WARM holiday wishes | la jolla family photographer

I love that while this is what the holiday season looks like for some...



...ours looks like this, complete with the likes of a gorgeous family like you're about to see.  And like I love warm holidays in San Diego, I love this family.  I've been lucky getting to photograph Chelsea, Michael, Ella and Quintin for the past year and a half (Quintin was just six months old the first time I shot them and he recently turned two!); luckier still just getting to know them.

Once again, the family is planning on using these photos for their holiday cards, so we'll post just a few so we don't ruin the surprise for their friends and family.

I think we're alone now | chula vista maternity photographer

(only my fellow 80s era folk will get this post's title.  lol)

Meet Tiffany.  Tiffany is wife to Kurt, mommy to (the insanely adorable) Samantha, carrying their second little girl, Charlotte, a total sweetheart and g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s to boot.  I mean seriously.  Methinks she must have been going back for seconds and thirds when they were handing out good looks.  ;) 

Here's a are just a couple of sneak peeks from her maternity session this past weekend.

One of my faves from the session...


The beautiful Sammy


Another fave...


It's a good thing she married a firefighter because she is smokin'! 

How Christian got his groove back | san diego family photographer

First let me just say that this post comes oozing with optimism (those who know me best should start picking their jaws up off the floor now).  Can it be that months of computer/website/whatever else could go wrong are finally on the mend?  I'm holding out hope that things are finally looking up.  Email is still a little wonky, but I think we've finally got the new website just about ready to launch.  The blog has been slow...ok, dead...for the last few months due mostly in part to said computer issues, but also to some personal stuff that's well...personal.  That said, I've got my optimism on and what better family to start with then this one...

...you may recognize them.  I've photographed them twice before and both me and my camera love them.  When you last saw Christian, he was brand spankin' new to this world and his parents, Sophia and Steve were adjusting to life without sleep.  ;)  Well, Mr. Christian is now a year old and even more handsome than the last time we saw him.  On top of that...this boy loves to dance.  He cannot help it...if he hears a tune, his body has to dance.  So like most his age, he was a little hesitant with me sticking my big ol' camera in his face, but with a little help from dad's singing the theme song from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Christian got his groove and worked the dooty out of their session.  ;)

Note: It's holiday season again...which means limited sneak peeks.  Gotta save the surprise for everyone's holiday cards.  but no worries, Christian was so "on", we've got plenty of just his cuteness to hold everyone over.

Rockin' the dress | del mar portrait photographer

In a few short weeks, Annie and Richard will be celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary.  To celebrate, Annie emailed me and said she wanted to get back into her wedding gown and shoot at the very spot where she said yes to Richard all those years ago (how romantic is that?!).  I was so looking forward to this shoot because I've always wanted to do my own "trash the dress" session, so I got to live vicariously through Annie.  Plus, she just seemed like so much fun to hang out with it - and she (and all of her boys) proved me right.  

Have to start with the shoes.  I just love a pretty pair of shoes!



Rawr!  Check it - Annie is owning this shot.









Ten years and three kids later...



...it's no wonder she had such an amazing smile throughout the shoot!  gorgeous!


Happy 10th anniversary Annie and Richard!  Here's hoping the next 50 are just as fun and amazing!!!  :)

Ali in an alley | san diego family photographer

There's no better compliment than a lovely family coming back and trusting you to capture some memories for them.  Today I got to photograph Roxanne, Craig and Ali for the second time and they were such great sports, trapsing up and down the streets and yes, even alleys of downtown san diego.  Here are just a few from today's session...

Let's start with our blog title - Ali in an alley ;)  Isn't she adorable!?










I love this one...

Shameless plea for votes | san diego family photographer

Hi friends and readers.  Today is the last day of a contest I entered my daughter into about a week go.  It's a contest to win a session from one of my favorite local photographers, Melissa Koehler.  My sweetface is trailing in the votes so I figured I'd try one last avenue to garner a few votes for her.  In order to vote you have to have a Facebook account.  I don't expect anyone to go out and create one just to vote, so no worries if you don't have one.  But if you are already a Facebooking extraordinaire, please read on.

