Images from Amy

Sweet brothers | Roseville Children's Photographer

2012-01-27T21:06:00.000-08:00

I got to shoot the two most compliant little models ever... and they just happen to be my cousin's boys! I say that they are born to model. Their mother says that they are just starved for attention and therefore love posing for me. Either way... could they be any cuter?

And of course we had to get some individual shots. Here's big brother...

Every thing that big brother did... little brother had to copy. He was like his mini-mimic. It was so precious to see how much he wanted to be like his older sibling. Love it!

And of course we just HAD to shoot some special pictures for this dude's upcoming Superhero birthday party. It seemed appropriate that we replicate the Clark Kent shot!

And the SUPER winner is...

2012-01-26T21:04:00.000-08:00

Alrighty...you guys are amazing. I couldn't believe all the posts that came pouring in tonight. I absolutely loved reading your entries. Some were hilarious. Some were so heart-warming. But it was obvious in all of them how much you love your families. And that makes me so happy. Anyways, the winner as chosen by Random.org is...

CLAUDIA LANG

And Claudia, if you're interested, you won on your referral from Helen Toner!

FREE session up for grabs to a "Super" family!

2012-01-18T20:32:00.000-08:00

I had it in my head that when I reached 400 fans on Facebook that I would run a contest. And as of a couple of weeks ago my page hit that mark! So... after a lot of deliberation, I have come up with a creative contest (or at least as creative as I could humanly get). The picture above should give you a hint about the contest. I want you to pick one member of your family and tell me...
1. ...what their Super Hero name should be.
2. ...what their Super Hero power is.
3. ...why they have the previously mentioned name and power.

HOW TO ENTER: First of all, your entry must be submitted here on the blog in the comments section (entries on Facebook will NOT count). Second of all, you must "like" my Facebook fan page (link at the top of this page). Do both of these things and that gets you an entry into the drawing.

MORE CHANCES TO ENTER: But that's not all! If you refer people to my Facebook page and they like the page AND leave a message such as "{Your Name} is a Super Hero and referred me to your page", you will get an additional entry for EACH person that does this. That could add up!

THE PRIZE: You have until next Thursday, January 26th at 8:00 p.m. to get your entries in. The winner will receive a free session AND two free digital images of their choice. The aforementioned session MUST be taken in the months of March or April and must be shot in Sacramento or surrounding area. The session is only for immediate family, so please don't ask everyone you know to show up for a free shoot.

That's it! Easy peasy, right? If you have any questions, please feel free to email me amy@imagesfromamy.com.

A brand new year | Sacramento Family Photographer

2012-01-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

This blog has been a little quiet as I have been very purposeful about taking some time off of work over Christmas. I was getting a little burned out by the end of the year. The year 2011 was a tough one for our family personally. But on New Year's Eve, my husband and I were able to reflect upon the year and see so many ways that God has used those trials to refine us, humble us, and encourage us to cling to our faith. We are so thankful for that! And now it's 2012 and a fresh start.

So what does this year have in store? I don't have a clue quite frankly. But I do know that we're going forward with a priority on our faith and family, and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. We're going to be doing some simplifying. And we're trusting that there's exciting things on the horizon. Business wise I want to track things better so I'm not digging through piles of paperwork come tax time. I also want to jump back on working on my book that I started and didn't finish (on families with twins and triplets). But it all comes down to balancing work and family... something I know so many people struggle with.

Okay... that's enough reflection. Of course every good blog post deserves to have some photos! Here's some pictures I took of a photographer's family... the same photographer who did MY family photos before Christmas. The best part about shooting another photographer is that they come with their family dressed to kill! And this was no exception!

Twin boys in Old Sac | Sacramento Family Photographer

2011-12-17T15:51:00.000-08:00

I had one of those sessions this morning that went seamlessly. I'll be honest, most every session with toddlers is finished when the toddler ends up in tears. It's their way of letting you know that they're done. But today I shot double the toddlers (2.5-year old twin boys) and there wasn't a tear in sight. They were happy and smiley and we got fabulous shots in record time. Check out these cute boys. Their mom had them dressed to kill. It just goes to show you how good styling can make a photo!

And of course beautiful kids tend to come from beautiful parents. But what I loved about these particular parents is that it was obvious they had a lot of fun with their boys. There was a lot of hugging, kissing and tickling unprompted by me.

There are a ridiculous amount of awesome photos to weed through. I have a feeling they're going to be super happy with their gallery!

Three kids under two | Sacramento Newborn Photographer

2011-11-19T07:38:00.001-08:00

I had the pleasure yesterday of shooting a sweet little boy who was brand new to this world... only seven days old! He was a bit of a surprise to his wonderful parents, who already have boy/girl twins that are only a year and a half old. Yup... three kids less than two years old. I bow down to their mom and dad because they are handling this young family with an amazing amount of humor and patience and grace. They are such an amazing team!

We started with some more standard photos of their sweet baby. He wasn't really into sleeping for me and was much more interested in what I was doing.

But as he finally started drifting off I got a photo of his beautiful smile!

Then we went into Mom and Dad's room to get some photos with his older brother and sister. His Mom loves color. Their home is bright and cheery and absolutely fabulous... I loved it! I really adore these pictures in their room and have decided to shoot babies in their home environment more because of it. I think it paints a bigger picture about what a child's life was like at that given moment in time.

And here's his big siblings. Could they be any cuter? Both of them were suffering with the sniffles when I was there, but they were still so sweet and willing to smile for me.

Beautiful Family, Beautiful Day | Sacramento Portrait Photographer

2011-11-13T20:38:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I got to hang out with Parveen and her family down in Old Sacramento on an absolutely beautiful sunny day. They are such a nice family! And let me tell you... they have one very well-loved and well-dressed little girl!

And check out this little cherub. Could she be any cuter in her leopard print tutu and matching hair flower? I don't think so.

It's so enjoyable to meet a family that obviously love one another completely and enjoy each other fully. Thanks for spending your Saturday with me!

Handsome twin boys | Sacramento Family Photographer

2011-11-12T16:56:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I met a fabulous family down in Old Sacramento for their session. I must admit that I never get sick of shooting in Old Sacramento because there's so many little scenic nooks and crannies. And when the weather is "iffy" (like it was yesterday), it's so nice to know that there's tons of places with overhangs and cover to shoot. Lucky for us, it ended up not being an issue as the rain was held at bay.

The last time I shot this family, their sweet twin boys weren't walking yet. And now... they're running. And let me tell you that these boys are fast. Luckily I had enough foresight to bring my Radio Flyer tricycle... also know as my toddler containment device.

But even with the toddler containment device, there was a little chasing involved. Good thing that they can't outrun me... yet!

I also used their Mom and Dad as living and breathing containment devices.

And when they were tired of running, and I was tired of chasing, the session was declared over. They were all such troopers, braving the cold and potential rain for these pictures. Thanks so much you guys!

Twin Smiles | Sacramento Children's Photographer

2011-11-09T21:23:00.000-08:00

I had so much FUN shooting these adorable boy-girl twins in Old Sacramento. These two grinned from ear to ear the entire time. They liked to be on the move, so it was a good thing I brought my wagon and trike to keep them entertained. And I have to tell you, they couldn't have been more compliant in front of my camera.

Just check out these curls! This little girl is going to be a heart-breaker! And the irony is that she's probably going to want to straighten her hair one day, while the rest of us "straight-haired" people would be dying for those curls.

And here's their little dude... such an easy-going little man. If I didn't know first-hand how hard having twins can be, I'd say this Mom and Dad have it easy with these happy kiddos!

