Savoring The Sweet Life

Watson Family: Daddy's Homecoming San Diego, MCAS Miramar Military Homecoming Photographer

2013-05-21T00:30:00.001-07:00

Well, it's a great day for this little cutie pie....after 8 long months, daddy is coming home.

This is the second homecoming I've captured for this sweet, sweet family - so I feel like I really know them and felt the excitement the same as them!

After the fly over, the excitement builds and builds and it just seems like it takes FOREVER

for the plane doors to open....

And then, with the Patriot Guard standing in greeting, the marines head into the waiting arms of their family....

The part that was a little bit unusual this time, is that daddy thought his wife and kids were

back home in Utah and no one would be here to greet him.

So of course, being the gentleman he is, he let EVERYONE else exit the plane before him

(after all, why should he hurry off the plane?)

But then he was THERE wrapped in the loving arms of his wife....

And little girls....

And they were interviewed by the TV News crews too....

If you'd like to see their amazing photo show with video clips added in, you can see it here.

“America's finest - our men and women in uniform, are a force for good throughout the world”
― Sarah Palin

Wild Cucumber a.k.a. Man Root

2013-05-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Wild cucumber is a climbing and trailing perennial that grows all over out hillsides in the winter.

The root can weigh much as 100lbs. WOW!

It is because of this root that it is sometimes called manroot, and also that it is one of the first plants to reseed after a fire

I love the little curls and wisps of vine that stretch out to anchor the vine...so soft and graceful...

Wild cucumber smells and tastes like a garden cucumber, but will cause stomach upset and diarrhea. DON’T EAT THIS PLANT!

Natural Medicinal Herbs states, “The pulverized root of the wild cucumber is used as a poultice for headaches. A very bitter tea brewed from the roots is analgesic and is also used as a love potion. It is used as a bitter tonic for alleviating stomach troubles, kidney ailments, rheumatism, chills, fevers etc.”

Um...no thanks. I'll just grab a tylenol....

A Veggie New Age Song:

Peas would rule the planets,

and love would clear the bars.

It was the dawning of the Age of Asparagus.

The Age of Asparagus.

Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad! San Diego Family Reunion Couples Photographer

2013-05-17T00:00:00.001-07:00

Well that's a first. Me featuring a wedding I didn't attend and didn't photograph!

The wedding of my parents - 50 years ago!

Well, to honor the occasion of their anniversary, we got together for a little

"Happy 50th Anniversary Portrait Session"

And did I mention we had fun?

What started out as a gift for them....somehow magically, turned into a gift to me.

And before I sign off, I have to show you the portrait they chose to have printed on canvas

and hang in their home:

The beautiful thing about having a photograph printed on canvas is you don't need

glass - so there's no glare.

(It's definitely my first choice in displaying art)

"A golden aura surrounds you two, a couple representing all thats right about marriage, a pair who have triumphed over time, over challenges, over all, and continue to bond, serve and love. A golden aura symbolizes unselfishness, generosity, and happy compromise out of love for each other. You are an extraordinary duo, and we wish you comfort, peace, and happiness all the years of your lives." Johanna Fuchs

Nicola: Class of 2013 San Diego Balboa Park High School Senior Portraits Photographer for Del Norte High School

2013-05-15T00:30:00.000-07:00

Time for the Class of 2013 to be getting ready to turn in their text books, clean out their lockers,

plan their parties and

send out Graduation Announcements!

Nicola and her family wanted to capture her senior memories in a beautiful outdoor park

and I was so happy one of my clients, Sheri, suggested they give me a call.

If you are looking for some unique graduation announcements - or party invitation, thank you card or even want to order a single custom Father's Day card, make sure you take a look

HERE at my favorite card making website Tiny Prints.

"Education is not filling a pail, but lighting a fire." (William Butler Yeats)

Flat Stanley Visits San Diego

2013-05-13T00:30:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Flat Stanley and I've taken over today's blog.

