New Year, New Blog!

Blogger has been good to me, but I've long craved a more customized look that really matched my portrait photography website, my overall vision and style. I found exactly what I was looking for in WordPress. So, if all goes well, this will be my last blog post in blogger. I am about to import all of my blogger posts into my new WordPress blog so everything will be neat and tidy and organized and all in one place (just the way I like it) ...this blog will remain here for all blogger eternity (whatever that means), but there will be no more posts.

My new blog address is www.susannsaarelphotography.com/theblog.
I look forward to seeing you there!
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Thanks for stopping by and for your continued support and interested in my work!

Heartbroken

I was absolutely heartbroken to learn of the tragic and untimely death of one of my recent clients, Travis Engstrom of Bozeman. He and his wife Kelly came to see me for newborn and family photos following the birth of their firstborn child, Kaden Lee. Now Kaden Lee is 6 months old... and his daddy is gone. At only 35 years of age, his father Travis, a huge lover of the outdoors, was a victim of an avalanche while snowmobiling along with his beloved wife and a group of friends near Cooke City this past weekend.

.Words cannot begin to express how my heart goes out to Kelly knowing what unimaginable pain she must be going through right now to lose her husband, her soulmate, the father of her child. Truly, I haven't stopped thinking about this since I received the news via email on Sunday, thankfully prior to reading it in the newspaper today. What breaks my heart most of all, is that their baby will never know his father, the man who gave him life and who loved him so deeply...except for the pictures and stories and any videos they may have taken as a family...
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All I know is this...that when I photograph a person, a child, a family...their image is forever etched in my mind and so it is that I can easily recall Travis Engstrom, a man who radiated like the sun itself when I photographed him with his beautiful baby boy. In all these years, I don't think I've ever seen a man more in love with his newborn child. He was awestruck, mesmerized...and it was so clear...his life would never be the same again for he was not only a husband, but a father as well and suddenly, life took on a whole new meaning. The connection he had with his wife Kelly was so effortless and deep. It was clear to see they were kindred spirits and that their child was truly borne of love.
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So please, allow me to share a few of the first and last photographs taken of the Travis Engstrom Family...

A family forever wrapped up in love...
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And lastly, to Kelly and Kaden Lee...may the light of that brilliant new star in the sky that shines upon you bring you peace and comfort you in all the days to come...

In deepest sympathy...
Susann

Update (1/21): I would like to add that a memorial fund has been set up for Kelly and Kaden at www.travisengstrom.org if you would like to donate.

A Living Legend...

Congratulations to Godfrey Saunders who recently announced his retirement as Bozeman High School Principal after 12 years in "one of the toughest jobs in town" according to the Bozeman Chronicle. Gail Schontzler, a Chronicle staff writer, did an amazing job in her article on Godfrey titled "Big man, big heart" in the Sunday, January 4 issue. It was much more than a story...it was a tribute!

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I have known the Saunders family for years having done everything from family portraits to senior pictures and even a wedding so naturally, I read the article with great interest. Beautiful, just beautiful! Godfrey truly is a living legend! And honestly, the whole family is just wonderful...really sweet people.

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With so many high school kids and folks in the community that love and respect Mr. Saunders, the next Principal of Bozeman High School sure is going to have some big shoes to fill.

Newborn Casting Call

A new baby...a new vision...an exquisite portrait...

My newborn sessions typically take place in the comfort of your own home or outdoors at Sky Ranch (weather-permitting) and include a variety of poses, groupings and backdrop changes resulting in an online gallery full of meaningful images...

As a creative artist, I am constantly evolving and discovering new-found vision, inspiration and opportunity in the beauty that surrounds me...the beauty of Montana. I am therefore seeking newborn models - singletons, twins and triplets, boys and girls - to help me fulfill these visions by initiating my first ever newborn casting call.

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If you are pregnant (or know someone who is) and are due between February and September 2009, and are interested in this unique opportunity, please e-mail me at info@susannsaarelphotography.com for details.

Newborn casting call sessions are limited.

A New Year, a New Cover Child!

