I was about 19 or 20 years old when I became serious about photography.  I scraped up money to buy my first SLR camera, which was thrilling to achieve as a poor College student.  My preferred film was a roll of BxW Ilford 400s.  The following Summer, I took a film photography class at UC Berkeley, so I could learn how to develop/print my own film and have unlimited access to the darkroom, which absorbed a good part of that year. BxW can look really moody, which I love, but th

Janet loves the San Francisco Bay Area so much that during a visit many years ago, she decided to move here.  Her love for the Bay Area is still immeasurable, so she chose a special location for her shoot (a precious gift from her sister Julie) that faces her beloved city. Even with high wind weather advisories, Janet and her family didn’t let that stop them from having a memorable afternoon.  Their son had recently returned home after being in the Peace Corps, so they had al

LOVE is all you need. Rain or shine, locations with events being held or not, their lifestyle shoot was going to happen no matter what.  And it did.  Their positive attitude was rewarded by the rain halting, the sun peeking, a group of Santas running, and a family of seals swimming by us. We were able to gallivant outdoors, and the Youssefs kissed, marched, danced, and hugged in the best city in the World, their home.  The Youssefs have the kind of love that I can capture eas

When clients tell me they look forward to their photoshoot every year, I may respond with a calm “oh, that’s so nice”, but what I want to say is:  “SQUEEEE!  ME TOO!  ME TOO!!!” Shooting repeat clients through the years means catching up with friends, watching their kids grow up, visiting their new homes, hearing about transitions like new careers, and getting to bond with their little ones.  So every year, I can’t wait! Last weekend’s shoot with Christine, Kevin and little K

Even through the chilly dense fog, I Tigger-esquely bounced over to greet Julie and her family when I saw them walking towards me. That is what happens when you’ve been photographing the same family for 10 years.  A DECADE is a long time and also the exact age of their son, Ian.  Ahhh, I still remember photographing their blue-eyed baby’s face on a blanket with blue polkadots! I had the joy of hanging out with this long-time clients-turned-friends one foggy morning, and it wa

Life is like a Conga dance.  It is rhythmic.  It moves in a direction — can be right or wrong, and sometimes moves erratically.  You’re part of a larger group, made up of family and friends.  Even when you’re not in the mood for it, it always turns out alright. Jennifer and Jonathan and their J-kids are first-time clients, and they arrived with THE best attitude:  willing to try anything! This is what I sounded like throughout their shoot:  “Ooh ooh, I have an idea!”  And som

I had another fun playdate, I mean, photoshoot with my little buddies, Rory and Dex!  🙂 This time, it was at their mom’s workplace, which was truly the coolest office building ever.  It’s like workplace-meets-Disneyland, a place where innovation and productivity can blossom.  Get this:  there was a Library, gardens, a gym, Laundry Room, THE coolest chairs everywhere, gorgeous artwork, and even a Game Room!  Danny and I had to pick our jaws off the ground and ran around like

When you’ve known your client for over a decade, a trip downtown ends up being a trip down memory lane. I know I’ve said this before (I’m like an old record player, but hey, those are retro cool – haha), but I feel sooooo fortunate to be doing what I love for my business.  I get to meet amazing people, catch up with them like old friends, watch their kids grow up, and hang out in different parts of the San Francisco Bay Area all while playing with my camera. Alex and Keiko’s

There’s something about Brooke and Emmy that is undeniable.  They have some kind of energy that radiates from within when they are together.  It’s a light that makes others want to be around them, to laugh with them, to be better people because they incite inspiration without even trying.  Especially during a time when we are bombarded by negative news, being around Brooke and Emmy felt like a little vacation for my soul.  ❤️ Now with Fletcher and Annie, their energy has grow

With the end of the year rounding the corner, I look back and think of all the things that made me laugh, brought me a sense of wonder, or made me stronger. These “things” always boil down to events and personal experiences, never material items.  I only hope that my kids feel the same and can appreciate experiences more than possessions, even into adulthood. One of the experiences that consistently brings me gratitude and joy is when I’m on a client shoot, I get to play with

Last weekend, I was THE happiest fly on the wall. I followed around Erin, Pete, Clara, Greta and Lola as they walked around their neighborhood, visited a bakery, cut plants in their backyard, and hung up ornaments on their fresh Christmas tree.  I had the pleasure of capturing a slice of their life during this holiday season. Home Lifestyle Shoots have a different pace than my regular Lifestyle Shoots because there is less direction and set-up, so the resulting photos are mor

Meet KJ. He has squishy cheeks and soft golden brown hair.  He knows how to self-soothe his teething woes.  Swinging makes him sleepy.  His face lights up with the sight of a cutie orange.  He will look at anyone who calls out the name of a fruit.  He is an expert crawler, but wet grass is yucky.  He loves playing with dad and snuggling with mom.  His mouth is leaky, but he doesn’t mind because he’s a mellow fellow.  He loves his Air Jordan sneakers because they match his dad

We loved last year’s pink unicorns, rainbow light, sounds of waves crashing against the shore, overly friendly bees, and the hot sun.  But this year, we threw caution to the wind and went for the opposite… We hung out in a garden surrounded by a concrete jungle, thick fog, nagging gnats (ooh that is fun to say), sounds of people protesting in the streets, and the cold brisk air. From beach to city, we embraced the Bay.  Olivia and Emma had smiles that made strangers take note