It has been quite a while since I've hopped onto my blog and posted. Once you get out of the habit it is hard to get started again. But here I am, with something new and different for all of you!
Just like the rest of the world, I've been "safer at home" since March 14, 2020. I've been doing my best to keep our spirits up and to keep my family busy. It has been quite a transition but we are handling it pretty well. I am finding that we go through waves of things. For the first several weeks my business was pretty quiet. Then I started doing Front Porch Minis (more about those in a future post). I feel like I have been busier than ever just trying to keep up with crisis schooling, keeping my house clean thanks to a constant flow of traffic to and from the kitchen, having my hubby home more often, etc. But, I have also been able to spend more time working in the kitchen, not just cleaning it! And that brings me to the purpose of this post:
S O U R D O U G H B R E A D
A couple of weeks ago my wonderful sister-in-law was kind enough to provide me with sour dough starter and a fantastic recipe. I've been sharing some images of my creations on Facebook and many people have asked for the recipe. Therefore, I thought it would be fun to document the process and share it here. So today I give you the recipe, along with photos to help your sour dough journey! If you are local, hit me up for some starter. I am more than happy to share!!
XOXO,
Bonnie
{RECIPE}
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup of filtered water
1/4 cup sour dough starter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole wheat or bread flour
You'll also need:
Mixer with dough hook
Ceramic Bowl
Glass bowl
Tea Towel
Tall plastic trash bag
Step 1: Combine 1 1/2 cups of filtered water and 1/4 cup of starter in mixing bowl.
Step 2: Mix until bubbles form.
Step 3: Add 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup of whole wheat or bread flour, and 2/12 cups all purpose flour.
Mix with dough hook until a ball forms.
Step 4: Put ball of dough in a ceramic bowl.
Step 5: Put ceramic bowl into a tall kitchen trash bag and trap air in it.
Tie if off and let it sit at room temperature for 18-24 hours.
After 18-24 hours remove the bowl from the trash bag. It will look like this.
Step 6: Turn dough out onto a floured surface.
Step 7: Shape dough into an oval. Fold each end into the center. Then fold the whole thing in half.
Step 8: Place a tea towel over a glass bowl and put dough on top of the tea towel.
I put a little of flour on the towel before setting the dough on it.
Step 9: Fold the tea towel over to wrap up the dough.
Step 10: Set dough aside and let it rise for 45 minutes.
Step 11: Heat oven to 500 degrees and heat Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.
Let the cat help if he wants to!
Step 12: After 45 minutes, remove Dutch oven from the heat. Flour the bottom of it and add you're dough.
Put the lid on the Dutch oven and return it to the oven.
Step 13: Bake bread for 30 minutes at 500 degrees.
Step 14: After 30 minutes pull the bread out of the oven and let it sit
for ten minutes before removing it from the Dutch oven and cutting into it.
Isn't it pretty?
If you are really ambitious, try making three in one day!!!
Here is the full recipe without photos:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup of filtered water
1/4 cup sour dough starter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole wheat or bread flour
You'll also need:
Mixer with dough hook
Ceramic Bowl
Glass bowl
Tea Towel
Tall plastic trash bag
1. Combine 1 1/2 cups of filtered water with 1/4 cup of starter. Mix until bubbles form.
2. Add 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup of whole wheat or bread flour & 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour. Mix with dough hook until a ball forms.
3. Put dough into a ceramic or glass bowl and place bowl into a tall kitchen trash bag for 18-24 hours.
4. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Stretch it into an oval and then fold the ends into the middle. Fold it in half.
5. Place ball into a glass bowl lined with a tea towel and fold the towel over to cover dough. Set it out for 45 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 500 degrees with Dutch oven inside. Let Dutch oven heat up for at least 30 minutes.
7. After dough sits for 45 minutes, put into floured Dutch oven and back inside the oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes. Once 30 minutes is up, remove from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting into it and enjoying!
*** Feel free to experiment with other additional ingredients. I've added in rosemary and it was amazing! My sister in law adds nuts, fruit, and all kinds of stuff. Have fun and enjoy!
A few words about your starter and how to nurture it...
Think of your starter as a new baby. It is cute, it smells funny, and it likes to EAT! Yup! You need to feed and nurture your starter to keep it growing and thriving. So, I thought it might be helpful to give you a bit of info on how to do that so that you can continue to make delicious bread for your family and friends.
Feeding: Feed your starter 3/4 cup of all purpose flour and 1/2 cup of filtered water. Mix it together. A wooden handle from a wooden spoon seems to work well for stirring.
Frequency: How often you feed your starter depends on how often you intend to make bread.
~ Daily ~ If you plan to make a loaf each day, you need to feed your starter daily (and you can leave it out on the counter at room temp).
~Every other day ~ If you plan to make bread about 3 times a week, feed your starter ever other day. Again, you can leave it out at room temp.
~ Weekly ~ Feed it weekly if you only plan to make it once per week or less. Keep it in the fridge.
]]>
Hello! Today I want to talk about the adorable Aiden and his 4th birthday photo session. Back in March I started advertising my swing minis. These sessions are very popular with little girls. Their moms dress them up in beautiful dresses, put curls in their hair and flowers in their cubby little hands. Often I decorate the swing with flowers and get gorgeous shots of these little cherubs laughing and having fun swinging. But not all of my clients have little girls. Some have been gifted with tribes of boys. And who says swing sessions can't be for boys, too? So one day I received a message from my friend, Agnes, asking if we could do a swing session for her little guy, Aiden. Aiden had his 4th birthday coming up and she wanted to get some beautiful photos of this stage in his life.
{Aiden & his truck}
Aiden is such a sweet little boy. I'm pretty sure that his mama is his favorite person in the world. But garbage trucks are right up there after mom, dad & brothers. I think Aiden would be content to play with his garbage truck all day. So naturally, his mom decided to plan his party and photos around garbage trucks! We started off with the little guy dressed in his personalized garbage truck t-shirt. We let him play around with his toy truck, which made him immensely happy. His session was along a dirt trail, perfect for driving his truck up and down the "road."
{Aiden & his cupcake}
After we let him play for a bit, we made our way further down the trail where we gave him a giant cupcake. He was pretty good about eating it and not getting too messy! When he was done with his cupcake, he "drove" his truck back up to where we started so that we could get him changed and onto the swing. Unfortunately, he dragged his elbow in the dirt along the way while pushing his truck and got a sizable boo-boo. Luckily mama was there to comfort him and he got over it pretty quickly (probably because he hadn't actually noticed the blood)!
{Aiden gets changed}
Once we got back up to the tree with the swing, Agnes got Aiden changed. When she booked the session I suggested she put him in a white tank top with suspenders. I thought that would be a really cute look for him on the swing. I'm so glad she took my advice because his outfit was perfect! Agnes was mindful of Aiden's big scrape and got him dressed and ready to go for the swing.
{Aiden & the swing}
The moment we put Aiden on the swing, he was a happy camper! That boo-boo was forgotten and he had a great time swinging back and forth. He gave me some great smiles and expressions and I got some really beautiful shots! He is such a happy little guy and was such a pleasure to work with! I am so happy that we got all of these images and they really tell the story of what we did that day. Sessions like these are so special, as they provide a way to look back years from now and see what our kiddos were into at certain ages.
{Aiden & his boo-boo}
When we finished up, Aiden suddenly looked down and noticed his elbow! The realization that he really did hurt it brought back the tears and the sweetest little expression. I managed to capture the look he gave his mom when he noticed it! Aw, sweet boy!!!
I hope you've enjoyed a little glimpse into our day! Please think of me when your child is approaching a birthday! I'd love to document them, too!
]]>
Hello everyone!
I just realized I'm quite overdue writing here! 2019 has started off pretty busy and I've actually had a number of sessions despite the constant rain.
Today I wanted to tell you all about a course I just completed. Just like every other profession out there, it is important to continue to learn and grow as a photographer. I have really wanted to start offering sessions that are less posed and more natural. I feel that unposed sessions really show the beautiful connection between family members. These are the sessions that freeze a moment in time. They give children more flexibility to run around and be themselves. If they want to pick flowers or dig with sticks, they are more than welcome to do so while I snap away. If baby is unhappy and just wants to cuddle mama, so be it! For those of you who have worked with me in the past know, I have embraced these little moments all along. However, with this new "unposed" theory, the goal is to be a fly on the wall at all times. Of course I direct you where to go, where to sit, etc. but then I let you be yourselves and I take a step back and let the magic happen naturally. I truly believe these are the moments we should be capturing and they are the moments you will especially treasure when you look back years from now. The sweet, sloppy kiss from your two year old, the goofy bear hug from your nine year old. These sessions work for all ages. Going forward you will notice subtle changes in how I run things. You will of course get a few great posed shots if you want them. But I feel like the natural, real-life shots are going to be the ones that make your heart surge with love for your spouse and children.
