Santa Barbara Family Photographs

This Santa Barbara family hired me to do a High School Senior Session for their youngest son and we rolled in a quick family session too before the eldest son took off across the country to return to college. Time is fleeting folks…it all goes so quickly. What are YOU waiting for?

I met up with the Martz family at the Rose Gardens by the Historic Mission Santa Barbara at 8 AM in order to take advantage of that famous and beautiful ‘California Light.’ If you are a photographer and not from California, you know what I am talking about, magical light like this does not exist elsewhere!

Family Portraits in Hawaii

When you travel annually to the same places for 20 years for family vacations doesn’t it make sense to document that time with family photographs? I think it is a brilliant idea. My family vacationed in Maui this spring with our good friends who are frequent Hawaii vacationers. It seemed only natural to do this year’s family portrait session in the place they love the most!

That ‘Hawaii light’ is just as beautiful as ‘that California light’ and I can’t wait to photograph more sessions…in either location! xx dena.

My Favorite November Person

My favorite part of November is celebrating this girl of mine. India is turning 17 later this week and is off on a solo trip to Michigan to spend the week with dearly missed friends! I love her so. I don’t want to let her go. anywhere. ever. But let’s be honest…we’d probably strangle each other at some point. So there will always be those steps of ‘letting her go.’ Having a daughter is one of the greatest gifts in life. Happy Birthday India! No, you still can’t get a cat.

Love Letter to Michigan

Dear Michigan,

Thank you for the many blueberry fields and the vast apple orchards.  Thank you for treating us to glorious perfect summers and the crisp brilliant autumns and the winter wonderland.  Thank you for the summer rain and the fireflies that follow. Thank you Michigan for the unsalted sea and the sand dunes and the long hot afternoons resting on your banks.  Thank you for the beautiful sunsets shared with family and friends. Thank you Michigan for your beer enthusiasm, your growing food culture and for the coffee shops where many a rant was shared.  Thank you for the street fairs and the artist community. Thank you for the makers, the bakers and the markets.

Thank you dear Michigan portrait clients for appearing in front of my cameras over the years and for trusting me enough with your memories to return for more and more and more again. Dear Michigan, thank you especially for growing up with my children and parenting beside me. Thank you for the lifelong friendships and the smiling faces. You are all missed.

Love always, me.

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Hello to Santa Barbara, CA! We’ve been in town for about 5 months now and are happy to make our new home here in California. We are already in love with the palm trees, the salt water, the mountains, the food and the people. We can’t wait to explore and discover what is in store for us in this next chapter. I look forward to making memories with new west coast friends, and welcoming visitors from our Michigan years. I hope to see many of you in front of my cameras both here in Santa Barbara and again in Michigan dear friends. For the lovely East Grand Rapids class of 2020, I will be back in Grand Rapids for a week in June 2019 to conduct your senior portraits just like we planned way back in 4th grade! Can’t wait to see you again. xoxo.