camping- 4th of july weekend


















































highlights:
- BIG TREES! (seriously scared me at first)
- camp fire
-cooking over camp fire
- grant gathering wood for about 18hrs. my man, keeping me warm.
- dates to the outhouse
-chapstick in the bear locker
-smoke
-queen sized blow up mattress
-"cute"
-the bear clapping while hiking
-cherries
-pasta salad
-car sick! (lowlight)
-1st road trip with mini computer
-grace alles house and grandpa peters notes!
- light+ sunflares+ smoke=slight obsession
-grants hot air on the fire
-tired at 7pm
-waiting for the stars
-wet wipes
-mineral king canyon hiking. amazing.
- love languages in the field on a blanket by a stream with golden light and popcorn.
- mind numbing cold water
-nectarine pie
-g laying in my bed of pine needles
-family posing in front of park sign
-brioche buns
-la princessa
-the way the air smelled
-reliving old memories with grant (I loved being somewhere he had been when he was little)
-making new memories
-marmots!
-biggest tree (overrated!!)
-swimming hole. NOT! (next time babe, promise)

It was my first time to sequoia national park. I love going somewhere new, almost more than anything and I love going to those new places with grant. we stayed two nights in mineral king in the cold springs campground and drove our last day into the park to hang with some giant trees. It was amazing to see a place with so many memories for my husband. I loved mixing the old memories with the new. I was car sick for a whole day coming back down mineral kings windy road, but I think if I wait long enough I think I could be talked in to going back. might have to get out in walk in front of the car next time like g's mom did when she was younger.

seriously love those big trees. hard to really get how humongous they are from a photograph. gotta be there. gotta go!

a really amazing way to celebrate independence day weekend. huzzah!

mineral king

(here's my man on what may be the world's most gorgeous hiking trail)

what's up with making promises I can't keep?

dear blog,
please forgive me for abandoning you this week.
next week will be better, promise.
(there I go promising again!)
xo-
rach

drive in

we went to the drive in a few weeks back..I wore sweats and we ate french fries and orange drinks from mcdonalds. kind of gross, kind of perfect.

(I am so behind on blogging, it's not even funny. I have photos from months past that I still want to share!!!!...including this weeks camping adventure in sequoia. goal to catch up even if that means 5 posts a day. fingers crossed.)

harper grey























this baby was so tiny and new when I photographed her, that her umbilical cord was still in. for some reason this really hit me. new, new life.

she was completely perfect. perfect skin, perfect demeanor, perfect little lips and hands and feet...and I do have to say perfect style. this should come as no surprise given that both her parents are amazing designers and artists (her mom is the president of clever creative and her dad is the president of gabor + allen, a design, build and landscape company).

jonathan adler ceramics and other sentimental and beautiful art adorned the nursery and the rest of the house. I'm already excited at the prospect of photographing her when she is sitting because they had so many amazing chairs. I especially loved the simple "grey" onesie she wore. classic and simple. LOVE.

thank you for letting me inside your inspiring home to photograph your precious little bundle. I ate up every minute.

xo.

fight

(via paper tissue)

last week when I was sick I watched eternal sunshine of the spotless mind...a haunting movie about memory, loss, and ultimately the fight to remember what we never want to forget.

I saw this image and it reminded me of that movie.

this fear is probably one of the reasons I became a photographer. I never want to forget anything...good or bad. I hold on till my hands are bleeding. one of my greatest strengths and weaknesses all wrapped up in one.

I want everything forever.......at least I can admit it.

the cripe family






































this is the way, in my opinion, a family should be photographed. in their home, comfortable and doing what they normally do.

I don't have kids yet, but when I do I can only imagine I will want to remember them being themselves....and not being forced to take photos that tell nothing of their personalities or age.

this family really impresses me. they are classy, but down to earth. stylish but functional. they were great to work with.

they let me reek havoc on their home, and trusted me to shoot. this is key, they "trusted" me. don't hire me if you are worried I won't photograph something the way you want. hire me because you trust I will (this of course involves healthy communication), but you get what I'm at. when a client lets me shoot, I can use my instinct, get my creative juices flowing and let myself be inspired. thank you for letting me do just that. I'm not saying it's a perfect science yet, but at least the flaws are genuine.

cripe family, I know you love black and white photographs, but I couldn't bring myself to lose the color. I have a color addiction. I also have a cripe addiction.

love, love, love your kids. love, love, love your family.


