On December 22, Living Social ran a promotion for a family portrait session with yours truly.  Last friday, the promotion ended and I am so thankful to those families that I had the honor of photographing.  

I am also sad that it is over.

In the past six months, I have photographed lots of cute babies, adorable kiddos, and great parents and some grandparents.  It has been full of playing peek-a-boo, dancing, and tickling mommies.  But most importantly, it's been about creating photos that will add to the story of these families' lives.  They will be able to show these to family and friends and share them through future generations.  Real, professional, and genuine photographs.  

Not only was I able to give to these families something irreplaceable, they have also given me an unforgettable experience.  I have learned so much as well!  As a photographer, I am always learning and expanding.  I have learned much about finding different and new poses for families.  That the candid is also just as important as the posed.  And that each family is unique and special.

At the bittersweet end of this experience, I have walked away with a new family.  Many new families.  Each and every one of you have taken me in and made me feel such a part of your family.  I have never felt so humbled and honored to be a part of so many wonderful families.  Some of you invited me into your home to photograph you and others trusted me with bug-filled fields.  Thank you doesn't even amount to what I feel.  

Each of you hold such a special place in my heart and I look forward to photographing your beautiful and wonderful families again! 

With love,

Jackie

A few weeks ago, I posted about Instagram and posted some photos.  A couple of weeks after, I discovered that the app was available for Android.  I was so excited!  I don't always carry a camera with me and so this is a perfect app to photograph my day to day life.  The best part?  It posts directly to my

Twitter

and

Facebook

accounts so I can share with all of you!  You can follow me on Instagram

here

.

Happy Friday!

Okay, who else is insta-crazed?  And by that, I mean Instagram.  I don't have an iPhone, since I really can't justify spending $200 on a phone, but I did get an iPad for my birthday.  So I downloaded the app and I LOVE IT!  The filters, the tilt shift blur tool, the way you can share it on instagram, facebook, and twitter, all at the same time.

All I know is that I'm hooked!

I took this before photo last week and yesterday, I decided to chop off my hair.  It's been, I don't know like 4 or 5 years since I've had short hair.  Thanks to my sister at

Xelle Hair & Make Up

, I've got a new look!  What do you think?  I like the change :).

Happy Friday!

I've been a little stressed and nervous about something personal and I've allowed it to take over my life.  In a teenager-meltdown dramatic kind of way.  Something  changed when I woke up this morning.  I was more energized, ready to carpe my diem to the max.  I even blared my Pandora station before the clock even hit 8:30am.

Went for a jog, had lunch with my best friend, and came home to find that some flowers were in bloom in the yard.  So I picked them and put them in a jar.

Instant happiness.

Tomorrow, will be even better.  

P.S.  The photo was taken with my brand spankin' new 85mm.  I love this lens!

 I remember sitting below the hideous fluorecent lights at my full time receptionist job hoping that the phones would stop ringing long enough for me to drool over all the beautiful images on photographer's blogs.  Yes, I confess, I spent more time gawking at beautiful photos than taking messages.  And no matter how many full time jobs I got, or how many different desks I sat behind, I was still under hideous lights and still hoping for the phones to not ring.  And that the office had great internet connection.

Never in a million years, did I think that I would be sitting here writing about photography.  From the time I was 10 until around 12, I wanted to be a lawyer.  I was certain that my life would be full of black suits, briefcases, and a corner office in a big city somewhere.  I'm sure being a lawyer is just like it is in the movies, I am glad that my life was given a different path.  

I spent a lot of time afraid of what would happen if I jumped head first into something that I couldn't deliver.  I also spent a lot of time writing out goals to which I knew I would never cross off because I was too afraid to do them.  Then one day, earlier this year, I woke up and finally asked myself, "Self, what the hell are you afraid of?"  

2011 was a turning point for me.  The year when goals shifted in a new direction.  And were finally getting crossed off, one by one.  Many of them will be on next year's goals list, some will never see the light of day again, and others will never get crossed off.  But you can be certain that tonight, I will be sitting my bed, with my large sketch book and favorite pen in hand, writing them out.  Ready for what ever 2012 will bring.

