Kristen Lunceford Photography

I Moved!

I'm blogging exclusively now over at www.kristenlunceford.com, so please join me there from here on out!

 

Chandler Family Shoot - The Johnsons

Oh, I could tell stories about these three for DAYS! Lucky for you--and for Carl--I don't have that kind of time right now. :-)

What I do have, however, is a heap of gratitude for this family. I met Carl and a very pregnant Rosanna in 1998 while looking into ASU's journalism program. When I moved into the dorms in Tempe from Santa Barbara the following year, their home in Chandler became a retreat for me--and my laundry. I bartered babysitting for garlic bread and learned all about Veggie Tales & Baby Einstien while I folded clothes and hung out with then itty-bitty Matthew. The Johnsons liked me so much that they eventually bought a bigger house with a 'Kristen room' (not be confused, Friends fans, with a 'Joey room'), where, during my senior year at ASU, I lived, laughed, and shared a bathroom with the 3-year old who eventually made an appearance in my wedding party.

Needless to say, the Johnsons have been very, very good to me and I would not be where I am today without their generosity and friendship. Here they are in Chandler last month, and my favorite shot by a mile is the one of Rosanna & Carl cracking up. It's exactly what comes to mind whenever I think of them, and it's a privilege to be able to show them what I've been able to see in them all these years. 

Scottsdale Family Shoot - The Jacks

A lifetime ago, Sara and I spent more than 20 hours a week training together as competitive gymnasts in Santa Barbara. Our families share years and years of memories, and I'm sure our brothers share a collective regret over how many times they had to listen to us talk about leotards & scrunchies. Sara was one of many older sister-types I had on the team, which may explain why I think about her every time I find myself in the shaving products aisle at Target.

The first time I ever shaved a two inch patch of hair on my legs without permission was in her shower with this stuff I'd never seen before called shaving gel. It was one of the sneakiest things I did as a kid (clearly I didn't get out much), so the memory is a lasting -- and recurring -- one. I bring it up only to illustrate how closely tied to my childhood Sara is, and also to say that not long after that, life took us in different directions and we didn't see each other in person again until this photoshoot at Scottsdale Princess nearly 20 years later.

Sara, it was beyond wonderful seeing you again and meeting your super sweet family. I hope these images capture the joy I experienced while watching you with them.  

 

Estrella Mountain Ranch Family Shoot - The Werners

Whenever I visit the Phoenix area, I don't go there so much as I go back there; back to the streets that brought Ryan to me, and back to the people who watched us fall in love with ministry, with each other, and with our first son. While it seems like a limetime ago that we called it home, there are people there who remind me that it once was. People like MIke & Sonja who we shared our first church--and our first babies--with nearly a decade ago. 

Sonja has been asking me for a couple of years now to come to town to shoot her family, so it was a real treat for me to finally be able to get them all in front of my camera at Estrella Mountain Ranch. 

Here are some of my faves...

Thanks for such a fun afternoon, guys!

I hope that when you look back on these images a decade from now, they will remind you of home. 

Phoenix Family Shoot - The Venders

Nicky and Adrian have never had a family shoot done for them with their 4-year-old daughter, Claire. Last week they invited me--and my camera--into their Phoenix home to capture their joy amid the challenges of raising a child with complex special needs. It was a shoot I will never forget, not because it was big, but because it was small; not because it was bold, but because it was brave; not because it was easy, but because it was honest.

Nicky & Adrian: Your trust in me was not lost on me. Thank you for the invitation. I promised to do right by you, and I hope that I have. May you see in these images the beauty of your perserverance.

It's stunning.

 

 

"Claire has taught us about the love of Jesus, miracles, strength in spirit, and what truly matters more than we could have ever imagined. She may never learn to walk, talk, or feed herself but she is brimming with knowledge and depth. Her very nature has opened our eyes to the bigness of small things."

 ~Nicky

Sun at Silverleaf - The Johnson Family

It's always a treat to reunite with past client friends, especially when the sun is out. The last time Josh and Rachael Johnson invited me to Silverleaf--a dreamy private enclave of custom homesites (and a sweet golf course) in North Scottsdale--it was pouring rain and flat out nasty. This time, though, it was quite the contrary...

Preston and Parker were bald little dudes the last time I saw them, so it was fun to have them standing in front of my camera this time...with teeth and hair to boot. 

Grace's doll forgot her shirt, but we worked her into the shoot anyway...

I love how this shot says, "I'm three."

It's a tremendous compliment that you would invite me back, guys, so thank you! 

 

Brick and a Bird Cage - The Cummings Family

Lisa and Phil Cummings are the first and only people to have ever handed me a literal rain check. The last time I was in Arizona it was (believe it or not) too soggy to go through with the shoot we had scheduled. In their great kindness, though, they paid me anyway because they knew I'd be back...back to the city that started it all for my husband and me--back to Chandler, Arizona. 

Before I get to their shoot, I have to show you why it means so much to me that Lisa will soon have my art hanging in her home...

These are two of Lisa's paintings. They have hung in every home we've lived in since 2004, and they are always our answer to the question, "If your house was on fire, what would you grab?" My husband and I have told countless friends, house guests, and babysitters (because they always ask) about how our sweet friend Lisa painted one of them for our wedding ("Open Skies") and the other ("Joseph") for the church we met in. Our home would not be the same without them, and I know I will never tire of telling their stories. 

So, Lisa, if any of these images of your family end up meaning half as much to you and your home as your paintings have meant to us and ours, then I have done my job. In a year when you have had to set your aside your paint to heal and get well, I hope these images remind you that your greatest work has been nurturing and serving these four souls. They are your art, and it's been my great privilege to frame them as such. 

And so with that I give you Blake, Spencer, Chelsea, and (later) Phil...

Could she be any cuter?

Lisa surprised me with two carloads of goodies that made me squeal like a fourth grade girl. Needless to say, we found a way to put them to good use...

What did you expect me to do with such an awesome 'lil mirror?

Before I go getting carried away with Miss Chelsea, let's take one more look at the guys.

Here's Blake...

Here's Spencer...

And here's Phil...because I have a soft spot for daddies and their Cinderellas...

Now take in some more Chelsea goodness. I could've shot her all evening...she was hands-down the most comfortable client to ever stand in front of my camera. 

I have to stop myself before this turns into a marathon post, but check back next week to see the Cummings' slideshow.  :-)