One of the biggest blessings of my job is being a part of a new family. What a privilege to be there in those first days or weeks of a new family’s life. This lovely family was no exception. It was heartwarming to see the love they have for each other and for their new little love. There are few times in life as precious as this!
This beautiful little pair of feet is a sweet new life in San Jose, CA I captured back in December. Just had to share them because they make me want another!!
Anna Mayer is a professional child and baby photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area. She conducts photo sessions in the Los Gatos, San Jose, Willow Glen, Atherton, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Campbell, Saratoga, Silicon Valley and other bay area cities. Her design studio is located in Los Gatos, California. Her unmistakable, fun and happy style reflects the joys and delights of family life.
Like most of you, we are looking forward to what a wonderful 2010 has to offer. Speaking of offers . . . we’d like to make you one!
Since we know that all of you made a New Year’s resolution to get your friends to use Images by Anna, we wanted to make it a little, well, a LOT, more rewarding. I know, seeing your friends’ kids being captured by Anna is reward enough for most, but we’re going to kick in a little extra anyway!
For each referral that books a custom session you are going to get a BIGGER than usual return.
Your friend books a session for a date:
-Between February 5-7 receive a $150 referral credit & your friend will receive a $150 discount! Crazy, right?
-Between March 24-28 $100 each,
-Between April 20-24 $75 each
-Between June 3-6 $50 each.
And it just got even sweeter:
If you book YOUR session in the same month as your friend, you both receive a set of 25 adorable note cards featuring your favorite image!
Note: In order to earn your referral credit your friend MUST give us your name at the time of booking. The only restriction on the bonus referral credit is that you will need to use it in 2010.
Contact Brian or call 408.221.4570 to get booked!
A Special offering in partnership with Willow Glen’s adorable Baby Buzz. click here to snap one up!
Oak Meadow Park: February 6: 4:30, 4:50, 5:10 (Half Off, only $100!)
Molly’s Porch: March 26: 8:20, 8:40, 9:00 am
Capitola Beach: April 24: 6:30, 6:50, 7:10, 7:30 pm
Crissy Field: June 5: 7:00, 7:20, 7:40, 8:00 pm
If you have done Short & Sweet Sessions in that past, and plan on booking one in the near future, be sure to visit the Short & Sweet page of annamayer.com to review some of the changes to the program.
I’m sure many of you received one of the latest and greatest cameras this year, and now you’re thinking . . . cool! Now . . . how do I use this thing? Digital cameras are getting easier to use all the time, but here a few tips to get the most out of your camera.
My life: Have you ever heard the phrase “If you want something done, ask a busy woman to do it.”? Well, it is true . . . usually. I have a gift, though, of asking myself to do things, crazy things, when I am the most busy. Things like posting every day for a month in the middle of my busiest time of year!! Hello . . . So I have gotten just a bit behind and now I must pick up the ball. I am going to modify my commitment just a bit. I will do my best to post every OTHER day, for the rest of the year. I think I can do that . . . we shall see.
Your images: Up there in my favorite client hall of fame . . . This family is so much fun! Every session with them ends with a gallery of life-infused images that just shout out to you from the walls. Next time I am in San Jose (that’s next week already!!) I need to get over to their house and take a photo of their amazing wall display for you. They have two years worth of fantastic sessions gracing an entire wall in their home. It is spectacular!!
My Life: Ugh, life can sure get busy in this culture. It seems that there is ALWAYS too much to do, too much to be and too many places to go. I cannot remember the last time I felt like I was “done” with everything I am supposed to do. Do you EVER get done? Our crazy-paced lives can really take a toll on family life. There is one solution I’ve found to fight back and to give our family a sense of belonging and identity that we all crave. It was a subtle change that had an enormous impact on our family and it is VERY simple; sit around the dinner table, as a family, for at least 45 minutes (our typical is an hour to hour and 15 minutes). If this sounds daunting, start small. If you normally only sit down for 15 minutes, stretch it to 25. If you spend 30 minutes, try 40. When we first started this ritual our children were naturally uncomfortable. They squirmed, they wiggled, they whined a little. I was shocked to discover how fast we had been eating and running off to our various activities. Over time, it became a habit, and one I will always cherish. Someday, maybe my kids will remember, and cherish it too. (If you ask them now, they may not agree!)
