lauren + jordan: engagements {salt lake city wedding photography}.

i felt like it was just about time to add another shoot to the blog,
and i'm shooting lauren and jordan's wedding this next weekend,
so i figured, who better to feature than these two!

lauren and i have been friends for ages. literally.
we grew up together, were best friends in high school, and were even roommates our freshman year at byu!
i just adore her; you won't meet a sweeter girl on this earth.
and i'm so glad she's found her match! from my few interactions with jordan, i can tell that he's as nice as they come.

we spent a few hours shooting around provo on a sunny march morning
and came up with some lovely shots!
though they're gorgeous in color, i decided to keep them in b+w for the post...
there's just something special about love in black and white, you know?

congrats, you two! can't wait for june eighth to come around!

anna gleave photography

{utah engagement and wedding photography}

amistad.

i used to think that i was the kind of person that could be entirely independent, 

the kind of person that didn't need to rely on others.

and while i believe that a certain amount of independence is important, 

i'm realizing more and more how important human connections are. 

i mean, what fun is life if you have no one to share it with?

i'm overwhelmed tonight with the magnitude of the blessings i've been given in my life.

a healthy, loving family.

wonderful friends all over the world.

a religion that makes me who i am. 

a loving father in heaven.

an incredible job that i love.

an education.

food to eat, a warm place to live, clothes to wear.

the many, many experiences i've had.

i really could go on and on. 

but right now, i just want to say thanks to all of my friends.

you've all made an impact on my life.

and i feel like god has placed each of you in my life at a precise moment, 

to help me with something particular that i've needed. 

i have more than four friends... these are the most recent photos i have with friends.

but i do love these four, too!
you guys make me laugh, all of the time.

and thus concludes my sappy post. 

graduated.

the littlest of the gleaves is officially a high school grad 

and a byu cougar.

life just keeps getting crazier. 

we spent the day celebrating little benny's graduation and successes.
he had his ceremony this morning in the coolest venue on earth...
the sun shining
and the denver skyline waking up in the distance,
surrounded by the bluest skies,
the greenest plants,
and those unmistakable red rocks.

the morning epitomized colorado: perfection.

i am so proud of bennett and am continually impressed with the man he's becoming.
ben had many high school successes...
from being a student body officer to an excellent tennis player,
a calculus whiz,
an out-of-this-world dancer,
and a recently-converted actor, bongo-er, and swimmer,
ben did it all.

but what i've even more proud of is the person that he is.
bennett is the nicest person.
he cares deeply about people (and animals),
and he's always willing to lend a hand when he can.

he makes everyone around him feel so loved, comfortable, and at ease.
he is a leader and is full of confidence... the best kind of confidence, that is!
ben is optimistic and worry-free;
he doesn't sweat the small stuff, accepts the challenges he's been given, and simply enjoys his life.

he's also hilarious.
some of my recent favorite quotes of bennett:
"mom, my toes look like little smokies!" (in reference to his swollen toes/very sprained ankle).
"sun's out, guns out!" (as he whipped on a tank top in italy last summer).


bennett is spiritual, smart, and just all-around-talented, too.


anyway, you get the picture.

i love my little brother.

and i absolutely cannot wait for him to come to byu with me and will in the fall!
it has been an exciting day for us gleaves; that's for sure.

the big sky state.

montana is called the big sky state for a reason. 

the skies go on and on and on. 

as did our montanan adventures.

i can't really pinpoint why our trip was just so fun. 

maybe it had something to do with knowing that it was the last time we'd see mallory for a year and a half.

maybe it was the fresh montana air,

the (aforementioned) big sky,

or those feelings of freedom that are intrinsically connected to summer.

but we just ran around the state, 

letting go of our inhibitions and quite frankly, acting like children.

we ate gluten-free burgers,

chased peacocks at the zoo,

drank rootbeers in the car,

and eclipse'd in yellowstone.

post script: the end makes no sense to anyone but us.... this video is a bit riddled with inside jokes. my apologies.

post, post script: the poor video quality (on occasion) is due to shooting inside a car, or while laughing hysterically. sorry i'm not sorry.

