Andy + Rachael | Padua Hills Engagement Session | Claremont California | Los Angelas Wedding Photographer {Inspiration: Yellow, Stripes, & Chill}

{Andy & Rachael | Padua Hills Engagement Session | Claremont California | Los Angelas Wedding Photographer {Inspiration: Yellow, Stripes, & Chill}

What a beautiful afternoon!! The sun mixed with a soft haze to create a soft, glowy, romantic atmosphere. Andy needed some insisting at first. (grin) It feels weird--I get it--to have somebody ask you to kiss..for a long time. and like it. and LOOK like you like it...and THEN get up in your business and snap pictures of it. I get it! But about 10 minutes into shooting, we hit a stride and i backed off a bit...we found a few stellar spots around Claremont College campus to enjoy each other a bit. Once done enjoying The Claremont Colleges, we made our way up to Padua Hills...and oh did the foothills deliver. I have a love affair with grass and all things green and sunbeams. I just breathed in the smell of spring blooming...and by this time, I saw Andy & Rachael falling into eachother even more...  I went to a photographer's conference recently. One of my favorite speakers, Sue Bryce, pushed me to slow down and really aim for a connection with the client. my groom. my bride. the person(s) in front of me who'se trusting me to 'capture them'...not just pose and go. It's easy to get so caught up in racing the sunset or making sure settings are right or your directing them well enough...but taking a deep breath, letting the clients rest, find their moment together and then nudging them to be more vulnerable and relax even more....such a skill...such an art...such a goal...  My dear friends, I am tickled pink to be trusted with this crazy awesome stage of life for you guys! Can't wait to see you again and celebrate with you both on your wedding day in June! | LKM

Jeff & Laura | A German Flight Attendant + Military World Traveler | Tucson Engagement Session

{Tucson Earthy Engagement Session | Jeff & Laura | March 2013}

Jeff & Laura have a love story straight out of a chick flick. No joke. She's a German flight attendent who flies all over the world and Jeff is in the military, they met in the air, on a plane, thousands of feet above the earth. See what I mean? Doesn't it just make you wanna break out in song?! Or send their story to Hollywood or something?! Laura first contacted me on facebook as she prepared to come visit Jeff from Germany for a few weeks in February. By the hair of our chinny chin chin we found a date that worked, planned a shoot and hooked her up with soft, sweet, natural styling by my bomb stylist Dana Buchanan. | My time with Jeff & Laura was a royal picnic. I'd hang out with them just for fun any day. I underestimate how goofy and easy going Jeff would be--oh! and their heart-warming affection for each other is  pure gold. (sigh) Oh friends, I hope these pictures are a treat to smile over for years to come. :) Joy, LKM

yea yea yea. i realize that the frame thing is SO yesterday's pinterest fad...but whatever. they rocked it. 

Jeff & Abby | Rainy Downtown Engagement Session | Pasadena, California Wedding Photography

{ Jeff & Abby | Rainy Downtown Engagement Session | Pasadena, California Wedding Photography}

Oh my stars. Butterflies are swarming in my tummy. The excitement for these two little love birds is incalculable. I've known Abby since she was a lil' tike. No joke. One of my oldest  family friends.  To see her grown and loved by a good, good man who is humble, tender, loyal, passionate and sincere--i just want to cry and thank Jesus for being so so very good. Check out that rain. Seriously, one of my coldest/rainiest shoots ever. So worth the miseery!!  okay, so it was REALLY really cold. So we were trying to see if we could capture our breath...and they were laughing/shivering/snorting all sorts of wonderfulness.the black and white below is abby's favorite :) (and shhh, don't tell her, but i printed it on canvas and am surprising her for her wedding :D)did i mention we got wet? coffee shop subtleties we laughed SO much! we were struttin' around downtown pasadena and saw this hole-in-the-wall bookstore. I mean, it SMELLED like old books. It was fantastic...and we got uber cozy amongst its shelves. mmmmhm. these images (below) are some of my favorite. Jeff & Abby ADORE each other and are just so comfortable together... i love the moment below in black and white. the story and journey they've been on these past few years make the tenderness and trust a REALLY big deal oh how he loves her

19 days you guys!! can NOT wait to see you soon, shoot your Pasadena wedding. Laugh SO much and celebrate with you guys!! See you on the flipside baby! | lkm

Harry + Hilary | A (RAINY) Tucson Desert Engagement Session | Saguaro National Park

{Harry & Hilary | Dessert Engagement Session | Saguaro National Park, Tucson, AZ | Laura K Moore Wedding Photography} Harry & Hilary made me beam for a solid 2 hours. Granted, this was the wettest engagement session I have ever shot. BUT, I'm pretty sure it ranks up there with a favorite. From the backdrop they chose (saguaro national park) and the special little personal nuances they brought along with them...I'm pretty sure we nailed something special! they ride bikes in this park ALL the time...notice Harry on the right below? yea, that's him attempting to be serious...attempting.. notice the rain?? :D did i mention we got wet?? i love this one... and this one... i LOVE that point of complete abandonment. when i can step aside and a couple trusts enough and is comfortable enough...to just love each other. they laugh ALL. the. time.  Oh Harry & Hilary, you two were definitely a highlight for my weekend!  I hope you enjoy these moments captured as much as I have! | lkm

