Time Flies {Bay Area Child Portrait Photographer}

It amazes me how fast my children are growing up. I seriously can remember bringing this boy home from the hospital as though it were yesterday, how he completely changed my life forever. I look at him now and he is a big boy! He seems so grown up and mature and I, unfairly, expect so much from him, forgetting how young he really is. How can he be so big and little at the same time? It is very confusing.

He had my undivided attention for two whole years and we went everywhere together. Then we added some sisters into the mix and now he is in school and our times together are limited, as well as shared. It was definitely time for a little one on one photo session, with no little girls in the picture. Daddy likes his caps, so I recently bought one for my boy too and it was just the incentive he needed.

I love this wonderful little boy who likes to grow his hair long each year, whose teeth are falling out and growing in and look a little goofy. He has such a sweet heart; everybody in the whole world is his best friend he tells us, there is no favoritism here. I love that he is sensitive and that he can still be silly and have fun, like every child should.

Busch sneak peek

As a mom and a photographer, I find, probably like many of you, that I do not end up in many of our photographs. I love family photographs, a little snippet of time showing a family together through the years. I think it is so important. I think everybody should do it on a regular basis.

Our children grow up so quickly and as they look back at photographs, in the future, I want them to see us as a family as well as all the snapshots of them and their daddy :)

There are always valid reasons, and many excuses, for putting off taking family photographs; an impossible schedule, wondering what to wear, the last few pounds you want to lose, the hair that needs to be colored, bumps or scrapes that you do not want to show...the truth is none of us is perfect, but we do not need to be. It is about capturing the love within a family, precious moments that can be looked back on and treasured forever.

As in so many areas of life there is a cost, we need to make time and effort so that we do not live with the regret of wishing we had gotten around to taking those photographs, or whatever else it is that you need to do.

I had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours on Saturday evening with some wonderful friends and capturing their little family, (even Grandma came along for the ride). Especially with little children it is not all about the posed shots where everybody looks at the camera and smiles, but about having fun together and hanging out and capturing moments as they happen. I love it!

I hope you enjoy your sneak peek guys, back to editing the rest of them :)

This little munchkin is named after her Grandma!

 

Yes, I really did have them climb a tree!

The magic hour...

"Just living is not enough" said the butterfly fairy, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."
Hans Christian Andersen

Sisters, sisters, never were there such devoted sisters!

I love watching the relationships of my children. They each genuinely love and adore each other, in spite of the bickering and fights that regularly erupt. They truly are best friends and it warms my heart and blesses me.

Arran is already back in school and we miss him terribly, but it does mean that the two girls get to spend more time working on their bond. Mommies and babies, dressing up, cooking in their little kitchen, these girlie activities are regular occurrences in our household (although truth be told, Arran would happily join in with any of those games).

Here are my little princesses (with a little vintage-like processing), cooperating and letting me take a picture of them together, I hope they will be this close for the rest of their lives.

Ben and Hannah Sneak Peek

This story started MANY years ago...as a young girl, Hannah and her family toured Anastasis one of the Mercy Ships. Mercy Ships, in case you don't know, are charity hospital ships, providing health care to the poor in port areas of the world. She decided back then, at such a young age that she wanted to be a nurse and one day help on one of those ships.

Fast forward to a few years back and Hannah graduated as a nurse and got a job in San Francisco. Last year though, she did it! She left her job in San Francisco and flew to Africa where she worked for six months on today's Mercy Ship, Africa Mercy. It is such an amazing ministry, providing hope and help to those who would otherwise go untreated; women who have been ostracized from their communities because of problems in child birth leaving them smelling constantly of urine, children with cancer and any number of other conditions they were faced with.

Whilst she was on the ship, she met Ben, a young Scotsman, whose family live in Holland. On Saturday, after a six week visit, he once again boarded a plane, to return to Africa, but four days before that he got down on one knee and popped THE question. She said "Yes!" and there is a ring on her finger to prove it.

With the last minute engagement, photographs almost did not happen, there were people to tell, celebrations to be shared, but we slipped away for half an hour and I am so glad we did. I know in the months ahead that they have to be apart, they will cherish these.

Congratulations to you both, we are all so excited for you and cannot wait to see how your story unfolds. Enjoy your sneak peek!

Baby H

Can you believe how good this Mama looked, just ten days after giving birth? Quite ridiculous really.

We were up at Ralston White for a women's retreat and it was the perfect time and location to take some newborn photos, before baby H started to lose his newborn curliness. The best time to take newborn shots is before the baby is two weeks old.

He has already changed so much, but what precious memories. Here is a little sneak peek for a very patient Mama.

What a sweet baby boy. It does not get much better than this. Enjoy every precious moment...they grow up too fast.

Ah - Young Love

It is hard to believe that this time last year I was back in England, without my husband or children (for the first time ever), for my brother's wedding. They were married on July 4th, 2009 so JUST got to celebrate one year of marriage! Woo Hoo!

They were out here for a visit a few weeks back and I got to take a few shots of them. So sweet.

Happy Anniversary to you both. Thank you so much for spending your precious vacation time with us...come back soon :)

Happy Father's Day

It has been a long week in the Cannan household. Every year James takes a trip down to Mexico, with a team from our church, and they build a home for a needy family, it really is a worthwhile cause, but it means sacrifice too; our life is so different when he is gone. We love him and need him in so many different ways. He got last night, just in time for Father's Day.

He is such a wonderful daddy who adores his children and his wife. He is so giving and warm and genuine and fun. He knows how to be silly and make his children laugh and how to be sensitive and compassionate when they are hurting or struggling. He is such a wonderful example to us all.

Last year I started, what I have decided will now be a tradition, for as long as the kids will allow it to be anyway, and took a photograph of the three of them lying on a black background. (You can click here to see last year's photograph and how much they have changed). I think it will be fun to look back in years to come and see these, side by side. Of course it will probably make me cry too, but I hope they will be sweet tears of remembrance of the good times, of a house full of tiny feet and shrieks and giggles.

We make pretty darn cute kids together, even if I do say so myself! Happy Father's Day my love, you are the best Daddy in the whole world.

Wedding - Steve and Allie's Sneak Peek

I love weddings, I always have and cannot possibly imagine that ever changing. They are such joyous occasions. Everybody makes extra effort to look nice, it is a happy time.

Just over a week ago was Steve and Allie Nelken's wedding, which I had the opportunity to second-shoot at, once again with David Nelson. It is a lot of work, but being part of a team to capture the day makes it a lot less stressful and more fun.

After a week of rain it was the most gorgeous day and I do believe fun was had by all.

Enjoy the little sneak peek.