The Fairy and her Magical Creatures

Once upon a time there was a little fairy who loved magical creatures of all kinds. She loved dragons, and unicorns and even smaller fairies. She went on an adventure in the forests of Sonoma County and came upon many the magical creature. All which made her heart sing! 

This little fairy had special magic all her own. She was kissed by angels in her journey through this land, and the angels gave her an extra little bit of sparkle which the creatures could sense. 

Even the dragons of the woods were not afraid of our little fairy, rather they came to cuddle up with her, telling each other stories and kicking the water, and giggling the afternoon away. 

Do you have a magical creature of your own who would love to have their forest adventures documented? You can contact the story tellers here. 

Cherry Blossoms

In the spring time, the fruit and nut trees treat us to a wonderful season of blossoms. Almond trees blossom first, and later in the spring we get cherry blossoms. Sadly, Sonoma County doesn't have a lot of orchards with these sorts of blossoms. Every spring we go on a pilgrimage to the central valley of California to find blooming trees. Last year we went to Yuba City, and this year to  the town of Walnut Grove.

I can't wait for you to see these two darling sisters and their adventures in the cherry blossoms. I just love how the trees make the perfect backdrop for portraits. What speaks to childhood  more than running free through an orchard? 

Is there anything sweeter than sisters? I grew up with two sisters, and even though I didn't always appreciate them when I was young- I am so glad to have them now. I also LOVE looking back at all the photos of us in our matching dresses. (puffy sleeves aside) It's so sweet to see us growing through the years, and I am forever grateful that my Dad made those memories for us and that my Mom made sure we were well styled. I think my love for child photography is rooted in my experiences with a photographer Dad and my appreciation of all the memories he captured for us. Even now my kids love looking through my childhood albums. 

For more information on a whimsical portrait session for your child contact us here! 

Vineyard Princesses- Sonoma County Child Photogapher

I am so very behind in blogging. I have so many sessions to share, so get ready! The summer ended up primarily as family time for us.  We took several trips around the Bay Area and out of state.  My son went on his first solo vacation with the grandparents (yikes!) and we spent a lot of our time making memories. Now that school in back in session, I can settle in a share with you all the magical photos we took this summer in beautiful Sonoma County. I also have some fantastic underwater photos from our trip to Hawaii and I can't wait to share. 

As always, watching children grow before my eyes is my favorite part of being a child photographer. It's such an honor to be part of the progress of a family. These beautiful girls were tiny fairies for me two years ago. It's amazing how much older they seem in two short years! This year we all went to Castello di Amorosa in Napa to make their magical princess dreams come true. 

In the heat of the summer, the vineyard all around the castle is in full bloom. The bright sun and the fresh green make the castle just scream summer in the wine country. I love the way the bright summer colors make the pastel color palette the girls chose really pop. 

Right next to the vineyards of the castle is a redwood grove. Nothing says Sonoma county like redwoods. (really the whole North Bay) The redwood trees made for a really lovely added scene for these princess photos. The light is moody, and the colors rich and dark. It's hard to believe these pictures were taken mere steps away from the bright summer vineyard! Castello di Amorosa really provides a lovely and varied backdrop to any portrait session. 

I can't wait to see how these gorgeous girls grow, before we know it they will be teens ready for their quinceanera, prom, senior photos. Where is the pause button when you need it? 

Baby Cullen- Santa Rosa Newborn Photographer

Once upon a time a little baby was born into this world, full of hope and wonder. His parents were overjoyed to have this newborn baby join their family. When baby Cullen was only 7 days new they ventured out to my little studio in Sebastopol (just outside Santa Rosa) so baby could have his first play date with me. 

I really love newborns. I have always said toddlers are my favorite child age, but newborns are a close second. There is something so special about the "I just got here" vibe they have. And the sleepy baby smiles, the best. When I know I have a newborn coming in, it makes my whole week. 

If you are pregnant and thinking about a newborn photo session in our studio in Sebastopol, or in your home in Sonoma, Napa or Marin counties please follow this link. 

Mustard Flowers in Sonoma County- Santa Rosa Child Photographer

You know spring is coming when you start to see little yellow mustard flowers sprout up. It's like winter is saying, hang in here, almost done. I feel like living in Northern California it's a little mean of me to complain about winter. Though this year I am truly justified. We had so.much.rain. Then we had more rain, then flooding, and then more rain. I kept wondering when Noah was going to show up! What that rain gave us was an explosion of beautiful color from February though March. When the vineyards are all still bare, you have these yellow flowers sprouting up in between the rows. They just scream California wine county. 

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon Lindsay of L Wink Photography and I teamed up to shoot some beautiful models in our local flowers. The girls were wearing custom gowns by Anna Traint Couture, Butterflys Closet, and Ella Dynae. They all looked so beautiful in shades of fluffy pink. Anna Traint rents her gowns for special occasions, which is a great option for your next photoshoot. 

Hair and Make up was done by Natale Verdone out of Glen Ellen. We kept the girls very natural looking, like the sweet little girls they are. Natale did a wonderful job with our mini models. 

Soon the mustard flowers will give way to poppies and lupins and we will have orange and purple to photograph! I can't wait for the lavender fields of June too!