Port Huron, MI Winter Maternity Photoshoot

Dramatic Red Dress Outdoor Couple Maternity Shoot

   There are 2 ways you should show up for a portrait session-
1- As you are. But RAW. Don’t hide any part of yourself, be ready to release your true , natural self.
2- As a new side of yourself you’ve never seen before, experience yourself in a new way.
   For Syme and Ryan’s Maternity Shoot they opted for number 2. When we first talked on the phone Syme told me she wanted to go all out for her Maternity shoot so she was breaking loose and doing everything she would never do for this moment in her life. She hates winter, she’s not one for dressing up... so of course she opted for a Winter shoot, in the snow, and she was even going to wear a floral crown. 
   Fun fact about the first time Syme and Ryan met- Syme was wearing sweatpants and a Tupac shirt. My day was made when I heard that, as she’s standing in front of me, polar opposite, looking like an Iceland Snow Mermaid in this red dress that fits her perfectly and also screams a lil Jessica Rabbit! She’s this little thing with a beautiful, bold personality to make up for her short height. Ryan is more quiet and sweet, but the way he looks at her and the way she smiles at him lets you know- these two are the real deal.
   Our first meeting was hilarious, talking about how magical their shoot was going to be that all the forest animals would probably run out of their dens to circle around her like this woodland Goddess, which, yes, she’s not that big into nature, but if that happened, she said she wouldn’t complain. We got a bit carried away.
   So, of course, the day of their shoot the snow melted. In a panic my creative brain kicked in and I knew I just needed something to mimic that whimsy feel. I found a hard pile of plowed snow in the corner of a parking lot and that’s what we used to create our magical snow mermaid shots. Sometimes you just have to trust the photographer’s vision.
   They went from spinning and dancing in the pine trees, to elegantly swaying with the wind on the icy beach shores, to lastly cuddling up on top of a snow pile.
   It was effortlessly stunning, it was true, it was love, and it was just in time bc that itty bitty, sweat pea of a baby came earlier than expected, less than a week after this!

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Check out of Full Maternity & Couples Gallery!

For another stunning outdoor maternity shoot check out Claudia's Session!

Their are so many ways to flaunt that baby bump.. check out Larisha's Boudoir Maternity Session!

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Port Huron Photographer captures Senior quiet yet dramatic side

Guy Senior Photoshoot on the
shores of Lexington and in the forest of Port Huron

Marysville Senior Photographer

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   There was a time when I considered not photographing Senior guys anymore, just focusing on the girl Seniors. Girls always seemed more excited and more involved when it came to their shoot. I wanted to create images for people who appreciated them, and guys always said they never cared. That was until a few years ago when I photographed a Senior guy with the same old story- who’s mom had called and told me her son didn’t care at all about getting his portraits taken, but it was important to her.
   Like any shoot I ever do, it’s my main priority, I’m there to create something memorable and impacting for not only those being photographed but those viewing the photos too. And that’s what I did with that shoot, for mom, and for him, regardless of what he told me. I also made sure to really take into consideration this Senior’s style, what he was into, who he was, and how he envisioned these, even though he sad he didn’t care.
   After seeing his portraits for the first time it was really obvious that wasn’t true. He was so proud of himself and loved each and every image. He just kept commenting on how good he looked and how great the shoot was. That’s when I realized- guys can say and act however they want about this whole process, but just like girls, just like anyone, they want to feel good about themselves, they want to show off what they’ve worked really hard for, and they want to be celebrated in their last year of high school!

     Thank god I didn’t stop photographing guy Seniors, because if I had, I would have missed out on the opportunity to photograph this handsome guy! Dylan never expressed to us that he didn't care about his shoot, he was the total opposite, he would smile and agree to almost anything. His mom and sister were also a huge part of the shoot, which was so cute to watch them all together
   Dylan is the true definition of a charming guy. He’s a little quiet, he’s got the cutest little smirk, and I think he might even have the tiniest of southern accents some how. His outfits stayed true to his style- chic and simple, but not in a bad way. Some guys just don’t need all of that. He loves the outdoors so we hit up every look we could- woods, water, city, country back roads with an abandoned house. His smile photographed great, but when he rocked that serious face I’m sure young girls hearts were and are still melting.

   I’m glad I never trusted those other guys when they said they didn’t care about their Senior Portraits. We’ll continue to photograph guys here just to prove them all wrong- that we can and we will make you swoon over your own pictures and be damn proud of yourself when you’re done with your shoot with us. Because whether these guys like it or not, we all need a reminder of all that we have to offer, and portraits are a powerful way of visually expressing that.

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Check out our full Senior Gallery!

If you like this abandoned building look check out Nik's Senior Session!

For more senior style check out Troy's Senior Session!

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My Animal Instincts.

