Sharon Hoyt Photography

My New Blog!

2010-02-02T21:48:00.000-08:00

I have moved my blog site to www.sharonhoytphotography.com/blog

See you there!

Carvahlo Family Winery at The Old Sugar Mill Bridal Show

2010-01-14T21:26:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to be participating in this bridal show at the Carvahlo Family Winery at Old Sugar Mill. This is a great opportunity for engaged couples to view this gorgeous wedding site and meet amazing wedding vendors. Here's the info:

We would like to invite you to Carvalho Family Winery for an intimate Bridal Show.

"Unique Elegance -- an Evening with Carvalho Family Winery."
January 22, 2010

6:00 - 9:00 pm
$10 in advance, $15 at the door

A Portion of Proceeds to benefit Kiwanis House children's charity

Tickets Available at:
www.carvalhofamilywines.com
35625 Willow Ave. Clarksburg, CA. 95612
916-744-1625 Marnie@carvalhowines.com

Featuring:
Mini-fashion shows
Decor ideas to fit every budget
Food samples from seven caterers and three cake bakeries
Wine tastings
Live music and multiple DJs
Cinderella Carriage Huge

Wedding prize packages for some lucky brides!

Please come join us for an evening with Professional Vendors and see the beautiful venue of Carvalho Family Winery at Old Sugar Mill.

Sacramento Maternity Photographer

2009-12-20T01:03:00.001-08:00

I love photographing women at this time of their lives. It's so full of excitement and anticipation. Women are glowing and look amazing. Ashley is, of course, is no exception. Look how gorgeous she looks. I love showing a relation between her daughter and her, and Ashley showing off her lovely belly. Her daughter is so beautiful and look just as a beautiful as her mom.

Sacred City Derby Girls / Sacramento Portrait Photographer

2009-12-13T15:10:00.001-08:00

Awesome shoot a few weeks ago with three members of the Sacred City Derby Girls. That's when we still had nice weather. I'm so behind in posting photos. As usual, I have so much fun with the members of this team. I can be as creative as I can and it doesn't hurt that they look amazing. So much fun!

Sacramento Children Portrait Photographer - San Francisco

2009-12-04T12:04:00.000-08:00

Here is another set of photos from my last visit to San Francisco. These two beautiful girls were a joy to photograph. I got some great smiles. Love the rich green grass against the bright pink of the little ones jacket and socks. So lovely!

Sacramento Family Portrait Photographer - San Francisco

2009-11-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

I was in San Francisco for the weekend a few weeks ago to photograph a wedding so I thought I'd schedule some portrait sessions. I'm glad I did. There's so many beautiful places to photograph in San Francisco. I really miss the City. This family was so much fun to photograph. It was perfect time for autumn photos in the park. The leaves were falling and turning bright yellow. Here are some photos from our session.

Sacramento Wedding Photographer - Nalin and Jodel

2009-10-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

There's only one word to describe Nalin and Jodel's wedding and that is "wow". In the morning, they had a traditional Cambodian wedding ceremony and in the afternoon, they had a traditional wedding in their backyard which, by the way, was fabulous and huge! The wedding coordinator, Chheavy Puth of Absolute Weddings did an amazing job with this wedding. I can always count on her to put together a beautifully designed wedding with lots of little details to make it so memorable and fun for all who attended. I was so happy Nalin found this gorgeous Japanese Garden on the way to the reception for their portraits. What a beautiful setting to photograph in.

At the reception, I was surprised to see amazing lighting and flowers. They had a photo booth complete with feather boas, tiaras and hats. (how fun was that?) They had a margarita machine, a candy bar and a chocolate fountain. Oooh, I could smell the chocolate as soon as I walked in. What else can you ask for? The couple had a surprise for the guest. They had a dance routine that, you can say, should have been in "Dancing with the Stars". The setting was beautiful and people were having such an awesome time. I could say that I was in photo heaven.

What topped this off for me was this email I received from Nalin after I showed her the slideshow:

"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being there to capture the moments and the memories our special day. The photos are gorgeous and you allowed us to see how beautiful the day was, because as you know Jodel and I didn't see much of it. Thank you again so much for being such a pleasure to work with and for the wonderful work you did. I can't wait to see the remainder of the photos."

I love my work and lucky to have the opportunity to meet such great people and provide lasting memories for them. And, I'm lucky to have a beautiful and loving couple as Nalin and Jodel to photograph.