In order to vote you have to first go to Melissa's fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Melissa-Koehler/102897976989
Once you're there, click the "Like" button at the top of her page.
From there, go into her photo albums and find the "Cutest Kid Contest" album.
My daughter, Angelina (3 yrs), is the very first photo in the bunch.  Click on her picture and then "like" her photo.
Your "like" is your vote.

That's all you have to do and it only takes about two seconds.

Voting ends at 11:59 pacific time tonight.

Thank you!

xoxo
Gwen

Trisha |bonita maternity photographer

Sometimes I wonder if I should really call this a job.  Because, aren't you supposed to hate going to work?  Picking up my camera to capture special moments in time for people is, I imagine, much like the moment when a kid first hears the chiming of the ice cream truck.   A moment of joy and anticipation.  That joy is magnified when my clients are sweet, charming, funny, and gorgeous.  Trisha is all of those and thensome - even despite nearing the end of her pregnancy (and you other moms know exactly how hard that time can be).  I had such a great time photographing, and even better time just getting to know her and her family.  

First I'm going to start with this.  Because after my love of my family, photography, and food...there's my love of shoes.  I couldn't resist a shoe shot when Trisha broke out these little lovelies...




Did I mention she was g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s?








Finally, one of her and her boys.  How beautiful is this family?

For the sake of art | oceanside family photographer

Jessica paid for her family's session by check.  Right before I deposited that check I reviewed it for accuracy, and when I looked down at the "for" line, Jessie had written in "the sake of art" and it made me smile and literally laugh out loud, and I knew in that moment I had this session's blog title.

Jessie and her family welcomed me into their beautiful home for their photo session yesterday morning.  I had so much fun shooting them all - there was so much love, laughter, and even a couple of bottles of wine.  I swear I have the best clients pretty much ever.

Lovely ladies...

Let's end where it all started ♥ 

Box of chocolates | pacific beach family photographer

What's the saying ol' Forest Gump made famous?  Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.  Well, the same can be said for photographing young children - especially when they range in age from 10 months to 5 years old.  And especially when the 5 and 3 year olds are boys.  But these kids were such a breeze to work with, and the entire family is beautiful, sweet, and the camera loved each and ever one of them.  Take a look for yourselves...

I just love sweet, baby girls...

Seriously?  How awesome and adorable are these boys...

Mom and dad are totally working it for the camera.  Hotness! ;)

I heart the K family.  Fo' real...

Just Shoot Me | san diego urban photographer

Apparently, three photographers climbing shrub boxes, posing in front of buildings and laying down in the street to take photos of each other is quite the sight to see. Last weekend I met up with two of my photographer friends, Sophie and Jen, for a bit of a head shot exchange and a lot of photography fun. In the process, we attracted our fair share of onlookers and even one who decided to jump in the shot. It was so much fun talking shop with some fellow photogs and even being on the other side of the camera.  Here are a couple of shots of my photografriends ;)

Oh...and don't forget. Sweetface Photography is on the list of nominees for the 2010 San Diego's Parents Pick for family photographers. You can vote EVERY DAY for 19 more days. Click on the image below or click here to vote!

Happy Family | coronado family photographer

Riva contacted me a few weeks ago wanting to get some portraits of her family of five, but was a little hesitant.  I understand - it's a little nerve-wracking being in front of the camera.  I'm so glad she decided to just go for it because [1] children grow up so fast and [2] I got to meet this beautiful, sweet, fun family!  Twins Jeffrey and Brandon delivered exactly what I expected from twin three-year olds: LOTS of energy and play.  Baby Lauren is just the cutest, sweetest little girl; I just love her smooshy cheeks!  Riva and Scott, you have such a beautiful family - it was such a great pleasure photographing you all.  Hope you enjoy your sneak peeks!