Erin Noel Designs

Valentine: Kissing Booth

2012-02-10T18:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I have had this idea brewing in my head for awhile, but since I have two girls I was needing a "boy" customer! So I borrowed my friend's little guy, Blake, who is just as cute as can be! I had tons more hearts and heart doilies to hang from the tree, but we were in a rush and the branch was too high without a ladder and the wind was blowing the few I had already hung. My friend, Stephanie, came along with her girls to help me out. These photoshoots with props are hard for me to do on my own (especially since I'm pregnant!)
Here is our "kissing booth" Valentine's shoot! Enjoy!

Rogers Family: Maternity

2012-02-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a look at one gorgeous family! They are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their third child, a baby girl! Considering how cute their two other children are, I'm excited to see their third! Here's is their sneak peek! (Don't hate Stacy because she's so beautiful!!! We can't all look that good pregnant!)

Gwyneth: 9 months

2012-02-07T10:59:00.001-08:00

Do you remember this sweet baby girl from last May? Well, she's 9 months now and still oh so cute! I have loved having her come in every few months and being able to watch her grow!

Is this not the most adorable cloth diaper ever? Tracy started sewing more after Gwyneth was born and now has her own little business making baby items! She loves cloth diapering and makes tons of really, really cute ones!

Almost 5 Months!

2012-02-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm almost 5 months pregnant! As much as I don't like taking pictures of myself, I wanted to capture this time in my life. Seeing as it's a little difficult to take self portraits along with 2 little ones, I was surprised I got them both to cooperate while I used a remote to take our picture. I snapped this right before we left for church today! We are so excited to meet this bundle of joy! We find out on Valentine's Day what we are having and my girls are hoping for a little brother. Honestly, my husband and I don't care what gender the baby is but I think we are both a little nervous about boys because we haven't done that yet.
As far as photography, I plan on continuing to take portaits til the beginning to mid June and then I will be on maternity leave for the summer! I might be able to take on a photoshoot or two that is in my studio during the latter part of the summer. However, if this baby is also born with FPIES syndrome like my girls were then I might need a little more time off as we figure out the baby's specific dietary needs and health and work through the colic if needed. I'm crossing my fingers that the third times a charm but honestly, since it's genetic there is a high chance of it happening again and I'm a little anxious about it.
So, don't put off portraits if you're planning on having me take them this year! I will also be offering some family mini sessions most likely in March, date to be determined. I may also do a mini session for kids later in the spring with a lemonade stand or tea party set up, your choice! I'll give you dates as it gets closer! Thanks!

Mason: Newborn Photographer

2012-02-02T07:25:00.000-08:00

Meet the handsome Mason! He was born at over 9 lbs, but he still seemed so tiny to me! You forget how small newborns are over time, both of my girls were 6 pounders, so I was even more surprised to think how small Mason seemed! He is a gorgeous little guy! He also has the cutest big sister who came along for photos and had a great time playing with my daughter during the photoshoot!

He must be having some happy dreams!

Jayden the proud big sister!

Wearing daddy's tie!

Daddy's a golfer!

I seriously LOVE his cute little lips here!!! Makes me excited for my baby to come this summer!

Thank you so much to the Stokes family for trusting me to capture their beautiful newborn!!!

Natalie and Loren: Senior Photographer

2012-01-28T22:37:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to have the opportunity to shoot some senior pictures this last week. Loren and Natalie have both been great big helpers to me. Natalie often watches my girls during photoshoots and Loren has been designing my new website! I wanted to thank them with a senior photoshoot. They are also dating, so we did their session together and we had lots of fun roaming around Midtown!

Matt and Sara Wedding

2012-01-20T20:08:00.000-08:00

My brother and his beautiful bride were married on December 28th in the Los Angeles Temple. My girls and I were able to go and join my family. We had so much fun! The wedding and reception were absolutely beatiful! I wasn't able to get a ton of pictures since I had my girls (and I wasn't the photographer, so it was nice not to have the pressure). Anyway, here are a few pictures I was able to get as I tried to stay out of the way of the photographer and her assistants! We are so excited that they got married!!! Welcome to the family Sara!