Amir + Maribel | Tucson Engagement Session | Wedding Photographer

 { Amir + Maribel | Tucson Engagement Session } These two have been a treat to shoot this past season in Tucson. We met at a bridal expo last April and since then, we've shot a 3-part engagement series that has me tickled pink to share!  My favorite thing about these two....how gentle and poised both of them are; so 'put-together'...refined...a constant sense of 'class' sorta oozes from both of them. And yet they hired me for their wedding because, (i quote) 'we had so much fun and need someone to bring out our fun side'. yes, ma'am! | lkm (note: this is one LARGE chunk of awesomeness for a single blog post. but i refuse to break it up into "sections"... :D i like the fact that they progressively got more and more comfortable each time we went out for a shoot, played, laughed, kissed....kissed some more... these two just 'fit' together :D){ Downtown - pt 1 }{Downtown - pt 2}Can't wait for wedding time Amir & Maribel! 10xs more awesomeness awaits us! :D | lkm

Mike + Roni | Tucson, Arizona Engagement Session | Hot Pink Momma Meets RockStar :)

(Mike + Roni | Engagement Session | June 2012} I'm currently wrapping up the edits of M + R's wedding a few weeks ago and I just realized i never posted highlights from their engagement session earlier this summer! These two really enjoy each other. Obviously. :) | lkm

M + R, you guys are a hoot! Excited for you to be celebrating SUCH a fun stage of life right now! | lkm

Hieu + Maria | Tucson Engagement Session | Arizona Wedding Photographer

 (Hieu + Maria | Engagement Session | Agua Caliente, Tucson, AZ}

We braved the incoming clouds and resolved to go for a sweet little engagement shoot--rain or shine. Maria showed up in a cute little polka dot dress and Hieu in a dapper blazer. We sat and talked shop over coffee and got a few details about their 2-day, multi-ethnic wedding celebration coming up in December. After bonding a bit we carpooled over to the nearby state park and frolicked in a bit o' romance. love these candid  ones...Thank you so much you guys! You were wonderful to shoot! I hope you had as much fun as I did! | lkm

David + Ali | Downtown Urban Engagement Session | Arizona Wedding Photographer

{David & Ali | Downtown Tucson Engagement Session | August 2012} David and Ali were a riot. I haven't met a groom so willing to dish back my subtle (???) sarcasm and within moments I knew the shoot was going to be a fun one. We met at a starbucks near downtown just to talk shop about wedding details, timeline, thoughts and ideas about photography...We bonded. We laughed. We made a few mild jests at each other's personal beliefs and life decisions. So random. So not what I was expecting. Pretty hilarious. Honesty is golden though--raw, bona fide authenticity--I love. And with that fun beginning, we dove right in...on of their favorite hot spots is Hotel Congress. We had to grab a few shots on the footsteps... Thank you guys for such a fun shoot! Can't wait to talk more wedding stuff with you!

Paul + Samantha | Tucson Engagement Session | Agua Caliente

{Paul + Samantha | Agua Caliente, Tucson, Arizona | July 2012} Paul and Sam are a hoot! I love how candid Samantha was on the phone when I first called her to tell her she had won a 'Save the Date' Mini Session after attending the Tucson Bridal Event Expo earlier in June. She flat out inquired, "uhm, are you going to make me sit through some sort of seminar or buy something or--or--???" "Heck No!" was my reply. The last first impression I want to leave with somebody is a photographer trying to 'sell' them. I assured her, "I simply want to woo you. I will treat you. I will shoot you. I will ask you sincere, excited questions about your wedding because I am actually genuinely interested. I will not obligate you to purchase anything or even put that awkward pressure on you thereafter so you book me for your wedding. I won't hound you with silly emails. I want to simply introduce you to how I work--my style; my brand; me. Hook you up with awesome pictures. Treat you to a fun date out with a collection of memories. Take it or leave it--me. And it's free. My treat." Samantha replied, "Oh! Well, that sounds awesome!" Me: "I'm so glad we're on the same page!" | lkm

Note: the day after our shoot, Paul emailed, "Thanks again for being yourself on Monday Laura. Your first impression went a very long way. And what your first impression didn't cover, your work certainly made up for it. As a designer myself, I can say that you do have great skills that set you apart from the competition.. :)" (grin).... While i try to figure out what my first impression didn't cover, I'm pretty sure their wedding in November is going to be hilarious, spunky, awesome and really, really fun. :) woot woot! | lkm

Matt + Marcy | Alice In Wonderland Inspired Engagement Session | Agua Caliente, Tucson, Arizona

{Matt + Marcy | Engagement Session | Agua Caliente, Tucson, Arizona | July 2012}

I showed up to M + M's e-session striving hard to take myself seriously. I was climbing (awkwardly of course-pregnant) out of a borrowed single cab pick up truck that was decked out in NFL Broncos everything AND I had those child's play sticky tattoos plastered over my right arm, ankles and wrist. I didn't regret the play time I had had with my kids just before the shoot, though it might have helped me feel more pro if i had scrubbed them a little and gotten over the fact that my license plate screamed 'TEEEBOW". Sharing these superflous details DO have a point by the way. Turns out Marcy actually WORKS at a graphic design lab FOR the very company of tattoos I had just divulged in with my kids that afternoon. I could have hugged her. It was free entertainment for a solid 2 hours that day. Ahmazing bliss. I didn't hug Marcy but she got a kick outta the fact that my arm tattoo of a bear was one that she had particularly designed herself. Ironic yea? ... Matt & Marcy are shooting for a garden-esque/earthy-meets-whimsy/a-little-dash-of-alice-in-wonderland theme for their wedding next April. I loved that they both showed up to their e-session aware of those details and fully prepared to walk around for an hour in large-and-in-charge shoes no matter what the cost. Vanity before comfort right?! Matt said he 'was looking for a wedding photographer who can help him feel comfortable.' What a fantastic challenge. :D  I did my best... They really seemed to have a lot of fun together!  Love these two.

Thank you guys for letting me hang out with you for an evening!