I just hope that 2012 will be ready for me, because I'm bringing it.

Happy New Year.

I remember, looking up from sleepy eyes at the bright lights on the Golden Gate bridge.   I was about three years old and it was dark outside.  That was my only memory of San Francisco, even though we have boxes and boxes of family photos at Yosemite and the bay area.  And when my good friend Ruben moved to the bay area to be with his girlfriend, I missed a good friend and dreamed of red trolly's and the red bridge I so faintly remembered. 

Then in September, we made it happen.  Ruben and Stephanie let me stay with them during the long Labor Day weekend and we even got to photograph their anytime session!  Which you can view here.

They were the best hospitable people ever!  And when they had plans on Saturday, I told them that I'd explore the city on my own.  They worried about leaving me alone.  Did I mention they're the nicest ever?  Little did they know that exploring on my own is my middle name!  I surprise people when I tell them that I've gone to dinner alone, or that I don't mind going to the movies alone, or sitting somewhere and enjoying God's wondrous world by myself.

So they dropped me off.  

Geared with a camera backpack, my camera, and some walking shoes, I hit the streets.  First the Embarcadero, making a very zigged-zagged line through the empty streets of the financial district, crossing into Chinatown, which was so alive and colorful!  Chinatown was my favorite.  Then I made my way slowly into Little Italy, and as night fell, I moved towards the Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39.  By that time the lights from the square were twinkling and I felt as if I were in an entirely different world.  I worked my legs that day.  And my eyes were overfilled with so much life and so much newness.  If newness is even a word.  If it's not, then I vote to add it to the dictionary. Stat. 

The nights were filled with the most amazing food I have EVER eaten!  San Francisco also stole my stomach.  Hand made noodles in Oakland, authentic Italian food in Little Italy, and the best Peruvian food I've ever had.  Ever.  

Sites, food, and nightlife.  And... Some amazing friends!  Ruben and Steph, you have no idea now much I loved being your hood and I appreciate how awesome you guys were in driving me around and really showing the true San Fran.  So, while I left my heart in San Francisco, take care of it until I go back!

Enough rambling!  On to the photos!

Flying photos.  Random lake in the middle of California.  And of course, Bart Station.

China town!  These men and women were huddled in groups and played games.  It was very intense!  They didn't even notice me taking photos. 

As we were driving into Muir Woods, I saw this little gem from the highway.  Little did I know that it's the same boat that my photo friend, Eddie Yerkish, photographed.  His shot is waaaaay better than mine and has won awards.  This was my attempt to one-up him.  His is still better :)

My wonderful hosts and tour guides! And lots of camera phone shots from the whole weekend.

Flying back home.  The fog really started settling in.

Happy Saturday!

It will forever be a staple in the history of US.  And therefore, I vote for it to be a national holiday and a day of remembrance and prayer.  To those who gave their lives on the day.  To those who are still giving their life.  And to those whose lives were changed forever.  

Today is for you.  

summer breezes through open windows with the sun shining in the late morning.  school was out and time seemed to suspend itself.  late mornings turned into lazy afternoon naps and warm sunsets.  trips to the beach and my toes in the sand.

summer is my absolute favorite season.  there's nothing like it and this summer i hope to ride a beach cruiser down the balboa boardwalk, go surfing, have a bonfire or two, and enjoy the warm sun on skin as it gets darker and darker.  

hello summer.

A trip through cow county.  I was there for like 10 minutes shooting these amazing cows drinking from the watering hole and just as I put my finger on the shutter to take the second to last shot on the roll, the cow looked up.  As if it was meant to be.  And the following photos are from a trip through LA.  

Happy  Friday!

A little trip to the Crab Pot in Long Beach.  Drank a huge glass of Fat Tire.  And a trip to Sunset Beach in Seal Beach.  

I own a point and shoot digital camera however, for some reason, the automatic zoom 35mm point and shoot is so much more fun.  It is like a sweet surprise hoping to get what I saw.  Film tends to photograph just as I see things.  With the same light, same shadows, and same feelings.  I am excited to keep shooting more film and sharing it with you all.