post, post, post script: thanks to cassandra sarmiento for shooting some of the footage! for once, i'm actually in the video!

the burger dive.

while in montana,

mallory's sweet mom treated us to lunch. 

we went to the burger dive in downtown billings,

and maaan, was it good.

really though, i've never had a gluten-free bun on a hamburger, 

much less a bun that tasted so... real. 

it was literally the best burger i have had in a reaaaallly long time. 

i had the jerk burger, complete with pepper jack cheese and jerk barbecue sauce,

while the rest of the crew devoured burgers and fries of all forms (sweet potato, garlic, etc.)

with the combination of live music (death cab, violent femmes, queen, etc.),

good food, 

and lots of laughter, 

we were utterly content. 

sorry for my lack of photos... i was shooting more video this trip (crazy!, i know),

so this won't be the last you see of the burger dive.

if you're ever in billings, 

check it out.

i dare you.

montana.

i've taken a road trip with some friends  up to the big sky country for the weekend.

and after a few days of adventure,

delicious meals, 

and sights like this,

i'm not ready to leave tomorrow. 

it finally feels like summer to me.

west yellowstone, ® anna gleave photography 2012.

barca.

in my spanish lit class,

we've been reading novel after novel after novel set in barcelona. 

and it really makes me miss all of this...

exploring gaudi's houses,

perusing las ramblas, 

gawking at la sagrada familia,

metro-ing to the beach,

shopping in the gothic quarter, 

attempting to translate all of the catalan, 

and just enjoying just how cool barcelona really is.

there is nothing like the barca vibes,
the architecture,
and the art.

it's really a unique place. i'm loving reading allll about it in my classes.
and i can't wait to go back someday.

p.s. big thanks to michael curry for the photos of me... proof that i was there!
p.p.s. i am aware that i look like a crazy person in said photos, but i had a massive sinus infection at this point in my spain life, and it was somewhat miraculous that i was awake and mobile. 

a happy monday.

i wasn't lying when i told you that my life consists of the same few things, day after day.

but i didn't happen to mention how awesome it can be!

take today for instance.

i enjoyed the eighty-something degree weather as i studied for my physiology midterm.

i did really quite well on said midterm.

i did a partner project with the quarterback of the football team in class... it's fine.

i played badminton and bocce ball on the lawn for fhe. 

i had an epiphany of sorts and think i finally decided on a topic for my spanish term paper.

i had a nice catch-up phone sesh with my dad on the way home from class.

annnd i squeaked out a solid work out, after not wanting to even step foot in the gym tonight.

life is good. 

even in stressful times,

life is good.

día de las madres.

so i know i've been virtually non-existant around these parts as of late 

(i have good excuses; i promise),

but the whole premise of blog-ownership merits a few mushy posts now and then, right?

so i just want to take a few minutes and talk about this amazing woman:

i feel so, so lucky to have such a wonderful mother,

a mother that i get along so well with.

a mother who sacrifices so much for her family,

who is an example of strength and perseverance,

and who helps me be a better person.

i am grateful every day for her influence in my life.

i honestly do not know how i'd live without her advice and support, 

and i do know that i would be awfully lonely without her friendship.

she has supported me through a whirlwind past few years:

through the hardships of multiple chronic illnesses,

to the emotional stresses of college life, 

to the happy moments of success.

i love how hardworking and caring she is,

and how she makes conscious, consistent efforts to better herself.

i really look up to my mom and am so sad i can't be with her today.

but i thought i'd share some of her all-time favorite photos, to make up for it!

every time we go on a trip, 

bennett and i take a goofy photo or two (which honestly, are always quite embarrassing),

and my mom always falls in love with one.

so i give you, mom, a compilation of some of your favorite photos from across the globe...

edinburgh, scotland 2007 (we look like such babies!).

füssen, germany 2009 (scary faces, slightly alarming...).

arenal, costa rica 2010 (on a rainforest hike with an apple banana!).

lake como, italy 2011 (italian watermelon after a swim...).

no matter where in the world we are, madre, we love you!

thanks for all that you do.