So, that brings me to the Elliott family! You heard me right! The Elliott family (and it isn't mine)! The mom, actually found me on Instagram this fall when she was searching for a photographer that shot at Peltzer Pines. That means all of those hours that I put into social media are actually worth it! People are finding me! So they have this beautiful little family and I knew they'd be perfect for an unposed session. They wanted to do it at the Fullerton Arboretum which got me pretty darn excited because I've never actually done a session there. The Fullerton Arboretum has a ton of gorgeous little spots to photograph in, including a stream, lake, cactus garden, redwoods, the list goes on. I was a little worried because they do close on the early side so it was pretty bright but we still got some pretty amazing shots.
Our session at the Fullerton Arboretum was on a pretty chilly day. The parents decided to keep knit caps on both of the boys. I think they look adorable so I'm glad we did this! We started out by the little stream. The older boy (I'm choosing to leave out their names), instantly picked up a stick and wielded it as if it were his light saber. He had so much fun playing around and we just let him go while I snapped some adorable shots. Dad kept an eye on him while I got a few shots of Mom with the baby. Then I brought them together for a few group shots. We then moved on to a few different locations. At one point Mom had to re-tie the older boy's pants. We stopped at a bench and I got some shots of her tying his pants. It was a beautiful spot so we stayed for a bit. Part of my goal is to tell your story so if it involves tying pants or shoes, wiping noses or wiping tears, I'm there to capture it all.
Our ultimate destination was the cactus garden. I knew we'd get some beautiful light over there and there are some rocks that provided a nice spot for them to hang out. I brought bubbles but they somehow didn't make it into my wagon (next time!). Over on the rocks I backed up a bit and just asked Mom & Dad to tell the boys a story or to look for bunnies. Then I moved around and captured their connection there.
In all, it was a great session and I think the kiddos had a fun time. I am excited to do more like this in the future and I'm always excited to learn new styles and ideas in the world of photography. Of course, I still do all of the other stuff I've been doing for years. My seasonal mini sessions aren't going away. But you might notice that I'll be getting more candid shots there, too! Coming up I have Spring Swing Sessions and Easter sessions won't be far behind!
I hope you all have a wonderful week and enjoy the photos from this fun, unposed session!
Cheers!
Bonnie
]]>
Hello, and happy Friday!
I don't know about you, but nothing makes me happier than making others happy. Early on in my life I was taught the important value of giving back and helping others. In elementary school I was involved in Pixies (now Daisies) and Brownies. Later on I became really involved in National Charity League from 7th-12th grade and then after college I got involved with a couple of different alumni groups. I volunteered at the hospital, convalescent home, animal shelter, raised scholarship money, organized silent auctions, and all kinds of other stuff. It felt good to give back. When my kids got to elementary school I switched over to the PTA. These days I work in my son's class and am room mom for my daughter.
Volunteering and doing nice things for others is extremely rewarding. For example, right after I graduated from graduate school I joined USC Town & Gown Junior Auxiliary of Orange County. Our group awarded scholarships to incoming and existing USC students. I was the scholarship chair for a year or two and I had the pleasure of informing parents and students that they were receiving money from us. I remember one phone call in particular with the mother of a future USC student. I called to inform her that her daughter was receiving money from us. The mom burst into tears and told me that this particular scholarship finally provided enough money so that her daughter could go to the school of her dreams. I got pretty teary, too. I hung up feeling so amazing, knowing that my group and I made a real impact on this girl's future.
These days, I find it hard to give back as much as I'd like. My photography business has gotten pretty busy (thanks to all of you) and my kids have multiple activities after school. I've taken a step back from the PTA but do manage to still get into the classrooms and help out there each week. So, when a big opportunity like Together We Rise presented itself, I was totally on board!
So you might be wondering what actually is Together We Rise. Well, their website describes them as:"Together We Rise is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization comprised of motivated young adults and former foster youth. Our vision is to improve the lives of children in foster care, who often find themselves forgotten and neglected by the public. We collaborate with individuals, companies, and community partners to bring resources to foster youth and use service-learning activities to educate volunteers on issues surrounding the foster care system." In other words, they are amazing people who do amazing things for children in need of love and guidance. They work hard to improve foster children's quality of life and they put smiles on their little faces.
What does this have to do with me, or rather, what do I have to do with them? Each September Together We Rise puts on an amazing event called Disney Days. This event takes place over two days both at Disneyland in Anaheim and at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando. They reunite siblings in the foster care system who have been separated and give children a day to play and be "normal kids" at Disneyland. The kids get to ride rides, eat ice cream, see parades, and they even get money to spend in the gift shop at the end of the day. When they arrive, most of the kids are strangers. By the end of the day, they are all friends. This even requires a lot of volunteers. These volunteers help to serve as chaperones, help to pay for the day, and (here is my part) help to document the day through photos. Close to a thousand photographers offer to volunteer at this event. We all submit samples of our work, our websites, etc. I think they took about 40 of us. WOW! What an honor!
My experience: My Disney Day started off bright and early. I had to be at the Disneyland gates by 8:00 am to get checked in, assigned to a group, etc. I was lucky to attend with a fellow photographer friend, K.C. Crow so we got to experience this together. I was also fortunate enough to be assigned to the BEST group ever! My group was made up a a group of friends who decided to volunteer together. They were all young (compared to me, haha) and energetic and amazingly fun. They were great with the kids and I was so lucky to get put with them.
Once we were put into our chaperone groups (about 6 chaperones, plus two social workers, and one photographer per group), we got to meet our kids. Our group (called Donald) got the young kiddos ranging from about five years old to about nine. None of these kids had been to Disneyland before. NOT ONCE. They were so excited, a little nervous, and a little shy. But the nervousness and shyness did not last long and within about an hour or two everyone was having the best time!
We were in the park from about 10:00 am- 8:00 pm. We went on rides, saw shows and the parade, ate ice cream, had lunch and dinner, and the kids got to buy their souvenirs. Not once did we have tears, tantrums, harsh words, etc. Our kids were PERFECT! This day was truly rewarding. It made my heart so full I thought it would burst. Seriously. It was a highlight of my life.
Around 8:00 we were done and I turned in all of my photos. Days later, after a LOT of culling and editing, I officially turned in my final picks. We were told to narrow our photos down to about 100 top favorites. Then Together We Rise put them into a book for each child and volunteer. These kids will forever have this photo book reminding them of the day they got to be normal kids, having fun at Disneyland.
So...the purpose of this blog? To share with you an amazing day I had and to encourage you to go out there and find a way to give back. AND, if you find this group interesting, check them out and maybe even offer to help THEM! The Together We Rise Disney Days event is annual and they are looking for monetary donations, volunteers, etc. Their website is www.togetherwerise.org. Together, we can all make a difference in this world!
Scroll down to see more of the "faceless" images from that day. For safety reasons, I cannot share their faces without sunglasses but you can see that they were having a fantastic time!
TTFN!
Bonnie
]]>
Happy 2019! I realize that I have not blogged in quite some time. Over the past few years, August through December has definitely become my "busy season" for photography and my blog often gets neglected. The craziness starts with Back to School minis in August which lead into my kiddos starting a new school year and then flows into fall/Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, my daughter's birthday and all of the family and mini sessions that I do in that time frame. It is so much fun and a bit exhausting. I'm not going to lie, there is a LOT of coffee consumed over those months!
So, as you can imagine, I have a ton of images to share from August through December. However, those are going to have to wait for my next few posts. Since it is a new year and my first session of 2019 was a newborn session, I thought I'd start there and work backwards a bit.
{Meet Cameron}
This cutie pie is boy #3 for the Aragon family. He was born on December 21st and is absolutely perfect! I have gotten to know the Aragon family over the past couple of years and was thrilled to be asked to come and photograph their newest bundle of joy. It is pretty clear that the older boys are completely in love with their baby brother and I loved catching the sweet moments when they rubbed his head, kissed his cheek, and held him. They were gentle and caring and so incredibly good while I worked with just mom, dad, and the baby.
Congratulations to the entire Aragon family! You have a pretty fun future ahead of you with these great kids of yours! I can't wait to watch Cameron grow up alongside his big brothers. Thank you for allowing the opportunity to capture these fleeting moments!
XOXO
Bonnie
]]>
Greetings!
September is here, which means we have officially made it to the “ber” months! Of course, in sunny California we don't get to enjoy that crisp, fall-like weather for a couple of more months (but we can pretend to with our fall-colored wardrobe and pumpkin spice lattes)!
With the start of school and the onset of Autumn, life tends to get busy for everyone. I thought I’d simplify it for you by letting you know what is coming up in the next couple of months. I have some really fun minis in the works. I am also partnering up with some great ladies in our area. I will once again work with Meghann Herter to bring you Matilda Jane minis for both Halloween and Christmas. And, for the first time, I am teaming up with Angela Gregg with The Art Garden to bring you a holiday craft day creating beautiful Christmas ornaments with your photos!
I tend to book up quickly these days so please schedule your sessions early. I will not be doing any sessions after December 5th. While I am offering a bunch of mini session options, you are always welcome to schedule a full family session, too! Everything is available on my website at www.shortsweetphotography.com.
If you have any questions, please feel free to pick up the phone and call me at 714-767-2135. I’d love to help you plan your perfect session!
