Fresh Snow + A Slight Hike

In the small town I grew up in, we happen to be blessed with an enormous amount of fabulous scenery. This fact could not make the local photographers any happier. 

Plus, when there's a fresh layer of snow on the ground and the makings of a gorgeous sunset, it's hard to not want to take some pictures. 

So it was that after a stop at the local coffee shop, I found myself and my go-to adventure buddy, Dakota, once again chasing the sunlight before the sun slipped over the edge of the mountains, leaving us with only the light of the moon + stars.

We ended up driving almost to the top of one of the mountains.... 

Unfortunately, we didn't realize that the road was accessible ALL the way to the top and so there was no need for us to hike the last section...like we had just done.  

I'm positive one of us made a sarcastic comment about how we always manage to do things the harder way, usually on accident. There was one time that we got her Prius stuck in the snow.... but that's a different story for a different time

The climb to the top was well worth it. We got there just as the sun was beginning it's disappearing act, and had plenty of time to grab some pictures + enjoy the view.

Now, if I'm remembered correctly, there's some Blueberry Coffee Cake downstairs that is calling my name!

xoxo, Anna Rose

{Mason + Hannah} Engagement Sneak Peek

"And some things will never end.
The thrill of our magic ride.
The love that I feel inside for you."

SOME THINGS ARE MEANT TO BE >> LITTLE WOMEN

xoxo,

Anna Rose

Shoot and Share // Photo Contest >> Personal

Let us rewind to last year. 

There was this photo contest I had heard about. 

I was too scared to enter, so I just watched and voted for my friends pictures as I saw them.

I thought this photo contest was great! It was created by photographers, but there was something just a leeettle different about this one.

For this contest, the people were the judges. 

Here's how the voting worked:

1. 4 pictures appeared on the computer screen, they were chosen completely at random. Since there were 110,000 pictures, I very rarely saw the same picture twice

2. I clicked on my favorite picture of the group of four and then I did it over and over and over again. 

3. The pictures with more votes stayed while the pictures with fewer were eliminated. This went on for weeks and weeks. 

I did not go into this contest with the expectation of winning or becoming a finalist. So although I did not win, becoming a finalist (with not one, but two of my pictures) was *super* exciting!

So now that the first year of college is over and I actually have a little time here and there I decided I would show you a few of my shots that I entered.

You remember Hannah from her senior session in August?

And Dakota from her senior session.

Heres another shot from Hannah's session.

Here's Abby from this summer.

Another one of Dakota.

This was a funny shot from Thomas and Erin's wedding. 

All the groomsmen wanted to play football with the bouquet.

This ring shot was from Scott and Rachelle's wedding the day before I left from college.

All in all, it was a lot of fun entering and it was fun seeing how my pictures did in the contest. 

And now, I'm off to try to finish a different blog post about this entire semester... We will see how far I get. 

-Anna Rose

Naomi >> Portraits

In 12 years a lot changes.

We no longer have chubby baby cheeks...

and we've grown a few inches (some of us more than others.)

 We've both changed a great deal, and even though we don't spend much time together anymore, our friendship is always there. The years of friendship have built a layer of trust that cannot easily deteriorate, and I'm thankful that we can always pick up right where we left off.

You've seen this blue door pretty recently, but it's been a while since this pretty face has graced my little blog with her presence.

World, meet Naomi.

xoxo, 

Anna Rose 

Dakota >> 2014 Senior

"Why didn't we think of this sooner?" Hannah said as I hopped in her car.

It had been decided 5 minutes before this that I would accompany Hannah to Dakota's senior pictures.

The three of us have been good friends for the past few years and we have many things in common, coffee and photography being just two of them.

You've seen Dakota before on this blog. She and I did a misty morning October session here.

She and I both got our first cameras within two months and our very first session was together... three years ago. Wow! So much has changed since then.

Now that we're going to college, our early morning coffee dates will have to come to an end for a short time, but as soon as we're home for Christmas we'll have more. :) 

Mmmmm.... That smokey sunset is so pretty.

Dakota, You're going to rock at college. I'll miss you like crazy, but I know that those Skype dates will make everything better. Keep pointing other to Christ, dear girl. 

I'll see you at Christmas. 

XOXO,

Anna Rose