updated our behind the scenes blog today! a few highlights about last month's trip to Sedona for a shnazzy bridal show! click picture below!
me, nicky and corrie (#lkmwooteam) celebrating one of the best bridal shows we've ever done!
Steve + Aidelni | Downtown Urban Love Story | Lifestyle Engagement Session
They first met at Union at St. Philipps Plaza.
"Surely she's not really interested in me..." is what Steven thought... But what came out was, "hey, does that fish dinner taste good because it really stinks..." Aidelni was put off by his bluntness but also saw something more charming and endearing about this man. After hours of small talk, drinks and flirtation it was time for them to part ways.
Earlier in the evening, Steven had made a joke of how a woman all dressed up in high heels would never work with a man in sandals on a bicycle. And thinking he somehow had managed to keep this beautiful woman by his side all night he went for the line to end all lines.... " I need to get going, but do you think maybe you want to come check out my bicycle?"
Steven walked her over to his bicycle and grinned. Aidelni smiled. He was just so stinkin' charming. Steven was still shy and unsure but he knew his moment was fleeting. " May I kiss you?" He leaned in for a gentle kiss, in the middle of the night, amongst strangers as a feeling of adoration hung in the warm summer air. "Could a guy like me ever have a chance with a woman like you?" he asked as he got on his bike. "It depends on you.." she replied and slipped back into the bar.
... When I first met these two I was charmed by Steven's affection and gentleness towards Aidelni. And she leans into him, affirms him, thinks he is the funniest thing on earth. She showed up to the shoot beaming, brought a fantastic wardrobe of colorful classy pieces and he was strong and patient....and loved her well.
I love this session. I loved my time with these two. I have paused too many times at the images where they are holding each other. And the ones where they are laughing... it's a quiet, peaceful sort of thing. I can't believe I get to be part of this season of their story... | LKM
University of Arizona | Lifestyle Senior Story | MEGHAN
Meghan and I spent the afternoon perusing favorite spots on campus and pieces of her college story. These lifestyle senior stories are some of my favorite. Milestones celebrated. Transitions anticipated. Relief commemorated.
I felt so comfortable taking pictures with Laura. I normally have a hard time posing for pictures because I feel awkward and uncomfortable, but Laura made it so easy and fun.Also, LKM has such a light hearted personality that it was easy to just be myself and feel comfortable behind the camera. She really wants to capture the true experience and I loved the idea of taking a walk through the past four years of my life and relishing in many of my best college memories. ~ Meghan
Congrats Meghan! Thank you for letting me capture this special season! | LKM
thank you for taking me around your stomping pads young lady! Hope this year is full of new joys and discovery! :D | LKM
Featured on Arizona Bride Magazine!! :D
SO ABOUT THAT GOOD NEWS...
Earlier this week i shared a facebook status that talked about good news in the photography department. good enough to make me burst into tears. and it’s friday and i can share now. but i want to explain why it means a lot. cuz some of you might be underwhelmed and think i’m silly. which is fine, but it was a big deal to me.
9 months ago i started trying to submit work to different publications. both online wedding sites (the knot, green wedding shoes, ruffled, wedding chics, style me pretty, grey likes weddings…) and nothing. i got no replies. i take it back..one reply was a rejection. and i get it. It’s part of the way things work. hours were spent culling, submitting files in the variety of different ways that different blogs requested, writing reviews, gathering the details to present each wedding and session that was submitted as best as possible… hours were spent… and nothing.
(not to mention…with each submission, you can’t just blast that submission to multiple sources. publications want to have exclusive feature privileges so i would have to submit my best of the best to one selected magazine than wait for a month or two and then hope that the next submission would pick it up before the submission was outdated or out of season…)
so i stopped. discouraged. acquiescing to the reality that my capacity is only what it can be right now. i was ok. the worst was not hearing. even worse than a rejection. rejections could be constructive. helping me learn what to shoot. what publications don’t want. how to shoot in a way that tells a story with people but also captures the details and nuances that publications are hunting for… but nothing. for a long time.
and then a random email sent at midnight to a publication got a reply within minutes. not just a reply, but they wanted my session featured and they wanted to have it moved up the calendar and instead of waiting 3 months to have a slot scheduled, they gave me this friday. TODAY.