It's Raining, It's Pouring | Sacramento Family Photographer

2011-11-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

What an adventure I had this evening. And thank God that I got to share it with a family as easy going as these folks. You see, Liz and I had a plan... we were going to do this awesome sunset shoot at the beach. Sounds fabulous... doesn't it? I was totally looking forward to it. But as the day went on it got cloudier and cloudier. But no rain yet... until I was literally half way to my session and the heavens opened up. And it wasn't just a drizzle. Also, the days are getting shorter and with the heavy cloud cover it was already getting quite dark out. Oh... did I happen to mention that my flash batteries were dead and I had forgotten to replace them? Thus begins my panic attack.

So thankfully, we had a Plan B, and Liz had some extra AA batteries I could borrow for my flash. We drove to the Capitol Building and looked for the closest overhang we could find. And when we got there... it just happened to have this awesome checkerboard tile flooring! Lucky us!

We shot fast and furious because we were losing light so quickly. And I must admit that I was pleasantly relieved to come home and to see that the photos had turned out! Phew! And check out these two adorable boys! The first time I shot Liz, she was pregnant with her youngest son. And NOW look at him!

Thanks so much Liz and family for rolling with the punches this evening and being able to keep your sense of humor during the craziness!

Zephra's Girls | Carmichael Children's Photographer

2011-11-05T14:53:00.001-07:00

This morning I had so much fun shooting Zephra's girls - a second grader and identical twins who are in my daughter's kindergarten class. She insinuated that they were going to be a handful, but she was totally wrong. They were nothing other than sweet, energetic girls who were so full of joy!

And of course I had to take some individual shots! Thankfully one of her identical twins has dimples, which gave me something to tell them apart when I was editing!

And here's her twins together. Cutest little girls ever!

Meg and Family | Sacramento Family Photographer

2011-10-31T14:27:00.000-07:00

One of the wonderful things about my job is that I often get to mix business with pleasure! For some people, this can be a less than ideal situation. But for me... I just happened to be blessed with some awesome friends. And here's one of them. This is Meg and her husband Chris... whom she adores! And you'll never meet a mother who works harder for her kids and family.

Their first born children are twin boys who are now in kindergarten. In fact, her boys went to preschool with my daughter!

Then came along their baby girl. This little girl can be quite shy with new people, which makes me feel EXTRA special because she always warms up to me. Look at this sweet smile! Peek-a-boo!

Such a wonderful family! See what I mean about mixing business and pleasure? It's awesome!

Belinda's Girls | Roseville Family Photographer

2011-10-29T15:06:00.001-07:00

This is my friend Belinda and her beautiful family. She had two sweet girls when she found out she was pregnant with twins. She made a beeline to the Sacramento Mother of Multiples and her very first meeting was MY very first meeting. We have commiserated over the joys and trials of motherhood ever since! It all started when Belinda met James...

Then they had their first girl, who is now a very confident and helpful young lady in second grade. I loved watching her be a little "Mother Hen" to her sisters!

Then came their second daughter, who is now four-years old and in preschool. She was a little shy in front of the camera at first, but once I started shooting her older sister by herself, she was ASKING me to take her picture. So sweet!

Then... surprise! They got pregnant with twin girls. Belinda handles the whole group with so much love. She's such a great Mommy!

And here's all the girls together. Even their dog is a girl. Poor James is VERY outnumbered. I love these two pictures because I didn't have to do a single head swap. They were just so happy and easy to photograph.

And here's super dad with his four girls. Good thing he works out regularly because you have to be strong to wrangle these little ladies!

Thanks so much Belinda for letting me photograph your wonderful family. Your girls are just fabulous!

Megan's Clan | Sacramento Family Photographer

2011-10-23T13:58:00.001-07:00

I got to shoot the most beautiful family yesterday... inside and out! I'm very lucky with the clients that I get, people who seem so invested in their kids lives. It makes me happy! And can these people be more gorgeous?

And here's Mom and Dad! You can definitely tell that they work well as a team!

Their little girl was so cute... and despite cutting some mean ol' molars, she was still so easy going and sweet. She put up with my singing, funny faces, and silly sounds, although I think deep down she thought I was a little insane. I'm very glad that she humored me!

And Dad's older daughter was such a sweet young lady. It was so much fun seeing her with her baby sister, and it was obvious that the two girls adore one another.

All in all... a fabulous morning was had in Old Sacramento. Beautiful weather. Beautiful setting. And beautiful people!

Jonathan & Elise | Sacramento Wedding Photographer

2011-10-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

I have to giggle a little on the title of this blog post. I'm predominately a portrait photographer, but once in a while a wedding offer comes along that I just have to take. And Jonathan & Elise's wedding was one of those events. First of all, who wouldn't want to shoot these two beautiful people?

But second of all, Jonathan's mom and dad are very special to me and my business. They were my friends long before "Images from Amy" existed. And when I shared my desires to learn photography, they were my biggest fans and supporters. In fact, they came to my house 24 hours after I received my first dSLR camera for their "photo shoot". And here they are at the wedding almost five years later.

Not only were they my first "session"... but their oldest son's wedding was the first wedding I ever shot. And they were so supportive of me shooting that wedding that they actually bought me my Speedlight flash so I could shoot it! Here's their first son and his wife this weekend... pregnant with their second child!

First session... first wedding... but that's not all. Their first grandchild was the first newborn session that I ever did! And here she is over three years later as the flower girl at this wedding!

So before I ever even MET the bride... I knew that this wedding was going to be filled with people who were extremely special to me. And then I met the bride, Elise. And let me tell you, she is an absolutely warm and sweet lady - beautiful inside and out! I knew that it was going to a fabulous wedding and a fun day of shooting... and I was right! And the wedding just happened to be in gorgeous San Diego on the waterfront at the marina. Check out this view from their reception hall!

I got to hang out with the bridal party while they were getting ready which was so much fun. It was interesting to be with the women and watch the frenzy of make-up and hairspray, and then visit the guys and see them playing on their laptops and enjoying a good drink. Guys don't know how easy they have it!

Elise's gown was STUNNING! It was white lace over a champagne silk with intricate beading all over it. And it probably didn't hurt that she has the perfect little body to show it off!

Then we were off to do portraits before the ceremony. The sun was hot and high in the sky, but everyone were such troupers and we got it all done in time!

The ceremony was so sweet and personal, and Jonathan & Elise wrote some tender words to share with each other. It was so wonderful to see the sincere love they have for one another! And their faces showed their joy when they were announced as "husband and wife"!

The reception was wonderful! Elise pulled in some "beachy" elements into the decorating, which went perfectly with the view of the marina. And the groom's cake was even a turtle!

One of my favorite moments in a reception is always the father-daughter dance and the mother-son dance. I think this especially true since becoming a parent myself and anticipating that one day I will be watching my children getting married. It always tugs on my heartstrings.

And of course there's always the traditional tossing of "stuff"... including the coveted garter belt.

And the dance floor got hopping too. Jonathan and Elise know people who like to have fun!

But at the end of the night, the last dance brought it home to what the day was really all about: two people who love each other so much that they are committed to doing the rest of life together. Nothing could be better than that!

Now offering Kotori Photo Jewellery!

2011-10-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

Many people have commented on my photo necklace that I wear daily. But on Wednesday I got a fabulous new piece of photo jewellery. Check out this cute sterling silver plated bracelet with onyx beads! I absolutely love this picture of my family taken by an awesome photographer and friend, DeAnna Gallardo.

So here's the great news... I am going to start offering the ENTIRE line of Kotori jewellery through my business. They have two lines of jewellery now... a more expensive line where everything is solid sterling silver. And they also offer a less expensive fashion line that showcases plated and copper pieces. Here's the fashion line catalog... just click below to check it out:

Here's the sterling silver line! Once again, just click below to check it out:

And here's the best part... all this awesome jewellery is available to you now in time for Christmas! Whoo whoo! I'm getting the final price list together right now and should have that available soon! Yippee!