**Click here** to view their wedding slideshow.

Sacramento Family Portrait Photographer - Oh so cute

2009-10-20T09:20:00.001-07:00

I was so excited to see Bernice and Randy after so many years. Actually, 8 years since I photographed their wedding. They still look the same, and still so sweet and fun. They now have two addition to their family. The older daughter is so cute and very animated. I can tell how she loves being photographed and loves to talk and listen. It was so funny when towards the end of the session, she wanted photos by herself. The little one was cute as well. She gave us the cutest smiles. I'm so glad to have the honor of photographing the next generation.

Cathleen and Steve - 25th Wedding Anniversary

2009-10-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Cathleen and Steve celebrated their wedding anniversary last weekend by renewing their vows in front of their close family and friends. The weather turned out great. The wind died down in time for the ceremony. Cathleen did a great job of setting up her backyard for this event. She even designed and baked her own cake. Can you believe that? It looked amazing! Having to bake your own cake and have the event in your own home surely was a enormous undertaking. Even with all that pressure and hard work, she still managed to look beautiful. Steve drives a Harley so we thought we'd photograph them both with it. Steve looks very comfortable and proud sitting on his Harley. But, Steve looks good anywhere. They had a small wedding ceremony 25 years ago with some funny stories about it. I'm sure that this one will be as memorable. I'm so glad that I was part of this special day. ***click here*** to view their slideshow.

Sacramento Senior Photographer / Tori

2009-09-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

I had an amazing time with Tori and her mom last Sunday. The weather was pretty windy and keeping her hair from blowing onto her face was a bit of a challenge. But, it didn't bother her. Her relaxed and super fun personality shined through her photos. I'm sure that her mom is very proud of her. It was hard to choose my favorites but here's a sneak peak from the session.

Family Portrait / Sacramento Portrait Photographer

2009-09-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

The setting was amazing...rope swing, wooden bridge, grass, oak trees. You might think that we were in a park. Surprisingly, it was in their backyard. I was so amazed at how beautifully it was designed. I kept telling them that my husband has plans of putting a wooden bridge with a rock river in our backyard exactly like there's but we never have the time. Oh well, such is life. This family was so much fun and very relaxed. I enjoyed spending time with them. And, the photos are so gorgeous.

Still the one / Sacramento Portrait Photographer

2009-09-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

I had a great time photographing Cathleen and Steve who will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary in a few weeks. I can't wait to photograph this special event and be part of the celebration. Here are a few of the photos that I took of them a few days ago. They're a fabulous couple and obviously still very in love.

Family Portrait at the park / Sacramento Portrait Photographer

2009-08-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

I am so lucky to do what I do because I get to meet so many wonderful people. This family is such a joy to photograph and beautiful, too. Especially the little one. Love his big brown eyes and cookieness that day. He was so funny and he actually enjoyed the session. He kept his attention on me all the way through. He was so cute, I just want to squeeze him. Here's a sneak peak of our session.

My Dancer / Sacramento Portrait Photographer

2009-08-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

Malia wanted some portrait of her dancing moves and I was very excited to do it for. It was quite hard work for her part to have to repeat moves just so I can get the right shots. I have very small studio so we have to make sure she doesn't leap out of the zone. I hope your back is okay, Malia. She just left for her first year of college along with my niece so she promised to watch out for her. I'm so excited for her and proud of the two of them. They will definitely do very well in college. Just stay focused, girls. I think she'll like how the photos turned. Here's your sneak peak.

Double the cuteness / Sacramento Newborn and Children Photographer

2009-08-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

These two little ones are so adorable. The day I photographed them they had just finished being fed. However, while one was being fed, the other one was asleep. Needless to say, they're sleeping schedule was rotating. So when I was ready to photograph one is asleep and one is wide awake. Ah, memories...I had twin boys as well 11 years ago and I still remember the "merry-go-round syndrome". We finally were able to have a couple of minute to photograph them together asleep. I was afraid to move the one that was about to wake up but I managed to snag a few amazing photos of them together.

Rolando and Ebru are such gentle and loving parents to these two beautiful babies. I found Rolando on Facebook. He and I went to the same same high school in SF and have not seen each other for over 20 years. Okay, let's not discuss the exact years. But, I am so lucky to be able to photograph this special moment for them.

Too Cute / Sacramento Children and Maternity Photography

2009-08-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

How cute is she? I was so happy to meet her. I photographed her mom a few weeks before she was born and knew how excited she was to have her first baby. I'd like to share both session with you. Little Bree was so mad at us because we wouldn't let her sleep peacefully. I kept positioning her and changing her clothes until she just had enough of us. I got some amazing photos of her.

