Say Wha'?!

It's Friday already, again?  I refuse to call this post "Flower Friday" because then it would be so obvious that today is Friday and that would make it a whole week since the last post and that would be unacceptable. However, it is Friday and this is a flower post.  Sigh.

I was on an outing yesterday checking out a location for an upcoming family shoot and since I didn't have a family there yet I took some pics of the locals.

I love flowers and I love back lighting and here they are.

That last shot is in honor of Halloween. 

Wink wink.

Enjoy your weekend.

Flower Friday In Chicago

Look at that, isn't she beautiful?  That's Chicago.  

We went this summer for a visit and fell in love!  Not enough to leave MY city but still.    

I did take a lot of flower photos and they are some of the prettiest ones ever.

See.

How lucky was I that this little bee decided to land on this pretty little 

Marguerite Daisy right at the time that I was about to start shooting?  

A field of sunshine.

In the city.

One brave little soldier.

She's brave too.

But more quietly so.

And that's it for Flower Friday.

Oh!  Here are two of my new favorite blogs.

even*cleveland

I don't even know who "even" is.  Just go have a look.  Make a cup of tea and go to this site and browse and read and look and let the simplicity and the depth of it calm you down and make you want to do better.

A Beautiful Mess

Elsie is a very busy beautiful mess.  

There is a new post at least every day and it is not just fluff, not that there is anything wrong with fluff, and there is just so much to look at and read and do and it is all done very well.

And she, and her crew, remind me to be young.

And they are all way cute.

Happy Friday!

Women In Business

A couple of months ago I met a network of women who have started their own business.  We met at an Incubator Workshop offered by the group, Ladies Who Launch (I will tell you more about that next week).  I have since started photographing these women in their work space, office or studio and have done a portrait for them for their website and for marketing purposes.  First up is a lovely woman who is an organizer extraordinaire, I know because she worked magic on my desk and work area and the girls' homework area.  She came in to my home and listened and looked and asked a few questions and then with grace and speed and instinct she (we) got right to work and before I knew it we were done and I had a fresh new approach to where and how and why I had the little things of my daily life in the places that they were in and it works and it is still (a month later) working for me!  I love it!

So, Amanda is her name and Simplify is her game. 

.......and here she is in all her loveliness and graciousness and beautiful positivity-ness......

We did a lot of variations so she could have a lot to choose from.

I like to see where the ladies do their work.  

Her space was veryrrrrrry tidy.

I was a bit envious of the view.

Just a little.

She also offers interior design.  Her place was well pulled together.  

Clean, spare, neutral and calm but with splashes of color and warmth and vibrancy.

I wish I would have taken more pics of her place.  Dang it!

Micheal Kors said white roses are always a sure thing.

I know, so random, but I read that recently.

Amanda seems to be in the know.

Her stationary is perfectly simple.

And just for fun, some sassy fun shots!

One of my favorites.

That's a lot of pics, but my mom said I should include more pictures in my posts, she doesn't like it when there are only one or two.  But maybe she just meant when I do a post about her grandkids.....hhmmmm.  

I also wanted to show you that when I shoot I really make an effort to try a lot of different things and I am never trying to rush through and discourage a client from trying on different outfits, locations, hairstyles and general vibe-e-ness.  We have fun, we take our time and most importantly, NO PRESSURE!

Happy Thursday!

Oh, and check out Amanda's newsletter link, you will find orgainzing tips galore.

I'm Working On It

Today I am sharing a few of my favorites from my latest round of editing.  I was searching for all of the fun family and kid portrait sessions I have done over the past couple of years.  It was so much fun to revisit some of these shoots.  I love the honesty and goofiness and sweetness that comes out when you get a group together that really loves each other and enjoys each other's company.  

Holding it together

Three generations of wacky.

And just because cowboy boots with flowery dresses MUST be documented.

To see more of what I'm up to with family portraits, check out my flickr page.

Oh, and leave me a comment why don'tcha.

I'll get back to you........;)

I have been going through the past few years of shoots looking for all of the family portraits and kids portraits I have done.  What a job it has turned out to be, but a lot of fun!  I love the goofiness and the sweetness and the honesty that comes out once the kids, and grown-ups, start to relax.

Here are just a few.

Catching Up

We went to D-land last week for Audrey's birthday last Tuesday.  I also had my kitchen painted.
We are still recovering from both.  I will be playing catch-up all week.
So, I will leave you with a couple of my super favorite pics from Disneyland and call it a day.

Now if that doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will.

Happy Monday.

Random Monday

I am not suggesting that there will be Monday Flower days as well, but I just found these while scrolling through some past shoots.  I took these in June, right after an incredibly random day of rain on a Southern California summer day....it just doesn't happen, usually.  You know the song.  Anyway, I have a huge week ahead of me; birthdays and painting my kitchen, and visiting nieces with her family and photo shoots and all of the normal crazy schedule stuff we have going on, so I wanted to keep it simple today and try and bring back the sense memory of a refreshing summer shower.  

It's coming, the rainy season, I hope it's going to be a good one.

Anybody know a good rain dance?

I Love The Rain

Rain in LA is a beautiful thing.  We had just a little sprinkling of it yesterday.  Just enough to clean up the air and the sidewalks and give all of our thirsty little plants a drink.

It also creates the most beautiful sunsets.  

I didn't have my camera with me yesterday so I had to snag this one from a friend.  

She probably took this on her way to Happy Hour---it's what she does.

Thanks, Maren!