Back to Regular Programming

Now, we return to our regular programming: babies and families.

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of photographing sweet Baby S at her four month session. It had only been a couple months since I last saw her (click HERE for her 8 week session), but as many of you know, babies at this age mature and develop so rapidly. It was impossible not to marvel at her growth. Little Miss S was so engaged, physically strong, and very happy to dole out the smiles and coos.

We actually started the session with some headshots for Dad. Dad is in the very early stages of starting his business and needed some images for his corporate stationery and website. J, look at your handsome hubby. He sure does clean up well. :-)


Then, we moved on to some family portraits:



I just love, LOVE, L.O.V.E. this moment:


And moving on to some solo shots of the little sweatpea. I had SUCH a hard time figuring out which images to blog. She is quite the photogenic little angel.



Here's one of those smiles I mentioned earlier:


M&J, I'll leave you with this image. With a face like this, she's gonna have you wrapped around her little finger!!


Your gallery is almost ready for you. You'll have more than your fair share of images to choose from. Yay! I'll email you with the link by the end of the day. Stay tuned ...

Something Different

Life has been busy lately and as a result, there are way too many things on my 'to do' list that never seem to disappear. Well, now that time-sensitive things like "file taxes at midnight on 4/15" and "make sure kids can swim before Hawaii" have been removed, I am finally making it a point to check that little box next to "update the viviZ blog."

Not too long ago, I had a fun experience photographing my friend and her rapidly growing -- and successful! -- company in downtown San Francisco. I'm extremely proud of my friend for working SO hard to find her calling and build her business from scratch. And I'm very thankful for receiving this opportunity to grow my own business while documenting hers.

I had such a blast. For many reasons, both personal and professional. On a personal front, I really loved visiting with my friend, meeting her business partner and employees, and catching up with some of my dearest and favorite friends. I worked and lived in San Francisco for 11 years before moving south and do miss my many friends up there!!. On top of that, I really enjoyed cruising around old haunts from my days of yesteryear when I did the corporate thing (and where I met my now husband). Nostalgia at its best.

On a professional level, I felt very challenged. And rewarded. I typically work with young children and families and am usually very familiar with the locations in which we end up shooting. This engagement was quite different. Seven working professionals (read: people who actually stand still and do what I say) who needed headshots/company photos in a location that I hadn't visited in years with rapidly changing weather patterns ranging from rainstorms to sun without a cloud in the sky. Needless to say, the combination of variables really pushed me, professionally. I learned a lot about myself as a photographer and gained so much from this experience.

My friend has a fun company whose clientele is comprised of professional athletes, professionals in the entertainment industry and high networth individuals. Their images needed to exude a certain vibe. We decided to shoot for some nontraditional headshots -- something not too 'corporate-y', something fun, modern and professional with a little splash of hip and cool. What do you think?





And just a few examples of some fun shots we took:

Eight Weeks of Sweetness

For a fleeting moment yesterday, I found myself entertaining the idea of adding another little baby to our family mix. There's just something about holding a sweet, innocent, cuddly little newborn that makes the world stand still and all of your worries fade away. I love that feeling.

But don't worry, dear husband, I quickly snapped out of it the minute I remembered how close our household is to being out of diapers and moving on to the next stage of childhood. That being said, I relished every moment cuddling with and gazing at eight week old Baby S. It was a marathon session yesterday, but as a result of all the diaper changes, feedings, wardrobe changes, and naps that took place, I also got to squeeze in a wonderful visit with her Mom!

JJ: I loved seeing you in action and admire your confident, down-to-earth and tenderhearted parenting style. You are clearly cut out for this mommy business. In addition to enjoying our time together, I am truly honored that you and M chose me to photograph your firstborn. It will be great fun to watch S grow and reach new milestones over the course of her first year.

Without further adieu, meet sweet, tender, delicate Baby S.






Look at these awesome lips. Her mom and I agreed that she gives Shiloh Pitt-Jolie a run for her money!!


Any idea where her parents want her to go to college?

Happy Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year!


I think the year of the Ox is going to be a good one. Just for kicks, click HERE to check out your horoscope for the year. Come on ... when's the last time you checked your horoscope?

Innocent Gaze

J: I love, love, LOVE this image of little J. I could just stare at it forever. A peaceful moment, frozen in time.

She's always this tranquil and contemplative, right??

The Million Dollar Question

"Did we get a cardworthy shot?" tends to be the million dollar question these days. Well, in regards to yesterday's session, my answer to that question is ... YES!

M: I know you've been anxiously awaiting your images, quietly stalking the blog and checking your inbox. :-) Well, your gallery's not quite ready yet but I hope the following images ease the wait a little. I will keep working as fast as my ten fingers (and two little boys) will allow me to so you can see all your images and move forward with your card design asap.

Here's one picture that, in my opinion, could easily grace the cover of your Christmas card:


And here's another image that struck me. It actually resonates with me more than the one above where everyone's looking at the camera. There's just something about all the connections and bonds taking place between the siblings that I love in this photo:


And lastly, here's a nice photo of the entire family. Yes, S is staring at the moon in this picture, but I still think it's pretty darn cute!

Worth the Wait

For the H Family photo session, apparently the fourth time would be the charm.

Our first session was rescheduled due to the heat wave (95 degree weather and sweaters do not make for a happy combination), the second was rescheduled as one of the boys got strep and the third session was rained out. Needless to say, when today rolled around, I was a bit nervous to find out what might be in in store for us. A tornado? A fire? Fortunately, the weather gods were kind to us and we enjoyed a great day for our photo session. Definitely worth the wait.

C, I'm excited to give you a peek of the images we captured today. They are fantastic!!! Your boys were so much fun and very loving. It was clear that they adored each other. I know you'll love these. Enjoy!




LOVING this swing for portraits ... I must have snapped a zillion here.




A few candids:



I'll leave you with this angelic looking face: