Sammy!

I say it time and time again, but it just happens to be a very true story: I get to shoot the cutest kids ever! Little miss Samantha just turned a year old and she is just a little doll. From her sweet grin to her adorable little just-learning-to-walk waddle, she is a little ball of perfection. Which should be a surprise to no one considering what a beautiful couple of parents she has! ;) Just scroll down and take a look...you'll see what I'm talking about!

First of all - look at the lashes on this girl! Amazing, right?






Icing on the cake was getting to see daddy's firetruck live and up close!








Her favorite toy garnered the biggest smiles!




Isn't she just gorgeous?


That's the end!

The Sofia and Maya show...

As a lifestyle photographer, I have gotten used to the idea that when it comes to shooting kids, they pretty much run the show.  Because, you know, I want to capture the kids doing what they do best...being themselves.  Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Heather, Chuck, and their pretty-as-all-get-out twin girls, Sofia and Maya.  At just over 14 months old, they are pretty much mastering the whole walking thing.  Couple that with their natural instinct to explore, explore, explore and it easily turned this session into a laugh factory.  I'm not sure I've ever laughed so much at a photo session.  I had such a great time photographing (yet another) beautiful family, on a beautiful day, in  beautiful place.  Gosh my job is SO hard ;)   Ok...enough of me, right?!  

Let's start with the stars of the show.  Maya's on the left; Sofia, right.  Are they not like, crazy adorable?!

I love this one because of Maya's "blue steel" ;)

And this one because I think Sofia was telling me I needed to use the ol' noggin a little more.  ;)

Daddy and Maya share a moment...

Let's not forget mommy and Sofia

Heather and Chuck, it was a real pleasure to meet you and the girls yesterday.  I hope you guys enjoy your sneak peek!

Talk about a teaser...

...it's going to be a very busy next couple of weeks as we are going to be moving this weekend. But I wanted to get on here and post a quick teaser from the session I had yesterday, with my brother and his family.


I seriously think I have the cutest niece ever! :)




An out take. I come from a silly family, so of course, there was lots of laughter.





DEFINITELY more to come from this session. Until next time, I'll be packing...oy!

A *star* is born!!!

My niece has made her debut into this world! Stellina (Italian for "little star") is GORGEOUS!!! Mom and dad are both doing well.

Our family is blessed and happy...not to mention busy. So I've got to run, but I'll leave you with this sneak peek.





Of course...a ton of photos are forthcoming.

Take care!

Sneak Peek for little miss A

This past Saturday, I met up with the H family. They wanted to take some photos in celebration of little miss A recently turning 2! As a mom to an almost two-year old, I knew I was in for a *busy* shoot and A did not let me down. As soon as they put her down, she was off and running. You gotta love the excitement and wonder of a two-year old. Makes for some fantastic shots. Well...that and her amazingly blue eyes. So without further ado, here are some teasers from the session. Hope you enjoy!

And one of my faves. Talk about your water conductor! :)

I had a blast photographing you A...and your little lamb, too.

Summer fun in SD almost always involves water...

In prep for a shoot I have coming up soon, we took Beans and Geeg down to the local mall to play in the chalk garden and water spouts. It was a hot, sunny day, so it was a perfect way to not only test out the location, but also to cool off the girls and WEAR THEM OUT! ;)

Geeg was a little more hesistant to get in...but she still had a blast!

Afterward, we all had lunch in the food pavilion, where I managed to catch Beans' newest "face". I have no idea where she got this from...but she cracks me up! It is so fun being her mom.

A midsummer day's post...

There’s a lot going on this month, between photo shoots, birthdays, a baby shower, *my vacay*, and my niece set to make her debut on the 29th! Just thought I would update you on my availability over the next couple of months.

So, with the holidays just around the bend, it’s time to start thinking about family portraits and holiday cards. You may be thinking it’s a little early for holiday photos, but really think about it. How many times have you felt that the holiday season seemed to come out of nowhere? That in the blink of an eye, kids are ringing your bell for candy, you’re carving a turkey, and soon after opening Christmas presents? And if you’re anything like my family – you have holiday celebrations to attend, between family, friends, and work. So the time slips away and the next thing you know, it’s a week before Christmas and you just never got around to getting those portraits done.

Now is definitely the time to gather your family for those all important portraits - when things are still relatively calm and the days are still gloriously long (meaning more yummy sunlight for your photos).

Like I said before, August is booked up, but here are the remaining dates for the month of September:

Saturday, September 13
Sunday, September 14
Sunday, September 21

Also, if you would like to book for October, November or December, please email me at info@sweetface-photography.com to secure your spot today!

What is custom photography?

