Augie's Sports Grill

The past few months, I have been writing feature articles on restaurants for West Valley Health and Living magazine. The owner and editor like my writing, and have made me the the go-to girl for all the upcoming restaurant features. After learning that I am photographer, they are also interested in giving me photo assignments. Not only is it great experience for my photography, it also gives me extra incentive to go and visit all of the restaurants that I am writing about, and a chance to sample the food. I'm a sucker for new restaurants, especially when they are small, privately-owned, mom-and-pop shops that serve up unique cuisine.

Yesterday, my hubby, baby, and I headed up to Goodyear, AZ  to Augie's Sports Grill for my first paid photo assignment for the magazine. Walking in, it looks like your typical sports bar--a large open room with a full-service bar, and flat-screen TV's mounted at every possible angle. The food, however, is anything but typical sports bar fare. We started with the stuffed mushrooms--large portabello mushroom caps stuffed with Italian sausage and topped with melted mozzarella and a delicious red tomato sauce. Steven ordered the Johnny Boy--a half-pound bacon cheese burger--and I ordered the Buffalo Chicken sandwich, both of which were served on a homemade soft pretzel bun. All I have to say is, nothing I eat from now on is going to taste right without that pretzel bun. It was amazing, and Augie's is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. Here are a few photos from my visit.

The F Family

Thunderstorms and drizzling rain threw a bit of a wrench into my photo shoot with the F family. We'd been planning to take photos both at home and at the park, but ended up staying at the house because of the weather. It didn't seem to bother young M or her big brother B one bit. These kids are so gorgeous, it's like they were born to be in front of the camera. We had fun just hanging out and playing. Thank you M and B, for sharing your morning with me! Here are a few of my favorites from our shoot:

Little B

I was so happy to be able to meet up with H, a friend from high school, a few hours before I had to catch my plane back to Arizona. Her little boy, B, was just a week shy of his 2nd birthday, and absolutely adorable! We got permission to shoot some photos in the neighbors' gorgeous yards, and little B was having a great time roaming around and exploring. Here are a few of my favorites from our day together.

The M-R Family

I think the best part of my job as a photographer is getting to connect with old friends, and take photos of their families. J, my best friend from high school, just had her third son, and I was honored that she asked me to photograph her handsome boys on my recent trip back home to Nebraska. We met up at the park, and I had a great time seeing her two oldest sons G and L, and meeting Baby B for the first time! Here are a few of my favorite shots from our afternoon together.

O Twins in Black & White

Just a few Black & White conversions from my recent photo shoot with the O Twins.

The O Twins

Mommy O and I had been emailing each other back and forth for over a month, so excited for the photo shoot with her 18-month-old twin boys. The O Twins were going to be my first non-family PB session, and I had worked myself into a nervous frenzy the night before the shoot. I had my camera batteries charged, camera bag packed, car loaded, model release forms printed. All I could do was pray that the park had dried out from the recent monsoons, and that the rain in the forecast would hold out until after we were done.

No such luck.

I woke Saturday morning to gloomy skies, and an email from Mommy O saying it had been raining, but the forecast was calling for it to clear up just after our shoot was supposed to begin. Forging ahead, I drove to the location to see if we could salvage our scheduled shoot.

They playground equipment was wet, and some of the grassy areas too soggy for our original plans, but all was not lost. There were several dry spots on the porches of the historical buildings, and some grassy areas where the boys could run and play, so we decided to give it a go.

Keeping up with 18-month-old twins is an art form that Mommy O has perfected. I, on the other hand, have some seriously sore muscles today from all the chasing, bending, squatting, lunging, sitting down, and getting up I did in the two hours that I shared with the O Twins. But oh, was it worth it! I had so much fun, and got some awesome shots as a reward!

Thank you Mommy O, Grandma, and boys for sharing your Saturday morning with me!

Nature

With life being so hectic, it's hard to stop and appreciate nature's beauty, but sometimes you find yourself in a place where nature can't be ignored. Here are some nature photos from my recent trip to Colorado. Believe me, these photos don't do it justice.

Our first family photo

I headed out today with my family to scout the location for my first official Portfolio Building photoshoot. We got a break from the heat (which, in Arizona, means it was only in the 90's), but it was humid and threatening to rain. The park was pretty swampy from the recent monsoons, but we managed to take a test shot, our first official family photo. Of course, we had to bring our dog, Electra, because it wouldn't be a family photo without that droopy face of hers.

Like a moron, I forgot my tripod, so I had to balance the camera on the edge of a picnic table for the shot. In spite of the mud and the balancing act and the overcast sky, I'm pretty pleased with the results.

A few from the trip to Colorado

It's been hard trying to get back in a routine since the vacation to Colorado for Cadence's baptism, but here are a few of my favorite photos from the trip.