Sheraton Grand Hotel / Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament

2009-07-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July.....or should I say "Happy Wedding" to Stacey and Jeromy. The wedding ceremony was held at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. I love photographing wedding ceremonies there. It's so beautiful and grand. The day was gorgeous. I couldn't believe how beautiful the weather was. We were all preparing to sweat it out all day. We took some photos near the church and then we headed out to Capitol Park for more photos.

The reception took place at the Sheraton Grand Hotel just a couple of blocks away. The flowers were designed by the lovely Martha of Blooms by Martha Andrews. So gourgeous!!! I can tell that everyone was having a great time with the music by Platnium Productions.

Stacey tells me that Jeromy and her have been together for 9 years. Wow, that's amazing. I guess they were really meant for each other. They cut the cake to Stacey's favorite song and one of mine..."I Love You Baby" by Frankie Valli. The song for their first dance was "Crush" by Dave Matthews Band...another favorite of mine. The most touching moment was when the MH read a poem to her best friend about the days past.

Later that evening we went out to the street to take some fun evening photos. Unfortunately, the Crest Theatre was being worked on so we were not able take the photos Stacey wanted but we did get some great photos at the Cathedral which was gorgeous at night and so was the IMAX theatre.

It was a great party with so many people dancing and having a great time. Stacey and Jeromy you guys a beautiful couple and best wishes.

**Click here** to view their wedding slideshow.

Flowers.... Blooms by Martha Andrews www.bloomsbymarthaandrews.com

Cakes....Lulu's Cupcakes

Wedding dress...House of Fashion www.hof-sac.com

DJ...Platinum Productions

Ceremony...Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament www.cathedralsacramento.org

Reception...Sheraton Grand Hotel www.starwoodhotels.com

Sacred City Derby Girls / Sacramento Portrait Photographer

2009-06-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share with you some more amazing photos from the Sacred City Roller Derby team. It was a lot of fun getting the chance to meet these fabulous women. I love working with them. They had so much personality and so as a photographer, it allowed me to be creative. I was a little intimidated to photograph a fellow photographer, Jessica Giblin. She's the sassy one with the pink petticoat. I was glad that she was fun and easy-going and very photogenic. I have so many other great photos of the girls that it was hard to pick which ones to post. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Sutter Creek, Park at Hanforde Courte / Sacramento Wedding Photographer

2009-05-28T21:38:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day to have a wedding. Kendra and Chase's wedding was last Saturday. The weather could not have been more perfect. I met Kendra at her Mom's house. She was gorgeous. Her dress was simple yet elegant. Her mom was beaming with pride. After some photos, we headed out to The Park at Hanforde Courte in Sutter Creek. I had never been there and was pleasantly surprised at how charming the place was. It had three levels. The top was where the ceremony was held, the middle was for the cocktail, and lower was the reception site. Chheavy Puth of Absolute Weddings did a fantastic job in coordinating the whole day. The advantage of having some like Chheavy at the wedding is that the Kendra was stress-free and so was her mom.

The day could not have been nicer. It was a perfect day for an outdoor wedding. Chase and Kendra and the bridal party walked down the street with me for some fun photos. The girls had high heels and didn't complain one bit. The reception went well, the food was amazing and the ambiance was festive. Kendra and Chase you are a sweet couple and best wishes to great future together.

**Check out their wedding slideshow**

Brothers / Sacramento Portrait Photographer

2009-05-26T22:52:00.000-07:00

When I first saw Antonio and Nico, I was surprised how tall they were. I've been photographing so many little people this past few weeks that I had forgotten that 15 and 13 year old tend to be much taller than me. They were two fantastic kids right from the start. We had a lot of laughs when I try to lean them this way and that. They are such great kids, very polite and had the most amazing smiles. The photos look fantastic.

The Rose Garden and King Palace Restaurant / Sacramento Wedding Photographer

2009-05-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

Daisy and Steven's wedding was a couple of Saturdays ago. Remember that week when we had non-stop rain. All week I keep checking the forecast and it was "rain". I remember thinking how will they have a wedding at the Rose Garden where I was sure there were no indoor facilities. When I contacted Daisy she said that she ended up renting a tent at the last minute and that she was interviewed by KCRA who was doing a story titled "bride prepares for rainy wedding". It was a blast watching her interview. She was so calm about the whole dilemma.

The wedding day started off with a light showers but when the ceremony started the rain lifted and from then on we had no rain until the reception time which was four hours later. What luck we had. I had beautiful light all around plus I had the most relaxed couple in the world. I had blast photographing with everyone in the bridal party. They were fun and funny.

Daisy and Steven are a great couple. They are such an outgoing couple. They both love outdoor activities. Steven's family is from Guatemala and for their engagement, he gave her a ring that represented his Mayan heritage.

