Fort Irwin CA Photographer | Temecula CA Family Portrait and Lifestyle Photographer

{If You're Reading This...}

2010-12-08T13:23:00.001-08:00

If you're reading this, it means this is your friendly reminder to update your RSS reader!

Come on and join the party at my new blog:
NEW BLOG!!

The party here is dead, but from the word on the street the fun is over at the new blog and Facebook Fan Page!

Thanks again for your continued support...
xoxo-
m

{THIS BLOG IS DEAD!}

2010-11-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

I am incredibly proud to announce my NEW BLOG:

Please go to www.michelleocampophotography.com/blog

I will no longer be posting on this blog, so please update all of your RSS feeders. And I'll see you on my new blog!

{Fashion Friday}

2010-10-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

It's Fall! FINALLY! My tip this week...I believe heels always make a lady look taller and leaner. And did you know heels force you to have better posture?! Personally, I'd go for even higher heels than these! But then I'm a girl that loves to be a little bit of a Carrie Bradshaw now and then! ;)

You don't necessarily need to wear them your whole shoot...you can switch them out with some ballet flats half way through if you'd like. But why not show off those legs ladies?!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Stay Extraordinary,
m

{Bundle of Joy} MCLB Barstow Photographer

2010-10-14T14:42:00.001-07:00

Last week I had so much fun meeting up with this family to shoot their precious newborn, Natalie.

I'm absolutely in love with the images we captured! She was only 10 days old at our shoot...and I love every bit of "newborn-ness" about her! And I think she may have a future as a hair model...look at that head of hair!!

I wish you all so much happiness in the years to come! Your world has just changed...for the better!

Here are just some of my favorites from the session...

Are you kidding me?! She is THAT precious!

And below is possibly my favorite newborn images I've ever taken. I love so many things about this shot. Look at all those wrinkles! I think this one photo captures the essence of a newborn perfectly.

Look at that foot! She had the longest little toes and fingers!

Lovin' this shot of mama! You look awesome girl!

Thanks for the wonderful session! You all were a pleasure to work with!

Stay Extraordinary,
m

{Daddy and the D-Word}

2010-10-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

So it's not a big secret...most of my readers know we are a military family. It's the path we've chosen for our family. It's a complete lifestyle, not just a job. But it's one that we wouldn't trade for really anything. We move every 2-3 years...which just boggles some people's minds. To us, it's normal, and do I dare say...FUN! To me, I'm itching to move someplace new after a year and a half at each duty station...no matter how much I love it there! We've been so blessed to live all over our country...places we would have never imagined. We are a proud military family and love this life.

And just like ANY job out there, there are pros and cons. We knew it was about time...my husband had been home for a couple of years. Yes, the D-Word was upon us...another deployment. We did not receive much notice this time...it was like ripping the band-aid off and just getting this over with! However, it is the first deployment where our girls really have a sense of what a deployment means.

Telling the girls...YUCK. Little Miss Sunshine took it all in and wanted to see on the map where daddy was going. When I asked her how she felt about all of it, her 6 year old response was, "I'm sad daddy has to leave, but I'm happy he gets to help the people." Now if that doesn't melt your heart, I just don't know what will! And our Itsy Bitsy seemed confused and went into some tears knowing she was going to miss daddy and this wasn't the typical business trip.

So the kiddos' ONE AND ONLY request...they wanted a photo shoot with daddy. They were very serious about this request and they were going to make sure we didn't forget! So the night before daddy deployed, we took the kiddos to the baseball field near our home and captured them playing around together. The girls said they wanted pictures so they could see daddy's silly face! And in the first picture, I'm sure you can see what they are talking about...I can just hear him, "THE CLAW!"

Here is just a handful of what we captured that night...

And here is something fun for you all that I put together...if you are military, I hope you get a laugh relating to this!

TOP TEN: You know you're going through a deployment when-
1. Your child hears what they DON'T want to hear, and immediately starts to cry, "I want daddy."
2. Trash days are key! You count them down...every week when you roll those trash cans out, you think to yourself, "one more down!" Followed by, "the husband should be doing this!"
3. No fighting for the remote at night. My nights have been filled with Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, Keeping up with the Kardashians...and not once have I watched Myth Busters!
4. When you shower, your cell phone is on the counter in the bathroom. And at least once every couple of months you swear you hear the phone ringing mid-shower and turn the water off promptly with shampoo in your hair, just to realize you were imagining things!
5. Weekends mean NOTHING. 'nuff said.
6. Retail therapy is a valid excuse (by the way, you'd love the new Anthropologie lamp shade I just bought)!
7. Laundry is seriously cut in half!
8. Cereal for dinner is completely acceptable when feeding myself and two kids!
9. If we are at a restaurant and one kid needs to use the restroom, ALL three of us need to leave the table to go to the restroom. I'm always afraid the waiter will think we're bailing on a check and leaving the restaurant.
10. You daydream about the vacation you will take when your loved one is home again.

Feel free to add to the Top Ten list in the comments!

Until then,
Stay Extraordinary...
m

{Fashion Friday} Fort Irwin Family Photographer

2010-10-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest topics of concern when a family books a session is, WHAT DO WE WEAR?!

I'm going to start Fashion Friday. On the blog, I will try to post some clothing ideas for you!

I always tell my clients you want the colors to compliment each other...you DON'T want to be matching. And here is a perfect example!

Enjoy and have a fabulous Friday!
m

{BUCKEYES} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

2010-10-06T20:03:00.000-07:00

BUCKEYES! That is all I'd have to say and our little Mr. Gavin would get a big grin on his face. His family is raising him right by instilling those hometown values! And his Ohio State jersey is proof!

I had a blast last weekend going around post with this family. And ahhhhhh...the nice cloudy sky. A photographer's dream...gorgeous diffused light. I haven't seen diffused light in over 2 years now and it brought me back to my Washington photography days! Seriously, it is the very first session I've had while living at Fort Irwin that was not in the full blazing sun. And it actually FELT like Fall outside...Heaven!

So here are some photos of our session together. I love candid photos of families having fun...'nuff said.

Oh Mr. Gavin, you just KNOW you are the center of attention, don't you?!
LOVE this big grin on Mr. Gavin's face...can you tell he is so proud of his daddy?!

Superman! Of course he is!
And I'm convinced this last shot is my favorite of the day. I love the wind blowing her hair and the moment captured. Remember this moment Mrs. B when he's eighteen!

Have a fabulous Thursday Fort Irwin!
Stay Extraordinary,
m

{Newborn-palooza} Fort Irwin CA Newborn Photographer

2010-10-06T12:50:00.001-07:00

Knock, knock...anyone there?!

So I have a confession...I've been bad, okay...HORRIBLE, about blogging. And I'll be totally honest why. I've been going through a rebranding process, and I have a fun new blog that is 80% ready to launch and a fancy new logo that is going to be fabulous...but I refuse the launch the new blog without my fancy new logo and rebrand. And I'm not going to lie, this blog has been wonderful to me, but I want my big girl blog! I don't want to use BLOGGER anymore! Hence, the lack of motivation to blog, especially when I know there are fun things around the corner. :( But I feel bad for my clients that haven't had a chance to see their smiling faces on my blog lately.

SO...I'm going to try to perform a round of CPR on this blog until I get my new one out to you all. I'm hoping my designer is finished with all of my goodies soon so I can share the fun with you all! I want to launch the new "me"!

But until then, I have blog catch-up to do! Here are a couple of newborn sessions that I've had recently. And I have another one tomorrow...something must be in the water out here!

Here are two of my favorites from this session...I love the relaxed newborn sessions that I offer. It is so nice to go into the client's home and capture the family just relaxing with their newborn. And I think the new mama's like it as well...they avoid the 30 minute production of packing a diaper bag before leaving the house for a session! And you never have to worry that you "forgot" something!!

So on to the pics...I love this photo of the parents in awe of their little guy! And this newborn was amazingly alert! OH MY!! And this session was done within the first 10 days of life, and look at those eyes looking at me!! And do I dare say it, but I think that's a smile folks! Mr. Caden, you're going to be a heartbreaker!

Precious.sleeping.baby. So cute!

And onto our next newborn. Mr. Connor was so much fun. He was literally PUTTY in my hands. I had so much fun playing around with this little guy at the session. I mean seriously, look at those hands under his chin and those cute little lips!

And if you look closely, you can still see the pricks from the hospital on the bottom of his foot! I love it when I can capture that in newborn shots.

Tips for parents in preparing for a newborn session:
* Schedule your newborn session BEFORE you deliver. The session should be all set and on the calendar when you go into the hospital. And then I will work around you when the actual delivery comes. Many times my newborn sessions shift and that is fine. I've received many emails and phone calls from the hospital that the baby has arrived early, and I am more than willing to adjust my schedule to get that beautiful baby photographed within the FIRST 10 DAYS!
* First 10 days is key...honestly, anything after that is not a newborn. Trust me, they change that quickly!
* If your photo shoot is going to be right after you get home from the hospital, consider keeping that hospital bracelet on. If you want to take that tag off your precious cargo, consider mom and dad keeping their bracelet on! One of my favorite newborn sessions-to-date is one in which the dad still had his bracelet on! He was so proud, and it made the most amazing photos of dad holding baby and you can see his hospital tag in the shot...so cool!
* Your baby will pee. Seriously! It's a good thing, all systems are a-go! So please don't fret. Your baby will pee on my stuff, and I am completely okay with that! I think I've only had 1-2 sessions where the baby did NOT pee! It's sort of that moment where you are officially embarrassed by your child for the first time, I get it! But don't be! I am totally willing to work around pee if it will give me fabulous photographs!
* Plan on feeding the baby around the time I arrive. We want the baby nice and sleepy. And no clothes on when you feed! We don't want to ruin all that hard work of getting the baby to sleep by taking those clothes off!
* Which leads me to my next point, the "birthday suit" is the best outfit for newborns. BY FAR! Don't worry about an outfit...you will be more thrilled with that newborn skin!
* Just have fun. Relax and enjoy the moment, they aren't a newborn very long!

{San Diego Fair Photography Exhibit}

2010-07-08T17:22:00.001-07:00

As a kid, a summer was not complete unless we made a trip to the "Del Mar" Fair. Yes, old San Diego will call it the Del Mar Fair and you can always tell the "new" San Diego because they call it the San Diego Fair...am I right people?!

Anywho, I spent many summers shopping in Bing Crosby Hall with my mom or watching the Demolition Derby with my dad at the good 'ole Fair. I also always remember being amazed by the photography exhibit. To me it was completely cool! So when we moved back to CA last year, I thought to myself, "Self, how cool would it be to have your own pictures in the very exhibit hall you roamed as a kid?!" So I made it happen...or I hoped I would.

I know the San Diego Fair is a decent sized fair--I was told by officials one in every three submissions make it into the fair. So I was hoping at least one of my three entries would even MAKE it into the fair. There is some insane talent down there. I only dared to tell my husband I was entering so I wouldn't be embarrassed when nothing was accepted!! And I was completely ecstatic when I found out two of my images were accepted into the exhibit hall! And then as the "cherry on top", my image in the My Best Friend category received an honorable mention! WOOO HOOO! Seriously...I get to toot my horn on that one! It made my childhood Fair dreams come true!

So I had to make a pilgrimage down to the San Diego Fair (whatever...I'm still made they renamed it...it's the Del Mar Fair people)! Here are the two that were accepted into the show and me with a good old thumbs-up sign next to my honorable mention.

So thanks for sharing in the fun...and thank you for all the picture texts from friends that visited the fair and shared in the excitement!! You all are the best!

Until next year San Diego,
m

*She is insanely gorgeous and this is still one of my favorite images to date.
*My Best Friend category... (family pets)

{Apple of her eye}

2010-07-06T12:55:00.001-07:00

So when I flew out to NYC recently, I had the opportunity to do a quick mini-session with Lindsey! Sidenote, check out her blog...she is hysterical! Anywho, I could not possibly go to NYC without pulling my camera out for someone! So we headed to the DUMBO district in Brooklyn and took some quick pics to commemorate baby #2!

Thanks again for everything Lindsey! I had a blast with you and will always remember that trip!

Stay Extraordinary in NYC~
m

The first picture is so perfect for this New York baby! I almost feel a bit of the Real Housewives of NYC coming through on this shot!

You look great girl!

{Waterstop King} Temecula Corporate Headshot Photographer

2010-07-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, he is the Waterstop King!

I had the pleasure of doing some corporate headshots for Mr. Poole this past weekend. His company, JP Specialties, Inc. is doing amazing things to prevent the type of catastrophic events you are seeing in the Gulf right now, but on land. Their company focus is the containment of on-land hazardous waste spills. In going through Mr. Poole's blog, I found an interesting article written by him regarding the regulations for land vs. water containment of hazardous waste--specifically regarding the recent B.P. oil spill in the Gulf. So head on over to his blog and check out his June 3rd post...it is quite interesting.

Mr. Poole will be speaking at the Temecula Library on August 21st. Here is the information regarding the event. If you are interested in the local Temecula water and how the larger scope of our water affects you, I encourage you to check it out.

Thanks again for allowing me to be of service to you, and keep up the amazing work!

Stay Extraordinary,
m

{California or Bust} Southern California Photographer

2010-06-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

One of my BFF's decide to fly out here with her kiddos to visit me from Ohio this summer! It was wonderful to see each other again. We were both stationed at the ever-so-lovely Fort Polk in Leesville, LA together back in our pre-kid days! A matter of fact, she was in the delivery room with me when I had our first-born. My hubby was deployed to Iraq at the time, and she was there giving him the play-by-play on the phone so he wouldn't miss a beat! So when I say BFF, I'm not joking. She knows me in a way that not many people know me!! I wouldn't trade our memories together at Fort Polk for anything. And we have always remained close. So I was over the moon when she said she wanted to come out for a visit and see CA for the first time!

We went to The Tonight Show together and even ate at The Ivy that evening so she could have the complete Hollywood experience. And then we both trekked around Disneyland for 3 days with our kiddos. I think we officially wore them out beyond belief...at least I know *we* were worn out beyond belief! And since we were out here, we both knew we were going to have to do pictures! So we went down to the Santa Monica Pier...OMGosh. It was crowded beyond belief. Mental note-never try shooting at the pier on a weekend! Trust me photogs! But we did a quick mini-session and definitely came out of it with some gems.