So, friends, folks. I present to you my very first feature. And by non other than, Arizona Bride Magazine. If you want to increase traffic and analytics, check out the feature and leave a comment. You guys--you friends, family, fans who are reading this--you and your support with Laura K. Moore Photography is the lifeblood. Thank you. So much.
GO HERE FOR THE FEATURE: http://arizonabridemag.com/…/glowing-autumn-engagement-sess…
Austin + Corrie | Lifestyle Engagement Session: "Adventure Meets Goofy" | Mt. Lemon, AZ
“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.”
― Jim Bishop
"Our session was not only the most fun I have ever had taking pictures, but it was extremely comfortable and care free and I felt like the essence of Austin and I really go to be conveyed through the pictures!" ~ Corrie, Bride
Austin + Corrie made mention that they were goofy and adventurous. They wanted those things really captured. Mt. Lemon was where Austin proposed earlier this summer and they were keen on getting some of the mountain details and active bike nuances and sillyness in between.
When we arrived near the top of the mountain are jaws dropped. We had no idea the leaves would be on fire and FALL would have already arrived. The couple were so giddy and eager to just love and be loved and be free... this session really was like a breath of fresh, lively air.
So excited to be a part of this journey with you guys! Thank you for trusting me with such precious memories! | LKM
Melo Family | Lifestyle Mini Sessions | Riverside, CA
Last May I pushed the 'play again' button my fitness journey. (see the "LKM beast mode journal" here) and it was initially because of this lady featured below with her family. Cindy started her own journey a few months prior and committed it to the public eye. She instagrammed the snot out of sweat. (-grin- there should be a t-shirt for that) I was curious to see what would stick. How long before she slacked... but she didn't. And it was encouraging to me. Convicting actually. I called her up and asked her about T25 and the rest is history. Over the summer we kept in touch, she snagged a mini session this last California visit and I beamed when I saw her...thriving and healthy with her little pod in Riverside. I am honored to capture a piece of this season in their lives. | LKM
(and if you are looking for a coach or just a dose of motivation...go connect with her here. she's wonderful at all that :D)
John + Lauren | A Vintage Private Affair | Destination Wedding | Bisbee, Arizona
John + Lauren // Hosterman Wedding Story
So there is this tiny little historical mining town in the middle of Arizona called Bisbee. It feels straight off of a Hollywood studio set. The aged brick, old signage, red rock set against ivy-covered vintage inns--I was so intrigued. The moment you drive into the narrow roads you are transplanted into this vibe of a vintage city....I'm gonna let the bride, Lauren, take the story from here.
Bisbee is our favorite place to go. It's where we fell in love, where we got engaged, and it was the perfect place to start our lives together. We loved that you can really see a lot of Bisbee in these photos. They capture the essence of this quirky little town!
Meanwhile, John waited to be led downstairs where he would meet his bride...
VENDOR SHOUT OUT // I have to just make a shout-out to my make up artist, Wendy Fiallo, of Wendy Rae Makeup Artistry worked with me for months prior to the big day. During my makeup trial she put my mind at ease and made me so excited about my big day. She is hands down the BEST makeup artist I know. Book her for your makeup for any event. She'll make you look so beautiful and glamorous!
I loved, loved, loved how personal Laura made each photo time...She truly cared about the little details and the moments with the bride and groom...I loved having this "first look".
the girls loved being girly...
Lauren: I'm so glad John and I decided to see each other prior to the ceremony. Those few moments that we had alone really were special and I loved the photos that were captured. Also, getting to take a majority of our pictures before the ceremony really cut down on the time we were away from guests during the reception. Our whole family kept telling us after the wedding how fun taking pictures was! This is something I've never heard before! I've been to weddings and I've always hated waiting around for pictures. Laura made the entire process so much fun though and everyone enjoyed it!
People made their way upstairs to the private level of Cafe Roka where the small, intimate ceremony took place
I loved getting away with Laura and my groom during the cocktail hour. We feel like Laura really captured the essence of the wedding and of Bisbee in our shoot. When I look at the pictures, I feel like I'm reliving each moment over and over again.
