Jason + Christine | Claremont Colleges, California | Maternity Session

 {Jason & Christine | Claremont Colleges, Claremont, Southern California | Maternity Session} Baby #1 is always an intense thing. I watch these soon-to-be parents look ahead at the unknown future, preparing for radical, exciting change. Because that's what kids do. They change you. They change the dynamic of "him and me" into "us."  Kids rock worlds. They humble hearts.  The calm before the storm is special and that's one of my favorite parts of capturing these maternity moments. It's a solid fist pump to an awesome prelude to an even MORE awesome chapter ahead. (sigh) and thats all i have to say about that. :) | Jason & Christine, thank you so much for letting me frolic about with you during the burst of color and fallen leaves at the Claremont Colleges. You guys were delightful. I hope these moments captured are sweet memories  of that precious prelude... | lkm

With great joy and excitement for you guys!

LKM

Sophia | tucson lifestyle newborn moments

{Sophia | Lifestyle Newborn Moments | Tucson, AZ | January 2013} I've titled this blog very intentionally: 'lifestyle newborn moments' :) Seriously. Newborn photography is NOT my forte. In fact, I have a grip of newborn photographers I am UBER eager to refer any expecting mom to (email me). Newborn photography is an incredibly fine art in and of itself. You know--the time, patience and intense fine skill and prep to nail those BOMB pinterest images that make mommies swoon all over the planet? Babies posing in perfect sleepy poses with heads propped in their hands or cuddled up in ball of perfection. Yup. Never gotten there. NEVER.

I called up my friend, Missy, yesterday  to  see if i could swing by and just capture a few moments of 'little-ness.' It wasn't fancy. I have no props. I haven't any fancy backdrops or monkey hats or cool fluffy pilllows perfect for these things. I just wanted to snatch a few moments in this stage of Sophia's first week where newness abounds. So with GPS in hand and a  bit o' dinner love in tow, I paid a visit. I hugged Drew & Missy, conversed a little with new-big-sister Emma, gushed over Sophia and snatch a few real moments with the family. (beat)  This whole welcoming-new-life into the world is intense. Motherhood is intense. The tiny-ness and abandonment of self is insane...crazy, crazy beautiful. (moment to weep a little inside my heart with how big of a deal these thoughts are) (anyways) Love you Montagues! Welcome Sophia!  | lkm 

Hodge Family | Tucson Sonoran Desert Gates Pass Portraits

{ Hodge Family | Tucson Sonoran Desert Gates Pass | Portraits | December 2012} Nikki charmed my socks off with her first facebook inquiry and when we met up at Gates Pass earlier this month, my sixth sense did not disappoint. This little family was a treat! I can't wait to meet and capture more memories with them when baby #2 arrives in February!  | lkm Dad was G R E A T with dex. Can you believe it? MOM was the one who specifically asked for a 'shot of dad throwing dex really really high in the air.' Most moms would have thrown up if you had only seen the ravine path we were on and the cactus Dex was flying over! some belly lovin i love this triptic... Thank you so much Hodge family!  Enjoy enjoy enjoy!! | 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

Neal + Connie | Modern Chic Downtown Tucson Engagement Session

 {Neal + Connie | Downtown Tucson Engagement Session | Tucson Wedding Photography} We made it to downtown promptly during Friday's rush hour and had to race a quickly setting sun amidst the war (cough) i mean, construction zone that is down there. Streets were closed, parking spots were packed (because apparently Tour De Tucson is a big deal), and I was getting a lil' nervous about finding a stellar backdrop and making it all 'work'...and then i caught myself--your focus is FIRST people, not places. I watched Neal & Connie respond and react, enjoy each other and laugh freely. We even made a grungy parking lot look like a light-pool filled with bougainvillea! Ta Da! (pause) (debating in my head wether to go that extra measure of disclosure....here goes...)

To be honest, I have never felt so disheveled before a photo session. I'm back from maternity leave and figuring life out -- balancing three little ones  and (thankfully)enjoying a good photography work load while figuring out a system to make both hats fit. Being able to release these highlights is sheer relief. We did it!! Come rain or shine, babies or sleepless nights, there is grace and pictures are glowing across the screen right now! New lovebirds are being captured and put on display and I'm so excited to share these two with you! | lkm

the 'look we're so fun!' series on  4th avenue... she had a nintendo shirt. he had a startreck shirt. bomb. dude, they SO got into that jump...