Despite the rain, the ceremony site was crowded. After the ceremony, the guest were treated with Latin music and food. Serene Lee who not only designed the wedding flowers but was also coordinating the guest group photos with me. Thanks, Serene for your help. The reception took place at the King Palace Seafood Restaurant where the guest feasted on an 8 to 10 course meal. The food was great and guests who were not familiar with Chinese banquets were thrilled at amount of food that were serve one after another.

Daisy and Steven's wedding day was amazing despite the rain. I've been told that rain on your wedding day will bring good luck to a marriage....not that they'll need it.

***Click here to view their wedding slideshow***

First Dance: We Belong Together by Los Lobos

Wedding site: The Rose Garden

Reception: King Palace Seafood

DJ: DJ John Jow

Tent: Made in the Shade

Dress: Casablanca

Chinese Dress: Efushop

Tux: Men's Wearhouse

Hair: Charmin Sacauskas, De La Muse Salon & Spa

Limo: Limousine Club

Flowers: Serene Lee

little brothers / Sacramento Children's Photographer

2009-05-07T21:10:00.001-07:00

Having to make three kids to sit still for photography is always a challenge. So I always forewarn the parents that it might not happen. It will not be your typical look at the camera and say cheese. Just like my three boys, these guys have their own personalities and very well behaved. The littlest one is my favorite. He was so cute. Just like his big brothers, he stood there for me and kept his attention on me while we talked and me clicking the camera shutter as quickly as I could. As you may have noticed, there are a couple of photos that I turned into a sepia-toned photo. I love color for my "urban sessions" but I couldn't help it with this one. It looks just perfect for these candid shots of the boys. See for yourself.

Hanna Montana / Sacramento Children Photography

2009-05-05T12:47:00.000-07:00

Allison was such an amazing subject to photograph. I can tell that she was really enjoying playing a model. I try to make it really fun and exciting for them. What was so funny was that I needed her to have a more natural smile so asked her who's her favorite singer. She said Hanna Montana and when she said her name she had this twinkle in her smile. So I made her say her name several times and got some amazing smiles.

M & Ms / Sacramento Children's Photographer

2009-05-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

Macy and Max were so adorable and so coorperative. Macy was a little photo shy but she relaxed with me toward the middle of the session. She has this beautiful read hair and I love her freckles. Max has such gorgeous eyes. We had a great time at the session and I love the photos.

After the storm / Sacramento Family Portrait Photographer

2009-04-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

We took a walk a couple of weeks ago the day after a storm at the Secret Ravine in Roseville and I was amazed at how beautiful the colors were. The clouds add to the beauty as well. The flowers were in bloom. We saw butterflies. I thought even though it's pretty late right now and I'm pretty beat, I was inspired to post some of my favorites from that day.

My little man / Sacramento Children's Photography

2009-04-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

Davis was such a big boy for a little 4 year old. He was so cooperative. He already had a smile for me when I first saw him. He loves to make conversations and we had some fun ones. His little sister Sydney was so cute. Little sis had to be coaxed with some jelly beans they got from the Easter Bunny. Her mom thought we didn't get smiley photos of her and I'll bet she'll be surprised to see these gorgeous photos of her. At the end of the session, Davis kept coming around and asking me "Do you want to come with us for lunch?" I thought his mom had told him to ask but, she said that he did that on his own. That was soooo sweet? I got a big hug from all them before I left.

Sacred City Roller Derby / Sacramento Portrait Photographer

2009-04-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

I had such a great time meeting and photographing these amazing women. These women are members of the Sacred City Derby Girls...a women's flat track derby team. They are a Sacremento team and they play right here in Roseville at the Roller King. I love how the photos all turned out. The artwork I put on each image I feel represent the women....intense, yet fun and full of color. The women had so much personality and each one has a roller derby name. Can you guess which one is "Shadow Soldier", "Roxxxie Rotten", "Mathmortician", "Vodka Knockers", "Pink Devil" and "Cha Cha Picante"? There are plenty more but I just don't have space for all there names. Check out their website at www.sacredcityderbygirls.com and find out when the next home game is. If you haven't gone to one, you should definitely check it out.

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Daisy and Stephen / Sacramento Wedding Photographer

2009-04-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited that I will be photographing Daisy and Stephen's wedding in a couple of weeks. Here are photos we took a few weeks ago in UC Davis. They both went to school there and Steve currently works there....so the place is really special to them. It was such a gorgeous day. I thought I would have trouble with the lighting but the photos turned out amazing. I love how the light fell on the trees. What a sweet couple. I can't wait for their wedding. It'll be a lovely day!

