What can I say - I have the typical photo kid. What do I mean by that? You see there is a fault, take away, a no you can't get that shot even if you took it a hundred times, type of clause, when it comes to being a photographer. Like many photographers, I can come up with some pretty amazing stuff that I want to shoot. I plan it, but the crap stuff thats needed to do the set up, picture it in my head and then go for it. But wait, first before I can ask someone to pay me for this crazy idea, I should probably shoot it first as a practice test. You know, get the lighting right, nail down the location, and just learn from my mistakes.
So with no drop dead gorgeous models who know how to pose and move around and take direction knocking at my door, I grab the closest person next to me and MAKE them pose for me. And at this time that little person, who is still attached to the booby, would be Brooklyn!
Yes I torture the child. She has 100+ frilly dresses for all the ideas that are stuffed into my noggin, yet she would rather jump off the washing machine a million times. So when it comes to an actual photoshoot where she gets to wear one of the dresses.....
This.....
This is what I get. This is my Brooklyn. Tongue out, pointing her finger, actually saying please, twilling, hugging too tight and throwing a bunny (the fake one Swampy Acres) as hard as she can. Arms across her chest, and hopping like a bunny. That's girl! My Brooks.
Photos: Carol Lahnum, Crow Fox Photography
Location: Debrah Chaytors, Martha's Flowers
Design: Grahm Chaytors, Martha's Flowers, and Carol Lahnum, Crow Fox Photography
Bunny: Laura Sidney and JoAnn Sidney, Swampy Acres
Assistant Photog: Matt Brown, Photos on the Wild Side
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Did you hear, did you hear? Golden Wheel Amusements is coming!! Yes that is right Golden Wheel Amusements is coming into Juneau
April 28th thru May 7th!
And we can't wait. You see we have a love for Golden Wheel Amusements. When I was oh about 16 or 17 years old, I actually worked for Golden Wheel as a ticket agent, then box runner - for those of you that don't know what those are - I was the one that sat in the booth and sold umteen tickets, then later the following year, I was trusted to collect all the monies and return it to the office:) One of the funnest jobs I had growing up, beside working in a candy shop!
Well along with working for them, and getting to count stacks of cash for hours on end, I also got to enjoy all of the rides and as much fair food as I could stuff in my belly as I wanted. Super fun. So when we moved to Juneau and I found out they were coming, I asked some of my couples to go with my crazy and take some photos.
We had sooooooo much fun. With special permission, which we got ok'ed for 2017 as well, we were able to hop on some of the attractions and play some games for some of the funnest images. By far on the top of my most laughing at sessions ever. Golden Wheel Amusements is an awesome small business partner to have and we can't wait to work with them again.
So with them coming to town, we are going to offer several Sunset Sessions for some lucky couples or families. The session fee is $350. It will include a slide show of images, a personal webpage for viewing and a custom viewing session to choose which images will be included in your Handmade 8x8 10 page Album.
email us at [email protected] or call us at 907CROWFOX to book your session. These are limited to 1 per night.
Images: Crow Fox Photography
Couples: JoJo and Bob, Cindy and John
Location: Juneau, Alaska
With Special Permission: Golden Wheel Amusement
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We had the pleasure of capturing this handsome little guy at just 10 days new; which is perfect for our newbie sessions. We met his Mama and Papa just a few years ago and had the pleasure of capturing their wedding, Valentines Day 2015. And he almost gave them the perfect 2 year anniversary gift, his birthday:)
Stephanie and Gernot are an awesome couple. They are super fun, love to play hockey and do all the adventurous stuff there is to do here in Juneau.
Uri was born on January 28th, coming in at 10:01PM weighting 7lbs and 8oz. He was 21.5 inches long and just perfect. I mean really - look at the hair on this little guy!!
When not our exploring all that Juneau has to offer, you can find these three at Eagle Crest in their coffee shop, Mountain Lift. Stop in and say hi, and make sure to use the tip jar cause this kid is gonna be going places!!
