spirits, you’ll probably want to drink it within six months. We hope that’s okay.

"We print our labels on tree-free papers using soy-based inks. Our marketing materials are printed on recycled papers. Our case packaging is 100% compostable and biodegradable.

"We use natural cork (a renewable resource) rather than petroleum-based synthetic corks.

"We donate a portion of our proceeds to support non-profits that help the environment and our local communities.

"Most of all, we try to be good people."

Now that's something you can feel good about! Be sure to check out the drink recipes, too!

Maxwell Family Portraits

2009-09-25T05:54:00.001-07:00

Marian and Matt are some of my favorite people. They ask me to photograph their family every year so I get to enjoy watching their girls grow up and get to spend a little bit of time with them.
It was a bright sunny fall morning and I asked the girls to gather some leaves for me. When it was all over Avery found a leaf, wrapped some dirt in it, tied in a knot and gave it to me. I LOVE when kids find things in nature and create something out of whatever they find. Many years ago, before my husband and I were married, we decided to exchange found items. He found a ring box, put some dirt in and wrote the note "I love you more than anything on earth." It sits in my bedside table as one of my favorite gifts. Avery's leaf sits on the dashboard of my car. It reminds me of one of my favorite artists Andy Goldsworthy

Towards the end of the photo shoot I brought out a lollipop for the girls to share. They LOVED it.
I LOVE this photo of the girls laughing together....

and of Matt and the girls climbing on him.

At the very end Eden and Matt raced each other over the bridge.
Marian and Matt thank you for being such wonderful friends.

Drop It Modern

2009-09-25T04:54:00.000-07:00

WOW! This is the second time that I have ever used a backdrop with my photography. I always believed it was hard to bring life into photos in such a staid atmosphere. But I was wrong, again! I asked some of my friends if I could photograph their children and had my kids model for me to experiment with the backdrops. I LOVE Drop It Modern backdrops.

I LOVE this collage of Keegan in this great wedding dress from After 5

Just for fun she grabbed Cole's skate board and brought it into the shoot!

Then there are the photos of Charlie and Cole. I decided to ask Cindy to convert these to BW because I thought it would look a bit more 'bad boy' like. I LOVED the contrast between their 'bad boy' personalities and the elegant backdrop.
Then there was Maddy. I love the subtlety of the black backdrop. I can't wait to use it with this great black dress that Keegan just bought. I love the subtle and rich texture of this backdrop. The women at Drop It Modern really know how to create textiles that are elegant, photographic and photograph beautifully.

I LOVE the skateboard in this photo.

I LOVE the black and white conversions of these backdrops too!

I LOVE the shallow depth of field that I used while photographing Maisy. I wanted to change it up a bit and get some depth in an otherwise flat atmosphere. Maisy is able to bring her personality out while in front of the camera. Finally, I have an office in downtown Livingston but not a studio. I sold my studio lights years ago and honestly don't like using them for portraits. So when it was time to do this photo shoot I set it up in the shade in the ALLEY right outside of my office. It was a perfect location. I will be using these more often in my on location photo shoots and at weddings.

Hollis.Bonson wedding planning update

2009-09-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Wedding plans are coming along and we're getting close now! Yay! I just hammered out all of the details for our wedding day photography schedule, and I'm so excited for the pictures. Melanie and I are doing some boudoir shots to start as a little something for me to give to my new husband...I'll admit, I'm a little nervous about how my body's gonna look, but I know Mark will love them!

Also, Mark and I have decided to see each other and do all of our posed shots before the ceremony. We decided to do this for a of couple reasons. First, Mark and I wanted to have a very intimate moment when we saw each other for the first time. I think, for us, it will be a more personal, loving, and intimate situation. We both get really nervous in front of a lot of people, so we wanted to remember that moment and not be so nervous about me falling on my face. Secondly, we want to enjoy every drop of our wedding that we have put so much time, effort, and money into.