Cutie! / Sacramento Children Photography

2009-04-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy that little Devin was cooperating at the beginning of the session. After a quick session with him, he realized "hey this isn't fun after all" and decide he was not going to have any of this stuff. However, toward the end, he was enjoying picking up rocks and looking at the train passing by that I was able to capture some amazing photos of him. My favorite is the one with him walking with his brother and sister. Earlier he absolutely did not want to sit with them at all. I love the little smile he gave me and his mom as he thought he was leaving us finally. His brother and sister who are twins were amazing subjects. We had a great time and I'm so delighted to get these amazing photos.

Tough guy! / Sacramento Children Portrait Photographer

2009-04-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

Gabriel was so funny. As soon as I put the camera up to my face, he gives me his "photo face". Apparently, his mom takes so many photos of him that he's ready for the camera anytime. I teased him and played with a little to get him to forget about the camera. I'm so excited that I was able to capture cute and natural expressions from him.

Urban Style / Sacramento Children's Photographer

2009-04-14T11:31:00.002-07:00

These photos are so amazing. I had a hard time picking out the ones to put artwork on. There were so many really fantastic ones. But then that's me. I very fond of my clients. Joslyn and Peyton are one of my favorite clients. I photographed their family last summer and I'm never disappointment. Joslyn is so cute and I love to pose her. I love Peyton's smile although his serious side is pretty handsome, too.

Sacramento Children

2009-04-14T11:31:00.001-07:00

Sisters / Sacramento Children's Photographer

2009-04-11T20:55:00.000-07:00

I love photographing girls. They are so into the shoot. It's such a great experience for them. They're great listeners and love to pose and get really cute. Like this two sisters that I photographed last week. Their looks and personalities are so different from each other. I think I was able to capture each girls personalities.

Please Vote! / Sacramento Children's Portrait Photographer

2009-04-05T22:57:00.000-07:00

When the kids got off the the car, the mom told me that I don't think you'll get anything out of Zachary. I love the challenge. I never approach children as if they have to do anything. With a little gentle and playful coaxing, he cooperated all through the session. I thing he had a great time. His big sister, of course, had no trouble having fun. Girls love to pose and getting dressed. I love the photos I took of her.

Every session I have always excites me. Each child has their own special look, it could be the eyes, smile and just their goofy selves. It's never a dull moment. I love to show these images as a work of art. The time and effort I put into each image is so worth.

I will be entering photos of the each kid that I've been photographing this month. I thought it might be fun if you guys can comment and let me know which photo would be a good candidate.

A Trooper / Sacramento Children's Portrait Photographer

2009-03-31T11:54:00.000-07:00

Ryan was so much fun to photograph. He was my little stud with the sunglasses and all. He was so sweet and gave me the cutest smiles. We photographed pretty early in the morning and even though the sun was shining, it was pretty chilly. What a trooper! Thanks Ryan for being sweet and patient.

urban style portrait photography

2009-03-25T12:52:00.001-07:00

This next set of images are from this weekend. K is very shy so I tried to get her to be comfortable with me but not so much that I lose her personality. I love her eyes and the way she gives me the quiet grin. Her little sister, B who's just one year old, on the other hand was having a great time laughing and I mean she was cracking herself up. She sits and then she runs. So we photographed her when she tries to sit next to her sister for a few seconds before she goes off her merry way. Her mom said that baby B slept for hours after the session. Here are their amazing photos. I love it.

Another Urban Session These girls were so much fun to photograph. It was quite cold that morning and they were such troopers. Little sister is so cute. She as long, wavey hair that I kept tangling around her neck. They both love the Jonas Brothers. Especially, I think his name is Jona?. I keep forgetting his name. I'm so old. Big sister was loving the poses. We had a more model-like session with her and the photos look fantastic. Here they are.

Urban style portrait photography

2009-03-25T12:36:00.001-07:00

I would like to show an exciting new product and style that I will be providing to my clients. I've been wanting to showcase my style in a whole new way. This urban style photography allows me to be creative and show my artistic side. I just love the finished artwork. I love how I can capture the kids expression and be dramatic with colors and textures of the background.

The first set of photos are my kids and a nephew. Boy, I had so much trouble just getting these kids to concentrate on me instead of picking up bottle tops or playing tag with each other. Photographing my kids, I can say, is quite a stressful event. Nevertheless, I was able to capture some amazing images.

a pre-dance portrait session -urban style

2009-03-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

My niece had a formal dance the day we took these photos. She was going to have her hair and make - up done anyway so why not do it a little earlier and have portrait session. She and her boyfriend look pretty cute. The photos turned out great thanks to my young and giddy subjects.