So here are some pics of Miss Jenny and her munchkins. We love you all with all of our hearts. And thank you for traveling all the way out here!! I can't wait for our next time together!

Stay Extraordinary,
m

The munchkins...

You'll probably want to kill me for this one Jenny, but I know the kids will love it! It's their "crazy face" shot.

Love this one...cotton candy makes everything better!

{PROJECT: MATERIAL GIRL | Take 2} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-06-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

Bubble gum, Pop Rocks, cotton candy, crimped hair, and breakdancing...I'm thinking this is the ultimate session!

I had so much fun with Miss M and Miss M^2 ("squared" for those of us that have been out of school for awhile)! It all started at my place where we got together for hair, lip gloss, and nail polish. It was the perfect setting for my little models to get to know each other a bit and have their first few giggles together. And then we were off, with my little divas, for such a fun shoot. We went to just two locations on Fort Irwin that I thought were perfect for this funky shoot.

One of my resolutions for this year was to style a shoot, one that was just for me. As a photographer, it is always fun to do a shoot for yourself every once in awhile. And I thought it would be so much fun to have a bit of a throwback concept where girls are just dressed up and having fun...because we all know "girls just wanna have fun"!

So here are several of my favorites from the shoot. Thank you so much Miss M and Miss M^2! You both were terrific and you made my week. And at the end, don't miss the slideshow--there you will see the vast majority of our shoot.

Stay Extraordinary Girls,
m

WORK IT Miss M!

{Hangin' Tough NYC Style}

2010-06-21T11:20:00.001-07:00

So this past weekend, I got to play "thirty-something going on 13". As most of you know, I have been a fan of the New Kids on the Block since I was probably...12?! Actually, when I think back to my childhood, it either revolved around Barbies or New Kids on the Block. And once I found New Kids on the Block, the Barbies went in the box and it was all about Bop or Teen Beat Magazine. Don't judge...all you 30 year old girls know you were the same way! Seriously, those are the two things I think of...oh, and prancing around our cul-de-sac all dressed up with our neighbor Kimmie blasting Madonna's "Like a Virgin" when I had no clue what a virgin even was. But that is a whole other story!

So it seemed fitting after a 20+ year love affair, that I'd fly out the NYC when I heard they'd be playing at Radio City Music Hall! I mean SERIOUSLY, who in their right mind would pass up the opportunity for a weekend in NYC *and* the opportunity to relive their childhood for two hours!

So I jumped on a plane...all by myself...and flew to the Big Apple! I had a fabulous time staying at a friend's house in Brooklyn and she introduced me to everything NY. She taught me about bumping bumpers if necessary to get a parking spot and how NYers like to just shrug or flip a hand (sort of like they are brushing you off) instead of necessarily giving the finger! After my NY culture lesson, she set me loose to explore on my own! Off I went...

I finally had the chance to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. I guess you could say it was on my bucket list...one of those things I always hoped I'd be able to do one day. No particular reason...I just thought it would be cool! And it was. I walked across the bridge and jumped on the subway for the FIRST TIME EVER...ALONE! Lindsey, my friend, was great in guiding me..."just make sure it is the 4 of 5 train DOWNTOWN." And luckily I made it on my first try and didn't accidentally get on the uptown 4 or 5 train! And as I walked up the subway steps (and yes, I saw my first subway rat...blah), I was in the throws of Battery Park. I took a ferry out to Liberty Island and Ellis Island where I was able to trace some of my ancestors that came over from Switzerland. And then, I was off to hail a cab and go to this fabulous department store called Century 21.

Century 21...why don't you have a store in California?! OMGosh. Simply fabulous. And then I met up with Lindsey for dinner at Onieals...or better known to my fellow SATC fans as, SCOUTS! It was just like the show. And yes, I had a cosmo just for you!

And before I knew it, Saturday was upon us. We had fun scouting out the city and doing everything Rockafeller Center had to offer. We went to the Top of the Rock (you'll see some pics of that) and we did the NBC Studio Tour, which I recommend if you go to NYC. I even had the chance to sit in the audience seats at Saturday Night Live! And then that night, it was Radio City or bust!

The concert...SO.MUCH.FUN. The whole thing was pretty much amazing and different from concerts I've seen in the past. I loved the acoustical set of some of their old songs and then towards the end of that set, they started singing a Backstreet Boys song...WHAT?! Get this...the curtain raises and there are the Backstreet Boys! 2 for 1 night! It was a pretty cool surprise even for a girl that was never really into them. It was neat to see them come together for a couple of songs. And the place basically went ballistic. Then the New Kids played some great remixes of classic 80's songs and their own mixed in. That was pretty darn cool. And of course we ended the evening with Hangin' Tough and the place going wild and everyone swinging their arms in sync with each other. And for the first time ever, I was able to watch the actual performers during the concert and not watch the concert off the jumbo-tron! We were that close--YAY!

It was a fabulous weekend. And I feel so spoiled to have the experience of being able to fly across the country to see my favorite group from my childhood days! It was something I will never forget, and I feel so grateful. And THANK YOU to my wonderful husband that didn't hesitate once about the whole ordeal. When I asked him if I could go out there, his response was, "Why are you asking?? GO!" And he had fun playing Mr. Mom with the girls all weekend...from hiking trips to Toy Story 3, they had fun together while mama roamed the big city. So thank you Ryan for giving me this amazing experience! xoxo

And on that note, if they ever do a tour again, I hope to be there!

Hang Tough,
m

**ALL PHOTOS TAKEN WITH POINT AND SHOOT...I'm horrible at lugging "the beast" with me on vacation. So there isn't any artistic value...just sentimental value for me! And Lindsey, thank you for the concert pictures...I was too chicken to try to get a camera in. And I think I was the only one without a camera in the concert!

Me walking across the Brooklyn Bridge--CHECK!
Top of the Rock
Top of the Rock-I love the view of St. Patricks Cathedral from above.
Top of the Rock-Central Park
Oh, and it begins...WOO HOO!
Jordan--they've still got their moves, even at 40...lol

When Backstreet Boys joined them for a song...

Joey Joe and Jordan...
And yes, SOLD OUT with 30 year old women! I think I saw two guys!! lol
Finale-Hangin' Tough

{Her day finally came...} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-06-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Sunshine has been patiently waiting to lose her first tooth. She has seen countless Kindergarten classmates have the thrill of losing their first tooth...and has actually prayed that she would lose one. I remember a couple of years ago, the dentist told her she would probably lose her first tooth when she was 7. She informed me later that week that she couldn't wait for her 7th birthday because she was going to go into the bathroom and pull her first tooth out! I had to explain that is not *exactly* how it happens!!!

Well finally, on Easter Sunday, we noticed her permanent tooth had finally broken through but it was too far behind the baby tooth--never making that baby tooth loose. So, off to the dentist we go. I was so sad that her first experience of losing a tooth was going to be having it pulled at the dentist. Little Miss Sunshine counted the days down until her dental appointment and even dressed up for the occasion. When she heard the dentist recommend we should just pull those two bottom teeth, she lit up like it was Christmas morning and said, "YES! I get to lose my first tooth!!" The dentist started laughing as she explained most kids go into a panic and cry! Not my girl. She was all ready for the "sleepy juice" for her teeth. She didn't move once in that chair as they worked on her and not one tear shed from her eye. She was amazed when they were out, and mama was so proud. Not to mention, I swear she aged a year when I looked at her toothless grin!

So this week, we've been calling her the Toothless Wonder! Here are some pictures of her going to bed on this monumental evening! She had to make a sign for the tooth fairy, which you will see pictured below. And of course we put pixie dust in the window sill and left the blinds up so the fairy would see the sparkle in the moonlight and know there was a payment due at our household! She woke up to four shiny gold coins...

Embrace the magic Little Miss Sunshine...you are loved!
mama ;)

I love the following two pictures because of the meaning behind it...her tooth fairy pillow is the one my sister and I used as a child. Little did I know when I was her age putting my own teeth in that pillow that my daughters would be using it one day!

{PROJECT: MATERIAL GIRL | Take 1} Fort Irwin Children Photographer

2010-06-08T16:04:00.000-07:00

Just a taste of what is to come! I had so much fun with these two girls when we shot Project: Material Girl last week...LOVE.THESE.GIRLS! And I think they had a blast as well.

And here is Miss M busting a break dancing move. WORK IT GIRL!

And I can't wait to share the rest with you all! :)

Stay Extraordinary Girls,
m

{Escalate 2010} Newport Beach, CA

2010-06-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

Better late than never!
So I'm not going to lie...I'm completely playing catchup with blogging! On May 17-18th, I had the opportunity to attend Escalate Live, and it was so much fun! It was a lot of fun and very inspiring to hear some of the "big dogs" of the industry speak. But I think what was even more fun (shhh...), was having the chance to see some of my photog friends from around the country and meet new ones! Okay...it was the best part of the whole experience, I'm not going to lie!

Being a photographer can sometimes be a bit of a lonely occupation when you don't have co-workers that you see every day. So when you throw a whole bunch of photographers in one big room and the whole point is to "talk shop", WATCH OUT! We are all trying to get our 10,000 words for the day out at the same time!! And it is so much fun! I felt so blessed to meet up with some lovely photographers that I met at the Jasmine Star Workshop back in November. In the photo with me is Cupcake Queen Gladys to the left in the pic and to the right is the "Love all things Paper" Anda! And sadly, the lovely Julie is missing in the photo :( ...I think it is because she is off stalking Jerry Ghionis (Okay, we all wanted to stalk him afterwards...he was simply that amazing. He has the most insane talent ever)!

Ladies, I loved catching up with you all. And to my new photo peeps that I met at the conference, I'm so glad our paths crossed and I can't wait to follow each other's careers! If you are in the Newport area for the next Escalate, GO. There is nothing like being there in person. And thank you to the gracious Dane Sanders for putting the conference together.

And I'm thinking we need another trip soon ladies! :)
Be Extraordinary,
m

{C.U.T.I.E..P.I.E.} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

2010-06-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

Here is a wonderful family that I had the opportunity to photograph last month. And when I took one look at their little man, it was love at first sight! I'm telling you, this little one year old stole my heart. And I honestly think he may love having his photo taken; there was not one whimper of discontentment from him the entire session! I think he may of been born to be in front of the lens! And his CHEEKS--Don't get me started!!

And since he was just shy of his first birthday, the only proper way to end his session was with his very first ice cream cone! And he couldn't get enough!! As you will see in the photo, he is not only licking his own cone, but also trying to grab dad's cone...AT THE SAME TIME!!

So here are several from our fun session. Thank you all for the fun evening together here in the desert! :)

Be Extraordinary,
m

Oh my gosh...I told you it was love at first sight! Look at those cheeks and those big blue eyes!
See, completely content the ENTIRE TIME!

Survey SAYS: He loves ice cream!

{Cav Baby} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-06-04T07:47:00.000-07:00

So I had the pleasure of photographing this family here on lovely Fort Irwin. Now the funny thing about this session, is we were supposed to be having a maternity session! I was SO excited for this maternity session as well because Mrs. R had some awesome ideas that we were going to run with. And then I got an email...Mr. B decided to show up a month early!! Thankfully, little Breagan was in wonderful health...he just decided he wanted to be here for the session and be the center of attention. So it then became his newborn session! And he definitely hammed it up for the camera! Here are a few of my favorites...and yes, he is a Cav baby for all you Army folks! And yes, he fits in a Stetson...daddy's special request!

So enjoy these few images of this wonderful couple and their precious new baby boy. He is sure to fill their lives with so much love and joy.

Thank you again *R* family! :)

Be Extraordinary Breagan,
m

Possibly my favorite of the day...
Sugar Plums dancing through his head!

Daddy just taking in the moment with his brand new baby boy.
Love this family shot. With newborn sessions, I love to make it a lifestyle session where it is just the family casually around the house. It just has such a natural feel to it.
And yes, the Stetson.

{How the Murphy's Roll} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

2010-05-26T16:43:00.000-07:00

Watermelons, balloons, and dress up. What else could a kid ever wish for, right?! I had a ton of fun at this family session, and I'm pretty sure they did too. I think it comes through in their photos...everyone just looks so happy and in love! And don't underestimate the little one, I'd say she beat out her siblings in the burping contest we had on the grass!

I had to put a slideshow together for you all so you could see the fun we had. Ahhh...it's days like these when I'm reminded just how much I love my job.

Here are a few favorites of the day and the slideshow is at the end! :)

You are extraordinary Murphy family,
m

I love little Miss S looking over to see mommy and daddy acting silly!
LOVE LOVE LOVE... 'nuff said.
Two words...Knock out.
Tea parties in the desert...who said desert living wasn't fun?!
After one of her outrageous burps...I'm sure of it!
This is one of those images that I hope each kiddo carries in his/her wallet when they grow up. It's the perfect image to look back at and see who they were as a child with their siblings. And it is the perfect picture that can remind them of their love for each other when they have all gone their separate ways as adults.
LOVE the grass pics. And I love little Miss S looking up to have reassurance from big sis!
All the love that a mom of three has!
I had a blast with you all...enjoy the slideshow!

{A Barn...in the Desert} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

2010-05-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read that right...there is a barn, in the desert. Crazy, right?! For all of you that have the *privilege* of being stationed here at lovely Fort Irwin with me, you know a barn in this desert is sort of considered out of place! But I was so excited when this family said they wanted some pictures out at the stables on post.

My favorite things about this session:
* The barn discovery...and it's a COOL barn!
* The gorgeous yellow flowers in the desert...um, that means COLOR in the desert folks...that is huge!
* The ladybugs that flew all around us...it just makes life that much sweeter.
* Did I mention the barn?!
* The fact that Mr. N brought his toy sword...how cool are his parents for letting him play with his sword in family pictures?!
* The fact that little Miss S got to hold her ladybug doll through 75% of the pictures...while ladybugs were all around us on bushes!
* And we even got to feed the billie-goats!

Thank you for the fun time! I'm so honored that I had an opportunity to photograph your precious family and create art for you all to commemorate your time here at Fort Irwin!

Be Extraordinary,
m

Playing with the ladybugs...

