Laben & Amanda wedding slide show (Ok, Ok I know)

Sorry, this slide show was deleted.....

Dena, Gina, Tina - Redding Portrait Photography

Turn up the volume (sorry if you were waiting for this post to have the contest details, its in the next 1, I promise.) I have been so impatiently waiting to post this slide show. It truly is my favorite part of taking photographs, I can hear a song & instantly see the photographs that will match to it perfectly. A lot of time I just meet the people, haven't even photographed them but when I hear a certain song...it just sings with visual stimulation & I already see the images in my head. I am definitely a woman, I use more than one sense & very happy to share that with others lol. I never promise somebody a slide show on portrait sessions, I just can't help but do them most of the time, it's how I see the day. After all, that's what you're getting when you ask me to photograph you, how I see the moment. It might take me a little extra time to create them (because I want them to talk to me & come from the heart so I literally edit them more than 50-75 times, hearing the song over & over & over...you get the idea) but I seem to never get tired of watching them when they're done. This slide show was not so easy, it was 3 grown sisters that I knew when I was young & had been reunited with during this session after probably 30+ years. Wow when you put it that way, I sound kinda old, but I like to think of it as Wiser. So 3 sisters, their spouses, 1 teen & 1 preteen, I had never done a slide show with such a session. There wasn't enough photos of the sisters alone for a slide show & same with the family member photos so I had to create something that blended all 3 of the scenerios together. I was really proud of what I came up with & wanted to show it to Dena right away (she's the youngest L sister & lives locally), I dropped the disc off at her work & waited for her response. It wasn't too much longer that I got her call, she really liked it & we totally cried over the phone (of course we cried, it's me for goodness sake, I'm a softy), also due to some sad news she had to deliver & explained she needed me to hold off on posting the slide show. I happily honored her request so she could send it to her sisters to view prior to others viewing (the file was too large to email). God brings people together for a reason, you may not know the reason during the moment such as with Blanch (previous post), it may be years before you see how he created your path but a reason none the less. It seems I don't learn about the sad stuff until after I create the slide show, I think it's Gods way of keeping the sadness from my heart during the creation time (my goodness I cry enough during the making of most of them without knowing the sad stuff). So today I will just be thankful for what I do have, continue to pray for others & hope for another good day tomorrow. Dena, Gina & Tina, I have so much love in my heart for all of you, I was so incredibly happy to be a part of these memories & each time I view this, a huge smile comes across my face (with maybe just a little tear), hope everybody else has the same reaction ;) so please sit back, turn up the volume & ENJOY! ...The Emotions, "Best of My Love"

TC & Shannon "Do you believe in love" - Redding Photography

Turn up the volume. I try to encourage sessions that include the best time of the day for the best images (within first 2 hours after sunrise & last 2 hours before sunset). Sometimes it's not always the most ideal time of the day when I meet with people & I'm learning to embrace it, look for the shade (or the best I can get) & just have fun no matter what, cause to me, it's all about the image content. This was one of those sessions, the middle of the day but the winter sun was still low in the sky. The best part, Shannon & TC go the extra mile, totally having fun with each of their sessions. I have had a cold for weeks now (can't seem to shake it) so it took me a while to finish their slide show & I changed the song 3 times before sending it to them to preview. I know I dug back to the 80's for this one but it fit their session perfectly..."Do you believe in Love" Huey Lewis & The News. Enjoy!

Shannon said "We loved it!!!!! The pics turned out great of course and I couldn't stop smiling. Thank you sooooooo much. We really do owe you." Shannon, I just want you two to keep me busy each year with Anniversary sessions like this one. Capturing how you two grow with each other is my reward. Love you both!

Matt & Merissa Wedding - slide show

Last summer, we photographed Matt & Merissas wedding & I never got to post their slide show, so here it is. Wow, it was super hot that day. This song was their first dance song... Tim Mcgraw, "My Best Friend". Enjoy!

Jewel "Forever And A Day (Always)" - Redding Family Photographer

Turn up the volume! I had such a blast creating this, this morning, I really did. I'm sick, (I know I had a fever), just woke up after sleeping for 12 hours...(Seriously), I put this together in less than 2 hours & when I cried at the end, I knew it was done. I have missed Abi & Katie & enjoyed meeting Emi for the first time, What a doll! Abi was a little sick that morning but she smiled when she seen me (such a complete opposite from the last visit in the park). We played dress up (well...she did), barbies, shopping, colored, made a bday cake in her kitchen, blew out the candles & Ate it! Mmmm, best cake ever. If different circumstances, we would have gone outside, blew bubbles & drew with sidewalk chalk...but we'll save that for another visit. Katie & Brandon, Thank you for this visit, I love seeing the girls grow & very happy to capture them for you. I love the fact you cried when you viewed the slide show Katie, what a huge compliment for me, honestly. I am blessed to have your family in my life...

"The One I Love" David Gray - family slide show

Turn up the volume!

Britney & Anthony are parents from one of the classrooms I photograph. We got together at the park for a few photos of their family so their little girl would have fun, smile & not think about the camera. It worked, sort of, but I got a hug from Kaydence at the end of the session & that was good enough for me...can't wait for another session with them. Enjoy!

