Keith + Alissa | Genoa, NV Engagement Session {Sneak Peek}

Today's engagement session was fantastic! Keith and Alissa were so comfortable in front of the camera and couldn't stop smiling and laughing!

Here's a sneak peek from today's shoot. ;] Aren't they just adorable and completely in love?!






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Abraham + Winston | Newborn Portrait Session {2nd Sneak Peek}

I couldn't help but share a few more of these adorable boys! Joleen and I met up again on Monday to try a couple more poses. Abraham was the perfect little baby and let us move his limbs and little head into all sorts of cute positions. Isn't he adorable?!

** Note: Please do not try this at home. It is a two part photograph. A baby's head is too heavy to be held up by their little arms. **



And here's one more of baby Winston. He really didn't want to stay asleep!



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Abraham + Winston | Newborn Portrait Session {Sneak Peek}

The arrival of these two little adorable boys has been greatly anticipated. You may remember their family from the sneak peeks for their Lifestyle Session and a Maternity Session. After lots of waiting, Abraham and Winston arrived last week and are now home with mom and dad.

I couldn’t wait for our session. I found every basket and blanket I could use out of my house (even borrowing some from friends!) I made a list of ideas and starting dreaming about how perfect the session would be. Sleepy newborns, simple to pose with delicate little faces. Occasional cute yawns and dainty little arms stretching for the skies. You know… Perfect.

Well.. the session didn’t go quite as I had dreamed. The boys weren’t as easy to pose as I had hoped. As soon as we got one of the little boys in position, the other would stretch or turn or get uncomfortable. Then when we managed to get both of them posed they’d wake up and need a diaper change or some milk. Enter hairdryer, swaddlers, and swing. We ate some dinner put the boys to sleep and then sat down for round two. As long as the session ended up taking, it still worked out. The boys were adorable, including all the hulk stretches and angry scrunchy faces.

Here’s a sneak peek from our shoot.





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Joleen + two | Maternity Portrait Session {Sneak Peak}

As promised, here is a sneak peek of Joleen’s maternity shoot. It snowed like crazy the night before and the valley became a beautiful white wonderland. We did much of the shoot outside, and Joleen was a trooper, even sitting in the snow for me. ;] She should be going into labor any day now! {Update: She and Eric are headed to the hospital as she's going into labor!!} I can’t wait to meet her adorable baby boys.




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The Hayes | Wellington, NV Family Portrait Session

Meet the Hayes Family. I met them through our church, and they are one of the most pleasant and humble families I’ve had the pleasure to meet. Debbie, the mother, put on this year’s Vacation Bible School, a full cowboy theme that was a huge success. Savannah, the oldest daughter, is studying to become a midwife! Lacey is studying art {a girl after my own heart} at a Christian Liberal Art University.

This was one of the first photoshoots I’ve had to reschedule due to bad weather. Almost every session I’ve had the pleasure to shoot has always ended up with perfect or acceptable weather. Most often, (especially last winter) weather would be horrid, up til the session date, and then suddenly the skies would clear, the temperature would rise, we’d hold the session, and watch the weather return to the horrible conditions as before. This time, however, good weather did not happen. It snowed all day Friday and then rained all day Saturday, leaving yucky muddy puddles everywhere, and making it impossible to shoot outside. We rescheduled for today, hoping the weather would be better, and for the most part it was, despite almost freezing temperatures.

The Hayes were so kind to pick me up {an hour drive!} and take me to their house in a 4wdrive vehicle (just in case the weather decided to change). Then we held our shoot and they fed me taco salad before driving me home. ;] I am so thankful for wonderful families like them.

Here’s a couple of their images from today’s session. (Do you see the cute little goat eating the hay!? :D)

The Plants | Gardnerville Family Portrait Session {Sneak Peek}

Here’s a quick sneak peek from the Plants Family’s fun and adorable portrait session on their ranch house property.



More adorableness to come!

The Strattons | Genoa Family Portrait Session

Here’s a few images from Saturday’s Portrait Session with the Strattons in Genoa. It was a perfectly crisp but pleasant morning.