{Good People} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

2010-05-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

Ever have that family you meet and every single one of them is just a good person? The type of people you love to surround yourself around because you think to yourself, "I just have to be a better person in life with people like them around me!" The kind of family where each and every one exudes positive energy? This is that family for me. A matter of fact, I like them all so much that I overlook the fact that they are hardcore Broncos fans. And that is pretty huge for a Charger fan to do!

I was so happy that I got to work with them for a Mother's Day mini-session. Both of these little girls are amazing! They put a smile on my face whenever I'm around them. And mama is a gorgeous lady herself--inside and out.

Thanks again you all for the fun times together! I'm going to miss you all so much come this summer...but I know amazing things will come your way no matter where you live!

Be Extraordinary,
m

{Class of 2010} Temecula Senior Photographer

2010-05-07T22:28:00.001-07:00

So this senior session was special to me. I was so glad when I was asked to do her senior pictures because she is my cousin!! And she isn't just a cousin, she tends to be like a sister. I remember the day she was born, she was the flower girl at our wedding (and you were oh so cute), and she was my sanity through 30 months of deployment over the past 5 years. She would fly to visit me no matter where the Army had placed us to keep me occupied and help with the kiddos. We've vacationed together from Canada to Hawaii--and roadtrips galore! I love her more than I could ever write in a blog post. And now she is gearing up to go to college. It is pretty hard to believe that this day has come. It closes a chapter in her life, yet an even better chapter is about to begin. Enjoy every minute of college; it will be gone before you know it. Remember who you are, and remember where you come from. And know we will always be here for you...we are only a phone call away.

Be extraordinary *S* in whatever you choose~
-m

*My favorite of the day...LOVE IT!

{Good Times} Fort Irwin CA Familiy Photographer

2010-05-06T15:23:00.001-07:00

I can't tell you how much this family makes my heart sing! I've had a couple of opportunities to work with this family this past year and they NEVER disappoint! They are so much fun to work with...85% of the session they are usually wrestling around playing together and sometimes I catch myself laughing so hard I have to focus so I can get the shot!! And the expressions on their son's face when they love on him are priceless...it is evident he knows he is loved.

I am going to miss you all SO much as you move on and continue your journey. We will have to make it a point to meet up again because you all are too darn cute together that my camera will definitely go through withdrawls of seeing your lovely faces! :)

Enjoy the glimpse into your gallery! And hope you have a fabulous Mother's Day!
Be Extraordinary,
Michelle ;)

*The background on some of these shots...on their booking form, Mrs. H mentioned that Noah loves Origami. So I had to find these cool paper cranes made of old atlas pages and incorporate them into his shoot somehow!

The "tough" guys of the house!

Noah and dad...

And check out these eyelashes! You are so stinkin' cute Noah!
Love this shot...
And the love just oozes out...

{Simply Mom Continued} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-05-04T13:42:00.001-07:00

I still have a couple of Simply Mom sessions to blog! I felt so incredibly honored to photograph this Fort Irwin mom during the Simply Mom mini-sessions because she is also a photographer! It is always an amazing feeling when a peer from this industry chooses me to photograph them--a complete honor. So we had a fun mini-session capturing her with her two cuties! Little Miss Chloe wasn't going to give up that binkie for ANYTHING! But I think the photo is perfect as-is, and mama will definitely treasure this photo as a memory of that stage for years to come. And I love the absolute peace on Mr. Aiden's face. He looks so completely content loving on his mommy. LOVE it!
And the cool Mr. Aiden. LOVE THIS OUTFIT! He is rocking the camoflauge cargo shorts with the preppy shirt. It looks amazing!

Happy Mother's Day! :)
-m

{April Self Portrait}

2010-05-01T13:37:00.001-07:00

So here is my April self-portrait done one night this past week...keeping true with my promise!

What makes this image special is the only light source is my computer monitor. I cranked that ISO up and love the grain.

Enjoy! Have a fabulous weekend!
Simply Me,
m

{Please Keep in Prayer}

2010-04-27T06:55:00.001-07:00

You may remember the story of little Miss Taylor from when I photographed her family in November. Today is the day that she is having her heart surgery. The surgery is around noon PST, so if you could pause for a moment and send a prayer up to the Big Guy, I know the family would be so incredibly appreciative.

Little Miss Taylor, we are thinking of you and cheering you on today. May God give you all the strength you need to get past this hurdle...and give mommy and daddy the strength as they wait out the unknown in the waiting room. You are loved.

Be Extraordinary Taylor,
m
xoxo

{Mine...all Mine!} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-04-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

So I've had this session up my sleeve for a little time now...I started doing my own kid's shoot every Spring. It is funny because I honestly feel like I don't take enough pictures of them...which is completely ironic being a photographer and all.

I received the Crewcuts catalog in the mail a few months back, and it was complete inspiration. The outfits were to die for and are inspired by Crewcuts; however, only Itsy Bitsy's skirt and Little Miss Sunshine's socks and belt are from Crewcuts. I was able to find all the other pieces at Target and Gap. And as for the hula hoop...it's Miss Sunshine's favorite thing to do at the moment so we had to throw hula hoops in! One of my favorite parts of the session is when I told Itsy Bitsy to hula and she immediately drops the hula hoop and goes into a Hawaiian hula dance...CLASSIC!

So anywho, here is some of our fun together yesterday. Sunshine is convinced she is a supermodel. And the funny part is she would go straight into her poses without any direction. She eats this stuff up and is convinced JCrew will be calling her one day! And both girls were thrilled to do the session because they wanted to be on Facebook...forget my blog, they were more thrilled with the Facebook idea. Lord help me! I'm almost embarrassed to admit my girls know exactly what Facebook is!

So here are my two sweethearts that I love to pieces...enjoy! ;)

Below is what happens when Itsy Bitsy has trouble hula hooping yet big sis is just tearing it up!

See what I mean about Miss Sunshine dying to be a JCrew model one day?!
And no, Itsy Bitsy doesn't wear glasses...but it was just too cute to not throw them on for a couple!
She finally got it going...GO GIRL GO!

{So Here's the Deal...} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-04-23T16:35:00.001-07:00

So here is the deal: (but first, aren't they so cute above...more of this family to come later)

I'm sitting here looking at my calendar and as of now, my weekends are pretty much booked SOLID between now and the beginning of July. Yes, JULY. If you can swing a weekday session, I *can* do that...but weekends are obviously the most popular choice for family sessions.

So with that...
Fort Irwin, you know the kind of heat in July and August, so it's time we think a bit realistic...the Fall! I suspect a lot of you are thinking about Fall sessions for Christmas cards, holiday cards, etc. SO HERE IS THE DEAL...

I am now booking FALL SESSIONS! Yes, I know it seems crazy to think that far in advance, but that is my reality right now! And, just to throw this wrench in there...we aren't quite sure when the Army is planning on moving us, but there is a possibility that it will be around Winter break. This is *not* definite, but it is a possibility at this point, and I want to be prepared in case it happens! So many of you have been asking when we are PCSing because you want to have photographs done before I leave! Well, I'm telling you now, DON'T WAIT! I will guarantee that my fall sessions will book up...it is a photographer's busiest time of the year, and I don't want you to miss out on the fun that we have together at my sessions!

So on that note, email me a.s.a.p. if you'd like to do a fall session and need a weekend date. Go look at that rotational calendar because I guarantee you those weekends will go first!!

Sessions outside of the Fort Irwin area:
I will be available for weekday sessions after May 21st or weekend sessions starting in July.

Payment of your session fee locks in your date and time.

Can't wait to get you in front of my lens!

Be Extraordinary,
m

{Simply Mom} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-04-22T13:09:00.001-07:00

Here are some more of my Mother's Day treat to some Ft. Irwin ladies! The Simply Mom sessions were SO.MUCH.FUN! I think all the ladies would agree with that. And I think God had a hand in part of it; we were blessed with the most gorgeous yellow wildflowers!

Every morning when I'd walk my 5k with my friend, we would scout out theses bushes of wildflowers. Leading up to the shoot, they looked completely dead...no sign of life. I remember actually sending up a prayer for the flowers...seriously!! I mean, when you are out in the middle of the desert, you have to work with any color you can find!! And being the girl that I am, most of you know I'm a sucker for a punch of color...so these bushes just had to come to life!

Well, the flowers seriously started to bloom the week of the session! 2 weeks before our session, I would have never believed they would look as beautiful as they did for our mini-session day. So thank you Big Guy!

And this family was just too precious. Um, can you say supermodel mama?! She is looking A.MAZ.ING! And her four kiddos were just too precious. I loved working with this family and can't wait for a family session with you all! Thanks for coming out and making my day!

Here is some proof of those gorgeous wildflowers...and the fabulous ~G~ Family!

Be extraordinary,
m

Love this shot below!

And I love little Mr. M and his case of the giggles! SO CUTE!

{Simply Mom} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-04-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a family that actually ended up doing two Simply Mom Sessions with me. See, she was a smart lady and not only did a session with her kiddos, but also did a separate session with her mom! How awesome is that?! And now she has some images she can treasure forever...I'm thinking it could possibly be the best Mother's Day gift ever! So here is Mrs. L with her mama and fabulous boys. Her boys were amazing...super awesome kids!

And my favorite moment of all for this session...seeing that her youngest boy arrived at the session with permanent marker all over his arms! They tried to wash off as much as they could...but let's face it, it is permanent marker!! And my favorite part about it was that mom didn't let it phase her one bit! It is what it is!! And if anything, these pictures will even have more meaning when they look at them in 20 years! I can't wait to hear the conversation, "Look what you did to yourself before our pictures!!" You'll see it in the first picture...I wasn't about to Photoshop that out! It was too stinkin' cute...and ALL boy!

Hugs to you all and thank you for the fun afternoon! :)
Be extraordinary,
m

**ROCK THE INK BUDDY!!!**

And a couple of Mrs. L with her adorable mother!

{Love Affair Workshop} Photographer Workshops

2010-04-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Check out http://www.loveaffairworkshop.com! They're giving away prizes & a seat to their workshop on the blog this week! Go enter to win!

{Casting Call} Fort Irwin Photographer

2010-04-15T21:27:00.001-07:00

{Just for Fun}

2010-04-14T13:05:00.001-07:00

The girls just came downstairs playing, and I had to take a picture of them together...capturing this moment, just in case either girl ever goes on to medical school. Why do I now want to be stuck with medical school bills just so I can enlarge this image and hang it in their office one day?!

Being a mom is so much fun!

Be extraordinary girls!
Love,
Mom :)

{Facebook Is Where It's At...}

2010-04-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to lie...we even have more fun together on Facebook. If you're not a fan, I highly recommend it! :)

BECOME A FAN HERE!

{Published} Military Spouse Magazine

2010-04-01T22:19:00.001-07:00

YEA! It was such fun news when my hubby received a phone call last week from an old co-worker; she opened up her Military Spouse Magazine and found our two munchkins in print! It was an honor to have two of my images selected to go with the travel article in the April 2010 issue. Both pictures were taken at the fabulous Hale Koa Resort in Waikiki. If you are military and have not taken advantage of that fine resort in the middle of Waikiki...GO.

Thank you Military Spouse Magazine for the opportunity! I feel honored.

Be Extraordinary,
m

{And the Countdown Begins...}

2010-03-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

Need I say more?!

Eclipse Movie and Breaking Dawn

{The Happiest Place at Sea} Disney Cruise Review

2010-03-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

So, I've come to discover that I am horrible at blogging our vacations! Actually, I'm ashamed to say I have not even blogged our trip to Europe for our 10 year wedding anniversary last year...and we are celebrating our 11 year wedding anniversary tomorrow! So I'm a tad behind!! But as most of you know, we just took the family on our first Disney Cruise this past month and it was AMAZING!

So if you know me well, you know I am a complete cruise junkie. I have been so blessed with all the amazing parts of the world I've seen on a cruise ship. I'm honestly even embarrassed to disclose how many I've been on now...but it has taken me 10 cruises to figure out that Disney Cruise Line is the way to go, HANDS DOWN. *That* is how highly I think of Disney after this trip. If you have children, it is sincerely the ONLY way to travel...let me tell you why.

Their customer service exceeded any ship I've ever been on before. I mean, when you walk onto the cruise ship (check in was an absolute breeze) they greet your family by name on a microphone and all the crew breaks out into cheer! The kids looked at us not even knowing what to think. We got to our cabin which was fabulous...it was an outdoor cabin. However, it had many perks. We swore it was a tad bigger and they lay it out differently than your regular cruise ship. The large bed for the parents is when you first walk in and then you go past it to the seating area. This turned into bunk beds for the kids at night...and the best part of it all, there was a large curtain that completely separates the kids from the parents and you can even slip the flat screen TV through the curtain to the parent's side! The best of both worlds for having to be in a stateroom with your two small kiddos. Not to mention, we had two separate bathrooms in our stateroom! One had the shower and a sink, the other had a toilet and a sink...GENIOUS Disney! THANK YOU!

Chocolates were on our pillows every night...which some cruise lines are starting to skimp out on because of the economy I suppose. Our housekeeping was fabulous...sometimes on a cruise your stateroom just starts to stink a tad--I'll be the first to admit...everyone is showering and you are in a small stateroom...it just gets sort of stuffy and yucky. Not once did we ever have an odor. He was in our room cleaning bathrooms and all twice a day...that's more than I can say for myself at home!

The meals...I'll be honest, I think I've had better. But it was still fabulous...and if you didn't know any better, you'd rave. That is just me being really picky. However, Disney still has lobster night! And sadly, a lot of cruises are starting to skimp on that as well :( GIVE ME MY LOBSTER!!! And just to show you the level of customer service, I caught a HORRIBLE cold on the cruise :( And so I didn't even make it to dinner for two nights because I just felt like crud and didn't feel like putting my happy face on. Do you know what, the dining room staff sent down a full meal to my stateroom! We are not talking the BLT sandwich from room service, NO...we are talking soup, shrimp appetizer, lobster entree, and even baked Alaskan for dessert! They did not need to do that, and for their kind thoughts and effort, I am thankful. And another plus for Disney, all of their drinks: tea, coffee, hot chocolate, full service soda bar are complimentary (you will still pay for your Mai Tai)!! Most cruises now-a-days you need to buy a soda pass for $40 for the week for sodas...this is something Disney could easily do with all the kids on-board...but they don't.