David's Bridal

2009-02-26T22:30:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was invited by Chheavy Puth of Absolute Weddings & Events to participate in a David's Bridal bridal fair. I had such a great time. Kami and Brandon Storz of Sound Image Entertainment did a fantastic job in getting the crowd dancing. It was so funny seeing brides who were trying on dresses along with their friends getting down and dancing.

It was a nice surprise to see Beth Anderson of Anderson Hair Design there. We both participated on a wedding fashion shoot a few months ago. She did a fantastic job on the model's hair. Also, there was Mike Jensen of Jensen Video, Stefanie Smith of Galeazi's Floral Design, make up by Definition, Rev. RoxAnn Conley of Marriage Minister (she was the one with the whip), favors by Teresa Higgins of Capital Confections, (she's the one with the yummy home-made truffles), Robert of Aloha Limousine, and linens by America's Party Rentals.

There were raffle prices galore. I was happy to give out a Boudoir Session to a very happy recipient.

Please **click here** to view a slideshow of last night's festivities.

Sacred City Roller Derby

2009-02-10T15:56:00.001-08:00

Saturday, I was invited to attend a roller derby game in Roseville. The team asked me to come and watch the game and photograph some of the action. I had two tickets so my son came along with me. Both of us thought that it would be hard to follow because we have never seen a game before. But, it was actually not that bad. I few women had to be helped out because of an injury. I asked my son, can you imagine your mom going out there doing that? He gave a big sarcastic grin. First, I would need to learn how to roller skate. I know a few of the girls on the team. There was Shadow, Cherry, Pink and Atilla. I can't wait to meet the rest of the team. I am so excited that I will photographing the girls individual portraits in the near future. My work is so much fun. Earlier in the day, I was photographing a boudoir (soft and feminine) and in the evening I was photographing strong and determined women. Love it!

Folsom Lake

2009-01-21T13:28:00.000-08:00

Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, school was out and my husband had the day off, so he suggested that we all go to Folsom lake. I was anticipating really cold weather but it was beautiful. We stopped by Mr. Pickle's sub shop and picked up a couple of sandwiches. I love their sourdough roll. The crust was crunchy so when you bite into it, you're not fighting to keep the meat inside the bread. (Can you picture that?) I had to pack my picky eaters PB sandwiches.

Unfortunately, the lake level was so low. We heard from someone who's lived around there for a while that this is the lowest he has seen the water level at the lake. We had to walk quite a ways to get to the water. I hope we get a good rainfall soon. The walk was beautiful. The lighting was great even in the middle of the day.

Children's Portrait Session in Roseville

2009-01-13T22:30:00.000-08:00

Kay's grandkids are so beautiful and wonderful to photograph. I remember not wanting to stop the session. At the end, they had to have their traditional tree group shot. Those girls were so cute hanging on like little monkeys.

Lodestar Light Center

2009-01-09T16:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, you're wondering what is Lodestar Light Center. Well, today I just had a massage that was the best I've had. So, I am so excited to share with you Amanda Spanbauer. Amanda and I met at one of eWomennetwork meetings. I came in her office talking a mile a minute and a total spaz. And, there is Amanda so quiet and calm. She gave me a cup of tea to calm me down. The ambiance was so calming and the music was so soothing. I really needed this. My husband has been encouraging me to get one regularly. I always thought that I don't have the time. And, so I suffered....until today. After the session, I didn't want to get up and wished I can stay and sleep until the next day. I felt so good afterwards. I can tell she really knows what she was doing. I have been suffering with tenseness around my shoulder for years and years. So today, I've decide to go regularly for the next few weeks. So there, I made a commitment to take care of me. Now it's your turn. Amanda is located in Roseville. You may contact her at 916-960-6249.

Family Portrait at the park

2009-01-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

These photos were taken a couple of months back. Remember how warm the weather was not too long ago. It's probably hard to remember with this cold weather we're having lately. Love, love Joclyn's photo. I feel like I caught that one moment in time where you can see that innocence in her eyes. The whole family was fantastic.

Children's Portrait Session with Maddie

2009-01-04T21:59:00.000-08:00

I just love these photos of Keri's two beautiful children. Keri is a fellow photographer and I was honored to have been asked to photograph their family portrait. Keri has such a lively personality that you can tell from the photos that they take after their corky mother. We hauled her red chair across the street from her house. I saw the fence with all the falling leaves around it. So why not! All I have to say is "cute".

Just want to share

2008-12-18T17:51:00.000-08:00

I'd like to share what a client whose daughter I have photographed since she was 3 months old had emailed this to me and touched me so much.