Bouck Kids

2012-01-17T21:21:00.000-08:00

These adorable kids belong to my friend! I have owed her a mini session for quite a while and since the weather was so nice we met at the park for some quick pictures of her kids!
Drew is not a fan of the camera...in fact, he did his best to ignore me! I was grateful we finally got a smile out of the guy! He sure is a cutie!

The girls were the easiest little kids to photograph! Perfect little posers! Love them!

Mark and Nicki: High School Seniors

2012-01-10T10:05:00.001-08:00

This is a large sneak peek because I had 2 cute seniors to photograph! Mark's mom contacted me a few weeks ago because her son and his girlfriend were going to be in town from a school break! These two go to school in Colorado!!! It was so fun to meet them! When asking what their interests were, I was told they were mostly just interested in each other! :) How cute is that?
(for some reason, I can't move the pictures around again without it deleting them! So, you get them in a random order!) Here are Mark and Nicki!

The Miller Family

2012-01-09T10:55:00.000-08:00

The Miller family are dear friends of ours. We met down at the Charles C. Jensen Botanical Gardens for the New Year and froze while we took pictures!! They were very patient with the cold weather!!!

The Rivers Family: Family Photographer

2012-01-04T10:25:00.001-08:00

If you noticed, I took a month off to focus on my family and get caught up on all my orders in time for Christmas!!! But, I'm back! And with plenty to share! First, this is the beautiful Rivers Family! We met down and Negro Bar and had a great time! Their family is beautiful and so much fun! Here is your sneak peek!!

The Rothe Family

2011-12-05T06:46:00.000-08:00

I had forgotten to post this, it was saved as a draft for a month and a half now!! This is my sister and her cute family! We took a few minutes on Thanksgiving morning to take some pictures in the orchard next to my parent's house! The next day there was a lot of wind and all of the leaves were blown out of the trees!

Lucas Galenti: Newborn Photographer

2011-12-03T14:36:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is the 3rd baby Lucas I have had in a row this year! Cuteness must be attached to the name, because all 3 of these boys have been adorable! This Lucas is no exception! He was wide awake for the first half of our photoshoot and was just so calm and good! (Not like my babies at all!!! :) His parents were so excited to bring him into the world! Daddy was a good sport too because Lucas pooped all over his hands after this first shot shown and Daddy was very calm about it! :)

I was zooming in for a close up and he just happened to smile right then! What a cute little guy!

Seriously, a little flirt for the camera!

Photoshoots are exhausting!!!

Thorup Family

2011-12-02T06:36:00.000-08:00

This is the beautiful Thorup Family! Christina was my room mate in college many years ago! It was so fun to see her and her cute little kids that look just like her!

Christina also has fabulous taste in clothes! The girls are wearing Matilda Jane clothes (love them) and I think their little guy is wearing Jack and Janie.

(Every time I tried to move the pics they get erased, so sorry about the order of the pictures! I usually put the family pictures first!)

Patricia Anton Wedding Part 1

2011-11-29T12:29:00.000-08:00

This was such a fun couple!!! We had a great time taking pictures at the temple and they are so goofy and fun! I felt at home! Here is a sneak peek at Part 1 of their wedding pictures. So many more to come as well as several other photoshoots.
November is a CRAZY month for me...when I usually only take 1-2 photoshoots a week, I was averaging 10 or more a week in November! I'm grateful things will slow down a little...and my little girls are excited to have mommy working just a little less and playing a little more!
Patricia and Anton...you two are the cutest and I hope you are just loving life together as a newly married couple!

Gift Certificates!

2011-11-29T10:17:00.000-08:00

Are you still trying to find out what to give to a friend or family member this holiday season? I have gift certificates that would make the perfect gift. You can put any amount and the receiver can use the certificate towards prints, or a session fee! These also make great group gifts at a baby shower!
So, whether someone has already had a photo shoot and you are dying to get prints, or you know someone who wants a photoshoot but can't afford one...this is the gift for you or from you!

Amy and Brandon: Maternity

2011-11-24T21:06:00.000-08:00

This happy couple is so excited to meet their little guy! We had a great time in Old Sacramento! Their moms also came to support them!