In the meantime, please scroll down to see what is in the works!
I hope to see you soon!
Bonnie Elliott
Short & Sweet Photography
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 3rd ~ Matilda Jane Halloween Mini Sessions (in-studio)
$150 | 15 minute sessions | MJ Costume Styling by Trunk Keeper Meg Herter
5 edited high resolution digital files | $50 Matilda Jane merchandise credit
October 10th & 14th ~ Fall Mini Portrait Sessions (Anaheim Hills Trail)
$100 | 15 minute session | 5 edited, high resolution files
October 17th ~ Halloween Mini Sessions (in-studio)
$100 | 15 minute sessions | 5 edited high-resolution digital files
Christmas Tree Farm Family Mini Sessions (Peltzer Pines, Brea)
Starting at $150 | 20 minute Sessions
(SOLD OUT) - Email me to get on waiting list [email protected]
*** While these are sold out, Yorba Regional Park has pine trees and we can get a similar look there with the Family Portrait Mini sessions.
November 28th& December 2nd~ Christmas Jammies with milk & cookies
$100 | 15 minute session | 5 edited, high resolution files
*** New backdrop arriving soon! This year will feature a beautiful shabby chic wrought iron headboard with a festive garland!
December 5th~ Matilda Jane Christmas Jammies
$150 | 15 minute sessions | MJ Jammie Styling by Trunk Keeper Meg Herter
5 edited high resolution digital files | $50 Matilda Jane merchandise credit
*** These will also feature the new headboard!
September thru early December ~ Family Portrait Mini Sessions
***These sessions are booked privately. There are no set dates or times. We can work around your schedule to find the perfect day for you and your family.
Package A| $150
~ 30 minute session
~ 5 beautifully edited, high resolution digital images*
Package B| $275
~30 minute session
~5 beautifully edited, high resolution digital images*
~ 25 custom designed 5x7 flat holiday cards printed on beautiful, high quality card stock (envelopes are included). Paper options include recycled, premium cotton, & pearl for no additional charge.
Package C| $325
~ 30 minute session
~ Full gallery of beautifully edited, high resolution digital images
* If you love all of your images you may purchase the entire digital gallery after your session for $150
December 17th~ Holiday Ornament Craft Workshop
Short & Sweet and The Art Garden are teaming up to bring you a holiday craft day creating beautiful ornaments using your photos from your sessions! Times and pricing TBD. Stay tuned for more information!
]]>
Here we are, just about in the middle of our summer break. My kids have been out for just over one month and we have just over one month to go. I've been trying to keep them busy with some various camps, trips to the library, piano lessons, and lots of art and reading. But on the weekends we have found that we enjoy going to the beach in the evening. It is such a beautiful time of day at the beach and considering we live in this beautiful state of California we figured we should take advantage more often.
I had not really ever considered an evening trip to the beach until I did a session there on July 1. I had an extended family session with the Wener family who was renting a house down in Newport. I decided it would be fun to bring my family along and let them hang out while I worked. They had a great time throwing the frisbee and digging holes while I was busy working with the Weners.
So today I wanted to start of by sharing the Wener family with you. I met them through my friend Meghann Herter. Meghann and I have been teaming up for the past few months to do the Matilda Jane mini sessions. Meg's daughter Sydney and Sydney Wener (what are the chances that they have the same name?!) are best friends. Jennifer Wener (the mom) booked a Matilda Jane Valentine Mini session with me back in February and that was the first time I had a chance to photograph her twins, Sydney and Gabriel. She then booked a Matilda Jane Mama & Me session this spring. The beach session was my third (and hopefully not last) opportunity to work with this great family!
Bottom line: The Weners are SO MUCH FUN and amazing people! Jennifer is PTA president and volunteer extraordinaire at Canyon Rim Elementary. She is as kind and as warm as can be (she must get it from her lovely mother who was also there). The twins are 8 years old (same as my little guy) and exude energy, fun, and sweetness. They are so smart and outgoing. Jennifer must be one proud mama! When I arrived at the beach house I was greeted by Gabe. He gave me a huge hug and proudly showed off his new Matilda Jane shirt. (Side note: Matilda Jane just released their first-ever boy's and men's line). Both kids were extremely excited to get down to the water for photos. They were also excited to show off their cousins, Sam and Miriam. Grandma's and grandpa's,
aunts and uncles...we had the whole gang there! They were so welcoming and cooperative and I had an absolute blast working with them! On top of that, they were dressed perfectly for our beautiful evening and I was loving Sydney's beautiful white mermaid style dress down by the water! I am thrilled with how the photos came out. They make me want to do beach sessions all the time!
This past weekend I decided it would be fun to head back to the beach for another evening of (setting) sun, sand, and fun. We brought dinner with us and invited my hubby's sister's family to join us. My kids absolutely LOVE playing with their little cousins, Anne & Miles. And Anne & Miles think my kids walk on water. They are so much fun to watch. My kids are so lucky to have their cousins live close enough to see on a regular basis! Of course my camera came with me to capture some fun moments with them as well. Heck, I even got in the frame this time around!
So, if you are looking for a great way to spend your evening and want to be able to skip the sunscreen, head to the beach around 6:00 pm this summer. You won't be disappointed!!!
Until next time! ~ Bonnie
PS - Slideshow below if you want to see more photos of the Weners and my clan!
I thought today it might be fun to share with you the magic of editing. On Monday I had a really fun session with the beautiful Liv. She is a dancer and her mom wanted some dance photos of her. After a lot of back and forth about locations, times, etc. we decided to head on over to Old Town Orange for the session. Old Town Orange is so charming and is full of fun spots to use as backdrops. We shot in parking lots, along the street, against funky doors, restaurants, etc. There is also a beautiful fountain area that is pretty cool. Liv was up to posing in a bunch of different spots and we had a lot of fun.
While locations like Old Town Orange are beautiful and fun, there is also a big problem with shooting in public areas like this: the walls and sidewalks are DIRTY! The walls we shot up against looked like people had thrown coffee against them. The sidewalks are speckled with years of gum and grime. I thought it would be fun to share with you some before and after images so you can see just how important hiring a professional photographer is if you want to get beautiful, finished images. I am also including one black and white edit for fun. Having the gear and ability to take beautiful photos is only half of my job. The other half is taking those images and turning them into art. I hardly EVER share my "SOOC" (straight out of camera) images, but I'm making an exception for this blog post. Have fun checking out the before and afters! Scroll further down to see a few more images from this session!
A big thank you to Liv's mom, Jessica, for allowing me the opportunity to take these beautiful photos and for allowing me to share them on my blog!
]]>
I hope this blog post finds everyone ready to take on the week! Today I want to share a lifestyle session I recently did featuring two of the cutest three year old twins around, Anne & Miles. I've been wanting to launch these types of sessions for a while now and knew that this adorable family would be the perfect start. The point of this session was to highlight the messiness of childhood. Toddlers are CRAZY and full of energy and I wanted to show what a typical Sunday morning is like for this family. Life with twin three year olds is a ton of work. Mom and dad are exhausted by the end of each day. Parenting in general is hard and it really doesn't matter what age your kids are. Each stage has is challenges. When we are in the thick of it we can be stressed and just can't wait until they kids are finally asleep. But let me tell you, one day all parents will wistfully look back at those difficult years and smile. With these types of sessions it is my goal to freeze a moment in time...a TRUE MOMENT of everyday life...so that years from now the parents can go back through an album and laugh and cry about how their babies used to be and how they have now grown up!
How are these sessions different from my others? Well, first off, they are in YOUR home. You don't have to get dressed up. Kids don't need special outfits. In a way, the messier, the better! Of course, a clutter-free zone is nice, but as for the people in the photos, natural is great! I want to come in and be a fly on the wall, taking in your daily routine. See what you do and how you interact with your family. Secondly, they last about two hours. That gives us time to get acquainted and to do more than just sit and eat cereal and read books. And finally, unlike my regular sessions, each of these comes complete with a custom photo album showcasing the beautiful images. This will be an album you will cherish forever. I certainly wish I'd had a session like this done at my house when my kiddos were toddlers!
So, without further ado, here is a tiny sampling of what went on with Anne & Miles the other day. Enjoy!
{A Day in the Life} Weigand Family
Our session started off with a healthy breakfast of powdered sugar donuts
while Mom sipped her Starbucks and washed dishes.
Dad was at the store picking up groceries for the week and joined us later.
Sharing is caring, especially with these two munchkins!
Apparently building a donut tower is just as much fun as eating them!
Mom "caffeinating" to keep up with these high energy kiddos.
There is just something about little piggy toes!
"Big Sister" Miley Moose kept a lazy watch on the kids while they enjoyed their treat!
Never a dull moment!
Mom looks on while doing the dishes. Meanwhile these guys can't get enough of their treat.
Powdered sugar kisses are the BEST!
After breakfast it was time or Mom to put on her make-up.
She waited for me to arrive for this since the kids like to "help" her with her make-up
and they have their own pretend make-up kit.
She says this is a very common practice at their house!