An article by Marianne Drenthe

The photographic art you choose to place on your wall is ultimately the result of the vision of the photographer. This vision, coupled with what you wear to your session, the environment, the lighting, even the mood the subjects are in at the time of photographing creates the work that you will want to proudly display on your walls forevermore.

Your first step in the process is more about determining who you are, who your family is and then seeking a photographer that reflects your style. For instance let’s say your family is extremely outdoorsy and loves playing on the beach. You start determining what style you like, browse through photography website portfolios and determine if any of the styles exhibited there would be a good fit with your life and family style. You have already determined that you should probably seek out a beach type photographer (that is if you live near a beach) and then begin narrowing the field down a bit.

Finally after a bit of internet research, you have narrowed it down to two photographers who do what seems like solid work, the sort of outdoor beach look you desire. It is now time to ask yourself: Do you like photographer A’s style over photographer B’s style? Is it because the people in the images of A’s style are having a great time and it seems very caught up in the moment vs. B photographer more posed, looking in the camera images? If this is a case, you probably like LIFESTYLE photography or perhaps even take it a step further and define your desired style as a PHOTOJOURNALISTIC photography style. The photographer you probably should choose is photographer A because their style is very similar to the style you desire.

What custom photography ultimately is all about is choice and experience (as in THE experience). Custom photography is about finding someone who will photograph your family, give you devoted 1:1 attention without worry of the next ‘in line’ or the feeling of a crowded portrait studio. A custom photographer will typically show you a fairly extensive gallery culled to only show the good images that meet the photographers’ creative sensibilities. Often the images are fully edited images-color corrected with blemishes and undereye circles removed. Custom photographers are also known as boutique studios, offering a range of products and unparalleled service. Think Lexus vs. Hyundai, think Nordstrom vs. WalMart.

Custom photography should have you, the client and your experience in mind.

3-Day Breast Cancer Walk - Portrait Special

Need portraits for your entire team? Look no further. Group portraits are a great way to document your amazing journey. You can use these photos to print on your team t-shirts, include on your newsletters, emails, blogs, and/or team websites, or just for your own personal use and enjoyment.

Book a session with me and receive:
On-location session at the locale of your choice Group and Individual portraits One wardrobe change permitted Complimentary 5x7 (group portrait) for each team member High-resolution CD of images

Only $60 for the entire team!

(For groups up to 5. please inquire about pricing for groups of 6 or more)

Call or email me to book your session today!

Book a team portrait session by June 30, 2008 and I'll donate 10% to your team's fund raising effort!

Twas another hot weekend...

...and all through the house, none of us creatures felt like stirring, cause it was just too danged hot. But we managed to pick ourselves up and do a little something. The family gathered all our buckets and shovels, put on our bathing suits and sunblock, and made our way down to the beach to enjoy the Pacific. Of course - leave it to me to leave my camera in the car. Grr. Still, it was the little one's first real beach excursion and she had a blast.

Afterward we came back home, cleaned ourselves up (sand EVERYWHERE!!!), and got ready to go out to a nice dinner at Red Lobster. While daddy was getting ready, baby and I took advantage of the great sunlight and had an impromptu photo shoot. Here are some pics from that...

One hot weekend...

Let's face it...San Diego is probably the ideal spot in terms of weather. It is almost always nice and comfortable, and my eastcoast family frequently comments that they should move out here, because, where else can you wear shorts in winter? This past weekend was just another testament to the fantastic weather. It was actually quite warm...but not unbearable.



Saturday, the husband, the daughter, and I ended up spending a lazy afternoon down at Seaport Village. We walked around, gazed across the bay, listened to some local talent, ate a nice lunch, and enjoyed some great gelato (from Mondo Gelato...which, if you go, I suggest the Bacio and Peanut Butter...yum!). Here are some photos from the day...


























Sunday, my brother, his girlfriend, and her niece all came over and we spent time at the park playing with water guns. Beans didn't really get the concept, but she had a blast chasing after everyone and getting sprayed with the water. Apparently...that wasn't enough for the little ones, so we ended up in our pool for more H20 fun. Beans and Gigi had a great time...and (thankfully) were both pooped and ready to hit the hay by the time they were done eating dinner.













What happens when you bring a gun expert to a watergun fight... hahahaha







All in all...I'd say it was a great weekend. I got to practice with my new nifty fifty, spend time with my family, and eat gelato. Life doesn't get much better than this. :)

Sneak Peek for the Graduate

Today I had my very first senior portrait session. I had the pleasure of photographing the son of a very good friend of mine. G is graduating high school this year (which I still can't believe...I've known him since he was yay high...lol), and his mom wanted some nice photos to include for his graduation invitations. We had originally planned on getting some shots at his high school, but it was closed for the day. So we wound up at a nearby lake and were still able to get some great shots. Here are a few from the day...