(my life) Behind the Camera

Saturday, July 14, 2012

a (gigantic) update

I've been a little busy...

welcoming new babies,

celebrating first birthdays...

life is good.

Enjoy!

Monday, June 18, 2012

There are several job perks to teaching.
Most revolve around the hours and summer off.
But, one of the best job perks teaching at my school, is working with the best people you could ever work with.
Really, my school is FULL of wonderful people.

And when wonderful people have wonderful babies,
the perks are multiplied.

I always go back to this quote, by Annie Leibovitz:

"A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people. "

Look at this face...how could you not love him???

Thank you, friend, for sharing your joy with me.

Monday, June 11, 2012

I'm behind...

I took these pictures almost 2 months ago.
Sorry, sweet Tristan...maybe I was hoping you would stay 6 months old forever if I didn't post them on time...

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Class of 2012


Thank you, Ramirez Family!

I said that a highlight about photography is meeting new people.

But, even better than that is when they invite you back again for more!

The Ramirez family was eagerly awaiting baby Matthew's arrival.

I went to their home to get some fun tummy pictures, and some

family shots before they became a family of 5.

Luckily, big brother Nathan is obsessed with belly buttons.

Otherwise, I don't think I would've gotten this picture!

It's my favorite from the day.

Then, we got artsy, and did some painting!

Hannah was a very serious and thorough painter...

Poor Mommy even got her back painted!

Nathan needed a little more coaching...

...but eventually everyone joined in!

I think she's trying to convince Hannah that we were all done ;)

A seriously fun shoot!

I would like to add, for any expecting families...

It has not been medically proven, BUT,

it could be that painting your baby belly could lead

to labor...because baby Matthew was born less than 24 hours later!

Stay tuned...his newborn session is coming up soon!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

OC Fair....??

It was a lot of fun to see a few of my pictures last year
at the Orange County Fair.
I am considering entering again this year...
Here are my (I think) final choices:

Thoughts? Do you have a favorite?

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

another blessing

Over the weekend, I took pictures of this sweet baby girl.

It's always a blessing to take pictures of these tiny, new people.

I should mention that this baby girl is the daughter of my cousin.
Our grandmother was a SERIOUS Cabbage Patch Doll collector.
When she passed away, some dolls were donated, but some I had to keep.
I brought one out for a picture.
My grandmother would've loved to see her great granddaughter with it.

Welcome to the world, Miss Bella!

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.”