Home is where the heart is.  That couldn’t ring more true for Jenine and George as he got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife in their Pacific Heights apartment.  It made perfect sense to have their engagement shoot where it all began.  Their place was the epitome of spectacular and an amazing setting for capturing their love as they have floor to ceiling windows with sweeping views of the city.  A little piece of paradise if you ask me.  Who wouldn’t love seeing the sunset behind the Golden Gate Bridge every night?  Not only that, but if you are a surfer like George, he can check the surf with his binoculars right from the balcony.  AH-SOME! There was something so intimate and personal about this shoot that I have never experienced.  From hanging out in the kitchen, playing games, and cuddling on the balcony…I am a huge fan of in home E-Sessions cuz home is where my heart is too!  Congrats Jenine & George on your upcoming wedding! Yah!

Engagement Sessions are like a box of Chocolates for me (Brilliant analogy Forrest!) because I never know what to expect.  Some couples are shy, giddy with excitement, lovey dovey, playful, constantly laughing, quite and thoughtful etc.  Whatever it is, that is what I want to capture.  My goal is to make theme as comfortable as possible so that their  unique qualities as a couple  shine through in all the images.  99.9% of my couples are nervous and a little shy at the beginning of every session, which is to be expected…but 100% are having fun and loving the camera by the end…especially the, dare I say, Guys.   I’m not doing my job as a photographer if you are not laughing with each other or at least laughing at me.  I have done some crazy things to take the attention off the camera, and their is pretty much nothing I won’t do if it means creating a fun, comfortable environment. A couple who laughs together is the most beautiful thing in the world to me and when that happens in front of my camera I am on cloud 9!

April and Cary are a perfect example of my favorite type of couple to photograph. Playful, teasing, joking, and OH SO in love…their friendship and carefree laid back relationship was so fun to capture!  I absolutely LOVED our location set off of highway 280 in a field of rolling yellow grass and blue skies.  I literally ran up and down the trails getting inspired before the shoot started… also because who wouldn’t want to run around in a field!?  It wasn’t until we were just about done…me in the tall grass on my belly, April and Cary positioned on a safe path, that a woman walking by said to beware of the rattle snakes who live in the grass and are out especially on a hot day like this.  Terror struck me,  ”Alright, that’s a wrap!”

April, you are so beautiful and my camera LOVES you both!  Thanks for such a fun, (safe), session!  Enjoy!

A Sign saying, “Rattlesnakes Every Where, do not submerge yourself into the grass” would have been really nice right about now!

Isn’t she a beauty!?!?!  Cary has two loves in his life so we captured both in one shot

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I love photographing Kiddos because of their endless expressions and curiosity.  These adorable sisters are about a year and a half apart and I can already tell they will be best buddies.  Our session got rained out our first go around, but oh boy did we hit the jackpot when we rescheduled to a couple weeks later.  If you are from San Francisco you know exactly which weekend I am talking about!  Photographing this beautiful family was the best way to start off a beautiful weekend.  I got a lot of one handed shooting practice in as I waved pretty flowers above my head to get the girls’ attention, while shooting with the other…while making monkey noises…but the later comes naturally and is completely normal

Here are a few favorites from our session!

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Shirley & David go way back.  So far back, that seeing each other as ever being more than friends while attending the same church growing up seemed crazy.  It wasn’t until David had left for college and come back to that same church years later that he noticed Shirley as someone he wanted to get to know as more than friends.  Like every great love story David pursued Shirley.  She politely declined each time he made an attempt to take her out.  She was not quite sure she was ready to dip her toes into the dating pool just yet.  It wasn’t until he invited her to go on an annual Horn Blower Cruise around the bay with his friends that Shirley accepted the offer.  They learned a lot about each other on a more personal level and immediately knew they had a strong bond that would never be broken.  That was the last time Shirley would politely turn down David because when he got down on one knee in front of family, friends, and strangers on stage at a Christmas Ballet performance, she said, “Yes!”  Their proposal story brought me to tears as they sat closely next to each other taking turns filling in the details of that perfect night.  It was a proposal from her best friend; a man made just for her by Him.

I personally fell in love with this couple from the very first email I received from them.  Shirley signed her email to me, “In His Love, Shirley” which I LOVED!  It is also the theme around their wedding day!  Shirley and David put together the most inspiring engagement session complete with food trucks, cupcakes and a Pinterest worthy picnic!  Their energy, beautiful smiles and playfulness toward each other was so fun to capture!

Love, Love LOVE the details that Shirley planned for their picnic filled with bubbles, treats, books and special nods to the BIG day!

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Bright dresses, Sisterly love, and tall grass are all I need to make for a fun session with my 3 beautiful nieces.  They are getting so big and so smart!  Every time I see them they are inches taller with new teeth growing in, no teeth at all or best yet, fresh from the orthodontist with braces removed! Check out our Spring Session in Fresno, Ca.

A Paper Proposal has given me a voice to reach newly engaged couples on the dilemma of whether or not to book the engagement session.  Check out the article to see why I would pass on a cheese platter and a glass of wine to shoot your engagement session…and that is saying A TON!

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I am not a salesman, nor will I ever come close to being good at the power of persuasion…BUT when I believe in something, I will go out of my way to tell everyone about it until I have exhausted all my resources.  Boscia Facial Products, Shellac, & the Burger at Don Pistos will forever be something that I evangelize.  As a photographer, the one thing that I feel couple’s shouldn’t live without are Engagement Sessions.  I try to hold back my excitement toward them during client meetings in an effort not to be obnoxious…but deep down inside I am beyond overjoyed when couple decides to book an engagement session.

A Paper Proposal has given me a voice to reach newly engaged couples on the dilemma of whether or not to book the engagement session.  Check out the article to see why I would pass on a cheese platter and a glass of wine to shoot your engagement session…and that is saying A TON!

Check out the full article here

This Fresno Bridal Shower was absolutely stunning!  Heather’s mom and good friend Nikki pulled off this gorgeous burlap and lace, turquois and pink, oh so chic bridal shower!  Everything from the old stacked books, the doves, and Tea Cups spelling LOVE were amazing.  The dessert cabana was a huge hit, with a chandelier, burlap “S” for Heather’s new last name, and the huge spread of beautifully delicate treats.  When everyone arrived they put their favorite recipe on a cherry blossom tree for Towner to use.  My favorite of course were the games which included raising either Lips or a mustache to your face to answer questions about the bride and groom.  It was such a great day seeing people I hadn’t seen in years and having so many wonderful people together at once celebrating Towner!  Cannot wait for the big day in August!  Hope you enjoy this inspiring Bridal spread!

The greatest gift a family can receive is a new little perfect soul.  For Emily her little gift came on her birthday!  That is right, Baby Amanda was born just in time to celebrate her birthday on Mom’s birthday!  I have never known that to happen before and think it is just so special!  Amanda was just an angel the entire shoot.  She LOVED the camera and when she wasn’t peacefully asleep during our session she was gazing straight into my lens with her blue eyes of wonder.  I photographed Emily and Matt’s wedding so being able to continue to be involved in another milestone in their lives means the world to me!

She’s a lucky charm alright!  Such a cute little outfit for our St. Patty’s day session!

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There wasn’t a dry eye during the ceremony, including myself.  The vows were heartfelt, beautiful and pure.  They are each other’s one true love.  They met in high school and have been together ever since.  They found each other at such a young age and grew together, changed together, and as I witnessed on the wedding day, laughed and cried together.  The wedding was all around amazing!  It was Sleek, Timeless and ever so elegant with nods to champagne seen throughout the day.  Jamie’s dress for one was gorgeous, but seeing her in it made it a whole other story!  It was champagne in color and moved so gracefully as she walked.  The guests were greeted with a champagne toast before the ceremony with clever signs that lead people to the reception such as “Save Water, Drink Champagne” and “Keep Calm and Drink Champagne”.  The colors of Gold, Champagne and Black tied the beautiful day together.  The guests were also given care packages at the end of the night that included mini bottles of champagne!  Such an awesome parting gift right!? This wedding was particularly special for me because I had friends in the wedding party that I met through my husband way back in Australia!  I have to say, this was a wild bunch and we had so much fun taking photos! I am so thankful to have gotten to know Jamie and Michael and am so excited to hang with them again!  I couldn’t choose just a few favorites for this blog, so pop some bubbly, and enjoy Jamie and Michael’s wedding day story!  Toast to Love!

A special thanks to Garrett Davis Photography for his fabulous second shooting!  It was an honor and joy to work with him!

And now an Out take!  I’ll do anything you ask me on a wedding day, even if it means getting to wear the veil!  This photo cracks me up cuz I look like a nun!

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Wedding Coordinator: Peter Couture

Wedding Venue: Mission Hills Country Club, Palm Springs

Videographer: Envision Productions

Cake Designer: Samantha Ward -Exquisite Cakes

Flowers: Artisan Events

Hair: Matt Fugate and Janae Watterson

Makeup: J. Russell Salon and Spa

Dress: Kenneth Pool -Cherie

It is a love story that makes you hang on every word.  Guy spots beautiful girl…racks his brain on how to get her to notice him…and does what every guy should do…pursues her until she says “Yes!”  ahhhh!  I live for this!

Louie was friends with Sylvia’s younger sister when they were in high school, and when he spotted Sylvia for the first time he knew he had to have her.  He figured out that she worked at the nearby gym, so of course he joined not only to get buff, but to get noticed!  Sylvia worked at the front desk and checked him out in at the gym each day.  When he finally had the guts to talk to her, she just laughed thinking this guy was too young…(turns out they were closer in age than she thought.)  After a few months of playing hard to get, Sylvia came to realize that this guy might just be THE guy.  As Sylvia and Louie told me this story from across the table at our first meeting, I was gushing on the inside…not just because they took turns telling their versions of the story, but because of what Louie said next…”I was with a buddy and we saw Sylvia from across the parking lot before I really got to know her, and I told him that I was gonna marry that girl someday.”   It is sooo romantic!  I love old fashioned love stories of the guy chasing the girl only to find himself on one knee proposing to her one day!

Congrats to You two on your engagement (we will save that story for another day

Here is a sneak of my favorites from our San Francisco Engagement Session!

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