Mike + Roni | Amado Territory Inn | Southwest Arizona Wedding Photography

{Mike + Roni | Amando Territory Inn | Southwest Arizona Wedding Photography | 09.15.2012} This was a unique wedding experience for me. I don't normally offer 'short and sweet' wedding photography coverage packages but new that I'd be pushing my capacity (have i mentionend I'm 9 months pregnant?)  if i signed up for anything longer come September. :) Mike + Roni were emphatic about wanting me to cover their wedding day but had to get creative with budget. We whipped up a special little contract  for me to come do a few hours and it was great. I'm so glad I got to capture some of the little details; be part of the preliminary laughs and inside jokes; observe crazy hiccups that have to be grinned and giggled through. (Yay for bridesman losing his trousers 15 minutes before the ceremony!) Congrats Mike & Roni! Thank you for letting me be part of your wedding day! | lkm Roni actually did the cake herself! amazing wedding shoes :) pink & lime green details :) large and in charge... / really cool photo booth set up! studly ring bearers :) Happy one-month anniversary you two! :D

Tucson Family Photographer | A Family's Downtown Stroll Whilst an Urban Sunset Glows| CHUTE FAM & CO.

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 {Tucson Family Portraits | Chute Girls | September 2012} This fun family traveled out from Phoenix to capture some awesome family memories before mom and dad shipped off to Scotland for 6 months! Though nervous that the shoot was going to get trumped by impossible work schedules OR my unborn child's early entrance, we nailed a family shoot in the 'nick o' time' and I'm stoked to share a few highlights! | lkm from whence these children came...daddy and daughterssweetheart lovinsister jealousydan fits in really well Thank you Chute Family. Please hug the green hills of Scotland for me. Thanks so much. :) | lkm

Welcome Jericho Brave-Aiden Moore! | personal

{My 3 kids on the first day that there were born | Judah 06.04.08 - Jordyn 12.29.09 - Jericho 09.26.12 } I've debated whether or not to share some of these special life/personal things on my photography blog and frankly, it boiled down to a technical issue--I don't know how to renew my personal blog's hosting service and have yet to 'sick' my husband on that 'honey do item' yet. So I'm left with a pretty significant life event with details and memories I'm eager to share with friends...and then I remind myself that I want my photography to be an extension of me--anti-canned, anti-script, anti-'salesy'. So i've talked myself into sharing some of this past week's amazingness--amazingly PERSONAL--and all it's details. Welcome to my heart. Welcome to my life where I am first a wife, then a mom and then a photographer. I am delighted to share life with you--both at the consult table, on location shooting and even the behind-the-scenes gnitty gritty of who I am.

If you are any one of the beautiful families or couples I've had the privilege of shooting this past year, you will have noted that I became progressively more pregnant this year. Funny how that works. February 14 I found out i was with-child with our 3rd. He was planned. Mostly. (grin) We were pumped. (Aside: and that emotion was a big deal to me. I might not have been pumped to be pregnant again, (not favorite) but i was pumped to get another kid. Motherhood has progressively made more sense the older Judah (4) and Jordyn (2) have become.) I was also thankful that my first official year shooting in Tucson (and return to photography after my year-long sabbatical) provided a lighter shooting load during this summer's wedding season. Come September 23rd, my self-declared maternity leave was well-needed.

Now, if you are interested in getting the gory details of the birth story, continue reading. Otherwise you can just skip to the end where i posted a few hospital (compliments of camera-phone) highlights and all you need to know is that my 3rd kid, 2nd son, was born on September 26, 2012 and 8:59pm weighing in at 5 lbs 3 oz. He is healthy, beautiful and has a name that took my husband and I all 9 months to finally agree on: Jericho Brave-Aiden Moore. I'm healthy, healing and happiest I've been in a very long time!