The Beach Family

2011-11-22T15:54:00.000-08:00

Here is the beautiful Beach family. They scheduled far in advance and the day of the photoshoot we were expecting rain!!! Again!!! During my busiest month, we have had rain looming every weekend! So, we decided to brave it and just try since they had already gotten ready, and I had a sitter! We were lucky, just enough time to get their pictures done before the rain started!!! Olivia had just woken up and was soooo smiley so that was perfect!!!

The Dolberg Family

2011-11-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to photograph this new big beautiful family! Thank you Dolbergs!!

The Hinds

2011-11-17T21:44:00.000-08:00

I had a ton of fun on this photoshoot!!! Natalie bought some 2 feet wide balloons and they were so fun to work with! They are such a fun couple!

Zoe

2011-11-17T19:59:00.000-08:00

Zoe was not loving the camera or me to be exact. So, her mommy got quite the workout as she continued to chase her daughter and bring her back to the photo set up! Zoe is an adorable little 14 month old on the move! We finally got her to sit down once I brought out the lolli pop! My 2 year old was also here and awake and she was the only person that was able to get Zoe to sit and smile!

Stepp Family

2011-11-14T20:25:00.000-08:00

I love this family shot!!! And I have loved watching Gwyneth grow up! I started taking her pictures while she was still in her mommy's belly! She's 6 months old now and just gets cuter every day!!

Tracy has started a new business where she sews baby items. She makes adorable baby blankets, cloth diapers and other baby things! She wanted to get a photo in this cloth diaper and I whipped up a matching head band! Such a cute combo, but the poor girl was freezing so we shot these really quick and wrapped her up in a hand made blanket!

Bubba and Megan

2011-11-14T06:32:00.000-08:00

This is part of a family that I have been photographing for awhile now! This is also Megan, who I had the opportunity to take pictures at her fashion show! We headed down to Negro Bar and searched for the fall leaves! Enjoy their sneak peek!

Sienna 1st Birthday

2011-11-13T22:20:00.000-08:00

This is Sienna! Isn't she a doll? She is the tiniest thing and we call her Little Peanut at my house!

Holiday Mini Session: Hudson

2011-11-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

I hope you aren't sick of my mini sessions yet! This was the last one!
The Hudsons are some of our dearest and closest friends! They were my last mini session on Saturday and it started to rain just as we finished up and were packing to go home!! Isn't their daughter the cutest little thing? She will be one this month. My next post will be her 1 year mini session done in the studio this week!

Holiday Mini Session: Hanson

2011-11-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

And yet another easy family to photograph! The Hansons!

Holiday Mini Session: Wozniak

2011-11-10T16:57:00.000-08:00

The Wozniak Family! Their kids did such a great job getting their pictures taken!!!

Holiday Mini Session: Wallace

2011-11-10T06:23:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to photograph this family last year and was excited to see them again and how much their kids have grown in a year! This first photo was as creative as I got! It's hard to be creative 10 photoshoots in a row in one day, but I was glad I came up with something different so not every photoshoot looks the same, especially when in the same location!
Here is the beautiful Wallace family!

Holiday Mini Session: Fry

2011-11-09T14:25:00.000-08:00

Another easy family to photograph. Their kids are not only adorable, but very cooperative so we got quite a bit out of their mini session!

Holiday Mini Session: Slaughter

2011-11-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

Here are the Slaughters that I get to photograph all of the time! Aren't they beautiful?

Holiday Mini Session: Simmons

2011-11-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful family from my mini sessions! Their youngest, Grace, is just like my 2 year old who doesn't sit still! I was surprised at how many pictures we had where she was sitting down! She's a girl on the run, but she's the cutest little thing!

Holiday Mini Session: The Wrights

2011-11-08T16:06:00.000-08:00

Another family I love! Here's the 3rd session (only 7 more to go! Ha! )

Holiday Mini Session: Oakes

2011-11-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

My second mini session of the day. Their little guy, Grant, was the easiest baby ever. He just sat there and smiled constantly!

Holiday Mini Session: Solis

2011-11-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

The Solis Family was the first to brave the cold weather on Saturday for our mini sessions. There was the chance of rain looming all day and it was cold so I brough hot chocolate and donuts for everyone! It started raining just as I was packing my car up at the end of the day to go home! I feel blessed!
Here is the beautiful Solis Family, the first of 10 sessions!