Starting off the New Year 2009 as Montana Parent Magazine's Jan*Feb 2009 Cover Child is darling Clay of Bozeman. What a cutie-pie! Also, congratulations to Montana Parent and publisher, Laura Abshire on your 7th year!!! My, how time flies...

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Happy New Year everybody and especially to Clay who was lucky enough to score 2 months on the newstands!

My new baby...Thank you SANTA!

I must have been a good girl this year because not only did Santa bring me a new pair of Uggs (which I pretty much live in 6 months of the year), but also the award-winning Nikon D300!...my 5th Nikon camera...

Isn't she just gorgeous??? I can't wait for my first photo session with her...in the meantime, I'm conducting workshops...truly!!!...our 9-year old twins also received Nikons from Santa...the Nikon Coolpix P80, that is...so not only are they taking a ton of pictures of everything from the dogs and goats to the snowy scene here at Sky Ranch, but they are also taking movies and recording music! Check 'em out...

Certainly a far cry from the Kodak Instamatic I received on my 7th Birthday way back in '67!!!

Hoping y'all had a beautiful Christmas celebration...see you in the New Year...if not sooner on the slopes...

Merry Christmas from Sky Ranch!

There's nothing like a sleighride on Christmas Eve at Sky Ranch!

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And there's nothing like you, my wonderful clients, that have come from far and wide to be photographed by Susann Saarel "Windows of the Heart" Fine Art Portraiture at Sky Ranch this past year! Many of you, I've known for years and I am always thrilled to see you again and watch your children grow. Many of you, I met and photographed for the first time this year and I am so happy to know you! To ALL my clients whom I also consider as friends, I thank you for your business this year. My life is blessed in so many ways and I am so very grateful.

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From all of us at Sky Ranch, we wish you the Merriest of Christmases!!!

A forever love.

My parents met in a sandbox in Hamburg, Germany when they were 5 years old. (Their parents were friends and so the two played together when her family came up to visit from Bueckeburg). I don't know if it was love at first sight then, but when they met again years later, it was...for my dad anyway. My mom had been sent to Hamburg to work in a big fancy hotel as a cook when she was 16. When she and a boy she was dating would go for a walk at Planten und Blomen, a huge park across the street from my dad's family apartment on An der Verbindungsbahn, he'd peek his head out the rooftop window and spy on her. Even while she dated another, my dad unfailingly promised her he'd always take care of her. Eventually his persistence paid off and my mom fell in love with the tall skinny man wearing cowboy boots who dreamed of coming to America.
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My dad landed a job in Toronto, Canada that he hoped would bring him closer to his dream. He saved up for 8 months to earn enough money to fly my mother over. It was during this time, they wrote each other love letters, a collection my mother still has to this day. My father asked his brother, Karl Heinz, a boxer, to watch over my mother in his absence and he did. And she waited...

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Fifty years ago today, my parents walked hand-in-hand through the snow to the clergyman's office in Toronto to get married. Two witnesses were in attendance. When I first ever saw these wedding pictures, I asked my mother why?...why was she wearing a black dress on her wedding day and she replied simply, "It was the best dress I had."
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Toronto 1958

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It was a simple wedding and a simple reception, and even 50 years later, my parents opted to keep their Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration small and intimate. Along with my mom's beloved sister, Brigitte and her husband, Horst, who flew over from Germany for the occasion, they drove up the California coast to Seattle, to celebrate along with my mom's best friend, Anne. My mother is spending the day preparing a delicious dinner.

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So, Mammi & Papa...

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Tonight, as you all raise your champagne glasses and toast 50 wonderful years together, remember that we are with you in spirit. That we love you very much and are so proud to have parents that share a forever love...

Four little feet...

When Doug and I were first married and living in a beachfront condo in Marina del Rey, California, my sister's boys who live in Phoenix came to spend a night with us. The next morning, I awoke to the sound of little feet tapping against the slate floor as they ran from the guest bedroom to the balcony so they could see the ocean.