I think photography is SO important for your wedding day, so that you can have those memories and snapshots to tell your wedding story, but we wanted to be able to mingle with guests at the cocktail hour and not be doing all of our posed shots then. Our guests will have spent a lot of money to get out to Bozeman (both of our families are from Wisconsin) that we want to make sure we can spend time with everybody and not be rushed after the ceremony. As a wedding photographer myself, I have noticed over time that when a couple does all of their pictures before the ceremony, it gives a relaxed, romantic feel to pictures and also to that time right after the ceremony. Couples that decide to do posed shots after still get great pictures with a lot of emotion in them, but usually want to hurry through it so they can enjoy the rest of their wedding.

We wanted to be able to enjoy finally being married, instead of running around trying to get the family together for a picture. I know it's not for everybody, but for Mark and I, it was a really good fit. Plus, we like to live on the wild side and tempt superstitions...

- Rebecca Bonson, soon-to-be Rebecca Hollis

Chelsea's Senior Portraits

2009-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I just had the privilege of photographing Chelsea Lloyd's senior portraits while she was visiting Montana with her family. Our families have been great friends for years, although we are not often afforded the chance to spend time together since they live in Minnesota. I had a fantastic time photographing Chelsea -- she has become such a beautiful young woman!

What gorgeous hair!

Thank you to the Lloyds for choosing me to take her portraits!

Dani

2009-09-22T15:36:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Dani for her senior portraits a few weeks ago. We headed out to a few locations and had some fun playing around with the Yellowstone River as a background.

When I first started photographing senior's for their yearbook photo I felt a bit awkward. How do you capture someone's personality in such a short time, make them look lovely and feel at ease? I know LOVE taking senior portraits. I LOVE getting to know the people and finding ways to make their portraits interesting but still enjoyable to them and their parents.

Working with Dani was SO easy. She is such a confident, competent young woman. I love to see someone so secure in who they are and comfortable with the way they look and what they do.
I LOVE her legs by the Yellowstone.

Fortunately for me it was hard NOT to get a good photo of Dani!
I LOVEd the tall grass for her senior photos. I try my best to do as little traveling around but to get as many different compositions and feelings as possible.
I LOVE the photos of her in her blue shirt under the overpass. We had her music playing on my player and we were just finding different compositions that worked well with the blue. Some of the painting were great and others not so much so. In order to make sure the photograph was about her and not the painting I used a very shallow depth of field and tried to use angles that took advantage of the colors but did not highlight the composition of the photo.
Dani,
Thank you for having me photograph you for you senior portraits for Park High School. Keegan told me that you were lovely and she was right.

Bailey.LaGreca Engagement

2009-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Cassie LaGreca and Chris Bailey are planning a carnival-themed wedding in August 2010 at Roy's Barn near Bozeman, Montana. The couple lives in Chicago, but while they were visiting Montana a few weeks ago, we were able to squeeze in a fun engagement session!

I love Cassie's dress!

The balloons and ice cream cones were an easy way to loosen the mood and have fun!

For images from their entire engagement session, visit the gallery on Nashan Photographers event page.

Maureen's Family Portraits

2009-09-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Maureen is a wonderful, long-time friend of mine, and I was lucky enough to be invited to stay at her home with her family on a recent trip to the East Coast for a wedding I shot in Massachusetts. While I was there, I took some family portraits that I wanted to share with you.

Thank you again, Maureen and family, for your hospitality!

FAMILY PORTRAITS: MISSOULA

2009-09-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

Once a year I drive to Missoula to take family photos for several wonderful families. I have to say again that when I started taking family photos it was HARD! Why couldn't everyone be wearing a white dress and have their hair and make up done? I honestly would get m ore exhausted from doing a portrait shoot than from shooting a wedding. Luckily things have changed. I LOVE taking family photos and now it is FUN! What is even better is that there are several people who have me take their family photos annually so I consider them to be friends. I love visiting their homes, watching their children grow and finding out what is new in their lives ~

Yesterday I photographed Bee and Austin! Here are some of my favorite photos from my quick first edit. I love that Jeanne & Paul like to have candid photos that are show the kids in action. Austin can't sit still for very long, except of course to eat an ice cream cone!

Sneak Peek: Mike and Jessica Engagement Session in Bozeman

2009-09-18T09:33:00.001-07:00

Mike and Jessica are getting married in October at The Woodlands. Nashan Photographers associate Chieko shot their engagement photos earlier this week in downtown Bozeman. The couple created a fun and playful atmosphere by carrying the color scheme of their wedding (pink and black) into the clothing that they chose for their engagement session.

