Chris Ross Photography

Images of the Pacific Northwest

2011-12-03T09:26:00.001-08:00

Here are a few of my favorite images that I have taken since moving to the Pacific Northwest.

The Allisons

2011-11-29T17:03:00.001-08:00

We moved to WA back in August of this year, and because my new career is so demanding, I am not able to continue my photography business here. So I have been having a lot of fun shooting landscapes in the free time I have. It has been a few months since my last formal family shoot, so when the Allison family asked me to take their family photo, I was really excited to go back to what I love most- family photos. The Allison's were so wonderful to work with, and they look really good on camera too! I can't believe this was their first formal family photo all together. Amy did an amazing job with the colors, and the kids had to be the best behaved kids that I remember working with in a long time! After the shoot, I was telling my wife how good it felt to get back to people photography, and being able to make other people happy is a really neat feeling that makes it worth it all! Here are a few of my favorite photos from the shoot.

The Newmillers

2011-05-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

So FUN! The Newmillers came to the shoot with their game faces on! They were ready to have fun, and I think their pictures show that. We had a little set back on location, as there were 6 other professional photo session going on, so we were a little limited to where we could shoot, but we made it work. A special thanks goes out to " The Crapinator" for keeping the smiles on their faces ear to ear!

Mark and Amber

2011-05-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

It was a pleasure working with Mark and Amber on their wedding day. They were so excited, so in love with each other, and being so photogenic, they made my job that much easier. Here are a few of my favorite photos.

Ryan and Holly

2011-05-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful couple. Ryan and Holly made a spectacular debut at their wedding last Friday Night. It was a pleasure working with Holly and Ryan, as well as their respective families. Here are a few of my favorite photos from their wedding.

Nessa

2011-04-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

This is my second time working with Jaime and her daughter Nessa. And each time it gets more fun. Nessa's spunky attitude reaches endless bounds, and with a little coercion, her smiles light up the world. She is so adorable. We had a little bit of a work about trying to get Nessa to not want her mommy and pose for the photos, but once she got going, there was no stopping her cuteness. Here are a few of my favorites.

Water and Light

2011-04-26T21:09:00.001-07:00

Last week our family took a family vacation to southern California and I had the pleasure of taking sunset photos on various beaches. I was really happy with the results...

Inclement Weather

2011-04-15T18:09:00.001-07:00

We have been having some really neat weather this Spring. April has been a very weird month for consistent weather. It has been anything but consistent. Of course, with all that comes great photo taking opportunities. Here are a few photos that tickle my fancy.

John and Jill

2011-04-09T08:33:00.001-07:00

John and Jill were so fun to work with. Although it was very windy and a little cool, we still got some great images. Here are a few of my favorites.

Back Online!

2011-02-17T16:22:00.001-08:00

It has been over 6 months since I last updated my blog, partly due to all of the extensive traveling, vacationing, and holiday festivities that have been going on. But mainly because I have been bogged down with a computer that decided to go out on me, and I had to wait until Christmas to get a new one (Thanks Santa). Now that I am up and running I will update you on some of the work that I have been busy with over the last few months. Enjoy!

Caitlin and Michael

2010-06-11T22:28:00.001-07:00

Caitlin and Michael had me down in San Diego photographing their wedding at the beautiful San Diego temple. Unfortunately the temple is under construction and has scaffolding all around it, but we made the best of the situation. The lighting was perfect, and I have never seen a happier bride and groom. After the temple, we went down to the beach to get some photos of them frolicking in the sand. They got more than they bargained for. I have also included some of Caitlin's bridal photos as well. These two lovebirds were so fun to work with and they look great on camera. Here are a few of my favorites

Baggs Family

2010-06-06T07:32:00.001-07:00

Thank you to the Bagg family for their cooperation and playful nature while we took these shots.

Desert Beauty

2010-05-26T19:15:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend I had the chance to spend a little time taking photos of what I enjoy the most. landscapes. I trekked into the backwoods of Utah and had a blast finding unique and beautiful places to photograph. Here are a few photos nearby Lake Powell.

Nick and Candice Formals

2010-04-17T16:41:00.001-07:00

What if bees were as big as horses? You would have thought so, watching Candice deal with a huge buzzing bee. At first we thought it was the sweet smell of the fresh bouquet, but we soon realized it was not so when we gave the bouquet to Mom, yet the bee still flew in crazy circles around Candice. If you look REALLY close you might even see the bee! All kidding aside, this session was a lot of fun as we surprised Nick as he saw his bride to be in full wedding attire for the first time... there was no getting that HUGE grin off his face. We all had a lot of fun, and both moms were so nice help with the little details. Here is a sneak peek of some of their photos.

