Our life and stuff

2011 Photo Shoot

 

A few days ago I did a photo shoot for Melissa's 2011 Holiday Cards. When I got there to take her families pictures she brought along a few people. Like, 4 more families.

Hmmm 17 people - OK I can do this.

We breezed through it pretty quickly and then it was home to have fun on the computer. That is until I remembered that I'm starting from scratch!

 

Fonts, elements, backgrounds, layouts, templates - all gone from when my harddrive crashed a few months ago. I cried again over that damn thing but I couldn't wallow forever.   I needed to power through it.

It took FOREVER but I finally presented them with a few samples of their Holiday Cards to choose from. They turned out pretty cute...

 

 

 

- Family Collage 2011 -

 

 

Fun with Photos

 

I found this cool site called Shape Collage

I decided to try it out. 

I opened a folder of pics - happened to be Luke's football.

I typed out COBRA for (Tustin Cobra Football) and got this...

 

 

It's free - Shape Collage

Have Fun!!

 

New Kid Pics

 

This week we bundeled up and headed to the Canyon for some updated KID pictures.

There is a new little person in our pictures this time...

 

 

[ She is a fun addition ]

 

We started with a meltdown... what's new.

Sydney was NOT happy with anything - the outfit, her bow, her undershirt, not allowed to hold the baby, the mud - basically everything.  

I ignored it and took a few quick pictures of the group without her...

(look, no Syd)

 

 

 

She eventually came around and jumped in the group picture. 

She only ruined about 10 frames with her sad sour face...  ugh, girls.

No shortage of drama.  

 

 
  

 

 Crazy to think what the next 10 years will bring with these three...

 

 

We walked about 15 minutes into the trail.

Took a few shots along the way.

We jumped and squealed when we heard movement in the twigs.

The kids argued over who got to hold Brooklyn.

Good times...

 

 

  

 

 

As much as we plan for (and secretly dread) our photo sessions...

It is worth it-

 

   

They are so stinkin' cute. 

 

 

the next best thing

     *our view from the hotel room

I have shared my love and adoration for Ms. Carrie Sandoval right here

I swear the stars aligned when I jumped over to her blog and noticed the Model Casting Call just days before my sister was going to deliver.  I wasted no time (as in I didn't even tell my sister) and emailed Ms. Carrie. 

The timing could not have been more perfect.  The shoot was scheduled and a space was reserved for 7 day old Brooklyn :)

We hit the road early in the morning and made the drive down to San Diego - just the girls (Me, Melanie, Sydney & Brooklyn).  It's a little confusing Downtown with all those one way streets down there but we made it!  We were greeted by Jen and her big beautiful smile.  We got into the elevator and went WAY UP...

The room was warm and full of sooo many cameras.  Hugs and hello to Carrie and she was off to work.  We hung back in the bedroom and took in all of the view (see above).

Brooklyn was such a good girl.  They had her out in the front room taking pictures for over an hour.  It was SO quiet you couldn't help but be curious.  Finally, Melanie asked me to take a peek out and see how things were going.

I tip-toed around the corner with my phone to snap a pic to share with Mel:

  

[ Busy talented women at work ]

 

The results are incredible - of course!  You can take a look here (Brooklyn is the first one). 

Side Note:  Jen (our greeter) hung out with us for quite a while.  She too is a photographer, go figure.  She snapped a few pictures of Sydney as we goofed off in the back room.  To my surprise a few shots of my little beauty were posted on her site... Jen Wright Photography LOVE these

It was a fun girls trip.  But Brooklyn wouldn't know, she slept the whole way there and back...
   

Taking the good with the bad

Today I took pictures for a family...

* There was a cute monkey party. (good)

It was outside and it was terribly windy, knocking over anything cute. (bad)

* Guests arrived and hugged and ate on tons of yummy food. (good) 

There was an awkward moment when I asked 'Mom' to pose with 'Dad' and the baby.

'Um, we're separated.' (very bad)

 

* There was a stuffed pinata for the kids to enjoy. (good)

The baby/guest of honor was tired and sleepy all day and could have cared less. (sad)

 

Then there was this guy:

He was incredibly talented, he made amazing balloon art - notice the monkey in the banana tree.   