I eventually took the kids to their room while mom put on the finishing touches of her make-up.
I asked them to show me their beds and their favorite stuffed animals. I quickly saw how quickly they can get into trouble!
It took about 45 seconds for Miles to start climbing on the dresser! He also found the brush and played with the thermometer.
Of course there was some jumping on the bed! I'd say at least 80% of this session involved jumping!
Miles is more of the observer. Here he is, watching Annie put all of the stuffed animals on the bookcase.
But now it is time to climb! And comb his hair, apparently.
"Annie! Looks! The thermometer!"
Miles loves his monkey.
Annie loves to jump!
And Annie loves Lion Guard, too!
Once they were done showing me their room, they took me back to Mom & Dad's room
where Miley was enjoying some peace and quiet...until they showed up!
Because jumping on the bed isn't enough, we next moved into the living room for some fun with Alexa. Here they ran in circles (grabbing donuts each time they passed the kitchen table) piled cushions on the floor, jumped on the couch, and hid in the curtains!
"Hey Alexa, play Justing Timberlake 'Can't stop the feeling!'" - Annie Banannie
After all of the activity they did settle down in their chairs and shared a quiet moment...
complete with Anne sitting on Miles and then Miles licking Anne and a quick trip into their fort.
Soon after that Dad arrived so they settled down to read some books.
Of course, they couldn't agree on one book so Mom took Anne and Dad took Miles.
Part of the reason we did this session when we did was to celebrate the kids' 3rd birthday. We'd been promising cupcakes all morning so after books it was time for a sugary treat and we sang "Happy Birthday."
Now fully loaded up with sugar between donuts and cupcakes, we headed outside. They have a huge backyard complete with a swing,
play fort with a slide and swings, basketball hoop "hoops," and other fun stuff. Plus, Daddy is the best toy of all!
Following backyard fun time, we engaged in yet another common activity: pedicures!
Both kids love getting their piggies painted and they enjoy doing the painting, too!
Because this is such a messy process we did it outside.
After the pedicures it was time for me to leave (and time for these kiddos to have lunch and take a nap). I'd packed up my gear and was heading out but then pulled it out again out in the front yard because there were a couple more moments too good not to miss.
In all we had a fantastic time! Anne and Miles are the cutest and I love that they play so well together.
What a gift to have a built in best friend! I'm already looking forward to our next session together!
If you have made it to the end, thank you for sticking with me! I know it is a lot of photos!!! I hope you feel like you were there with them and see just how special these sessions are! If you are interested in booking your very own "A Day in the Life" session, drop me a line!
Cheers!
Bonnie
For more session info, click here or call 714-767-2134 or email me at [email protected]
]]>
Hello and welcome to the middle of May! We are rapidly approaching the end of the school year, meaning a lot is going on! Life is crazy as always with school, sports, family, and activities. Can you relate?! I'm sure most of you are in the same crazy boat. We run this way and that non-stop these days. That is why, this Mother's Day, all I asked for were two things:
1 ~ I wanted my hubby to do my "Sunday chores" which included emptying the dishwasher and the laundry. Easy peasy, right?
2 ~ I wanted my kiddos to take some photos together (just the two of them) and with me. Not so easy peasy, let me tell you!
Mother's Day started off great. My wonderful hubs woke me up with a steaming cup of coffee in my favorite cat mug. The kids greeted me with sweet kisses and greetings of "HAPPY Mother's Day" and then disappeared to entertain themselves. Hubby told me to stay in bed while he made breakfast (and watched soccer). So I sat up, drank my coffee, and scrolled through Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Unsure of what would entertain me, I stumbled upon the movie "Mother's Day." Well, I've never seen it and it has a great cast so I put that on. It was really cute! About 1/4 of the way through it I was called to breakfast. I made it downstairs to find French toast, bacon, fresh fruit, and a mimosa laid out nicely for me. All four of us ate together and my kiddos gave me great hand made cards. According to my gift from my 8-year old, I weigh 131 lbs and am as tall as a door! After breakfast I hung out with the hubs while he cleaned up. Then I convinced him to climb back into bed with me and finish the movie. We finally got up around 11:00. I took a shower while he went for a run. Then I told the kids...dun dun dun...I wanted them to take pictures for me as my Mother's Day gift!
Now, you have to understand, both of my kids suffer from what's known as "PKS" or "Photographer's Kids Syndrome." They HATE having their pictures taken. They are over it. These days they whine, complain, sulk, grump, growl, and groan about photos. It is awful. People always ask me how I get my kids to cooperate, thinking they are always so good. But the truth is, they are just like every other kid out there! Most of the time I only share the good shots. But today, I'm going to share some of my outtakes. Then you will see what I really go through.
Let me start off by saying, for these photos I picked out pretty basic stuff for them to wear. My daughter was to wear jeans and a tank top. I did not curl or straighten her hair. I did not put blush or lip gloss on her. She got to come as she was. My son got to wear shorts and a t-shirt. That's it. I tried to make it pretty simple. I did have the hairbrush on hand but that is all. However, that did not stop the complaining. The second we got started my daughter was "FREEZING!" and her pants were"TOO TIGHT!" so she was "REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE!" while my son was "HUNGRY!" and "HUNGRY!" and oh, so "HUNGRY!" Let's just say it wasn't going well. They scowled at the camera. They glared at me. The did very little of what I asked them which was to sit next to each other and smile.
So, I did what any mom does when she's done. I threw a little tantrum of my own and reminded them of all of the wonderful things I do for them, such as washing their underwear, making them lunch day after day, you know, keeping them fed, clothed, and safe. This made them feel pretty bad so after I fed them lunch (resolving the hunger issue) and let my daughter change out of her pants into shorts (resolving the discomfort issue) we tried again. This time they were much more cooperative. I had to remind myself that sometimes you just need to give a little to get a lot in return. My hubby even hopped in for a few! And I'd like you to notice below that even though they pushed back a LOT, I still managed to get some great shots of them. This is something I remind my clients about all the time. Trust me to get some good ones. Even if you think it isn't going well, I can almost guarantee that I'll get some print worthy shots!
So I eventually got my gift and I love it! Maybe some day they will look back and realize that it is pretty nice to have pictures of themselves with their mama. I guess time will tell.
In case you are wondering, I had my camera set up on my tripod. My camera has this great feature called an interval timer. I can set the shutter to release every 5 seconds and let it go to work. That is why you can see me moving in and out the frame. :)
Thanks for reading and I hope you have a lovely day!
~ Bonnie
]]>
Hello and happy Spring! The warm weather has officially arrived and it is so lovely out there (albeit a tiny bit too warm). The birds are singing and building their nests (a have a pair of doves that I've been watching out of my bedroom window for a few days, brining twigs to build their new home). The flowers are blooming and I hear the reptiles are hatching (eek!)! Somehow we are almost halfway through April in the blink of an eye. My family started out April with a lovely trip to visit my hubby's grandma in Naples, Florida. We had an amazing trip and a wonderful time hanging out with Grandma. Now we are back and it is full steam ahead! So that brings me to today's topic: MOMS!
I realize that most of you who read my blog are moms. We go through the daily routine of making lunches, cleaning the house, carpooling, homework, meal planning and preparing, etc. You know the drill. So Mother's Day is rapidly approaching and it is one of our days to be recognized and appreciated. I have found that I have to take advantage of these "Hallmark holidays" with my own family. On Mother's Day and my birthday my kids are especially nice to me. Don't get me wrong, they are pretty nice in general, but on these two days they are ESPECIALLY nice! And helpful! And loving! And WONDERFUL! So I take full advantage! Hee hee! As kids of a photographer, they are sick and tired of my camera. They aren't very willing to cooperate these days unless A) I make it super fun...hence bed jumping, feather pillow fights, and trips to the beach or B) I beg for it on my "special" days. Today is my birthday and I am hoping they will hop in for some pics with me after school.
With that said, I am hoping your kiddos will be willing to hop into photos with you, too. If you are like me, you are always the one TAKING the pictures. How often are you IN them? Seriously, think about it. When your kids are in their 40's and going through albums or photos of their childhood will you be in the pictures? When we were in Florida last week I took 1,041 pictures. Yes, I am nuts. Of those ONE THOUSAND FORTY ONE pictures, I am in 12 of them and most of those are just duplicate shots. I have learned to at least hand my camera off to someone (anyone) and get in the frame on these trips. Otherwise it doesn't look like I was even there.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE IN YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND SEE THAT YES, YOU WERE THERE!
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL, AND LOVED BY YOUR FAMILY.
Please, please don't wait until you have shed that last 5, 10, 15 pounds. Don't wait until you have that perfect outfit or perfect hair style, or whatever excuse you find for not getting in photos. Do it now. You will not regret it! And, honestly, while I'd love to be the one to take photos of you with your kids, if I'm not, that is okay. Just get in the frame!
