BOZEMAN CHILDREN'S PHOTOGRAPHER; BOZEMAN NEWBORN, BABY, CHILD, FAMILY, FAMILY REUNION, MATERNITY AND SENIOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONTANA'S SUSANN SAAREL WINDOWS OF THE HEART FINE ART PORTRAITURE

Gilbert for Judge

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

We met last May at a fundraiser for our local animal shelter. Long an admirer of my work, she shared with me that she would be running for District Judge in the 2012 election and that she would like me to shoot her head shots and family portraits for her campaign. Brenda’s call came last month with images needed for brochures, business cards, a website & Facebook page, perhaps even a billboard! We shot her formal business portraits in her law offices in downtown Livingston. A few weeks later, I headed out to the Gilbert Ranch, east of Clyde Park to shoot her family portraits. I love location sessions and this 110 year old ranch provided one perfect scene after another. The weathered barn, outbuildings, chicken coop and cottonwoods were a feast for my eyes. We also had a few good laughs helping Emmett catch one of his free range hens to pose with inside the chicken coop charmingly decorated with Christmas lights. He has a flock of 21 and sells eggs. The name of his enterprise? You guessed it…”Emmett’s Eggs”. After the session, Brenda invited me in for a hot cup of coffee and she and her husband Phil shared a bit of the ranch’s history with me. Established in 1902 by Philip’s great-grandparents, the ranch has been operated by the Gilbert family continuously for the past 110 years! The existing farmhouse and barn were built in/around 1908. In 2002, not only did they celebrate the centennial celebration for the ranch, but they also saw the birth of their son, Emmett. Today, the family raises hay and Simmental and SimAngus cattle. Brenda also runs a successful law practice in Livingston and has 24 years experience in the legal profession. She credits her family and ranch life with providing a welcome balance to her work as a lawyer. Here, some scenes from her life on the ranch…

Gilbert Ranch, Family Photography by Susann Saarel Gilbert Ranch, Emmett And here, her business headshots…

If you are interested in her campaign, check back here in a few weeks. I’ll be glad to update this post with links to her “Gilbert for Judge” website and Facebook page once they are up and running. Good Luck, Brenda! Wishing you every success!

|SHARE ON FACEBOOK|TWEET THIS POST|PIN IT|BACK TO TOP

no comments

ADD COMMENT |

SEND TO A FRIEND

Be a 2013 Senior Spokesmodel!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

We are once again searching for our next fabulous Senior Spokesmodels…for the Class of 2013! Do you love the camera? Do you have tons of friends? Are you willing to have your session done early and spread the word about Susann Saarel Seniors to all your friends and classmates? If so, you could receive over $500 worth of cool products including a designer HD video, accordion mini books, a Facebook timeline photo and Facebook album to share with all your friends. If chosen, you will be featured on our website in our Spokesmodel gallery in addition to being introduced here on our blog. With each referral, you earn print credits towards your order. Send me two referrals and your session is FREE! Here is one of our newly-designed Facebook timeline templates…

And here is our promotional video in the search for our 2013 Senior Spokesmodels:

If you know anyone who would fit the bill, please forward this blog post to them or refer them to my Susann Saarel Seniors Facebook page here for information on how to apply. Applications accepted through February. Spokesmodels will be chosen by mid-March with sessions taking place in April 2012.

|SHARE ON FACEBOOK|TWEET THIS POST|PIN IT|BACK TO TOP

no comments

ADD COMMENT |

SEND TO A FRIEND

These are a few of my favorite {Winter} things.

Friday, January 13, 2012

I love that Montana has 4 distinct seasons…well, some might say there are only 2…summer and winter, haha. And yes, that certainly was true last year when winter stretched a whole 6 months from November to May! So how do I do it? Survive 6 months of winter, I mean? In a cabin (ok…log home) on a mountain-top at 6,100 feet? Well, first of all, there is the issue of plowing 2 miles of private road, so we don’t consider our Snowcat Bombardier a luxury item or sport vehicle (as in snowcatting), but rather, a necessity for which we always keep plenty of extra diesel fuel as well as hydraulic fluid on hand. Then of course, there is the mile of snow fence that keeps some of the drifting snow at bay and the snowsticks whose reflective tape leads us home at night during a whiteout. Our “littlest barn” is always fully-stocked with a long winter’s worth of firewood. And the propane tanks are filled and refilled when we’re down to 30% or 20 or 10%… But beyond the necessities that allow us to get up and down the mountain and keep our house warm and toasty, are these “favorite” things (some of which are on my wish list) that make me happy, that I enjoy, that make my life just a little bit easier and more comfortable in the wintertime and I thought I’d share them with you here in no particular order…