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The following morning I awoke and began crying..."What's wrong, baby?", Doug asked. I miss Wesley & York, I told him... (Oh, how I longed for the sound of little feet the first thing in the morning...):

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Nine years ago today, my dream came true, when our beautiful twins, Sam & Larissa were born. It was a wild ride for sure...making our way down the snowy mountain from Sky Ranch to the hospital only to find myself in an ambulance moments later on my way to the airport for a Medi-flight to Great Falls and then another ambulance to Benefis Healthcare. Learning upon arrival that our daughter was in fetal distress and being told the twins would need to be born NOW. Born 6 weeks early by C-Section, Larissa weighed in at 4.3 lbs and Sam at 4.7 lbs....tiny, tiny, tiny...

We spent the next 2 weeks, including Christmas, in Great Falls, making trips from our hotel room back & forth to the NICU 3-4 times a day for feedings, diaper changes and snuggle time. Oh, what a happy day it was when we were finally able to take our babies home, breathing monitors and all, on New Years Eve 1999...(remember Y2K???).

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Of course it would take another year or two to hear the sound of little feet tapping against the floor in the morning...and now they are NINE! The last of the single-digit birthdays!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAM & LARISSA!!!...my favorite boy and my favorite girl in the whole wide world...I love you beyond words. And no matter what size shoe you wear, I will always cherish your little feet...

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Love, Mom

Frosty and cccccccold....

It's going to be mighty chilly tonight with an Arctic blast covering two thirds of the nation. Here in Bozeman and Livingston, blustery northerly winds of 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph...combined with temps falling to below zero tonight are going to create wind chill temps of 30 to 40 degrees below zero!!! YIKES!!

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As if it isn't cold enough already...Here is my boy, Sam after coming in from feeding the horses and goats this morning after a trek on foot to the barn during during 20 below temps. I couldn't resist snapping a photo after seeing his hair frozen "a la Farrah Fawcett" to his hat and frost on his gorgeous eyelashes. And yes, those are ice crystals that formed on his black balaclava...

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Stay warm everybody!

A Gift of Love...times TWO!

I have just learned of a wonderful grass-roots movement begun by Pennsylvania photographer Kristen Kalp called Giving is Awesome which is quickly turning into an international gift giving phenomenon. Nearly 450 photographers in at least 8 countries are participating. The ultimate goal?...to give away $1 million in custom photography! Its a simple effort by photographers worldwide to give back to their communities and in particular, to worthy families and individuals. Having always been a firm believer in giving back, I am signing on...

Living in the Bozeman Pass, equidistant from both Bozeman and Livingston, and being involved in both communities, I am giving away not one, but two gifts valued at $1500 each to include a custom fine art photo session, a personalized session album to include up to 60 images, a dvd slideshow, and a 20x30 fine art canvas print. One winner will be selected from Gallatin County and one from Park County.

Here's how it goes:

You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom portrait photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

You may not know them personally, but perhaps you've heard about them or read about them.

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I would like to know who they are and I'd like to give them the chance to experience custom fine art photography...$1,500 worth, to be exact....a gift of love that will be treasured for years to come.

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The Rules:

You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services.

The nominee must reside in either Gallatin County or Park County. Tell me who you know or have heard about, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact both you and your nominee.

You must email me the full story (please limit to one page if possible) to info@susannsaarelphotography.com. All entries must be received by December 22nd. A panel of judges will decide which family or individual in each county is most deserving.

The winners will be announced on Christmas Eve!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season -- and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.

With love,

Susann

**To view the latest Map of Awesome, showing all participating photographers, click here.**

'Tis the Season ~ Our Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

It's tradition here at Sky Ranch to break out the Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving and "deck the halls" while listening, singing and dancing to Christmas music all day long, stopping only to eat Thanksgiving leftovers...

That same weekend with nightfall and a snowstorm looming on the horizon, we decided to hurry and get our tree before the snow got any deeper. So here is our Annual Christmas Tree Hunt...finally documented in photos...and, if you're interested in seeing a few more photos...a slideshow.

Doug and I put up the tree and he strung the lights. This is the first year the twins decorated the entire tree by themselves, getting up on ladders to reach the top of the 13 foot tree.