(if you are interested in having me document your family, or anything at all, please email me at rachel@rachelthurston.com for rates)

hot mama

my friend eva hirt emailed me this photo and I had to share.

back during the alaska days some of our good family friends were the elberts, hirts and stenbergs. (I don't really recognize kathy in this photo but I do remember her fierce dog and how I was once forced to eat it's dog food).

this is a photo from kelly elbert's bridal shower. from left to right on the couch we think it goes martha hirt, kathy stenberg, mystery lady, and my mom with kelly elbert sitting in the front. how amazing is martha hirt's outfit? wow.

I do have to say my mom is quite the looker. always has been, always will be. I'm so proud of my hot mama!

first weekend of summer



relative size. hello dandelion.

photo taken on g's iphone. cool.








see the rip. r.i.p. tent and mj.





mr husband and I wanted to get away for the official first weekend of summer, so last friday night, we jumped in the car and drove till we found a campsite...how adventurous of us!

as we setup camp somewhere in frazier park, we had only one minor problem, our luxurious queen size blow up mattress ripped a hole in our tent. how rude. after some minor deflating we slept like two little peas in a pod.

it wasn't until morning light that we realized how beautiful our site was. the misty light was glistening off everything and some morning shooting ensued. it felt so good to wake up and take photos first thing. best saturday ever.

breakfast consisted of whatever we threw in the cooler...raspberries, vanilla bean yogurt and avocado. weird, yes. delicious, yes. if we only knew we could light a fire! next time pyro maniacs for shizzle. I really need to fry an egg on a tin can for grantel.

...after camping, hiking. after hiking, eating at awesome mexican restaurant with homemade horchata. after eating, drive in movie!

best first weekend of summer ever!

(all photos have a redish filter. I'm not usually one for action rama on my photos. I like to be pure, BUT I think this adds a feeling of nostalgia for camping trips of yesteryear, don't you?)

kindra & marty's wedding- reception















































h











big time family crush.

I had no idea way back when during a steamy love escapade in new york city that I would still be connected with the anderson family...and can I just say, SO glad I am.

after photographing a couple weddings and ava's birth serious bonding happened. I love kindra, devon, alicia and family, the jonas brothers, rudy, karen and jaron...the whole lot! quality people.

a few words about kindra's dad, rudy..fell in love. he is down to earth, funny, disarming and personable. he is always smiling and is a great conversationalist. I was poking grant the whole night asking, "can you be like that when you're a dad?" he's totally on board with me. when I casually mentioned the fact that I wish I could be an anderson, he understood.

believe it or not this wedding was not about the anderson family, it was about kindra and marty. AND just for the record the adair family was amazing as well. marty's mom had about 8 arms and was whipping that party up before our very eyes. and how cute was his dad? If I waited long enough I always got a smile.

kindra and marty, it was an honor to celebrate your day with you. kin, now that I know the house "secret" don't be surprised when you come home some day I am chillin on your couch.

love, love, love!

highlights from the day:
-the couple coming out before you guys who had to "stage" their exit about 3 times. ouch!
-your hair net
-NO RAIN!
-marty's "blue steel"
-grant's shoe poses
-perfect light
-best backyard EVER
-the stream
-the trampoline!
-kindra's dress ripping
-ava being adorable
-the jonas brothers
-cinnamon bears
-rolling down the hill
-deer
-the small fire that started
-the hunting scrapbook
-a really good looking bride and groom


to order prints from their wedding visit here.

jon & kate

I just feel sick about this whole thing.

sure I watched the show last night, and not because I wanted to feed off their misery, but because I honestly fell in love with their family after 2+yrs of watching their show. It's not the divorce that upsets me...although ending a marriage is completely horrific...it's the fact that it's being televised! that they are explaining themselves to me through my television. messed up.