Yes, there are a lot of kids on the ship. However, it didn't feel that way. They have a lot of 18+ areas on the ship. So what the SMART parents do, is drop their kids off at the Oceaneer Kid's Club and go have fun in the adult areas where not a kid is in sight...there are adult cafes, adult pools, and more!!! I didn't know how the kid club would work with our little ones. I really hoped they would want to take advantage of it and they DID! They begged us to go! A matter of fact, one night we went to pick them up at 10:30pm and they were begging us to stay longer. So we said, what the heck?! Ryan and I looked at each other with the look of, "What do we do next?!?!" Off to an adult comedy show we went! The kids loved every minute of it...they learned to Do Se Do with Snow White, they had a PJ party with Goofy and made pillow cases to take home with him...you get the idea...a kid's Heaven.

We went on the cruise thinking, "Eat it up kids! This is your one Disney Cruise you get!!" And we left the ship contemplating when we'd book our next one! Yes, Disney Cruises are a tad more expensive than your standard cruise. But honestly, it was worth every penny! And for my military readers, there are some fabulous military discounts out there that Disney Cruise Line offers...so look into that! And Disney has recently expanded their itineraries and now sail through Europe, Mexico, Alaska and even the Panama Canal. We did the Eastern Caribbean and our favorite stop of all was Castaway Cay...Disney's Private Island. I would do that cruise again just to see their private island!!

So now that I've given you a pretty extensive look at the service, here are some pics for you...
DISCLAIMER: I used my point and shoot!!! And automatic mode!!! I was on vacation for crying outloud! So there is nothing here of artistic value...just wonderful memories of my family that I want to share with you!

If you have any specific questions about the cruise, feel free to ask! I could go on all day about what a fabulous trip it was. It was truly a trip of a lifetime for a family.

So on to the pictures...

We first flew out to Miami and spent time with the brother-in-law in Miami Beach. We even stayed a night at the FontaineBleau which was ABSOLUTELY amazing! We were complete tourists and took a tour around Star Island...I almost felt guilty snooping around all the celebrity homes. Seriously, tour boats just circle the island saying, "This is Ricky Martin's house. And this is Carmen Electra's (and no, she wasn't sunbathing that day)!" But it was fun to get an idea for it. So here the girls and I are on the tour! I think we are coming up on Puff Daddy's house...or whatever he calls himself these days!
I thought we were going to die...we flew from Miami up to Orlando for the cruise. And yes, it was completely a casket with wings. OMGosh...look at this! :)
We survived the flight and this is the infamous lifeboat drill...we all look awesome, don't we?!
Bon Voyage party like none I've seen before...streamers were shot into the air and everyone was truly excited to hit the high seas! Here is our Little Miss Sunshine singing the YMCA song on daddy's shoulders!
Daddy surprised the girls with new princess outfits for the formal night...they felt like a princess for sure! They had so much fun!! And for the record, the characters are EVERYWHERE!!! There is always a character you can go visit somewhere on the ship! It was so out of control that the response from the kids started to be this after a few days: "Mom, it's just Princess Aurora." Oh yeah, I forgot...we've already seen her at least 4 times! But here was Snow White just walking down the hallway and she stopped to visit with the girls. How awesome is that?!
The hubby and I in St. Maarten. I was last there my senior year of high school...and it hasn't changed all that much!
The girls rocking their new shades!
One of the Princess Faire's held on the ship...there was actually a good 5 princesses in a row, but my camera couldn't fit all the fun into one frame!
Castaway Cay...Yes, the water was THAT BLUE. It was absolutely incredible. It was so blue that Ryan had the girls out in the water and I was laying out on the beach and I saw a huge stingray swim by them in the water!! It was truly amazing there.

Until Next Time,
m

{March Self-Portrait} Southern CA Lifestyle Photographer

2010-03-18T14:22:00.001-07:00

ME:
: I love pumps, and I want to be buried in a pair of Valentino's...Seriously!
: And believe it or not, when not in heels I am a complete Converse girl. My little Chucks are my most comfy pair of sneakers!
: I have no will-power when Thin Mints are sitting in my house.
: I've been kicked out of Sav-on Drug Store when I was in high school for goofing off with my girlfriends in the store and video taping all of the fun...I wouldn't doubt it if E.L. still has the video tape. DON'T YOU DARE POST.
: I was called to the principal's office once in my life. Fifth grade...writing on the picnic tables with friends. I was in tears convinced I would get the paddle in the office...I went to private school.
: I love the movie Top Gun...and the volleyball scene is epic.
: I *HATE* cleaning the shower...HATE is a strong word, and I'm not afraid to use it in this sentence!
: I love to vacuum. Instant gratification.
: I swear by designer jeans; I swear they fit better.
: I love to make people laugh and not take life too seriously.
: I absolutely love getting the mail everyday! And I hate it when it is just the Penny Saver in the box on Wednesdays.
: I say a prayer before each session that I may capture that particular family in an extraordinary way; I figure it never hurts to have the Big Guy on my side.
: I love watching Celebrity Apprentice. And I would not be afraid of telling Donald Trump who he should fire (referencing this past week's show)!
: I don't want my kids to grow up. I seriously want to freeze them at their current ages.
: I hope my kids call me often when they grow up and move out of the house. I think I'd be sad if I didn't have at least a quick 3 minute call with them daily.
: Complete turnoff-men that are arrogant. PUUUKKKEEE.
: I've climbed inside a pyramid in Egypt.
: I want to live in a loft-style home one day.
: I absolutely can't stand doing these self-portraits, but I am a girl of my word!

Until Next Time,
m :)

{Cowboy Supernova} Fort Irwin, CA Photographer

2010-03-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

A little something that is different this afternoon...I love it.

And to this fabulous couple, your gallery of more yumminess is live! Thanks for the fun morning you two! :)

Simply Extraordinary. Simply You.
-m

{Simply Mom Sessions} Fort Irwin, CA

2010-03-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

Calling all Fort Irwin Moms-

This is your chance to have a quick and painless mini-session in celebration of Mother's Day! This is only for mama and her kiddos...sorry dads! So go drop the hints to the hubby for Mother's Day...spots will surely fill. Only 5 mama's will be able to get their hands on this super-fab deal! Tell your friends, and book your session (maybe not in that order...or maybe if you are a super-bff)!

Email me to book your spot...first come, first serve!
info@michelleocampophotography.com

**The Simply Mom Sessions are currently sold out!**
Simply Extraordinary. Simply You.
-Michelle :)

{Home Sweet Home} Disney Cruise

2010-03-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

We are finally home from the most awesome family vacation EVER. Just to show you how awesome a Disney Cruise is, take a sneak peek at what went down one night while out at sea...

I've done a lot of cruises, but have never seen anything like this on a cruise ship!

More to come...off to answer emails!

{Away from the Office...}

2010-02-22T07:21:00.000-08:00

*photo credit-disneycruise.com

Just a little note to let you know I will be away from phone and email access from Tuesday, February 23rd through Sunday, March 7th...I will be sailing the Ocean Blue with my family and Mickey's friends! But I promise to return emails and phone calls as soon as I return...nice and refreshed!

Until then,
-m

{Fort Irwin Mardi Gras} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-02-17T14:24:00.000-08:00

The Fort Irwin OCSC (Spouse's Club) will be hosting their annual Mardi Gras event on Saturday, February 27th at Reggies on Fort Irwin. Not only will you have an opportunity to gamble your heart away at blackjack and Texas Hold 'em, but you will also have an opportunity to bid in a live auction and silent auction. All money raised in the auctions goes straight back to our Fort Irwin community in the form of scholarships and welfare.

And here is a sample of what I have donated for the auction...so get on down there and "get your auction on"! I want to see bidding wars on the paper so we can raise money for our community!

Can't wait to see you for our session!!!

{Q.&.A Round II}

2010-02-16T13:57:00.000-08:00

Here is another Q.&.A post for you all! The first post is here in case you missed it. It feels really good to help others...everyone should try it out! So I hope this helps someone...anyone...and if you have more questions, leave me a comment! And if I don't answer it in the comments, please don't be sad...I will include it in the next Q.&.A if it's not answered there!! And I hope you all had a fabulous weekend!! Mine was filled with Disneyland and Las Vegas...I felt like the complete Southern CA tourist for the weekend and loved every moment!!

So on to the questions, yes...I see a hand!!!

Q: How do you meter for backlighting (and more on backlighting)?
A: What I do is get in close to meter JUST THEIR SKIN!! Don't let that bright sun (background) in from the back when you meter or it will throw off the metering. Then, what I have found that works is I don't center (zero) the metering. I overexpose it by usually 1-2 "ticks" (you know what I'm talking about right, on the in-camera meter). Then, step back and take a picture...check your LCD and adjust if you have to from there...but usually I don't need to adjust.

Also...when backlighting, it is always more flattering if you can get something dark behind the subject...Like a dark tree in the distance or building...then you see that nice rim of light around them better.

When focusing during backlighting...I shield my lens a bit so it can focus. When the lens is looking straight at the sun, it usually has trouble focusing. So I shield it from the sun so it will lock focus, then I pull my hand away and shoot it.

Q: I sometimes end up with the focus on her hair clip instead of on her eyes. I usually end up focusing on the spot I want, then moving the camera to frame the shot (hard with a moving child), then snapping the pic, but I don't even know if that's right, ha?!
A: I use my focal points so I can pic which "red dot" I want to have lock in the focus instead of the camera picking it (you know, where you focus and the red dot constantly changes picking something new to focus on). So try using the focal points. It may take some time to get used to, but it has been so helpful for me. I have found that the least amount of "focus/recompose" is the best...so by choosing the focal point, it will help you nail the focus.

Q: I was just wondering what your basic tips are on editing. And what about the "moody" black and white pics?
A: I play with the layers, levels, and curves a lot. Actually, I try to get the best color possible in-camera and just bump a few things to make it pop a bit more. Once you start nailing your exposures, editing becomes SO.MUCH.EASIER. And for the black and whites, I use Brenda Acuncius' Action (the best $12 you will ever spend on actions...and before she realizes she is charging WAY TOO LITTLE for these, you better go buy it--love 'ya Brenda)! That is how I achieve the contrasty black and whites. But a lot of that "moody" look in the black and white images is not so much the action I run, as it is the light. I always try to have the light hit from a direction so it casts a shadow on the face (I do this when shooting indoors if possible...especially newborns)..giving it more dimension.

Q: I have no clue what the histogram is telling me, can you explain?
A: As far as the histogram goes, you want as much of the midtones displayed as possible...so a nice "anthill" works--in other words, you want a nice tonal range. If you take a picture and the subjects are way dark, you will notice the histogram bunching up on the left saying you are way underexposed. If you take a pic and the people are really blown, you will see the histogram bunched up way to the right saying everything is overexposed. When your "anthill" gets bunched up on either side, you are missing all that information in the middle of the histogram that is crucial. However, when you are shooting in a very bright scenario (high-key), you WILL have a lot bunched up on the right of your histogram. But hopefully you still have some of the midtones in the histogram or you may have to be concerned about overexposing. The same goes with shooting in a darker scenario (low-key) and things bunching up on the left. That is a BASIC rundown on histograms...trying to put it in simple terms. To learn more specifics, check out this link...it is more than I could ever write, and I'm not going to reinvent the wheel...so check this out on histograms!

Q: I've been practicing in manual A LOT! I'm still having some trouble with blur in the face...so do you give the shutter speed priority while metering? What about aperture?
A: Blur in the face...check and make sure your shutter speed is not below 125 or you may be dealing with camera shake. I always adjust the shutter speed (it is sort of my variable element) because I want to pick my aperture and let it stay there. I like shooting around 2.0-2.8 aperture. So the first thing I do is set an ISO that will work for the light around me (the darker the situation, the higher I go. But when outside, I usually just stick with 200iso). Next, after setting my ISO, I put my aperture where I want it usually 2.0-2.8...unless it's a group I go to 3.5ish). And after setting my aperture where I want, I then adjust my shutter speed from there to give me proper exposure...BUT IF YOU ARE HAVING TO SET YOUR SHUTTER SPEED LOWER THAN 125, THEN YOU MAY WANT TO INCREASE YOUR ISO INSTEAD TO AVOID CAMERA SHAKE!! Does that help answer your question? The first thing I think with blur in the face is a slow shutter speed. However, you could be too close to lock in a focus. Make sure your lens is not set on M for manual focus; I keep my lens on AF (auto focus).

Q: Do you ever use zoom lenses?
A: Nope...My feet are my zoom...I find it makes me more interactive in my sessions. No right or wrong, just a personal preference at this point.

Q: What would you recommend as far as editing? Photoshop or Lightroom?
I do WAY much more in Photoshop than Lightroom. If I had to pick one, it would be Photoshop...but only because (shhhhh, this is a secret) I am not all that saavy in Lightroom!! So here is a general idea of my workflow...I load the RAW images into Lightroom and cull them there (flag my favorites). Then I look at those and do any exposure tweeks that are necessary and/or get the white balance looking right, then I export them as JPEGS so I can work my magic in Photoshop. However, it is COMPLETELY possible to do all your editing in Lightroom...I'm just not that good with it I suppose!! And you know how it is once you get set in your ways!!! So pick your poison!

And blogs are always WAY better with at least one picture, so...this is what I will be doing with my two little ones this afternoon...cuddling, tickle attacks, and watching the Olympics!!

Does this count for my self-portrait for the month?!
Until Next Time,
-m

{Make Me a Star} Temecula CA Headshots Photographer

2010-02-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

I have not yet blogged this cutie! She was such a joy to work with. We roamed Old Town Temecula for her headshots...there are such great textures down there that provide some amazing backgrounds. And believe it or not, my favorite shots were taken in a beaten up alley with the sun just pouring in from behind her. They are simply YUMMY! I absolutely love those shots. Some of those photos are posted below...just before the slideshow!! Miss K, best of luck in Hollywood...you've got star quality kiddo! And let me know when you are signed!! ;)

OMGosh...LOVE LOVE LOVE...and for the record, you have the most amazing teeth! I know, random...but I kept thinking it while editing your photos!! So smile girl and rock 'em!
Are you kidding me?! YOU ARE GORGEOUS!!
Totally cute and natural...

