Blog - KDI Photography

Something I Never Expected to Hear – Senior Photos in Flagstaff

Friday, March 11, 2022

We were making Alexis’ senior portraits on a crisp, fall morning on the mountain. I’m not sure why, but I jokingly asked her, “Do you have a song you’d like to sing?” I think I expected Happy Birthday or Row Row Row Your Boat, or even “No thanks!” Instead, she responded, “I don’t actually sing in front of other people.” Looking down to shift a camera setting, I replied, “OK, no problem!”

The next thing I knew, I heard something I never expected to hear. My head snapped up as Alexis suddenly began belting out a rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” that gave me chills. She sang like she felt every single note in her soul, each word in the cells of her being. All I could do was stare, my mouth agape, wiping the tears that streamed down my face.

Senior Photo Shoot in the Aspens, Fall Portraits in Northern AZ

Alexis has been dealt more than her share, working through health challenges that someone her age should not have to manage. Yet, here on this sunny, autumn morning, she sang like the world was hers.

IT. BLEW. ME. AWAY.

That clear, strong voice carrying across the meadow, filled my heart. I still cannot believe that she doesn’t sing on stage or anywhere she can be heard. Somehow, she trusted me with that poignant performance. That trust, combined with her phenomenal voice, was a precious gift. I felt very privileged to receive it.

Flagstaff Family Portrait Photographer • Flagstaff Maternity Pregnancy Photographer • Flagstaff Newborn Photographer • Flagstaff Child Photographer • Flagstaff Senior Portrait Photographer • Flagstaff Couples Photography

Kristen Dacey Iwai of KDI Photography is a full-time professional portrait photographer based in Flagstaff, Arizona with decades of experience. Making portraits of families, pregnancy, newborns, babies, children, and high school seniors in her downtown studio and on location, she serves clients from Flagstaff, Sedona, Tuba City, Winslow, Payson, Page, Williams, Prescott, Mesa, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Arizona

Behind the Scenes Video – Join us on Location! [Senior Photos in Flagstaff]

Monday, February 28, 2022

Want to see what it’s like on a location photo shoot with us? Keiji and I made this 1 minute Behind the Scenes Video of my senior portrait photo session with the amazing Ms. Ella. You can live vicariously, without the dangerous cactus part. 🌵😂

Finished portraits coming soon!

A Christmas Surprise – Flagstaff Family of Photographers

Friday, February 25, 2022

Two large, flat cardboard boxes appeared one day, hiding under our enormous Christmas tree, leaning suspiciously up against the wall. We have a tradition in our family called Acme Gift Disguise. It’s when you wrap something in a sneaky way so that the receiver doesn’t guess the contents ahead of the big reveal. I assumed that someone was pulling an Acme prank.

But on Christmas morning, with a dusting of snow outside, holiday music playing quietly in the background, we were in for a surprise. Inside the boxes were two framed 20×30 canvas gallery wraps, one of each of our kids – the location senior portraits I’d made of each of them. My husband had shown me test prints but had slyly led me to believe that they’d have to wait until after the insanity of the holiday rush. (I’m still in shock that he was able to get them done.)

Wall Art Portraits, Flagstaff Senior Photos

Seeing them there in front of me was amazing. We hung them on the wall of our living room, replacing older portraits that were relocated. Standing together quietly, we each took a breath and let it out slowly. It’s hard to put into words how it felt. That wall art visually marked a poignant chapter in our family’s story. Soon, those portraits would be THE version of our kids that live in our home. My heart felt so full. Even with the kids temporarily home for the holidays, if made me infinitely happy to see their beautiful faces shining down from the walls. Not to mention, our living room decor got a huge upgrade!

“This is what our clients talk about,” my husband said. “This is how THEY feel.” When he said that, so many moments with clients flashed thought my mind. The all caps texts and emails, the teary eyes, the light in their faces as they share what their new art means to them, especially as their families go through changes. Some heartbreaking, some joyous, and everything in between. It’s about so much more than just “pictures.”

Now, we get to be on the other side of that, a wonderful reminder not only of our own precious family, but of the meaning behind what we make for our dear clients. It seriously was the BEST Christmas present.

4 responses to “A Christmas Surprise – Flagstaff Family of Photographers”

Jill

March 1, 2022

Beautiful
1. Kristen Iwai
  
  March 1, 2022
  
  Jill, thank you. ❤️
Janet

March 1, 2022

lovely! Such beautiful children and such talented parents.
1. Kristen Iwai
  
  March 1, 2022
  
  Aw, thanks!

College Bound Cookies – The yummy treats that are helping one girl get to college

Sunday, January 30, 2022

To be honest, I don’t generally like sugar cookies. But when I first tasted a College Bound Cookie, I was amazed. These were totally different because they’re absolutely delectable! When I found out that the baker was a teenager saving money for college, I was hooked! It turns out that she is kind and professional, too. We’ve been ordering them as gifts but it’s hard not to grab them for ourselves. 🙂

Portrait of young entrepreneur, College Bound Cookies

I’ve always been a kid who has wanted to save for college, even when I was little I had a piggy bank that I thought would pay for all of it. So, at thirteen, I started College Bound Cookies with only a stellar sugar cookie recipe and big hopes. I am definitely busy playing three sports, varsity basketball, soccer, and chess while having a business and hanging out with friends but I actually really enjoy it. The profits from College Bound Cookies go to my college savings. My dream is to go to Stanford and I am hoping to leave my business to a Freshman who wants it when I leave for college.
– Lotee / College Bound Cookies

Follow this inspiring young entrepreneur on Instagram and order some yumminess for your valentine. While you’re at it, get some for yourself, too! ❤️

First Communion Photos – Studio Portraits in Flagstaff

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

I make up random things during portrait sessions. It’s in the service of keeping my subjects distracted from posing with fake smiles, and also hopefully relaxes them. One ancillary benefit is that it’s often quite entertaining for me, too! On this mild March day, I looked at lovely Azul sitting in my studio window, dressed in her First Communion finery. A kind, bright girl, she a natural in front of my camera. Never-the-less, on a whim, I asked that she look out the window and pretend that she saw something nice in my studio yard.

Almost instantly, a huge grin broke out and then one of her signature giggles. I had to request that she share what she imagined. Her response was something I couldn’t have predicted; “A bunny jumping on an alligator.“ OK, that was a first! It was totally creative and weirdly specific. I needed to know more. It turns out, that the bunny’s name was Bob and the alligator’s name was Bobby, two best friends. Who knew?

From then on, we brought Bob and Bobby into the studio. “Would you please ask Bob to stop jumping on my head?” They kept us company for the rest of a completely delightful session, our laughter echoing out to the waiting room.

Rock Star Family – Summer in Flagstaff, Family Photos on Location

Monday, November 1, 2021

Sometimes we start off in one direction but pivot towards another, much better one. Lisa had called about a headshot for her real estate practice. But as we talked it became clear that her family was changing and there weren’t any recent portraits. Her son, Leo, was in his final year of high school and her daughter wasn’t that far behind him, so the clock was ticking on easily available family togetherness!

Rock Star Family Summer in Flagstaff, Family Photos on Location

I’m really glad we decided to include all four of them. It was super fun, cracking up with the kids, soaking up the sunshine amongst the flowers, and getting to hear them play music in the forest! I loved that they each brought one of their instruments to the session, although they could have brought many more. John Paul plays in multiple bands and Lilliana plays 10 different instruments!

Rock Star Family Summer in Flagstaff, Family Photos on Location, playing music outdoors

A renaissance woman like each of her other family members, Lisa brings her years of experience in Flagstaff and a diverse variety of skills – as a mom, musician, botanist, editor, coordinator of a health food co-op, mountain biker amongst others – to her work as a real estate agent. It’ll be fun to see how she mixes it all together.