1. This Silver Lake Parka from Gorsuch is on my wish list…(a girl can dream, right?). 2. My new iPhone4 (a birthday gift). 3. A warm cozy bed with faux fur throw (no, this is not my bed but I wouldn’t mind if it was). 4. My fabulous new ring from Free People (a Christmas gift). 5. Soaking at Chico Hot Springs. 6. Snowy Fawn bouquet by Olive & Cocoa. 7. Pedicures at Sage Spa in Bozeman. 8. International wedding photographer, Jasmine Star’s EXPOSED magazine (a Christmas gift). 9. Creme de la Mer (an occasional luxury). 10. Bull elk in snowstorm. 11. Homemade Navajo Lamb Stew (with Indian fry bread). 12. Playing board games in front of a roaring fire. 13. Cardigan from Anthropologie (a Christmas present in 2009). 14. My Ugg Adirondack Boots (for outside) 15. Our Finlandia Sauna (I really should use it more!) 16. A skinny latte, double shot. 17. The classic 1954 musical “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” 18. Wine and cheese. 19. Pothos chandelier earrings from Anthropologie (no longer available, darn it!) 20. Watching our twins race the Slalom and Giant Slalom from Bridger & Big Sky to Discovery and Whitefish! 21. Paperwhites 22. Lollia’s “Imagine” eau de Parfum (available at HeyDay in Bozeman). 23. Jeep Wrangler 2012 Unlimited Sahara (this car would look good on me!) 24. Pj bottoms from Anthropologie. 25. Christmas cards…both sending and receiving them (this is ours from 2010). 26. Spirutein High Protein Shakes (to get back in shape after the holidays). 27. “Best of the Bunch” Cardigan from Anthropologie (a Christmas gift in 2010). 28. Our backyard view. 29. The shell boxes Larissa and I made (they remind me of the beach). 30. ”The Brooklyn” Ona Camera Bag (on my wish list). 31. Niederegger Marzipan Bars (only during the holidays). 32. Fatwood from Plow & Hearth. 33. Sleepy Hollow Pencil Cup by Anthropologie. 34. Carharrt jacket (available at Murdoch’s in Bozeman). 35. Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream (available at Target, CVS, Walmart). 36. Aviator Headphones by Skullcandy (a Christmas gift ~ for the twins iPods…LOVE the peace & quiet). 37. Dinner by candlelight. 38. The non-traditional Christmas Tree in my studio. 39. My mink scarf 40. Deerskin insulated gloves from Murdoch’s in Bozeman. 41. Tyre Grip (for traction on ice without chains). 42. Our trusty log cart by Plow & Hearth. 43. Sunday morning frittatas whipped up in our fabulous frittata pans by William Sonoma. 44. Our treadmill. (Gotta keep movin’…). 45. Ugg Sundance Boots (for at home). 46. Jingle bells and sleigh rides. 47. Necture Bathing Gel by Lady Primrose.

|SHARE ON FACEBOOK|TWEET THIS POST|PIN IT|BACK TO TOP

no comments

ADD COMMENT |

SEND TO A FRIEND

Wintry…an inspiration board.

Friday, January 6, 2012

I never thought I’d say this, but “oh winter!…wherefore art thou?” After all, what is winter in Montana without snowballs, sledding and snowmen? Instead we’ve got record highs in Bozeman! Yep, 58 degrees yesterday! OK, so truth be told it has been nice, almost a luxury in fact having a break from last winter’s snowmaggedon, but our twins ski racing season starts tomorrow with only a 24″ base at Bridger and only one possible snow shower forecast in the next 10 days. So I say, bring it! And just in case Mother Nature needs a little inspiration, here’s a quick look back at some of the beauty of last year’s winter here at Sky Ranch.

win·try/ˈwintrē/

Adjective: Characteristic of winter, esp. in feeling or looking very cold and bleek: ”a wintry landscape”.

|SHARE ON FACEBOOK|TWEET THIS POST|PIN IT|BACK TO TOP

no comments

ADD COMMENT |

SEND TO A FRIEND

Welcoming 2012 with a grateful heart.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Happy New Year!!! Wow! What an amazing hear I had! Oh sure, it started off with a doozy of a winter and an unplanned 2 month hiatus as I became a full-time nurse to Doug after his accident, but professionally, 2011 was my greatest year ever! So I never got around to building my mobile websites, pulling all the garden weeds or sending out Christmas cards for that matter, but I won’t complain because for me, busy = blessed. I had the privilege of meeting and/or working with dozens of families from all over Montana, the U.S. and from as far as Europe and have enjoyed making new photographer friends through Facebook. To top it all off, our family celebrated the Grand Opening of my new boutique studio in Livingston in August to rave reviews, were featured in the Livingston Enterprise and in the Bozeman Chronicle’s B2B (Business to Business) Trade Journal (see page 2…the Comings and Goings section), and were also featured on The Savvy Photographer Blog, an inspiration blog for photographers with a world-wide following.

Decorating and outfitting the boutique studio was a 10 month long labor of love. In between, I shot my first newborn and baby studio sessions ever, a handful of family reunions, and a bunch of family/child sessions mostly here at Sky Ranch. I am so grateful to the people who invite me into their lives trusting me to photograph their most important family moments. I want to remind each and every one of you how beautiful you are…how special your connections are…what a gift to your family you are. So, with a grateful heart, I created something especially for you…the first of hopefully many more, “Year in Review” videos. Here, are a few of some of my favorite images from 2011…”The Year in Review”!!!