It is time to celebrate YOU and all that you do for your families. The boo boos you've kissed, the tears you've gently wiped away, the shoes you've tied. Think of all of those lunches you've made, bums and noses you've wiped, beds you've made. Sleepless nights when your little ones were sick, sleepless nights when they finally slept through the night and you worried they weren't breathing! Think of the laundry you've folded, the meals you've planned and shopped for, the bugs you've squashed, the bathrooms you've cleaned. The books you've read, the songs you've sung. You've done it all and whether your family realizes it or not, they love you so much for it! So get in the frame with your kids and hug them, kiss them, play with them, and preserve memories now. It is time you do something nice for yourself. You will look back years from now and get warm fuzzies all over again!
To celebrate all of you, I am offering $15 off of Mama & me sessions if you mention this blog post. How sweet is that? We have beautiful weather right now and it is perfect for getting outside and letting loose with your kids while I snap away. Mama & me sessions are all private, not booked back to back so we can work around your schedule. So drop me a line if you want in!
***Offer only valid with Short & Sweet Mama & me sessions. It does not apply to Matilda Jane sessions which will be held on Sunday, May 6th.
]]>
Hello and Happy March!!!
I am so excited to share what I've been working on lately: a partnership with Matilda Jane Clothing! Together we are offering some really adorable opportunities for your kiddos!!!
How it happened:
Our beautiful partnership happened the way many things do...a friend of a friend, a quick introduction at a youth soccer game, a new Facebook friendship, and a random comment on a photo...it all led us here to this super fun pairing! Meghann Herter is a friend of my friend Lisa. Their daughters are on the same soccer team and go to the same school. Lisa recommend me to Meg for Christmas photos one day when we ended up on the same soccer field. Meg and I exchanged info. It turned out that Meg is an Independent Matilda Jane Trunk Keeper (I'm pretty sure that is a cute and fancy way of saying sales rep). Anyway, Meg added me to her MJ Facebook group and I started getting notifications of her products. If you aren't familiar with Matilda Jane take a look once you are done reading this! They basically have the most adorable clothing for girls and moms (sorry, nothing for brothers at this time but they are welcome join in on the fun wearing their own clothes). The clothes are bright and colorful. Lots of fun patters, ruffles, buttons, special details. They have socks, bows, tea sets, umbrellas, wellies, the list goes on! Well, I kept seeing all of these adorable outfits and a couple of months ago I commented that I wanted to be a Matilda Jane photographer. Next thing you know, Meg responds with a genius idea: Matilda Jane Mini Photo Sessions!
How it works:
Matilda Jane releases a new line once a month about ten months out of the year. Each release focuses on the current season. On the day of our sessions Meg shows up at my house with a TON of clothing samples in varying sizes. She sets up her clothing rack and had everything organized on it. She brings bows, accessories (umbrella, aprons, wellies, etc.). I provide the adorable studio setup. When each client arrives they have their hair and shoes ready for a photo session. Then, they get to pick a dress and bow that they want to wear. A quick change in the bathroom and presto! They are model ready!! Meg helps to pin dresses that might be too big, and offers suggestions on what to wear. Once ready, we head out to the setup and I spend about 15-20 minutes photographing them in varying poses with different props. Once finished, it is back into the house to change and Mom gets a $50 merchandise credit! Let the shopping begin!!! If time is short, the credit can be applied later so there is really no pressure.
A couple of days later my clients receive an email from me with their photo gallery. There are usually around fifty images to choose from. They get to pick five to receive as a digital download and have the option to purchase more digitals or prints.
The total cost of these session is $135. Here is what you get:
~ A fun experience modeling adorable clothing in a unique setup
~ The amazing opportunity to NOT stress over outfits for photos! We do that for you!
~ 5 Edited Digital Images
~ $50 merchandise credit
These sessions are loads of fun and we are looking forward to doing them throughout the year! We are even planning a fun Mama & Me session at a local park, complete with matching dresses for moms and girls! Stay tuned and I'll keep you informed!!!
Oh! Don't forget to go and find Meg on Facebook! Click here to see all of her darling products!
I hope you have a great day!
~ Bonnie Elliott
short & sweet photography
Here are a few examples of what we have done so far. Enjoy!!
Spring Preview: Booking Now!!!
Samples from our Valentine's Sessions
]]>
It is February and you know what that means: Valentine's Day. To me, Valentine's Day is a family holiday. My hubby and I exchange fun little gifts (no jewelry here) and get the kids something small. We use it as an excuse to buy ridiculously expensive desserts from our favorite bakery, Zov's in Tustin, and often consume a delicious sushi dinner.
As a yearly room mom, Valentine's Day also means class parties and creating cute Valentine's for my kiddos to exchange. While I know that 2nd graders may not fully appreciate what goes into a home-made Valentine,my kids and I still enjoy putting in the extra effort. My kids enjoy making theirs more than that would just writing their names on store bought cards. To them, store bought cards are a chore. They don't want to do them. BUT, turn it into an art project and they are all in!
This year, as part of my Valentine mini sessions, I am providing my clients with 32 wallet sized photos. They come in sheets of 8 so they can choose up to four photos to use. These wallets can then be used to make personalized Valentines. After talking with a few of my clients I decided it might be helpful to provide some kind of tutorial on how to make these cute Valentine's so that everyone can do it! My advice is to get everything cut and ready to go BEFORE you bring the kids in. It makes the process so much easier.
So here we go!
SUPPLIES:
Wallet Size Photos
Paper cutter (these make life so much easier)
Scissors
Card Stock/Construction Paper/Valentine Paper (Michaels and Hobby Lobby have a ton)
Stickers
Ribbon/Twine/Raffia
Double Sided Tape
Clear Treat Bags (mine are 4" x 2" x 9.5")
Candy
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cut card stock a little bit wider and longer than your photos. You can either make your cards flat or folded so take that into consideration before cutting your paper. You want a bit of a border around your photo. *Be sure to make it small enough to fit in the bag! Cut as many as you need for your children. You can use any paper you want, the sky is the limit! If you want to get super fancy you can double back your photos meaning you have two pieces of cut paper, varying sizes so your photo is backed and then that backing is backed. Make sense?
2. Using double sided tape, adhere the photo to the paper.
3. If your paper is dark and you need a lighter space to write on (on the inside or on the back) you can add a piece of white paper.
4. Enhance your card with stickers, ribbon, mini clothespins, etc. Charlie likes to draw pictures on the inside of his. We cut out little hearts and tied them to Claire's with twine.
5. Once your card is done put it in a clear back along with some candy and tie it with a cute ribbon. Voila! You are done!
If you follow my tutorial I'd LOVE to see what your kids come up with! Please post them to my Short & Sweet Facebook page!
Of course I have photos to go along with these instructions and this time I even have a couple of videos for you! Check them out!
Here are the videos. Sorry they are a bit dark. I am a photographer, not a videographer! ;)
]]>
Good morning! Well, probably closer to afternoon by the time I get this posted. I thought that I'd try to brighten your day with a story about my postman. These days I feel like all we here is sad, negative news. Whenever I turn on the news all I hear is the bad stuff. So today I'm going to share something fun and positive and hopefully it will brighten your day a little and remind you that this world is full of wonderful people and you never know when they might surprise you!
Rewind to a couple of weeks ago. It was a Wednesday and I was in my garage setting up my Valentine mini backdrop. I always do a couple of trial runs to make sure I get my backdrops perfect. Of course these days that includes begging my children to cooperate for a few minutes and be my models. They used to be more willing but I think they are getting tired of my camera. Photographer's kid's problems! Haha! Anyways, here I am, setting up my backdrop. It is adorable this year! The name of my backdrop paper is "Ocean Blue." I made clouds out of pillow stuffing and little heart raindrops out of card stock. It was coming together pretty nicely. When I started pulling out my props I rediscovered the red flower petals that I used last year and remembered that my kids loved tossing these in the air. That was my "aha!" moment...pull out the petals and maybe, just maybe they will cooperate! So I have all of this stuff out and my kids are out there, throwing petals into the air.
So what about the postman, you might ask. Well, I'm getting to that part! As I am taking pics of my kiddos, the postman drives up and slows down as he passes my house. He says something like, "Hey! If I'd known you were doing photos I would have dressed up!" I replied that he looked great and should hop in for a shot. Next thing I know, I have him sitting on my backdrop tossing rose petals! He didn't have to think twice about it...just hopped right in and instantly brightened my day.
Obviously, my postman now deserves the title of "Jolly Postman" based off of a book I read in elementary school (check it out, it is awesome)! He was such a good sport and so much fun! This exchange lasted maybe a minute or two, not much. But it was awesome! He truly made my day and my kids loved it, too!!!
Of course, soon after this, I went to Facebook and shared some of the shots with a photography group I am in. My jolly postman was a HIT! People went crazy over these photos, saying that the pics made their day. Some said they wished their postman was this awesome. Many asked if I was going to give him prints. Somewhere in these conversations the suggestion of stamps came up. That brings us to part two of this story!
PRINTS and STAMPS
Of course I had to get prints for our guy! I instantly ordered a few 4x6 and a 5x7 for him. They arrived last week and I handed them off to him. I think he was pleased. I also ordered stamps from Shutterfly. How could I NOT? He is a POSTMAN for goodness sake! Those took longer to arrive but they are finally here. I wanted photograph them and share them here before handing them over. I plan to give them to him tomorrow. I'm sure he'll cruise by while I'm doing my actual Valentine Mini Sessions. I hope it makes his day, as he made mine!