Puddle Jumping | Sacramento Children's Photographer

2011-10-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I realized that I shoot a LOT of pictures but haven't shot my own kids in a long time. So when they decided to play in the puddles yesterday after a thunderstorm, I broke out my camera. I loved watching the joy they had simply playing in the water. Here's just one of my son jumping in the puddles... in his bare feet...

Photography Pointers | Just Say "NO" to Dappled Light

2011-10-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

Alrighty... here's the next post in my inconsistent series of photography pointers for the layperson. If you didn't read my first photography pointer on Rule of Thirds, you can check it out HERE. These instructional posts are meant for the average person with a camera. Not even a fancy camera... just a basic camera. To prove my point, these next examples are photos taken with my inexpensive point-n-shoot camera (as opposed to my professional level SLR camera). They are not outstanding pictures by any means, but they get the point across. And that point is, "just say NO to dappled light". Here's an example of what NOT to do.

Bright sunlight "splotches" will ruin a picture. This was taken under the tree in our backyard and spots of sunlight were coming through the branches. In a photo, the differences between bright spots and shadows are exacerbated. The above photo is the perfect example of this. And all I had to do to fix it, was move my daughter around the tree a little bit so that she was standing the shade of the tree trunk, where the light is consistent. Then I re-took the picture (again with my simple point-n-shoot camera) and got this photo...

Can you see the difference between the two? Pretty obvious I think. The same thing happens if you set your kids down in bright afternoon sunlight and take their photo. The sun makes the top of their head and shoulders and chest bright with blown-out spots, and their face (particularly their eye sockets) are dark and hard to see. Not good. Unless you want to learn about other techniques that professionals use to even out the light (scrims, fill-flash, reflectors, etc.) then your best bet is to just get them in the even light (read: shade). So repeat after me, "just say NO to dappled light".

What to Wear for Family Photos

2011-09-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

Well... Friday was the first day of fall and do you know what that means? It's time for those family portraits for your Christmas cards! And our family is no exception. Every year I have a professional photographer do our family portraits because I'm never in the pictures throughout the rest of the year.

So the first thing I did was find a dress that I loved and that looks totally awesome on ME! Then I figured out how I wanted to match the rest of the family to me. Too often mommies find cute clothes for their kids first and then throw on whatever they have that might coordinate. No bueno. It's EASY to find cute kids clothes and much harder for mommies to find things that they feel awesome in. Do that first.

Then I decided on a palette. We're going with brown and red with a hint of turquoise (I may wear turquoise jewellery). And over the last couple of months, I kept my eyes open for cute clothes that fit our palette. And VIOLA! All I need now is some cute flowers for the girls hair and some hot shoes for me. Done! Here are the actual outfits we're going with (except for my husband's outfit... he'll be wearing a white T-shirt under the plaid one and his pants are slightly different)! Don't you love my dress? If anyone has a good suggestion for shoes that will look good with my dress I'm looking for suggestions!

Here's links to the outfits, from left to right:
Brown dress with red flower - from Gymboree (click here)
Men's red shirt and pants - already in my husband's closet
My cute little red dress - from eShakti (click here)
Little boys outfit & accessories (but not suspenders - from Gymboree (click here)
Little girl's dress - from Etsy (click here)

Twins... 8 Days New | Carmichael Newborn Photographer

2011-09-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

Sigh... I REALLY love shooting new babies. That's a given and I realize that I say this ALL the time. But something about this session really touched home for me. These little boy/girl twins were born almost full term at 6 lbs 8 oz and 6 lbs 11 oz... almost exactly the same sizes as MY boy/girl twins. I couldn't help seeing them and holding them and thinking that my 2.5-year old "babies" were once that size. That's the best part of newborn photography... they will never be that teeny tiny again and it's such a privilege to capture that!

And every session needs to have some baby smiles! I'm getting the hang of being able to read their sleep cycles and anticipate when those smiles are coming!

And I love me some cute baby rolls. Check out this sweet little princess!

Special thanks to their Mom and Dad for sharing their sweet babies with me and letting me love all over them!

One Big Happy Family | Sacramento Photographer

2011-09-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of shooting a gorgeous family down in Old Sacramento. Their twins are a year and half old and so inquisitive. It's such a fun age because everything is so new and interesting to them at this age.

How good looking are these kids? And it was so cool to watch their big sister interact with the twins. They ADORE her and you can tell she is an important part of their live.

And their Grandma was even able to join the fray. Isn't she lucky to live so close to her grandchildren and be such a big part of their life?

Open Hearts for Haiti | Sacramento Event Photography

2011-09-14T19:39:00.001-07:00

I had a fabulous weekend. It was my birthday and my husband spoiled me. Sigh... love that man. But the highlight of our weekend had absolutely nothing to do with my birthday. I had the privilege of attending and photographing a fundraiser for our friends who are adopting a little boy from Haiti. As most people know, adoption (especially international adoption) is a very expensive process. So they organized a casino night and silent auction that allowed friends and family to come alongside them in support. Here they are with their youngest daughter addressing their guests.

And here's their circle of support. I know it was extremely special for them to be surrounded by so many people who love them and will be caring for them through the adoption process. There's a LOT of prayer power in this group!

The purpose of the evening may have been serious and noble, but the evening itself was fabulously FUN! I loved these two pictures of some friends striking it "rich" in roulette.

I also loved this poster where all the guests put their thumb prints on the tree! What a fabulous reminder of all the people who love this special couple! If you want to learn more about their adoption journey, you can visit their blog HERE.

Ready for fall | Sacramento Clothing Photographer

2011-09-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who makes and sells crocheted items and occasionally has me photograph stuff for her. She does really good work and you should go check her out on Facebook HERE. My oldest daughter was THRILLED when she saw her latest creation and couldn't wait for me to take her picture in this adorable hat. Yah... it didn't even phase her that it was 96F out and she was going to have to put on jeans, a long sleeve shirt and a knit hat!

Dog Days of Summer | Roseville Kid's Photographer

2011-09-05T09:15:00.001-07:00

The days are getting a little shorter and the evenings are a little cooler. We are definitely starting the dog days of summer. And the Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to enjoy those last days in the pool and with the barbecue. And that is exactly what our family is doing... three days in a row to be exact. Yesterday we celebrated our cousin's 9th birthday. The sun was setting and his little brother was having fun climbing the fence. And I just happened to have my camera ready! It just goes to show you that the last hour of sunlight really makes for the best pictures.

It takes a village | Sacramento Family Photographer

2011-09-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you have heard the phrase, "It takes a village to raise a child". Well, my friend Susan booked a session just to celebrate the village that has been helping their family! She and her husband have the most adorable 2-year old twins, and they have been able to find an amazing balance between work and family life by relying on their own circle of support. Did I mention how adorable her twins are?

First there is their Grandma, who is also known as Lao Lao (Susan... please correct me if my Chinese is a disaster). This is one amazing woman, who moved in with their family for an entire year to help with the twins. What a huge sacrifice. And I must say, she also just happens to make some amazing deep-fried honey-glazed wontons. Yum yum yum...

Next of the list of amazing support, is Susan's sister. In the few times that I've spent time with her sister, it was obvious that she's a really cool person. But the thing that impressed me the most, was Susan's obvious appreciation for the love and emotional support she receives from her. How blessed to have a sister who is such a good friend!

And also in their "village" is their au pair was has been with them for an entire year and will be leaving in just over a month to go back home to Mexico. It is obvious that she has become a part of their family and that she sincerely loves these kiddos.