Eric + Joleen {+ two on the way!} | Genoa Family Portrait Session {Sneak Peek}

Eric and Joleen were one of my Images for a Cure Portrait mini-sessions in Genoa. They opted for a late afternoon-evening time slot. I didn’t think anything of it… especially after a morning session that had PERFECT weather – slight cloud cover, streaking sun through golden leaves, and a gentle warm breeze. But when I arrived back at the park in the evening, the sun had already set just enough to leave the park out of the path of the sun’s rays. Everything looked cold, dead, and dull. Bleh! I was not happy. Then the wind started to blow… hard. And my mood went from bleh to grouch.

But Joleen and Eric arrived with their two little puppies and lit up my camera’s frame. ;] The joy and glow of expecting twins was written across their faces, and they braved the wind like nobody’s business.

Here’s a sneak peek of their shoot! A full post to come. ;]

The Ohlers | Genoa Family Portrait Session {Sneak Peek}

What do you get when you mix a beautiful park on a warm autumn day, with a beautiful mother, her adorable four children, and a photographer? A super fun super cute session. The Ohler family was one of my Images for a Cure Portrait mini-sessions in Genoa. Unfortunately their dad was out of town on business, so we focused on the kids and had a blast playing in the leaves and climbing trees and making silly faces! ;]

Here’s a sneak peek. More adorableness to come!

Images for a Cure Event | Saturday Nov 6th, 2010

Mark your calendars and call me ASAP! I'm now booking for the Images for a Cure Event!



You can help spread the word!
Post this message to Facebook:

Help find a cure! Schedule a portrait mini-session with Harmony Hilderbrand Photography on Sat Nov 6th and the $50 mini-session fee will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. More info at http://harmonyhilderbrand.com/IFAC.htm Please help spread the word by posting this as your status!

Post this message to Twitter:

Find a cure! Book a mini-session w/ @HarmonyMay on 11/6 & the session fee goes to @BCRFWorldPink Info at www.harmonyhilderbrand.com PlsRT

Vegas Reflection June 2010

I was digging through some pictures and found these shots I took when I was in Vegas this past June for a conference. I thought they'd be fun to share! Seanna (my coworker from my office job) and her husband Steve had a fantastic view of the Vegas strip... (while I got stuck with a view of the parking garage ...yay *sarcasm*) and asked if I'd take a quick portrait of them. ;] Of course I said yes!

Images for a Cure - coming soon!!

Last year, I learned about a great opportunity to use my photography talents to make a difference. Unfortunately, I was unable to participate due to a scheduling conflict. I told myself I would make sure to participate this year, but completely forgot.

Thankfully I was reminded tonight, and with two hours to spare I registered to participate in Images for a Cure! Essentially, I choose one day in November to schedule as many photoshoots as I can, and all of the session fees get donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. The shoots are scheduled and fees collected during October since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

So stay tuned!! I'll announce the date and details soon! If you've wanted to schedule a shoot, but weren't sure about it, now you have an added reason! By scheduling your shoot, you're helping fund research and awareness about breast cancer.

:] Get excited!!

Ruby + Alisha | Lifestyle Session {Sneak Peek}

Sneak peeks like this make me go awww! Alisha and I did maternity portraits almost a year ago. Now her little girl is ten months old! This past Monday we got together again to do a photoshoot with Ruby. Here's a few images from that shoot. ;]






More to come!

Eddie + Kirsten | S. Lake Tahoe Engagment Session

I adore Eddie and Kirsten. Kirsten has always been able to put on any outfit and look adorable. She has a quiet smile, a delicate laugh, and a humble yet sweet personality. Eddie is her perfect match. He's strong and kind, has an eccentric laugh and warm personality. They are both absolutely gorgeous on their own, and then you put them together and they’re too cute to handle! To make things even better, they planned ahead, picking out locations, clothes, even shoot ideas. Could my job be any easier? ;]

We started in a field across the street from Kirsten’s house, climbing over a barbed wire fence (Kirsten in sandals and a dress and me with my camera gear). The field wasn’t grass, but rather allergy-triggering weeds… but they were troopers and put up with it.



Then we headed up to South Lake Tahoe. They had scoped out some beautiful locations the week before.


They found this road, off the beaten path, that winds around the mountainside through pine trees and aspen groves, past waterfalls, and small trickling creeks. Peaceful and beautiful.





