Dove season is almost upon us.  Yes, this was an engagement shoot.  Yes, it was celebrating Julene and Andrew's upcoming winter wedding.  But the late summer landscape and this dog's ready eyes and posture scream of everything a Lab loves to do.  Even with owners distracted by each other, this one is patient and ready.

Back to Julene and Andrew and their fabulous shoot.  They are such a wonderful couple and we are enjoying the pre-wedding journey with them.  This shoot was done at 7:00 am at 5 mile in Chico to capture the late summer beauty without the heat.  We'll schedule a fall shoot as well when the leaves start changing and then shoot their wedding in January.  Here are a couple of our favorites from the first shoot.

 And one last image with the four legged friend.

"Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."

Mother Teresa

Class of 2015

Class of 2015 Portraits are off to a great start!  A senior at Pleasant Valley High School, Shawna enjoyed an evening with Mark and Nikki.  She started off with a hair and make up session with Nikki - photo ready make up is the BOMB.  There is no other word for it.  These images are STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CAMERA and Shawna looks gorgeous!  After the hair and make up were done, they headed out and about to Mark's favorite Chico spots.  There wasn't enough time in the day, so I'm hoping they hit a few more sometime soon!  Here's what we have so far.  Congratulations Shawna, we hope you have the best year!

From the creek and buildings around downtown, they headed out to 5 mile for this last outfit and some soft evening light.

"Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest

 later."

Og Mandino

Best of Chico - August

August is here, bring on the days of heat with slightly cooler evenings to enjoy.  Mark took this fantastic couple for an evening hike up to the ever popular Monkey Face and captured some images that he'd been planning in his head for awhile.  Opportunity presented itself with a willing couple looking for a few quality landscape images and a sky of fabulous clouds.  Traditionally, Mark will try to offer couples a mix of well lit portraits with crisp and clean skin tones and the more artistic candid shots as well.  This time however, it was all about the surroundings, and capturing the couple as part of the landscape.  It was nice to be able to compartmentalize the time allowed for 1 goal rather than the multiple styles he usually focuses on.

Sound strategy starts with having the right goal.

Michael Porter