Here are some more in a slideshow for your viewing pleasure. And I hope you recognize the song Miss K...I picked it especially for you!

{Q.&.A} Photo Questions Answered

2010-02-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

So I finally decided to post some Q.&.A posts to answer some of your photo questions...after receiving many of the same questions through multiple emails, I figured it was best to just post those answers here for all to see! So if you have any photo questions or something you're dying to know, either leave a comment here or email me and I will keep that question for another Q.&.A blog session! Now I am NOT claiming to be a know-it-all about photography by any means; however, it's also not a secret that I know enough to hold my own!! So please don't be shy...guaranteed if you have that question, there is someone else out there wanting to ask the same thing.

SO...here we go with the top 3 questions I receive:

::Q:: "I want to get into photography...did you go to school or how did you master the skill?"
::A:: Nope...no school! I actually went to college and majored in Business Admin with an emphasis in Marketing. So I guess it helps me on the business side of things, but it doesn't help me at all when taking pictures! I am self-taught. I spent a lot of time on photography forums...not necessarily communicating (yes, I lurked) primarily because there were some harsh people out there on the forums, and I didn't want any part of "that". However, there is some FABULOUS information out there on skills that photogs need starting out. So go read through some of those forums!.

And the number one thing that really helped launch my photography skills at the beginning was reading the book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. This teaches you everything you'd ever want to know about proper manual exposure. That way you can turn that flash off and relish in the gorgeous natural light that God gave us!! It is an amazing book...and for a visual learner like myself, it had images on each page, the settings he used, and why he chose those settings. It is a fabulous book and will teach you SO much!

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! I'll even admit I set up a Cabbage Patch Doll near a window to practice back in my early days!! Whatever it takes, no excuses!

::Q:: "What lens do you use?"
::A:: My 50mm 1.4 is typically my go-to-lens. However, I've been shooting families a lot more with the 28 1.8 because I LOVE the wide angle of it. It tells more of a story...I love being able to get close to a baby cooing, yet you can still see mom and dad in the back laughing at their baby making the sounds. To me, the picture is seeing mom and dad in the background responding to their child, not necessarily the kid that is front and center in the picture! And for a portrait type lens, I've been using my 85 1.8 a lot more as well (just spotted a trend...I'm moving away from my 50mm)! I love having the distance from the client where they can interact with some privacy, and the 85mm is just yummy when shooting, especially around 2.0 aperture! And my goal this year is to replace my 28mm with possibly the 35mm 1.4.

::Q:: "What camera do you recommend?"
::A:: I'm sure Nikon is just as good as Canon (that's enough to spark WWIII in some parts of the photo world) so either one is great! But I recommend Canon because it's WHAT I KNOW!~ I shoot with a Canon 5D and a 30D as my back-up camera. They have been wonderful cameras for me. However, if you are just wanting an amateur camera and you are not planning on becoming a professional, I'd recommend just picking up a Canon Rebel. It is a great camera for a mom or dad to sport! If you are wanting to be a professional, I'd recommend the 5D...it handles low-light amazingly well and has been a gem for me.

AND ONE LAST QUESTION THAT I WISH SOMEONE TOLD ME THE ANSWER TO BACK IN THE DAY...
::Q:: "What is the best way to meter for taking a portrait?"
::A:: When I started out, I'd use my in-camera meter to get a proper exposure. I'd get it the little tick mark centered on the meter and CLICK. I didn't take into account either the dark background behind the person or the bright sky or beach behind the person, which changes A LOT in the metering world...MISTAKE! Your camera is taking into account everything you see inside your viewfinder when metering, so a bright sky or a dark background can really throw the metering off for the client's skin. SO...as some of my clients can attest to, I get-up nice and close and TELL them I'm going to get all-up in their personal space for a second so I can meter their skin. After a few laughs, I look through the viewfinder so ALL I CAN SEE IS THEIR SKIN. After I find that it is properly exposed with my in-camera meter, I step back to where I want to be to take the picture. Now, at this point, your camera will tell you that you are ALL WRONG and that you are either seriously over-exposed or possibly under-exposed. IGNORE IT! Because you know you just metered for the skin...and that is the most important element in the photo. Take the picture! Now cheat--look at the back of your LCD...see what it looks like (don't rely on it necessarily, but it will give you a good indication of where you are at...if you want to be technical and see if you really nailed it, look at your histogram). After peeking at the back of my camera, I will adjust slightly from there depending on what my histogram is telling me and what my LCD screen looks like. Just keep in mind, when your lighting changes...or a cloud comes through and blocks the sun, your exposure is changing as well!

NOW, this may mean that if you are at the beach, your beach may be blown a bit, etc. I personally don't care! Yes, I'm not an idiot, I see it's blown some. But I don't care because the moment I captured between the couple or family is what I was after. And I **hate**flash; I'm a natural light junkie. So I am not about to do the whole expose for the background and then throw a flash on my camera for the people....BLAH ::insert vomit bag:: That is just my opinion...my blog, my opinion. Some people are great working the flash...flash is just not my thing. I love the dimensions that natural light gives to the subjects. It just looks so real and natural to me that I don't want to throw a frying pan of light at their gorgeous faces! And at this point, I've totally lost you...haven't I?!

SO! Enough lecturing for now!! If you have any questions AT ALL about photo stuff...or even if you feel like asking me what my favorite type of ice cream is, ASK IT! I am more than willing to give back and help others along in their journey if I can.

And because blogs are just downright boring without a photo, here are a few quick shots I took of my kiddos when they were playing around at the beach! I had a shoot in La Jolla a couple of weeks ago and my fabulous hubby and little girls came along for the fun and played at the playground and ran around the beach while mommy worked....I.LOVE.MY.JOB! Here are a few for ya...

Itsy Bitsy LOVES to chase seagulls...she's loved it since she started walking, and it never gets old or dull!

And as you can see, Little Miss Sunshine in the background could care less about pictures...she just wanted to splash in the water as much as possible. I don't blame her!
Until Next Time...
-m

{Magnifique French Beauties} Temecula CA Photographer

2010-02-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to photograph an old friend's gorgeous daughters. What is so wonderful about these two girls is the fact that they are not only beautiful on the outside, but their personalities are one-of-a-kind. These two are just about as sweet as they come! Their little giggles show the pure joy that oozes from depth of their souls. Mama, you are doing something right with these two...you should be so proud of them!!

And they were more than ready for the camera! They just ATE.IT.UP!~ There were a few times I just could not help but giggle when they busted into their best America's Next Top Model poses with no shame! We also grabbed a few headshots for little Miss L. And let me tell you, the entertainment industry would be a better place with more personalities like little Miss L!

So here are a few pics of these sweeties for you on this fabulous Monday morning. Enjoy everyone! And have a fabulous week!
-m

Some sisterly love...

See...this is the pure joy I was talking about! And don't you love those missing teeth?!?!

Love this shot...

P.R.E.C.I.O.U.S.

Work it girl...

{The Boots...January Self Portrait}

2010-01-31T19:44:00.000-08:00

Let me preface this post with, "What did I get myself into?!" OH MY GOODNESS! I did not think committing to one self-portrait a month would intimidate me so much! However, I spun wheels today while getting my "boots" shot for all of you for my January self-portrait. I don't know what I'm going to do for the next 11 months. I think I may have to drag the hubby or the kids in the portraits with me. What is funny about it is the fact that I am not shy in front of the camera!! I'm not gonna lie! I think it is actually fun being in front of SOMEONE ELSE'S camera!! But there is this whole awkwardness of a self portrait...trying to get the focus (when no one is in the frame to focus on because you are behind the camera), then setting the timer, to then run in the picture, and the most awkward moment of all...the camera is clicking down the seconds and I'm trying to figure out what emotion I want to portray on my face! Pure weirdness!!! I would feel MUCH more comfortable being in front of another photographer's lens! But I guess I'm going to have to get over it because I have 11 more to go!

However, I am easing myself into this whole world of awkward self-portraits by simply focusing on my feet this month. Actually, more so the BOOTS that are on my feet!! As you know, I posted in November a fabulous pair of boots that caught my attention, and I could not get them out of my mind. However, I was not very smitten of the price tag. So I kept hesitating to click the "Purchase Now" button. My lovely husband even wanted to buy them for me!! And something inside me was just saying no...even as much as I loved them and even with all the countless outfits I was pairing together with them! And now I know why...

I ventured over to the Steve Madden site and found them. Okay, so they aren't "Frye", but if you look at my old post and look at these suckers, there is no way you see a $400+ price difference!! It just about blew my mind! So good 'ole Mr. Madden, thank you for this fabulous find...and the good news is I got them on clearance for $69! SERIOUSLY!!! OMGosh...all leather!! And for the record I love them. And I'd like to thank my gut-feeling for making me hold off...because look at these...

I promise to show more of me next month!! I need to ease myself into this project...

Now I'm off to watch the Grammy's!
-m

{Generational Fun} La Jolla, CA Family Photographer

2010-01-23T10:25:00.000-08:00

I just had to go ahead and post this fun session from last weekend. I had the opportunity to do a generational photo shoot, and those kind of shoots are always special to my heart. I'm so glad they took advantage of having all the family together to capture some photographs they can cherish forever. I would give so many things to have a shoot like this with my great grandparents...Little Mr. Tyler will feel so blessed to have these images to look back on as an adult. I just can't emphasize the importance of a generational family photo shoot if you have the opportunity.

We had 4 generations represented! And after we took those images, little Tyler and I snagged his mommy and daddy to get some fun family pictures of their day at the beach. And like I've said before, I'm in love with the beach in the winter time! And thank God we live in CA where we can take advantage of the gorgeous beaches...and I think La Jolla has to be my favorite!

So here are just a few of my favorites from the day...it was so hard to narrow it down, so you will just have to watch the slideshow at the end of the post to see what I mean!

LOVE great-grandpa snuggling up on Mr. Tyler! All 4 generations represented...this makes my heart sing!
And the patriarch himself... ;)

And you can't miss the slideshow... ;)

Thanks for such a fabulous day...and my hope is you treasure the images forever!
-m

{Call Off the Search Party}

2010-01-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

Yes, it was that bad. Never in a million years did I ever think when I picked up the first Twilight saga book to read, that I would virtually fall off the radar as bad as I did. My mind has been in Forks, WA for the past week and a half! It all started with a simple Facebook post, "I guess I'll watch this Twilight movie and see what all the rage is about." And with that...20+comments...my wall blew up! Basically everyone said, "You've GOT to read the books first! They are so much better!" And with that, I turned to page one and never looked back!

People, it got so bad I actually had friends sending me messages saying they missed me and was wondering where I'd been. Even calling me a Facebook widow! I.COULD.NOT.STOP.READING! My husband claims I only took three breaks...#1) a photo shoot #2) to force him to watch the Twilight movie with me #3) when I drug him to a 9:55pm showing of New Moon this past weekend. And I must admit, he isn't too far from the truth! And thank you my love for not divorcing me in the process...I think my addiction is under control now that I have finished book four.

Now as a disclaimer, I am not THAT big of a reader. I pretty much stick to my business books that I like to read and keep the fiction stuff for the movies! But these four books rocked my world and showed me that I actually CAN enjoy reading fiction!

So my favorite in the series was Breaking Dawn...LOVED IT. And for the record, I don't know how they can put everything that happened in that book in only a 2 hour movie. I hope they don't cut a ton out, because it was all just way too fabulous. My next favorite was New Moon. But I did love them all for different reasons!

The TEAM EDWARD VS TEAM JACOB debate:
Oh wow...where do I start! I never knew how passionate people were about Twilight until I started bringing up topics on Facebook! And for the record, I do have to say I am TEAM EDWARD. My husband claims it is because I like the bad boy. I argued back that I felt Jacob was more of a "bad boy" than Edward was! Edward left her because he wanted to protect her!! I have a feeling a lot of people switched to Team Jacob after watching New Moon...I get it, Taylor Lautner half naked with no shirt on for 2 hours could persuade many to switch teams to the dogs. But you obviously have not seen the FABULOUS Vanity Fair spread of Robert Pattinson...HANDS DOWN TEAM EDWARD...case closed!! And it's not just for the looks that I'm Team Edward...so don't give me grief for that! He and Bella just had to be together...there was no other way around it.

And to solve this debate once and for all...here is a funny SNL skit that a friend sent me! I got a pretty good laugh out of it. Enjoy it here!

So now that life must move forward, I am off to clean this house that has been so neglected! And you will start to see more of me in the blogging world.

And yes. If you haven't read it, it was THAT good!! Trust me, I was skeptical! I always thought to myself, "I don't understand how people can be that taken by reading about vampires and werewolves." But now I get it. And I'm looking for a Twilight addiction group!

So what team are you on?!

Until next time...
m

{Friday Funnies} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2010-01-08T18:35:00.000-08:00

So I just had to leave you with a good laugh for your Friday evening...I saw this in the parking lot of a local school as I was waiting for clients to show up. And I about died when I saw this. I mean, if you are going to put this in a school parking lot of all places, *at least* spray-paint the "N" the correct way. And shame on the Principal for not having them correct it!!

On that note, have a fabulous weekend! ;)

More fun next week...
-m

{Jasmine Star Workshop} Orange County California

2010-01-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

So this blog post is long overdue...but technically it is just a display of self-control! And you will see why.

In November, I had the opportunity to attend the Jasmine Star Workshop ...after logging into Paypal as fast as I could so it wouldn't be sold out by the time I clicked "buy now"! Anyways, it was a fabulous experience. Would you expect anything different from Jasmine Star?! She is the branding queen. If you want a workshop on hardcore branding, GO. If you want to learn how to shoot your camera, this isn't the workshop for you. But it was *just* what I had been looking for as far as a branding seminar is concerned. I want to push my business forward to that next level. And I'm glad I went. And for all of you wondering if Jasmine is as true and real as she appears to be on her blog? The answer is YES YES YES! Honestly, what made the workshop that even *that* much better, is the fact that Jasmine and J.D. (and mama) were so incredibly kind, warm, inviting people...not to mention HUMBLE. Who wouldn't want to learn from people like that, right?! I think the whole room felt like one big family for the day! So thank you Jasmine for taking the time to be real and share your knowledge as it relates to our industry.

