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Back by popular demand is Molly’s porch; a beautifully lit spot, perfect for our wonderful Short & Sweet sessions. We have just a few spaces available, so contact Rachel today to book yours and to take advantage of our January special of $50 off of Short & Sweet sessions.
Check out these cuties from our last Short & Sweet at this great location.
Click to continue reading “Molly’s Porch; a great opportunity!”
Take advantage of our CRAZY January special on photography sessions in the Bay Area! We can’t wait to see your sweet children in the new year.
I have a confession: I haven’t always loved maternity photos. I mean, I have seen some gorgeous photos and I have even taken some, but they have never been my “love”. I love babies, newborns and little people. But lately, these amazing bellies have been growing on me. I mean, they are a MIRACLE and just so incredible. This mama is one of my favorite clients and was once named here “My kind of mama!” because she let her baby play in the mud for his photos. 
And just look at her joy in this image. She is so in love with this unseen person; amazing. I am so happy to say that she and her husband have since welcomed a sweet baby daughter into their home.
Today I am working a little, blogging a little and planning to quit early enough to spend time with my four children, maybe play a game, wander out and about to take in the sights and sounds of Christmas in Willow Glen, or maybe make a decoration or two (they ask constantly to do that one). I have missed them over the last few months, when I “go underground” to work work work and get everyone set up with fabulous Christmas gifts. I am sure many of you around the Bay Area have received your awesome Christmas cards in the mail. I cannot wait to send mine!
This sweet couple from the North Bay really made me smile. Look at how he loves her! She was excited and ready but when I went back to photograph her new baby, she looked like a whole new woman. She is so in love with that baby-its simply WONDERFUL. So I am breaking my rule and showing two photos today because you just have to see the before and after for these two (well, three ) And don’t you just LOVE her shirt!?
Today my heart is heavy and my prayers fervent for a classmate and friend of mine who’s baby son died yesterday. He apparently had respiratory distress while flying on a plane with his family. Despite a doctor and a nurse on board’s best efforts, little Carter was lost. He was their first and only child. Please keep Ryan and Heidi in your prayers. Pray that they will find comfort and strength to get through this terrible tragedy.
Times like this always remind me to hug my four blessings. I don’t know why some are blessed with a house full of healthy children and others must go through such terrible tragedy. I feel at once blessed and guilty. Why am I so lucky? Or will my life change in a moment as I have seen happen to others like Ryan and Heidi?
I am grateful that as a photographer I have the joy of capturing images of children and their relationships that will last beyond a tragic event. I am comforted to know that if something were to happen to one of my children or to myself, there will be visual memories of our lives and our love.
This image is from a recent newborn session with a regular client. I have captured this little sweetie’s older brother and I was honored to capture her in her first week. This image just made my heart sing. So adorable and so special. There is nothing greater in this world than a new life. It is the promise of hope and love.
Because I have been so crazy-busy I have neglected to share all the wonderful things I have captured over the last few months and even this year. Today I am committing to post a photo-a-day. I have had so many sessions and clients in the last two months this could take me awhile to get through. But I will share one photo that I found particularly meaningful from my year of photos, sharing as many as I can get to between now and Christmas. Here we go!
This photo is special to me because these are my two middle babies. Almost twins, it feels like sometimes. Well, actually, much to Isaiah’s frustration, people ask them if they are twins all the time. Alayna is tall for her age and Isaiah a little on the short side, so they are almost matching in height. In this shot Alayna is looking over at her big brother with the love and adoration of a little sister. Awww . . . was the sound both Brian and I made when we opened this file. We love you two!
This little brother and sister were just too cute. When we first started out, little man wanted nothing to do with me. I just pulled out my 70-200 2.8 L and took a step back. He was pretty funny; making sure that that I wasn’t photographing him while making sure that I was watching his tricks. He warmed up, though, as you can see. Little sister had no problem at all; she thought it was great to run around outside playing with her bikes and better yet, having me into her playroom to “play”. Ah . . . love my job.
Of course we all love and adore our children. I couldn’t love mine more . . . but sometimes, when the road to parenthood is hard, or a child suffers a hardship, that love becomes so passionate it just radiates from you and cannot be missed by anyone who sees you with your child. This is one of those little loves. She went through a great deal in her early days, but she is a fighter, and her health has improved greatly. Not only is she healthy, but she is also quite bright (maybe even a little tricky with her doting daddy :-). She can turn on the tears and then turn them off again on a whim) and just the sweetest little thing. I promised her mommy a little sneak peek from her most recent session with me. So without further adieu . . .
Well, the country is certainly talking, make that, the world! Yesterday was possibly the biggest day for our country in MY lifetime. We had two minorities in the running for the White House; an African American and a woman. Brian and I took the kids out for dinner to celebrate our right to vote and make our voices heard in this country; what a fantastic and beautiful right! At dinner we talked about how at one time only white land-owning men could vote. How minorities were given the right in the 1800’s, but it took longer to make it safe and easy. How it took even more years before women, represented by half of our household, could have a voice. I almost got teary thinking about how my girls will find it amazing to think that anyone would have denied them that right.
When we got home and snuggled up on the couch to watch the final tallies unfold, our kids asked question after question, wanting to learn about the process and why popular vote does not alway determine the final winner. We talked about some of the props, like a high speed train and hospital and school improvements. And then we watched as our country elected her first African American president.
Now, as a household we didn’t unilaterally support either of the major candidates. In fact, one of us threw our vote behind one of the quiet underdogs; so we weren’t actually rooting strongly for either camp. But the kids and I had watched biographies of both Obama and McCain and Alayna, particularly, was rooting for McCain, as her soft heart was amazed by his incredible service to our country and the hardships he went through as a POW. She got upset, seeing that Obama had won, and crossed her arms in frustration. We watched McCain’s incredible concession speech and talked to our kids about how his speech was a sign of his character and the kind of leader he is. Even the media seemed stunned by the eloquence and grace he displayed; I hoped that Alayna saw that grace and a little might have rubbed off.
Next came Obama’s acceptance speech. He wasn’t my candidate, so I wasn’t stirred simply by the win. But I still felt a stirring of my heart, seeing that our country has taken this big step in my lifetime. I would have felt similar if the other camp had won, making Palin the first woman elected to the White House. We turned to our kids and told them that no matter what the politics of the candidate you wanted to win, this night is historic, one that they will remember for the rest of their lives. I looked down at Lydia, two years old, snuggled up next to me; she will not remember this night. She will simply believe that our country has always been this way. Amazing, isn’t it? Even our kids, seeing this election, have a different view of politics and the world. Isaiah said at one point last night, “Haven’t we had a bunch of girls as Vice President?” Ha! Now isn’t that something??
So today I say, “Thank you, to all the men and women who have fought and many who have died, to protect my right to vote and to be free. And may God bless America!”