Our world is full of wonderful, kind, funny people! Sometimes we just have to take a minute to slow down and notice them. I'm so glad I was out there testing my setup when our postman drove by. By the way, I think it is interesting...I have no idea what his name is but I know for a fact that he knows mine (since he delivers my mail daily). Perhaps I should ask him when I give him his stamps?!
Have a great day everyone!
Happy Monday! Here at my house we are finally back in school after three weeks off. Don't get me wrong, our break was pretty great! Lots of sleeping in, time to relax and read. We baked some cookies, built some Lego sets, hung out with family, entertained friends, and even went to Universal Studios to the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter." I tried Butterbeer for the first time and loved it! But now the kids are back at school and the hubby has been back for the past week. I'm not gonna lie, getting back into my routine feels pretty good!
So today I want to write about something I believe is very important: Printing your photos. Printing your photos is a way to preserve your memories. Raise your hand if you never print your photos. I bet most of you have them "living" either in your computer or your phone. The pictures in your frames or on your walls were taken when your oldest child was about two. Sound familiar? I hear this a LOT! Well, today I'm going to tell you a few reasons why you should be printing your photos and preserving your memories.
1| Printing makes your memories tangible.
In today's digital age I feel like a lot of things are no longer tangible. Remember when you used to write notes in school? Or had a pen pal? Those letters were tangible. Now we have email, Facebook, FaceTime, texting, etc. Remember the feel and the smell of books? If not, go to Barnes & Noble (before they shut down like the rest of the bookstores), and breathe in that book smell. Seriously, there is nothing like it! Now we read on our Kindles, iPads, phones, etc. And then there are your photos. I bet they are on your phone or computer. Sure, you share pictures on Instagram and Facebook, but do you ever print them out? Every so often, when I go home to my parents' house, my mom and I end up at the end of the hall, pulling out album after album of photos. My mom has always been so good about printing her photos and putting them in albums. When I used to visit my grandparents I would spend hours in the hallway looking at the hundreds of photos that were in collage frames. These printed photos are a huge part of my childhood (and adult) memories. We go through them together and tell the stories that were attached to them. Now my children join in on the fun. Together we recall the past, laughing over hairstyles, clothes, silly faces. These memories are tangible. And in this digital era, they are going away.
2| Keep your memories safe.
Are your photos safe online, in your phone, on your computer? What if all of the photos you've taken since your kids were babies were only digital and one day your computer crashed? Everything is gone. If you didn't print any of those photos you are out of luck. I don't know about you but I would be devastated if that happened. So let's say that something bad DOES happen and you lose all of your photos. You might think, but they are on Facebook at least. Right? Yes, that might be true, but the quality has been compromised. Sure, you can still access those and print them, but they will not look as good as they should. I'm a stickler for high quality, high resolution. Printing would avoid this.
3| Memories are meant to be shared.
Isn't it fun to share? By printing and displaying your photos you get to share them with family and friends who come to visit. I love putting my kids' cute faces on my walls, in frames, in jewelry...wherever! They are my kids and they are cute and I want to show them off! Just one more reason to print! I also love making albums. My kids pull them out from time to time. They love seeing pictures of themselves as babies and toddlers. They will spend a good hour just pouring through our albums. It is awesome! It also makes my kids feel good knowing I want to share photos of them. They feel proud and it gives them a warm fuzzy feeling.
4| How else will you embarrass your children when they are older?
It is important to have some kind of black mail up your sleeve! I have a few of those! You know these photos the second they are taken. You often say, "wow, she'll love THIS when she's older...hee her!" Yup, this is one more good reason to have prints on hand! They are great for bridal showers, bachelor parties, prom night! You name it! What is the point of having kids if you can't embarrass them every once in a while?
5| Technology is constantly changing.
And it changes fast! Think about it. When my daughter was born 11 years ago we used a VIDEO CAMERA. And I saved photos on disks! Seriously, my iMac doesn't even have a disk drive! And think back before that...my parents' videos of me are on Super 8 film! While our current technology seems pretty awesome, I'm sure it is bound to change. So how will you access all of your digital stuff? You don't know? Neither do I.
Printed photos...framed, in albums, in collages, whatever, are a way to preserve and share your family's story. Your memories. Don't put it off. Do it now before the task gets too overwhelming! And if you do print them, send me a photo or two of your display. I'd love to see what you do with YOUR memories!
As an incentive to print your photos, I am offering 40% all basic print orders of $20 or more through the month of January. Simply use the promo code PRINT40 when ordering prints and the discount will be automatically calculated in your shopping cart! The promo code will expire on January 31st so take advantage while you can!
Go to your album now! Client galleries are located here.
And in case you didn't get my point about the devastation of losing photos, just watch this fun little clip (click the image for video).
Video brought to you by Streaming Photography.
]]>
Happy New Year! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and time off from school. I thought I'd start off this year with a new blog post.
I figured it might be fun share a gift that Charlie got for Christmas. As the kids get older we are trying to find new things that offer more of an experience and that also incorporate learning. My mom suggested Kiwi Crates for both of our kids. This is a subscription based product that arrives once a month. It is cool because you can choose your crates based on your child's age and interests (to a certain extent). Charlie go the "KIWI" with science, art, and other fun activities for kids 5-8 years old. Claire got a subscription to "DOODLE" which is art and design for kids ages 9-16. When they arrived Claire disappeared to her room with hers, put it together, and voila! She now has a cute tote bag that she assembled! However, Charlie's was pretty involved. We started working on it this morning when I thought, "hmm...maybe I should take pics and blog about this!" So here we go!
At the top of this page is a photo of Charlie with his first Kiwi Crate box. When we opened it up it was full of fun stuff!
This month's shipment included an anatomy lesson. There is a booklet on the human body with fun facts, a cute comic, and a lot of other fun stuff. There is also an instruction manual for the crafts and a huge poster of the human body. Charlie started out by making the stethoscope (no pics of that process because I hadn't decided to blog quite yet). After that he sewed a felt brain, heart, and kidney. I showed him what to do and he caught on pretty quickly. After the majority of the "sewing" was done he stuffed them and then added the eyes and the smiles. Of course the eyes and smiles were his favorite part!
Once we finished with these cute little guys we tried out the X-ray part. We pulled out the giant poster. We put a clear piece of plastic (included) over the right arm/hand laid the bones. *Charlie was more interested in his little plush guys so we didn't completely finish the x-ray process yet but he got the idea.
I plan to help him finish the X-ray part later but we did then move onto the last part which was affixing the plush organs to the poster. The kit came with little velcro circles that stick to both the poster and the plush organs. Charlie stuck those guys on and we were good to go!
And, of course, he had to "listen" to the guys heart with his new stethoscope! We had a lot of fun doing this and are really looking forward to seeing what comes next month! This is truly a great product. It not only has a learning component but it is an activity that we enjoyed doing together. No electronic devices here and Charlie had FUN! On top of that, he is super excited to see what arrives next month! So, if you are looking for an "out of the box" type gift/activity for your kids, check out Kiwi Crates! It is a super cool product!
Until next time! :)
- Bonnie
]]>
Hello and welcome! If you are reading this that means you found me (thank goodness)! I've just made the jump to a new website platform and I'm so happy you are here. Please, take a few minutes to look around. A lot has changed and hopefully you'll find that this new website is more helpful and pleasing to the eye.
It has been quite some time since I last posted. Work and life have been extremely busy (I'm sure you can all relate)! Now that Thanksgiving has passed we have the holiday season to look forward to and with that comes a lot of craziness. Baking, shopping, wrapping, partying, and lots and lots of photographing! But it is all so much fun and I'm really hoping to be able to enjoy it this year.
One thing that I love most about the holiday season is receiving holiday cards. They brighten my day, every day! I am a bit nuts and spend way too many hours designing my own, each year trying to do better than the last. Because of this (possibly unhealthy, and definitely expensive) obsession, I thought it would be fun to have a little drawing this year for a free session. Therefore I am asking everyone to send me their cards. Everyone who sends me a holiday card will be entered into a drawing. On December 27th I will draw two names at random on Facebook Live. First place winner gets a free family session! Second place winner gets a free mini session! It should be a lot of fun and the process is pretty easy. All you need to do is go on over to my CONTACT page and send me an email titled "HOLIDAY CARD CONTEST." I will reply with my home address. Then pop that beautiful creation of yours into the mail and you'll be entered into the drawing. Easy as pie!
I hope all of you find some time to sit back and relax during this busy time. Enjoy your family and your friends. Take pictures and make sure that YOU are in them! Your kids will thank you some day!
Until next time!
~Bonnie
]]>
Are you ready?
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I often feel like Halloween is one of those holidays that sneaks up on you. I blame it on the hot weather, making it still feel like summer. I blame it on the stores who have decided to skip Halloween and Thanksgiving and move straight to Christmas. I blame it on the darn fires that keep breaking out all over our beautiful state of California. Okay, so these are all just excuses and the truth is, fall is a busy time. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. Today it suddenly occurred to me that I have to plan the class party…like NOW!
