(my life) Behind the Camera: April 2011

Saturday, April 30, 2011

garden pictures

It's wonderful working with fantastic people,
who have fantastic kids.

We used the Children's Garden at St. Paul's Preschool for
the wonderful background.

First, some fun senior pics, for an amazing young woman!

And, yes, she is as genuine as her sweet smile.

Next up, a pair of siblings,
for some Easter pictures!

We had a perfect morning, not too sunny...which I prefer.
No squinty eyes! No shadows!

Thank you, ladies, for sharing your kiddos with me!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Brothers Day, Part 2

I met Sam for the first time on Thursday, too.

He had someone he wanted me to meet.
His BRAND NEW baby brother, Noah.

Sam had only been a BIG brother for 15 days when I met him.
But, he's already really good at it.

"Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero."
~Marc Brown

Brothers Day, Part 1

Last week, I had a Brothers Day celebration.
I met these sweet brothers (and their mom!) at the park.
We all had fun watching the squirrels!

Friday, April 8, 2011

head shots

A few months ago, Bella's dad, Tim, asked if I could
take some new headshots for his new blog.

We took these at Chapman University.

It was a nice break from working with kiddos all day.
I didn't have to make funny faces, snap my fingers, or whistle
to get him to look at the camera :)

People are talking...

"Sara was a pleasure to work with. She chose a beautiful place and immediately put my son at ease, capturing some very natural pictures and poses. She even persuaded squirrels to feed from my son's hand, which produced other beautiful pictures. Sara is both professional yet easygoing, especially good with active children. I would definitely hire her again!"

"Our family couldn't be more thrilled with Sara and our first family photo shoot. Getting 4 people (especially babies and toddlers) to smile on cue can be impossible, but Sara has tricks up her sleeve and God-given talent. We are blown away at all the amazing shots she was able to get, even with our baby being fussy most of the session. These will be our first framed photos, but now that we've met Sara, they won't be our last! Thank you for capturing the spirit of our family--we will treasure these memories forever!"

"Overall a WONDERFUL experience! The photo shoot was so relaxed. You were very patient with the kids. I even think Sam forgot you were there most of the time, and I believe that is key in capturing ones true personality! You had great ways of getting Sam to really show his happy, playful side! Thanks again for a wonderful experience, and gorgeous photos!"

"It was such a pleasure working with Sara. Her professionalism really showed during the photo shoot. She had all the great spots picked out prior to our arrival, and it showed when we finally viewed the photos. Each photo was incredible with the perfect background. I must speak on her enduring patience that she had with our dog, who obviously wanted to be someplace else. Gracie is a big part of our family and Sara captured all of Gracie's personality in every shot. Thank you Sara for the wonderful photos!"

"Having Sara take my kids' pictures was absolutely wonderful! The kids got to explore the garden before Sara began taking the pictures, and when she began, she was relaxed and patient and incredibly responsive to what the kids wanted to do. Sara captured in pictures what I see when they play - innocence, joy and their beautiful personalities. "

"Sara is a gifted photographer. She has the ability to capture not only the beauty of the image, but also the essence of the moment in her photographs. Her shots are evocative, personal, and warm. She had a natural and comforting way with our newborn and toddler that allowed her to skillfully capture those special moments of discovery and wonder that fill early childhood. We will use Sara again and recommend her highly!"

“We have 3 small children/babies. As you can imagine, it's impossible to get all 5 of us "picture perfect" at the same time. I don't know how, but Sara manages to do it. Every. Single. Time. And not just one shot, either--try a few dozen. our family always has a blast during our sessions, and Sara's able to capture every sweet moment with skill that I could only dream of. She's great with the kids and incredibly creative--from having my older ones paint their handprints on my belly while I was pregnant with my youngest, to having each kid hold a letter to spell "DAD" for a Father's Day gift. Through one referral from a coworker we have gained a dear and talented friend who has captured precious memories that will be on the walls of my family for generations. I only wish I had known her when I was planning my wedding!”

“Sara’s extraordinary patience with my newborn made our session a wonderful experience. The resulting photos are of a happy baby, warm and comfortable in Sara’s loving care. Sara took the right amount of time to get the best shots, and I couldn’t ask for more. I will treasure these photos forever and am grateful for Sara and her remarkable skills.”

“Sara, who we call the "Baby Whisperer" has such an incredible talent. Her camera sees things that no others can. Her pictures not only capture smiles and faces, but precious memories.”