Sacramento Senior Photographer: Lauren

2011-11-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

I had such a fun time meeting this senior girl! We headed out to a favorite location of hers in El Dorado Hills which turns out I had shot at before! She was a ton of fun! I love how low key it is to take seniors pictures. I love taking little kid's pictures, but it's nice every once in awhile to have a senior who I don't have to sweat for to get a smile! Here is Lauren!

Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf

2011-10-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

My girls dressed up as Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Brianna isn't really Big or Bad, but I didn't want my little girl to be that kind of wolf! I made both of their costumes, with the exception of the leotard Brianna is wearing. We had a fun little photo shoot down by the river.
I want to frame a few, do you have a favorite?

The Kimball Family

2011-10-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the beautiful Kimball family! They have the most gorgeous children! We had a great time getting together on Saturday morning.
I still find it strange that it is still so hot this time of year. Here we have a fall looking photo, but it's still super warm! I'm often still wearing shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops and the fall leaves have not really come yet. I'm ready for some fall weather (minus rain on the days I have photo shoots! :)
Enjoy the sneak peek ( and yes, I know my sneak peeks are always really, really long!)
The boys!

The girls!

Brianna: Goldilicious

2011-10-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

I bought this backdrop forever ago and was so excited to use it...then I realized my girls didn't have anything to coordinate with the backdrop. Soooo, after some time I finally made Brianna a dress and matching head band to go along with the backdrop, and we still have put off her photoshoot. When my girls have their birthdays I like to do a few different photoshoots and put a book together...so we finally did another 5 year photoshoot for Bri this weekend. I have one more in mind, then I'll finally get her book together!
I love the new backdrop! What do you think?

Bri loves to pose and she loves to dance so she kept posing with moves she has learned in her dance class! She's such a fun girl to do photoshoots with!

Hart Family: Negro Bar

2011-10-11T07:01:00.000-07:00

These are some of my most loyal clients and closest friends. We had a great time this weekend down by the river in Folsom! Enjoy their sneak peek!

Albums

2011-10-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

Just a heads up, but I will be out of the office this week! My husband and I will be on a much needed vacation by ourselves! We will be on a cruise, so please be patient if you can't get in touch with me! I look forward to some alone time with my spouse, but I'm sure I'll miss my kids! Thanks to good friends, I'm sure they will be taken well care of!
I just had to share this photo album with you! I loved designing it, but actually having it in my hands was the best!!! This is a nice padded album, with thick lay flat pages!

The middle of the pages allows for your picture to go all the way across the page, there is no ditch!

Thick, sturdy pages make this book very durable!

Want one for yourself? I can design many different types of books for you to display on your table. Sometimes it's hard to decide which photos you want to display...having a coffee table book allows you to display all of them!

Nick: Senior 2012

2011-09-28T15:14:00.000-07:00

I was excited to finally meet Nick! He was such a nice guy! This is only part of his senior photos because we will be doing some in the snow when it's snow boarding season! Can I tell you how excited I am?!?! Nick is such a nice guy! His mom, sister and girlfriend all came along. Oh, and so did his dog! We had a great time, and comments from the peanut gallery helped us get real smiles! Here's to a great senior year Nick!!!

Nick's sister came along, so we took a few pictures of the two of them together!
His pretty sister!

Nathaniel and Andrew

2011-09-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

My friend, Joanna, has to be one of my favorite people in the world! She is one of the best friends a girl could ask for! On top of that, she has continued to support my family by constantly coming in for photos, and send her kids to me for piano!! Her youngest and oldest boys have birthdays near eachother, so we took them out on a photoshoot! Here they are in all their cuteness!!!

The Lewis Family

2011-09-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

Here is the Lewis Family! Stephanie is one of those friends you can always count on! I was so priveledged to take pictures of their beautiful family!

Brooklyn: Happy 1st Birthday!!!

2011-09-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

I might be a litte biased, but I do believe my niece, Brooklyn, is the cutest thing ever!!! My sister came to visit us with her last week and we had a great time! Brooklyn is going to be 1 next week so fit in a few photoshoots for her! She is the happiest, and smiliest baby! She also has the most beautiful blue eyes!!! We miss you already Lindsay and Brooklyn! Come back to visit soon!