Don't let October be forgotten

My nephew TC & his wife Shannon celebrated their 1 year Anniversary with some photos at the Sundial Bridge. It got me thinking about their photo session they had last October & realized I didn't post their slide show since I was still dial up back then...feels like a long long time ago. Anyways, here is their October slide show with the kids, I'll be posting their most recent Anniversary photos soon, so turn up the volume & Enjoy! Tim Mcgraw & Faith Hill "It's your Love"...

My 2011 To-Do list & Self Critique...

I started a 2011 To-Do list that gets viewed almost daily. I want to get better as a photographer with each session, so on my list, I included doing some out loud (so to speak) self critique on older posts but I feel the need to "do some splainin" (as Ricky would say to Lucy) & set the scene for you first. Remember, I never said I did photography right, only not wrong. So, here's the splainin... The Event: Blanch's 85th Birthday, July 2010 The Locations: Local Restaurant & local home The Surprises: #1 -A few unexpected children of Blanchs arrive at the restaurant, #2 -Unexpected group gathering at the home, full of friends & more family members. My Situation: Low lighting at both locations & I did NOT want to use my flash. I had my 50mm 1.8 , the best low lighting lens I owned and having it at 1.8 made everything that moved blurry, I didn't have the shutter speed high enough to stop action cause it would have unexposed the image, which would have been leveled out more by the higher ISO, blah, blah, blah. I know the critique part isn't fun for most people. But honestly, flash (to me) ruins the moods of these events, making everybody turn to see who took the photo & people stop being natural, especially if it's a stranger taking them, and I was. I just don't see it as an option...nope, nope, nope. I just needed to get better & more confident in my settings & go with it. The Gift: A slide show of the day for the family (my favorite part of taking these images). I searched for a song that married the images from that day, expressing the joy she had experienced & would never forget (it almost didn't happen due to her not feeling well). I found the song "Dream" by Priscilla Ahn & it came together nicely. Sadly, as Janet (Blanchs daughter) mentioned in the post comment, Blanch was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer soon after these images were taken. She didn't last much longer. I had learned about her diagnosis when I delivered the disc with the surprise slide show...I secretly wanted to apologize for the song after hearing the news but for some reason, I didn't burst out with "WAIT, don't watch that", instead I expressed how sorry I was & left with a heavy heart. They played this slide show at her funeral. I cried when Janet told me that a few months later. "There wasn't a dry eye when it was over" she said. I hoped they understood, I didn't create it to be sad (and it wasn't taken that way), I just wanted to show all the love others had for this woman. I can give myself 100 excuses how I could have done better technically but I still cry everytime I view it, somethings gotta be said for photo content. I came home that day & viewed the slide show with different eyes, without all the technical jargan...And I cried (still do everytime)......The splainin may not have worked for me (or Lucy) but at least you get a peek in my bee hive of a brain & maybe understand a little more on what makes me tick as a photographer. I'll explain on another post about the bee hive :)

Emily Newborn Slide Show - Redding Newborn Photographer

Turn up the volume (and grab the tissues if you're a softy like me). Hope you enjoy, I Loved making it! Congratulations Adam & Jen!

Jessica & Danny "Ten" slide show - Kester Redding CA Photography

Turn up the volume... I couldn't resist doing a fun little slide show of Jessica & Danny with the song "Ten" sung by Jewel. It made me think of them the first time I heard it. I wish them many many years to come. I hope each time they might get frustrated, that they remember these moments the most & continue to choose LOVE.

Good Family slide show - Redding Photography

This family holds a special place in my heart & has for years, I love them like my own. Getting together with them again this year for family photos has been really cool & a total shocker...Salah gets prettier & prettier each time I see her & what a cutsie smile she can turn on instantly...And Micah is walking & talking...OMGosh has he gotten big Amber. I don't want to wait whole year to see them again. When editing their photos, I couldn't decide which photos to post so I decided to display their slide show I made for them. Turn up the volume & let me know what you think. Thank you Amber & Brandon for including me each year capturing your memories & telling me your home has mostly my photos on your walls =( Almost made me cry, a good cry. I had to fight it off, just like when Chuck & Jennifer surprised me with having my photos all over their walls during the last session with them. I had to suck it up & just keep photographing & not let them know how much it meant to me...but they all know now. All 4 of you are the best. I couldn't ask for better families to grow with. Enjoy!!

I'm loading a video for the first time since using the new slide show creator I have to work with. Upgrading isn't always better in some cases, this is 1 of them. If the video is small (I won't know until after posting it on the blog), I will be trying to fix it so please be patient with me while finding the best way to save the video for this display & Thank you. Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving!

TC & Shannon Slide show - Redding Wedding Photographer

Turn up the volume & leave me a comment. What else can I say about this family that this video doesn't cover? Since their wedding, I've been trying to finish TC & Shannons wedding video & FINALLY came up with something that made me cry. For sure I'm admitting it out loud, that I'm a softy but I'm okay with that. I don't think you have to know anything about this family to feel the love between TC & Shannon. I do & it's not because they're my family, it's because they "have it". I had so much fun taking all their pictures, I'm sure you're going to be seeing more of them in this blogs future. TC & Shannon, I hope you enjoy the video, couldn't have done it without you :). Thanks again for being such a fantastic couple. Congratulations & I wish you many, many years to come. "I run to you".

"Forever for You", My first blog slide show

Turn up the volume. I had so much fun making this video & it's my first on my blog. Comments?