If you don't know who I am, I'll let you know that I'm the star of a childrens' book about a little boy who had a bulletin board fall on him and squish him flat. (Yikes!)

I have many different adventures in my book, but I also discover that the
good thing about being flat is I can be mailed to people.

Well, speaking of being mailed, my friend Jay, who is in first grade and lives in Pennsylvania, drew a picture of me in school and then mailed me to his Aunt Pam in San Diego.

He asked her to take me on some adventures here in San Diego and then mail back a little story.

Well, since Aunt Pam is a photographer, he's getting a lot of photos of my adventures too.

We went to the Safari Park and the Zoo...

And I got to walk on the beach, touch seaweed and look in a tidepool...

I tried to meet a new friend, but he was scared of me!

I dipped my toes in the water....

And then a wave came and got me and Aunt Pam really wet!

So I dried off in the sun....

Other things I discovered during my visit to San Diego:

I like nachos....

And I don't like cactus plants - they are dangerous!

Thanks for letting me stay with you Aunt Pam - I'm ready to head back home to Jay now along with a "San Diego" t-shirt I helped you pick out for Jay, and a handful of sea shells we found at the beach!

The Flat Stanley Project was started in 1995 by Dale Hubert, a third grade schoolteacher in London, Ontario, Canada. It is meant to facilitate letter-writing by schoolchildren to each other as they document where Flat Stanley has accompanied them. Dale Hubert received the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in 2001 for the Flat Stanley Project.

The Project provides an opportunity for students to make connections with students of other member schools who have signed up with the project. Students begin by reading the book and becoming acquainted with the story. They create paper "Flat Stanleys" (representative drawings of the Stanley Lambchop character) and keep a journal for a few days, documenting the places and activities in which Flat Stanley is involved. Each student's Flat Stanley and its respective journal are mailed to other people who are asked to treat the figure as a visiting guest and add to his journal, then return them both after a period of time. The project has many similarities to the travelling gnome prank except, of course, for the Flat Stanley Project's focus on literacy.

Students may find it fun to plot Flat Stanley's travels on maps and share the contents of the journal. Often, a Flat Stanley returns with a photo or postcard from his visit. Some teachers prefer to use e-mail for its quicker travel time.

In 2005, more than 6,500 classes from 48 countries took part in the Flat Stanley Project

According to the February 26, 2009 broadcast of Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Flat Stanley was on board US Airways Flight 1549 which landed safely in the Hudson River. He was carried to safety in the briefcase of his traveling companion.

In early 2010, Darren Haas, a huge Flat Stanley advocate and applications architect, approached Dale Hubert with the idea of turning the Flat Stanley Project concept into an app for the iPhone.

Happy Mother's Day to moms today and throughout history.....

2013-05-11T00:30:00.000-07:00

YAY to moms everywhere!

And while we are thinking about moms, I have to share something from the

history of photography that I just found out about...

Take a look at this next photo and see if anything looks odd to you.

(Aside from the fact that it's hundreds of years old....)

Did you notice that someone is underneath that flowered blanket holding the baby?

Well.....

The first photographic images in the late 1820s had to be exposed for hours in order to capture them on film.

The long exposures gave us a few unmistakable Victorian photography conventions, such as the stiff postures and unsmiling faces of people trying to remain perfectly still while their photograph was being taken.

Seems children were just as squirmy then as they are today, because another amusing convention developed: photographs containing hidden mothers trying to keep their little ones still enough for a non-blurry picture. These fantastic portraits of children all contain their mother, disguised as chairs or camouflaged under decorative throws behind them.

Can you spot all the mothers?

Interesting...and slightly creepy isn't it?

Thankfully, these days we don't need to sit still for hours while we're having a photo captured....

I wish you a wonderful Mother's Day with lots of smiles and love!

