Having cake and eating it, too | aliso viejo child photographer

I can barely believe it. In just short of 12 hours, my "baby" will be entering Kindegarten. I am filled with joy, excitement, and a sprinkling of sadness and nervousness. Nervous because her world is opening up to more strangers and we are both going to have to ascertain which will become friends and which should not. Sad at the realization that my baby is no longer a baby. Sometimes, in short, fleeting moments, I wish I could stop time and she could stay my baby. But those moments make me cherish our photos and this job that much more. The photos capture that moment forever. And in that way, I like to think I do get to have my cake and eat it, too.

I need a baby | aliso viejo newborn photographer

Not in the way that you might be thinking.

By far, my favorite type of photo session to do is newborns. I just love seeing cute little squishy babies in all their newtotheworldness. There is nothing like it. You're getting fresh human beings before being influenced by anything or anyone. They're adapting to life outside mama's belly and yawning like they've been working in the farm from sun up to sun down. You know that big yawn I'm talking about. I love capturing these precious moments in their lives because they don't stay this tiny, this wrinkly, this pliable for very long at all. You can already see them losing a bit of those things at just two weeks old! That is why I think it's so important to have photos to document newborns in the first couple of days. Heck...if I could be there with you in the hospital, I would! (I really would; birth photography is something I'd like to get into someday, but I'll save that for a later post)

Ok now, couple my love of shooting newborns with my itch to pick up my camera and shoot someone other than my own crazy kid (not that I can tire of photographing her!) and you've got me going back on my word. I know I said I wasn't taking on new clients until September...but I'm making an exception for the babes.

So there you have it. I want a baby. or two. or four. Do you know anyone who just had or is about to have a little bundle of joy? Send them my way folks! :) Interested parties can either email me at info@sweetface-photography.com OR shoot me a message on Facebook!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Movin' on up | orange county family photographer

Yes...you read that right.

The big news is that Sweetface Photography is moving! Starting in July, I'm going to be an Orange Countyer! Orange Countian? Orange Countyite? OCR (Orange County resident)…yeah...we’ll just go with that. ha!

First I want to thank all of my clients over the past three years. It has been quite an amazing run here in San Diego (my home for the last 20 years - literally). When I first started Sweetface, I had it in mind that in order for me to be successful, I would need a ton of clients booking me. But very shortly I learned that while that may be an appropriate goal for some, for me, my success meant repeat customers. Because it meant that [1] they appreciated my art so much that they felt secure in trusting me to capture some lasting memories for their families. And an equally important [2] these wonderful people not only appreciated me as an artist, but connected with me on another level. That has become my barometer for success – repeat clientele – and I’ve been very blessed in that the majority of my business has been such. So on that end, I admit I am quite disheartened leaving behind such amazing people.

However, I am going to go into this move with an optimistic heart and mind. I’m telling myself that I can achieve the same level of success and even grow, as Sweetface Photography plants its feet on Orange County’s soil. I will be taking the summer off so that I can settle in, get me and my family acclimated to the lay of the new land, prepare my little one for KINDERGARTEN (wow!), and get the business changes in order. While I will not be doing any physical shooting this summer, I WILL be accepting clients for the holiday season (sessions taking place September through November). So my friends, if you have any friends and family members in the Orange County area (or close by) who you happen to know are looking for a family photographer who wants to grow with their growing families, please let them know I’m headed their way and to shoot me an email. Or heck…even if you’re in San Diego, we can definitely work something out as far as travel for your session. I already have one San Diego family (one of those amazing repeat clients/friends I was talking about earlier) booked for their holiday session in San Juan Capistrano! So things can definitely be worked out folks. Talk about a great way to veer away from the “typical” san diego shoot. ;)

*sigh* I’m long-winded, I know. I promise, I’m shutting up soon.

Again, I just want to thank all of you for your support, encouragement, and for many of you, your friendship. There seriously are not enough words to express how much you mean to me. It’s been one amazing ride.

You stay classy, San Diego!