I have no idea what is really going on with them, NO ONE does....so I have no idea what is best for them. but I do think it's sick and twisted to get ratings and make money from it. if they really wanted what was best for the kids I think they show should have ended at the first sign of undue stress on the family. kate says it wasn't the show that led to the demise....but i'm not so sure.

so sad. I just wish promises and commitments would always stay. why are firm, "unchanging" words said if they are going to change? I guess this whole thing brings up feelings from past heartache for me. sometimes because of my past I get nervous about the future. people have their free agency, and when you get married you put a lot of trust and faith in the other person...hopeful that they will use their free agency for the betterment of the relationship. this doesn't always happen, and I guess that just makes me sad. sometimes marriages should end, BUT only after very very hard work to save them. I guess I just wish people worked harder. nothing is worse than losing someone you love. nothing.

my heart goes out to the gosselins.

birth day

(photo from tristan's birth)


I came across a little birth documentary slide show I made a couple years ago...and thought I would share.

I assure you this slide show is "PG" rated. ANYONE can watch it. It doesn't showcase some of the most recent births I've photographed, but my new and shiny website will.

my beautiful, amazing, God send, sister in law, stephanie is pictured above. her and my brother have had me photograph 3 out their 4 children's births....so you will see a few photos of them and my lovely babies.

I kind of feel like every baby I photograph being born becomes one my "my" babies. one of my babies was the neice of the couple's wedding I just photographed in utah. she is 4 almost 5 now...I just see her and remember her first moments. her first breath. the look on her parents faces. being able to preserve those memories really means everything to me. nothing is better, nothing.

click here to watch the slideshow. (there is music so turn up or turn down according to your pref).

if you are interested in having my document a birth, please email me and I can shower you with details.

..very well might be my favorite thing to photograph.

love to my babies. xo.

papa, I love you.


dear father,

I love remembering how excited I was when you came home from business trips
I loved the doll bunk beds you brought home for me once
I loved playing shark with you in the pool. I honestly thought you were the strongest most fish like man in the world
I love the memory of you baptizing me in our indoor swimming pool. the smell of chlorine always brings me back
I loved going to NYC with you. I forgive you for not having film in the camera
I loved you buying me new pink reeboks when I kicked my shoe off in the middle of times square
I love the world of food you have shown me...chocolate souffles, bread pudding, oso buco
I loved sitting on your feet as you climbed the stairs at bedtime
I love the stories of potty training and how I would wait ALL day for you to help me. weird
I love when I was a baby and I would call you mommy and mom, mama. double weird
I loved being able to go on the road with you for work
I loved feeling like a seminar celebrity when you would call me up on stage
I love all your "dadisms" around the dinner table, "a thorn among roses..."
I loved watching alias, survivor, star trek the next generation and jeopardy with you
I loved how you told me if I ever made in on a reality tv show you would pay me $10,000 NOT to do it. offer still good?
I love your handwriting, with your european sevens and signature loops
I love the big white trucks/suv's you always drive
I love how much you loved the "jewel" cd when it came out
I love remembering how you had to call my boyfriends to tell them not to bring me home late anymore. so embarrassing!!
I love getting "upgraded" with you
I love you for teaching me how to "work the system"
I love being able to come to you when I really need help, knowing all you want to do is help me
I love how you are my biggest photography fan. you believe in me and that helps me believe in myself
I love making fun of you! you're our dad! it's too easy!..."fudge brownie, 7x7=49"
I love you for all the sacrifice you've made for our family
I love you for trying so hard
I love you for your confidence
I love you for serving such an honorable mission (even when it meant you had to miss my wedding)
I love you for being my dad

happy father's day! I'm so grateful for you.

and happy father's day to all of my other "dad's"...lloyd, hugh, grandpa porter, grandpa peter's, grandpa thurston, grandpa henriksen, grandpa smoot and matt smith.

AND, happy father's day to the future father of my children, leo. just kidding... GRANT MITCHELL PORTER. you're going to be such a great peroxide and bleach dad. xxoo.

fancy phone


just picked up on of these bad boys today. white 32gb. no big deal.

as of right now I can't dial out from my old phone or new, but who needs to make calls! I have my own mini computer! (things in mini are the best, take rob and big's mini horse for example).

any favorite apps y'all can't live without? I need to get on the iphone train, and fast!