Back to school sessions announced! {San Jose, California, family photographer}

Now that Early Bird is in "school" I'm for sure going to be doing school year "before" and "after" shots.

Sign up early for the 5 spots available to get your cutie pie's before school picture taken!

Spots will go FAST!!

- San Jose, California, elementary location

- Saturday, August 17 

- $100

- 5 hi-res (up to 8x10) digital images

- 5 spots available

- 20 minute sessions

- additional images available for purchase

Sign up NOW! They'll go fast!

monthly quote blog hop - july {san jose, california family photographer}

It's time for July's edition of Monthly Quote Blog Hop.

This month's quote fits summer to a T and I couldn't love the quote more.

“Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James

We've been having so much fun this summer and we've still got a few more weeks left! As much as I love schedules during the school year I do like a little bit more relaxed pace when it comes to summer.

Catching a bee in action on my lavender plant,

swimming,

 swimming,

and more swimming,

learning a little sewing (and no, she was NOT happy about me taking her picture!),

 and finally, an unforgettable road trip to beautiful Oregon.

head over to the talented Kim Ebert's beautiful blog to see how she interrupts summer.

sneak peek for mr. i's first birthday party {san jose, california family photographer}

This little man turned the big 0-1 recently and like any good birthday party (especially the first one) you have to celebrate in style.

Thank you to the super super sweet and good looking family for letting me be a part of their special day!

wide open

I decided to practice some wide open settings the other night on a somewhat willing model.

Settings:

Canon Mark II

50mm 1.2L

f/1.2 (wide open)

ISO: about 250

SS: 640

Monthly Quote Blog Hope - June edition {San Jose, California, family photographer}

Welcome to our June Quote Blog Hop.

"Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever." - Walt Disney

When I look at my four year old I see all of this and I hope, pray, hope some more and pray even harder that she will keep her young imaginative spirit, where she will always want to dance to The Nutcracker, play Legos, read books, and laugh at herself!

I learn from her every day. Every. Day! 

Follow the ever so talented Amy Hohl to see how she interrupted this same quote. 

just another day at the park

lavender, bees and sunset

My French Lavender plants are in full bloom. I never noticed how beautiful they were until I was walking by them last night as the setting sun was hitting them. I ran and grabbed my camera to catch the last few minutes before the sun hid behind the hills. I decided to go wide open (1.2) to see what would happen. The bees were crazy buzzing around me and I was lucky to capture one. It's not totally in focus (man, you have to have a steady hand shooting at 1.2!) but I love it. And so glad I didn't get stung!!