Long Version: Though due on October 10, my 38 week check-up showed that little sprout #3 wasn't thriving in the womb. He had stopped growing since my measurement at my 34 week check up. Nurse got concerned. Called Doctor. Doctor did a 30 minute intensive ultra-sound and assessed all sorts of measurements seeing what the cause could be. Couldn't confirm anything absolute, but still turned and asked, "How do you feel about having a baby tomorrow?" I whined a little about wanting to let my baby 'cook' a little longer. Reality was, the little tyke wasn't cooking -- whether it was the bun or the oven's fault, we didn't know. We induced the next day. My experience being induced was pretty cool. I got to pack my bags on time, set up babysitting for kiddos (thank you in-laws!), husband was able to adjust his work schedule prior, we grabbed Starbucks before we headed to the hospital and hunkered down into a sweet corner, 8-floor room that looked out over Downtown Tucson. We met nurses galore, got introduced to the team of UMC med students who would be getting up-close and personal with me throughout the day, and refreshed my really simple birth plan. (My birth plan went like this: "Get epideral in pronto. Strive to avoid c-section at all costs except for baby and mommy's health reasons. In that case, cut me open if need be. Thanks.") My first two kids were both delivered naturally...involuntarily. Nurses just didn't believe i was in enough pain. They wanted to 'wait' out the contractions until they were really 'unbearable' but then both kids ended up hitting transition and coming uber fast. I was determined (and even practiced) to have a more convincing 'pain' face this time around so that nurses would take me more seriously and get an epidural administered in a more timely fashion. I can show you a few of those facial expressions next time we meet actually. They're pretty awesome. Also, if you would like to see the funny little video Lawson took of my successful epidural administration, you can go here. I'm a huge fan.)

Checked in at 10am. Antibiotics at 1030. Epidural at 1130. Pitocin at 12pm. My body, EVER so slowly, got the hint and kicked into gear at 830pm and little Jericho was born 29 minutes later. Preliminary labor was essentially boring and painless. Nurses were shocked to see my epidural working so effectively AND that I still had use of my legs. It was kinda bizarre. But awesome. SUPER awesome. So awesome, in fact, I feel like singing about it still. I told the nurses that, if i could, I'd jump up off the bed and kiss all of them. Most emphatically my anesthesiologist, Doc Walston. M Y  H E R O. I still had to go through a horrific 10 minutes of legit delivery pain, pushing and crap. But I feel silly whining about that, all things considered.

I had to stay in the hospital for a few days to keep an eye on Jericho. He was OK for the most part. Needs to gain weight, a little jaundiced and had to work out some amniotic fluid that was left in his lungs after coming out so fast. It was 2 of the most glorious days ever. My recovery room had this fantastic view of the Catalina foothills. Hospital's chicken quesadillas and turkey sandwiches rocked my face off. I had a grip of friends and family trickle in through our stay but otherwise got some amazing alone-time to bond with Jericho and enjoy the solitude. My highlight, for sure, was watching my two oldest kids meet Jericho for the first time. I can't begin to describe the emotions that swell as they dote over their little brother. Judah is so concerned for him--especially when he cries. Jordyn can't stop asking to 'hold him mommy?' We are all just drinking in a deep sense of 'completeness' and it is overwhelming. Jericho may or may not be our last child, but he sure was 'missing.' God is so so good.

Here are a few pictures from this past week! Thank you for all the prayers, notes, emails, texts, joys and encouragement! My family and I are pretty darn blessed to have family, church, community, friends and this photography thing that has raked in some pretty bomb people into our lives! | lkm

My mom flew in that morning and drove straight to the hospital. I am SOOO glad she made it on time for Jericho's birth. God has been so gracious to let her be with me for each kid's entry into the world! Do note the fact that I am S M I L I N G while watching contractions. Have I mentioned I'm a fan of epidurals?

Alias and good ol' concentrated oxygen were our good companions throughout the day. Jericho's heart rate would drop periodically and a dose of O2 would wake him up a little...as well as a bit o' repositioning. Apparently he did NOT like it when I was on my left side. We're thinking it was a pinched chord or something. Going on 10 hours of slow development. I'm just chillin--bonding with my sweet nurse Brooke. And then he came lightning fast into the world....lets just say 5lb deliveries are a whole lot easier than 8 lb - ers. :) The first morning at the hospital i was greeted with an awesome bouquet of flowers from my best friend, Christal, on the east coast. Flowers are an awesome way to wake up, I've decided. :) But an even BETTER way to spend a morning is with friends and family. I honestly didn't remember to whip out my camera for each visitor. Kinda bummed. Kinda OK with it. I'm sure we'll make up for it.  Your heart just grows bigger with each kid. My daughter's affection for Jericho has bled into her blossoming affection towards the rest of us...her transformation is probably one of my top favorite things in life right now.Our Little (?) Family :D | September 2012

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