So, you know how you talk with someone and you just click? I totally felt that way when chatting with Melisa initially about her wedding day. We both love words. We both love birds. (Words and birds! See what I did there?!) And her goal was to get married on her wheat farm to the love of her life, surrounded by her family and all of their farm critters (horses and dogs and chickens and turkey included!). Hooo boy, yes please! Therefore it was no surprise at all that when I zipped up north for Melisa and Zack’s Dutton Montana farm engagement, that it was just such a wonderful time.

Dutton treated us to a beautiful sunny, windy day just outside of Great Falls, and we had such a nice time poking around Melisa and Zack’s farm, and getting to meet all of the above-mentioned critters. I can’t tell you how excited I was that they got to be featured in Melisa and Zack’s engagement photos too! As Melisa had told me prior to our session, one of their horses, Song, is a big time photo bomber, and she wasn’t kidding! That horse knows how to work it for the camera!

We also had a few moments to talk more about Melisa’s family’s farm, which has been in operation for five, yes FIVE, generations! How cool is that?! Zack also grew up farming in Minnesota, and eventually made his way out west. And the two met while attending a rodeo where they just happened to be sitting next to one another – kismet, I say!

As we strolled through the pastures that evening, Gypsy and Junebug (Zack and Melisa’s dogs) stuck around close by as well, and we all giggled and laughed as Song stopped to chew his lead rope every now and again, and dole out some big ol’ horsey licks here and there from his soft, velvety nose.

Because several of Melisa and Zack’s chickens had had a chance to star in some images earlier in our session, Carol, the turkey, not to be outdone, made a cameo as well. I’ve got to say, this is the closest I’ve ever been to a turkey, and she was a sweetie! (As were all of Melisa and Zack’s animals.)

But I think the best part of their entire session was watching these two interact with one another. Seeing them look at each other and smile at one another just warmed the cockles of my heart – and getting to capture this in a place that’s so important to them – well, that’s just icing on the proverbial cake.

Melisa and Zack! Thank you so much for such a delightful photo shoot – and it was so good to finally get to meet you, Zack! Additionally, though I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – I cannot thank you ENOUGH for helping me with that crack in the oil pan of my car.

(Context for those not-in-the-know: as I was driving in to their farm, a big ol’ rock kicked up and left a nice gash in my oil pan, effectively releasing ALL of it right as I pulled into their driveway. Egads!) You and your family didn’t need to take the time to help me out, especially as late as it was in the evening, but you did, and I’m just so incredibly grateful. You are good, good folks!

But most importantly, it was a blast to get to work with you two, and I’m just so excited for your wedding day! Please give all your critters big hugs for me in the meantime. :)

On the Docket:

Portraits and weddings! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

I seriously love the people I get to work with, and I love them even more when we spend the majority of their session just cracking up and laughing. And that’s exactly what we did during Haley and Kevin’s autumn engagement photos in Missoula Montana. Luckily it wasn’t pouring for our photos (we had to reschedule from our original date due to our wet autumn), and thankfully it wasn’t muddy either, as little Weezy, Haley and Kevin’s 6-year-old Pomeranian, may have gotten lost in any sort of mud!

So it was a perfect day for their shoot – we had a wonderful time wandering around, finding bright, colorful spots that really showed off the magic of Missoula in autumn, and enjoyed cracking up at Weezy’s antics (he wanted in on some kisses, too!). It was so fun to make these images, not only of Haley and Kevin of course, but of their little fur-baby, too. Weezy did a great job during their session, and is set to star in their wedding, too, as he’s a super important part of their lives! (I can relate – pets are pretty darn awesome!)

As we wrapped up Haley and Kevin’s engagement session, I think we all left with perma-grins. I knew from the moment I met these two that we’d have an absolutely fantastic time working together, and doing this shoot with them just solidified that feeling.

Haley and Kevin (and Weezy, too)! – thank you so much for a wonderful session! It was so great to finally meet your little Weezy, and I am just so excited to get to photograph your wedding day! You two are so sweet and so fun together, and I just know that your wedding is going to be all of this AND some! Can’t wait! :)

On the docket: weddings and portraits! Be on the lookout!

Cheers,

-Kristine

I was so excited to photograph Jackson and Logan’s engagement pictures in Missoula Montana because I knew we’d have such a great time making images together. I actually initially “virtually met” Jackson through Instagram where we connected via my little bird, Flash, who has a tendency to be featured in some of my posts on the platform. (At one time Jackson had a bird as well.) So when Jackson asked me if I’d be interested in talking more with him and Logan about photographing their wedding, I was so excited to get to meet them in person! (Turns out they’d been guests at Christine and Pete’s wedding that I photographed in 2014.) As I suspected, Jackson and Logan are just so sweet and so in love, and it’s no surprise that it was such a blast to photograph their engagement session. (There was lots and lots of laughter involved!) I also adored that they brought their dog, Dexter, with them to their session, too. (He’s a total sweetheart!)

We had such a nice time wandering through the grassy fields, chatting, and watching Dexter have a blast (and I loved seeing Jackson and Logan crack up at his antics, too).

If this fun session was a precursor to their wedding day (which I’m sure it was), then I am just beyond excited to photograph their nuptials in 2017.

Jackson and Logan! What an awesome session with you two (and Dexter!) – it’s such a treat to see how much you two love one another and I cannot wait for June to roll around! Your wedding day is going to be fantastic and I can’t wait to document such a special day in your lives for you! Here’s to you two!

On the docket: weddings and portraits and even more weddings and portraits galore! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

It was rather chilly for Janelle and Jamie’s Griz engagement photos in Missoula, but that didn’t stop us from having a great time together. We met up at the University of Montana for the first part of their engagement session, since Janelle and Jamie actually met each other at a Griz game! As luck would have it, we popped on into the stadium to make a few fun Griz-themed images and then strolled around campus to capture the iconic look and feel of the university.

Their sweet dog, Zepley, was ready to get out in the mountains a bit more though. We had such a blast making images of the three of them with Missoula as their backdrop, and Zepley most definitely channeled her inner supermodel for her photos too – in between bouncing around and overall giddiness at getting to run around a bit. :) (Oh my, I love her happy energy so much!)

Thank you again for braving the chilly temps to make these fun photos Janelle and Jamie! I am SO excited to get to photograph your wedding next year! Here’s to love, happy dogs, and the Griz! :)

On the docket: more portraits!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Autumn was in its prime when I met up with Guy and Teresa and their two adorable miniature schnauzers, Sophie and Königin, for their Missoula fall engagement photos. We were even treated to some downright balmy weather as we wandered along the river making images against the beautiful fall colors.

The dogs had a great time exploring (and photo bombing us – haha!) while Guy, Teresa and I chatted and laughed. As it turns out, Guy and Teresa are both very interested in photography. Guy told me he used to be a wedding photographer and also did some work for papers in the Orange County area when he lived there, and Teresa also does some photography in addition to her government job in Helena.

I’m pretty sure we all left with giant smiles plastered to our faces after such a fun, happy session. (I know I did!) Thank you again, Guy and Teresa (and Sophie and Königin, too!) for such a delightful evening – it was such a pleasure to meet you all and have such a great time making these images for you! And last, but certainly not least, congratulations again on your engagement!

On the docket: weddings and portraits – stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine