Sweetness! - Redding Childrens Photographer

This little girl holds a special place in my heart (the little stinker, lol), I've been photographing her since she was brand new. What a big 2 year old angel now, even though one of her outfits was a devil costume, haha. She sure wore me out at the park but I already can't wait to see her again :)

Sisters & Family Christmas Cards - Redding CA

How cute is this?!

We went out for some Christmas card photos & the morning was absolutely beautiful, I couldn't resist my generic shot! I was super happy when I got home & seen how special this moment was.

These girls get cuter each time I see them & I love watching them grow.

Have you taken your Family Christmas card photos?

The "B" Family - Redding CA Photographer

I had a nice day out with the B family several weeks ago, I sure love this family!!

PERSONAL NOTE:  I was telling Jon the other day, that since watching an online workshop on CreativeLive, I see my photos in a completely different way, seeing things I didn't see before. It made me want to critique my own work & see the flaws along with what I love. (I don't have thick skin so I'm taking baby steps here.) There's a million things I want to change about the lighting in the photos but I still love them cause I love the family. Lighting is the biggest frustration for me & being limited with my gear & not having an assistant 98% of the time, I knew these would be hard photos to light but I still liked the basic sorta posey moment so it was a keeper to me. Every idea has to start somewhere. Now I just need to tweek it a little here & there, keep shooting the pose adding light, to eventually make it my best ;) I want to do it straight from the camera, not fix it in photoshop but that's just who I am, don't judge.

And since I LOVE happiness, I had to post the moment too, I just love her face! Don't you love that special someone that makes you laugh so much your face hurts....I DO!  & I know what that happiness feels like.

Even with the photo above, I see it differently since taking it, like now, not having him look into her eyes this close but I do still love it, it makes me smile...a lot; that's the most important part. I'll do better next time. The look on his face (not shown, duh), made her react this way & made the image completely worth keeping. BEST feeling EVER!!!

"Push, Fail, Learn, Evolve" - Roberto Valenzuela Photography
(the workshop instructor I watched on CreativeLive)

Baby C is so tiny - Newborn Redding photographer

Isn't she tiny & adorable!!

How I took it - Redding CA photography

Can't wait!!!!, I'm attending a few events for people that I care deeply about & I'm just pretty darn excited about that right now. I love Jon so much for helping me get to where I need to be, I love him more than he could ever imagine (......but somehow I think he has just a little idea by now, wink wink!). Hope everybody has a great night & fulfilling weekend, I know I going to.

Here are a few resident finches tearing up the gay feathers to get to the seed. I LOVE these plants even more now, definitely getting more for next year, the finch love them.

NOTE: I didn't have the ideal conditions to get this shot but it was well worth what I came out with. The plant is on our front porch, I didn't want to spook the finches so I couldn't open the door all the way, it was about 11am so the sun was reflecting brightly on the entrance flooring & into my face & lens. I used my Canon 24-70 2.8 lens, set at 70mm & I still cropped the photo.

My Manual camera settings were aperture f-4, ss 1/400 & ISO 125. The wind was blowing, which made the plant bob & weave, so I increased the aperture for that movement, I kept my ISO low which left the shutter speed at 1/400, not enough to freeze the wings but pretty close. I didn't expose for the entire photo, I was worried about the bird, not the background & those finches are fast, this was such a lucky shot. It may not be the right way but it's how I took it. Enjoy!

Ahhhhh, I miss my Chipmunk Cheeks

...especially after spending the morning with this handsome little guy & wishing I had photos of me & my kids together like these. I used to call Richie, my now almost 23 yr old son, Chipmunk Cheeks & this little guy had the same cheeks I remember Richie having (and never grew out of, hehe).
I'm sincerely honored this mom & dad allowed me to capture these quick moments in their life. I miss having babies, not like I'm going to go out & do anything about it but it sure does help me to decide what I want to do in the future with my photography.

I've been making some much needed decisions in my business lately & my heart feels unusually settled with them. I hope to be announcing the news soon. Thank you, to this beautiful family for spending some time with me. Have a great day!!

Had to share a few more.....

I LOVE this mommy & me treasure! Isn't mommy beautiful!

This family was so much fun, the kiddos were super cute & everybody did a great job.

P.S. This private back yard was simple & gorgeous at the same time,

I love taking photos in your favorite place.

Stop to enjoy the beauty (& catch my breath)....

...as I ask them to walk along a path of flowers lined with rocks, capturing the rare moment of a 2-year old not on a constant race. I guess a beautiful private yard with a river view & pretty smelly flowers, doesn't hurt either. Super Chickee calmed down & took a few minutes to smell different flowers with mommy, to see if she liked each one. This is a reason why mornings are better for kids (this session was taken in the evening), kids tend to be calmer, just waking up in the morning & not worn out from a warm summer day & running on sugar. I still love this photo, it looks calm & peaceful, not the craziness that was really happening, lol. Besides, it didn't last long & she was off again. 



CSHA Gymkhana Schooling Show - Cottonwood, CA

I LOVE horses.....their power, their beauty, their determination to make us happy, are just a few reasons, When I was little, I would just be amazed with thoughts of riding a big dog & at times they seemed almost majestic to me (along with the thought I might find a rare secret unicorn,...don't judge, lol). I used to sketch them all the time in High School & I still have a few drawing I did, just after Richie was born (over 22 yrs ago). I longed to have my own horse for many, many years. Back then, I didn't know many girls who didn't dream of a horse when they were little & thought they were just as majestic as I did. I don't ride but you don't have to, to love them.

This last Sunday I went to the Bobby Jones Arena in Cottonwood, CA to photograph, what turned out to be, some pretty amazing horses & riders, during a CSHA Gymkhana Schooling Show. Don't worry, I have absolutely no idea how to say it either but I had a blast.

The wind was kicking up pretty good, blowing hay, dirt, (someone also pointed out horse poo as well,... Great! lol) & sawdust all over the place. I'm still coughing, I'm sure I inhaled a ton of it (yes, Kristin, I'm still complaining, lol) but there were breaks in between events to get out of the sun & wind & I got to witness & meet some pretty talented people.

I'm totally jealous of all the riders, no kidding. I wish I was as good as some of them, right down to some riders that barely looked 7 yrs old. A friend pointed out that I was getting to do what I love (photography) while she got to do what she loves (ride) but that only made me more jealous, maybe I'll take up riding a little later down the road when Matt goes into High School, I'm going to start missing being a needed mommy like crazy & will need something else to soak my time into. 

You can see more pictures on my fb page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Kester-Photography/113161385442478 & remember please do not crop or edit my photos. I appreciate it, Thank you.

This last photo reminds me of a horse I rode a few times when I was in High School. Her name was Naughty & she didn't like her owner. I didn't ride her with a saddle & was super proud when I got her to run (and that I didn't fall off), especially after the owner said she wouldn't run (I always thought I had Native American in my blood & didn't need a saddle but honestly I don't think I have a drop, funny how a childs minds work.). One day she bit at her owner & he tried to smack her in response, when I was on her back & no saddle. She reared up & I was amazed I stayed on her. I didn't get to ride her after that, she was deemed too dangerous when in fact it was the owner that was dangerous & down right mean. She just didn't like him & neither did I. She was sold to a neighbor not long after that. Thank goodness. I want to go back & do this again, it was good for my soul (and the child within).

Ideas are a brewin' - Redding CA Photographer

I got my sensor cleaned at Crown Camera this last week. I can see the difference in the clarity of the images so I kinda got a little carried away sitting on my front porch the other morning on an overcast day. Click on the picture & you'll see the same surprise I did. Kinda scared me a little since I was concentrating on the bee & didn't notice it until I edited the pics. That bee was almost a meal.

The photo above is a bee critter that scares me more than the sneaky spider in 1st image.

Without getting all technical on you (that's honestly not likely to ever going to happen, lol) it has a trunk like thing, that got inserted into the pollen areas of the flower. It's body reminded me of a mosquito or mean fly but the trunk could be more like an elephants trunk, I just didn't see it flex. I kinda figured it was a bee though, as long as it's pollenating my beautiful blooms, that's all I care about.

The photo above has the teeniest bee I've ever seen & this next specimen below, I call, the Elvis bee, his tooshie was stripped like old time prison clothes & shakin' all over the place, it made me think of his song, "Jail House Rock".

Thankya, Thankya very much!

The super colorful flowers above are the Arizona Sun Blanket Flower. so happy, colorful & full of pollen, no wonder the bees like it. I didn't even notice how many variaties of bees we had in our front yard, until I started taking pictures of them. These photos show about 8 different kinds.

