Merry Christmas 2014 | Mesa, Arizona Lifestyle Photographer

Christmas has come and gone. The holidays are the best. It's cold, well relatively speaking, everyone is in a good mood, kids are out of school and the cookies! Each year, my sister's family (Leslie & Bobby and 5 kids) and my family (Brian, me and 2 kids) spend the night at my parents house and open presents all together. It is such an AMAZING tradition. It truly warms my heart that we all do this. It is a lot of effort for all the families, but SO worth it to be all together.   Just like this video, Christmas is never perfect, Brian got really sick and spent half the day in bed-we missed going to his parents-but it doesn't have to be perfect to be memorable and wonderful.

NOW the images, angle, and focus (the video makes it look horrible- not sure how to fix it) and not perfect. The camera was on an interval setting and took pictures every 5 minutes.  I was not paying attention to each and every image every second of the morning.  As the sun came up the settings stayed as the light changed and half way through my batteries on my flash died. I learned lots from this one experiment and hopefully it will be better next year. =) I read a blog about a week ago of another photographer doing this and I thought this would be so fun. 

This season of change for me personally has been very difficult. I have lost friends, I have gained friends, I have been alone, I have been surrounded, I have triumphed, I have failed, I have felt accomplished, I have felt like a total failure.  But all along, I have felt Jesus right there with me. Without working full time out of the house, it has allowed me to be more present with my family. I have been able to hear Jesus, feel Jesus, trust Jesus and follow Jesus. This Christmas, more than ever I have slowed down to really thank God for sending his son to be the ultimate gift for me and all of my imperfections! I am so thankful!


View my most recent work at www.facebook.com/emilybridgmanphotography
View more of my work at www.EmilyBridgmanPhotography.com

Jacobson Girls | Tempe AZ, Family Photographer

Shannon has always been a life line to me! We met while teaching and we kicked it off instantly (She's a ASU Sundevil, how could we not have??). I could always count on Shannon to tell me like it is! I loved her passion and spunk and just her overall spice! Of course after we became great friends, Shannon and her husband Brad moved to South Dakota. They moved because they love the very LONG and COLD winters in SD. HAHA NOT even close! They really moved there for work and to be closer to family. I guess I can understand that. =) We both started having babies around the same time which has been fun! Reese is 2 months older than Bri (my daughter) and Riley is 4 months older than Avery. So every question, fear or just any unknown, I have called Shannon and she has talked me off the edge of the cliff! I love her dearly for that! Something Great about Shannon is she LOVES the heat, I know seems a little crazy, but she tries to visit every SUMMER. Not too many people visit AZ in the summer. It even may seem crazier that she came this last year with two kids! She is my hero! When she comes I drop everything and spend as much time as possible with her and her family.  Her last visit was this summer and she stayed at the Arizona Grand; what a beautiful backdrop!

View my most recent work at www.facebook.com/emilybridgmanphotography
View more of my work at www.EmilyBridgmanPhotography.com

Kamboukos Family | Mesa, AZ Family Photographer

Lorie and I go WAY back, like 20+ years, slumber parties, play dates, birthday parties and probably getting into trouble and she hasn't changed a bit! She is kind, enduring, warm, friendly, helping, loving... The list goes on and on! And Bill was just as kind! What a sweet loving couple! After years of not being in contact Lorie, besides on Facebook, she asked me to take her families pictures! What an honor and privilege! Eden, Bill and Lorie's 6 month old baby is seriously the cutest babe! She was perfect! I think she is used to the camera always pointing at her. ;) I couldn't have asked for a better family to capture! They live right on a Phoenix golf course! This was a great back drop for an already gorgeous family! XOXO

View my most recent work at www.facebook.com/emilybridgmanphotography
View more of my work at www.EmilyBridgmanPhotography.com

Hough Family | Gilbert Family Photographer

I feel so lucky to have become close with this AMAZING family! Jen and I teach together at Houston Elementary School in Gilbert, AZ. Her two girls are in 4th and 5th grades there too. It was so fun to work with, see and experience such a fun and happy family. They seriously made my job SO hard... I had to narrow down only the best of the best images! You guys are amazing! Thank you for sharing your family with me!

View my most recent work at www.facebook.com/emilybridgmanphotography
View more of my work at www.EmilyBridgmanPhotography.com