Sliver of the Moon at Sunrise

There was a time when almost everything I looked at inspired me to capture it through a photograph. And I would constantly reach for my camera to capture those moments. I'm wanting to be in that place again...to find joy in the little things. And thankfully, the other morning as I opened the girls' bedroom blinds to wake them, this was what I saw. And I had to grab the camera. 

“There's a sunset and a sunrise every day. You can choose to be there for it, you can choose to put yourself in the way of beauty.” Cheryl Strayed - Wild

Another Book!

I'm happy to say I've finished my 2013 family book. These books are a cherished gift to my family each year.

The Reyes Family 2013 by Daisy Reyes | Make Your Own Book

Back-to-School Impromptu Portraits

The Saturday before school began was a day full of plans that didn't pan out and I was a little bummed. So while I was moping around the house, and the girls were putting on their new outfits that Grandma Brenda gave them, I decided to do a little impromptu photo shoot . . . and suddenly my day got a lot better. It has been way too long since I pointed my lens in their direction for a little one-on-one paparazzi momma-love. And they gave that love right back in the form of genuine beautiful smiles and deep brown eyes. How have I forgotten how great it feels to capture life through my lens? 

Seventeen [Below ZERO]

We got snowed-in in Wyoming over the Christmas Holiday and ended up leaving early one morning after the storms had cleared and left the high plains freezing. The skies were clear and the sunlight barely kissed the peaks of the Wind River Range. 

 Anyone from Fremont County will notice this small-town Wyoming Main Street. It's usually filled with cars that line the street in the evenings for dinner at Svilar's - "the world's best steakhouse". Classic.

 This is what the inside of the car windows will do when it's seventeen below zero.

 A sea of fog awaited us on top of South Pass.

 And unlike Moses, we weren't able to part the sea. . .

Makayla & Jacob @ Christmas

It's blog catch-up time. Not sure I'll ever really catch-up, but I'm not giving up hope. While we were in Wyoming over Christmas, there were perfectly cloudy days for easy portraits. And the one 15-minute window that we took to escape to the fields of white for a few photos of my sister Makayla and her darling Jacob the sun peaked through the clouds and made a grand appearance. They didn't let that stop them.

In the end, I actually liked the brightness the sunshine brought to these precious shots.

September Love

September was a month of love and I got to document two important events in the lives of some special people. See more on the photography blog.



Anywhere the Sun Sets

I vividly remember the day that my sister, Lilly, responded to my comment that I'd love to be a National Geographic photographer and I was naming the places I'd like to go. She responded, "Oh, Daisy, you would be happy to take photos anywhere the sun sets!"  I think I remember that so clearly because it was an absolute true statement. Thanks to Mom for a drive in the country to see Aunt Deann's garden and for stopping in the middle of the road and letting me get out to get a picture of this magnificent sunset. Early July - outside Riverton, Wyoming.

To Grandma's House We Go . . .

As soon as school was out for summer, the girls and I packed up and headed to Wyoming. And when I say packed up . . . just take a look . . . Cecilia's bag is bulging at the seems and she's taking two backpacks. If I would have let them, they would have filled the entire back of our van with toys. Girls will be girls. They pack E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. I went out to the car and they had piled in baby dolls and strollers, baby clothes and blankets. When asked what they were doing, they claimed that Jacob didn't have any dolls or strollers with which to play. Needless to say, I quickly talked them out of that and made room for their bikes. We spent a week at Grandpa and Grandma's visiting with Lilly, who was visiting from Oregon, and just having fun.

As always, I took some Wyoming landscape shots along our way. Crossing at the Sweetwater (where pioneers crossed during winter).

A lone truck on South Pass Highway 28 near sundown.

The Wind Rivers near sundown.

The Wind Rivers at sunset.

The Incredible Wyoming Night Sky

Last night we camped with a view of the nightsky like this:

We're enjoying our second trip to Wyoming this summer. This is what it is all about. Family. The Great Outdoors. Camping. Wyoming. Summer. I wish it would never end. More on my adventures with my little brothers as we photographed the Wyoming night sky in an upcoming post. For now, I just had to share this picture of the milky way behind the treeline at Brooks Lake, Wyoming. And no, those are not clouds. That is the Milky Way.

And the Thunder Rolled

This storm was actually much too cold for lightening and thunder. I was standing in the kitchen while at my parent's house for Thanksgiving and noticed a black cloud out the front kitchen window. I grabbed my camera and went running. I've seen a lot of storms in my life, but this one I think tops them. The colors were so dramatic and so deep. And it was constantly changing. The temperature was cold as it was and then the winds that came with this storm were downright bitter. I could only last a couple of minutes taking the pictures. I loved how the ones of Annie and Marcela turned out and was glad they came and joined me in the bitter wind for a moment to enjoy the beauty of this storm. 



Heavy Evening Light

The evening we went to see Uncle Shane at the airport, there was a beautiful sunset with a dusty cloud that was illuminated by the setting sun. The pictures don't do it justice. It was gorgeous.

Good Night Moon

A couple of weeks ago, it just so happened that when the girls and I were returning home, the moon was rising majestically to light the crisp autumn nights. The girls loved that I'd gun it to the front door and tell them not to unfasten their belts cause I was only running in for 2 seconds to grab the camera. Then we'd drive down the street and I'd park on the hill, open the car and lean out on my door and try to crop out all of the neighborhood roofs to the best of my ability. I love our view from the west side. We have mountains right here and can see the entire wasatch front and valley below.