How lucky are these two sweet kiddos to have such an amazing circle of women to love them and care for them? And I'm sure this is just a fraction of the family and friends that have been supporting these guys over the last two years.

Twins... 2 Years Later | Sacramento Children's Photographer

2011-09-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

This morning I got to photograph a set of twins that I have photographed several times over the last two years. In fact, one of my favorite pictures came from their baby session! I had a thought to copy that picture today and show how much they've changed, but I messed up and put them on the wrong side! ARG! Sigh... I guess mom will have to bring them over for a playdate so I can have a "do-over". Anyway, I just had to show you how much they've changed in the last two years. Cutest. Kids. Ever.

Photography Pointers | Rule of Thirds

2011-08-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

So... I've been thinking that I'd like to do a series of posts on photography pointers. I have done several classes & speeches to MWAC's (a.k.a. - Moms with a Camera) on how they can take better pictures of their own kids. And I thought that the greater blogging world might be interested in something similar. So this is going to be the first post in a series on how to take better pictures... even if you just have a point and shoot camera. So here we go!

There are several rules that are taught in photography on composition. These rules are guidelines that help make a photo more interesting and esthetically appealing. The first that is often taught about is the "Rule of Thirds". The reason I want to write about this first is because my husband recently asked me, "Why are the people you photograph always to one side?". First of all, they aren't ALWAYS to one side. But I try to be purposeful about where I place people in the frame. The picture below is a good example of using the Rule of Thirds.

The rule of thirds can simply be explained as dividing your viewfinder into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. The grid will end up with two vertical lines and two horizontal lines, that will give you four crossing points like a tic-tac-toe matrix (as seen below). When composing your image you should consider placing your points of interest in the crossing points of the lines. By aligning elements at intersections and along the lines your image will be balanced and will enable a viewer to interact with it more naturally. Studies have shown that when viewing images, people’s eyes usually go to one of these intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot – using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it. In fact, you'll start noticing the Rule of Thirds in everything from famous paintings to scene shots in movies!

So in the picture above the horizon is along the bottom 1/3 of the image. The subject is in the right 1/3 of the image. And the focal point, his face, is at an intersection. Does that mean you shouldn't put your subject in the center of a picture? Not at all! It's especially effective to put your subject in the middle of a photo when you are emphasizing symmetry and have lines that lead your eye to the center, as seen below! But even though I did put my subject in the middle, did you notice that the horizon in still placed along the top 1/3?

Hope you like this little "pointer". Is there anything YOU would like me write about? If so, please leave a comment and let me know!

Triplet Toddlers | Roseville Family Photographer

2011-08-27T21:51:00.001-07:00

This morning I had the privilege of shooting a set of triplet boys on their "almost" second birthday. The last time I photographed them, they were just a few months old! And now they are talking and running in three different directions! And they are FAST!

I loved this picture, because as we were in the process of getting everyone situated, an airplane flew overhead. There's something about little boys and airplanes...

Although it was a challenge getting a photo of all of them together, I got a lot of pictures of them individually. They are such sweet and happy boys!

And here is Mom and her mini-me...

And you can't forget about Mom and Dad... the superheros of it all. These two have done an amazing job raising these three boys so far. As a twin Mommy, I bow down to the feet of them! And check out this cool metal wall at William Jessup University. This is a fabulous location for any families looking for portraits in the Roseville/Rocklin area.

And at the end of our time together, the boys were determined to climb the staircase. So... we let them to get our final shot! It was a RACE to the top!

Sisters & Cousins | Sacramento Children Photographer

2011-08-18T20:50:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I met a friend and her sister-in-law AND their kids in Old Sacramento for a play date. I had promised my friend that I would help her learn how to use her camera a little better, and at the same time it was a fun opportunity to take some pictures of her twin daughters and their cousin! Considering we were wrangling SEVEN kids between the three of us... it's amazing we got any decent pictures. Here's my friend's twin girls. I love these two... they are like little rays of light!

And here's their adorable 2-year old cousin. I absolutely love the feel of this photo and will have to put it on my website. There's something about the warm colors and this sweet girl's personality that just shine through.

And here's what I got when I said, "Give me your best pose!" She's a natural don't you think?

Twin Baby Boys | West Sacramento Newborn Photographer

2011-08-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

I'm back from vacation, and let me tell you... I had a fabulous break! It was completely low stress and relaxing... well, except for the drive from California to British Columbia with three small children. Good thing my kids are such road warriors! That being said, I jumped back into work with the easiest twin newborn session I've had so far (although they were almost 2 months old). They weren't necessarily into sleeping the whole time, but they were happy just being mellow and watching me. Such sweet little boys...

For their individual shots, they were so compliant. In fact, at various points they both flashed me some super big smiles.

I can almost hear this little man thinking, "Hello ladies!".

And to finish things off, we made sure to get some photos with their mom, Andrea. She is doing such a fabulous job with these sweet little munchkins. You can tell that they are well loved! Thanks for letting me come and snuggle with your sweet boys, Andrea!

California State Fair | Sacramento Event Photographer

2011-07-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, my husband left work early and we went as a family to the California State Fair. We have gone almost every single year and it's always such a fun event. There's something there for everybody... young and old. As the sun started to set and that golden light started pouring over the fair grounds, I couldn't believe how amazing everything looked. The colors were just so rich and deep. Nothing would have made me happier than just running around with my camera snapping pictures. BUT... that wasn't going to happen because my three little kiddos were absolutely melting down with exhaustion, and if we didn't leave quickly things were going to get ugly. But, as we were making a quick exit out of the fair, I pushed my double stroller with one hand and snapped a few pictures with my other hand while we were heading out. Yah... when you're a mommy you learn how to multitask.

Oldest & Youngest | Sacramento Child & Senior Photographer

2011-07-24T14:46:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine has kids ranging in age from a "soon to be" senior in high school to a "soon to be" two year old. Being a senior and being two are big milestones, so Mom thought it was time for photos of them both. Splitting a session between these two age groups is an interesting quandary, because half the time I have to be cool enough to relate to a high school senior, and the other half the time I have to dance around, sing songs and make funny noises. Needless to say, BOTH of them were fabulous and compliant in front of my camera. They BOTH get gold stars in my books!

So here's their two-year old daughter. I took her newborn pictures when she was teeny tiny, and she was my very first client when I decided to turn my photography passion into a business. I think this is the fourth time I've shot her, and every single time she is SO good, sweet and full of smiles. Love this kid!

I can just imagine that she's thinking, "You wanted me to sit in this wagon? You meant STAND in the wagon, right?"

Her big brother was just as easy going, and I give him credit for putting up with me. Because let's get real... there's not many teenage guys that want to get up super early to go pose for pictures. He's such a nice young man!

And check out his EYES! He's got that dark, dark hair and bright blue eyes. Lucky guy!

Six week old twins | Sacramento Newborn Photographer

2011-07-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

I got to photograph the most adorable boy/girl twins yesterday! They were six weeks old, but were born seven weeks early and hadn't been home from the NICU for long, so they were both still little tiny beans. Mom and Dad were doing so great and were so well organized! Doesn't she look fabulous for having two little babies?

It was a little work getting a photo of them together, but they seemed quite happy to snuggle. It seemed that they were fairly used to being squished up with one another.

I wanted another photo of them together, but decided it may be easier to photograph them separately and then merge the photos together in Photoshop. So this is a composite image of two separate pictures.

I had a couple of little guy ties that I've been wanting to try out on a baby boy... so I made sure that I got one with their son.

Capturing a newborn's smile is not easy. You have to be able to read where they are in their sleep cycle and notice the facial movements leading up to it. I was THRILLED when I caught BOTH of them smiling at different moments!