"I believe that when I die, God is going to give me a slideshow of my

life. Pictures that I've seen - some of them moments - some of them

actual photos - some of them printed and hung on my walls - some of them

the ones that I tell myself 'this one is for you only.' When I think of the

photos you took, I think to myself: Could I be ok that she never see

them? And I answer: I'm not. And the farther away from that day - the

more important I get them in print for her to see a piece of evidence

that she is precious."

Photographs have always been and will always be a special part of everyones life. When I was a little girl, I would sit for hours looking through b/w photos of my family and never got tired of them. I've been honored to have had the opportunity to photograph many precious moments and knowing that my photographs play a huge part of ones past is a tremendous honor that I never take for granted. Thanks, Lilly.

Morgan Creek - Deann and Ruben

2008-12-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

It was in October when Deann and Ruben were married at the beautiful Morgan Creek Golf and Country Club. The weather was warm with lots of sunshine. Deann was so beautiful and calm. Ruben was, as usual, very easy going and funny. Before the ceremony, as I was just finishing up photographing the guys, Ruben was handed a small folded note from Deann. I thought how sweet it is to be handed a love note from your bride just before he sees her walk down the aisle. With a wide grin on this face, Ruben flips the note over and showed us what Deann had written, It said, "sucker". Funny, Deann. It just showed how much fun they have with each other.

They went to high school together. But, as the usual story goes, the guy doesn't notice the girl. She had a crush on him then. I know that there are plenty of you girls out there including me, who had a crush on a boy in high school who hardly knew they existed. Fortunately for both of them, they met up again a few years later and as we all know this story had a happy ending. I LOVE happy endings!

Here are photos of the wedding. I enjoyed being with the two of them. They were always laughing and enjoying each other's company. Congratulations to a wonderful couple who are truly meant for each other.

**Click here to view their wedding highlights**

Negative Space Party in Sacramento

2008-10-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

I attended the grand opening party at Negative Space. Negative Space is a studio shared by several photographers. The turn out was great. Lots of people and the band was fantastic. I love the studio. I wish it were closer to Roseville and I would love to have access to a great studio space. But, my home studio is great as well and enjoy having that option to photograph on location or in studio.

I have more photos to share with you from our last shoot out. The models are Susan, Edith, Monet, and Colleen. They were all at the party last night and it was fun seeing them without the hair and make up from our last photo shoot. I almost didn't recognize some of them. I learned that Edith is an Event Planner and owner of Blossom Event Design. She did a fabulous job with designing last night's party.

Here are a few more photos from our last shoot. It was so fun being creative.

Shoot Out in Sacramento

2008-10-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

It's not what you might think. There were no gun-slinging cowboys involved but I did have the privilege of photographing seven beautiful models. Me and several other local photographers organized a one day session thanks to Carmen, Carlos, and Dawn who did a great job in putting this event together. The girl's hair and makeup were absolutely fabulous thanks to our amazing vendors who participated: hairstylist- Beth Anderson Hair design, makeup - Taryn Elizabeth Blackburn, flowers by Accents by Sage, gowns by PW Jitters. We even had videography by Alba Fiore Production. Carlos interviewed each photographer and I will say that it was one of the most awkward things I have ever done. It's the first time that anyone has interviewed me on tape. Oh, well, I can just laugh about it after I cry seeing it. Here are some of my favorites from the shoot. I will publish some more later.

Dave and Suzette

2008-10-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

I would like to share with you these sweet wedding photos of Suzette and Dave. The wedding took place in August. After the wedding ceremony, we headed out to the park and then to Biba Restaurant and got some really fun photos that I felt reflect their fun and loving personalities.

Senior Portrait Session with Alyssa

2008-08-22T14:12:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that my niece Alyssa is now a senior in high school. It seemed like only yesterday when I photographed her when she was just an infant. I should dig out those baby portraits of her and post it. (She might kill me, but heck, they were so cute). She was cute then and now a beautiful girl who is very smart, athletic and very outgoing. I'm so proud to have this opportunity to photograph this special time in her life.

Senior Portrait Session with Alyssa

2008-08-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hotel Monaco in San Francisco

2008-08-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Analiza and Robert's wedding on August 8, 2008 was so elegant and beautiful. Of course, I'm not surprised. Analiza has style and great taste and so, I was very excited to see her design. As soon as I walked inside the Hotel Monaco, I saw the ceremony site and was in awe of the beautiful setting. She hired a lighting company to place two bright pink butterflies above the fireplace where the ceremony was to take place. Very dramatic. And, of course, lots of details. For instance, instead of table numbers, her sister Rhoda designed a replica of famous San Francisco street signs like the Filmore, Lombard, etc. I love the decor of the hotel. So many places to photograph and be creative. I enjoyed photographing outside on the street as well. I love these small, but intimate luxurious hotels in San Francisco. They have the most amazing decor. Now, let's talk about the bride. She looked fantastic...the hair, the dress, the flowers. Can you believe that her maid of honor is her daughter and the bridesmaids are her neices? Robert looked dashing as well. He is so much fun and from the speeches from his friends and family, Analiza married a fantastic man.

