New Sneak Peek... Karissa {Class of 2011} and my take on the Royals || Fallbrook Senior Photographer

I didn't think Royal Wedding fever would catch me, but it did. Yesterday I started obsessing over Kate and Williams big day. Ridiculous?! I know! But I love weddings!! There's os billed at the wedding of the century {or at least the decade} and I couldn't help but get excited for them.

Somewhere around 12:30a I started watching the pre ceremony coverage, but opted to tape the actual event. At 3:30a I heard one of the kids wake up and couldn't help sneak a peek of her dress via my phone. Oh Kate... you are divine! I still haven't had a chance to watch the actual ceremony, because I have been a little busy with {gorgeous} Karissa's sneak peek!

My senior's have been rockin lately and Karissa was no exception. Perfect skin, gorgeous eyes and absolutely beautiful soul. I cannot wait to share more!

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Jill and Anastasia... Lifestyle Session || Fallbrook Photographer

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about." ~Anonymous

I ran across this quote this morning and keep going back to it. The truth that lies in a simple statement that signifies our lives. Birthdays always make me incredibly pensive, thinking back on the previous year of life for our kids. Did we make the right decisions? Are we allowing them the freedom to grow? To fail? To learn? What would we do differently? Where have we excelled? With God's mercy, they are the teachers of life.

When Jill contacted me to do a session for her and her oldest daughter Anastasia, I was ecstatic! She explained that Anastasia was graduating soon, attending FIDM in the fall and wanted to commemorate this time in their lives together.

She didn't mention that they are both insanely beautiful and beyond sweet as honey! We hit it off right away and they rocked their lifestyle session.. celebrating life.

Jill~ You belong in an Ann Taylor ad!! You are gorgeous.

Anastasia- you are amazing!! I could shoot you all day and twice on Sundays! **love**

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Out of my Comfort Zone... Trying even if I Fail. || Fallbrook Senior and Kids Photographer

We sat in bed after a long day of work and snuggled. Then casually he mentioned that he saw Madison's birthday sneak peek and well.. he wasn't a fan. It usually starts like that. A casual mention that he had been on my blog or my facebook page and a general critique or praise. It's enough to send me into a tailspin almost instantly.

Erik is always supportive and always offering advice on every aspect of our business. Most of the time I don't want to hear it though. There is something piercing about critique from the person you are closest to. In this instance he was right {babe.. if you are reading this now I'll deny you are ever right about anything else ;)}. He said it didn't look and feel like me. Not the way I shoot, not the colors, or the mood and he especially didn't like her moody look {I call it preteen hormones}. He was right. It didn't look or feel like me, not the colors or the mood. But I was trying. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone even if I failed.

I tried to explain that I was playing with the light and trying to get a different emotion out of our soulful baby girl with the setting. He wasn't sold on our session, but secretly I think it's because she is losing her little girl look and moving into looking like a young lady.

Either way, I will still continue to grow and push and try... even if fail.

On to some other exciting news... after months of looking.. we've hired an intern!!! The beautiful Anastasia will be starting soon and I cannot wait! You may be hearing from her in emails, styling and she'll even be blogging from time to time.

Here's Miss Anastasia below.. ::sigh::.. gorgeous!! {Full blog post of her session later today}.

And... another push out of my comfort zone.. textures. I have been wanting to try them for awhile just for some diversity in my editing. Let me know what you think in the comments section. I would love to hear the feedback.

original

TRA- Dirty Diana Texture {masked back off of the skin}

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Zac... Senior Class of 2011 || Fallbrook Senior Photographer

Boys scare me... a lot. When I was asked to do Zac's senior pictures I am pretty sure I broke out into a cold sweat. Girls are easy for me.. I have 4 of them, but boys over the age of 5 are a little foreign. High school memories came crashing back to my mind. I attended an all girls school and was tall, awkward and super shy. I knew that I had to be on my game to make Zac comfortable, get the kind of shots that make me... me,  the ones that show off Zac's personality and not say anything too dorky in the process.

Turns out all of my worry was for nothing because he brought his A game! Zac wants to be a writer after college, but if that doesn't pan out.. modeling is definitely a fall back.

