52 Week Project - Week 12

We are still in England, and in honour (yes with the English spelling) of Lou, it had to be an Audrey Hepburn quote which I felt suited them perfectly.

We stayed a few days last week with my brother Wesley and his lovely girlfriend Lou, Wesley of course was very excited to get to have photographs taken. He was not in the least bit worried about what neighbours might think, or sitting on the ground. He was perfectly relaxed and enjoyed the experience thoroughly! Believe that if you will! What is it about guys?

Just because I can...here are a few extra.

52 Week Project - Week 11

We are currently in the UK for a family vacation. Coming 'home' does not always feel like a vacation, it can be hard work, with family to visit and much driving to be done. But we started in London and pretended to be tourists, showing my children some of the sights. I have been in awe of the buildings, the attention to detail and just how beautiful they are. I do not normally think buildings are beautiful but I have seen with fresh eyes.

My picture for week 11 is the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, where Prince Charles and Lady Diana were married. It is 'a symbol of the hope, resilience and strength of the city and nation it serves. Above all, St Paul’s Cathedral is a lasting monument to the glory of God.'

And just because I have been busy with my camera, a few more:

 

52 Week Project - Week 10

Thrilled to finally be able to blow bubbles on a consistent basis.

52 week project

There will unfortunately be a delay posting the next few weeks' photos. We are currently in England and I brought my laptop so that I could still download and edit photographs, but last night, part of a cup of tea spilled on my laptop and today it does not seem to be working. I am sad and frustrated and praying for a miracle!

52 Week Project - Week 9

My little girl turned five this week. It is so bittersweet to watch our children grow. More often than not I wish I could stop time and keep them as these sweet children, yet with each new accomplishment I burst with pride at who they are becoming. I cannot stop time, no-one can, and this is one of the many reasons I love photography. All the little details that I could not possibly remember, probably even by next week, can at least be captured and looked back on again and again.

Before I had children I did not fully understand how precious each and every moment was. Our life, our time is a gift, not to be squandered. That minute, hour, day, week that has passed, we will never have it back again, it is gone forever. Let's make it all count.

52 Week Project - Week 8

 
A four year old does not worry about how she looks, comparing herself to her friends, wondering if she is tall enough, or thin enough. A four year old enjoys life. She dances because it makes her feel pretty and it is fun. She wears the most enchanting dress, just to play at home. She knows she is beautiful and nobody has told her otherwise.

She is stunning and I pray that she will always know that. That the pressures and cares of this world will not cause her to conform. That we will be able to protect and nurture her self-esteem for as long as possible. That we could build a firm foundation before outside influences can infiltrate with lies that destroy joy, as weeds choking the most delicate of flowers.

If only we could all find that little girl inside of us, unhindered and uninhibited. Then we too could find true beauty!

52 Week Project - Week 7

Our weather has been a little crazy. We have had glorious sun-filled, warm days (far too early I know) and more recently the gray...the rain. I groan a little inwardly when I awake to the pitter patter on my windowpane. The days just seem harder and duller. I know we need the rain, but I miss the sunshine! It lifts my spirits, it brings forth life. All around I see the beautiful signs that comfortingly remind me, season follows season, that spring soon WILL be here.

52 Week Project - Week 6

52 Week Project - Week 5

It is such a strange thought to me, that in just a few short months she will be the only one at home with me all of the time. My sweet girl has changed so much since turning three in December and one aspect that I have really noticed, is her new desire for independent play. Sure she loves to play with her older brother and sister, but she is also loving her own little world of her imagination.

I love the vivid imagination that each of my children has, their ability to play and entertain themselves without the constant need for television or computer games. Neither of those is banned from our house, but they are used in moderation with limits. I would so much rather they just play and have fun and just get to be kids. This time in their lives is so short lived, so important, so foundational and we can never gain it back again.

This playing is their work, it is serious business...just look at the concentration on her face and her little tongue. Love, love, love this little girl and the person she is becoming.

52 Week Project - Week 4

Last week James and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. It is hard to remember the details of life before 'us'. That was such a long time ago, another life. Yet at the same time it has been the blink of an eye and here we are, three children later; a family.

There is no way I could imagine being at this place in life with anybody else; the thought of losing him, for any reason, would be beyond devastating. No other man could possibly love me as he does, adore me and put up with me so patiently. He makes me laugh, he is not afraid to show his emotions, he is intelligent and creative and I know that I can trust him. He is my partner in this life, the most wonderful husband and sweetest father.

We were meant to be. Our love is true. He truly is a gift from God, to me.

