Its been on my list to shoot at Big Springs Park in Provo Canyon for a long while now and I’m not sure why I waited so long to shoot there! My husband grew up with Emilee and her cute family. Their families spent a lot of time together over the years and so it was only natural as I met and married my husband I got to know their family as well. To know Emilee is to love her! She is full of light and love and her little family is just the cutest. I was ecstatic when she asked me to take their family pictures last fall and even more excited to get to meet their cute daughter!

Drew is the sweetest little toddler on the block but I made her just a little nervous. This is totally normal for that age range and I thought I would share some tips on how I handle situations with nervous little ones!

TIPS FOR SHOOTING WITH TODDLERS

1. Bring bribes. I encourage all parents to bring small clean candies, like smarties, to encourage best smiles, keep kids interested and bring a game component into the session.
2. Be patient. I promise I will make sure I have incredible photos for you before I am done. It helps so much when parents are able to shrug it off when things aren’t going how they imagine they should.
3. Plan your session around naps and try to make sure they have eaten and gotten good sleep before our session.
4. When kiddos are really not having it, I try to really focus on candids. I will play games with them and capture them as they are. Sometimes these photos are the most loved and precious over the years.

Click HERE to book a session with me! To view more photos and follow me on Instagram or check out my galleries here.

Including your furry best friend in family photos is a great way to capture their place in your family. However, bringing a dog to a photo shoot can also be a bit of a challenge. Below I will share 5 tips for bringing your dog to your family pictures that will make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible for both you and your furry friend.

1. Preparation: Before the photo shoot, make sure your dog is well-groomed and has plenty of exercise. This will help keep them calm and relaxed during the shoot. Also, bring plenty of treats, water, and a familiar blanket or toy to make them feel comfortable in the unfamiliar setting.
2. Choose the Right Location: Consider the location carefully. A location that is dog-friendly and provides plenty of space for your furry friend to roam around is ideal. Avoid busy, crowded areas that might make your dog nervous.
3. Train Your Dog: If you want your dog to sit still for the photos, it’s important to train them beforehand. Start by teaching them basic commands, such as “stay” and “come.” With time and patience, you can help your dog become more comfortable in front of the camera.
4. Bring a Helper: Consider bringing a friend or family member to help with the dog during the photo shoot. This person can keep your dog occupied and calm while the photographer captures the family photos. Keep in mind if you don’t want your dog in all of the photos that I wont be able to hold their leash.
5. Have Fun: Finally, remember to have fun! Your dog is a part of your family, and including them in your photos is a great way to capture the love and joy they bring to your life. So, relax and enjoy the process, and let your photographer do the rest.

Click HERE to book a session with me! To view more photos from Kenzie follow me on Instagram or check out my galleries here.

I got my first DSLR..

My start to my career in Photography was a long one, I was always interested in photography and took a film course in high school but just didn’t love film and sort of lost the spark for a bit. When I had my first son we were broke, in college and had zero dollars for a newborn session. Lucky for me I had a cheap DSLR I had gotten for Christmas and thought “how hard could it be”….

BLESS. MY. HEART!

Turns out photography, especially newborn photography is HARD! We were sweating to death trying to keep the room warm, trying to position him without making him scream and thought we were pretty cleaver with our black sheet backdrop. HAHA. My shooting and editing talents were limited to putting the camera on manual and throwing a VSCO filter on there. After this experience I decided I wasn’t very good and jumped into being a mom.

I spent the next 8 years having babies, 4 in total and spending all of my time taking them to museums, parks, playdates and basically trying to survive!

The Passion is reignited

In 2018 I came across a facebook ad for a course that looked perfect for me,( Hiiii Amy and Jordan). I still had that DSLR in my closet and was interested mostly in being about to take good photos of my kids. I signed up immediately and dove in with crazy enthusiam, I watched the learning modules during every spare second and practiced on my babies and family as much as I could. By the time I was finished with the course I had the newest Canon DSLR and my first non family client. I took photos like this maternity photo for my cute friend.

I was getting a little better and learning more EVERY SINGLE SHOOT about composition, editing, posing and light.

Then I got a major bit of luck. I found a local photographer looking to built an associate team. She had built a super successful business and was willing to train. I couldn’t even believe it when she picked me! I worked with Photography by Tasha Rose for a year and a half and learned SO MUCH. She taught me how to shoot weddings, all about flash, how to communicate with clients, composition and so much more. I am incredibly grateful for that opportunity. Below are some photos I took and she edited during my time working for her!

Jumping into my own business

After that I decided it was time to strick out on my own. I have been learning and growing still and am SO proud of where I am today. Theres been a huge learning curve on the business and marketing side and its been fun to learn all about these new aspects of the business. I’ve spent the last 3 years since I’ve been on my own building, learning and expanding, I love this business and am so grateful all of my clients and their continued support! Below are some of my favorites from recent shoots!

I’m excited to learn and grow and I cant wait to see what my work looks like in 5 more years!

Click HERE to book a session with me! To view more photos from Kenzie follow me on Instagram or check out my galleries here.

It was a GORGEOUS sunset at The Great Saltair when I went out to shoot with The Whitakers! I love this location for a completely different look from typical Utah vibe, you can get a sort of a beachy beackdrop that is oh so beautiful. My friend Michelle chose this location for her yearly family photos, and boy oh boy it not disappoint! The water was so low from Utahs drought so we had to walk a good 20 minutes to get out to where the water line was, but not one person complained, even the ladies wearing heels! I was so impressed with their attitudes and willingness to get their momma the photos she had been dreaming of. I love this location because it looks like this all year round and is a great option during the colder months. If your looking for a beach vibe for your family photos this year, this is your spot!

Click HERE to book a session with me! To view more photos from Kenzie follow me on Instagram or check out my galleries here.