Oooh, am I ever stoked to share Maelyn’s University of Montana graduation images with you today! When Maelyn’s mom contacted me about making grad photos for her college graduation announcements, I was excited to get to work with her. Especially when she told me she wanted to go off campus to make her photos. (We opted to photograph towards the campus and have it just visible in the valley below.) Heck yes please!

Making these images to celebrate such a major accomplishment is always so special to me. I can’t help but remember that time in my own life, and how giddy, excited, nervous, and exhausted I was. I was beyond ready to graduate, while simultaneously terrified about what would come next.

Maelyn’s also “so ready to graduate,” and I don’t blame her. She’s been working hard in school these past several years, and will walk across that stage with not one, not two, but THREE degrees! She’s been studying Ecology, Organismal Biology, and Wildlife Biology — talk about wildly impressive!

As we meandered around the property close to where she lives, she told me that she made her own earrings (with feathers) and has been doing so for ages. She also ties flies and fly fishes. Upon heading into the trees, Maelyn’s experienced eye noticed some upturned rocks where a bear had been active. But thankfully the only critter we encountered during our session was her sweet cat, Tiger.

Maelyn and Tiger have been together since she was a kid. At age 19, Tiger is one of her best buds, and a really awesome adventure cat! Maelyn told me that Tiger is sort of a dog-cat — she likes to hike and ski with her! How cool is that?! These two clearly have such an incredible bond, and I was just so glad to capture it for them. (Big props to Tiger for being such a sweet participant, even though she really wanted to go on a hike and smell all the smells.)

Thank you again, Maelyn, for such a fun session, and for fitting it in amongst all the things I know you’re wrapping up with school! It was such a pleasure to meet you and Tiger. Happy graduation to you, too! 

I hope you all enjoy a little peek into Maelyn’s college grad session!

On the docket:

Portraits and weddings and more! Stay posted!

See another college grad session here!

Cheers,

-Kristine

I am always just so tickled when the people I get to photograph add personal, meaningful elements to their sessions. And Nichole and Zef’s Missoula Montana college graduation images certainly had that in spades!

To celebrate her college graduation from Carroll College in Helena and pay homage to her Navajo roots, Nichole’s grandmother made her dress for her. And when I say made, I mean MADE. Not only did she sew it for Nichole, she WOVE it. Talk about super, super special!

Thankfully, despite it being an overcast day, we didn’t get rained out for any of Nichole or Zef’s images. As we meandered from location to location, Nichole and Zef filled me in a bit more about themselves. Nichole will be graduating with a focus on biology and communications, and Zef will have a degree in English. The two met at Carroll and are super excited about their futures.

We had such a fantastic time making their images, and when it came time to capture moments between the two of them together, I could barely contain myself they are so darn sweet! We cracked up, giggled, and all-out guffawed together, which is basically what I live for in sessions.

Nichole and Zef! My goodness was it ever fun to make these images for you! Thank you so much for swinging down to Missoula and for being so supremely delightful to photograph! Here’s to a wonderful graduation celebration in a couple weeks, and to your very bright futures! Yay for newly-minted college graduates!

On the Docket:

Portraits and weddings coming your way! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

College graduation is such a time of excitement, joy and pure anticipation of getting out there in the real world and practicing what you’ve learned! I always love making graduation portraits – whether that’s for seniors in high school or seniors in college. So when Emily contacted me about making college graduation and couples’ photos with her boyfriend, John, I knew we’d have a fantastic time making these images to celebrate such a wonderful milestone in her life.

It was a bit of a windy, chilly day for our session, but Missoula in springtime is just gorgeous no matter what the weather decides to do. We had such a fun time on the University of Montana campus hitting up the symbolism trifecta (the Griz statue, Main Hall, and the M). And Emily added a little pizazz to the party by bring along some glitter to use in a few images (I admit that I totally yelped out of pure joy each time we made those shots – so fun!)

Our session then morphed into a couples’ session that John got to star in too! We really had a great time roaming around some funky little spots in Missoula, and making images of Emily and John – who clearly are smitten with one another. Those smiles!

Thank you again, Emily and John, for such an enjoyable shoot! It was so nice to meet you both, and here’s another big congratulations to you on your graduation! Here’s to a bright future – glitter included! :)

On the docket: portraits and weddings!
-Kristine

Graduation weekend at the University of Montana means there’s a certain happy, excited energy in the air around Missoula that is always such a cool feeling, and makes me think back upon my own experiences graduating from college and graduate school.

You’re nervous, you’re happy, you’re relieved, you’re stoked for the next chapter of your life, and you’re grateful for those who helped support you in your academic pursuits – usually your awesome family and friends.

Such was the case for Dylan, and we got together to make some portraits of him to celebrate his graduation from the University of Montana with a degree in Geology. He had family in town as well as a friend, so we had a pretty darn good time photographing all of them together.

Dylan and family – thanks again for having me do this for you! It was so nice to meet you all, and Dylan, I wish you all the best in your next endeavors! Here’s to you and the degree you just earned!

On the docket: more portraits and weddings! Don’t miss out!

Cheers,

-Kristine