Ahhhh, computer troubles!!!

2011-09-16T21:50:00.000-07:00

I guess the only thing worse for a photographer than having a broken computer is to have a broken camera!!! I bought a new Dell laptop last November. A month later....it died. Out of the blue...dead! I lost everything that I didn't back up. They sent me a new one calling the last one a "lemon." I learned my lesson, and Iback just about everything up that I do on the computer.
Yesterday I was working on the computer, left to do something in the other room and when I came back my screen was just black and gray with horizontal lines running through it!!!! Nightmare for someone who relies on their computer for work! After spending the entire day today on the phone with Dell and at a friend's house who works on computers I need to wait til next week when someone can come out to look at it! Soooo, please be patient with me as I wait to be able to use my programs again!
Sure, I can do email on other people's computers, like I'm doing now. I can't however use my photoshop and actions that I do for editing! So this week I will be practicing some patience as I won't be able to edit the photoshoots I have done, and will be doing.
Can someone promise me I won't have another "lemon" computer after next week?

Daniella: Senior

2011-09-13T07:07:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! The seniors start pouring in and I get to have the best photoshoots! I love working with seniors! They are so excited about life. They are happening upon one of the most memorable years of their shool life and I get the opportunity to capture them at this special time!
Daniella is not only a beautiful girl, but someone with great character! Here is to her senior year!

I've been wanting to try this shot for awhile. The light was gone and we were trying to hurry, but I love that is is fun and different. I wish I had a little bigger frame though!

Isn't she a natural beauty?

Daniella dances and sings, and we wanted to try and capture that! She is with the Galena Street company!

Gorgeous!!!

Thank you so much Daniella and Dawn! I had a great time!! Good luck with your senior year!

2011-09-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

While on our family vacation I had some fun practicing beach sunset pictures!

Holiday Mini Sessions!

2011-09-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

Update: My mini sessions slots filled up so fast. In order to fit everyone in that ones a mini session I will be offering some additional time slots in the morning.
I have the following slots available (same place, same 25 min slots, etc.)
9 and 9:30, my 8:30, 10:00, and 10:30 are filled!
Holiday Mini Sessions are coming soon! Are you wanting a family portrait for your holiday cards? A quick update for your growing kids? A couple of times a year I offer mini sessions, and your chance is now to book your session. Slots are limited so sign up fast if you want a spot. I will be doing sessions every half hour from 3-5:30 at the Charles C. Jensen Botanical Gardens in Carmichael on Saturday, November 5th. Your session will last 25 minutes and you will receive 5-10 edited images on cd as well as a holiday card design. (this does not include the printed cards...you can print on your own or go through my pro lab!)
I now require a $25 deposit for mini sessions to hold your spot. This way I don't lose out when people cancel and I've turned clients away for your time spot and don't have time to refill it.
Refer a friend and you'll get a calendar design with your family or children's portraits!

Why Custom Photography? New pricing list!

2011-08-31T22:26:00.000-07:00

A lot of people ask me why custom photography costs more than large photography studios. If you have ever been to a studio like JC Penny, Picture People, etc. you know how chaotic your visit can be. Often you end up waiting for a long time as you are moved in and out like cattle. You don't get very much time, and you don't know who your photographer will be. Yes, you often get your pictures right away, but you often only walk away with a million prints of one pose.

From step one with custom photography you get some one on one attention. I take time to make sure we choose a location you like. That we style a shoot towards your personality and we work with your schedule as best as possible. Custom photography takes A LOT of work! There is so much more behind the scenes than the actual taking of the pictures.

As a photographer, I do all of the following:

*1st is contacting clients whether via email, phone, etc. to set up their sessios and answer their questions.

*Scouting out locations: This one takes time, and I'm not always successful in finding great "new" locations on each "scouting" trip I do. I also have two young kids, so it's not that easy to do hiking, etc. I wish I knew the area a little better.

*Set up/clean up of studio (and cleaning my home for clients.) I wish I had a "studio" room where I could just leave everything set up, but for now I don't so this step takes awhile.