Victorian photographers must have had the creepiest job in recorded history. When they weren't taking photos of dead people for posterity, they took portraits of young children, who, thanks to the limited technology of the day, now look ghostly, if not plain unhappy. Look not-even-all-that closely, and you'll see the human shapes of mothers trying to hide behind them, as they hold their children still during the film's long exposure time. MSN now

And Happy Mother's Day to MY MOM~ I love you!

A Walk on the Wild Side....with flowers galore!

2013-05-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

Went for a glorious hike last month with my pal Wendy.

After about 2 hours of hiking in the hills above Poway,
we found a beautiful little trail we'd never been on before.

(So of course we headed right up it - we like to live life on the edge and all that...)

And in addition to being filled with the most beautiful wildflowers,

it was lush and green and had so many beautiful turns and twists - truly and amazing trail.

The wildflowers greeted us at every turn of the trail from Yucca to Poppies and everything in between!

This succulent was growing right out of a wall of rock!

This little plant's leaves were shaped like little bowls and were filled with the morning dew....

I've named it "Cereal Bowl Plant" (I'm oh SO creative, don't you think?)

And we found a MEADOW! Yep.

Just like they had on Little House on the Prairie.

(Can't you picture Laura and Carrie running along?)

Well sadly, two weeks after that hike, we took Betsy to the trail to show her

all the beautiful wildflowers and they were gone.

Dead. Dried up. Drought-ed. (Just invented that word)

Even the beautiful meadow was ugly....

WASHINGTON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The historic U.S. drought of 2012 could spread this spring to more of California. They also projected a warmer-than-normal summer over almost the entire United States.

California has the greatest chance of abnormally dry weather, even though parts of California were just beginning to recover from drought at the end of last year. The northern half of the state had been mostly drought-free of late but now a drought seems likely to develop.

"They started out so well, in November and December they had really good strong rains, they had good snow packs in the Sierra Nevadas," Miskus told Reuters after the outlook's unveiling. "By February, however, conditions were dry, and this is typically California's wettest month," he said.

Last year's drought is second only to the Dust Bowl year of 1934 as the one with the most widespread and severe dry conditions in the United States. And 67 percent of the contiguous United States are dryer than normal, and some places are still experiencing exceptional drought.

Professional Portraits a.k.a. Head Shots - San Diego Profile Portrait Photographer

2013-05-07T00:30:00.003-07:00

Your head shot is one of the most powerful business tools that you have at your disposal.

A great head shot will communicate professionalism and show how “business ready” you are, it will also enable people to engage with you.

Attracting new business is always the focus of any business. Having professional headshots will add a certain ‘wow’ factor and encourage people to want to do business with you.

Unfortunately, as cliché as it may sound, people will judge a book by its cover. An unrefined look will deter people from contacting your company.

Benefits of having professional headshots include (but aren’t limited to):

You'll look better
Companies will take you more seriously
Brings personality to your website
Consistency/uniformity (staff should be shot by the same photographer)
Attracts new business and encourages your existing clients to talk about you (in a positive way)
Increase your credibility by paying attention to the small details

Whether you'll be using them for fun (like facebook) or professional (LinkedIN, journals, resumes, your own website, etc) a professional photographer can create the perfect series of head shots just for you.

"Try this – Make a list of how you’d like your customers or friends to perceive you and your business professionally (for example in my case: approachable, friendly, creative, warm and professional). Take a look at your existing photo – does it communicate any of the things you listed? Chances are you need to invest in a professional head shot." LCTH

Poway Stage Coach Stop

2013-05-05T00:30:00.000-07:00

My hiking pal, Wendy, and I were out exploring the hills of Poway when we came upon

this old stone building.

Being the detectives that we are, and after seeing a decaying wagon,

we wondered if this could have been the old Poway Stage stop.

Then we noticed we were on STAGE STOP DRIVE and decided we were right!