So my question to all of you is: Are YOU ready?! Do you have costumes picked out, the odds and ends that go with the costumes? Have you figured out what your child will use to collect the candy? How about the candy itself?! Have you bought that? I haven’t….if I buy it too early it is gone before the actual day arrives! And then there is figuring out HOW you are going to “do” Halloween. Just walk around the neighborhood? Host a little get-together? Go to a friends’ house? And if you do go, who is going to pass out your candy for you? You certainly can’t leave a bowl out because we ALL know how that ends!
For the past couple of years I have relinquished Trick-or-treating duties to my hubby. I stay home and hand out candy while watching Rocky Horror Picture Show and sipping on some sort of adult beverage. I like it that way. I love seeing the tiny costumed kiddos come to my door. But I feel like I’m missing out, too, and I feel guilty for not joining my hubby and the kids. So this year I need to figure out a better plan.
This year’s plan….thus far
So here is where I am at, in case you are curious. My kids have decided on their costumes. Charlie is going as Elliot from E.T. with a fake E.T. stuffed into a crate to look like he is in the bike scene at the end of the movie. Claire has decided to go as Gertie. Who knew it would be next to impossible to find Claire a black and tan striped turtleneck to go with her overalls?! I ended up ordering a Ralph Lauren turtleneck from Zappos. Fingers crossed she will wear it again because that thing wasn’t cheap! Haha! Now all I have left is to find yarn for her pigtails and get her a potted geranium to tote around with her. Oh, the crazy husband of mine (his name is Link by the way) will be wearing plastic chains around his neck so he can go as “Chain-Link.” Get it?! Haha. I love my crazy family.
I have not bought candy. I have not bought bags or pumpkins or crafted pillowcases for the occasion. I figure worst case scenario, they use their own pillowcase like I did back in the 80’s! I’m still figuring out the evening. While I’d love to host something I’m realistic enough to know that probably won’t happen. There’s just too much going on to be Super-mom this year!
So in the midst of all of this I’m also doing Halloween Minis and Fall Minis. I got started the day before the Canyon Fire 2 broke out. Let’s just say I’m thankful an ember didn’t land on my straw hay bales that were (oops) leaning against my house! I got some adorable shots for the kiddos who came out for it and am looking for another round next Tuesday. For those who are interested, I’m sharing a few peeks from last week’s sessions. Enjoy! Perhaps they will give YOU some inspiration if you haven’t figured out the whole costume thing yet. You have just under two weeks to get it done. NO PRESSURE!
Thanks for listening and have a lovely evening!!!
~Bonnie
Kiddos from this year and a couple from last year, too!
]]>With fall comes the onset of family sessions. This past weekend I had a pretty diverse range of family sessions and I thought I’d share them with you. I loved working with each group and they were a good reminder that families come in all shapes and sizes! It was also great because these are all people I have a personal relationship with for various reasons.
The Forrest Family
{Jim & Elizabeth Forrest with Martha & Greg Pelachik and their pup, Penny}
We had such a fun time together with this fully “grown-up” group and their adorable fur baby! Jim and Elizabeth had never had professional photos done and were very willing participants! They were so cute together and their love shines through in these photos!
Martha and Greg used to live down the street from me. We used to see each other at our neighborhood block parties and wave whenever we drove by. It was nice to reconnect with Martha and take these photos for her. She and Greg haven’t had their photos taken since their wedding and Penny is, of course, a newer addition. They were so much fun and I loved having a howling beagle along for the ride!
The McCormick Family
{Chris, Ashley, Kate, Hailey, Colin & Madison}
I have known Ashley since 1999. Wow, time goes by quickly! Ashely is one of my sister-in-law’s best friends. She was at my wedding and Link and I were at hers! The last time I took their family photos was back when Madison was a newborn. Now Madison is an adorable, active two year old! Working with this family had the same challenges as most families with young children. Luckily my offer of a wagon ride put them in the right spirit for photos! But I’d be lying if there wasn’t a mention of Santa Claus and presents if we didn’t get smiles from one of them at the end! Haha! Whatever it takes, right?
The Hoffman Family
{Erik, Debbie, Courtney, Brandon, Ashlyn, Garret, Caitlin & Cole}
Debbie lives down the street from me. She is a nurse and was kind enough to pull out Claire’s very first wiggly tooth! Her daughter, Ashlyn, is our babysitter. This group is the modern “Brady Bunch” as Debbie likes to call them. Debbie is mom to Courtney, Brandon, and Ashlyn (our babysitter) and Erik is dad to Garret, Caitlin, and Cole. Together we’ve got a mom and a dad, three girls and three boys. This is my third time taking photos of Debbie and her kids, and let me tell you, our sessions are very different from most. These are always “adult” sessions…with lots of jokes and hilarious conversations. They always have me cracking up. There is never stress with this bunch, just a lot of fun and laughing!
So there you have it! Three different groups, all wonderful families, all so much fun! Until next time…
]]>
Good morning and happy Tuesday!
Have you noticed a slight change in weather? Sure, it is still crazy hot, but the nights are cooling down. It is getting dark earlier and we are now waking up in the dark. You know what that means…..Fall is almost here! Ah, this is my favorite time of year. I’ve already made my first batch of pumpkin muffins for the kids and I think I’ll have a pumpkin pie in the oven before we even reach October.
Due to my excitement about my favorite season, it should come as no surprise that I’m already gearing up for Fall & Halloween mini sessions! This past weekend I took some fun sample shots to showcase my new backdrop. Claire was kind enough to don her favorite kitty gear as a semi costume and my wonderful friend Lisa shared her daughter, Katie, with me for a bit so I could get some of her dressed as Snow White. I also started looking back through some of the photos I took along the trail last year and the year before and want to share those, too, because they really show how gorgeous the trail is this time of year.
Like last year, I am offering two different sessions. The Halloween Minis will include the white fence backdrop with the pumpkins and the black backdrop. My Fall Minis are along the trail. I’ll have my swing available and I might even dress it up with some fall leaf garlands to make it festive. Costumes and/or fall attire are welcome at either setup. I hope to see you there!
Session info:
$70 for a 15 minute session. You get 5 digitals, a shareable online gallery, and the option to purchase the full gallery for $60 or get it “free” with a $75 print purchase.
]]>
Happy Friday Everyone!
It is no secret that I specialize in children…you know, little people who walk and sort of talk. They sit up on their own and flash me fantastic smiles from time to time. I love little personalities and especially love kids that are a challenge. Babies, on the other hand, are a whole other type of subject. They are just as unpredictable as children but in a different way. Babies are delicate, precious, SO NEW! They are so sweet and they are also (sometimes) the most difficult to photograph.
Somehow I managed to book two newborns over the last two weeks. Both were last minute. The first one I got a call on Monday and I had them here on Wednesday. The second one was scheduled for August 26th but he decided to arrive early. Next thing I know, I have HIM here this Wednesday. Let’s just say, I got super lucky with both of these guys! They were both extremely mellow dudes. They slept well and they let me pose them. I am thrilled with the moments I captured and just have to share a few. They will make you want another…trust me! So here we have D& L (and D’s adorable older brother, too)!
Baby D
Baby L
]]>
Happy Monday! Wow, I think this is the most behind I’ve been in quite some time, possibly ever. I hope you all have been enjoying your summer. We just got home from a two week road trip up to Oregon and back. I took over 3,000 photos so it is taking me some time to sort through all of them. The Oregon coast is amazingly beautiful, as are the California redwoods. I highly recommend heading up that way if you are looking for a last-minute road trip before school starts. You will NOT regret it! I thought it would be fun to share a few highlights with you. Needless to say, my kids are pretty tired of my camera.
Looking Ahead
I also wanted to let you all know what I have going on in the coming months so that you an plan ahead!
{Happening Now}
Back to School Mini Sessions
This year I’m doing the majority of these sessions at Hurless Barton Park in Yorba Linda. The red building is the perfect backdrop for these sessions! I have a few spots open on August 9th and 13th so let me know if you are interested in grabbing one before they are gone! The cost is $70 for a 15 minute session and you get 5 edited digitals.
***Thank you to Jill Parkin with Sandy Toes & Popsicles for letting me capture a few quick shots of your kids for my promo!!!
{Coming in early October}
Fall & Halloween Mini Sessions $70/15 minute session, 5 digitals
These were so much fun last year! Bring your kids dressed in costumes or simply in their fall colors to celebrate the season of all things pumpkin! Sessions will be Sunday, October 8th and Wednesday, October 11th.
{Coming in November}
Christmas Mini Sessions $70/15 minute session, 5 digitals
I am going to try to get an early start on Christmas Minis this year. I will be holding them November 15th, 26th, and 29th. Mark your calendars now!