*Taking pictures (usually a 1 1/2 time frame but doesn't include the driving to and from locations). For newborns, seniors and weddings, the sessions are obviously longer. Taking the pictures is the BEST part of photography!

*Selecting pictures: Ahhh, sifting through the favorites, this takes more time than I'd like. The comparing of similar pictures to find the best takes forever. I need to find a faster workflow.

*Editing pictures: This is the most time consuming part. I like for every picture to stand out and look it's best. I also have a hard time narrowing pictures down to the number I say the client will be getting. I put way too much time into this part of the business. Once again, I need a better work flow.

*Blogging/sneak peeks: This part takes awhile too, but I like to be able to share my sessions with everyone. I'm not the best with words, so I try to make my pictures speak for themselves. I'm starting to not like the "sneak peeks" so much as I don't ever get to see the clients first reaction. They see it online, and I'm not even there! Bummer! I'm starting to offer "viewing" sessions for this reason. I'm also putting the pictures into a slideshow with music to view on the big screen. Clients can order a digital copy of the slideshow to share with friends. It's hard to tell how much someone likes their pictures through an email or a comment.

*Placing Orders: Not every client of mine chooses to order prints, but when they do it takes a little time to get the orders in! I wish every client ordered at least one professional print. Their quality is far superior to any out there.

*Designing cards/announcements: Any specialty products require time and effort to design.

*Hours and hours learning/researching, etc.

After taking a good long look at how much time I spend with each client, I would say it averages from 5-7 hours per client depending on the session. I realized I was making pennies on the hour. I started to wonder if this was a good thing for my family as I spend so much time attached to my computer for literally nothing. I used to raise my prices every year around June, but I was too busy this summer to sit down and do it! So, as of September 1st, their will be new pricing for my services. They will be posted in the Current Pricing tab. If you have already booked, or have been trying to schedule a session, the current pricing will stick to that session. After that, everyone will be getting the new pricing.

My session fee, will be just that, a session fee! It will cover my time and talents only. Digital cds and prints will be available for purchase. I have struggled with raising my prices in the past because I want nice portraits to be available to everyone, but it has come at too much of a cost for my little family. Mini sessions will be offered a few times a year so that everyone can have the chance to get pictures taken. The mini sessions are not always available, just at the scheduled times. There will be a Mini Holiday Session the first Saturday in November. Details to follow.

So, the new pricing structure for this year is:

*Family/Child Session Fee: $150 for a family of up to 5 (each additional person is $25) Large groups, such as family reunions begin at $200

*Newborn Session Fee: $250 Will include a complimentary announcement design and 25 cards.

*Senior Session Fee: $250 Will include 24 complimentary rep cards and an announcement design fee.

* Wedding packages begin at $1800. Please email for more details.

*Digital cds, with the rights to print will be available for $100.

* Prints are available with a minimum of $20 for each type of print.

* I also sell albums, mini albums, calendars, place mats, chore charts, gallery wraps, standouts, frames, etc. Please inquire for pricing.

I will be putting together some portrait packages soon to save you on some custom prints when buying a package. Please watch for those.

I have had a great year and want to thank everyone that has come for business. I have been building new friendships with clients and I love what I do!

Denise and Justin: Maternity

2011-08-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

I had this gorgeous couple in this weekend for some maternity photos. They have waited so long to be able to have a baby, and they are so excited that their dreams are finally coming true! I had a great time capturing these images of them! They are going to be wonderful parents to their baby boy that is on the way!

Seriously, could they be more beautiful?

Yeah, she's 7 months pregnant and super tiny! Don't hate her because she's beautiful! :)

Brianna: 5 and off to Kindergarten

2011-08-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed to have this beautiful little girl in my life! She turned 5 this month and is starting to seem soooo grown up. While we were in Oregon I did a mini photoshoot of her, but I didn't have as much time as I would have liked. This girl is in heaven when she's at the beach! I know she wishes she lived there!
On top of turning 5, Brianna started Kindergarten. When did I get old enough to have a child in school? She LOVES going to school and wakes up extra early every morning ready to go. The other day she started to cry and when I asked what was wrong she replied, "I don't want you to walk me in, I want to go by myself!" I wish she was a little less grown up! :) This is going to be a great year!!!