Newbie: Uri Gernot A. Bucheli
Born: Juneau Family Health and Birth Center
Theme: Hockey, Coffee Shop, Valentine, Natural
Props: Heritage Coffee, Mountain Lift, Crow Fox
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Photos: Crow Fox Photography
Mom and Pops: Stephanie and Gernot
Thank you for an amazing 2016!! I love you all and I can wait to see what we can do in 2017!!!
Happy 2017!! - Yes I know I am a bit late cause its the 7th, 8th, 9th - something like that. But a girl has been busy making things fun and partnering with some awesome local businesses.
We are proud to announce that we will be exclusively working with Martha's Flowers for indoor mini sessions and our goto girl for for many props and arrangements. We can't wait to show you what we are doing for Valentines Day!
We also have big plans with Swampy Acres and are just "tickled pink" and love to "kidd" around with them for an upcoming mini session. Seriously! You will NOT want to miss these.
And for our wedding couples, we are proud partners with Glacier Gardens and The Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. Both of these local business are fantastic partners to work with and provide the most wonderful settings both indoor and out for your special day.
Curious about working with us - give us a shout and lets see if we make magic together too:)
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Finding the right backdrop to coordinate with our seniors is part of my job as a photographer. When we met up with Kaylee the first thing we noticed were her beautiful eyes and her dashing smile, not to mention that she is totally a cool girl to hang out with. So as we planned where we would shoot her seniors I suggested colors that would not only look good on her, but would stand out in our lush Juneau Rain Forest.
I asked her to pick clothing that she felt comfortable in or that she just loved the way it looked on her. I also asked to find just the perfect pop of color for a special location that screamed for someone to really focus on her and not just the background. When Kaylee told me that she wanted a waterfall, I was very happy to oblige. When she changed into this cute little dress, I just knew we were in for a special moment.
We spent very little time at the falls (as it is private property and I had permission from the owner - PLEASE DO NOT TRESPASS) and then we were off to find some more awesome locations.
We hit a favorite culvert of mine and again her attire could not have worked better with the colors of the inside of the pipe.
Kaylee and her brother Ryan couldn't have been more fun to work with. This is why I love what I do. It's not just a job. We have a blast photographing and building lasting relationships with our seniors for years to come. Here are a few more of Kaylee's AMAZING Seniors. Love ya Girl!!
Welcome to the studio Bruer Smith.
Bruer did awesome during his debut with us. Even when we put him between antlers in a babbling brook out in natures beauty he didn't make a peep one. He slept, ate, slept, got some loving from mom and dad, pooped, ate, slept some more, all in a days work for this little guy. We can't wait to watch you grow...but for now stay little and welcome to the world.
Show us some love and like our page. Leave my mom and dad a comment or two below as well.
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Some more Fall in the Park photos this time with the Barney's. We have known Jeff for years, we go so far back that my brother Glen and him actually played hockey together many moons ago.
He even coached a few teams that my son Josh was on too. Jeff and Amber, with Ms. Dryden and Mr. Bodie braved the fall temperatures with us and we got some really cute shots of all of them. LOVE how the red pops in all of their images.
Don't forget to make a comment, Like, Share and tell all your friends to follow us on FaceBook, Twitter and Pinterest as well as Instagram:)
While we were in the park waiting on our next Fall in the Park Mini family we ran in to Daniel and his daughter. They were playing at the playground and then walking around on the bike paths visiting all of the beautiful bridges.
He stopped and we chatted for a bit and he said one day I hope to get some images of myself and her. So I told him why wait? I'm here, you're here, and next thing you know we accepted him into our Fall in the Park Mini. Such an awesome dad! He even got warm hugs and some fun giggles out of little miss.
I traveled to Anchorage last week because I had to have some surgery done. (Don't worry, everything is ok....for now:)) So after my surgery was done and I was feeling a bit better, I decided to take some photos of my parents. Now I have never taken professional photos of my parents. Why? do you ask, well,.... because...well you now how older parents are - they are not quite as cooperative as they could be.
I mean the struggle was real folks. Like really real. Neither of them wanted to go with me to the park. They didn't understand that I wanted them to "match." Then when I did get them to go - after some harsh move it along words, I had to struggle to get them in the van. Mom was very willing at this point. My step dad on the other had still didn't understand why we were getting in the van, and driving to a park, when we have a park behind the house. He fought me the entire 2 minute drive to the park.