(You just really can't get much by us - we are OH SO clever!) :-P

There are lots of rusty old bits of history everywhere

(we explored from the road though this is a private residence)

Did some research and found this:

Old Stage Coach Line

The old stage coach line was operated back in the 1880s up to about 1925. It came from San Diego by Miramar, from Miramar north of the Poway creek (now known as Los Penasquitos creek). From here it followed the creek bed into the west side of Poway valley to the Pomerado road.

From here the stage coach went north for a couple of miles, passed the Paine place where the post office was located. This was the first post office in this area, back in June 1872. Mr. Paine was the first post master and at this time the name of Poway got its face lifted. It was then spelled Paguay. It was Mrs. Paine who wrote to the U.S. Post Office in Washington and had it changed to Poway. The proper way to pronounce it is Pow-eye.

From this point the stage line went through the hills into the northern part of Poway following the creek bed to just beyond where the Poway cemetery is now. From here north pass the Poway high school for half a mile, then up the Bowron canyon. From here had to build a short grade up and around the north side of Mt. Woodson into Ramona and beyond. They traveled the route where it would take the least road building. This coach did not have any springs. The body of the coach was hung on leather straps, like in a hammock.

And just in case you want to become a detective like Wendy and I - here's one more bit of history I uncovered:

"It has been rumored that the Mission was robbed at Old Town and the loot was buried

somewhere on the Poway creek."

How bout that?

Poway's transportation history parallels that of early California. In 1888 the first stagecoach began to service the towns from San Diego to Escondido, including Poway. The stage made one stop in town, at the Poway Post Office, and also delivered mail to the farmers who would wait along the road for its arrival.Eight to ten passengers could accompany the stagecoach on its three-day journey for a modest $1.00 fee, or purchase a round trip for the bargain price of $1.50. The route itself, though not treacherous when passing through Poway, did pose a significant challenge to the team and driver at various points. Windy mountain trails often caused the stage to turn over, spilling both mail and passengers onto the rocky turf.

What does spring mean to you? San Diego High School Senior Photographer

2013-05-03T00:30:00.001-07:00

"The true harbinger of spring...?

Not crocuses or swallows, but the sound of a bat on a ball."

a quote by Bill Veeck

Thought we would start with a quote this week.

(And if you are good, I might give you an extra quote at the end too....but ONLY if you are good.)

I found out that a few of "MY" high school seniors were on the varsity baseball team, so I

decided to go watch a game - and what do you know, I brought along my camera.

They are all so talented and it was a great game!

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.
Rogers Hornsby

Butterflies fluttering by... San Diego Safari Park

2013-05-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of my spring is a visit to the butterfly garden at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

I think that was a married couple in a little tiff. What do you think?

This year I brought my long lens and my macro lens....to capture everything from wing close-ups...

...to goofy cut ups:

This was the first year I've seen this green butterfly - thought it was beautiful:

I'm sharing too many, I know, but I just can't resist this one because the wings look like stained glass...

“Butterflies are self propelled flowers. ”

― R.H. Heinlein

Around the World Potluck: Hawaii

2013-04-29T00:30:00.000-07:00

Let's see....little dogs wearing Hawaiian shirts? Must be time for our Around the World Potluck!

Lisa was our lovely hostess and she set a beautiful table, played Hawaiian music and set the mood for a beautiful evening....

We started with Wendy's amazing pupu platter:
Coconut Shrimp and bacon wrapped pineapple.

So good!

I brought Mai Tais complete with umbrellas!

Our side dish was Hawaiian baked beans, prepared by Diane - this was amazing and I will definitely make these again. Recipe HERE

We also had a Hawaiian Fried Rice....

Homemade Hawaiian Sweet rolls, baked with love by Betsy!

Jan brought a yummy salad with bits of fruit - so good!

And Lisa, our hostess with the mostess, made a seasoned Hawaiian pulled pork - DELISH!