Cynthia and Kirby

2010-04-15T19:53:00.001-07:00

When I showed up to the Las Vegas Temple to photograph Cynthia and Kirby on their wedding day, my first impression was- WOW... the wind! But inside, there was a quiet peaceful calm and reverence, a stark difference. And then I had the wonderful pleasure to photograph them after their ceremony. It was such a fun time, and I really enjoyed working with the two of them. They make such a beautiful couple and they really make the photographs wonderful. Yes, it was a windy day, but it did nothing to blow away the happiness and joy these two enjoy!

Nick and Candice

2010-03-20T21:52:00.000-07:00

I don't think I could ever get Candice to stop laughing. She always had such a beautiful smile on her face, and I can understand why she was/is so happy- Nick is such a great guy! You can really tell how happy these two are together in their photos, and it made their session so much fun and so spontaneous! Here are a few of my favorite photos.

Caitlin and Michael

2010-03-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

Some people are born to look good on camera, and Caitlin and Michael did not disappoint. They are such a classy couple, and they really know how to have fun. It was a pleasure taking their engagement photos! Here are a few of my favorites.

Everett

2010-03-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

Having a kid this cute is easy on the eyes. A few shots to enjoy!

C + K

2010-01-26T17:26:00.000-08:00

What a fun couple to shoot engagement photos for. Cynthia and Kirby were such a pleasure to work with. Their vibrant personalities really showed in their pictures. Here are a few of my favorites.

Melissa + Justin

2010-01-04T16:42:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Melissa and Justin for being such awesome clients to work with. Here is a sneak peek at some of their photos.

Moonlit Arch

2009-12-19T21:29:00.000-08:00

A secret arch in the Southern Nevada Desert! I painted warm light on the closest side to me, and the moonlight graciously lit the inner side of the arch. I love the mixed lighting, and the warm texture of the arch.

I took 3 exposure, and this was my last.... just before a ranger with a very bright flashlight yelled at me to get down from the arch (30 foot climb to the top) and almost gave me a citation. Was it worth it? Yes! Although I didn't see any signs in the dark, I explained to the ranger that I had no intentions of disrespect and then showed him the picture. One look at the back of my camera and he told me that it was the best picture he had ever seen of his beloved arch, and to be careful in the dark hiking around with my camera. We left on good terms, but I won't be climbing back up there again. I just ordered a 30 x 40 canvas enlargement of this picture and WOW... it really pops.

Madilyn

2009-12-13T18:58:00.000-08:00

Madilyn is getting baptized in February, and her mom wanted some pictures of her to remember this big day in their lives. The rain and wind was a little crazy at first, and poor little Madilyn was wearing her tiny little white dress. Even though Madison was freezing cold, she was still so good and easy to photograph. After a while the rain and wind went away, and it started to warm up. Here are a few of my favorite photographs from their session.

Death Valley: The Race Track

2009-12-10T17:03:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend a few friends and I braved the cold and wind, and went out the the Race Track in Death Valley National Park. The Race Track is a very old dried up lake that is miles long and wide. It is surrounded by tall granite mountains. Rain is very rare out there, and during the winter it gets very very cold. The winds can blow up to 150 mph at times making this a very inhospitable place. On rare occasions, the lake bed gets enough water to saturate the hard clay lake bed, creating symmetrical cracked clay formations. With the right mixture of water, high speed winds, and freezing cold weather the rocks that break off from the surrounding mountains fall onto the lake bed and are pushed across the ground leaving mystical trails that many people believe were created by Aliens or by God.

The Race Track is 6 hours from Las Vegas. The last 30 miles of the road is very rugged with sharp volcanic rocks that easily slice through thick off road tires. Because of this, we had to drive 5 mph making the last 30 miles the longest part of the drive. Once we got to the Race Track we set up camp. I brought along my amazing TentCot which offered a lot of comfort in the otherwise rugged and baren cold wasteland. During sunset I walked out on the Race Track to scout out locations I wanted to shoot the next day. Unfortunately, people believe this place to possess magical/spiritual powers and many people steal the rocks thinking that it will bring them good fortune.

After scouting out my favorite locations to shoot, we sat in the 4x4 to warm up. The wind suddenly stopped and the night sky proudly showcased the Milky Way (the moon was still a few hours to rise). Without hesitation, I jumped out of the vehicle and walked out into the vast open Race Track to set up my gear. Luckily one of my friends had a Rhino GPS, because it was pitch black! I didn't realize how easy it was to get lost until I stepped out into the night. It was COLD! 23 F by the time I had my gear set up, and I was dressed in layers of clothing- the wind just seemed to bite thru all the layers. As the night went on, the moon started to rise so the Milky Way became washed out over time. I felt like a kid in a candy store. We all had so much fun! Later on that night we hit the sack, and made it thru the brutally cold night. It got down to 11 F by 6 AM and it was so cold that the warmth in my breath really warmed up the inside of my tent cot, and created a lot of condensation on the inside walls. I awoke all wet and cold (note to self: open the ventilation holes to equalize the inside/outside temperatures). So here are a few of my favorite photos from the trip. If you are interested in any prints, just let me know! I hope you enjoy!