We're ready for Santa and any other pop in guests!

Montana Parent Magazine...December Cover Child!

Beautiful Lila graces the cover of this months' Montana Parent Magazine. Wearing a festive holiday sweater from exclusive children's boutique, LillyLu in downtown Bozeman, Lila was a shoe-in as the cover child with her mischievous smile and ultra-blonde hair blowing in the wind...

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You won't want to miss this issue's Holiday Events & Winter Fun Guide which includes a ton of exciting things to do in December including all the Christmas Strolls from Livingston to Three Forks, opening night of "A Christmas Carol" at the newly refurbished Ellen Theatre in Bozeman, performances of The Nutcracker Ballet at the Willson Auditorium (in which Lila, above, has a part!), opening day at Bridger Bowl Ski Area and Holiday Candlelight Tours of the Lewis & Clark Caverns!!! Oooooo...THAT sounds really cool!

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It's going to be a busy month!

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!

It's not often I ask clients to be here shortly after sunrise (7:29 a.m.!) for their photo session, but since Maria just came home from college the night before and the family was heading out to Bigfork for the Thanksgiving Holiday the next afternoon, the morning (that ONE morning) was it...and what a beautiful morning it was! Warm (ok...30 degrees, but that's warm in Montana!) and not a stitch of wind!

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What better backdrop for a Holiday portrait than the snow-capped Bridgers...
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Rikka, Henry and Maria...home for the Holidays!

The Absaroka's don't make a bad backdrop either!...Heck, this family looks great in front of any mountain range!

And to think we were all done by 8:45 a.m.! Thanks Kate & Mark for making the trek up to the ranch and so early too! Hope you had a great Holiday!!!

Gift Certificates Available!

Give a gift that is treasured forever...

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Receiving a gift is a pleasure. Receiving a memory for a lifetime is a treasure...

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CUSTOM GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE FOR:

Photo Sessions in 2009

Boutique Items including Photo Jewelry and Handbags

Fine Art Canvas Prints

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A la Carte Print Photo Credit in denominations from $50

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{credit cards accepted for your convenience}

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thornton Wilder (1897-1975) once said:

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."

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Well, everytime I look at this photograph of our twins, Larissa & Sam (taken a few years back), believe me, I am alive! This was a simple snapshot taken at Rocky Creek Farm in Bozeman when we went corn-pickin' one late summer day. The twins dressed themselves up in these matching outfits and Sam tossed on his "farmer" hat. What I love most is all the missing teeth. They looked like two scarecrows in the middle of the cornfield. What I also love is how much they obviously love each other.

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Together, they picked so much corn, we ended up having to give most of it away!

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Live.Love.Laugh.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tiny Prints BIG two-day Sale!

Starting today, Tiny Prints is having a big two-day sale, so if you haven't yet ordered your Holiday or Christmas Cards or Birth Announcements, NOW is the time. These coupon codes are valid through November 26th only:

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10FREE = $10 off + FREE shipping on orders of $99 or more

15FREE = $15 off + FREE shipping on orders of $149 or more

Just click on the Tiny Prints link right here on the blog and you're on your way!

Ain't Love Grand?

Family reunions are really a special occasion, but how about celebrating one big happy family that lives in the same town! Now, THAT's REALLY special! Susan and Peter have 3 gorgeous daughters who married 3 handsome men. So what would you expect, but a bunch of adorable grandkids!!!

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Here's the gang...of 15 and counting???

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Seven beautiful grandchildren!....

I remember when oldest daughter Lisa brought her kids, Grant & Averie, to be photographed with Santa at LillyLu in downtown Bozeman!...where does the time go?... Just look at them now...

Love this photo of Lisa and her beautiful daughter Averie...

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And don't middle daughter, Debby, her hubby Keith, and their 4 gorgeous kids look like they just popped right out of a Ralph Lauren ad??...

.Last but not least, there is youngest daughter, Sunny and her husband Aaron...new parents to daughter, Ave. Oh, how they love her...

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And to think all this beauty started with just the two of you...
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Ain't love grand?