Once there, and he saw that the park had changed in the last 20 years, he then got a bit excited.
So before I totally let him wheel off - as he is in a wheel chair - I told him I would like to get the photos out of the way and then he could go explore. Well this was like phase 2!! I wanted him to sit in a nice chair we brought along with us. He wanted to sit in his wheelchair. I wanted his hat off; he wanted it on. I wanted him to take off his sunglasses; he said he liked them better on. Then I tried to take away his walking stick; he only agreed to let me put it directly behind him. After finally just taking it all away and giving in a bit, we were ready to take some photos. Whew!!
I didn't spend too much time shooting, as I already knew what images I wanted to capture. And so we shot for a few minutes with both of them, then included my son Jaccob and daughter Brooks - the other two we will have to do later, and then I let him go.
And go he did!! He went all over the park with Jaccob chasing him the whole way. After all that, he was happy to see such a beautiful park.
When we got home I did some quick edits - (you will be happy to know I am teaching myself photoshop.....) and showed them to them. Tears.
I ask myself why haven't I taken more images of them? Why did I wait so long? I don't know all the right answers But I do know, I need to do this for them. For me. For my kids. So they remember them and remember them as they are. I plan to take a lot more of them from now on. And I hope they really like the canvas I ordered them for their living room:)
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We are offering a Red White and Blue Mini session. Not only just in time for the 4th of July, but to celebrate America and Alaska all together.
We have the US Flag and the Alaska state flag that can be used as your backdrop.
We will also have some glitter to blow, flags to wave, and beads to wear.
Price is for one or two persons. Your choice of 2 5x7's or one 8x10, plus the digital file with print release of choosen print. Other images and files can be purchased separately.
A $40 NR deposit will hold your session, and the rest is due day of your session.
Send us a PM to hold your spot:)
WHAT DO I WEAR?
What ever makes you feel comfortable. You can wear Red, White and Blue, or just your favorite outfit. Want to wear your Uniform or Native dress, bring it on.
CAN COUPLES DO A SESSION?
YES!! This would be perfect for couples. You can even wrap yourselves in the flag if you wish. Or we have a nice picnic blanket for you to use too. Bring a snack or we can set up the fire pit right in front and roast smores.
I HAVE 3,4, 5 PEOPLE.
The session covers only 2 people, but if you have more we offer a second session with 3 additional people and extra time and double the prints and files at 50% off.
WHEN ARE THE SESSIONS?
We can do the sessions when you are available. We are offering them on Friday the 1st, Saturday the 2nd, and Sunday the 3rd. The time frame is open from 11am-8PM. Our evening sessions sell out first, as its best when the sun is starting to go down.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS?
If it is pouring rain, we will need to reschedule. If there is light rain, we will continue as scheduled. It's Juneau - play with it - bring an Umbrella!
WHAT IS THE COST?
There is a Non-Refundable deposit of $40 to hold your session time. The remaining $40 is due before your session when you sign a model release.
WHATS INCLUDED?
You will have your choice of ONE image in either 2 5x7's or 1 8x10, and the same file in digital format. (The file will be emailed to you.)
If you have more questions - don't hesitate to call us: 907CROWFOX.
This little moo loves to eat rocks and dirt - can you tell?
Run Brooks Run!!
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Anna and Owen are one of the nicest young couples that I have the pleasure of knowing. We met almost 15 years ago when they were just "teens" in love. Soon they were getting married, and I had the pleasure of being their wedding photographer, and now some odd years later, along comes "Sprout."
It is so wonderful to see their love grow and I am too excited to see, meet and hold baby. I flew up to Anchorage in November to attend a hockey tournament with my daughter, and told Anna and Owen that I didn't care how sick with pneumonia I was, I was going to capture some maternity images for them. So we met at a local park that I have been wanting to shoot at for a while, and quickly shot some simple images of them.
For those of you that follow me, you will notice something a little different about these images....Can you guess what it is? Well in 2016, I will be learning how to use PHOTOSHOP!! I know, I know, I have always told you that I don't photoshop. Well I don't want to be really dramatic, but I do want to create beautiful images, and sometimes when Alaska gives us plain grey skies, we need to help mother nature out a bit.