Analiza and Robert, your wedding was gorgeous and fun and you guys make a perfect couple. **Click here** to view thier wedding slideshow.

Senior Portrait Session with Lauren

2008-08-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Lauren is not only beautiful but has a great personality to top it off. We had a great time during our session. We went everywhere so I can capture her fun side. First, we went downtown, where someone had asked us if we were shooting for a magazine. Then, we headed off to the park and back to my studio. Every shot that I photographed Lauren produced a different look. Wow, she has great features! As usually, I get so excited when I am photographing and can go on forever. I sure tired her out. But, we got great results.

Diva Exchange

2008-08-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I met with a group of fun and high energy women entrepreneurs. It was so great to get together to share ideas and support each other. We all do business in the Roseville, Rocklin, Granite Bay and surrounding areas. Our host this time was Jennifer Pendergraft of Passion Parties by Jennifer. So if there are couples out there who would like a little spice, contact Jennifer. Thanks, Jennifer for the delicious treats and for your warm welcome.

If you are in need of any of the following services, please don't hesitate to contact these fabulous ladies:

Lori Yo - BeautiControl www.beautipage.com/loriyo 916-771-8518

Monica Goodpaster - Juice Plus - www.HealthWithJP.com 916-521-5475

Tiffany Baldridge - Elegant Skin - www.elegantskin.net 916-769-6997

Jennifer Pendergraft - Passion Parties by Jennifer www.jenniferdoesparties.com 916-532-2640

Janet Brockman - Massage Service 916-205-7739

Trash the dress in SF

2008-08-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane and Kone decided they wanted photos in SF after their wedding. They planned a second ceremony in Hawaii (which by the way just happened this weekend) and they wanted to incorporate the SF backdrop in the collection to show there. It turned out beautifully. It was very cold and windy (no surprise there). We went to several locations in SF with the last stop at the beach with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them. I couldn't convince Kone to get his feet wet but the wave got to him eventually and got his shoes all wet. Mary Jane and Kone are two fantastic people. With Kone, you'd think he's a serious guy but he's really funny and like to tease. Great fun and great company.

Sugar Cookies

2008-08-02T22:26:00.002-07:00

It's been a while since I made sugar cookies and I just realized why. For those of you who's made them before know what a mess it is to make. The dough is really easy to make but the rolling with all the flour and sugar everywhere. What a mess! I thought I'd share with you the mess in my counter. I finally gave in and made some for my son who's been begging for me to make some. Especially the dinosaur kind. I used to make them in dinosaur shape when they were younger when they ate and breathed dinosaurs. However, this time, after I tried one dinosaur cut out, I went to my old standby--- the heart, star and butterfly shapes. The dinosaurs had too many little pointed nooks that I kept losing the arms and legs. I made one and made them happy.

I found a great tip I'd like to share with you. Instead of using flour to roll the dough, I used powdered sugar instead. It'll keep the dough from getting hard like mine use to. I used to keep adding flour as I rolled and as a result I ended up with tough cookies. My kids still loved them, though. I guess they really didn't know better. Isn't it great having kids? They always think you are the best at everything. They haven't yet caught on. Thank God!

Children's Portrait Session with Maddie

2008-08-02T00:38:00.000-07:00

Maddie was a joy to photograph. She is so charming and loved to talk, smile and laugh. Take a look at those cute dimples!!

Senior Portrait Session with Malia

2008-07-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

Malia and I had a great time spending the late afternoon photographing and then head off to my studio for more fun. She such a sweet girl and very cute smile and laugh. We got some gorgeous shots. Check out the video below.

Pampered Chef Fruit Tart Recipe

2008-07-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

I was so amazed at my masterpiece I put together at our family gathering this past 4th of July that I thought I'd share. Look at my fruit tart decorated as a flag. I was so proud of myself after I finished. The kids were reluctant to try it at first but when they did, I got so many yummy compliments. It was actually really easy. The crust is made of Pillsbury crescent roll and the rest are easy ingredients. It was delicious. It got eaten up very quickly. If you want the recipe, please contact Clarissa French at 916-716-3146 or go to www.pamperedchef.biz/pamperissa