a quick update

bueller? bueller? Bueller?

anyone still out there?

remodel update: postponed until early 2011, but still picking stuff out and making design decisions

photo update: I've been mostly referring new clients to a great friend and photographer Tory. She's nothing less than amazing. She recently switched back to film and is loving all the time away from editing the photos on the computer. Hm... I might have to whip out my old film camera too! I'm trying to find a little more balance in my life... adding regular exercise (I could only use carrying the kids as my exercise alternative for so long). I've gone on some great hikes with friends, tried P90X a few times and even got signed up for a spinning class (though I feel like I'm not in shape enough to exercise in front of others). :)

I'll be posting some photos from some of the shoots I did this year (woah, can't believe the year is almost up and our house still looks the same)! I did get to photograph my newest niece last weekend! She was all of 6 days old and such a perfect model. My newest nephew will be coming out from Arizona in December so be on the lookout for some more adorable baby faces on the blog coming up.

proud big sister

proud big brother

on sabbatical

Hi everyone,
Thanks for hanging in there with me during my 3 month posting hiatus. I've been trying to figure out how to balance time between my family, photography and our major home remodel - and I just decided I feel too much like an octopus juggling all these things. When I do something, I give 110% and I just feel like there's not enough time in the day do give that much to everyone. As must as I love all my clients and photographing those sweet little toddlers and newborns, I'm going to have to take a step back for awhile.

As many of you know, I'm am awful and making decisions and can spend hours researching online (everything from finding the best photo lab to the best countertop), so this remodel will have me floored for the good part of a year. I will still be doing sessions for anyone who has an outstanding gift certificate and I'm planning on doing some holiday card sessions in the fall.

There's so much more to say, but I'm also helping out with 2 school auctions and have to get back to some editing and uploading so we can raise money for the schools! I'm so happy to say my photos helped raise over $1000 for Jack's class. Yay!

I'm thinking of starting a blog for our remodel (that is if I don't find another house for us to buy first. ;)...

See you soon!

a fun storyboard - mom with kids at the beach

Storyboards or collages are fun way to show off a collection of photos. The photos are arranged using Photoshop and then printed out on one large sheet of photo paper. I have all storyboards mounted on styrene (1/8th inch thick white plastic-like material) so you can easily pop them into a frame. Some storyboards (10x20inch) can even rest on a decorative easel for an easy display. And I love printing storyboards as gallery wrapped canvases for that upscale look.

Please ask if you would like me to create a storyboard for you with our session's images.

First session of the new year! || santa monica family photography

Do you remember the Fig Newton commercial with the little British boy getting scolded by him mum for eating cookies in his room?

boy (with British accent): But it's not a cookie motha, it's a fruit newton.
mum: Very well then, carry on, carry on.

You don't? Come on, who else watched a lot of tv as a kid?! Why is it I remember stuff like this instead of important things like when our property tax is due? Anyway, point being, I think this stuck in my head because little kids with British accents are just so stinking cute!

DING! Woah, what was that waking me up? The day before heading out on our family Big Bear ski trip I got a text at 7:40am. The kids were actually sleeping in, all drugged from staying up late and destroying the house the night before. Maggie, one of my favorite clients, had some family in from London and they wanted to do a beach photo shoot before returning home...was I free that morning?

Ack! I had a million things to do before heading to the snow with the kids (mainly rounding up stuff for us to wear and eat for 4 days). So Maggie handed over some of her kid's snow gear and a sled and then with one more stop at another friend's house we were all outfitted. Got to love that (especially since Kaylie wore her snow gear for all of 3 hours and managed to lose the mittens I bought her).

Anyway, here is Maggie's sister in law Soo and her two beautiful hapa kids (Korean and Norwegian) with British accents from living in London. They were so great... William even agreed to be my boyfriend and was going to take me back home with him. I'm still waiting for that plane ticket William!

William and his sista Liv.










Isn't she gorgeous?!













I'm usually a color girl...




But I thought this soulful look really called for black and white and a tighter crop.




Oh he's going to be a heart-breaker!




Throughout the shoot we took some water play breaks... because you can't be down at the beach without playing! Cousin Zoe is in the mix!




joy

testing testing... this thing still on?!

Happy New Year everyone!!! ...that is if anyone is still out there... Bueller? Bueller?

Sorry I've been missing for so long. Somehow our household headed into the holidays sick and tired but emerged healthy and fired up to start a new year! Here's a very quick recap of the last couple of months:

- Lots of family photo holiday card sessions
- Lots of online shopping and trips to the mall with both kids in tow.
- Lots of editing. I even had to pay to use pandora.com last month since I used up my free 40 hours.
- Family trips to San Diego and Big Bear (almost real vacations... our last one was over a year and a half ago). Best part was hanging out with family and friends and getting the little cousins together.
- 3 weeks off of school for the kids
- 2 days (okay, half days) snowboarding. whoo hoo!!! So fun! Left with a big bruise on my left cheek (the one covered by my jeans) and random sore spots... like my shin? Ski camp for both kids (Kaylie's favorite part was the hot cocoa of course; Jack's was going down the bunny slope with Dad).
- Matt home for 2 1/2 weeks...unheard of
- Walked with the kids down to the beach and back from our house. So awesome! They actually made it down and more importantly, back up the hill on their own feet.
- Drawing up plans to add on to and remodel our house (anxiety attack). I will be calling on all you designers to help pick fixtures, cabinets... ack! Tile! Ack! Deep breaths....
- Hosted Christmas dinner at our house with the help from sister in laws who brought most the food (including a Vons turkey... might have to do that again next year).
- Uh... other stuff that my brain has already forgotten since it only functions at about 45%. :)

2010! Wishing you all the best and thanks for hanging in there with me!!!

love,
heather

P.S. Here's our holiday card that I had printed in Nov, but somehow I still have some sitting here that haven't been delivered yet. Ha!

these boots were made for walking || santa monica child photographer

Take your hand. Make a fist. And pretend you are going to elbow someone standing behind you. Say, "Yeah!"

Come one do it! ;)

Because that's what I did when I saw 4 year old Kate walking toward me in these boots. :)



Sorry I've been MIA, but that means I'm busy working on all kinds of photo orders and editing! Holiday card designs are in! If you had a photo session with me this year and want to order holiday photos (or more prints) shoot me an email!

Happy upcoming Turkey Day!

mini holiday session

Whoops, looks like I forgot to post this on my blog... I just had it on my facebook fanpage.
I've got 1 opening tomorrow at 9:45am for a mini holiday session.
9:45-10:15am!



The holiday are upon us - Halloween festivals, costumes, turkeys, decorations, holiday cards, presents...
Feeling overwhelmed? I can help! I'll take 30 minutes of your day to capture your family (or just your kids if you're camera shy). I can put together a holiday card for you that will get raves from all your friends. And I can help you create gifts for you family (no, I won't knit them a hat...I just make newborn hats lol), but I will help you with an album or gift ideas for the family.

I'm pretty booked up for the rest of the year, but I've decided to do one day of mini sessions since I've gotten so many calls this week.

30 minute session (perfect for little kids who can't sit still long anyway)
Online gallery of appx 15-30 images.
2 digital files and a 5x7 print of each image.

You can take your digital files to have cards made on your own (inababycarriage.com, tinyprints.com, costco..) or I can have cards made and printed for you using any of the images from your session.


Added... there's a chance I may open a couple more sessions on Sun Nov 15th. Let me know if you are interested!

Happy Holidays and stay healthy!