Towards the end of the workshop, we all had an opportunity to watch Jasmine shoot. She does a outstanding job directing her clients and showing them *exactly* where she wants them.

Now this is where I displayed some serious self-control. I told myself I wasn't going to touch one of these gorgeous shots until after ever client image was edited for the year! And for the first time possibly, my will-power won!! I waited...even though I saw that magical file on my desktop every day labeled "Jasmine *"! And for all you photogs, I made a commitment to myself that I would not shoot over 2.0. And I am now in love with any aperture under 2.0!

Our gorgeous models for the day were the precious Ashley Rose and her husband. And check out how gorgeous they look together...

So without further ado, here is some eye candy for ya! These were my favorites from the day...

Dress: Vera Wang
Makeup and Hair: The super talented Vivian Tran of All Made Up
Floral Pieces: By the fabulous artist Lauryl Lane

Thanks for a fabulous day, and I hope our paths cross again!
-m

{New Year Resolutions}

2010-01-06T15:32:00.000-08:00

So I'm not much of a girl for making a New Year's resolution, because I am not someone that likes to fail! So why would I *ever* say I was going to take a few pounds off or become this newfound person if that just wasn't in my future for the year, right?! But I *am* all about setting goals for my business. So on that note, I'm going to put just a few things out there that I hope to accomplish this year, and we will see how I do. And being the realistic person that I am, it probably won't be too crazy (I have to supress the dreamer inside of me)...let's keep things real, right?!

SO...here are a few resolutions for the next year: (hold me to it folks!)

1. Post a self-portrait once a month. This is huge for me...it's not necessarily the easiest thing to do people!
2. Blog more.
3. Rebrand/Get a custom blog...oh yes people...I'm thinking "go big or go home!"
4. Do a major production shoot that makes my heart sing! Conceptualize and style the whole nine yards!
5. Shoot with other photographers to have some fun and expand our creative minds...anyone game?!

*WHEN* I accomplish these things this year, I will feel simply fabulous about the direction I am going. And now that I put this out there, what are you hoping for either as a resolution or a goal for this next year? That way I can hold YOU to it!!!

And on that note, now that I put this out there...I can't leave you without a picture or two! So here is are a couple of shots from one of my last sessions in 2009. This family was super-fabulous and the boys were hysterical! And these pictures of daddy with his boys just make me smile! I love it when I can "hear" an image...don't you?!

Until Next Time,
-m

{Simply Inspirational}

2010-01-04T14:17:00.000-08:00

If you want to look at some amazing wedding photos for the year, check out these images on Junebug Weddings!

It is so much fun for me to see how the creative mind works...and the moments that are captured...hope you enjoy the link as much as I did!

{Mama and her boy} Newport Beach, CA Photographer

2009-12-27T14:27:00.000-08:00

This was such a fun session...the clients, the location...all were wonderful. Just wait until you see the shots! She wanted suggestions when booking, and I told her the beach can be a wonderfully moody place in the winter. And the beach during winter did not disappoint! Oh just wait...you will see in the pics of them running on the beach the storm that was rolling in! SO.MUCH.FUN! I love shooting at the beach...I love the sand, and I love*love*love the beach-blown hair! Miss A and her little man were just precious. Little Trevor's blue eyes will just steal the heart of anyone that looks at him! I hope you all enjoy the slideshow at the end. You were marvelous, and I thank you so much for allowing me the chance to capture you both together!

A few favs before the slideshow...
Little boys and their love of blowing rasberries!

Little Trevor was fascinated with the sand and couldn't eat enough of it!

And little man on his tippy-toes!

Look at those clouds rolling in! Gorgeous! And we had to go scare the seagulls because it just makes the pictures that much better!
Enjoy the slideshow!
-m

{We Wish You a Merry Christmas, We Wish you a Merry Christmas...}

2009-12-22T11:07:00.001-08:00

This is me...signing out until the new year! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and have plenty of hope in your heart for a fabulous new year.

Until Next Year,
-m

{Mike Colon Workshop...VOTE FOR ME PLEASE!}

2009-12-16T10:15:00.000-08:00

http://www.mikecolon.net/blog/

Votes must be in by tomorrow, FRIDAY!
Thanks for all your support!
xoxo-m

{Makes My Heart Sing} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

2009-12-15T14:11:00.001-08:00

These images make my heart sing. Simply stated. I know I am not your traditional photographer. Yes, I will give your family a couple of your typical "posed" photos because I know every family still likes to have one; however, photos like these make my heart sing. This is what I strive to be...non-traditional.

A former bride, and wonderful friend, once described my work as "organic". I love that she described me this way. Organic: Natural, simple, close to nature. My favorite images are ones that are natural, candid, and give you an opportunity to see yourself in a way you typically don't.

How many of you have a photo of you looking at the camera and smiling? Probably ALL of you do. But how many of you have a photo of you laughing your soul out with your child as you roll around in the grass? I think the percentage just went down. Now how many of you would love to remember your time with your kiddos as "a posed photo" or a photo where you are "laughing yourselves silly"? I would take the later of the two. And here is the proof in the pudding...

I would kill to have photos of my family like the ones below...simply organic...simply you with the ones you love...and simply extraordinary!

Enjoy ~W~ Family! Loved working with you all...you are simply fabulous!
-m

Every little girl's childhood is complete when she owns a pair of ruby slippers!!
I love this photo...and the non-traditional part of me has no problem that heads are cut off! Because I love that you can still see dad's smile...and that's it!

Daddy's girls giving him a tickle attack...look at those true, genuine smiles!
I *love* the hair in Mrs. W's face...so "organic"!
I love the two different stories you have in this photo...daddy with little sis playing in the back and mama playing with her big girl!
Just a natural moment. And for all you photogs...is that light not to die for?!?!
PURE JOY. PURE LOVE.
Giggling her little heart out with daddy...
And I love this photo...Mrs. W, you are just rockin' it! Your lookin' HAUTE!

So this is me...and this is what I strive to be for you...
xoxo

{Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree...}

2009-12-11T09:53:00.001-08:00

So our Christmas tree is really sort of an eclectic mix of all sorts of ornaments that date back to 1976...no joke. I even have the little bell I made in preschool out of an egg carton, tin foil, and a twisty tie adorn our tree every year. I mean, can I really take the thing off and subject it to sitting in a Rubbermaid tote when it has seen December light for the past 30 years?! So to the average person, our tree may be...dare I say it...ugly?! But to us it has history. So this year, I received the Crate and Barrel catalog and found the coolest felt-ball garland. "THAT'S IT," I thought to myself. I will put some cool garland on the tree to give it a "theme"...instead of the theme being, a mix-mash of ornaments!

The garland was *ONLY* $19.99 for a strand! Perfect. So I bought two strands...thinking that would be enough. WRONG! It barely made it around our tree twice! So off I went for not one more, not two more, but THREE MORE STRANDS! So this "cool" garland ended up costing me $100! Our tree better look darn' good now! And yes, at least it has a theme now...cool felt garland and a plethora of ornaments!

So here is a shot of my $100 garland...but the good news is this is the only year it will technically cost me $100! Next year, it will technically have only cost me $50 a year...and so on! You see my strategy while shopping, don't you?!

I hope all of you are enjoying decorating that tree this year...$100 garland or not!
-m

{Miss Sweetie Pie} Temecula CA Headshot Photographer

2009-12-10T15:30:00.001-08:00

So this cutie is signed with Momentum Talent Agency. She is not only super cute...but super sweet and super excited about the journey she is taking into the entertainment industry! Best of luck my sweetie...with your fun personality, you are bound to make great leaps in whatever you choose to do!

Best of luck,
-m

{Family Bonding} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

2009-12-08T15:04:00.000-08:00

This was all she wanted for Christmas...a photo session and a fabulous photo of her family. She not only got that, but dozens of awesome shots of her family that she can treasure forever. I can't imagine a better Christmas gift!

They were a *wonderful* family to work with. And little Miss R is a little firecracker that kept me laughing through most of the session! Her personality just shines right through in the images! So here are a few of my favorites and a slideshow of some more at the end that you won't want to miss!

Enjoy, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
-m

AND FOR THE RECORD...I did not photoshop her eyes!! They ARE that blue! Just look at mama and you know where she got them! Aren't they gorgeous?!

And doesn't every good photo session end with ice cream?!

{L.O.V.E. is in the Air} Laguna Beach Wedding Photographer

2009-12-04T15:22:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Anjane and Tom's special day in the fabulous town of Laguna Beach. I met Anjane probably a good 13 years ago (OMGosh...it's been that long?) when we were both Residential Advisors at UC-Riverside (GO HIGHLANDERS). We both were "dorm moms" in the A&I Residential Dorm...oh the memories we have. I know for a fact there are pictures floating around of both of us duct-taped to pillars for "Duct Tape your RA" day. This is not a joke! But we both had so much fun during our time in college...and especially our days as Residential Advisors. And it was so much fun photographing her wedding because as I'm behind my camera, I'm thinking..."that person looks SO familiar!" And sure enough, it was someone from our UCR days! It was virtually a mini-reunion, and it was so much fun to see all the old faces.

So back to their day...Anjane and Tom could not of asked for a more gorgeous day. The ceremony was held at Tivoli Terrace and then we made our way down to the gorgeous Laguna Beach area for photos afterward. Here is a peek for this warm-hearted couple. I wish you nothing but wonderful days together...

Awesome purple Betsey Johnson shoes!

Gorgeous California Sun...
Here comes the bride... :)

A moment captured in the first dance...
Father-Daughter moment...

{Two More Awesome Finds...}

2009-11-30T13:41:00.000-08:00

I thought of these last two things today that I just had to share....I think my brain was poisoned by turkey, and I forgot them on yesterday's post.

But seriously, you know you all have that childish tendency to want to pop the bubbles on bubble wrap...how cool would it be to have a calendar where you get to pop a bubble everyday?! OMGosh! Check this out! Go to Urban Outfiters for this awesome calendar...brilliant.

And lastly, do you want to make your boxes look spiffy when mailing them this holiday season?! I'm thinking I need to buy this for all my clients boxes...check out this fabulous packaging tape by TapeSwell.

Happy Shopping Days!
-m

{My Favorite Things}

2009-11-29T18:30:00.000-08:00

Okay...time for me to rob a bit of Oprah's spotlight (okay...maybe her shadow) and post my favorite things that are definitely on my Christmas list this year!!

Drum roll please...

I first spotted this divine "Antoinette Fainting Sofa" (I seriously love the name of this thing) while stalking one of my favorite photogs blog. We have been looking for some kind of bench to put at the end of our bed, and then I saw this blog post on Amanda's blog and simply FELL.IN.LOVE! And I think it was meant to be because today I started searching around Urban Outfitter's site for furniture and it was like the angels playing trumpets in Heaven when I saw the "fainting sofa"! I am so torn though...I love this carbon color, but I also love the Caribbean blue that you see in Amanda's post...decisions, decisions. However, I think the carbon color could go with so much more down the road when I want to switch out colors in the master bedroom. So here is the fainting couch that makes my heart skip a beat. You will have to check out Amanda's blog to see what this sofa looks like at the end of a bed...FABULOUS!

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And item number two is also from Urban Outfitters. Seriously, how cute are these curtains?! I would love to get a couple of these and put them in the girls bedroom...don't they just scream girl?!

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Okay...not much more needs to be said about the following except: I.WANT.THESE.BOOTS...still!

The problem is I am a frugal shopper...I have searched high and low for a Black Friday sale on these suckers, and it just flat out doesn't exist...but Amazon does have the best price on it so far...maybe Oprah is reading this and would love to buy me a size 9.5?!
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The next item I had on my list a good 2 or MAYBE 3 years ago...and I still haven't just bit the bullet and bought one. But I absolutely love the Anthropologie aprons! Seriously, I love them all...and I know I wouldn't wear it EVERY day, but still, it would be fun to look rockin' in the kitchen while sporting my Betty Crocker skills every once in awhile. I don't even think I should "claim" Betty Crocker skills...but my baking is definitely better than my cooking.

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Okay...my next item is simple...I want a trip to Shareen's Vintage in Los Angeles. Now you have to go to the following link to see this place in it's due justice. Fabulous photographer Brandon Kidd did an editorial shoot for Shareen's and his images just make you want to jump in the car right now, hit up a Starbucks to get caffeinated, and put the pedal to the metal to get to L.A. and go through all the yumminess that is in store there. A matter of fact, I think I may have something up my sleeve for a personal project...and the clothes have to come from here! Sorry, no image...you just have to check out Brandon's post! Be prepared to drool!
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QUE MUSIC: {{OH OH OH OH OH...HANGIN' TOUGH}}

And last but definitely NOT least...ahhhhhhh (breathe in, breathe out)...tickets go on sale tomorrow for Joey McIntyre's tour. It is no secret to you all...I am a Blockhead...and I will simply be one for the rest of my life. And Joey Joe...my favorite one of all...is going on tour! Now how can a girl say no to that! Now, I'm not going to lie...I would love to see all of them together again (this last tour was F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S). And my fingers are crossed that they will once again go on another tour as a group. But until then, tickets to see Joey Joe would put my heart at ease!

So on that note...those are a few of my favorite things. Hope you all had a successful Black Friday! What's on your list of favorite things this year?!

Until Next Time,
-m

{BFFs} Mennife CA Photographer

2009-11-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

This session was so special for many different reasons. Erin was my sidekick through high school. When I think back at my high school years, I immediately think of Erin, Mindy and Natalie (the two other goofballs in the group), and myself...running around Temecula without a care in the world. We had so much fun...innocent fun...the kind of fun that we all pray for our daughters when they are that age! Now, a good 15 years later, we all have little girls of our own...SO.MUCH.FUN! So of course when my BFF was due with her third precious little girl, I knew my camera had to be all over her! And then the session became even more important to me when little Miss Taylor was born. To her family's surprise, little Miss Taylor was born with Downs Syndrome and with a hole in her heart. With everything their family has gone through in the past few weeks, I wanted so much to give them photos they will always treasure. Miss Taylor has a lot that she will be going through just in the next 6 months or so, starting with surgery to fix that precious little heart. Little Miss Taylor has already begun to bless her family in many different ways. It was evident just in the way her older sisters look at her...they are in awe. And through Faith, her family will find the strength, direction, and comfort they need.