So much yummy food, but we all saved room for Robin's super amazing

"Miulang's Onolicious Hawaiian Dream Cake"

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien

The Wedding of Janet & Alfredo: The Reception San Diego Wedding Photographer St Gabriel's Catholic Church Poway and Wedgewood Banquet Center Fallbrook

2013-04-27T00:30:00.000-07:00

The Wedgewood Banquet Center in Fallbrook is beautiful - and everyone was so friendly and helpful!

The reception room was beautiful and continued the theme of lace and red roses....

The First Dance was so romantic - sigh.....

And just a few more moments to share with you....the bouquet toss:

And do you get the feeling that someone ELSE was hoping to catch the bouquet?

The cake was beautiful (don't you love how every little detail reflected their theme?)

The dancing was fun, and everyone had a wonderful time...

Best wishes to Janet And Alfredo! If you'd like to see their photo video show, click HERE.

As a wedding photographer, my greatest honor is being asked to capture a couple's love story!

If you'd like more information on having me capture YOUR wedding day love story, click HERE

You've got to dance like there's nobody watching. Love like you'll never be hurt. Sing like there's nobody listening. And live like it's heaven on earth. - William W. Purkey.

The Wedding of Janet & Alfredo: The Romantics San Diego Wedding Photographer St Gabriel's Catholic Church Poway and Wedgewood Banquet Center Fallbrook

2013-04-26T00:30:00.001-07:00

After hugs and warm wishes from their friends and family, we spent a few moments capturing some family portraits and some ROMANTICS with just the bride and groom.

Then it was on to the Wedgewood Banquet Center for a few more portraits and of course the party!

The Wedgewook Banquet Center was just a short drive to Fallbrook - and was breathtaking - so many beautiful spots for portraits!

This next portrait was chosen as the cover for their wedding album - stunning, don't you think?

As a wedding photographer, my greatest honor is being asked to capture a couple's love story!

If you'd like more information on having me capture YOUR wedding day love story, click HERE

Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, Did my heart fly at your service

William Shakespeare: The Tempest – Act 3, Scene 1

The Wedding of Janet & Alfredo: Saying I do! San Diego Wedding Photographer St Gabriel's Catholic Church Poway and Wedgewood Banquet Center Fallbrook

2013-04-25T00:30:00.003-07:00

Let me catch you up in case you missed yesterday. We're at St Gabriel's Catholic Church in Poway and we're watching our beautiful bride walk down the aisle being escorted by her parents.

And her groom is pretty happy to see her....to say the least! :-)

St. Gabriels is amazingly beautiful and the ceremony was heartfelt and sweet.

And of course....THE KISS!

Then they swept down the aisle as husband and wife!

Tune in tomorrow to see some of their beautiful romantic portraits........

There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle - Albert Einstein.

As a wedding photographer, my greatest honor is being asked to capture a couple's love story!

If you'd like more information on having me capture YOUR wedding day love story, click HERE

The Wedding of Janet & Alfredo: Getting Ready San Diego Wedding Photographer St Gabriel's Catholic Church Poway and Wedgewood Banquet Center Fallbrook

2013-04-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

Janet and Alfredo got engaged Christmas 2012 and have been planning their amazing wedding ever since then.

Of course they were married at their own church, St Gabriel's Catholic Church in Poway.

(It just might be THE most beautiful church I've ever seen - and it's just filled with beautiful light!)

And when every little detail was ready....

Janet's sister and her mom helped her into her amazing wedding gown.

The bride would carry her mom's wedding day Bible and her Grandmother's Rosary....

as she walked down the aisle to meet her handsome groom.

Tune in tomorrow to see the amazing ceremony at St Gabriel's Catholic Church.

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage - Lao Tzu.

A Family: San Diego Family Reunion Photographer

2013-04-23T00:30:00.003-07:00

The A Family wanted to get together for some family reunion portraits because part of the family will be moving to Seattle in a couple months.