So here is a little peek at what I have been learning and a very cute show off of Anna's baby Sprout bump.
We are booking now for 2016. Call us to schedule your Seniors, Family, Wedding, Vacation, or corporate event. And of course we shoot sports. Just let us know if you would like us there and we'll make your team a special ordering page. Happy 2016!!
We will be in Napa, San Fransicso, Sacramento, and a few smaller towns from January 18- February 1st with limited space available.
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Daddy calling her name and she just lights up the room!
We are booking now for 2016. Call us to schedule your Seniors, Family, Wedding, Vacation, or corporate event. And of course we shoot sports. Just let us know if you would like us there and we'll make your team a special ordering page. Happy 2016!!
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We started at the Prospector hotel for pre-wedding readiness. Guys on one floor and ladies on another. Vera Lumbab, with Independent Beauty Consultants helped with make up and the brides sister, Bernice Amy , did everyone's hair. As everyone was getting ready, Matt, Josh and I ran from floor to floor capturing every little detail that we could. We borrowed the rings, bibles, shoes, accessories, even moved all the dresses to an empty banquet room, so that we could avoid some of the wedding day clutter and the very very flowery decor in the rooms. I remember at one point coming back up to the girls room, Matt and I looked at each other and was like...."hairspray!" Josh followed just a short while later and we all laughed when he entered the room and said, well you know that this is the girls floor! But hey, that hairspray comes in handy when you don't want static cling on your dresses :)
Since Cristal and Miguel wanted to have a first look, we had to strategicaly plan their movement to downtown Juneau. The boys shuttled on one van and the girls in several suburbans. Cristal hid behind my giant golf umbrella and then we blind folded Miguel and had him wait in the square. It was perfect. In a little under 20 minutes we were able to pull off a first look and pose for some group shots on the steps of the capital. We even had the fire department drive by and wave as well as a few passer-bys that waved hi with just one finger!
A brief drive to the Chapel by the Lake and it was wedding time. The ceremony was just beautiful. The mother of the bride and all of her siblings and children honored Cristal by giving her away. Hand written vows were spoken and a tear or two was shed by all. You could hear hearts melt when they were ready for their first kiss. Being that this was a Christ wedding, Cristal and Miguel had not kissed yet, and everyone was waiting for it to happen. Perfection! Man and Wife.
We then headed back downtown, to Centennial Hall for the reception. Melissa McCormick, with Creativation Events did an awesome job setting up the decor and helping to plan their wedding. The tables were set in a Tiffany blue motif and hand written booklets for the couple to share years down the road were laid out for guest to write well wishes in. The grooms brother was pumping jams to get the party started and Cristal's mom outdid herself with the menu. Lets just say that they were some of the biggest and yummiest king crab legs that I have ever had.
After dinner, a few speeches were told, but none were more touching than Matthews, son of the bride, who had the whole room in tears. Heck, just thinking about it now makes me choke up a little. (Hugs Matthew!!)
Then it was time for cake. And the cake, Jessica Sullivan, owner of Sweet Sullivans, nailed it. The bride and groom wanted scriptures written on each layer and she did just that. I caught several people standing at the cake table reading it and complementing Jessica on it. And the taste was even better. I had a champagne piece - and it totally tasted like it too.
We finished the night up with some dancing and then I followed the new Mr. and Mrs. Heras out to their car - even noticed that the parking lot welcomed the new Mrs. by engraving her new initials in the pavement. Congratulations Cristal and Miguel.
Vendors:
Photos: Crow Fox Photography
Photographer: Carol Lahnum
Photographer: Matthew Brown
Assistant: Joshua Lahnum
Hotel: Prospector Hotel
Hair: Bernice Amy
Makeup: Vera Lumbab, with Independent Beauty Consultants
Planning: Melissa McCormick, with Creativation Events
Reception: Centennial Hall
Wedding: Chapel by the Lake
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There were more than 30 eagles circling above our heads at any given time. If it were not hard enough to focus on just one eagle, throw a few seagulls in the mix too, and its a real party!