Laura was so spontaneous! She saw opportunities for great photos and took them...After a few moments of images in the streets of Bisbee, Laura turned and asked if we wanted to take an extra 10-15 minutes to get some even better shots and drive to the outskirts of Bisbee for some last memories....and it was SO worth it!
We have to take moment for a solid shout out to the entire staff at Cafe Roka! Fred Miller, the banquet manager at Cafe Roka, worked with me for 7 months on every single tiny detail of our ceremony and reception. There were countless emails that he replied. Room measurements he took, menu changes, photos he sent... all of the effort he put in made us feel so at ease with having our wedding at Roka.
Rod, the owner and chef at Cafe Roka, was also a freaking rock star! The day before the wedding, we showed up to decorate and he bent over backwards to ensure everything got set up the way we wanted. He fed us his 5 star food for lunch and dinner the day before the big day AND made the most incredible food for our reception. Our guests kept gushing over how amazing the food was. I've never seen so many to go boxes being used at a wedding before! No one wanted to waste any of the deliciousness! Also, the wait staff at Cafe Roka took care of our guests so well. Huge thank you to them!
John + Lauren, thank you for inviting me into this sliver of your to capture a collection of memories that will be on your walls and in your hearts for the rest of your lives! You guys are pretty darn special yourselves! | LKM
VENDORS
prep location: Letson Loft Hotel // ceremony & reception location: Cafe Roka // wedding dress: Norman's Bridal // bride's shoes: Dillards // flower girl dresses: Dillard's // make up rtist: Wendy Rae Makeup Artistry // hair: Erica DeFevers // photography: Laura K. Moore Photography
Texture Tuesday | Random Desert Weeds...
After the Tiggas Family session last week, i was driving home and the evening sunbeams caught these weeds on the side of the road. Wanted to share a few of them just because :)
Oh, and hey, happy cold weather Tucson. We're pushin' mid 70s over here folks. Grab a parka! | LKM
so as i was wrapping the edits of these few textures, my husband Lawson insisted i take that first weed and make it a hard core black and white.... they are the exact same image.... which is your favorite?
Tiggas Family | Holiday Mini Session | Tucson, Arizona
I met Kandice as a fellow kindergarden mom last year. Over the year, from a distance, I have enjoyed watching the way both she and Matt clearly tag-teamed with the kids...love them together. work together. I love that this session captured a little bit of the tag-teaming as well as #madduxmax's awesome giggles, Micah's nurturing big-brother heart, Capri's fantastic free spirit...and even some sweet kisses between mom and dad. What a sweet, intense season of young life!
oh! And since I just received Kandice's ever-so-thoughftul review a few days ago, here are a few of their thoughts from the session!
What were key moments that stood out to you during your session / wedding day?: Getting kids to smile for an hour long session isn't easy, and LKM was not only able to get their full attention but she managed to capture their TRUE smiles and their real moments.
What were your highlights about working with LKM?: Throughout the session there was never a moment that felt awkward. Sometimes the camera seems intimidating but LKM made us feel comfortable and she knew what to say to us to get the perfect smile, giggle or big laugh. I loved that she encouraged the kids to just be kids, by playing games and letting them explore with no restrictions, you were there to capture whatever they were going to throw at you!
What would you tell a future client interested in hiring LKM?: If you are looking to capture your real life moments, put your best suit on and let Laura take care of the rest!
Thank you so much Tiggas Family! Here are a few of their mini session highlights...
Reich Family | An Evening in a Desert Wash // lifestyle portrait session
When Katie was talking to me about what she was hoping from her session, i grinned. She simply wanted to capture this stage. The reality. The story. Them being them.
So we did just that...
Thank you for letting me be an observer of your family for an evening Josh & Katie. Watching each one of your kids interact, play, learn, watch each other--watching you love them and be a family--I love this story.
and since i'm still a fan of at least a few old-school traditional sprinkles of "1-2-3" / "everybody is looking at the camera because it is a pose" kind of stuff....here a few final lovelies of the whole family ACTUALLY sitting still for just a moment :)
