Studio Life Photography | Natalie Clayshulte

by the book | i heart faces

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:16:03 +0000

The photo theme at I Heart Faces this week is “by the book,” and this image immediately sprung to mind. As a high school English teacher, this beautiful mother of three young boys is instilling a love of reading in her children from a young age.

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” Emilie Buchwald

tiny sparrow foundation | a picture of hope

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:26:19 +0000

I am honored to announce that Studio Life Photography has been chosen as an Affiliate Photographer for the Tiny Sparrow Foundation, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing lasting memories through the art of photography to families whose children are facing critical illness.

Tiny Sparrow Foundation was founded by Lidia Boicu, a photographer and mother, who was inspired to reach out to the tiniest warriors after her own battle with breast cancer. She is an inspiration to many, and now her heart for passing on lasting memories has become the soul of the Tiny Sparrow Foundation. The focus of Studio Life Photography has always been on creating photographic treasures for generations to come and what better way to carry on this legacy than providing custom photography to children and families facing the unfathomable.

Please take a moment and stop by the Tiny Sparrow Foundation website and become a fan on Facebook to read more about this organization.

Best of 2011 | las cruces portrait photographer

admin — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:14:05 +0000

As 2011 comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to thank the families who trusted me to capture their special moments throughout this year. Looking back through archived images today brought a flood a beautiful memories to my mind of a wonderful year spent with precious people. May 2012 be filled with joy and peace for each of you and I look forward to capturing many more beautiful moments next year.

~Happy New Year~

merry & bright | las cruces portrait photographer

admin — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:27:27 +0000

holiday fun | las cruces portrait photographer

admin — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:23:23 +0000

When my sister approached me about taking pictures for her Christmas card, I knew it would be fun. This is her first Christmas as a married woman, and let’s face it, she and her husband are some of the most fun, loving people I know. She was inspired by a picture she found on pinterest, which sent us on a search for big holiday lights. And when I say search, I mean it. We couldn’t find traditional, old fashioned, burn-your-hands-they’re-so-hot lights at any of the big name stores, but thankfully after scouring the city we found one lonely strand at the local Salvation Army.

In the end, it was a fun session capturing them perfectly for their first Christmas as a married couple.

hawaii | travel photographer

admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 04:15:47 +0000

We just returned from a week in Hawaii where we re-visited many of the places we went to on our honeymoon seven years ago. The islands of Hawaii are so beautiful and diverse. During this trip we had the opportunity to take a helicopter ride over Oahu as well as the Big Island. Seeing an active volcano for the first time was certainly one of the highlights of our trip. I also saw a sea turtle while I was snorkeling, which was truly magnificent.

For this trip, I decided to take my point and shoot (a Sony Cybershot) so I could focus on enjoying the moment rather than looking for the “perfect shot.” The following photos are all SOOC (straight out of camera). It is a wonderful camera for travel – compact, quick, and waterproof. I also love the panoramic feature. Here are my favorite panoramic shots from this trip:

We hiked to the top of Diamond Head on our honeymoon as well, and it was worth it to do it again this trip. Such a stunning view of Waikiki Beach and the vast ocean.

There are so many moments from this trip that I didn’t want to forget. Here are a few of my favorites.

Snorkeling is one of my favorite activities. Too bad I’m in a land-locked state, so the only chance I get to snorkel is when we travel. We visited Hanauma Bay Park twice while we were in Hawaii. The fish, the coral, and the water are all amazing here.

Visiting the Big Island of Hawaii was such a treat. Seeing an active volcano from the ground and from the air was one of the highlights of this trip.

We also had the opportunity to do a helicopter tour of Oahu. These were the highlights for me (clockwise from top left): Diamond Head, Chinaman’s Hat, the Pearl Harbor Memorial, and a small uninhabited island near Kai’Lua.

What is a trip to Hawaii without a rainbow and a waterfall?

The ocean, particularly the north shore of Oahu, is absolutely breathtaking with the magnificent waves and brave surfers. I highly recommend visiting the north shore of Oahu in the winter when waves can reach 50-60 feet at their peek. Stunning!

happy thanksgiving | las cruces family photographer

admin — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:55:28 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving!!

My little sister announced today at Thanksgiving lunch that she is expecting her first baby! She made the announcement by having my parents open an “early Christmas present,” which was a stocking with boy and girl names. We are all so excited and I can’t wait for another niece or nephew to spoil

salt lake city snow | travel photographer

admin — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:24:26 +0000

I had the pleasure of traveling with my husband to Salt Lake City as he interviewed for graduate school this weekend. I spent the weeks leading up to the whirlwind trip anticipating the cooler weather in Utah and praying that we would get to see some snow. My prayers were answered as Friday night snow fell softly, leaving behind a peaceful world covered in white.

laughter | las cruces family photographer

admin — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:23:16 +0000

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. – E. E. Cummings

autumn splendor | i heart faces

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:30:21 +0000

While some trees in our area change to a beautiful crimson or vibrant yellow, most of the foliage shifts to a dull brown before drifting gracefully to the ground. I was fortunate enough to find a beautiful tree filled with golden leaves (note the bright green tree still hanging on to the left!) for a photo shoot over the weekend. When I saw the “I Heart Faces” challenge for the week was autumn splendor, I smiled. Autumn is my favorite time of year, and for the first time in several years, I have a photograph that captures the splendor of the season.