{Booking NOW}
Family Holiday Sessions
Last year’s holiday sessions were a huge hit so I’m doing them again! You have a few options to choose from:
Short & Sweet Session – $150
This is a fun little 45 minute session to capture your little ones. They grow so quickly so why not get photos done more often? With this package it is affordable and you still get a ton of beautiful images to choose from! This session is limited to a family of four. ***Additional people $10 each
Includes:
- 45 minute session either in studio or at a local park or trail
- Shareable online gallery of all images from the session
- 5 edited high resolution images to download
- Option to purchase full gallery for $100 or get it for “free” with a print order of $150 (excluding tax and shipping)
***Sessions outside of Anaheim Hills/Yorba Linda area are $175 unless otherwise negotiated.
The Sweetest– $200
This 60-minute package is for capturing the entire family without missing out on special individual shots. I’ll be sure to get group and individual portrait images of you and your loved ones to treasure always. This package is for up to up to four adults and four children. ***Additional people are $10 each
Includes:
- 60 minute session either studio, at a local park or trail, or a possible combination of two of these
- Shareable online gallery of all images from the session
- 10 edited high resolution images to download
- Option to purchase full gallery for $150 or get it for “free” with a print order of $200 (excluding tax and shipping)
Holiday Package – $225*
Here is your one and only opportunity for a quick, 30-minute family session! This deal is too good to pass up! It is a great way to get family photos for framing, for your holiday cards, and as gifts for loved ones.
Includes:
- 30 minute family or child session at a local park or trail
- Shareable online gallery of all images from the session
- 5 edited high resolution images to download
- 25 custom 5×7 flat holiday cards with envelopes (upgrades available for additional cost). Click here to see holiday card options.
- $30 print credit
- Option to purchase full gallery for $100 or get it for “free” with a print order of $150 (excluding tax and shipping)
- print release
*Session must occur before December 5th to allow time to design & order holiday cards.
*Thank you Huttner family for allowing me the opportunity to use this great family shot for my promo!
]]>I wanted to share what I have coming up in the near future and through the rest of summer, in case any of you are interested! Of course, I’ll have photos to accompany my big plans!
{Happening Now}
Daddy & Me Mini Sessions! $85 – 20 minute session – 5 Digitals of your choice – Shareable online gallery
My Mama & Me sessions were such a hit! I captured tender moments, silly moments, and genuine fun moments. So now it is Dad’s turn to get in front of the camera. I’ll be doing these as one on one sessions at Eucalyptus Park around 7:00 pm to capture the gorgeous light. I have bubbles, funny glasses, and a camera…you bring the Dad and the kids. Here are some I took of my own goofy family!
{Coming Soon}
4th of July Mini Sessions – $70 – 15 minute session – 5 Digitals of your choice – Shareable online gallery
While I try to change things up for each round of minis, I just love my setup from last year that I’m doing the same thing again. I’ll provide the watermelon and adorable setup. You provide the adorable kids! 4th of July bathing suits or denim is always a cute outfit choice!
Dates for 4th of July Minis:
June 21st 2:30-5:00
June 23rd 2:30-5:00
June 25th 2:30-5:00
{In August}
Back to School Minis – I know the end of summer is going to sneak up on us (and school isn’t even out yet)! But stay tuned! I’ll be doing these adorable sessions again!
So until then, have a great summer! I hope to see some of you for these fun sessions!!!!
XOXO
-Bonnie
]]>I don’t know about the rest of you, but Mother’s Day in my house is simple. It is about not doing by usual Sunday chores (hubby gets to do them) and I get to enjoy my kiddos. We don’t do anything fancy. They make me breakfast, hubby cleans up and does the laundry, and we usually go to the park, for a walk, or something along those lines. Last year we went to a sushi restaurant for lunch and were the only people in the place!
For a long, long time Mother’s Day was a bust. I’m sure you all know what I mean. When our kids are young we have high hopes that maybe, just maybe they will suddenly BEHAVE and be NICE and LOVING towards us on our big day. But they don’t. Why? Because they are babies and kids! They don’t care that it is a day to celebrate mom! But as they get older (as mine have) they are starting to get it. They now get excited and are pretty cute. They make me sweet little cards and smother me with extra hugs and cuddles. And that is all I need. No gifts. No store bought cards. No flowers (unless they are dandelions picked from the grass). Just a nice, relaxing day where we can just be happy together. It is all about bringing back to being a family and enjoying each other’s company.
So what does this have to do with photography and my blog? Well, each year I offer Mother’s Day sessions. In these sessions I try to do the same thing. I don’t want a bunch of posed photos where kids have to be perfect. I want these sessions to be FUN! I want moms to get on the ground and tickle and cuddle their kiddos! I want them to just be natural and love on each other! Thanks to the rain we have been having and colds and the flu we are a bit behind this year with these sessions. I have a bunch coming up but thought I’d share a couple of images showing moms being moms and kids being kids. And I am also slipping in a couple shots of moms with their new babies. After all, there is nothing like that first Mother’s Day with a new baby in the house.
Thank you to all of you moms out there for doing what you do! Your kids and spouses really do appreciate you! And remember, HAVE FUN with your kids and GET IN THE FRAME! Preserve some of those moments so they can look back and say, “Oh, I remember how much fun we had as kids!” Happy Mother’s Day!!!
XOXO
Bonnie
]]>Recently I had one of my most fun and unique sessions. About a week ago my client Stacy contacted me about doing a cake smash for her little girl who was turning one. It is no secret that I love doing cake smash sessions so of course I jumped at the opportunity to photograph her little cutie. But to make this more fun, my Stacy asked if I would be interested in doing photos of HER for her 40th! My answer? ABSOLUTELY! And to sweeten the whole deal, I suggested a mother-daughter session. What could be more fun than mom turning 40 and daughter turning 1 to do a double smash?
Stacy could not have been more fun! She totally got into it and this shows her awesomeness on multiple levels. First of all, not everyone has the personality and confidence to do a session like this. I know I don’t. Heck, I don’t even dance because I’m so self-conscious! But Stacy took this session head on and nailed it! Her amazing personality shines through and she truly had an amazing time. The other awesome thing about this is that she GOT IN THE FRAME with her daughter. I have so many parents, especially moms, who don’t want pictures of themselves. I’ve heard lots of reasons why they don’t want to get in the frame. My response is always the same. I always ask, “Don’t you want your children to see photos of them with you?” To our kids, we are perfect no matter what! So here we have the fun, bubbly Stacy having a blast in the frame with her daughter. Imagine them looking back at these photos in 20 years and just loving everything about them!
So my message here is:
Have fun!
Get in the frame!
Preserve the memories that will
remind your children how fun you are!
Just do it!
Here are some of the photos from the session. Enjoy!!!
XOXO – Bonnie
]]>
For those of you deceived by my very short stature (I’m 4’11), you might be surprised to learn I turned 40 last week. I’m telling you, my height deceives everyone and it is assumed I’m young because I’m short. I used to HATE it. But, now entering into this new decade, I’m ready embrace it.
I’m not big on birthdays. I try to downplay my birthdays each year. If you look at Facebook you’ll see my birthday isn’t even listed there. I don’t like being the center of attention and I don’t like people to feel obligated to wish me a happy birthday. Call weird. BUT, this was my 40th…and I guess I see it as a big deal because I suddenly feel like I’m a real grownup now. Therefore, I went for it and celebrated…a few times actually!
One of the best things about my birthday is that my kids are always super well behaved for me AND they gift me with a mommy & me photo session without complaint! This is HUGE! It is important for all moms to get in the frame with their kids. We are usually the ones taking the photos and we need our kids to look back and see US in the photos, too.
Last year when we did this I set up my studio. This time around I wanted to have FUN with them and shoot in natural light. So we loaded up the wagon with the swing, tripod, remote, and my camera with my (squee!!!) brand new birthday lens! We had the best time playing around and my kids said they actually want to do it again with daddy. Sadly he was at work and did not get to join in on the action.
So below I’m sharing some of the shots from my birthday shoot! I’m now booking Mama & Me sessions so that you all can get in on the action, too! I promise to make them just as fun as this one, but you need to provide your own cute kiddos!
Hug your babies and have a great day!
- Bonnie
]]>
Happy Spring! For those of you who didn’t know, today is the first day of Spring. To those of you living in California, have you looked around lately? The hills are bright green with pops of yellow, orange, and purple. Everywhere you look flowers are blooming, trees are green, and everything is growing! Flowers are blooming everywhere! Spring has officially arrived (okay rain, you can now stay away for a bit) and I couldn’t be happier about it!
As most of you know, along with the arrival of spring come my Easter/Spring mini sessions. These sessions are in full swing now and they are gorgeous. I have found the perfect spot to highlight the beauty of nature and the adorableness of your kiddos. I keep showing up for these sessions armed with my Easter props and they keep getting left in my wagon because they are not needed, especially with the bigger kids.
So if you haven’t already gotten outside to enjoy this beautiful world we live in, do it soon! You will be amazed at how beautiful it is. Take a hike with your kids. Or, escape by yourself with a book and a cup of coffee (just watch out for the coyotes and bobcats). And if you feel so inclined, give me a call and set up a Spring session with me! You’ll be glad you did!
~ Bonnie
]]>