The Windmueller Family. This family is my longest, repeat client. I adore them. Jeff and I went to Journalism School together over 14 years ago. So did Sarah but we never met till my husband JD and I moved to Helena in 2008. Jeff was the Sports Editor of Helena's daily paper and I was the sports photographer. Soon the Windmullers welcomed their first child, Caderyn and soon after JD and I welcomed our first child, Adeline. Then as time progressed both families added more kids, Gabriel and Wyatt. Those kids spent a lot of time together. We even lived in the same neighborhood. Sarah and I would walk the kids and Lucy in Helena's beautiful Mansion District. Side-note, Sarah is a blogger and is a joy to follow, read about Gibby turning 2 and see some of my photos here.

This session was particularly special to both their family and me. We joined together in the Elkhorn Mountains with Jeff's parents Craig and Pam before Jeff was deployed for South Korea. He is a Second Lieutenant in the Army. Sarah and the boys will be without Jeff for one year. We wanted to make a beautiful family portrait and capture some fun mountain memories before he left. It was also bittersweet because Sarah is leaving Helena TOMORROW to begin her move to Arizona with her parents.  I have been photographing their family since Caderyn was a bump in Sarah's tummy and have been privileged to photograph their Christmas card portrait the last five years. 

This is why I love my job. This. Documenting real life.

Capturing images with feeling and the surroundings of my clients. 

I hope you enjoy my favorites from their session including their spunky dog Lucy (who is in every photo shoot) and of course the goofy moments of Jeff and Sarah who never fail to make my job fun and hilarious.

{This breathtaking location was the same as the Sears Family, up a windy dirt road near the Strawberry Butte Lookout in the Elkhorn Mountains between Montana City and Clancy. If you live in the Helena area, this drive is well worth it.}

Location: Elkhorn Mountains near Clancy, Montana

Session: Large Family plus breakout portraits

Style: Mountains, Nature and Whimsical