fuck this noise

Easton, Somerset
December 18, 2009

Mike and I are in England right now, visiting his parents for Christmas. Today we had beautifully sunny weather, so I spent the afternoon walking around Easton, the village where Mike grew up. It's a small town of only a couple hundred people, near the city of Wells in southwest England. I walked around today and took pictures of all the cool-looking old stuff in the village. Of course the people here are just as contemporary as everyone else, but I'm American and therefore I love English old stuff. After six years of visiting England together, Mike is learning to accept that about me. ;-)

( More photos of Mike's hometown )

Manitou Springs, Colorado
December 12, 2009

We live in an adorable Victorian town just west of Colorado Springs. Manitou Springs sits at the base of Pikes Peak and is filled with cute cafes and art galleries. Every year I look forward to Christmas shopping at the local artist co-ops. This time I brought a camera... why didn't I think to do that sooner?

All these photos were taken with my Canon 5DMkII and a Canon 35mm 1.4L that I rented for the holidays.

( More photos of Manitou )

Ally hates getting ice stuck between her toes when we go walking, so Mike and I decided to experiment with doggie snow boots. There's no way she'll agree to wear them in public, but at least we got our money's worth in laughs tonight.

One of my favorite ways to use engagement portraits is guest signature books. I love to design custom guest books for couples that showcase their portraits. The final result is a photo album with personal notes from friends and family. Love it!

What are some of the coolest ways you've seen people use engagement portraits?

( More photos of engagement guest books in use at weddings )