Glass Photography

Amy and Brandon in the Grass

Amy and Brandon decided to have their engagement portraits done at Lory State Park in Ft. Collins, CO.  We had fun playing with some fences and avoiding rattlesnakes in the grass. We were just getting in the groove, doing some walking shots by the water, when a downpour started. We holed up in our cars for 10 minutes when the pouring turned to sprinkling and the sun came out. The sun brought with it two beautiful rainbows and gorgeous light. What timing!

Amy, Brandon, and the Rainbow

We couldn’t have asked for a more spontaneous romantic backdrop. We got numerous great shots of the two but everyone’s favorite came back to the rainbow shot.

Double Rainbow

If you were to be introduced to my Mom or sister you’d know within the first few minutes that their favorite color is red. Everything about them shines with the brilliant strongness of red.

So it was no surprise when my Mom decided to make a quilt for my sister that it was going to be of a red poppy . . . . my mom’s favorite flower. After months in preparation (tweaking an existing pattern) the poppy design finally came to fruition. After weeks of quilting the poppy was finished.

My Mom, with Her Beautiful Bright Red Poppy Quilt.

It was with great joy and a rather overwhelming fear that I photographed her masterpiece. In fact, I was horridly disappointed with my pictures upon first review. It was not until looking back on them a few months later that I realized I had captured both the quilt, my Mom and my sister’s mutual excitement about the art piece.

My Sister and Mom with the Bright Red Poppy Quilt. Those are the smiles I know.

Here’s my Mom’s beautiful creation. It now graces the walls of my sister’s home, that bright cheery red poppy reminding my sister everyday of Mom.

The Three Yamauchi Sisters

Steve, aways excited to take cool photos, got the three of us (Tawni, Carly and I) to dress up and take “model” photos. I’m no good at posing for the camera, but Tawni hammed it up and Carly is just cute.

Tawni Hamming It Up

Our "Serious" Model Poses

My mom’s garden is in a bit of disarray. But the foliage everywhere made a wonderful backdrop for the “models”.

Tuscan Giving His Best Model Look

Tuscan wanted to try the model thing. Or maybe he just wanted mom to pick him up!

Carly A Natural Model

Carly Having Some Fun

Yamauchi Family Portrait

We headed home to California through snow storms in Vail to arrive just in time for Christmas Eve dinner. My mom greeted us with glurg wine, homemade panettone, gingerbread cookies, pound cake, pumpkin bread, chocolate truffles, and was cooking a magnificent prime rib dinner.  Stuffed and happy, the next day we decided to work a little. My mom wanted a new family portrait since her kids were all home for the first and last time for a few years.

Guys Having Some Fun

I don’t what it is with us and family portraits in bad weather but just as soon as Steve set up his lighting equipment, it started pouring rain. We had to pull everything in and wait for the next day. Oh, well, guess we had to sit around and eat all day, again.

Strike a Pose

Finally, we got our family portrait done. Then the guys decided to have some fun.

Then the girls decided to have some fun.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Then my sisters decided to play with Tuscan. It was so fun capturing those precious, loving moments in photographs.

Loving Aunt Tawni

We wanted Gary to jump in the pond with a big brush, but he wasn’t going for that. Maybe next time we’re home for the holidays.

Oh please pass the Tuscan

Brrr . . .laying in the snow doesn't help with the cold.

Steve shot Natalie and Jonathan’s wedding last February at the Ft. Collins Country Club on a very very cold day. We still owed them a couples portrait session but had slight logistical issues. They lived in Maryland, we lived in Fort Collins, CO. They were getting into town late on December 22nd; we were trying to get to my parent’s in California in time for Christmas Eve dinner…and we were driving there. So whatever the weather, the portrait was going to happen the morning of the 23rd. Those two take good pictures when it’s freezing out!

Luckily it wasn’t snowing but it was chilly enough that I was freezing in four layers, including long underwear, a down jacket, and Tuscan all snuggled up in the baby carrier on my chest. Natalie must have nerves of steel because she had no socks and her jacket was off for most of the shoot - and she looked happy!

Despite the cold, it was fun to be able to assist Steve on this shoot. Natalie and Jonathan were cracking jokes the whole time and never complained about the chill. We even made her walk in the snow through thick grass patches (remember, she had no socks).

Fun in the grass.

To end it all, of course, was a snowball fight and a quick dog pile in the snow!

Thanks Natalie and Jonathan! - Marcie

Steve & Tuscan Strolling in the Park.

I never set out to be a photographer. Actually in the early years of our marriage, my eyes would roll when Steve got too zealous on the subject. Okay, that still happens sometimes! But now I have more of an appreciation for the art. I have become an active part of Steve’s photography business by default. Maybe because I’m so talented… or maybe, it’s just because I’m the cheapest photography assistant in Ft. Collins! Over the years, he’s given me instruction on how to take great photographs but I still have so much to learn.

Tuscan is an Airplane!

We’ve taken to doing mock shoots to hone my skills. Here’s the latest: Steve and Tuscan in the park. BTW, it was freezing! And, I must say, rolling in the snow to take photographs isn’t quite as fun and frolicky as it looks when Steve does it.

Steve dons his model look - "Blue Steel Baby"

Also, once Tuscan and I could no longer handle the cold (Steve must be a very skinny Eskimo), we headed indoors to try a few more shots. I love exposing for the highlights below. It creates a timeless, beautiful look.

Steve

We headed out of Ft. Collins to Bozeman for Thanksgiving weekend to spend time with Steve’s sister and her four kids. Steve’s sister, Kristen, wanted a new family portrait but something different. Luckily the family was game to go outside and get a little chilly. We know a lot of families who raved about portraits taken walking on the beach. We thought, why not in the snow! Throw in a little jumping and running and you have yourself some fun pictures and happy kids.

Frolicking in the Snow

We thought a dog pile in the snow would be a fun way to end things. It was the fastest lit portrait Steve has ever done - we had to get to the theater to see Madagascar 2!

Dog Pile on Dad!

-SMG