So here is a family that will always have a special place in *my* heart, and a family that I admire on so many levels...

OH MY GOSH...those cheeks are to die for!

Proud big sisters...

Seriously...how cool is Annie the dog?!

And a slideshow of their session for you to enjoy~

A medical fund has been established to help with Miss Taylor's medical bills not covered by insurance. If your heart so desires, please contact me via email (info@michelleocampophotography.com) to find out where donations may be mailed.

Until Next Time~
-m

{Photog Shoot-out}

2009-11-23T12:39:00.000-08:00

This is something I think all photographers love to do...get together with other photographers and just shoot away to your heart's content...a chance to break all rules and have no pressure. And that is what we did. Photographers from all over the world, coming together with one common theme...we love photography. Put someone in front of our camera, and we will shoot!

The night before the Jasmine Star Workshop, we all met up for some shooting time, followed by drinks and dinner once the sun set over gorgeous Laguna Beach. It was a fabulous way to get to know each other before the workshop, and make connections with some wonderful individuals. The connections made were real and genuine, and I hope we all keep in touch and follow each others journeys for many years to come. Here are some pics of our fun and some of the wonderful photographers I was able to share this experience with...

Fabulous Jersey Girl, Jessica

The girl with a contagious smile, Gladys Jem...

The super-sweet and genuine Radelle...
And super-talented and so incredibly fun, Anda...

And here is a tribute to some wonderful souls that were thrilled to be in front of the camera as we were shooting. Any random person on the beach was probably trying to figure out who these people were because we looked like hardcore paparazzi with a dozen photographers shooting them!

These last few make my heart sing...

Thanks for a fabulous evening ladies~
m

{It's Official...}

2009-11-20T14:08:00.001-08:00

She loves eggnog...

{Merry Christmas To You} Temecula CA Photographer

2009-11-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

So I met up with the *B* Family in Old Town Temecula this past week to grab some very important photos.

It is always fun to see how people find me to book a session! So here it is...Mr. B's sister lives in Florida and found me on my friend's blog. Knowing that Mr. B is preparing to deploy soon, she thought it would be the most perfect Christmas gift for their family. So she contacted me, we set everything up, and I had a blast shooting her brother's family! Seriously, that is the most awesome gift ever! It's not like a Snuggie that will be in next year's garage sale!

So we wandered around Old Town and even stopped for a gelato at the end! I think that was a hit for the kiddos...

So here are some pics of this wonderful family. And Mr. B, you will be in my thoughts and prayers as you enter this deployment. It is because of families like this, that we are all able to live in such a wonderful country and sleep soundly at night. Thank you for everything you do and everything your family sacrifices.

Until Next Time,
m

{ J }* Workshops

2009-11-18T14:49:00.000-08:00

Attended.
Fabulous.
Real.
Genuine.
BFFs.
Inspired.

Need I say more?
-m

P.S.- I'm totally going to say more in another post because it was simply fabulous and it can be hard to shut me up! But I want the pics of our fab models to go with it! More to follow!

{Color Me Happy} Fort Irwin Photographer

2009-11-18T14:27:00.001-08:00

I just hung up from a client for this weekend and we were discussing how I felt about clothing choices and color. I.LOVE.COLOR! Seriously, I know it may be hard for some people to sway away from having the whole family in jeans and a white shirt; however, check out what color can do for an image! This family rocked the colors and it adds such a visual *POW* to an image!

What I always recommend to my clients when figuring out what to wear for a session is this:
MOM...you get to have the most fun out of everyone. YOU get to choose the outfit that YOU feel fabulous in. Pick something that you feel rockin' in and then coordinate everyone else around YOU! Yes, I said that! You get to dictate the session based on your outfit! And just choose complimentary colors. Everyone does not have to be in the same color! So mom, go have fun scouring those JCrew and Anthropologie catalogs for that ideal outfit. You deserve it; think about how often you go out shopping for your children and come home with nothing for yourself. I TOLD YOU! So go spoil yourself on one fun outfit...and everything else will fall into place. I promise! Scour those sales racks first...you never know what gem you will find. I am the queen of finding steals on the sales rack! And don't forget the accessories ladies!

Until Next Time,
m ;)

{My Lovely Lakebed...} Murrieta Family Photographer

2009-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

So the lovely lakebed is becoming a very popular destination for sessions! Now I understand families here at Fort Irwin wanting to experience the madness of it all because it is the ultimate family memory for their time here in the desert. But it has become so popular that this family from Murrieta drove ALL.THE.WAY. to the desert just so they could partake in the fun as well!

Now this was no simple session. I am not exaggerating when I tell you we battled 60+mph winds out there. Most photographers would have probably bailed and rescheduled for another date, but not me! I mean first of all, this fabulous family was driving a good 2 hours just to get here!! And secondly, I knew that wind is *amazing* in photographs. How boring to have your hair so perfectly still, right?! And boy, was I right! Check these girls out; super troopers braving the wind! And dad has a quick set of feet on him as well...at one point the kite accidentally got away and I was at peace knowing it was probably gone forever. But then dad came bolting down the lakebed chasing a kite that was just purely out of control. However, he was successful and saved the kite! Thanks again!

So here are some pics of the fun I had with the girls!
Enjoy!
-m

{Top Three Favorites of the Week}

2009-11-06T14:51:00.001-08:00

So you know how I am...when I find something I love, I'm dying to share it with everyone. So I picked three things that have taken my life by storm this week (okay, I may be a bit dramatic as well)!

HOLLA!!!!! The red cups are back at Starbucks! Seriously, how can that not put someone in the best holiday spirit...red cups and a Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha?! I am going to completely blame my coffee addiction on being stationed at Fort Lewis, WA for a few years. IT.RAINED.ALL.THE.TIME. And I froze my butt off for 9 months out of each year...it was the only logical solution; not to mention there was a coffee shop on each corner! But since we have moved away, I haven't been able to kick my coffee shop addiction. So when you get that nice warm red cup in your hands, think of me!

Okay, are these not the boots to die for?! These are the Frye Boots that I am just utterly drooling over. I can't look at another pair because they just never seem to measure up to these boots. I first spotted them inside Tangerine in Temecula and once I slipped them on, my world would never be the same. I *will* have these boots one day...I'll just keep saving my pennies until then! Seriously...you could rock these boots with so many things...leggings, a dress, jeans...the possibilities are endless!!

All you photographers out there, this is something you must check out. I love using Totally Rad Actions, and Doug, the creator, is an absolute Photoshop genius! And TRA has started BlogTalk Radio TRA Interviews! They interview the best of the best in the industry and they go through the nuts and bolts of their business. I listen to an interview a day (trying to catch up) while I walk my 5K's in the mornings. It makes the time fly by, I'm working out, AND I am learning tricks and tips to my my business that much better. So you will have to check it out! The latest one is an interview by the lovely Boutwells. Trust me, they are awesome...it should be a good one!

Have a fabulous weekend!!
m

{I puffy heart* the desert}* Fort Irwin CA Photographer | Desert Lakebed Photographer

2009-11-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

What an awesome family...seriously awesome! They were a ton of fun as we ventured out to the local lakebed for some family shots. All you Fort Irwin peeps...the lakebed is basically the epitome of the desert and what an awesome way to remember our time here at Fort Irwin. And Fort Irwin peeps...don't forget to check out the Facebook challenge we have going on between now and November 15th!

(Sidenote: Sessions are very limited between now and Christmas...if you have intentions to have a shoot before the holidays, email me ASAP...I can count on one hand the days of availability that are left!)

Back to your regular programming...your batch of lakebed awesomeness. Check out the fun we had:

Crazy family fun...I told you they were awesome!

Such a sweet shot...

See! Even the *H* Family is excited to be on the lakebed!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this shot below...LOVE IT!

{Halloween}

2009-11-02T09:14:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah, we went there...
Our family as Jon and Kate, Tinkerbell, and a precious ladybug. Thank you *K* family for the photo!

Can you say *fabulous*?!
Hope you had a wonderful Halloween!
-m

{Proud Mama} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2009-10-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day in our house. Little Miss M swam in her first swim meet! She is on the team here at Fort Irwin, and it has all been a bit overwhelming for her...she is by far the smallest kiddo on the team and the poor thing just took her very first swim lesson in June. But she *really* exceeded our expectations at today's meet! I think she was more excited by the fact that she was able to wear her big girl racing suit today than the fact she was able to swim. But she did get into the groove of it all and was very excited for her heats. She did the 25m freestyle, 25m backstroke, and 25m breaststroke. And as a very proud mama, I am so happy to report she was the first in her heat for the backstroke. I'm not going to lie, she took us by surprise!! But she did great and finished her backstroke in 37.62 seconds! Way to go Miss M! That is definitely going to be her stroke, but it was a great confidence booster for her.

So as a proud mama would, here are some pics I snapped of her getting ready for her heats. She automatically thinks she is an Olympian when she puts her fancy suit on...and you can be my little one if that is what you want.

Enjoy the pics...now off to get ready for another lakebed session!! Can't wait!
m

I am serious when I say she busted into this pose below all by herself! Check her out! HA!

Getting ready for her breaststroke heat!
GO GIRL GO!

We are so proud of you *M*!

{Fort Irwin Facebook Challenge} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2009-10-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

I have a fabulous challenge for all my Fort Irwin residents...check this out!

So what are you waiting for?! To the right of this blog post is a place you can click and it will take you to Facebook where you can become a fan. And then go tell all your friends to become fans too so you can increase your chances of winning! A lakebed session is a fabulous memento from Fort Irwin that you will always treasure.

And a couple spots are still open for the Holiday Mini-Sessions taking place on Fort Irwin this Sunday...so lock in your time slot!

See you in Facebook-land!
-m

{CHICABEE Boutique} Couture Children's Clothing

2009-09-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness...when I find things that I *absolutely* hands-down love, I just always have the urge to shout it from the rooftops. If you are looking for some amazing clothing for the kiddos...look no further! The super-talented Heather Bookout has created a clothing line that will not only rock your world, but rock your pictures as well! Seriously, I would KILL (okay, maybe not kill...but give an eye-tooth) to have kiddos show up at a photo shoot styled in these clothes! The colors, the styles, the textures of the outfits...uber-fabulous! I mean seriously...check this out...
**Photo taken by the super-talented Heather Bookout

Check out this video highlighting her new line. (Feel free to silence my crazy music on the right hand side of the blog so you can check out her video!)

Chic*a*bee Boutique ~ Inside Bookout Studios from Bookout Studios on Vimeo.

Here is the link for her online catalog. Send her some love...she deserves major kudos for putting together a line so unique and amazing! And spread the word from the mountain tops! :)

Until next time...
m :)

{Holiday Mini-Sessions} Temecula | Fort Irwin CA Photographer

2009-09-21T16:36:00.001-07:00

-If your family has more than 4, please contact me so we can make special arrangements.

Book ASAP! Slots are limited! And I will see you in your Holiday best! :)
xoxo-m

{Headshots and more...} Temecula CA Headshot Photographer

2009-09-21T15:09:00.000-07:00

So I have a confession, I have been a horrible blogger. I will be shocked if any of you are still out there! But that is going to change! I do have to say, the whole social networking is taking the world by storm. And I'm not going to lie, you will probably stay more up-to-date on things by "Becoming a Fan" on Facebook! Simply go to Facebook and search for good 'ole "Michelle Ocampo Photography" and there you will have the chance to show your love by becoming a friend and receive the updates! Or the Facebook button to the right---------> will take you right there where you can be in on all the fun!

So today I will show off a couple of recent headshot sessions I've done. This is the perfect time for all of you realtors and other professionals to update those headshots. Headshots in the studio are "so 2008, so two-thousand and late"!

Here is the super friendly realtor Pamela Seley ...

And here is another fabulous Temecula professional...
And this photo was just too gorgeous with that backlighting!

I know professionals have busy schedules and that is why I make the process for you as painless as possible! In a mere 15-20 minutes, I will shoot some gorgeous headshots for you and post a gallery within days for you to choose your favorite! Nice and easy...and it is a nice excuse to get out of that office for 15 minutes and breathe in that fabulous fall air! Just shoot me an email for more details!

Until Next Time...
m :)

{Home Front Online} Army Wife and Traveling Photographer

2009-08-10T17:24:00.000-07:00

SUCH EXCITEMENT! I was contacted to do an interview for the fabulous online resource for military families, Operationhomefrontonline about military spouses that run their own businesses. So I was totally blushing when they Facebooked me (by the way, if you're not a fan yet, I highly recommend it...just go to the right and click away) and told me I made the home page...and hello, I am right underneath the stars from Army Wives! I'm offically famous world!!! :) Okay...I am down off my cloud now, but it was just so exciting! Everyone jump up and down with me for a minute here!

Here is a direct link to the article: Read about me here!

I highly recommend running your own business...I love every minute of it. Hope you enjoy the article.

SIDENOTE: Weekend sessions are slipping away fast for the fall! I know you all want those amazing photos for Christmas cards...so book soon so you get the date you want!

Until next time,
Michelle :)

{Big Sister...} Tacoma WA Photographer

2009-08-04T15:40:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun at my last shoot in Tacoma, WA. It is so much fun when you get the pleasure of seeing your old clients again; to see how the little munchkins have grown...here is little Miss L the last time I saw her. Now she is a big sister! We had fun capturing some images in their home and then headed down to the park. And in true PNW fashion, we started getting sprinkles towards the end of the session...but that didn't stop us! Thank you PNW weather for holding up a tad longer so we could capture a few more fabulous images!

So here are a few to tickle your eyes for a bit! Enjoy! :)

Miss L...oh my how she has grown!

