Kristine Paulsen Photography – Lifestyle Portraits, Editorial and Wedding Photography in Missoula Montana

I love light. And I love that Joelle and I got to really play around with it during our latest Missoula fashion session. The weather couldn’t have been better – a balmy 87 degrees (in April of all things!), a slight breeze, topped off with a drop-dead-gorgeous sunset. That’s definitely the recipe for a sweet session. And, of course, Joelle was brilliant, too. :)

P.S. If you’ve got a dress you want to rock like Joelle did, let me know! These types of sessions are a blast and a great way to show off that prom dress or wedding dress! And I’m sure Joelle can attest to that, too.

A huge big shout out to the people who helped make this shoot happen:

Hair: by Boom Swagger Salon.

Makeup: by Alchemy Mineral Blends.

Clothing: blue top, white shorts, white bag, gray tree-print dress, black and white top, and jean shorts from One Eleven.

On the docket: portraits!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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I don’t often post personal stuff, but today I’m just feeling like it. Perhaps it was because Missoula hit a sunny 70 degrees and upped my Vitamin D? Perhaps I can’t get over how stinking cute my little bird is? (Yes, yes, I know – I’m biased.) Perhaps I want to reveal “the man behind the curtain,” as it were, and give you an idea of who I am? Who knows. But here it is.

Some of you may know that I adore birds. Love them. Think they’re incredible. This stems from the fact that I grew up with canaries, and with grandparents who loved birding, and taught my brother and I a lot about this favorite pastime of theirs. I also know that some people think birds are scary and crazy and weird. And yes, there are some that are scary and crazy and weird, but it’s because they have not been treated properly by their owners. Birds need lots of attention and love, and when given this, they are just wonderful little creatures with huge hearts, even bigger personalities, and tiny companions that make life just a little more fun to live.

So, with no further ado, I introduce: Flash the Parrotlet. He is tiny, but he’s quite the little clown. Parrotlets can mimic, so he’s picked up a few of my phrases, including how I answer the phone: “Hello, this is Kristine.” Yep, he actually says that. But he sounds a bit Sean Connery-esque, so his phrasing is a bit more like this: “Hello, thish ish Krishtine.”

I’ve also got a delightful little canary named Mozart, but he’s not allowed outside since he can fly. Flash has his wings clipped, so he can only fly short distances. Also, for those of you out there who have birds and want to take them outside – PLEASE be extremely careful if you do this. Double check that your birds’ wings are clipped. Double check that where you take them outside is safe and free from danger…i.e. other animals, toxic things they could eat, overexposure to sun, etc., etc. Birds are fragile little things so only do this if you are an experienced bird owner, have taken the necessary precautions, and don’t take your eye off of them for one second. Ok, off my soapbox.

Photo time! I should also explain that Flash was being my model as I messed around with some lighting techniques. He’s a good little assistant.

I laughed so hard when I saw what had happened with the image on the right – Flash had moved a bit too close to the light source and ended up with a very alien-like look. Hilarious.

If you enjoyed Flash and would like to see more of his antics (and pics of Mozart, too), you can follow me on Instagram – my username is kristinep_photo. Flash and Mozart have got quite the fan club – all the way from Mexico to Finland!

On the docket: engagement and portrait sessions!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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I had the pleasure of meeting up with Hailey and Greg in sunny Stevensville the other day to photograph a mini maternity session with the two of them. They were both visiting from Washington state, and spending some time on family land. What a beautiful place for some photos showing off Hailey’s 33-week-along silhouette!

Thank you again for having me photograph such a milestone – and congrats again to you both, or all three of you I should say!

On the docket: portraits!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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Maggie and Tyler – I swear – their smiles could rival the brightness of the sun! We had such a fun time during their Missoula engagement session, and even managed to luck out with the weather, getting a bit of sun for our little walkabout. (I think they brought it with them from California!)

These two are so clearly meant to be with one another. They’re a lot like puzzle pieces – fitting together perfectly, but unique in their own right, too.

Maggie and Tyler, I’m so glad you were able to make it back to Montana for our session – thank you so much for all the smiles and laughter! I’m not sure summer can get here soon enough since I know your wedding is going to be such a happy celebration, and I can’t wait to document it!