They chose a beautiful location in Spring Valley - at a historic bridge and as you can see with some beautiful backdrops nearby...

We had time for several portraits of the entire group as well as individual families and the kids....

Cool bridge, huh?

I hope these portraits bring back the warm memories of their time together

- even though they will soon be far away....

As a photographer, my greatest honor is being asked to capture memories!

If you'd like more information on having me capture a slice of YOUR life, click HERE

What greater blessing to give thanks for at a family gathering than the family and the gathering. ~Robert Brault

"I wish we'd called you last year..." San Diego Poway Outdoor Family Photographer

2013-04-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

Today's blog is a sad story. But it's in my heart that I should tell it, to perhaps have some good come from something sad.

Jay, an amazing Daddy, Brother, Husband, Son and Friend is no longer with us.

But fortunately his sister gave me a call about three weeks ago asking me to meet the family

to capture some memories.

We met right away and set about making some fond memories of a family together

as well as capturing some beautiful portraits that would last a lifetime.

We took frequent breaks so he could rest in between portraits and
kept our hour together as relaxed and fun as we could.

But I have to tell you what his sister said as we were finishing up our portrait session...

She said: "I wish we'd called you last year."

I thought I would share this story to remind you that life is fleeting, so make sure
\you capture some portraits that stop time and give you something beautiful
to remember each stage of your life.

*And I'm not saying that to suggest you have to call me --
You can get your own camera out if you want
Whether you call me or capture them yourself - just DO IT!

My thoughts and prayers are with his family as they face life without him.

"Life is but a fleeting moment so do not waste a second on something that doesn't make you smile"

- Jamie Hall

The Engagement of Diane & Greg San Diego Wedding and Engaged Couples Photographer

2013-04-19T00:30:00.000-07:00

Love and a carousel.....interesting.....I think perhaps I should write a poem....

Or...

I can just tell you that Diane and Greg choose Balboa Park for their engagement session....

So of course a stop on the Carousel was a must!

We also took advantage of all the beautiful greenery and architecture that San Diego's amazing park has to offer....

What a fun couple! We shared an hour of laughs and smiles - and became friends - that will make their wedding day a lot more relaxing and fun!

“If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.” Nadine Stair

Quail Botanical Gardens: BLOOM!

2013-04-17T00:30:00.001-07:00

As we were wandering around the Botanical Gardens, I had the idea to do a whole blog post looking straight into the face of a flower.

Aren't I just Oh. So. Clever? How can you even stand it?

Look how lovely the center of this flower is? Unique!

Flowers are those little colorful beacons of the sun from which we get sunshine when dark, somber skies blanket our thoughts. ~Dodinsky

Quail Botanical Gardens

2013-04-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

There are so many wonderful things to see at the Quail Botanical Gardens.

We spent a couple hours wandering around enjoying all the little sections of the park.

They have art on display everywhere too! Loved that mosaic. May make one just like it!

Got to walk through a bamboo forest with bamboo reaching 3 or 4 stories high~

But by far the most fun is to be had in their new Children's area.

The art leads the way to a super fun tree house!

And a play area with a little stream (complete with boats to share)

A music play area:

A secret garden fort (Don't you love that the walls are just ribbon?)

There's a complete orchestra area with rough and tumble instruments made from bamboo and pipes

How about a lifesized garden tic tac toe? (Each piece is about 12" square or round as the case may be....)

They also have a play house, sand box and tons more. If you have a little one, get on over there right away!

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair... ~Susan Polis Shu

Beaches: They aren't just for summer anymore

2013-04-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

Just in case you didn't know, the beaches are open all winter long.

One of our favorite beaches to walk on is Torrey Pines - we love the secret shortcut over the cliff (very exciting during high tide, but always fun.)

The tidepools are always new and different, and we always take time to hop about to see what we can find...

Feeling so thankful to live in this gorgeous city, to have some time to get out and enjoy it, and to have a pal who is always ready to hit the trail, or sand, or sidewalk!