Three Generations – Studio Family Photos in Flagstaff, AZ

Thursday, September 30, 2021

“You’d cry, too, if YOU had little knives pushing through your gums.” This was the thought running through my mind as I beheld little Lucy’s beautiful, yet miserable face. Of course, we all would. We all DID, more than likely. We were all babies once and teething just sucks. It turns out, Lucy had more than just teething going on, too. She was battling a cold along with the aforementioned pokes in her gums. Poor kid!

Twin Big Sisters Comfort their Crying Little Sister

Yet, in true Calhoun fashion, this family didn’t cancel the session, complain, or miss a beat. They strategized and soldiered on. Their ability to manage a lot of challenging, moving pieces at one time and somehow still be incredibly calm and kind is a defining family trait, in my opinion. Even though life with little kids is inherently chaotic sometimes, they make it fun.

Three Generations, Studio Portrait in Flagstaff AZ

They’d brought some of the beloved grandparents with them and created a plan to mitigate the sadness with strategic car arrivals and suggested sequences of who might hold her with most success. Somehow, it worked! Lucy gave her on brand, signature stare. Later, she even worked up to mustering adorable smiles, especially after I suggested a “Flying Sisters” game, which seemed to be fun for everyone. 🙂

I have known and appreciated Chelsey and Luke’s for a few years, so it was a pure joy to be with their beautiful family. The level of kindness that Lucy’s big sisters extended to their baby sister – not to mention their awesome dance-twirl moves – made it clear that this family is doing something right. I reveled in their sweet family culture, a place where compassion, humor, a sense of community and love reign supreme.

The Hobbs Cruikshanks – Fall Family Photos in Flagstaff

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Unlike most first time senior parents, Liz got the jump on scheduling senior portraits for her son for one primary reason. She knew that in a global pandemic that was hitting small businesses hard, and it would help our little family run studio if she booked earlier rather than later. That thoughtfulness is SO Liz, but I was moved that she’d even thought of it. They were overdue for family portraits as well, so we scheduled that too.

Now on a mild, gorgeous fall day, I stood there in the forest, amidst the golden glory of the changing aspens. Fiddling with my camera gear, I could hear them. The four of them were discussing how they should stand in anticipation of me coming over and making our next portrait. As a portrait photographer, I am privy to a variety of family dynamics, and to be truthful, they’re not all pretty! So, I was entertained to hear them deliberating about who should stand where. What order would be best? “He was on the left last time, so maybe…” And they seemed to each listen to each other’s input, trying on each idea in turn.

I considered letting them go on like this for a while, as it was pretty amusing, but ultimately interrupted to make the portrait in question. Ordinarily, I’d make changes, requesting a change or two, but these guys had done a stellar job without my direction, AND without any conflict! Completely consistent with the light-hearted family personality I’ve witnessed as I’ve photographed them for close to 2 decades.

Who You Are Right Now – Time For Senior Photos, Flagstaff, AZ

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

We adore our Flagstaff seniors and love telling their stories in portraits. A little public service announcement for you, rising seniors and parents: I know you’re just figuring out what the start of school will look like. But did you know that senior yearbook photos have historically been due as early as OCTOBER for some Flagstaff high schools? It comes up fast!! For that reason, we are booking and shooting senior portraits right now. We still have some availability for August and September. Get in touch to save your spot. 🙂

⬇️ 42 second video below. ⬇️

On the Verge of Big Changes – Maternity Portraits Flagstaff

Friday, July 9, 2021

When I met with them to plan pregnancy portraits, I was struck by A. how nice they are and B. their good taste. (Good taste is what you call it when someone likes the same stuff you do!) We seem to be drawn to the same aesthetic in portraits, which made it such a pleasure to collaborate with them to design their walls and for the portraits themselves.

black and white silhouette portrait of pregnancy woman, Flagstaff, AZ

They also happen to be great subjects and a joy to hang out with! I’m so excited for them to welcome their first child later this month and doubly excited that I get to make portraits with them during this special chapter in their family’s story.