We staged ourselves at the end of the docks. The sun was hidden behind some clouds, but the eagles were eager and wanted to fly in from the south, and of course from my point of view, the view with the colorful houses in the background. You either had to wait till they almost hit the water to capture their food, or suffer with the houses in the background. And I just love the way that he is spread out here in the photo below. (Just try to ignore the BRIGHT BLUE house behind him!!)
Each bird would circle and dive bomb the water; claws out, eyes wide, tail feathers down! It was awesome. And I will do it again, and again!! You can see all of the images here.
Enjoy, Like, and Share
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While we were finishing up another Senior, our niece Luna Maxwell's images, she brought us two more seniors in her class the Nagle Brothers. These two identical twins (and yes I probably tagged them wrong cause I can't tell them apart) are the nicest and funniest boys I have met yet. Although it was 13 degrees and we had freezing wind chills, these two went along with my crazy shananagings and toughed it out. We had about an hour to shoot all three teens. They all changed clothes twice and we shot at two different locations. Talk about challenged. But we got it done and have some pretty awesome images for the boys to have to remember their senior year.
Congratulations to all our newly engaged couples! We can't wait to share your love with you and show off to the world your devotion to each other. We are super excited to be in Juneau this year, but that doesn't mean that we won't travel to you or with you to capture your big day or week. Check out our new pricing guide and call us if you have any questions.
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So a few weeks ago were traveled to Homer to watch some hockey! But while we were there we were able to accomplish so much more. We finished up my sweet nieces senior images and also shot two more seniors at the same time. Luna recently moved to Homer a few years ago so that our families could be closer together. She has really thrived in the small town, making all kinds of new life long friends and participating on the swim team and softball teams. She loves the great Alaskan outdoors. While on the swim team she met Mark and James, also seniors, and twins! These two guys were a hoot to shoot with. Not only are they super nice, they are handsome young men at that! We had just over an hour to shoot all three Seniors.....yes I said a bit over an hour.
We had to be in Anchorage, a 4 hour drive, by 5pm to catch our flight back home to Juneau, so there was no time to fart around, and lots to do. We started off at the beach, myself my assistant and son Jaccob, and Luna's mom. The tempatures were in low teens, and with the wind chill, we were closer to zero than we would have liked. I did my normal go thru the clothes routine and weeded out things she was not going to wear, and then we started the session with Luna in her prom dress. For the first shots, Luna got to stay pretty warm, and what you can't see is that she has on her jammies and a big coat wrapped around her waist. It was them time to get in the water. We took precaution, and yes, she has hip waders on. But that doesnt mean that WE didn't get wet. As I pushed her out further into the water each wave threatened to climb into her boots, and with each wave that hit the beach, my booty got wet a few times as I was bending down to get a better angle.
We finished up the water images just in time for the boys to arrive. Lucky for me Luna went to their house the night before and picked out their clothes, so we could start right away. While I was shooting the boys, and trying to remember which twin was which, Luna changed clothes so that we could be on our way to the next location. Another really nice dress for Luna, some quick jacket changes for Mark and James, and down the road we went.
We found a perfect spot for some true Homer style imagery. We don't know who's house it was, but they were kind enough to see us all out there and not bother us, and let us climb thru all their things and walk around their yard. The boys helped Luna up onto a frozen boating pully, and held lighting, then James found himself a comfy seat on some bouys, that turned out pretty awesome! For the last shot of the boys we seated them together at the end of the old torn and broken down shed and then helped Luna down to the beach in here 3 inch heels. We didn't have time to have her change her shoes...so yes I sent her out onto the frozen tundra in 3 inch heels with 4-5 inches of snow!!!, and that is why ALL of my seniors ROCK!!!
Congratulations Luna, James and Mark, Homer High School Class of 2014!!!
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Something new this year is the ability to search for you player by jersey number, or last name. At this time we are still trying to figure out how to search for different teams when players have the same number. JDHS Hockey works using the jersey number, coach, or team. We are working on Homer High next to see how to add them to the search field. (If all teams had name plates it would be soooo much easier - think tagging each player as you would tag friends on FaceBook....yeah... PITA!! - but cause we LOVE our players, we do it!)