Wishing you many fun strolls with someone fun too!

“Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.”

--Anonymous

Gesso Art in Little Italy

2013-04-11T00:30:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon a unique little festival in San Diego's Little Italy district.

A Gesso Art Show.

The street was closed off and artists of all ages were creating masterpieces of chalk!

The detail was amazing!

Look at the boxes of chalk in this next one -- do you see all the different shades of green and red chalks used for this painting? Wow, huh?

Highly recommend attending next time!

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing." Camille Pissarro

Five Tips for a Stress-free Portrait Session By San Diego Outdoor Photographer

2013-04-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants good pictures of themselves.

Some people are naturally ‘photogenic’, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us are doomed to looking dorky for our posterity!

The secret to looking good in pictures is to relax and be yourself. That’s easier said than done, but it is possible.

These tips will help you feel and look your best for your portrait session.

1. Choose a photographer you’re comfortable with.

Strive for capturing a slice of life, not just a photo. Make sure your photographer knows this
(I ALREADY know this, so just call me and you'll be sure to have fun!)

2. Dress Correctly.

Make sure your photographer gives you advice on how to dress and how to coordinate your family's clothing. This is key in creating amazing portraits.
Also consider the weather. If it is a very warm or cool day, make sure you dress for the temperature.

3. Allow plenty of time.

Try to allow plenty of time in your schedule both before and after your session.
You should be able to show up on time without rushing, and enjoy your full session without having to hurry off. Make sure you and your photographer communicate clearly about how long the session will be, and leave for your portrait session a bit early to allow for delays. Also, make sure you know where you’re going!

4. Be yourself.

A photo session is not the time to change your style. If you never wear heels, don’t start now!

If you always wear your hair down, you won’t be able to relax with a fancy up-do.

If you really want a new outfit or hairstyle for your pictures, try it out a few days ahead of time so you can be more comfortable with it.

5. Have fun!

Portrait sessions can be a real blast! Don’t sweat the small stuff; don’t worry about your hair .
Just forget about trying to look good and enjoy yourself.

A good photographer will let you know how to pose and will bring out your best qualities; your job is to relax and be yourself. The combination is winning, every time.

Those 5 items were courtesy of Lancaster County Presenting You, but I'm going to add one more.

6. DON'T WAIT.
Don't wait to lose 10 pounds, don't wait until your next grand occasion, don't wait years and years in between your family portraits.

Don't, Don't, DON'T!
Somehow the weeks become months and the months become years and suddenly your kids are grown or someone gets sick and you don't have any portraits left to remember those wonderful times.

"The camera is to the Photographer what the pen is to the Writer: a tool to express a vision"

Author: Myriam Leforestier

The Road Trip Divas Hiking Slot Canyon

2013-04-07T00:30:00.001-07:00

Well if you tuned in to my last entry, you know I'm in the Anza Borrego desert to see the wildflowers and there aren't any.

But don't be too sad for us, we found an amazing hike instead!

Welcome to Slot Canyon:

We headed deep into the crevice of the canyon. Sometimes we had to duck down a little:

Sometimes we had to turn sideways and wiggle a bit....

And mostly we just had an awestruck time!

The slot is about half a mile long, then you pop out into open desert. With about a 3 mile hike uphill back to the car.

But with beautiful views along the way!

So we didn't mind the lack of wildflowers one bit. (Well, maybe a teensy bit...but I'll get over it...)

If you'd like to try the hike, HERE is some information.

Slot Canyon is an unmaintained trail off a sand road, far from most visitor traffic. Here, flash floods formed a breathtaking slot canyon. At points, forty-foot high walls arch above a foot-wide canyon floor. The trail is of moderate difficulty

Tips: Given the extremely narrow nature of the canyon, the trail is not recommended for agoraphobes or hikers with large backpacks or a bulkier body mass. Wear shoes with appropriate traction.