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i think that there are certain moments in life that wrap you up and spit you out and suddenly you’re 100% changed forever.
thus was my experience working with the non-profit orphanage open arms malawi in africa last year. it has been exactly a year since i first set foot in malawi, ready to take in the people and the culture and photograph billions of adorable babies. but i really don’t think i was ready for the transformation i’d go through as an individual.
these sweet children wanted nothing more than to loved. every time i would enter a room, three or four of them would run up to me, arms completely outstretched, just wanting to be held. oh, how i wished that i had about four more sets of arms to snuggle them all at once! i had the opportunity to spend my mornings with the babies, feeding, snuggling, and photographing them, and i also got to spend my afternoons in small villages in the bush and with the foster homes.
it really was the perfect adventure. i got to use a little bit of my public health knowledge, play with the cutest children, meet some of the most wonderful individuals, take in a brand new culture, + of course do what i love most– photograph beautiful souls!
photographing non-profits has undoubtedly been one of the highlights of my career as a professional photographer. and i especially loved photographing these sweet orphans because it reminded me of my other love– my passion for infant/maternal healthcare and my future career as a medical midwife.
which got me thinking…
how much i would love to do a birth story (or two… or five!) so to kick on this new piece of my portfolio, i am giving away a free birth story (or maybe two… or five!) i only have a few months left in the colorado/utah area before i move out east, so expectant mothers must be due before may 1st. due to the unpredictable nature of a live birth, if i’m unable to make it to your birth, every effort to reschedule in the form of a newborn/family shoot will be made.
to enter, e-mail me at amgleave@gmail.com and share this post on your facebook page.
i hope to be photographing lots of gorgeous, fresh new babies in the future! lots of your gorgeous, fresh new babies!!
XO,
anna
while i was off getting married a few weeks ago (crazy, right?!), i got the most exciting email! two bright lights, my go-between for blog submissions, selected me as a 2014 editor’s choice award winner!
this means that they consider me one of the “best-of-the-best” of their photographers, that i was in the top 5% of all of their photographers with my publication rates, and that my photos were published on some of their top blogs.
after a stressful 2013, it is so incredibly rewarding to get recognition such as this.
as always, thank you to all of my incredible clients and peers in the industry who make my successes possible! it wouldn’t be possible without you.
XO,
anna
looking for some organic, whole-hearted, 115% pure love? you’ve come to the right place!
this stylized bridal inspiration shoot was a little bit out of the norm for me. don’t get me wrong, i love the natural beauty of the world! but i have never shot something so simply and completely organic– nothing with quite such a strong earthy vibe. though i’m a natural girl at heart (you know, the type that prefers to go make-up-less and walk around barefoot), i have never had the chance to shoot a wedding with these vibes.
the inspiration behind this shoot came from a mix of places. i wanted to put my own spin on the popular bohemian feel and experiment a bit with my styling of images, while staying away from the big trends; in short, i wanted to create something utterly original. i found the perfect gown (a “classic”, sewn in the late ’80s by the ridiculously talented janet preece) and one-of-a-kind silk & coal invitations. the simplicity of these two pieces set off the inspiration for the rest of the shoot.
the remainder of our shoot was dreamed up in collaboration with the talent at plain air design and mallory francks.
shanin + cole were the perfect models for the shoot! not only are they gorgeous; they really live the earthy lifestyle and thus gave off the perfect vibes for this shoot. they’re the kindest souls and were a dream to work with. as they were getting all made up, shanin kept quietly squealing, “whoooooa. so that’s what i look like in makeup! i told you they were perfect.
i’m obsessed with the simplicity of the cake’s design and florals. salt cake city executed our vision flawlessly and designed a wild-yet-elegant wedding cake. i love the combination of the rough, looks-like-your-grandma-just-iced-it bottom tier with the smooth fondant on the top tier. it brings the perfect balance of elegance and style.
the bouquet from mayflowers was equally as stunning! i love this part of the shoot because it shows true artistry. i gave the florist the broadest description of what we were looking for and told her to “have fun and just go with it,” so i just about died of excitement when i saw what she came up with! i love how each angle of the bouquet takes on a bit of a different spirit– a succulent on one side, a protea on another, and a feather on the other. the lushness of the bouquet adds a pop of color to our shoot and really compliments the couple’s attire and the surroundings so well. the linens and place settings from plain air design tied the whole thing together– so, dang, well.
and can we just revisit the dress again?! i love love love this original gown. i love the fact that it’s a one-of-a-kind. i love the embroidery on the bodice and the loose buttons down the back. and i love the fact that it’s still gorgeous and in style, over ten years later!
so now that i’ve gushed about every little thing i love about this shoot… let’s see some photos, yeah?
vendors:
models: shanin blake + cole wardley
gown: janet preece for plein air design
groom’s suit: vintage
invitations: silk and coal
florals: mayflowers
hair/makeup: shawna turner for salon brio
table settings + styling: plein air design
cake: salt cake city
accessories: vintage
videography: a guy and a girl productions
photography collaboration: mallory francks photography
one of my favorite parts about my job is the chance i get to shoot weddings and portraits all across the gobe! and this includes senior portraits.
i LOVE shooting seniors! it’s so fun to take a few hours and get to know all about them and their interests; i love seeing their excitement for the future and their fun, upcoming senior year. and my shoot with brayden was no exception! i got to photograph him along with his gorgeous sister, karson, last summer, and i’m finally getting a chance to share some of these images!
brayden and karson’s family recently moved back to the states from paris, so he’s a french-speaking football star! his first year back from france, his high school team won state– what’s better than that? we made sure to get a few shots of his ring and a lot of his great smile in this summer portrait session!
since i only have a few months left out west before i move to baltimore, and i’d LOVE to shoot some seniors before i go! i’m offering all spring senior portrait sessions (march through may) in colorado, arizona, + utah for 50%! contact me for more information!
XO,
anna
my little blog has been sicky lately (so many formatting issues… booo, html!), so i sincerely apologize for the lack of images and updates.
it’s been a busy day around here, but i wanted to share a little bit of love with you all on the day officially devoted to love.
i really, truly don’t know how i got so lucky and landed a job that i completely adore. i am constantly learning more about myself, about relationships, and about how i view the world/how i want to view the world. i love the people that i work with and the people that i meet through photography. i love getting to know couples and getting glimpses of their worlds, and i especially love capturing precious moments and even more precious love.
a photograph freezes time, and when i get the chance to freeze time (and freeze emotion like this), i am overcome with joy.
so here’s to wishing you all the greatest of valentine’s day! i’ll hopefully get the blog up and running again soon (to share some more gorgeous people!), but in the meantime, i have a little giveaway up my sleeve. check back SOON for more information!!!
XO.
anna gleave photography is a destination wedding photographer based out of the west and baltimore, maryland. she loves fresh oranges, the ocean, + good literature, but her favorite thing to do is compose photographs! she offers competitive rates for priceless images and is available for travel worldwide. contact her now to discuss her spring 2014 sale rates for weddings, families, engagements, + seniors.
Martha Cardon - SO neat you’re offering this, Anna! Makes me wish I could be a candidate! Birth photography is always so full of emotion and pure love, you’ll be capturing so many wonderful moments!