So go check it out, share it on FaceBook, Pinterest, Google+ or download a few to keep in your scrapbook. Remember all downloads for hockey are just $1.99 and we give back to the hockey booster club so that they can use the monies for travel not only for our team but for your team as well.
Since moving to Juneau we have met some really nice people and explored every business and store. We have also ate at all of the restaurants in town, but non compare to Chan's Thai food in Auke Bay. Amazing food and amazing family. They treat us so well it feels like they are family. (I could be partial to the Thai part - hehehe). But one person that stands out from the rest is Ashley. Ashely is an young aspiring model, musician, future be what ever you want to be, and just an awesome teen. When I found out that she would love to model, who could resist? So we set up a day and her and her grandma met us in the freezing weather to capture a few images of her. The sun faded fast, and it was way to cold to ask her to step into the freezing water, but not to worry, I have a feeling that we will be shooting lots of Ashley! Stay tuned....
You can find all the game photos under SPORTS.
It all started with a FB message from my friend Amy, in Anchorage asking me if I was out taking photos of the lights? A quick conversation, a few cuss words out of my mouth, and out the door Nikki and I ran. We headed to Skaters Cabin, just a few clicks from the house. Not too much happening over there, and we got kicked out anyways by the local Park Ranger. (Who knew you couldn't be in a National Park, with 30 other people after dark-thirty?) So after a few pointers on where to go, Nik and I headed out to Lena Point. Let me just tell you, unless you have driven out there before and know where you are going, I don't recommend it in the pitch black. So off we went to Douglas and headed to the Sandy Beach side. We FROZE our butts off! It was so windy, I couldn't get a clear picture if it killed me. We quickly dashed out of there and headed to the Douglas Boat Launch. Much better, lots of people and lots of traffic. The lights were ok, but it wasn't till we were getting ready to leave that I spotted a massive flare brewing. I backed into a corner of the parking lot and started snapping away. From where we were parked it looks like I have a fish-eye lens, but nope, its just the shape of the trees. We had to pee so bad that we had to leave. Then Nik was like "Mom, there's no one around...." Duh, we live in Alaska, and yes, pee freezes to the ground! LOL So off we went again this time, home, or so I thought. We were still watching the sky dance when we got to our road home. Some how BADASS decided not to turn and next thing I know we are at the Mendenhall Visitor Center. Walking down to the beach area the sky was ablaze in lights. The reflection on the water captivating and memorizing. You could hear the water flowing from Nugget Falls, and the crisp winter air was indeed cold. We set up facing the lake and watched as the Aurora slower made her way across the glacier. We steadily took photos for almost 2 hours, knowing that these images would make an awesome time lapse, something my good friends Chris and Carl taught me a few years ago how to capture. I hope there will be many more nights of Aurora in Juneau. Until then, enjoy, share and thank you so VERY much for all your wonderful comments.
Check out the other time lapse video and the rest of the images on the Aurora tab at the top.
It's HOOOOCCCCCKKKKEEEYYY time! You know what that means for Crow Fox Photography? Yep, that's right - tons and tons of Hockey Photos! But you know you love it. It's a win win for us. We not only get to watch our kids play hockey and capture awesome action images, we also capture your kid too. Again this year, we are teaming up with the local High School (and since there is only one here in Juneau that has a hockey program, THE high school,) to help with FUNDraising.
Fall Mini Sessions at Skaters Cabin:
That's right $125! What does $125 get you?
A 20 minute session at Skaters cabin with you and yours, your family, you and the dog....it's your 20 minutes and we will capture as many images as we can in those 20 minutes. And the best part is when we are done shooting, your edited images will appear on your very own webpage, for you and whoever you want to view them can. You can order prints, make books, order canvas prints, make mouse pads, the list goes on and on. You can even download them and print them out yourself. You can share them with the world on FB, Pintrest, Google (ummmm, we LOVE that! hint hint)!
