. Inspiration .

[ My Chanel Momma ]

My inspiration comes from a handful of strong sources.

1. My Momma.

My mom is an artistic free spirit. She raised me in the country where our sense of privacy created a sort of artistic identity for the two of us. She was always volunteering her time and talent in my life. Artistic influence filtered into my life the second I entered our home in the country where the artist in her introduced itself to me on all levels, down to the way she decorated our home. I developed an appreciation for art and beauty early on because of her. What made her even more special was that she was a guys girl. She could beat them in arm wrestling, take care of our big yard and orchard, and rarely wore makeup or got super dolled up, yet at the same time was the most gentle, smooth woman I have ever seen.

2. Traveling.

I have been blessed to see several different places in the world at a young age. I have traveled to France, England, Holland, South Africa, Uganda, Mexico, and Ireland. Because of this, my eyes have been opened to different cultures and a different way of thinking. People often tell me I'm an old soul and I think a lot of that comes from traveling. Traveling stretches your mind, stretches your character; it changes how you treat people, how you live your life, and the way you see the world. The opportunity to travel is something I am most grateful for.

3. Divine beauty.

Everyone has their own beliefs and I respect every one of them. What I think that is common to many of us though is the overwhelming feeling we get deep in our souls and what medium we choose to use to reach the Divine. For me, it can be simply driving on a sunny day with the windows down blasting some good tunes. But it's that and everything else that speaks to me. A line in a book. A conversation with a friend. Open minded people. It sparks my imagination and makes me want to search for more.

4. Education.

Education is the key to everything. We should always be searching to know more, learn more, keep our minds open to ideas and people. In an attempt to live that way and by trying to understand why things are the way they are, it stretches our imagination to capture more.

. A New Life .

Summer of 2009 was the season for senior pictures. Molly Speck (above) was finishing her senior year and Adam Strong (below) was finishing his.

We had fun playing on old farm equipment and broked down barns at my friend's aunts property in Berthoud.

. A Colorful World .

The summers of 2007 and 2008 took me on a life changing journey to South Africa and Uganda.

For many of us, we want to help but feel like there is nothing that we can do. But thats not the truth. Two amazing non-profits that I have spent a lot of time with are Think Compassion and Think Humanity. Both are based out of Colorado and do amazing things for the people of Africa. Take a look at their websites to see how you can help. Even if it is something really small, it is still something.

Think Compassion:

http://www.thinkcompassion.com/

Think Humanity:

http://www.thinkhumanity.org/

. Ciao Bella .

A trip to the funky streets of Boulder created a fun day for catch up time with an old friend and portfolio building for her modeling aspirations.

. Cousins .

After the shoot with the Specks, my dad told me that he knew things were going to grow and I needed to get some things in line. I created business cards and price lists, paperwork and websites.

On Facebook, you can become a fan and view pictures and prices by searching for 'BoHo Photography'

Myspace:

http://www.myspace.com/bohophotography

The Summer of 2007 was busy. From families to kids, I got to meet all sorts of new people, work with old friends, and play with kids on playgrounds.

It was an amazing summer to grow as an artist.

. A Family Affair .

By this point, a photography business was not part of my plan, but it soon would be.

Some friends of the Dotsons that I had gotten to know on some level through nannying were the Specks. My first memory of meeting Barb was when I would take Nate over in the snow so that he and Sam, Barbs son, could play in the backyard and neighborhood.

The Specks had seen the pictures I did of Katie and Nate and asked if they could hire me to take their family pictures. Well, of course!

The very first pictures I did with the Specks were in Old Town. These would be the first of many. I quickly made relationships with them as well and started housesitting for them.

It has been such a blessing that the tool of art can bring people together. I adore their family.

This is when things began to really take off for BoHo Photography.

. Leaving for College .

No one can deny the amount of gorgeous girls in Colorado. Five of them were my very good friends from highschool that graduated a year after I did. We found it aboslutely necessary to get some pictures of them before they all took of to college and went their own separate ways :) .

Some friendships we maintain and some fade, but our past and the people that were a part of it all play a part in shaping our character. The classes we had together. The football games we made clothes for and went to together. The boys we blushed about. The sports we played.

The bonds between close girlfriends are beautiful. It's something to cherish and be grateful for. Good ones can be hard to find.

. A Beautiful Beginning .

In the summer of 2006, I nannied for the Dotsons. The parents, Kathy and Jeff, were the coolest I could have ever hoped for. I got close quickly with Katie and Nate and developed a sibling sort of relationship with them. Our goal for the summer was to have as much fun as possible.

One afternoon, I talked them into going to downtown Fort Collins to play some dress up and take pictures. Among their many interests is music. We took Nate and my guitars with us and just played for the afternoon. From old hotels, to alleys- staircases to steps, we let our imaginations take us.

The pictures of Katie and Nate will always have a special place in my heart. Not only are they my sister and brother, but little did we know that our fun day in Old Town would turn into something much more.

.BoHo Photography. The Background .

. BoHo Photography .

My ancestors originated from Bohemia in the Czech Republic. Growing up, I fell in love with bohemian style and art.

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. Bohemia .

Bohemians are people of Bohemia, in the Czech Republic. The term used to designate inhabitants of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, located in the modern day Czech Republic. The name derives from the Latin term for the Celtic tribe inhabiting that area, the Boii, who were called Boiohaemum in the early Middle Ages. the region since the early Middle Ages has been called "cechy" (Bohemia) or "Království ceské" (Kingdom of Bohemia), and its mainly Czech-speaking inhabitants were called "cesi". In other European vernaculars and in Latin, the word "Bohemian" was used to designate all inhabitants of Bohemia. It was actually not until the 19th century that other European languages began to use the word "Czechs” in a deliberate (and successful) attempt to distinguish between ethnic Czechs and other inhabitants of Bohemia. Currently, "Bohemians" is still used when there is need to distinguish between inhabitants of the western part of the Czech Republic (bohemia) and the eastern part. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………................................

. Bohemianism .

The term bohemian was first used to describe the non-traditional lifestyles of marginalized and impoverished artists, writers, musicians, and actors in major European cities. Bohemian (boho - informal) is defined as "a person with artistic or intellectual tendencies." A community of free souls.

In the early 21st century "boho-chic" was associated initially with supermodel Kate Moss and then, as a highly popular style, with actress Sienna Miller. In America, similar styles were sometimes referred to as "bobo" or "luxe grunge", the leading proponent including actress Mary-Kate Olsen. <3