Why does this birthday seem so tough? Why does it seem like a big deal? You would think that 13 would have been tough...

The truth is, its getting harder and harder to see her grow up. It means she is one year closer to being an adult and on her own, one year closer to her room being empty. 

I know Shane and I are doing a good job. I mean...look at this kiddo! She is bright, smart, funny (way funny), compassionate, passionate, empathetic and very sweet. Her goofiness keeps me giggling all the time. 

Anyhow...I thought what better way to celebrate the life and soul of this young lady than to do a slideshow...

Enjoy...

And, what better way to spend some time than to catch up on what a summer with the Chesters is like.

I bring you...

DCIM\103GOPRO

Towards the start of summer, we traveled to my sister's house in Chandler, AZ. On the way home, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to tour an Alpaca Farm! Be sure to check them out Southwest Alpaca Tours

Did I mention the new house has a pool?  Well, now ya know.

I don't think there are many things more fun than eating chocolate ice cream...pool side.

At the new house, we do get some odd visitors...

We took a trip to visit some family near the ocean.

Huntington Beach from the pier  |  Abigayle enjoying the breeze.

A macro shot of a mushroom in the grass  |  A globe near a window

Skateboard wheel inside a shop on main street

On the way home from the ocean, some freeways were closed due to floods, so we took the road less traveled and happened across Amboy, CA

This was in one of the rooms at the abandoned motel alongside the road in Amboy. A couple of the rooms look like they have art installations in them.

As promised to our 2 daughters, our last stop before home was this supposedly, haunted house located in Needles, CA. They were so excited to stop and see it.  I know as a kid, I loved to drive by and just stare out the window at it on our way to my grandpa's house. I was always told by others that it was haunted and heard numerous stories about the house as a kid growing up in the area. 

Not too long after we were back from our trip to the ocean, we decided to take the kids and some of their friends to see Oatman, AZ. A real mining/ ghost town.

This little burro was not very old, he/she had to have a sticker placed on his/her head so that tourist wouldn't feed it, as it should only be drinking mama's milk at this time.

Part of an old, closed-off mine that you can walk into  |   Staircase to the store below, taken from the bike museum upstairs

If you have never been to Oatman, you have to go, plain and simple. It was one of my favorite places to go as a kid. My kids and I have gone a few times now, and they love it everytime. 

Sometime during the summer, we rescued a rabbit. Meet Humphrey. My dear friend Brenda had a friend-of-a-friend, that had a rabbit sitting in her front yard in the summer heat of Las Vegas. Someone needed to rescue the rabbit before it died from the heat. Brenda saw us as being fit parents and brought this beautiful boy to our house.

A group of photographer friends of mine set out to Goldfield, NV, to take some amazing star photos. I was not able to go on the day they had scheduled, so I did my own trip out to the desert, a few nights later, to grab some shots of the stars above. I love how you can clearly see the Big Dipper in this one.

I will end my craziness here, as you are completely caught up to date. (Other than a few pictures of my girls starting school and all that.)

Models, makeup artists, hairstylists...all with a completely rad ability and talent. 

I have stayed in touch with several of the photographers and models from that day. We were trying to get together again, a smaller group of us, just to go out and do some "just for fun" photos and to just hang out. 

Finally!! Schedules worked out, we had a model, she hired the dress designer, I got in contact with the make-up artist. (which btw I will share links to their FB pages at the bottom incase you want to contact them yourself.)

If you would like to view any of the images larger, just simply click on one and it will take you to gallery.

A quick interview with Nia, the model... A fresh-faced Nia ready to go!

How did  you come up with the idea for this stylized session?

Being Latina, Dia de los Muertos is a part of my culture, it is something that I have always shown interest and have always wanted to do a shoot for. The stars aligned for this shoot, the photographers, the costume and the makeup artist all made this possible. Dia de los Muertos is part of a culture and is not about Halloween or something scary. It is spiritual and I was so very happy to represent my culture in this way.

Do you celebrate this holiday? Dia de los Muertos?

I do! I attend events in Las Vegas and celebrations for these days. I also go to my family’s gravesites or light candles for my loved ones and pray for them.

Do you know what Dia de los Muertos is about?

Dia de los Muertos are days in which the dead get to come back to the living. It’s nothing like zombies though. This a day where you are allowed (in Mexico) to sleep in the cemeteries and bring gifts and food and your deceased love one’s most favorite things. It is a day of remembrance and celebration. Life is beautiful but so is death. We are not separated from our loved ones through death, they are still here with us. And on November 1^st and 2^nd of each year we celebrate this connection.

