Time For Change

(photo from my 1st blog post, July 2007)

I am officially saying goodbye to this blog and moving to a NEW blog.

Make sure to change your readers to my new blog address which is:

www.rachelthurston.com/blog

It has been a good, GOOD 2+years since I first started blogging.

I have loved the thought it's created in me and the friendships it's helped me create with my readers.

I can't wait to continue the adventure with you.

Come on over to the new blog to see the announce of my NEW WEBSITE!

New, new, new! It's like blogging baptism.

xo-
Rachel

Weekend Rain

For those of you who may not catch my tweets, I wanted to post this rainy shot I got on my iphone. We were driving to Las Vegas Wednesday morning and the rain was all around. It was nice to wake up to sunshine this morning.

(I'm waiting on the word from others before I can have the website go live. You know how it takes a village to raise a photographer? I have a pretty fantastic village helping to keep me a float. Word on the street is Wednesday LAUNCH! You're going to love it. I hope.)

Frazzled

(neighbor Phoebe jumping and static-ing on our tramp)

Her outsides represent how my insides kind of feel right now.

OK, I might look a little bit like that too.

Tomato Sauce

(photo via smitten kitchen)

Yesterday for lunch I made Smitten Kitchens latest recipe. A tomato sauce that is curiously simple and surprisingly tasty. A great base sauce with ingredients you always have on hand.

(feverishly working on the last perfecting details of the new website...days away, hours away!!)

Nicole's Classes

Nicole's Classes are coming to LA! I am tempted to take an illustrator class...been needing to do that.

Las Vegas, You Need Me.

I am trying to find a reason to go with Grant to Vegas next week while he works....Anyone out there in the Vegas area in need of a photographer? I am up for commercial, portrait or "you name it" photoshoots.

Possible dates Thursday through Saturday of this coming week.

Shoot me an email if you want to schedule something at rachel@rachelthurston.com

Picture Perfect

I shot some corporate photos for a Utah law firm on Monday. It was interesting being that I don't shoot this sort of stuff on a regular basis. I tried to put my own spin on things...and ended up with some fun shots. I love the two above. The painting on "tilt" really made my day. It's the "tilt" that makes all of us feel a little more normal.. (or is it just me that always feels slightly askew?)

Published in Real Simple Weddings

Real Simple Weddings 2010 featured Lisa and Rodney's August wedding. I was thrilled to be contacted by them and chosen to be in this amazing publication. One of the best parts is the issue is out for an entire year! Thank you Real Simple for featuring my work and thank you to Lisa and Rodney for inviting me to be a part of their wedding celebration.

(Amazing details are huge reason images get published and I owe thanks to Lisa and her wedding crew for the genius behind those details, Aubrey Messick- Flowers and Shauna Lewis- Planner.)

Sweet Baby Gavin

Read what Amorology has to say here.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Today I cried for Natalie, for Richie, for Gavin, for his brothers, for anyone who has lost a child or has come close to losing a child....or for anyone who has ever.."lost" period. For the time spent waiting. Waiting till we can all be with the ones we want to be with.

Sweet baby Gavin. How long will the wait be?

This Week

I'm a little off my usual Monday through Friday blogging...but with good reason.

I am minutes, seconds..OK days, from finishing my new website. I can't wait to share it with you!! It is pretty and shiny and new. I think you'll love it as much as me. I have a team working with me on it and they are waiting on me to send over the finalized images. Past clients, I have been staring at your beautiful faces for the last 2 weeks and I am ready to not look at them again for awhile.(don't be offended...it's not you, it's the computer and files and resizing and choosing and editing down!!!! pure exhaustion..but worth it). Hopefully in a few days I can reveal the end product and enjoy it for a few months before it's time to update. I will actually be unveiling 2 new sites and a new blog! Stay tuned.

Also, I have been waiting and waiting to tell you some other great news...Real Simple Magazine contacted me a couple months ago about the possibility of showcasing one of my weddings in their upcoming wedding issue. I happily submitted some images and they will be printed in their 2010 wedding issue hitting the shelves this Friday (I think). I will positively post more about this once I have it in my hands.

Thank you Real Simple for considering my work. I love your magazine!!

2010 has had a nice start and with more exciting jobs coming up it looks like it's going to be a good year.

Sidney

Welcome to Earth. Thanks for being so adorable.

New

My last photo shoot of 2009 was of this sweet little 2 week old baby girl. Yesterday work for me was staring, holding and cooing over a wee babe.

I feel so fortunate and blessed to be able to make my living seeing the things I see and recording them for others. 2009 has a been a year of amazing growth....for my business and for me personally. Thank you family, friends and clients for helping to give me the life I have.

Here's to what I couldn't look away from this year and all the things that will surprise my eyes in 2010.

Kate & Jake Get Married

Here are a couple shots of the big day..

It was an interesting challenge to be the big sister AND the photographer. I think we found a balance....I just loved being around for every moment. Grant and I loved all of the time we got to have with just the two of you on such a memorable day. One of the best parts was de-thawing ourselves in the car on the way to the dinner. You two were champs in the cold.

More wedding story to come. xo.

Sisters

How was everyone's Christmas? Ours was eventful with all of the family together and then Kate's wedding on the 26th. Busy, busy.

As part Christmas gift and part wedding gift to my sisters I had these bracelets made for us. Since Anna had to miss the wedding since she is in the MTC we wanted to have something we could all wear on the wedding day to connect us. Mine read "1 of 3", Kate's, "2 of 3" and Ann's, "3 of 3". I love them SO much (my sisters and the bracelets).

I found the amazing Wire Lady on Etsy. Go here to order your own custom wire twisted jewelry!

For Unto Us...

I was involved in a project for my church that involved photographing a modern day take on the nativity. Click on the images to view them larger and hopefully large enough to be able to read the beautiful words inspired by the night of the Saviors birth.

Emily did a great job pulling the whole thing off and J. Arthur Purrington created the layout and design of the booklet. Thanks for both of them for making my job so easy.

So my dear bloggers this is my Christmas gift to you until the 28th. I take off to Texas today to be with my family and watch my sister be married on the 26th. For Christmas this year I am gaining a brother in law.

What an amazing year it's been. My business has blessed me in so many ways this year as well as the decision to live with a boy....permanently.

So now it's time to snuggle, sip hot cocoa and watch "It's a Wonderful Life"...we need to enjoy it while we can. The holiday hang over starts on Jan 2. xo.

Home For Christmas

I love all the parties people have in their homes during the holidays. It feels so much more intimate than just meeting at a restaurant (although the clean up is easier that way).

I photographed a simply amazing Christmas gathering and dinner at a home right on the Strand in Manhattan Beach. They invited a small gathering of friends for a formal dinner in honor of the season. The home was decked with all forms of merriment and the family was delightful.

Maybe when I get a house large enough to hold a table I will host my own formal party complete with Santa flying overhead.