All that and $25 from each session goes to the JDHS Hockey Team. Where does the rest go you ask? Well lets be honest, I have the expensive professional equipment to make you look marvelous darling, just marvelous. Editing time. Posting time. Assistant pay. Blog Posts. Insurance. Licensing. blah blah blah, so really it's very little considering our normal session fee is $300. Look at it like your saving $175 :)
We can do this for other groups too, just let us know if you are interested and we will make up a flyer for you too, with your own weekend for sessions. We can't wait for the first snow - We are going to find a tree and light it up out there!
So don't delay - book today - only a few spots are available.
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So after dinner I decided to make chocolate chip cookies. Not only has my son been begging me for them, I've never made home made chocolate chip cookies before so thought I would give it a shot. As I started digging thru the cabinet to gather all of the ingredients I reached over and saw four bananas sitting on the counter. BING! Light bulb! I've never made banana bread either! I know....shock. I always took the lazy way and asked my mother to make it. Less dishes that way! Lol. Plus I always thought it was super hard. So off to Pinterest I went for banana bread......ummm easy banana bread.
Do you know how many flipping recipes there are on Pinterest? And who puts "lard" in banana bread? Oooh yucky. Not the bread for us. Shhhsh, just a quick one will do. The bananas are starting to turn even more as I browse. So much for a "quick" bread. So when all else fails, call your mother. Finally!
I put a twist on it (damn Pinterest), but I'm proud to say that it turned out awesome and super super yummy. Very moist and well dammit, just plain perfect. I just might make it again.
Make sure that you soften the butter and not melt it. Melting it will cause it not to rise properly.
Your bananas should be ripe - you know - mushy with brown spots on it. Its what make it taste so yummy!
And because I decided to use mason jars (ok ok, I couldn't find the bread pans - pretty sure they are still packed!), I added a bit extra of everything to fill the jars. Make sure to spray the inside of the jars with cooking spray, and when you fill them you don't let it run on the outside or on the rim. It's a really sweet mix and if you bake the jars with the dough on it, it will burn...thus making your pretty jar look ugly!
Sit back and enjoy!
Nana Bread in a Mason Jar - 6 jars
1 stick salted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 VERY ripe bananas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
Sugar Glaze
1/4 cup sugar + 4 tablespoons of water - boil water and add sugar and spoon over tops of bread - oh sooo yummy
1.) Preheat your oven to 350°. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, and mix until well-incorporated.
2.) Peel the bananas, place them in a bowl, and smash them well with a fork. Add them to the wet ingredients, and mix until combined.
3.) Whisk together the salt, baking soda, baking powder, and flour. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined; add half the milk, then another third of the flour mixture, then the rest of the milk, and finally the remainder of the flour mixture, mixing until just combined after each addition.
4.) Spray your jars with non-stick cooking spray; scoop the batter evenly into jars, only filling them halfway. This bread rises quite a bit, and if you fill them more than halfway, the bread has a tendency to collapse on itself, and you end up with an overbaked bottom, and a raw top! Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Now I bake by look and smell, so keep an eye on the edges of the tops of the jars. When you start to see the tops brown a bit, you should check them. And if you can smell them, time to start watching them bake!) If you want your bread to rise up over the top use 5 jars and not 6. I filled my jars to the line just below the B in Ball.
5.) If you want a bit of a professional touch - or have an very sweet tooth, add the glaze last.
And because they are mason jars, to seal them, all you have to do is add the seal and lid making sure to press down on them and listen for the lock, and then you can store them up to 6 months. (I'm writing this post and can't tell you if they store well, cause, well....they are all gone already - sorry!)
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Well here I am - Crow Fox Carol is now in Juneau, as Crow Fox Joni works the Anchorage location. It's been an adventure for sure. Those that know me know that my husband accepted a promotion and two days later was on a plane to Juneau. I was left to prep, pack, move, and try not to kill three kids and two dogs. We spent about 3 months living with my parents then hoped on the ferry bound to our new home in the Mendenhall Valley. Taking full advantage of our surrounding, we have been hiking, biking, and kayaking, all while trying to unpack the chaos that comes with moving.
So far the highlights have been kayaking. So I hope you don't tire of seeing our bright yellow kayaks wondering in every possible body of water we can find around here...oh wait, it's all water - silly me! Bring on the yellow!
Touring the waters and venturing out to the glacier will soon become a favorite as I am fascinated by the entire process; from the formation to the color, to just that surreal moment under millions of years of ice. Brown's Cave is a must see!