Kris and Family

2009-11-23T19:17:00.000-08:00

A fun family shoot with a really cool bunch of people.

Brooke and Jeremy

2009-11-20T23:29:00.000-08:00

"6 Degrees of Association"... a (friend of a friend of a friend) x 2 is bound to know you... right? Well, with Brooke and Jeremy, it was even closer than that! Jeremy served in the same LDS mission as I during the same years (go figure) and Brooke was the daughter of a most RAD family in one of the COOLEST areas I served in... Yucaipa, CA. Now, Brooke and Jeremy didn't know each other back in the mission, so what are the odds of them having me take their family photos many many years later? So Cool. It is such a small world. So going into this photo shoot, I was pretty excited and was really looking forward to making some magic with my camera. First of all, they have the coolest family ever! Their kids are so well behaved and followed my lead perfectly. Second, I really think that their outfits ROCKED! And finally, the natural lighting was so nice and pleasing. All this added up to a wonderful photo experience and I think that their photos turned out awesome. But, I will let you judge that one! Here are some of my favorites from their session.

Christmas Cards

2009-11-19T17:52:00.001-08:00

It is getting to be that time of year where my clients start thinking about getting their Christmas Cards out to family and friends. Here are a few of the many examples of cards you can order directly from my site. To order your cards, make sure you click on the buy button above the image you would like to use in your card.

11 Spa

2009-11-18T17:46:00.000-08:00

Ray hired me for a surprise birthday party for one of his close colleagues, Jim, that was held at the 11 spa, one of the premier spas in Las Vegas. Ray was catering the food for this big event. The food and decor were amazing, as well as Ray's attention to detail and relentless pursuit for perfection. Ray was in good company that night and I think everyone was impressed! Here are a few of the many pictures.

Brett + Morgen

2009-11-17T14:44:00.001-08:00

When I was asked to photograph Morgen and Brett's wedding at the Las Vegas Temple, I was so thrilled. I had taken their family pictures last year, and their family is so awesome! Brett and Morgen make such a wonderful couple. Here are a few of my favorites from their wedding day. The rest of their photos can be seen here.

Shirley Family

2009-11-11T21:10:00.001-08:00

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the handsome Shirley family for the first time. I knew right away that this was going to be a fun and special photo session. I love the colors they chose for their family photos, and the fall colors on location really added to a rich back drop. Again, we were treated with another over cast day - I think I am getting spoiled. Here are a few of my favorite photos from their session. The rest can be seen here

Fernandez Family

2009-11-10T22:02:00.001-08:00

When I showed up to photograph the Fernandez family I was very excited because it was overcast and the diffused light was wonderful. The Fernandez family were so easy to work with and they did a wonderful job. Especially the kids- there were a few times where I turned to change my lens and when I turned back around they were all positioned perfectly with big smiles on their face. Each had a vibrant personality and I feel it really shows in their images below. It is sessions like this that really make photography a whole lot of fun. Here are a few of my favorite photos. The rest can be seen here.

Deason Family

2009-11-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

The Deason Family wins the Chris Ross Photography Award for "Best Behaved Kids 2009". I don't know what kind of reward system they have going on, but I cannot recall a family shoot that went so smooth and where the kids were so good at following my directions. Well, we did have a a little situation where their youngest climbed into an old truck that, unbeknownst to us, had stinging cactus nettles in it. I still feel really bad about that! At the end of the shoot the kids where thrilled to see rabbits, chipmunks, and a variety of birds come out at dusk to feed. A lot of my business is from clients coming back for more photos, as well as their referrals to their friends and family. I appreciate the Deason's trusting their family photos to me again. It is the highest compliment an artist can receive. Thank you. Here are a few of my favorite shots from their session, and the rest can be seen here.

Stephenson Family

2009-10-30T13:13:00.001-07:00

Over the last few months, I have been able to work with the Stephenson's several times. Every time I take their photos, I always have a lot of fun working with them. They are so good about following directions, and their family is very photogenic. Throw in some beautiful Southern Nevada weather and it all makes for a wonderful session. Here are a few of my favs.

R & B

2009-10-27T20:34:00.001-07:00

A few photos from a recent shoot for a good friend and his adorable family! Cloudy days are rare in Vegas, so this one was a treat!

Hansens

2009-10-21T08:36:00.001-07:00

It has been a pleasure working with the Hansen family over the last few years and it has been so neat to see their kids grow up! Here are a few of my favorite photos from their session.