Keeping with this week's theme of featuring gift ideas for your guests, we wanted to share with you the unique gift idea that Jessica and Mike are sharing with their wedding guests: the couple donated to a breast cancer charity in the names of each of their guests. At the wedding, they are giving friends and family pink breast cancer awareness bracelets, which continues with the theme of pink and black.

Check out the shots from their entire engagement session in the Nashan Photographers event gallery.

Wedding featured on Stellina Events!

2009-09-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

Amanda of Stellina Events, a wedding and special events design consultancy based out of London and New York, has a new post up about how to choose a color palette for autumn. If you're thinking about a fall wedding, Amanda's advice is fantastic! She featured images from the Behr.Walters wedding at the 320 Ranch near Bozeman, Montana, shot by Melanie Nashan. Read Amanda's blog post for helpful hints, and visit the full Behr.Walters album here for more fall inspiration!

Ram Family

2009-09-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

I photographed Hilary and Ethan's wedding in New York three years ago and just had the opportunity to photograph them and their sweet baby boy! Here are some of my favorite photos from their wedding!

I love this photo of the men on the bench on the upper east side right outside of Central Park.

Then of the whole wedding party in the same spot. It is always a challenge to find a location that is indicative of the area that people have chosen to get married at that also provides a simple backdrop for the people in the wedding.

I loved the sing in book that was a photography book of New York City. It was laid simply on a table with an understated bouquet. I love the line of the couch!

The bouquets were absolutely stunning!

The cathedral was very impressive. I am always taken aback by the craftsmanship that goes into some religious structures. It is impossible not to feel inspired in these types of spaces.

Here are the family photos that we just did a couple of months ago! I love little Darby! He is a sweet baby boy with a great disposition.

Every family that has a dog wants at least one photo with them in the photo.

One of my favorite photos from the day when Hilary was just playing around. I love the whole feeling of the photo, her hair swinging in the wind, and Ryan & Darby's smiles!

So CUTE!
Another one of my favorites. I love family portraits because they create a family history and show how people looked at different stages in their lives and more importantly they show the connection that people have between one another. Those emotions are what I love capturing. My hope is that years later when everyone looks a their photos they can be transported back to that time...

Over the last few years I have been making a concerted effort to stay in touch with my clients and take their family portraits as their families grown. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to like it but now I LOVE being able to be a part of their lives. It is so interesting and fun to keep in touch, know what everyone is up to and to take photos of their families. Thank you to all of you who keep in touch.
Melanie

Featured in BRIDES

2009-09-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

Melanie Nashan's beautiful image of these bridesmaids is featured in the BRIDES September 2009 issue. The shot is the opener for a spread on "Friends & Family," which provides ideas for vivid colors, great gifts, and advice if sibling rivalry appears in your wedding! Check it out on the stands today!

Wishing the Molitors a wonderful one year anniversary!

2009-09-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, August 30th, Rachel and Eric Molitors celebrated their one year anniversary -- 14 time zones apart. Eric, who is in the Marine Corps, has been in Afghanistan since May, and Rachel lives in Honolulu.

A couple of weeks ago, we received an email from Eric's mother, Karen, with a special request. Eric, without internet or email access in Afghanistan, had called to ask if she would help him send flowers to Rachel on their anniversary. Together, they decided to send the exact flowers that were in their wedding ceremony. We were more than happy to help out. We contacted the planner, who contacted the florist, who assisted in arranging for this BEAUTIFUL bouquet to be sent to Hawaii.

Visit our gallery to see all of the images from this elegant wedding!

Wishing you all the best, Rachel and Eric!

Just Beautiful

2009-09-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

Nick Brandt is the most wonderful African Safari photographer I have ever come across! If you have a few minutes and want to get transported visit his site. It is a perfect destination for your honeymoon!

Cole's first day of School

2009-08-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

I LOVE school. Wednesday was Cole's first day as a third grader. He had asked Keegan who has just gotten her learners permit to drive him to school. She got herself out of bed EARLY on her last day of summer to make him happy! Here is our annual photo of the three of us on our way to school.