What can you do to fill this time? Well, I can tell you how we do it. First, everyone has a turn sharing their high and low for the day. Even though the kids all struggle now and then to listen and respect their siblings when its their turn, they are learning. And you can just see how good it makes them feel to have their turn to be in the spotlight. Who doesn’t like to be heard? This can take us as much as 30 minutes, depending on how many stories get thrown into it. Then, we all just sort of lean back in our chairs and visit. Its fantastic.
Kids visiting our home for the first time remind me how unusual this ritual is. They will often jump up, after just a few minutes, ready to run off to the next activity. But over time kids who know our family and who eat with us regularly come to love this ritual and wait with anticipation to share their “highs and lows” for the day. How cool is that?
Here is a video of Isaiah’s friends in California, at our dinner table one night. This was a reenactment, as you can tell by the over zealous acting, LOL, but it had just unfolded in pretty much the same way. It warmed my heart.
Photo Goodness: I had the privilege of photographing my sister and her beautiful family in September at the lake. If you’d have been there, you would not believe how great these turned out. Mr. Noah did everything he could be put an end to this photos stuff. Somehow, though, we pulled it off. Aren’t they a beautiful family?
You can see them all here: The Tonnesons
Okay, I just gotta’ say, I LOVE being a kid & family photographer. I love it! I won’t kid you when I say that there are times when I am tired, or overwhelmed, or that I don’t miss miss miss my family when I am in California shooting. But there are so many moments when my heart just swells with happiness; seeing my favorite clients year after year as they grow and change and come to be my friends, doing something new and fresh with an adventurous client and then opening the file when I get back in my office and my heart skipping a beat with the thrill of it, hearing my clients tell me just how precious their images are to them as the years go by, having a client who loves my work so much that she saves for several years so she can hire me AND have every image she loves on display in her home, and just knowing that what I do brings happiness into so many lives. Can you TELL, I love my job???
This shot is one of those that was born of a great idea, fun fun fun clients who let me “do my thing” and this image is one of those that gives my heart a flutter when I open it on my computer and see that my vision is a reality. Doncha’ just love it? Mind you, Dad and I just about tossed our cookies, ha ha! But it was worth it.
Milwaukee’s proximity to Lake Michigan was one of the reasons my husband, Brian, and I chose to relocate our family here from San Jose, CA. I have many fond memories from my childhood of hours and hours by Lake Superior’s shores in northern Wisconsin. Countless more hours were spent sailing around Bayfield, Wisconsin’s Apostle Islands in my dad’s boat. In our early years of engagement and marriage, Brian and I spent as much time as we could each summer up in Bayfield, enjoying the unique beauty and freshness of the biggest of the Great Lakes’ wonders, so Lake Michigan’s beaches and shoreline feel like home to us. Our new house is just three quick miles from this beautiful Lake Michigan beach. We feel so blessed to be able to visit this natural marvel with our children; skipping rocks, building castles or taking a cool dip on a hot summer day. Even more of a blessing; our children love it as much as we do. 
Want even more photo fun from Anna? Check out our Facebook page and become a fan!
Good things come to those who wait!
I am one of the world’s luckiest women. Seriously. Ten years and one month ago I married a man who, I now realize, I hardley knew. We met on December 31st, 1997 and we married December, 31st, 1998. I was only 22 years old! I do believe that God had a hand in it all. We could have discovered, as we grew to know one another, that we were crazy to marry so young and so fast (well, I think our parents might think so, no matter what). Instead, we have discovered that we are perfectly suited for one another. I cannot imagine a better friend and companion. (This crazy, “let’s just do it” attitude has become our family mantra, actually)
As we celebrated ten years of marriage last month, I couldn’t help but dream of the years to come. It seems that with each anniversary I love him more than the last. When it seems impossible to grow closer or more content, I do. I can’t wait to see where we will be in another ten years!
Thank you, Brian, for sharing life with me, for loving me completely, and for being my best friend. I love you.