What were your inspirations for this shoot?

Color! Most cultures see death as black… in my culture it is all about color! The most beautiful and brightest colors are the best! Also of course, sugar skulls as they are a representation of our deceased.

Did you feel comfortable in front of the camera?

Being in front of the camera is always difficult at first. I am always nervous like it is the first day of school. However, it helps when the people behind the camera are friendly and make you comfortable being relaxed with a lens in front of you.

How do you feel now that you have seen the images from this session?

I am in love with the images! During the shoot I admit there were poses that were a little uncomfortable for me but I put trust in the photographers as they were able to see what I wasn’t seeing. The images are a great representation of what Dia de los Muertos is about!

Would you participate in another session like this?

Of course! In a heartbeat! This was a ton of fun for me and it was a learning experience. I was taking on something else besides myself and because it was part of my culture! No questions asked, yes I would definitely 100% participate in another session like this!  

First look

Make-Up by: Suzanne Lugano

Model: Nia Huerta      Hair color and style by:  Lexie Moore, Nia's awesome sister!

Dress Made by: Katie Eastman

Needless to say...I had fun. It was exactly what I needed...

Over the summer, a long time friend of mine traveled from Idaho back to the small town in Arizona, where we were raised. I met up with her family in Oatman, Arizona to take photographs of her daughter, Emylie, that had just graduated high school.(You don't know where Oatman, AZ is? Its on Route 66 sillies!)

Emylie and I have been friends for a couple years on FB and I was looking forward to finally meeting her. Emylie, loves photography, which is what brought us together. You can check out and like her page here.

I wish I had half as much courage as this young lady has. Emylie...you have so much talent, I can't wait to see what your future brings. 

I will be going back to Oatman soon.

"Because when you stop and look around this life is pretty Amazing"

-unknown           

I always feel bad for my husband because my birthday is so close to Mothers' Day; good for me, bad for him. :)

This birthday I had soo much fun. My family and I decided to play tourists on the strip at the newly-opened "Linq". It's an outdoor mall of sorts, with great food and shops, it's not hard to find, its right next to the "High Roller", the world's tallest observation wheel. I call it a ferris wheel but, have been corrected.

I really enjoyed wandering around down there, especially before it gets too hot.

I have to say being a "local" has its perks. If I am being honest, I didn't think I was going to like the "High Roller", I mean, I live in Vegas...I have seen it all, right?. It completely surprised me, from the well thought out lobby to even the bar before you get on. The "pods" were spacious! We were only accompanied by 1 other person, a man in town for a convention from Orange County.  Apparently they can hold up to 40 people, if I am not mistaken. 

My girls had such as great time as well (there are a couple photos of them included).

The following photos were taken that night...

Select photos from that night are available for purchase in my "Art Prints" gallery. 

Aside from portraits and barrel racing, (a horse and rider go around the 3 barrels and try to get the fastest time),  I have always loved taking photographs of cars. I love their lines and curves...I feel like a whole story is right there just below the surface of the paint,  all I need to do is lift my lens and have a conversation with it. 

I would say classic cars are my favorite but, it isn't specifically so...although, there is something about the details of a classic car and how they were thought out. The stitching in the seats, the gear shifts, the cockpit design and, most importantly, the CHROME! I love the way it photographs and shines.

Here is just a sample of my collection of my favorite car photographs I have taken.

64 1/2 Mustang

64 1/2 Mustang Interior shot

Some of these were taken at a car show a long time ago. I kick myself for not writing down or remembering the year and model of the car.

I guess we all learn along the way.

Studebaker's really are one of my all time favorite cars.

One of my favorite images ever ^^^

I hope you enjoyed. I know I still love looking at the photographs of them. 

Thank you for looking...

Funny thing about a blog, you have to actually write and post and put words out there, into the cliche'd term of "cyberspace". I mean, after I hit that magical button, for the first time, I will be not only a mom and photographer but, I can also list "blogger" as one of my many proverbial hats that I wear. 

I have had friends that have blogged, fellow photographers and just blogs that I have read and followed before. I have always wanted to give it a go. 

So, with that being said, a toast! To the first of hopefully not too many to scare you all away but, enought to get this blogging itch that needed scratching out! Out there...into cyberspace.

Who knows how consistent it will be or become but, I am hoping to make it a part of my photography and I intend to incorporate my family.

I will post about sessions, my family and maybe some of our hiking adventures or possible articles that I have and maybe I want to share my thoughts...it is after all my blog.

Expect to see photographs...here as well as words.