You can’t tell by these next photographs, but the aspen grove was filled with mosquitos. In the 10 minutes we were at this location, we were eaten alive. I had 10-20 red bites on my arms and legs the next morning.


We reached Valhalla right as the sun started to set over the mountains. After a gorgeous day, beautiful locations, and a smoochy-adorable couple, I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect ending to the shoot.



Did I mention that Kirsten found this dress at a thrift store? She knows how to shop, and find adorable vintage clothes that fit her perfectly. ;] So jealous.

The Jezeks | Lake Tahoe Family Portrait Session {Sneak Peek}

I met the Jezek Family last September when Jeff (my hubby) and I were invited to join a camping trip with a family from our church and the Jezeks. There was a small hint of recognition, and it turns out that Todd (the dad) had trained with Jeff’s dad, and also did some work for my boss (at my office job). Since that camping trip, Todd and Jeff started training together (martial arts) weekly.

This morning I had the pleasure to shoot some family portraits for them. Crissy and I decided we would meet at Sand Harbor at 9 am. We thought that was early enough to guarantee the beaches would be almost people free. But to our surprise the beaches (and the parking lot) were already packed! Thankfully we were able to maneuver our way around the masses of people. [But it makes me wonder… Who gets up at 7 or 8 am on a Saturday morning to drag their family to the beach? I’d much rather sleep in, and roll up to the beach around midday.]

Here’s a sneak peek from their shoot. ;]

Magaly + Valerie | Carson City Lifestyle Session { Sneak Peek }

I am so excited to share this sneak peek!

Magaly is the client for the Community Pregnancy Center, whose story will be shared nationwide! I had the pleasure to do a photoshoot with Magaly and her beautiful seven-month-old baby girl Friday morning. (If you follow me on Facebook, then you heard a little about how this session came about. If you didn't, then wait for the full blog post or read the posts on facebook. ;] )




More to come!

Eddie + Kirsten | S. Lake Tahoe Engagment Session { Sneak Peek }

Yesterday I had the honor to do an engagement session with Eddie & Kirsten. Kirsten and I were best friends in elementary & middle school, then lost touch for a few years. Last year we began hanging out again and she is just as amazing as she was when we were kids. She's sweet, humble, completely adorable, and now engaged to Eddie, who is her perfect match. The two of them are so beautiful, and as if that isn't enough... they were so excited about the shoot that they planned out multiple locations, outfits, and specific ideas for their session. I seriously couldn't ask for a better engagement session.

Here's a sneak peek from their shoot!




More to come!

The Grimm Family(ies)

A couple weekends back I had the lovely pleasure of doing some quick family portraits and a couple business headshots for the Grimm Family. My dear friend Elizabeth (who was my maid of honor) married a fantastic man a couple years back. They live an hour or so away so we don't get to hang out much, but we still keep in touch and get together when we can.

Her husband recently graduated from the fire academy (Elizabeth is so excited to have a firefighter for a husband) and they were going to hold a graduation party for him. She called me up a few days beforehand to ask about my availability for a large family portrait shoot in July and told me she'd call me back once she'd coordinated between the two families. When she called me back she asked if I could just do it during the graduation party... which normally I'd be inclined to say no.. as I wouldn't want to take away 15 people from the party for an hour shoot. However, they just wanted some low key standing posed portraits and said there was a creek/river nearby the house. So I agreed.

The creek ended up being much uglier than we had both anticipated, so we just shot in their front yard, which had some beautiful green grass and green shrubs and trees. We cycled through the business shots and then the family portraits pretty quickly. They were hilarious. I tried to position them by having them mirror my actions, but it didn't catch on at first and they all had fun laughing at each other. Elizabeth had instructed them to all avoid patterns or screened shirts, and so the families opted for bright or pastel spring colors, which I was thrilled about. [don't get me wrong I think family portraits with matching white or black is classic.. but mixmatched bright colors is lively!]



I owe Elizabeth a HUGE thank you/shout out as she is my number one referer (is that even a word?) - just today she called to tell me she had a wedding for me in late July! I LOVE YOU ELIZABETH!! (And congrats, again, Justin on your graduation from the fire academy!)