We got some individuals of them on my little bed with complimentary blankets that were made for each of them. Could they be any more peaceful?

I seriously adore shooting newborns. Please send all your pregnant friends my way so I can capture their sweet babies with my camera. It was so much fun shooting these two and I hope Mom and Dad enjoy their sneak peek as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

Look who's ONE | Sacramento Children's Photographer

2011-07-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today I got to shoot a friend and her adorable one-year old twins. This Mommy takes a TON of pictures of her sweet babies, but had the same problem that many mommies have... she wasn't in any of the photos. This is the same reason I have a professional photographer do our family pictures at least once a year... I need to be in some! Don't forget that, all you mommies out there!

Having a professional shoot pictures of your family when you have young twins, is quite daunting. But we were able to shoot at Grandma and Grandpa's house, which is a space that the babies were familiar with, and make it less taxing on everyone involved. It worked out perfectly. And their house just happened to have fabulous window light!

Grandma and Grandpa also happened to have a HUGE teddy bear handy. Can you get a better prop than a giant teddy bear? Although I must say they were digging my antique children's rocking chair!

Assignment Twin Toddlers | Sacramento Family Photographer

2011-07-13T20:43:00.001-07:00

This is Nina. She's a super Mommy. She takes care of two very active toddlers, runs a business, runs her home, and volunteers her time to her local Mothers of Multiples club. She's a creative patisserie chef, an effective business woman, and a loving mother. She deserves an award.

I have made such amazing friends through the Sacramento Mothers of Multiples club. They are seriously a great group of ladies who amaze me with their parenting abilities. This also just happens to mean that I shoot a lot of twins and triplets. Not an easy gig by any means. But the most difficult thing is shooting multiple toddlers. Toddlers tend to run away from you, and twin toddlers tend to run away from you in opposite directions. And Nina's two were SO SWEET, but were no exception to the rule. Let me tell you... they were FAST! And they weren't very interested in being contained... not by my wagon, not by mom and dad, not by anything!

They were so cute and it was so interesting to see how their little boy looked just like Daddy, and their little girl looked just like Mommy. They were Mini-me's!

We shot at the Sacramento Horseman's Association, which is always a fun place to go. The kids LOVED the horses and they provided a big enough distraction that they would stay still for at least 30 seconds! Daddy may need to buy them a pony...

Seriously... could she be any cuter?

And here's the whole family! Mom and Dad did an excellent job wrangling these two wiggle worms. Thank you guys for sharing your morning with me. You have a beautiful family!

Happy 4th of July | Sacramento Event Photographer

2011-07-04T14:47:00.001-07:00

Just a quick note to wish all my clients and their families a Happy 4th of July! Although I'm not an American citizen, I am so thankful for this country and being able to call it home. May you all have a fun and safe holiday! Here's a sample of what we'll be eating this evening...

Sarah & Jared | Sacramento Wedding Photographer

2011-06-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege yet again to second shoot a wedding with Jennifer Herring at Looking Glass Photography. Jen and I were friends before we both started our photography businesses, and now it's so special to be able to share this passion with her! This particular wedding was on the coast at Dillon Beach, so how could I say "no" to that? But next time Jen... please remind me to wear sun screen. OUCH!

When we got there, Jen spent her time hanging out with the bride and her attendants, and I got to stalk the groom and his buddies. They were such a fun group of guys who were up for anything, which I really appreciated.

I loved the bride's taste, but in particular I ADORED the bouquets and boutonnieres. She made large pinwheels for the bridesmaids and mini ones for the groomsmen. Aren't they fabulous?

One of the things I loved about this wedding was the incredible faith they both had. It was obvious that both the bride and groom wanted to build their marriage on their mutual love for God. Here's a tender moment with the men praying right before the ceremony.

Oh... and did I forget to mention that the bride was absolutely GORGEOUS! Um... yah.

I have hundreds of fabulous photos from this special day, but I don't want to overwhelm you so I'll leave you with this photo of the bride dancing with her father. It was so obvious how much Sarah's dad was proud of his daughter and moved by this special day. There's something special about the love of a father.

Christy's Family Portraits | Sacramento Photographer

2011-06-25T14:09:00.001-07:00

My friends Christy has not had portraits done with her husband since their wedding TEN years ago. I photographed her children last year, but she and her husband were not in them! Needless to say, Christy's mother was not very happy about that and scheduled a session with me this year to fix that problem. So off we went to Old Sacramento this morning with her family!

Now, Christy's twin girls are probably the easiest kids in the world to photograph. They're joyful and full of spirit and LOVE to pose. I pretty much think these two little girls are completely and totally awesome.

It's ALIVE

2011-06-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

Just a short little announcement for those blog followers that my new website is finally UP! This may not sound like a big deal, but I've literally been putzing around with this site for a YEAR. So go check it out. I hope you like it. There's a few things I need to fix, but I won't be looking at it for at least another week because I'm sick of it! LOL! Anyway, if you aren't already a fan of "Images from Amy" on Facebook, go do it because I will be holding a contest tomorrow to celebrate and someone will be winning a free session! Whoo whoo!

Photography Inspiration

2011-06-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

The nice thing about the Internet, is that it let's me see what's going on in the photography world outside of Sacramento. It allows us to gather new ideas and new inspiration in a way that is so much easier than ever before. One of the things I will be doing with my "new and improved" blog is sharing things that inspire me.

Today I want to share with you a cool site called Dear Photograph (click HERE to check them out). The image below was taken directly from their site. People take old pictures and photograph of them in context (and alignment) with the same surroundings today.

I love this concept. It takes a moment captured in history and transposes into modern times. And the titles of each picture say something about the photographer's new perspective of these old memories. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

My Evolution of Editting

2011-06-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

I've been going through old photos in the process of redoing my website. Looking at some of my earlier work has been a little humbling. I definitely had my moments of missed focus, underexposure and horrific composition. But the funniest thing to look at was how horribly I massacred my pictures in Photoshop afterwards. Here's a picture from the very first time I took photos for a stranger in 2007. She requested that I processed them in sepia and I found this "great free" Photoshop action online. I thought I pretty much rocked it. Um... Wow. So just out of curiosity I reprocessed the same picture today to see the difference. A little better don't you think? Better skin tones. Softer feel to fit with a newborn photo. Less contrasty. Much better.

So with this I pass on a few pieces of advice to new photographers so that they can learn from my mistakes:
1. Just because you can do something in Photoshop... doesn't mean you should.
2. Unless an action is fully adjustable... don't use it.
3. Less is more. You can ruin a perfectly good photo by overprocessing it.
4. Pay attention to blown highlights and clipped shadows. If you don't know what that means... learn.
5. Get critique. I asked some pretty awesome photographers to critique some photos for me. They let me have it. It hurt... I cried... but it was the BEST learning experience ever.

The Face of Diabetes

2011-05-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

This is Emily. She has Type 1 diabetes and I had the privilege of doing some head shots for her that will be used by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for some posters. She is a really cool little girl and it's hard to believe what she has to endure with her diabetes. Every day Emily tests her blood 6-10 times. She requires insulin every time she eats (even healthy food). She deals with low blood sugars that take her brain 24 hours to recover from. She wears an insulin pump 24 hours a day and dreams of a cure. Research has come a long way and we are hopeful that a cure will be found soon.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation raises funds to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. Eighty cents of every dollar raised goes directly towards research. One of JDRF's biggest fundraisers is yearly walks. Emily's family started Emily's Cure Crew last year and were amazed when they raised $4,500. But more is needed. For more information on how to donate to this great cause... click HERE. Thanks!