*LOVE* this one!
She has the most gorgeous eyes...
And those itsy bitsy toes!!! :)

Until Next Time,
m

{Fun, Fun in the Summertime...} Dupont WA Photographer

2009-07-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Oh Mrs. W...I know you have been waiting so patiently for this peek! I know you are also refreshing your computer {laughed at the email ;) }...so here is your precious family! Little *A* is just the cutest thing ever. Enjoy this age...I know people probably tell you all the time, but I think I underestimated how long they are really "young and little" for. Everyone always says, "enjoy this time...it goes by so fast." But I thought, oh, they will still be my little munchkins when they are in Kinder and 1st grade, etc. NO...they aren't! This is what people don't tell you! They go off to school!! So treasure this time you have with him while he has no care in the world, and no school! There is such a short window you have them at home to enjoy them...where life is ONLY about mommy and daddy! So never take it for granted...he is so incredibly precious. Okay, now that I am off my soapbox, and I feel like I've done my motherly duty to warn people that this time is shorter than people tell you...off to the preview! Enjoy! Off to work more on the gallery! :)

Okay...for some reason, this is one of my favorites of the three of you. I think it is just because it is such a nice candid moment...you three being just that...you three!

Ahhh...who wouldn't love a little one figuring out that funny thing on his belly called a button?!

Watch out Tiger...Grandpa has this one in training already!

Great shot of you two! LOVE the wispy hair action! I'm a sucker for wind and hair...it instantly throws the sexy factor in a shot!
Seriously...SERIOUSLY! How cute!
Until Next Time...
m :)

{Refresh...Refresh...Refresh...} Dupont WA Photographer

2009-07-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

There was no more appropriate title than "Refresh...Refresh...Refresh..."! This is what Mrs. J has been doing to her computer since I left the state of WA! I can't blame you...I know the excitement that builds when you are waiting to have just a glimpse of what is to come with your gallery! And this is exactly that...a glimpse! Much more to edit! Much more love captured in your photos like these...

This family was a ton of fun. I am seriously blessed with the *best* clients EVER! And this was their VERY first professional photo session of their family! Which made it even that more special for me! Every family *must* be captured in photos...I just can't stress it enough. Seriously, go pull up a photo of your child from a year ago and you will see how much they change in such a short time. One day, all these munchkins will be grown up and Mr. and Mrs. J will treasure each and every photograph remembering life when they were little! This time that we are all in right now...these phases with our children...they are only but a memory that we will hold on to when they are all grown up.

So here is your peek! Lovin' them girl! And now I'm off to take my birthday girl and her big sister bowling!

Until Next Time...
m :)

Lovin' these two of you!

Okay...don't you want to bottle this moment up forever in your memory?! How stinking cute is this!?!
Just so precious!

One gorgeous mama!
Love this family photo!
Such pure joy!

{Washington Continued} Lifestyle Photographer

2009-07-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

As we continue on our journey, our next stop is the *P* family! This was so much fun...and if you've followed my blog for a long time, you will recognize these faces! I shot their maternity pictures for their first born, little Miss S' newborn pics, throw a couple more sessions in...and now her baby sister's newborn/lifestyle session at their house! It has been so fun to follow this family as it continues to grow with such cute little girls! They are always so much fun to work with and Little Miss S was so much fun to play with...she was not shy at all, and I even got KISSES when I left, not bad-huh?!

Here are some pics from around the house as we captured them all in their own special way...

I don't know what it is about this pic, but I love it...
This is how Miss S preferred to do the family photo! So we rolled with it! Can you blame the girl?! She now has something called a "little sister" in her life, so she wanted her 15 minutes of fame with me! :)
Love this shot and love Miss K's squished baby face! :)
Ah! Pure sweetness!
Breathing in the pureness of a newborn...
My little gumball!
Miss S...LOVE THIS PICTURE OF YOU!!! This is what happens when you have a two year old "look close to the circle and see if you can find your face!"
My little firecracker...I love your little voice...there is nothing like the voice of a two year old. Mr. and Mrs. P-get her on the camcorder at this age. I miss the sound of my kids at two...and I pray I pulled out the camcorder so I can remember the sound.
Until next time...
m

{Pink or Blue} Dupont Washington Photographer

2009-07-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

Moving right along on our journey through the South Sound...next up is the gorgeous mama-to-be Mrs. O! We met Saturday morning at Saltar's Point photographing her maternity session and had a fabulous time! Since I know Mrs. O and all of her friends are stalking the blog, I thought I'd post these few that I've edited so far. I have *much* more editing to do...it was so hard for me to narrow shots down for this session! Just too many good ones!

AND...Mr. and Mrs. O are NOT finding out if it is a boy or girl until the big "birthday party"! But I know this baby will be a special one because her due date is my birthday!! So I am hoping you have the baby on August 12th at 2:03am (I think that is the time I was born!!! Correct me if I'm wrong mom!). My vote is a girl on 8/12/09 at 2:03am...WHAT IS YOUR VOTE?! The person closest to the date and time (guessing the sex is just for fun) will win a little something-something. So leave it in the comments HERE ON THE BLOG! Not on Facebook all of my FB fans! I'm thinking, in the spirit of the PNW, a Starbucks coffee will be on me if you win! :)

So enjoy these photos! :) I had so much fun, and I'm so thankful we had the chance to see each other again and spend a couple of hours goofing off for the camera! :)

xoxo,
m

Love this one...so awesome!

Okay...love this shot! I love head-less pictures sometimes! :) You're gorgeous Courtney...don't get me wrong! It's the artsy-fartsy side of me!
And to the moron that tagged up my favorite piece of beached wood (I'm talking about the red and yellow spraypaint all over it that you can't see)...go take some art classes and make some money doing that on canvas...don't mess up mother nature and force this image into a black and white!
Love tall grass!
On her booking sheet, she said they laugh a lot together...does this not capture that perfectly!?!

yummy yummy backlighting to quench my lighting thirst!

{Washington PART 1} Dupont WA Photographer

2009-07-14T20:03:00.001-07:00

What an amazing weekend I had! It was so quick, yet so fun! I flew up to Seattle Friday morning and had my first shoot that night...and it was a double booking! Mrs. H was a smart lady and booked two slots so she could have her sister's family there and the grandparents. We got some *amazing* shots...ones that her family will look back on thirty years from now and just fall in love with all over again! It was a ton of fun photographing the *H* family...I've photographed them in the past and they are always such a blast to work with.

Washington...you were all amazing! And I can't wait to relive my weekend through pictures! I squeezed in 3 (yes you read right) hours of fun personal time while I was there! On Sunday before I flew home, we had a crab bake at my cousin's house in Seattle, and I was able to see my family again...I miss them more than they know. Thank you so much you all for my 3 hours of play in one of the best cities in the US of A! And the crab was soooo good! Probably the freshest I've ever had...they dropped pods the day before to catch them!

So back to the pictures...here is a peek of some of the fun...and yes, the group shot, wouldn't you all kill to have a shot like that with all the loved ones in your life?!

I had an amazing time, and I can't wait for the next trip my camera takes me on! I love traveling to different cities for sessions! Talk about a dream job...

LOVE THIS ONE! Love the light...love how Miss P is highlighted...just great!

Love the squished noses in this kiss...Mrs. H...hang on to this picture and remember this age when he is 18!

The cousins having fun and taking in the Sound.

{ CA Senior Photographer} Temecula CA Photographer | Fort Irwin Photographer

2009-07-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

Hey there Class of 2010!

Some fun things are happening around here for all you Seniors! Senior sessions are moving into full swing!

Of course I always offer the regular Senior session for $125...you get to be like a supermodel for a couple of hours and rock some photos! But this year, there is something even better...

I am offering a BFF Senior Session! This is where you can have your senior pictures done with a friend for only $200. Do the math (which you all should be good at now) and that works out to only $100 each! So you both save some bucks and still get rockin' pictures that you know will be better than everyone else at school! Not to mention, I will get all the cool individual photos you love from the regular senior session, but also some pictures of you both together...perfect for your college dorm room!

And if that isn't cool enough...the Class of 2010 Senior that sends the most referrals to me (meaning their friends book a senior session through me as well) will win a brand new iPod Shuffle! And if you already have an iPod, well then you are in luck...because instead of the Shuffle, you can choose an iTunes gift card ($ amount equivalent to an iPod Shuffle).

So get that senior session booked and spread the word! This is for sure going to be a fun year! :)

{Leaving on a Jet Plane} Seattle WA Photographer

2009-07-09T15:57:00.000-07:00

Leaving on a Jet Plane...
I will be back to answer emails and phone calls on Monday...

HEE HAW...*THIS* is going to be fun! :)

Until next time...
m

{A Little Piece of Me...} Temecula CA Photographer | Fort Irwin Photographer

2009-07-07T16:11:00.001-07:00

I strangely noticed that I haven't done as many personal blogs as I used to...what is up with that?! So in the quest of going back to my roots...here are some fun facts about me that you may or not know! I always think it is fun to learn about the person behind the camera...so here is some fun for you today!

1. I was born a California girl.
2. Because of #1, I *love* the heat...I have learned through all of our moves, I can't stand the cold for long!
3. My oldest daughter is a spitting image of my personality...it's scary!
4. My favorite TV show...oh I have too many! Let's see...Greys Anatomy, Sex and the City, Friends, the Tudors...and my list continues!
5. Because of me loving the Tudors (and other movies and shows similar), I think I secretly wish I could go back in time and live as one of the Tudors for just a day! Wouldn't it be cool to be Queen Anne for a day?! Okay...maybe just not the day where it was "off with her head!" But it would be cool to jump back into time and wear those fancy dresses!
6. Ahhh...Fancy dresses. Yes, I am a girl that loves to dress up. I am not even going to try to hide the fact that I do have expensive taste. Sometimes I wish I didn't, but it would be a total lie. And Juicy Couture dresses (wiping drool from keyboard)...they are so feminine and to die for! My list can go on...Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs. If I was a celebrity, I would be at every red carpet event so I could strut my stuff and show off my newest and greatest fancy dress! Dressing up is just too much fun...and then there is my shoe addiction.
7. I am a shoe addict and one day I will own a striking pair of Valentinos or Louboutins. Or if anything, I hope my husband buries me in a pair one day...throw me in a nice pair of tall heels honey! But I hope I own them before that day...all you ladies know how a good pair of heels make you feel like a supermodel. You become invincible!
8. You would think with my expensive taste I would have horrible spending habits. But actually I am a saving freak and always save for my splurges.
9. I have a thing with numbers and remember dates very easily. A matter of fact, a year ago tomorrow I was on a plane to Hawaii...
10. I DON'T have one tattoo. Seriously, am I that boring?! But I was with my husband when he got his...does that count for anything?!
11. Eighth grade was the worst year of my life...middle school STINKS! Such an awkward stage.
12. College was the best school experience of my life.
13. I love watching the previews at the movies...I am ready to go when the lights dim! I'm always excited to get my list ready of what I want to see next.
14. It's 104 outside...YIKES!
15. My favorite day of the year...Christmas Eve. Particularly, Christmas Eve NIGHT. And ironically, that is the day my love proposed.
16. I don't know how to play one instrument...but I played the recorder in 5th grade like everyone else!
17. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a pop star. Watch out Britney! On the other thought, maybe I will just stick with photography.
18. I type fast.
19. I love music...virtually every song that comes on the radio is a "favorite". And I love all genres of music. I will listen to Elton John one minute, and then I could listen to Black Eyed Peas the next. You should see my iPod list. And yes, I will ALWAYS be a New Kids on the Block fan. If the whole 6 degrees of separation thing is true...then HOOK ME UP one of you! Let me photograph one of their families! I loved them as a kid and let's all admit, those kind of loves never go away.
20. I need to get my kids away from the T.V. So this is it!

So there are some fun tid-bits to keep you entertained until my next post...in my next personal post, I will have to list some of my favorite things. Just because I'm not Oprah, doesn't mean I can't do that!

And for all of you Washingtonians...I am *dying* to get on the plane and fly up there this week! I can't wait! We are going to have some rockin' newborn and family sessions...and even a maternity session (please don't have the baby before I get there *C*)!

And since it is TOTALLY uncool to post without some photos...here are some from one of my sessions this past 4th of July weekend. I had two fabulous sessions...and these three girls could giggle themselves to death on cue! PERFECT for me! :) Enjoy!

{Mini-Urban} San Diego Photographer

2009-06-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

We did this quick mini-session down in San Diego for these two cuties. I felt so honored since this was their first custom photography session! No more boring school photos for these two! Here are a few favorites...enjoy C.&.Z! I know you're family will love them!

And yes...his eyes are *that* blue! No Photoshop necessary!

{Priceless} Fort Irwin | Barstow CA Photographer

2009-06-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

dried up lakebed=breathtaking...
cost of two models=2 strawberries and cream frappuccino's at Starbucks
photos of my two girls like this=priceless...

Fort Irwin CA Photographer | Temecula CA Family Portrait and Lifestyle Photographer

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{If You're Reading This...}

{THIS BLOG IS DEAD!}

{Fashion Friday}

{Bundle of Joy} MCLB Barstow Photographer

{Daddy and the D-Word}

{Fashion Friday} Fort Irwin Family Photographer

{BUCKEYES} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

{Newborn-palooza} Fort Irwin CA Newborn Photographer

{San Diego Fair Photography Exhibit}

{Apple of her eye}

{Waterstop King} Temecula Corporate Headshot Photographer

{California or Bust} Southern California Photographer

{PROJECT: MATERIAL GIRL | Take 2} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

{Hangin' Tough NYC Style}

{Her day finally came...} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

{PROJECT: MATERIAL GIRL | Take 1} Fort Irwin Children Photographer

{Escalate 2010} Newport Beach, CA

{C.U.T.I.E..P.I.E.} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

{Cav Baby} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

{How the Murphy's Roll} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

{A Barn...in the Desert} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

{Good People} Fort Irwin CA Family Photographer

{Class of 2010} Temecula Senior Photographer

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{Published} Military Spouse Magazine

{And the Countdown Begins...}

{The Happiest Place at Sea} Disney Cruise Review

{March Self-Portrait} Southern CA Lifestyle Photographer

{Cowboy Supernova} Fort Irwin, CA Photographer

{Simply Mom Sessions} Fort Irwin, CA

{Home Sweet Home} Disney Cruise

{Away from the Office...}

{Fort Irwin Mardi Gras} Fort Irwin CA Photographer

{Q.&.A Round II}

{Make Me a Star} Temecula CA Headshots Photographer

{Q.&.A} Photo Questions Answered

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{The Boots...January Self Portrait}

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{New Year Resolutions}

{Simply Inspirational}

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{Mike Colon Workshop...VOTE FOR ME PLEASE!}

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