Jolene: 6 months

2011-08-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

Jolene is such a cute and petite little girl! She is also a very mobile little thing, her size isn't stopping her! I wouldn't be surprised if she's walking soon! She was an asbolute angel, but we had to work really hard to crack a smile!

When she wasn't giving me a blank stare, or trying to crawl away, she would do this with her tongue: (too cute)

Thank you Keras and Sai for bringing your beautiful family in!!!!

Heath Family: Oregon Coast

2011-08-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we went up to the Oregon Coast for a family reunion with my family! It was gorgeous! The weather was perfect, the beach was a dream and we wish our vacation would've lasted longer.
My sister took advantage of the opportunity to have their family pictures on the beach! Here is her beautiful family! They have had a really, really long last couple of weeks with some health issues in their family....so I'm hoping this post will bring a little happiness back in to their home since I live so far away and can't help with anything else!!

J.T. is their oldest! I spent so much time with him when he was an infant and toddler and I can't believe he is a teenager already!!Zach, the best soccer player I have ever seen! He's getting so much taller!!!Michaela, this little monkey is becoming such a beautiful girl! What happened to the little toddler when I moved away!Lexi, my daughter's favorite cousin. They were inseperable and my daugther misses her sooooo much!

Here are a few decor ideas for photos in your home! A canvas display idea

Giveaway Winner!!

2011-08-20T09:42:00.001-07:00

We have a winner! After putting the numbers into random.org our winner was

#13, Alycat!!!

Congrats! Send me a quick email with your email info and we will set you up with your free photo enlargement from UPrinting.

Everyone else, look forward to more giveaways in the near future.

Giveaway from UPrinting

2011-08-17T07:15:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be able to offer a print from UPrinting as our giveaway! However, since I am not on the ball this week with so much going on, there are only two days to enter the giveaway. This giveaway will close on Friday at noon and the winner will be announced Saturday morning!

UPrinting is a great resource for making your photos stand out! They will be giving an 18"x 24" enlargement to our winner! You can see their photo enlargements here. They also make custom poster prints here.

To enter please do the following:

After any step that you do, leave a seperate comment to let me know so you can get multiple entries. I will be checking to make sure you have followed the steps if you are the winner. Please don't enter if you've already won a giveway from UPrinting in the last 6 months. Thanks, and good luck!

1. Follow my blog and leave a comment to earn one entry (or leave a comment telling me you already "follow" my blog)

2. "Like" me on facebook and receive another entry. (or let me know in a comment that you already "like" me)

3. "Like" Uprinting on facebook and let them know I sent you to receive yet another entry.

Prize details:
one (1 ) piece photo enlargements poster for one winner
18” x 24” Semi Gloss / High Gloss,
1 Business Day Turnaround *Free shipping
Restriction: Limited to *US residents 18 years old and above only.

Disclaimer: This custom poster giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given for hosting. For more information about printing services, please visit UPrinting.com

What to Wear: August

2011-08-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

Photography Workshop

2011-08-07T22:26:00.000-07:00

I have secured a date for the workshop. We will be meeting on Saturday, September 24th from 10-2:00 at my home. This will include me teaching some of the basics of photography, shooting in natural light, shooting in manual mode, composition, aperature, shutter speed, ISO, etc. We will then have the opportunity to practice on some models in my home studio. Most of all, this will be FUN! Lunch will also be provided.
You must have a DSLR to participate. It is preferable that you have at least a prime lens like the 50 mm or 35 mm 1.8, but it is not necessary. A non refundable $25 deposit fee is required to hold your spot. The remaining $75 will be due the morning of the workshop.
This class will have 8-10 students only, so book now if you want to insure you get a spot! I'm excited to be able to offer this!
Also, on a side note, if you are looking to get family pictures taken in the fall please don't wait too long to book. My schedule fills up fast in the fall and as the sun starts setting earlier, it's harder to find times to get pictures done.
I will be offering a mini-session in November but I have not chosen the dates yet. I will let you know as soon as I do when the mini sessions will be held! These are great for getting a quick Christmas Card picture, updating your kids photos, etc.
I will be out of the office til Friday, and I'm not sure if I'll have internet service so please be patient if I don't get back to you right away!