My second cousin in-law

2011-05-22T22:08:00.001-07:00

This handsome young man is my second cousin in-law. Did you figure it out? He's my husband's cousin's son. And after three more days he is officially done at high school for ever. I can't believe he's graduating, but he has definitely turned into such a wonderful, self assured, young man. His mom and dad should be very, very proud!

And THIS is why I try to convince people to schedule their shoot at the end of the day when the light is at it's dreamiest. You just get such rich colors in that yummy light!

Just 10 days old...

2011-05-21T21:57:00.001-07:00

This afternoon I got to photograph the sweetest little 10-day old boy. He was very excited about me being there and wanted to stay awake to take in everything that was going on. We eventually coaxed him to take a little nap though!

Mommy is a fabulous interior designer who owns and operates Delaney Design (click here to check her out). So this sweet baby had an AMAZING nursery that I just had to shoot in. Is this not the cutest bedding ever?

If you've ever checked out my website, the music playing in the background is by the J Band (click here to learn more about them). The lead singer is this sweet baby's daddy, so we just had to take a picture that incorporated the importance of music to this family!

What to Wear

2011-04-27T20:08:00.001-07:00

I recently had a client ask me about what her family should wear during a photo session. I thought about my own family and realized that I enjoy our own annual photo shoot best when I feel good and look great myself. This isn't always the case, because more often then not I spend more time on my kids' outfits and throw something on myself as an after thought. Not good. So I asked this client if she owned something that she felt particularly good in. Her answer was that she had a particular brown and white dress that she loved. So... here's an idea for that Momma on what her kids might be able to wear so that they look cute but she still gets to wear her awesome dress! Now the big question would be whether I could convince her husband to wear a pink shirt....

Pink dress: The Gap

Girl's jacket: The Company Store
Flower pin: Etsy
Boy's shirt: Old Navy
Boys shorts: Old Navy
Boy's fedora: The Gap

Busy bee...

2011-04-15T21:25:00.000-07:00

Look who was busy in our backyard today? It seemed like the perfect excuse to break out my 100mm macro lens!

Introducing Jennifer and Bryan...

2011-04-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

This family requested a LARGE sneak peek... and I am more than happy to oblige. I want to introduce you to Jennifer and Bryan. We had a lot of fun hanging out together at the Folsom Powerhouse. As you can tell from the picture, they are quite in love.

Just a few months after Jennifer and Bryan got married they found out they were pregnant. And shortly later they found out it was twins! What a way to kick your marriage off! Soon they produced two beautiful boys. And as Jen said in her own words, "Look! Look! I MADE those tiny humans!"

Now they're a family of four. And I don't think you'll meet a more "smiley" family. Even the 1-year olds were constantly grinning from ear to ear!

But that's not where our story ends. Because Jen and Bryan have amazing parents who are a HUGE part of their sons' lives. How lucky are they? So let me introduce you to Nonni and Poppi. Can you believe this woman is a grandmother? I can only WISH that I look that good when I'm a Grandma!

And not only do these sweet boys have a Nonni and Poppi... they also have an O-Gee! And let me tell you... their O-Gee ADORES them! Lucky boys!

And so I leave you with a few final pictures. They are definitely a family full of love and devotion to one another. I have the best clients EVER!

A family full of JOY!

2011-04-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun shooting this family yesterday. This was a family full of joy and hugs and laughter. It makes my job easy when it's apparent that a family truly loves one another. And it is obvious that Mom and Dad have invested a lot of energy in raising two wonderful young men.

And I LOVE this last picture. I've been trying to be purposeful about leaving some open space is some of my shots. I'm always drawn to photos like that when I look at other photographer's work. And it's always nice to catch a couple having a sweet moment...

Sweet twinnies turn ONE!

2011-03-27T14:13:00.001-07:00

I got to photograph the sweetest little boys yesterday. They're twins and they just had their first birthday. From the moment I walked in, I knew it would be a fun shoot because mom and dad were so relaxed and the first sweet boy I encountered greeted me with the biggest smiles. And I was right... check out these happy boys!

This next set of photos I wanted to try something different to spice up the basic gray backdrop. So I added a texture. What do you think?

You may also notice the new watermark. I'm redoing all my branding and will slowly be phasing in my new logo, including a reworked website and blog. Fun times!

Time off with family...

2011-03-06T21:03:00.001-08:00

I've recently taken a month off of business. My mother-in-law was under hospice care and recently succumbed to her cancer last week. It was one of the hardest things we've ever walked through. But during this time, our family has maintained a strength and unity that can only come through strong love and faith. We all have peace knowing that she is no longer suffering and are thankful that we had the opportunity to laugh and cry with her, let her know how much we love her, and say our final goodbyes.

During the last month I've missed picking up my camera regularly. But most of all, more than ever, I recognize the important of capturing those family memories. As we prepare this week for the memorial service, we have been pouring through folders (both physical and digital) and folders of photos. I'm so thankful for the pictures we have of my mother-in-law with our kids. Those are memories that we can never re-create now. Even more reason for me to keep my camera in hand.

Being with family also gave me the opportunity to take photos of my nephew for his 2nd birthday. Here's a little man that is such a bright light. He's sweet and engaging and joyful and I just love him to bits.

Please don't send me emails that I shouldn't be perching toddlers on porch railings. I promise that his Daddy was holding him from behind. I just edited Daddy out. And of course I HAD to take some pictures of the cutest niece in the whole world.

Most handsome boy in the world...

2011-01-29T14:46:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or is this the cutest little boy in the world? Okay... I'm a little partial since he's mine. Sigh... love him...

More Foxy Roxy...

2011-01-24T22:24:00.001-08:00

Foxy Roxy

2011-01-23T21:29:00.001-08:00

I have been wanting to shoot my friend, Roxy, for a long time. She's such a beautiful woman with unique style, and she's a loving and involved mother of FOUR! I wish I could look like her after just three kids! Can you tell her husband is a tattoo artist?

When I saw this next photo, I thought it just begged to be black and white with a texture overlay. What do you think? I must admit that I think it's my favorite. I could see it blown up big on canvas.

Over 9 pounds of love...

2011-01-15T21:50:00.001-08:00

I was so excited to shoot this sweet little boy and try out some of my new photography props. He came into the world a whooping 9 pounds and 4 ounces and couldn't be any cuter. And let me tell you... this was one strong little boy at only a week old!

Check out this awesome vintage baby scale I scored on Ebay. I absolutely love it and couldn't wait to try it out!

And here's Mom and Dad's other baby... their fur child, Levi. We tried to get him in some pictures and he wasn't having it. But when he finally decided that it was on his terms... he complied.

Kissable cheeks...

2011-01-14T13:57:00.001-08:00

These sweet identical twin girls turned 100 days old yesterday! This is a significant day in the Chinese culture, and Mom & Dad wanted to commemorate the occasion with some portraits. These girls had the most kissable cheeks that reminded me so much of my own babies at this age. And they were such good girls for their session... awake for half of our time and asleep for the other half. Thank you Tina for letting me be a part of your special 100 day celebration!

We are family!

2011-01-06T20:33:00.000-08:00

You know that song "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge? That's the song that was running through my head as I was looking through the photos from this session. It's the perfect song for such fun people. I dragged them through the mud and horse poop for their photos... and they did so laughing all the way. Thanks you guys! Hope your shoes recovered from our adventure!

Weddings

2011-01-05T13:53:00.001-08:00

I don't shoot a lot of weddings, primarily because it's a LOT of work to process 1000's of photos, especially considering my primary career is still "mom". But, I must say that I LOVE to be the second shooter because I can go, take photos, and let the primary photographer deal with all the processing. I love being a fly on the wall on the bride & grooms special day. It brings out the photojournalist in me. Anyway, here's the bouquet toss from this weekend. Thanks, Jennifer Herring, for letting me tag along!