That's not a bee in the photo above, (Duh, I know you know), that's just a jumping spider checking me out. I think he was upset cause I was invading his personal space but I wasn't scared. I can take him. (Sometimes I wonder if anybody ever really reads blogs anymore, haha. If you actually read these, I'm so sorry, lol).

I planted this bleeding heart from a bulb not long ago & I can't believe I got to see it bloom this year, I was sure I'd planted it too late in the Spring. Well, I love little surprises & this was just a day full of them. It really makes me realize how glad I am to not be a small bug enjoying a flower right about now. Hope everybody has a great day.

I've got some creative portrait ideas sparking, it's time to see them come through. I just need the right people, like you, to help me.

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Come visit my page on facebook & see what I've been up to & what I've already done http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Kester-Photography/113161385442478

I heart these eyes!

These eyes are the reason I volunteer at a local Elementary school. I try not to have favorites when it comes to the kids but there comes a time when someone just touches your heart the first time you see them & that happened when I met this little turkey. Even though her beautiful eyes aren't the same color & age as mine, I seen a little of myself in her, so I kinda took it personally when I seen them crying with frustration on that first day. Nobody was going to cry on my watch except for maybe myself. I did just that later that night & decided to go in & try to make a difference like I would have wished someone else had done for me (and to make up for not being able to do it when my kids were that age) & I've been suckered in ever since, making it to the class at least 2 days a week helping them with art, reading & writing. I had a different reason for going to the school those first few days (to take simply take photos) but things are meant for a reason & it became bigger for me than just that moment.

I love taking these photos of the kids for their parents & I think her eyes sparkle beautifully now, her mom is going to love this Valentines Day photo. Yep, I heart these beautiful little eyes!

Jeremiahs Senior Photos - Redding Photography

I was so happy to have taken Jeremiahs Senior portraits several weeks back at Sundial Bridge. I hope to be doing more soon, such a good looking young man. These 2 photos of him on the bridge are 2 of my favs, the 3rd fav is the last photo. Honored Jeremiah, I was truly honored, Thanks!!

I'm ready for more pics when you are Jeremiah. Can't wait, see you soon.

Bubbles & Big girls - Emi & Abi - Redding Photography

Emi & Abi, these 2 are a couple of my favorite kiddos I get to photograph & Abi is one of my very first babies I ever photographed (Katie would come into my work to see her hubby Brandon with their baby, Abi...small world huh). Lots of special memories with this little sweetie. They have since then had Emi & what a cutie (again of course), she sure had fun in their new backyard with some bubbles in my new tub. And we finally got to use our new bubble machine Katie gave me some months ago. Here are just a few photos from that evening.

Emi has such a sweet little scrunched nose in the photo below & her head piece had a little pink veil type of tulling on the back of it, so cute. I also love the little ribbon going along the bottom of the skirt & all the special hand touches all around, What a sweet gift to her from a friend.

Katie stated after seeing the family photo above "...how you managed that is beyond me..." & to all of those parents out there, that should pretty much sum up the evening with some uncaptured mental images we'd rather forget huh Katie, lol. But I wouldn't change it for a thing, I love taking pictures of kids & I absolutely love this family. BTW, I think Katie is super cute as always & Brandon looked great too, I loved his smile & they both look so happy. Honestly, I would not have managed any of these photos without Katie & Brandon. A huge THANK YOU(!!!!!!!!) goes out to them.

Some ideas don't get accomplished 100% the way I envision them & that's just a fact I have to live with. The very last photo is one of those I want to fine tune but the good part is, I have a way to help others see what I see, I was really lucky to get it. The light was going down fast & the natives were getting restless, I just needed something drawn on the board so Marissa did a quicky drawing (her art teacher would flip if she seen it, lol Marissa). I love the idea though, how the lines are directing your eyes to the real family even though they're blurred in the distance, just imagine the drawing matching the actual photo scene. But hey,...It's a start, whadaya think?

All in all (lol, I say that all the time), new little walkers & almost all toddlers are as unpredictable as knowing if a wedding will go off without a hitch. So I pretty much let their moods determine the whats, the wheres & the hows, to help everything go smoother. Thank you again Katie, for believing in my ideas & thank you to both for allowing me this time in your lives....again. I already can't wait til our next session, lol.