On the docket: engagement sessions and some rad portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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It was so great to finally meet Sara and Ryan the other day for their sweet little Missoula engagement session. We’d been in touch through the various long-distance means: mainly phone and e-mail, so it was wonderful to meet these two in person. And it’s so clear how in love they are with one another and what a perfect pair they make.

Their engagement session was short and sweet and we even managed to catch a little sun towards the end, too!

Thank you again, Sara and Ryan, for taking the time out of your busy schedules whilst in Montana to make some fun images of the two of you – I’m looking forward to making more on your wedding day! :)

On the docket: a newborn baby session, engagement sessions and portraits galore! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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I hope you all got a chance to step outside last evening and witness the gigantic moon hanging low over the hilltops and reflecting into the Clark Fork – seriously beautiful. I was hoping to see some northern lights, which didn’t happen, but my…the moon sure was a good substitute. This photo isn’t from last night, but I was reminded that I still had it hanging out, waiting to be shared, and today seemed like a good day for that.

Enjoy! This was taken this past June after George and Emily’s super fun engagement session. This image is way more gigantic than I’d normally post, but I figured the moon kind of merits that treatment.

On the docket: portraits and engagement sessions galore – stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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The other day, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Kim and Randy in Stevensville, Montana, to trek around Randy’s family’s ranch and make some engagement photos of Kim, Randy and their horses, P, Q and Dinero.

We had so much fun despite the deceptively chilly weather (yet no snow!). And I swear, these two are so perfect for one another – they goofed around with each other, showed off some sweet dance moves, made me (and themselves) laugh a lot!, and just plain had a good time.

Not only were they radiant in their photos just on their own, but holy moly – our backdrop for the day wasn’t too shabby either (oh Bitterroot valley, you make me swoon). Thank you SO much, Kim and Randy, for inviting me out to your place to make these images. I seriously cannot WAIT for your wedding – we’re going to have a blast!

On the docket: engagement sessions!

Cheers!

-Kristine

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This is a bit of a departure from what I normally post….not a portrait session (of people anyway), and much too long for a Wordless Wednesday post……but I really want to share these images with you because, quite simply:

Owls Are Cool.

Especially snowy owls. And especially since they’ve been hanging out with us here in Montana.

Snowy owls don’t usually spend all that much time in our area, so it’s pretty rare to see them. They’ll hop on down here every 5 or 6 years or so, and when they do…oh my gosh…go and see them!

Admittedly, I may be slightly biased because I kind of LOVE birds (ok, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY love birds), but these creatures are simply stunning. Their bright white feathers, their sleepy little yawning faces in the light of day, the slow turns of their heads, the way their feathers softly ruffle in the breeze, and their absolutely incredible beauty as they fly.

So, please. Indulge in these photos. And if you get a chance, go scouting for the snowy owls on your own – it’s so worth the time, and they won’t be sticking around Montana a whole lot longer. Also, bring a good pair of binoculars if you go. :)

On the docket: engagement sessions!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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Missoula sure hasn’t gotten much of a winter this year (minus that one monster dump of snow), but Dalton, Eleisha and I lucked out the other day during their engagement session as we marveled at the beauty of the fat, falling snowflakes. Seriously – we are so lucky to live in such a stunning place. And Dalton and Eleisha wanted to take advantage of our natural surroundings for their very sweet engagement session.

Thank you so much for tromping around in the snow with me, you two! So much fun – made even more so by how happy you are together! I can’t wait to photograph your wedding this summer! Happy Valentine’s Day!

On the docket, engagement sessions!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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Maddy and Colin are such a delightful couple, and we had a great time making some super fun images during their wintry Missoula engagement session. Maddy is a big time coffee fan, so we stopped off to grab a few cups before embarking on our walkabout around the University of Montana where they both met. Maddy and Colin are so meant for each other – the way they look at one another, the way their eyes sparkle (yep, Colin, your eyes did sparkle!), and most importantly, how they make each other laugh – even when in the midst of a snowball fight.

Thank you so much, you two, for taking time out of your day to have some fun in the snow with me! I had a blast and seriously can’t wait until your wedding – it’s going to be an amazing day!

On the docket: more engagement sessions!

Cheers,

-Kristine

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