The kids thought he was the bomb. (GOOD ++)

 

Then as he walked away I saw a tacky 'tip' button pinned on to his shirt holding a five dollar bill. (bad)

   

More of Ava

 

 

We planned a date for more pictures - with this big girl.

She's ONE already...

 

 

She is one tough little peanut.  

We had to retouch her black eye.

 

 

(and her big brother - he likes me now)

 

 

He was even jumping in front of the camera.

But next time- it will be his turn and he will probably want nothing to do with me.  
  

 

Go Big

When most people order BIG pictures they think of the standard -

5x7

or gasp, even

an 8x10

I will suggest big(ger) ones because they look awesome.  I think people are kind of scared it will be too much.  You have to look at it more like a piece of art. 

((And when it's something cute like your babies face - it's even sweeter.)) 

So I order her up a batch of 5x7's for each of the families as requested.  A few days later she calls back and has decided to try ONE family enlargement.  (It was delivered today ~ I can't wait to give it to her!) 

I will consider this her FIRST enlargement. 

Because I'm sure, she will be hooked.

 

It's funny how they dwarf that baby 5x7 ~ and this isn't even a really BIG one

 

this is a test...

Holy Moly - it worked!!!

and it's awesome.

First, I took a picture

in automatic...

Then, I set the camera to Live Mode

and pushed the SET button

[ the little RED record button appeared ]

Suddenly - it was movie time... 

[ Luke was bewildered by my: retarded expression -followed by 'oh my god, oh my god, that was sooooo easy' ]

 

From pancakes to portraits

 

HOLD ON

Allow me to start from the beginning.

So, we are all eating breakfast at the (Original) Original Pancake House in Anaheim.  We all eat too much and I drank one too many cups of coffee. 

As we are leaving I find myself with a car full of children... how did this happen?

 

They are giggling and silly as we drive home. 

RIGHT THEN  - I knew I had to take pictures of them - ALL TOGETHER

(passing up cute shopping spots to take pictures)
 

I'm pretty sure this is not the playdate they planned over their pancakes.  It probably included the trampoline, tearing up Sydney's room and running in circles through the kitchen. 

Instantly as we walk in the door I plug in the curling iron and start dressing children, rummaging thru my children's closets.  They were all ready in 15 minutes, I was a maniac. 

We just drove down the street.  

I let them out with simple instructions...  DON'T RUN AWAY

 

[they were pretty cute]

 

 
 
 

 [ Jake said :  'look, take a picture of me holding this big orange' ]

 

 

I did stop to reward them half way through with a kids cocoa...

just don't tell them - they think we are ALL DONE

'Hooray the photoshoot is over' (silly, silly kids)

 

 

 
  

 

  

I think they actually had FUN

 ... but they will never admit it.

 {Cousins Dec2009}

Adjusting to change

 

In the Spring: the air is crisp, the days are short and we all crave  a little sun! 

For the Talavera family, their warmth came in the form of SON-shine.  No doubt their days have been brightened since...

   

 

Honestly, she wasn't thrilled at me for taking these pictures... 'but I look terrible'.

In my opinion:  even though you feel awful and think you look even worse - there is never a time when a woman is more beautiful. 

 

These types of pictures take you right back, I have some like this too.  I promise you won't notice smeared make-up, puffy eyes and matted hair.

 

YOU REMEMBER- how you felt.  The moment you'd been anticipating and dreaming about is finally here.  It's as if your heart (your everything) is resting in the palm of your hands...

 

 

YOU REMEMBER- how they smelled and those little noises they made as they nuzzle into your chest.  You remember their silky hair, how they pursed their little lips and scrunched up their tiny nose. 

 

Babies.

They grow too fast.

 

 

As we welcome Fall:  we see the leaves change, start to bundle up and begin our plans to gather with family and loved ones.

Following the birth of your new baby you become a family.  We adjust with the seasons as they grow and change right before our eyes.  

  

I was hired to capture some recent photos and forever preserve his little baby face. 

It was my pleasure: 

 

  

 
 
 

He is seriously the center of their attention...

 

 

When I first saw them in the hospital it was adorably obvious of their focus ~ all eyes on the baby.

And a few months later...

 

Some things never change ~