These two were SO IN LOVE. In fact, it is the first wedding I've shot for a stranger that I shed a tear at. Between their faith and their love... it was beautiful...

Twin Love

2011-01-05T13:51:00.000-08:00

One Big Happy Family!

2010-12-28T22:32:00.000-08:00

Right before Christmas, my friend Meg asked if I could come and take some pictures of her extended family. They were all together in one place for the holidays and it was a good opportunity to get a group shot. I've come to the general opinion that large groups are the hardest portraits to shoot. First of all, it is hard to get even light across a big group using a two-light set-up. And this group had nine kids 8-years old and under, so there were a few head swaps done in Photoshop to ensure that everyone was looking at the camera nicely!

I really love how the "kid" shot turned out. Can you get a cuter bunch of kids? Soooooo precious. And do you like how the older kids "pinned" the twins back with their bodies so they wouldn't keep running away from me?

Something a little different...

2010-12-05T15:58:00.000-08:00

This sweet family was interested in more formal portraits, which is a little different than my usual style. Usually I'm photographing small kids and employing songs and odd bodily sounds to get smiles. These guys actually listened and stayed where I put them. What a change! Although to get natural smiles out of the men I did have to threaten to show them my "I love Photoshop" tattoo (don't worry Mom... I don't really have a tattoo).

Here's the three brothers together in a shot for the parents. This was my pose idea.

And this was THEIR idea of good posing. They might be right. This photo does have something special! Please note that no small children were hurt while taking this picture...

Mission Almost-Impossible

2010-11-28T22:17:00.000-08:00

This is Jen's family. She has triplet girls that are almost two years old and just as sweet as can be. The only problem is that they're not big on strangers... which I am. And they go in three separate directions. This is the second time I've photographed these beautiful girls and so far they just haven't warmed up to me. I broke out every song/dance/face/puppet/move that I have. No luck. But I don't think it was a total bust. Needless to say, we're going over for a play date this week so I can get to know them. I'm determined to bless this mom with a PERFECT portrait of her girls.

Meg's Family

2010-11-22T07:14:00.000-08:00

Meg is a busy lady. She and her family moved into a brand new house just one week ago, so having a "lifestyle" portrait session in their home seemed like a perfect idea. In between moving and taking care of three kids age four and under, she took the time for Christmas photos! Her oldest two are twin boys and it was obvious they are good friends!

The majority of our session was just having fun. They made chocolate chip cookies, and there was a lot of batter eating. There's nothing better than a session where you get cookies at the end! Check out their cute matching aprons with their names embroidered on them!

And of course, nothing is more fun than jumping on the bed in your Christmas jammies. Check out these three little monkeys jumping on the bed!

This session was a ton of fun. I could really get into shooting people in the comfort of their own home. Thanks Meg and family for a fun time... especially the cookies!

Dr. Susan...

2010-11-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

This is the second time I've been able to photograph Dr. Susan's family. One of my all time favorite twin pictures is of her gorgeous little girl and boy last year. Here it is!

They were so extremely smiley for me last time I shot them... and they didn't fail me today. Such happy, happy kids combined with awesome morning light makes for nice portraits. Don't you think?

Eight months old... but more like five

2010-10-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

These sweet little boy-girl twins are a miracle story. They were born at 28 weeks and 6 days into the pregnancy... 11 weeks before their due date. The baby girl was 2 lbs 8 oz and baby boy was 2 lbs 1 oz. Isn't that amazing? So although they are actually eight months old, they are more like five months old, and doing AWESOME! What a miracle! And could they be any cuter?

I love this. It's like he's yelling, "Hey! You're in my way!"

We also took a bunch of pictures outside, and the babies did so awesome considering how chilly it was out! Check out this adorable grin!

What a fun family! Thanks you guys for letting me love on your amazing little miracles!

Teeny Tiny

2010-10-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

I got to photograph the sweetest little fraternal twin girls tonight. They were so teeny tiny and it was such a privilege to snuggle with them. It brought me back to when my twins were little. Double blessings...

My new toy...

2010-10-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

I got a new toy. It's a Canon 100mm 2.8 macro lens. I bought it to take "detail" shots of babies... like little bitty toes and long eyelashes. But I can already tell that it's going to be fun for so much more. My next newborn session is on Thursday, but I couldn't wait to take it on a test drive.

The Ewers Family

2010-10-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun this morning shooting the Ewers family. They braved the intermittent rain, and we had a blast running all around Old Sacramento. The kids literally battled with one another to pose in front of my lens, which made my job easy. I love my job!

I have a ton of picture of this sweet girl with big grins, but there's something about her more serious expression that I just love. She just has such a soulful face.

And there's something about a little boy on the train tracks that just seems... fitting.

Twin boys = more to love

2010-10-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

These sweet little boys are identical twins. They are two months old, but were born a little early and spent some time in the NICU. They were seriously adorable and couldn't have been better bundles of sleepy yumminess for me to photograph.

Their mom and dad enjoy historical swordplay, and they wanted to include their passion in some pictures. I promise you that no babies were harmed in the taking of this photo.

All Grown Up...

2010-09-26T22:53:00.001-07:00

This is my cousin-in-law's son, Brandon. He's a senior and went to Homecoming this weekend. When I first met Brandon he was this sweet awkward little boy. And now he's turned into this wonderful young man. It was special to be able to share in his special evening and snap a few quick pictures that show he's definitely all grown up!

2010-09-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

This family was so much fun. Their sweet little girl was ALL grins, and although their eldest teenager was hesitant to give up the smiles I could always get him if I made fun of myself. I'm not above a little self deprecation to get a picture...

Chubba Wubba...

2010-09-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

I had a fun opportunity to photograph my friend's 2-month old baby boy. It's a hard age to photograph because they don't want to sleep deeply for you and they can't really hold their head up much yet. But this sweet chubba wubba smiled nicely for the camera before having a nice little snooze for us. Don't you just love his hair?

Your Christmas Gift...

2010-09-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

Here's my Christmas promotion this year! With your purchase of a session and at least one digital image, you receive your choice of either a photo pendant OR photo tree ornament. Both are solid silver (not plated) and the ornament has the year hand engraved on the back. October sessions are almost completely booked up and I have some availability left in November. Please note that I am not booking sessions in December so that I can spend quality time with my family. Merry Christmas!

Feel the love...

2010-09-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun shooting this family today. I think this session is a reflection about how my "style" is changing. I really desire to capture the emotion a family feels... the love for one another. So my session lately have really reflected that. We had so much fun playing and tickling and wrestling and climbing trees. They are such beautiful people, inside and out, and I hope these pictures reflect that. Thank you Alison for letting me "play" with your family today!

Sergeant Val...

2010-08-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

Here's Val. We shot her session tonight and I had to post some pictures because it was just too much fun. Looking at her, it's hard to believe that she's almost a sergeant in the Military because all you see here is a vivacious woman. She's sassy AND she could kick my butt. Love her!

Another reason for a new portrait...

2010-08-22T18:31:00.000-07:00

Need another reason to get awesome pictures of your kids? Or your spouse? Or your dog? Check out this cool website HERE where they can make a custom iPhone case for you with their picture on it. Gone are the days of putting their picture on a coffee mug. Makes me want an iPhone though...

Mine...

2010-08-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

In my quest for a perfect portrait of my kids, I took them out for 5 minutes today to shoot. I only planned for 5 minutes because I knew that's how long they would last. And I was right. I wanted a red building because the picture is going up in my "red couch" room. Anyway, which one gets your vote? Number one or number two?

And here's one of my oldest, just because she's so adorable!