Empowerment Project. Self expression

The serpent came up and whispered softly in my ear,
"Have you heard? They're out to control you, my dear."

No fruit sweet enough to make me give in,
So right then and there I created my own sin.
And they looked down and shuttered at the thought.
"This freedom, these animals! What will we do with this lot?"

Burn us, cage us, hell, even fucking hope rape us.
Bruises, cuts, thorns, lashes.
We don't need your hope when we have our passions.

They threw me off the boat, told me it was time to swim.
Oh, but what you don't know, is I know how to control the wind.
I can block out the storm or create my own.
Flood this land, but my heart is my home.

I feel my heart race under my breast, under it's cage.
I feel my teeth grind over where my tongue has been laid.
Kick my bare feet, grip with my hands
That urge to become your human I'll never understand.

I am a warrior, I am a wild animal.
I was born naked, I was born to fight battles.

Paint my body black with the soot of your damned.
I see you meant now they were the ones who could stand
on their own two feet,
up for what they believe.
The damned were those who were not shaped ever so easily.

But me, I wear this snake as a necklace.
Me, I'm not afraid to eat your sinful fruit for breakfast.

I apply my war paint with just one finger.
I ask you watch it carefully, as it's a signal

I don't fear your opinion of me.  
Now call in your troops, I think you're going to need a bigger army.

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I use Photography as a way to express myself and work through inner struggles. It's a way for me to process and let go of situations and emotions. I also hope they inspire others to let go and tell their own story in a powerful and artistic way.
To see other collections check out my full Self Portrait Gallery!

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a spark amongst the wreckage

Visiting the aftermath of the
Great Smoky Mountains wild fires

Among the charred forest in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Among the charred wood and black mountains, a spark lives, and it has nothing to do with fire.
It's an open flame, but it's built of hope instead of heat.

This is my experience in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park 4 months after the Forest Fire of 2016 hit.

Concept, styling, photographic direction, and editing done by Autumn Carufel (AJBC Photography.) Images shot by my husband- Jake Carufel.

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A deeper look

I remember standing on the top of Chimney Tops after scrambling to the summit. The whole hike was uphill. I was tired, pissy, and in awe of what I had just done. It was 2007 and my husband and I had been married for less than 2 months before he had convinced me to do a 4 mile, strenuous hike in The Great Smoky Mountains.

What he didn't tell me was we would reach the half way point, the tiny top, at sunset. I know what you're thinking- how romantic, being at the top of a mountain while the sun slowly sinks below the horizon. But what you need to think about, and what my husband should have thought about, was what happens after sunset. Well. Let me tell you- it gets dark. Really dark.

We then had to hike 2 miles, down hill, toes smashing the front of our boots the whole way down,  in the dark. With one headlamp. And bears. And no water.

And then. I twisted my ankle. And then I twisted it again. And again. And Jake told me I had to stop crying because he couldn't carry me down the mountain so I put my game face on and made it down.

The next day we went back to the look out area where you could see where we had hiked, and that's when I instantly I fell in love with hiking- the battle, the pain, and the feeling of conquering something larger than myself, something not everyone has done, seeing things some will only see in photos.

We've been back to the mountains every year since then. We've hiked to many peaks, fished a lot of rivers, and have made a deep connection to the area

After the forest fires hit we wanted to go back, not to be nosey, but to see the place on Earth we loved so much in it's current situation, as it sat, as a part of history.

In 2017, ten years later, Chimney Tops is now charred, crumbling, and closed. It's black, sad, and dead. I don't know if anyone will know the feeling of standing on the top of that peak ever again. All because 2 kids with matches decided to play with fire.

Looking at it honestly felt like someone had hurt someone I loved, and took away all their beloved memories of us, and left me with this skeleton. The very first place where my husband and I, my best friend, had started our path of adventure, bad ideas, and passion for the outdoors together was no longer.

But. The mountains refuse to give up. At first glance, pulling into the park everything looked amazingly alive. It was plush, green. Then we realized, the green was filling in where everything had burnt. Nature was taking it back again. And it looked more beautiful then ever. That just proves to you- Nature will always win, so be nice to it.

These are just a couple of photos taken with my phone of the homes affected by the fires, and this doesn't even begin to tell of the whole story, all the damage, and the sadness that has covered the area for the time being.

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Something to consider- becoming Friends of the Smokies.

The Great Smoky Mountains is a National park with FREE entry. They live off of purchases made at the park and donations. We've been members of the park for over 5 years now, maybe longer,  and I hope to continue to do it every year so it's still around for future generations to enjoy. The joy, the stories, the adventure, the calm that the park has brought us is something I will be forever grateful for.

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Check out my full Self Portrait Gallery!

If you like the outdoor feel, check out Elores Photoshoot on Lake Huron!

Check out Hannah's Session where we started our own fire to create a powerful shoot!