My Family | Melissa Shelby Photography

Paradise Found | Alaska Photography

15 Jul

Lower Paradise Lake. My new favorite! What an incredible location hidden away in the mountains to the left of the Primrose Campground if you are heading south toward Seward. Technically it’s a fly-in only cabin but it sounds like it might be possible to get there in the winter. All I know is that I’m ready to go back.

We visited over the 4th of July weekend and I kept trying to postpone and postpone and postpone because there was too much work to do in Anchorage. Luckily my husband was way too enthusiastic about going and eventually his excitement wore off on me. By late afternoon the weather had cleared up and we climbed into the plane and started a perfectly smooth and beautiful 45 minute trip to the cabin. Five minutes into flight and we were cruising over the Resurrection Pass. Now I’m kicking myself for not getting out of Anchorage already!

Just flying into the start of the Paradise Valley was quite a breathtaking adventure. We flew past beautiful glaciers that I never new existed and over a gorgeous creek drainage twisting and curving down toward Kenai Lake. I always forget just how “wild” it is only a few miles from our home.

The first night we arrived it was close to 10pm and that perfect sunset light was just beginning. I pulled out all the gear and made Dave “pose” the plane for me and then I had fun clicking away while the boys ran around and played in the boat. Photographing the plane is always fun because, well, it just sits there. There are no funny faces, no “are we done yet?”s and no constant running in and out of the shot. When it finally started getting dark we headed to the cabin and quickly realized it was close to midnight –way past two little boy’s bedtime!

The next day there was plenty of fishing, a boat ride to a geocache (Yay! It was totally unexpected!), two loon sightings, a black bear waiting for us on the beach upon our return (yikes), and another lovely evening off the grid before heading back to Anchor Town. I miss it already. Luckily for us, we are heading back to the wilderness next weekend! This time we have the Trout Lake Cabin on the Resurrection Trail. If any of you are hiking or biking by, stop in and say “Hello”. We’d love to see you! I’ll bring cookies just in case:)

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Categories Alaska, My Family
Author Mel

Outdoor Family Portrait Sessions | Anchorage Family Portrait Photographer

22 Jun

One of the problems of being a child of a photographer is that you are unfortunately always around whenever mom needs to try something new. Yes, it’s true, my boys have been photographed way too much and can no longer crack a genuine smile. And, yes, whenever the camera comes out they practice their entire freak-show face making repertoire for me! Granted, deep down, I can tell that their goofy little expressions will still be tugging at my heart strings 20 years down the line regardless of all the chaos they create during the moment!

Last week, we set out on one of those beautiful sun-shiny days to track down a field of arctic lupine (one of the reasons I think I moved to Alaska:) and to go on a little hike to the Winner Creek Gorge. One stubbed toenail, a skinned elbow and a bloody knee later, we returned from the gorge and cruised on over to Chair Five for some much needed pizza. After our day long adventure I was blessed with two little pint sized sleepers snoring happily all the way home.

Click on a thumbnail below to view a slide-show of the images.

**Prior Customers: Look for your Summer Savings in the mail!

Summer flowers are in full bloom right now everywhere you look! Geraniums, bunch-berry, prickly rose, bluebells and lupine. Catch them while you can! Look for a summer portrait session bonus to hit your mailboxes early next week.

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Categories Alaska, Kids & Families, My Family, Portraits
Author Mel

Valdez Fly In | Family Adventure

13 May

Last weekend Dave piled the entire family into the airplane and we headed down to Valdez for the annual May Day Fly-In. Knowing how my little boys like to vomit when things get bouncy (and how much I don’t like flying!), I was a bundle of nerves for the entire flight. The weather decided to smile on us though, and we had a smooth and beautiful flight right over the Chugach and into Prince William Sound. On our way there we skirted right past Mount Marcus Baker and these massive and awesome fields of ice and snow.

About an hour after take off, we plopped down on the airstrip in Valdez chocked full of small aircraft with hundreds of little tents parked under their wings. The boys were in heaven (and Dave was too!) We were surrounded by plenty of Dave’s flying buddies and met plenty of aviation enthusiasts who often stopped by to chat about our whacked out paint job (it’s a parrot or an eagle — we are not sure which). Dave’s plane has had plenty of nicknames: The Looney Bird, The Mighty Chickenhawk, The Parrot. On Saturday, however, after a 2nd place showing in the Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) competition for his touring division, it was cleverly renamed The Bird of Prey by a passerby. I think this one is going to stick!

Below are a few photos from our flight over, the competition for Dave’s airplane class and my favorite of the boys running to congratulate him after his win! On the way home, we flew through Portage pass and saw more of the gorgeous and inviting coves and islands of Prince William Sound before being passed on both the left and right by some other fliers on their way back to Anchorage. Dave is already planning for our trip back next year!