In my opinion, there’s nothing better than getting to make Missoula lifestyle family photos, especially when you have the opportunity to work with folks as delightful as Jennie, Terre, Clara, Riley, Erin, Iona and Thea are. Erin and Riley and their daughters Iona, 5, and Thea, 4, were visiting his parents and sister in Missoula, and we even managed to include Jennie and Terre’s dogs, Zephyr, Pippin, and Clara’s dog, Skadi in their photos!  It was such a treat to capture the genuine essence of this super sweet family — and, to top it all off, we enjoyed a nice little sprinkle of fairies and magic, too. (I’m always a fan of that!)

As a photographer, I am constantly inspired by the beauty of nature and the imaginative hearts of children. During their family session, the kiddos stole the show as they informed me that tiny purple fairies lived in my camera. According to Iona, they vary in height between 1/8″ to 1/2″ tall. And, as we discovered together, the fairies got super excited when the kids smiled at me, as if their purply fairy magic intensified with the girls’ joy. Thea, especially, was so sweet as she peered intently into my lens, waiting for the fairy to show up. (And they did! She confirmed they were purple.)

The afternoon was filled with laughter and nostalgia as the family recreated their cherished tradition of hanging out on the porch, sipping coffee, and basking in the warmth of togetherness. The girls all picked a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers together, and to my surprise, they kindly gifted it to me — a touching gesture that just filled my heart to the brim!

Our adventure didn’t stop there. The children’s curiosity led us to search for baby grasshoppers, and Skadi, Clara’s playful pup, happily joined in the fun, chasing Thea around the yard. The energy was contagious as everyone laughed together, enjoying the hilarity of Skadi and Thea.

Opa and Oma, the doting grandparents, were great sports and let the girls “surprise” them and whisper secrets into their ears. Oma even helped the girls pick berries from one of their trees, and Thea loved counting out her treasures with Oma.

We all dissolved in laughter as Thea adopted a new funny phrase, “flower toot!” And that laughter continued as it became apparent (according to Thea and Iona) that I had both spiders AND fairies dancing around in my hair!

Just in time, we finished our session right before a big thunderstorm rolled in. This super sweet family truly embodied the magic of togetherness and imagination, and I feel incredibly grateful to have been part of their story. Thank you again for a beautifully real, love-filled session!

On the docket:

Lots more portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

If 19-month-old Lincoln ever wanted to bottle up his energy and sell it, he’d be rich! During Kristan, Ben, Lincoln, and Janet’s University of Montana Family photos he definitely kept us all on our toes and laughing our heads off!

It was so much fun getting to meet everyone, and their visit to Missoula was a special one since they all have Montana connections. This was Lincoln’s first visit to Montana, his dad, Ben, was born here, and Janet also grew up in Missoula and attended the University of Montana for a degree in music. And, Ben and Kristan were engaged in Glacier in 2012 – so there was lots of Montana love to go around!

As we made our way around campus on a blue sky, 90-something degree day, Lincoln was all about exploring and running hither, thither and yon. We all joked that by the end of our session he had probably already run at least four marathons! And his little red cheeks seemed to prove that point, too!

When he wasn’t running here, there, and everywhere, Lincoln absolutely loved giggling, looking at various flowers on campus, being tossed high into the sky by his parents and getting to swing from their hands as they walked. I’d say to him as we made photos, “I SEEEEE you!” and he’d give me the biggest grin back and respond, “I see!!” Which was just about the cutest thing ever.

Lincoln also loved to show off his jumping skills, and, at one point, we came across a hollowed out metal bench seat which made for a particularly awesome drum. Lincoln and his grandma Janet had a great time making some impromptu music for everyone!

Kristan, Ben, Lincoln and Janet! Thank you so much for such a blast of a session! Lincoln is quite the little sweetheart and I loved getting to make these images for all of you – AND getting a workout in of my own – haha! ;) Here’s to many more Montana visits for you all in the future – I’m sure Lincoln will love this beautiful place just as much as you all do!