Blessing from above

2010-08-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

As you may be able to tell from the pictures below, this sweet little girl's name is Hannah. She's almost 3 weeks old and about to go on her first adventure. Her parents are teachers in Asia and are just back in the country so that she could be born. By the end of the month, they will all be back overseas. What a blessed little girl to be embarking on such a fabulous adventure.

Family Ties...

2010-08-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

This family was the winner of my Facebook contest, and they used the opportunity of a family gathering to take some portraits. It's amazing with a group this size how hard it is to get everyone smiling nicely all at the same time. They made it easy on me!

Here's the family that won the contest! They are such a nice family and have a little girl the same age as my oldest daughter. She and I bonded over Disney Princesses.

These brothers were so fun, and they BEGGED me to let them jump into the pool in their clothes when the shoot was over. When their grandma and grandpa agreed... I had my camera ready!

"Almost" five years old

2010-08-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

These sweet little girls are twins! They are four years old and quick to point out that they are actually four and a HALF... ALMOST five! Not only are they beautiful, but they're extremely well behaved and intelligent. Mom and Dad should be proud. Thank you for letting me photograph them!

Sweet Baby Girl...

2010-08-05T21:34:00.001-07:00

This sweet baby girl is 9 days old. She was born 7 pounds 3 ounces, which is the exact same size my older daughter was when she was born. It's hard for me to imagine my big girl that size any more. It's a good thing people let me love on their babies so I don't need to have any more of my own! Anyways... congratulations Lindsey and Wes! She's perfect!

David

2010-07-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

This is my brother-in-law, David. He's a talented musician and conductor, and just happened to need an updated head shot. We didn't have much time, but I was able to snap off a few pictures for him quickly.

The other thing Dave is passionate about is his family. It makes me so happy to see how much he loves and adores my sister, because she truly deserves nothing less. I couldn't have picked a better husband for her.

Miss Maya...

2010-07-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

After taking a few pictures of my niece yesterday, it became abundantly clear that I needed to get her in front of the camera in a more purposeful way. She's just such a beautiful person, inside and out!

Family...

2010-07-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of vacationing up in British Columbia is seeing family that I don't get to see often. Today we had a fabulous BBQ at my aunts house and I got to snap some quick pictures of some of them. Here's my beautiful niece... age nine going on nineteen.

And here's my cousin's daughter with her grandma. It is so obvious how much she adores her grandparents and this picture warms my heart.

Having a great vacation! Wish you were here!

2010-07-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

On vacation...

2010-07-20T20:49:00.001-07:00

Well... for the last two weeks of July I am on vacation and will be back to booking sessions after August 1st. But I thought I'd share a picture of the new friend I made yesterday while visiting a park in Victoria, British Columbia!

Capturing the moment...

2010-07-12T08:49:00.001-07:00

I've recently taken the title of "Historian" for our local Sacramento Mother's of Multiples club (SMOM). Basically my job is to attend our events and take photographs. Seems like a good fit, right? It has really gotten me thinking about event photography, both personally and corporately. I really want to capture the emotion of an event so people can remember the joy they felt while they were there. That's going to be my goal. Here's a shot from our SMOM Annual Pool Party this weekend. I think I definitely captured their joy!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

2010-07-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that my little baby girl turned four today. She was so quiet and shy when she was small, and it's interesting how that is starting to change. The shyness is going away and being replaced with high-energy goofiness. There are so many things to love about her, but these three things top my list:
1. She loves her brother and sister so much and protects them fiercely.
2. Life is a musical to her, filled with dancing and singing and joy and tragedy and drama and spirit.
3. She loves animals like you would love people.

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl. You bring so much joy to our lives and I can't wait to watch you grow into the sensitive woman of grace that I know you'll become. I love you!

Two years old...

2010-07-04T15:27:00.001-07:00

It is amazing to me that this sweet little girl is two years old now. I took her newborn pictures when she was fresh home from the hospital with her full head of hair all soft and curly. And here she is two years later, talking and laughing and full of life. I'm amazed how quickly she has grown up (as I'm sure her parents are). And I can't wait to see what an amazing little person she turns into! Here she is with her Mama and Yia Yia (grandma)!

Turning four...

2010-06-25T21:50:00.001-07:00

In a few weeks, my sweet little girl is turning FOUR! I almost can't believe it, but she reminds me daily that she will soon be a year older. So it seemed time to head out and do her four-year portraits. I wanted to do something fun that she would enjoy, so what could be better than a kid in a candy store. I called the manager of the Candy Barrel in Old Sacramento and asked if I could do a shoot in their store. She was happy to help!

So this morning, off we went. It would have been virtually impossible for me to do with all three kids in tow if I wasn't able to convince my friend to come and lend a hand. She was a trooper and gladly entertained the twins while we played in the candy store.

We also stopped by a few of our favorite photography spots to snap a few.

I must give props to our twins as well. They were SO good the entire time we were there. So of course I had to reward them for being so good...

Sweet squishy baby...

2010-06-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

Check out this sweet, squishy, 6-day-old baby that I got to shoot yesterday! He was born 9 pounds 11 oz and couldn't be more precious. This was probably the EASIEST baby session ever. First, there was just one of him which was definitely WAY easier than the multiples I've been shooting lately. Second, he slept like a rock. Congratulations Katie and Andrew... he's absolutely precious!

Camil's Family...

2010-06-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

This is Camil. She is an amazing woman. She's an attorney, loving mother, preacher, teacher, and bright light to everyone who meets her. And one day her children are going to look at her and be overwhelmed with thankfulness that she their mom!

Photoshop... the finishing touch...

2010-06-17T19:55:00.001-07:00

Having a great digital SLR camera definitely helps me get great pictures, but the finishing touches are done in Photoshop. It's a fabulous program and let's you take a good picture to the next level. I wanted to show people the difference some photo editing can make (besides the usual air brushing). It really makes the colors and textures pop!

Non-compliant model...

2010-06-16T14:32:00.001-07:00

This morning I took one of my favorite models out to scout locations for this weekend's session. Needless to say, my model wasn't feeling too willing. Here's the before and after picture (taken about 1 minute apart).

New tools...

2010-06-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

I've been recently gathering some new tools for my Photoshop arsenal. There's so many fun things to do with Photoshop, and for me the trick is being subtle yet effective. What do you think of this new processing?

When size matters...

2010-06-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

I recently read a great article on how size really matters when printing out portraits. You should go check this article out HERE. I love how huge photographs look on the wall on canvas. And I am notoriously bad for not hanging pictures of my kids. I have a TON of awesome pictures of them that have not yet made it to the wall. So... in my attempt to practice what I preach, this image will soon be hanging up as a 20x30 in my newly renovated bathroom!

COAC Headshots

2010-05-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

I just finished up the corporate headshots for Cooper Oates Air Conditioning. They had the cutest engineer working for them. Check out this handsome man! Okay... yes, he's my husband...

Beautiful: Inside and Out

2010-05-16T21:46:00.000-07:00

Meet Kevin and Linda. Here are two people that are so absolutely beautiful on the inside that their beauty radiates outwardly. I can only pray that one day my light can shine as bright as theirs.

Britni: Mother's Day Contest Winner!

2010-05-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, I got to shoot Britni who was the winner of my Facebook Mother's Day contest. Britni is such a natural beauty with her gorgeous red hair, that the pictures couldn't turn out to be anything other than fabulous. I love so many of them! Thanks for the fun time, Britni!

Too cute for words...

2010-05-04T15:25:00.001-07:00

Okay... they don't come cuter than these two. Yes, they're my niece and nephew, but I don't think I'm too biased. Well... maybe I'm a little biased.

More to love...

2010-04-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to try putting together a 10 x 20 storyboard and these triplet pictures were just want I needed to play.