The Ford Family | Northwest Arkansas Family Photography

Life is beautiful. And this time of year, that beauty is especially evident in the emerging fall colors and the family photos that include them. But that doesn't mean life is always fun or easy. Meet the Ford family. They're a wonderful family with 3 kids (Joe, Jackson and Audrey), who happen to be triplets. But that little part about life not being easy became reality when all 3 kids were born premature at 26 weeks. The kids pulled through but towards the end of their stay in NICU, Audrey suffered from two different infections at the same time and barely survived. During that time, she sustained a permanent brain injury due to the inconsistent flow of blood to her brain. Her official diagnosis is Cerebral Palsy and Cortical Visual Impairment.

It's easy to get overwhelmed with medical terms and restrictions and in the process, forget that a person is a person like you and like me. When the Ford's emailed me details of Audrey's history and diagnosis, that particular paragraph in the email was followed by a paragraph describing her as "the silliest little girl". She loves to laugh and smile and she loves to be around kids her age. She loves sweets too. In fact, she's going to be "cotton candy" for halloween this year.

What's even more amazing to me is how this family overcomes the obstacles and limits and has a life that I would call very normal and active. For photos, we went on a hike and everywhere we went, all three kids went too. My time with this wonderful family was a sweet reminder of how a hard story can also be a beautiful story.

Noah & Anjeanette | Northwest Arkansas Wedding Photography

We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Noah and Anjeanette over the past few months. Hanging out with them for their engagement photos was a total blast. And as it turns out, we have a lot in common. We enjoy Cycling, Martin Guitars, the great outdoors, Mumford & Sons and (thanks to Anjeanette's affinity for baking), Jalapeño Sugar Cookies. Last weekend, their family and close friends traveled to the Cedar Crest Lodge, a beautiful and secluded space in Ponca Arkansas to celebrate their wedding. True to form, the chilly fall weather showed up but lots of love and strategically placed outdoor heaters kept everyone cozy and comfortable. Here's a few images from the day. Enjoy.

Tyler & Emily | Northwest Arkansas Wedding Photography

You might remember Tyler and Emily from awhile back. Our engagement session adventure included "checking into" an abandoned motel and all but taking over an airport hanger and runway. Their wedding this past weekend was a small, intimate and joyous celebration filled with family, friends, ghost tours, ingenious details, an authentic DJ and some epic dance moves. Here's a few of our favorites from their big day. Enjoy!

The New Totem Pole | Northwest Arkansas Photography

Over the past few months, we've had the privilege of working with illustrator Chrystal Seawood on a new art project she's been dreaming up. Chrystal is a super talented local artist with a passion for creating art that generates social commentary. Chrystal's new project titled "The New Totem Pole" addresses unconscious hierarchies in today's society. Through this project, Chrystal wants to bring to light a conversation concerning the stereotypes and social classes we unconsciously lump people into. She believes that this process creates a "totem pole" effect where certain people are perceived higher than others. Chrystal envisions a new "Totem Pole", where everyone stands side by side, eliminating the effect of a vertical hierarchy and promoting equality among everyone. It is our belief that photography is most inspiring when it points us to the realities of life and challenges us to be better, more loving people in the process. Here's a few of the portraits we created for Chrystal. Enjoy & Happy Friday.

Celebrating 20 Years of Photo + Video