I guess boys aren't so scarey after all :)

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Madison Rane... Sneak Peek || Fallbrook Children's Photographer

Miss Madison Rane is within a couple of weeks from celebrating her 12th birthday, so we headed out with her guitar to commemorate her upcoming day. She has the voice of an angel and never fails to move me to tears whether she is singing in church or our living room. I was treated to my very own performance of "Your Grace is Enough" during our shoot and had to blink back tears as I watched my baby girl with a mixture of surprise at how mature she seems {sometimes} and how beautiful she is inside and out.

Just a little sneak peek...

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Taking Time.... || Pacific Edge - Laguna Beach Wedding Photographer

This morning I laid in bed a few extra minutes to snuggle the kids and wonder where out Spring Break went. Too many days with too many hours spent staring at the computer screen instead of running and playing and enjoying our time. There were chores to do and activities to attend, and the time passed entirely too quickly.

So I am taking the next four days off to just take time for them and for us. No emails, editing, or anything work related.. just time to talk about what Easter is all about and enjoy the gifts that we have been promised by God.

Here's a little teaser from Justin and Mary's Walk Thru a Wedding Orange County held at the amazing Pacific Edge Hotel in Laguna Beach.

Happy Easter!

I hope you take time for those you love.

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2011 Senior Class... Karlin || Fallbrook Senior Photographer

A few weeks ago I left sunny Southern California for snowy Northern Virginia to shoot Lara and Jeff's gorgeous National Museum of the Marine Corps wedding {see it HERE and HERE} and had the chance to meet up with beautiful Karlin for her senior picture session. I have known her family for a couple of years and when they asked if I would document the end of Karlin's senior year with a fun photo session, I was so excited.

Not only is she beautiful, but also insanely smart and I know that Virginia Tech is lucky to have her attending in the fall.

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The Little Miss... So Saucy Sneak Peek || Fallbrook Baby Photographer {Commercial Shoot}

A few months ago I was contacted by Suzanne of So Saucy asking if I would be interested in doing a commercial session for her. After seeing her absolutely adorable hair pieces I was immediately smitten. Her etsy shop is undergoing a few tweaks in preparation of a Grand Opening, but in the meantime I thought I would send out a little sneak peek of whats to come!

Little Miss Mia was a model extraordinaire and anytime I am around my favorite 7 month old, I can't help but smile from ear to ear. She is absolutely beautiful and was a perfectly little lady playing in the grass and throwing around her coyest smiles. She melts my heart.

More from So Saucy soon!!

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Well, Well... Monday. We Meet Again! ... Random Monday Musings

Mondays and I are generally not friends. We wake up equally unhappy to see each other that ends with a big sigh, covers over my head and wishful thinking that somehow my clock was accidentally fast forwarded by hours and there is still sleeping to be done.

The munchkins are on Spring break this week and I am working from a super noisy house. I'm sure that the monkey bread for breakfast didn't help keep the sugar content down and they were just as excited as I was to sleep in this morning. So this Monday is off to a pretty {loud, errr..} rockin start.

I have about 100,000 things to do to prep for the week. Galleries to get out, sessions to blog, models to find for Justin and Mary's Walk Thru a Wedding Orange County {if you want details on modeling or attending  hit me up HERE }, Easter planning to think of, birthday parties to plan and 3 sessions of my own to shoot.

Woooo, that made me tired just thinking about our week ahead....  I'll leave you with my random Monday musings so I can get back to work with the promise of lots of cuties coming to the blog soon!

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Jill and Anastasia... A Sneak Peek || Fallbrook Photographer

They stepped out of their SUV crossover and my breath caught. Slim, beautiful and sweet as honey. These are the things dream sessions are made of. Jill had explained {in her Texas honey drawl} that her oldest daughter was getting ready to graduate high school and she wanted something special to commemorate a fantastic senior year, turning 18 and the pride she feels being her mom. Jill is a proud mom to four beautiful kids, but this day alone belonged to her and Anastasia. 

I could not be more honored to document this time for them. They rocked it out!! This is just a little sneak peek.. but there are so many more to come!!

 

 

 

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