On the Docket:

Portraits, weddings and elopements! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine

Tim, Courtney, Teddy, Violet, Bill and Lorie’s family session last year was an absolute blast, so I was beyond excited to hear from Courtney again this summer to set up some more summertime family photos at Flathead Lake while everyone was together again at Bill and Lorie’s lake house.

Flathead Lake put on a stunning show that evening, and Teddy, almost 5, was super stoked to show me all the tricks he’d been saving up since our session last summer. Violet, almost 2, motored around everywhere, tiny little pockets full of rocks to throw in the lake at a moment’s notice, and was always interested in what her big brother was up to.

Teddy immediately took me to the dock where he’d set up his minnow-trapping contraption. And my heart just about melted upon seeing it, especially after hearing Teddy tell me that so far, he just hadn’t caught any minnows. But he wasn’t about to give up, and diligently checked it throughout the evening, rigging up even more elaborate minnow traps to catch those sneaky little guys.

At one point as Teddy worked on a mega knot, his grandpa looked at him and said, “If that’s not a knot, I don’t know what is!” which caused Teddy to just crack up and dissolve in a fit of giggles.

And giggling, happiness, and laughter pretty much sums up our entire session that evening. Everyone had a fantastic time tossing rocks into the lake, Teddy showed me how high he could kick his kickball, Violet demonstrated some super stellar somersaults and rolls all around the grass, the kiddos chased each other laughing and squealing with happiness, and then rushed back to dole out kisses to their parents and grandparents, Twizzler treats were a fan favorite, sparkler time was beyond exciting (and Teddy insisted that “picture lady” had sparklers to play with too – how sweet!), and before we knew it the sun was setting, and it was time for Teddy’s favorite thing – to fly into the air alongside his sister, Violet. And fly they did! Laughing and giggling and completely delighted as their parents tossed them, over and over, all silhouetted by a beautiful sunset on the lake.

But before we said our goodbyes, Teddy and Violet wanted to show me a few more of their moves on the swing set, swinging as high as they could into the sky, pure joy on their faces. After one last cool move down the slide, it was time to bid them farewell, and Teddy gave me the ultimate compliment, a high-five foot five with his feet – haha!

It completely goes without saying, but Tim, Courtney, Teddy, Violet, Bill and Lorie – thank you again, tenfold, for another fabulous session. The joy and love in your family is so beautiful, and I just feel completely honored getting to capture it for you, and having the opportunity to document your kiddos as they grow. What an absolute treat! Here’s to another wonderful evening on the lake and many more in the future!

On the Docket:

Weddings, portraits and elopements! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine

I think one of the best parts of my job is getting to photograph families as they grow. So when Lindsay contacted me to ask about doing Florence Montana lifestyle newborn photos of her sweet little baby girl, Piper, I was just tickled! Not only was I excited to meet Piper, but I was so looking forward to seeing Lindsay and Scott and their daughter, Madison again – whom I’d photographed two years earlier in 2015 as a newborn herself.

It is such a huge understatement to say just how much I loved their session. Piper was as sweet as can be at twelve days new, and pretty awake and alert just like her big sister had been during her session too! She dozed off a couple times after filling her belly, but for the most part she wanted to see what was going on (though I’m sure things were all pretty blurry!).

Madison was especially interested in pointing out Piper’s fingers and toes, and loved giving her little sister big “high fives!” She even showed Piper the best way to smell flowers (and then had Piper wear a few flowers too!), and she was eager to see how big her feet were compared to her baby sister’s.

It was so fun to see Lindsay, Scott and Madison as a new family of four, and to see just how much love they have for baby Piper. Piper’s grandparents, Lou and Kevin, were in town, too, and definitely enjoyed some baby snuggles as well.

Madison was also pretty excited to have her dad to herself for a few moments here and there as Piper filled her belly, so we had a great time checking out their horses, climbing fences, picking peas, tomatoes and raspberries in their garden, and getting pretty darn giddy over a wacky-looking beetle!

Lindsay, Scott, Madison, Piper, Lou and Kevin – thank you so much for inviting me to document your beautiful family again! It’s a huge understatement to say just how much I loved your session and how full my heart was after, and I’m just so happy for you all! Congratulations again on your darling Piper!

On the Docket:

Weddings and portraits! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

-Kristine