Happy Father's Day!

Today is the day my mother died - five years ago to the day.  I miss her every day.  But, I am so lucky because I still have my dad here with me.  He is a great father.  He has taught me so much, not just about photography and business, but about life and living and loving.  He loves life and could so easily have shut down after his best friend and wife of 40 years died.  Instead, got out.  He joined a various groups, started working out every day and took a trip.  He lost 30 pounds and went on a river cruise to Russia.  He said yes to every invitation that came his way.  He decided to live and enjoy the rest of his life.  He decided to be happy, and he is.  He met a lovely woman who is now his wife.  For many people happiness is a decision.  Most of us don't wake up feeling happy and great - maybe because of all the stuff that can and does happen in our lives.   However, those who make the decision to be happy, despite what has happened, are an inspiration.  My dad is one of them.

Me photographing my Dad on his graduation day from Brooks Institute of Photography, 1975.

I have had the privilege of photographing some very special fathers this year as part of my book project, A Celebration of Fatherhood.  These fathers come from every walk of life but each takes their role very seriously and their love for their children and commitment to fatherhood is obvious.  In this month of Father's Day, I would like to recognize all of these great dads!   xoxo

Congratulations Class of 2014!

Congratulations to the graduating high school seniors of 2014!  I loved photographing each of these very special young people.  Some I have been documenting since they were very small, and some I had the honor of just meeting and documenting this year.  I got a little teary eyed today as I was pulling these images because it seems like all the kids are just growing up so fast.  I hope that each of them will go off and fulfill their own individual dreams and live great lives!  I wish you the best! xo Mara

 

Emily - Arapahoe High School

fashion blogger and great girl, she will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall to pursue her dream of becoming a writer

Cassidy - Arcadia High School

soccer player, dog lover and great student

Lauren - Xavier College Preparatory

headed to Creighton University to pursue her dreams of becoming a doctor

 Alex - Phoenix Country Day School

photographer and preservationist, created her own line of playing cards to help save local landmarks

Anne Marie - Veritas Preparatory

loves all things Muskoka and can't wait to get back

Ally - Arizona School for the Arts

has given up dancing (for now) to be a regular teen and can't wait to start her life

Thomas - Brophy College Preparatory

headed to TCU to break some hearts

Bayly - Blue Ridge High School

headed to ASU to pursue a career in sustainable engineering

 Sydnee - Saguaro High School

excited to attend Western Kentucky University where she will begin her premed studies

Kailey - Chaparral High School

volleyball star and all around social butterfly

Mary - North High School International Baccalaureate Program

has worked hard in her high school program and is excited to head to college

Rylie - Sunnyslope High School

animal lover, equestrian and softball star

Piper - Sunnyslope High School

yearbook editor, hospital volunteer, and track and volleyball star

Zac - Brophy College Preparatory

excited to attend Boston College in the Fall

Lauren - Phoenix Country Day School

blogger, and filmmaker who plans to study architecture or design

Alexa - Shadow Mountain High School

accomplished musician, excited to be attending BYU in the fall

Create a Visual Legacy

In this age of digital everything, it is very rare for families to actually have printed photographs, let alone those of heirloom quality.  We take photographs with our phones, and then our phones are lost or stop working and those images are lost.  Maybe we take photographs with actual cameras and then fail to download those images from our camera and the memory card is lost or corrupted.  Or maybe they stay on the memory card for years.  Maybe the images actually make it to a computer but there they stay, until the computer crashes and they are lost.  Maybe you are very efficient and actually make an album or ibook with the images you download - kudos to you!  However, we are all so very busy, it is unlikely that many of us actually complete a project like this on a regular basis. 

Creating a visual legacy is a more than just a pretty wall.  It is a way to link our children to the past, to make them feel connected to us as children, their grandparents when they were young, and to those relatives who might have passed on.  It is a way to spark conversations, to ignite curiosity, to offer a different perspective of our family history.  Below are walls that I have created in my own home that have done just that.   

One side of a hallway wall in my home with older photographs of my parents, grandparents, myself and my husband when we were children.  

Another side of a hallway in my home all my children as they have grown.

Wedding photographs of myself and husband, my parents, his parents, our grandparents and great grandparents.  

I was lucky because my grandparents put a high value on beautiful photography and saved to be able to have those photographs.  During that time, photographs were created in a beautiful way that ensured the image would not fade off the paper and would stand the test of time in both quality and style (the same that we still offer our clients here)  But, don't worry if you don't have all of these beautiful heirloom photographs!  You can always start with what you have now - your beautiful family!  Below are some examples of what I have created in my clients' own homes.  You do not have to have a large wall to be able to create a visual legacy - one portrait over a console table or a small grouping in a bathroom can also be very beautiful and enhance the warmth of your home!  

These walls were created over time as the family and children have grown.  They can be framed in different but coordinating frames as above, or the same frames as below.  They can be in a hallway, family room, or any other area that you and your children see often - because it is for you after all!

It is fun to incorporate different sizes and layouts on a wall, adding to the visual interest.  Depending on your style, space and decor, we can help you create something that is unique to you.  

Perfect on a wall in her bath!

Over a console table

A grouping of three on a small wall between two windows

Let us help you to start your visual legacy - beautiful, archival, timeless portraits that your children and grandchildren will be able to share with their families for generations.  What a gift this will be - rather than having a cd of 100 images, that goes in a drawer and creates more work for you!  Yes, it is an investment.  But isn't that designer purse?