We’ve been photographing the Ferrell family long enough to know that it’s always going to be a fashion treat whenever we see them, and their last family session was no exception!  The session was also for Miss V’s 2-year portraits, so she got a special wardrobe change.  We couldn’t help but grab a few of big sis while she was changing, and those turned out to be some of our favorites from the day.  The boys were just so happy to get a chance to run around that they had no time to help James with his “light tests”, wink, wink…:-).  We are so honored to have become the Ferrell’s family photographer, and each time we’re with them we’re reminded of the most important part of what we do–the wonderful people we get to know!

We thought that as the mercury rises it would help us all cool off to see images from a much cooler time of year, when sweaters and jeans are in order! (ahhh…we can always dream…Sacramento folks, just remember how great the Fall is here when the temperature rises to 107 this weekend!!).  Just call this “throwback Tuesday!”

This session with the Zander family was the conclusion of their second Bebe Collection, this time with Miss C.  We went to one of our favorite nature locations, which I love because it looks different all throughout the year, depending on the season.  Mom (Heather) always does such a great job bringing a variety of hats and hair accessories, and even one for herself this time!  It has been such a treat watching this family grow, all the way from their first maternity session.  Did I mention that Dr. Zander is also our dentist?  Not only are we fortunate for them to share their beautiful family with us, but he also keeps mine and James’ teeth healthy! 🙂  Meet the Zander family, again:

Photographing the wonderful Dawson family was a treat, in so many ways; so sweet to see three little girls doting on their baby brother; so breathtaking to watch two loving parents adore their 4th baby as if he was their first; so fun to see a family full of girls welcome a boy!  I can’t say enough about how lovely, caring, and genuine the Dawson family is.  They (and all of our wonderful clients!) are the reason why we love our job and count our blessings each and every day.

We knew we were in for a treat with this lovely family the moment we met with T (aka session stylist!).  She was so excited about capturing this time in their life and the adorable stage little T was in (almost a year old and about to walk).  Often it’s hard enough to figure out outfits for a family session, and T spoiled us with two amazing sets of clothes for them!  Her clothing choices are the epitome of how to coordinate but not match outfits.  In addition to the great clothes, little T was in the BEST mood and made the session so much fun.  Meet the Yanchuk family:

It’s that time of year again!  We’re so excited to announce this year’s Mommy & Me Portraits for the Cure charity event.  All of the event specifics are below, but we thought we’d share a few extra details here because we know there are always questions that come up.  First thing to consider–clothing!  We will be using the grey background shown below, so they sky is the limit as far as color options.  Bright, dark, and deep colors look great on this color, but pastels can work, too.  We would suggest avoiding white, as it can appear a bit stark against this darker background.  Since this is a Mommy & Me event, the question often comes up about who can be a part of this portrait; this event is specific to “moms,”  but grandmothers are welcome as well.  The beautiful 5×7 print you will receive  will be available for pickup at our studio on Friday, May 31 from 11am-1pm and Saturday, June 1 from 10am-noon only.  There will also be an option to have your print(s) mailed to you for a small handling fee if you choose.  That’s about it for the details, so we hope to see you on May 19 to help a cause near and dear to our hearts and receive a beautiful portrait at the same time!

We are overwhelmed with the support shown this year once again for our Toys 4 Tots Santa portrait charity event.  We were thrilled to see nearly 300 families and collect such amazing toy donations from our generous community!  We also want to thank our co-sponsor, Northern California Dance Conservatory, for their help in making this event a success.  Below are just a few highlights from last weekend’s event.  If you attended, please don’t forget that your prints will be available for pickup (at the studio)  this Tuesday, Dec. 18 from 11am-1pm and Wednesday, Dec. 19 from 4-6pm.

We were thrilled to first meet the Beard family when they were expecting their first little miracle, baby J.  We first started with their maternity session (some of you might recall momma in hubby’s firefighter turnouts!) and then documented J’s first year.  We were thrilled when they announced that they were expecting baby #2, who we are debuting here.  We love photographing and spending time with the Beard’s, who we now feel fortunate to call friends, not just clients.  Baby P’s newborn session was no exception to the magic that always seem to happen during their sessions.  They always come in with a few ideas that seem to translate into gorgeous!  We love their willingness to experiment and go “outside the box” when it comes to their portrait sessions.  We should mention that the darling image below of the brothers laying with dad’s gear happened spontaneously–when we mentioned to big brother that it was almost his turn, he went over and leaned down over the baby, thumb in mouth and all!  Love him!  Meet the Beard family, again!

Happy 4th of July! (sorry it’s a bit late–we were in San Diego visiting family for the past week+).  For those of you who have followed our blog for a period of time will recognize this family–we’ve been photographing them for 4 years now–and it never gets old!  We’ve ventured from Napa to Tahoe with this family, and for their last family session decided to stay in our neck of the woods.  This family session also doubled as Miss V’s last Bebe session, and she was in fine form!  On a side note, in case you’re ever wondering how to do light-colored clothing well for a family session, it doesn’t get any better than this!  We were a bit nervous about the 4 kids near water in their nice clothes, but somehow we all managed to keep them at bay with just throwing rocks into the water.  Thanks again (and again!) to the Ferrell family for entrusting us to capture these precious moments in your family!

Photographing the Granner family was several years in the making, so we were thrilled when it finally came to fruition!  Jami called me a few years ago when she was expecting little Miss K, inquiring about maternity portraits.  Unfortunately those didn’t end up happening, as complications forced her to bed rest.  Fast forward a couple of years, and I was so excited when we heard from her to bring her kiddos to our Heirlooms & Expressions summer portrait event last year.  It’s always interesting to watch the interaction between older kids and little ones, and this was such a treat, as big brother and big sister doted on little K, as she clearly had them wrapped around their little finger! 🙂  Jami then decided to bring the whole gang back for a complete family session, where the loving nature of this family came through even more.  It’s definitely a testament to great parents when you see great teenagers.  Thanks for sharing them with us! (and of course, little Miss K, too…she’s a show-stealer!).

It’s that time again!  We’re thrilled to announce our 4th annual Mommy & Me Portraits for the Cure event.  This is an opportunity for all the moms out there who are often behind the camera to finally get a great portrait of themselves with their kids, all while donating to a wonderful cause.  We will be photographing on the background shown here, so please plan clothing accordingly (the background is lighter with pale pinks and greens).  Our biggest rule of thumb when it comes to clothing choices is to make sure you aren’t mixing lights and darks too much.  We will have prints ready in time for Father’s Day–hint, hint!  Hope to see you there!