52 Week Project - Week 3

I continue to be amazed by how much my mood improves with the appearance of the sun. It has been a wonderful week, with more opportunities to spend time outdoors. One of the days as I was looking for inspiration, I glanced in the field behind our house and it literally sparkled. It was actually mid afternoon, not early morning, as you might expect, yet tiny water droplets were still clinging to the blades of grass and reflecting the sunlight. How often we miss these simple mysteries, busy with our everyday lives. That day I stopped and drank it in and smiled...before running inside to grab my camera.

I love how this project forces me to look around, with a new perspective. We are surrounded by so much simple beauty and it is the most amazing gift that we should not take for granted. I hope that I can continue to slow down life and really see all that is around me. I encourage you to do the same.

52 Week Project - Week 2

This beautiful child does nothing by halves. She feels things so deeply, whatever it be from frustration or anger to joy, humor or excitement, it is without restraint. It is a trait she most certainly inherited from her Father, who is a man of passion.

The negative emotions can be hard to deal with, of course, but when she laughs it is hard not to laugh with her. There is something so real and so raw about laughter that is refreshing and contagious. Her days are most certainly not wasted as she brings joy to our household. What a gift!

Help on the journey.

In my photography journey, the internet has been an invaluable tool for learning and inspiration; without it my photography would not be where it is today. I joined a photography forum and there are numerous blogs I frequent as well as Google, when I need to find a specific tutorial or help with editing (which these days, is a huge part of photography).

I already mentioned The Creative Mama Blog as they are doing a 52 week photography challenge, with bi-weekly themes and another one I am following along with and who are providing weekly themes, is MCP Actions. Their theme this week was 'Around the House' and their week runs Saturday-Friday.

Well we got to Friday afternoon (this first week was a shorter week) and I suddenly realized that I had yet to take and submit my photograph. I was kind of lost for what to shoot, it was late in the afternoon and a dreary day, so lighting was horrible and my house (not unusual) was a mess. I decided to reach for my macro lens, which enables me to take great close-up detail shots (thereby minimizing seeing surrounding mess ;P ). I shot a couple of different things; a plate of feathers I had bought at Michaels, details of carving in my new wood bench, before I walked into the bedroom and saw my open jewelry case with necklaces hanging innocently enough.

Anyway, just thought I would share the photo I chose for this theme. Next week's theme is 'Illustrate a Song', I will have to get my thinking cap on for that!

52 Week Project - Week 1

So every Christmas, my lovely sister spends her hard earned cash and flies over from freezing England to visit us, in...very cold California. It really is not much better here at this time of year, yes we, unfortunately, have winters too. She could go somewhere hot, but instead she chooses to spend time with family. She spoils her nephew and nieces, she lets my husband and I get a night away without the kids, she hangs out with us and puts up with us. It is fun for me to have somebody to shop with, it is fun for the kids to have someone else paying them close attention and showing them love, in the way only family does.

She is kind and generous. She is beautiful, inside and, obviously, out. She is loyal, she has good taste. She is honest and she cares about others. She has so much to give and would make someone an amazing wife, although she says she has finally reached the place where she can be happy being single. She makes me laugh. She listens to me, like only a sister can...she jabs at me, like only a sister can! I cannot say enough good things about her and miss her already.

Of course with as willing a model as she was, although that is my official selection for the 52 week project, I have to share a few more.

This one was a close contender for the 1/52 place.

 Don't forget to check back by next Friday for the second week of this project and if you decide to do something similar leave me a comment so I can follow along with you too.

 One down, fifty one to go!

Happy New Year!

The first day of a new year. A clean, fresh slate. It feels right, and I am approaching this year with the anticipation of good things to come.

I want to have some challenge for the year ahead and had contemplated posting a photo a day, but I also want this to be the year that I officially start my business! (Yes here it is in writing! That means it is official, right?!) that takes time and extra work to make that happen and then, I hope, clients. So in view of all that, I decided that maybe a photo a week would be less demanding.

I trust I will post more often than that, but that will be the very least.

I have not decided if I will have a theme, or leave it wide open, but I am open to suggestions if you have any (just leave me a comment).

Over on The Creative Mama Blog, they are running a photography challenge where every two weeks they will issue a new challenge. The current theme is Growth and Change so that is my theme for this first week.

The day my son was born, a mother was born...before that she did not exist. I was forever changed. I look at him now, so big, and think back to the moment he made us a family. He was so tiny, so helpless - he fit in that onesie! How is that even possible? He and his sisters make me a better person, allow me to continue to grow and learn with them. I love them with all my heart.

Want to join me in this challenge?

What are YOUR goals for this next year? Let us encourage each other to pursue our dreams and make them reality!

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