As a special Crow Fox comes to Juneau -the first 3 Customers (in Juneau) will get a special mini session for just $100! That's right, $100! What's a mini - you get me! oh and an hour at the location of your choice, plus 5-10 print released images on a drive and a FB timeline if you have FB, and super awesome images of you and or your family - it's only an hour.....so ummmmm weddings don't apply - well unless you're headed to the court house, then save me some cake!
Contact Carol @ 425-233-7771 or 907CROWFOX - email is [email protected] - or just flag down the yellow kayak :)
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Homer!!!!! Are you ready for awesomeness? Get ready because Crow Fox Carol is headed your way in July. We can't wait to be there. Not only to visit family, and maybe catch a fish or 50, but to capture all the Super Class of 2014 Seniors. We have set up some awesome pricing, so contact us for more information and book soon. Space is limited.
Check out the calender on FB here: Homer Sessions
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Every once in a while we meet people that we just connect with. Whether a common interest or just a feel good feeling about that person, makes them truly one of a kind and a good friends to have. I was tickled pink when my friend Samantha, who owns Sugar Six Photography, asked me to help her test out her new Ice Light by Wescott. I mean I did tell her where to find all the videos on Pinterest, but she's the one who actually forked out the moola and had it shipped. She also sent out a FB message looking for a couple to test the light on. And can I just tell you, this was all just too easy. When Clayton and Jade showed up at the park I was blown away with their cuteness. He makes her giggle and she blushes just so. Her tiny hands fit perfectly in his and they needed no direction from us to look into each others eyes. Truly a fantastic couple to work with. Looking forward to their 2014 nuptials.
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Had the privilege of attending the commissioning of the USS Anchorage today at the Port Of Anchorage. Myself along with about 3000 other hardy Alaskans braved the chilly weather to watch this memorable moment. We had ok seats, but as soon as the umbrellas went up, we couldn't see anything. I sat directly under a rafter that poured water on my head and I did all that I could to keep my camera dry. I took a few photos, but nothing artistic or daring like I normally would. Had our media passes been approved, I would have been all over the place. This time I just sat in the crowd like the rest of the folks, making memories.
Baby Gabriel also had crazy hands! He absolutely enjoyed raising his hands up and swinging them around as if he was putting on a show for the camera. After this action packed session he fell fast asleep and we were told that he slept peacefully the rest of the night. Looking forward to many more sessions with this handsome little man.
~ Crow Fox Joni ~
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What a fun day we had today at the 8th Annual All-Cargo Golf Classic. This event, sponsored by UPS, Atlas Air, Boeing, and DHL benefits the American Heart Association. The event was a 4-person scramble, with dinner and an awards reception following the event.
The players were not the only ones on the course today. Many volunteers also helped to make the event successful and fun. We also got notice of a few "wild" players on the course; a few red foxes and even a mama bear and her cub were hovering around hole 14 and 15!
We look forward to next years event!
I knew we lived in a beautiful state but little have I ventured out to see the sites. Mostly because of not knowing were to go, or thinking that I had to go far. This is so not the case. Thanks to some new life long friends (FCP's) I have found that the Turnagain Arm is not only a fantastic view, but if you actually get out of the car and walk around you can find some spectacular spots.
After a quick stop at the Wildlife Convention Center out near Portage, we stopped at a familiar location at the Chugach National Forest sign. Its a little past Girdwood, and if you drive too fast (like I do) you just might miss it.
The area is surrounded by the Kenai Mountains, Portage Valley, Anchorage and the Chugach Mountains. The view is to die for.
We stopped to take some landscape images and to listen to the ice flow by. As we were climbing around in the knee high snow, I noticed my daughter Nikki becoming bored and a little irritated that we were taking so long. So my attention turned to her and I asked her if she wanted to make a snow angel and I would snap some images of her. The snow was so deep that 1.) she sunk in so deep that I couldn't see her, and 2.) I myself was knee deep and too short to see over her buried in the snow. The next idea....Jump into the snow. And not just jump... FLY!
The images speak for themselves - do you think we had fun?