Gwyneth 3 Month

2011-08-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

In all honesty I was a little nervous about this photo shoot. 3 month old babies are one of the hardest to photograph as they aren't as moldable as newborns, they can't sit up, etc. Gwyneth however proved me wrong and rocked the camera! She is an adorable baby and I have just loved watching her grow!

All you football fans....can you tell which team they are rooting for from the photo below? She had this adorable elephant hat made for their favorite team!

Workshop

2011-08-03T19:32:00.000-07:00

I am planning on doing a workshop on a Saturday in September. I'm trying to get an idea of how many people would be interested in attending? I will be teaching some of the basics of photography as well as using your DSLR, shooting in manual, finding good lighting, etc. Drop me a note if you think you would be interested and I'll send more details soon!
My plan is to teach for a few hours, then have some models for everyone to practice on for an hour and a half. The cost will be around $100, will include a manual and a luncheon.

Sam and Jake: Married Part 1

2011-08-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

I had a great time shooting this wedding last weekend and I was honored to be asked to take their pictures! Sam and Jake are such a great couple! They were married in the Sacramento Temple on Saturday (along with a bunch of other people! I've never seen the temple so crowded!!!).
We decided to do some of their pictures a few days earlier and it made it sooooo much easier to get some great pictures with better lighting, less people, and no pressure on time! Here is to the happy couple and their "Happily Ever After!"

The Abel Family

2011-08-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

The Abels just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary! 50 YEARS!!!! That is quite the accomplishment. While their family was all together celebrating, we got together to capture some portraits for them. Here is their legacy!

Mini Sneak Peek: Sam and Jake

2011-08-01T00:18:00.000-07:00

While this first picture is sweet and pretty......

I do believe this second picture is more true to their character! I had a blast taking Sam and Jake's pictures at their wedding. I have what feels like a million pictures to sort through before you get a real "sneak peek" so come back soon!

Newborn: Lucas

2011-07-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

I had another beautiful newborn in the studio this week! He was one week old when he came in for his pictures and he has a beautiful head of hair! Meet Lucas!
Isn't the momma gorgeous! I love a good big baby yawn!

Meet the happy big brother Jackson!

Thank you so much for coming in to have your pictures taken! Your family is beautiful!

The Twitchell Family

2011-07-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

This was the first shot after my light test shot! With 3 little ones, I was amazed to get a great shot on the first try!!! They are a beautiful family!

Little Miss "L" always has her cute tongue out!

Mr "L" just turned 4!

Little "T" has the most beautiful blue eyes!

What to Wear: July

2011-07-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

A summer color inspiration for your photos!

Are You Not Hearing From Me?

2011-07-08T10:06:00.001-07:00

I get so sad when I find out someone emailed me forever ago and they haven't heard a response from me! Please know that if I haven't responded either immediately or within a day or two I somehow did not get the email. I'm guessing some emails occasionally go to my spam folder? This has only happened a few times this year, but I feel horrible when that happens! Sooooo, if you have emailed me and not gotten a response....email me again! Or make a comment on my blog if the email isn't working! I will always respond shortly thereafter if I've received the email!

Wall Display Ideas and New Products

2011-06-30T16:21:00.000-07:00

Here's another idea for you to display pictures! I put a collection of canvases and grouped them on a large wall up between the girl's rooms. I love it! Every morning when I walk out of my room I see these pictures and it makes me happy! Now I just need to add some vinyl wording or something above it!

If you want to make a similar grouping, the sizes I used were: 6 10x10s on the sides, 2 vertical 16x20's and 2horizontal 12x16's. By doing a grouping I was able to put my themed tea party up and get the whole feel of the shoot together! One of my new favorite products to order has to be the mini accordian albums. They perfect at a 3x3 square book! You can have images on both the back and front cover, or leave those empty and just put pictures on the inside of the book. The pictures are press printed on the inside, and the backside. They come in sets of 3 books (they can be different pictures, or 3 of the same book) which make perfect gifts for the Grandparents. Keep one for yourself, and give the other 2 away! These books are also magnetic so you can stick them up on the fridge with just the cover showing! I love em'!