Bo is a sweet sweet old dog. He just wants to be pet and eat treats for the rest of his life on his favorite dog bed – sounds like my kind of a life. We got him running around the yard at one point and all of a sudden he seemed like a puppy again, but then quickly he had to take a break and was content to lay in the sunshine. Click to view Bo’s entire gallery.

Click here to view more Denver pet photography

I had so much fun with the Morlans on this shoot. You would think having three boys under the age of 6 would drive a parent crazy, but Dave and Renee handle it so well. They don’t take anything too seriously, but also make sure the boys are always being polite, respectful and kind – to others as well as themselves – and a little bribery does wonders. Hope Benny’s tasted great after this shoot!

Click here to view The Morlans entire gallery.

This was so cute – Will offers Ian some brotherly advice after Ian hurt his toe

You have no idea how hard this was to get and we still don’t have Beckett looking at the camera…

Ready for Benny’s … now.

Click here to see more of Kara Pearson Photography’s Denver family portraits

Every Wednesday night at 7:30, there is a “Questions Group” that is held at Dazbog Coffee (12th and Clayton – Congress Park). It’s a place where people can come who are struggling with religious questions – people of all backgrounds attend (atheists, Catholics, Muslims, etc.). Pastor Dave Morlan sums it up well on the questions group blog:

“The Question Group is a conversational forum that has met in various locations in Denver for the past four years to discuss hard questions about God, Jesus, the Bible and Christianity. It is an inclusive group that assumes we don’t have it all figured out. The purpose of the group is to help you figure out for yourself what it is you do believe about God and why. Everyone, regardless of one’s beliefs, is welcome to join in the conversation. So if there is something about Christianity that is bothering you, let me know what it is by emailing me. We all have questions – together we can find some answers.”

Again, I shot this for Fellowship Denver. Now for a few photos:

Saturday, B and I woke up all excited to spend time outdoors, go on a hike and soak up the sunshine. We ate a big breakfast and headed up I-70. Well, once we got to our new hiking trail past Evergreen, we realized – oh yeah – it may be 70º in Denver, but it’s still winter here with 2 feet of snow. Since we didn’t bring our snowshoes, we found another trail that this woman was just coming off of.

I would much rather be on a horse on that trail – it was mud central. We hiked for 10 minutes and it was not fun … at all. So down to Denver we went. Then we’re watching Episode 11 of Season 3 Mad Men. If you watch it, you know what I’m talking about when I say Betty was in the middle of confronting Don about his box … AND OUR DVD FROZE. Wouldn’t play. at. all.

So then, we went to Herman’s Hideaway to see our friend Adam’s band Brother’s O’Hair – who rocked it by the way. I mean seriuosly rocked it. They are playing the Hi-Dive April 21, make sure you go. Anywho, B and I had just gotten drinks, found a table and as we sit down, B moves the table and our drinks go crashing to the ground. But really, should the night have ended differently? Ah, oh well, there’s always next Saturday, I guess.

This is the time of year when I start getting excited for my summer weddings – anxious with anticipation. Growing up with a German mom, I’m not the most overtly emotional person, but when shooting I am drawn to it like flies to sugar. For people to be so overcome that they forget my presence (and everybody else’s for that matter) and to just be in the moment is wonderful.

Often, people ask me how I can shoot such private moments – don’t I feel like I’m invading their privacy? Just recently someone said to me: “I feel like it’s wrong to capture such a personal moment.” But – that’s what makes a good photo great – when you can connect with it on an emotional level as opposed to just saying – oh that’s pretty.

I got a lot of practice in this as a photojournalist for a newspaper – I shot some of the most intimate moments in peoples’ lives: a death of a spouse, births, losing championship games, funerals for children, adoption proceedings, and times of prayer and worship . And after almost each one was published – I would get an email or phone call that said “Thank you.” Thank you for allowing me to remember this moment and for helping everyone to remember this person/event.

So, you see, when I am capturing people at their happiest, it’s a ton easier than capturing them at their saddest. And believe me, for not being an emotional person, I cried like a baby alongside widows or at funerals – all for people I had never met.

Here’s to a ton of happy moments this summer – I can’t wait to experience it with you!

And, an example of a happy moment from last August: Right as the bride and groom walked out of the church, both broke down in tears – so overwhelmed by the ceremony, their guests’ love and their love for each other.