Sweet Baby in the Nest!

Ahhhhh, sweet baby portraits always make my day! The first time I photographed Justice he was 12 days old! Now he’s right about 10 weeks old, and such a sweet baby! Having had the distinct pleasure to have listened to Anne Geddes speak at my photography degree ceremony, I have always admired her approach to photographing babies. She was the originator of a creative style, and really paved the way for those of us who love to represent these lovely little angels in creative ways.  Thanks to his mama for bringing him to my studio today! Here are two of my favorites from our session!

Wedding shoes by Jimmy Choo and Via Spiga

What is that squeal of delight you hear??? We walk in to start photographing this weekend, and everywhere we looked there was something amazing. I look at Shannon, and we both say at the same time, “She. has. Jimmy. Choos.” I have seen the most beautiful shoes at weddings in the past couple of years. Many brides are choosing elegant footwear with style, color and sparkle. Let me go on record here about it. I like it. Just sayin’… I even let the groom’s shoes (Via Spiga) play in this shot… never let it be said that I was only obsessed with bride’s shoes… Enjoy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7Qwc775FIY

This baby is a big sister now!

The latest Ellison Addition, Zachary!

The beautiful Shannon on Santana Row

Sunday I photographed the beautiful wedding of Shannon & Steve on Santana Row at the amazing Hotel Valencia! I felt like I was on vacation!! Warm, balmy day… Pinkberry Yogurt before we started to work, courtesy of my wonderful BFF Jacki of Jacki V. Photography (her hubby, Vince, was the minister for the wedding… talk about a dream team!) Jacki & I go all the way back to the beginning of my photography career, when we met at a workshop almost 10 years ago. Even though she lives and works in Minnesota most of the time these days, she still gets out to exotic locations to photograph destination weddings (like Maui, Jamaica, and sunny San Jose!) and we love to shoot together every chance we get! Shannon and Steve met on the dating site, eHarmony, and started out as good friends, then dating, and now married… all in the course of the past 3 years! Steve is a pastor, and quite a musician/composer, and he shared some of the music he had written for his lovely bride throughout the day at the ceremony and reception. Pastor Vince did a wonderful job weaving the stories of Shannon and Steve together along with scripture, making it a lovely experience for all of us! I really loved it that Shannon and Steve administered the communion for all their guests… a very moving and personal touch! What can I say about Santana Row… such a lively, fun place for wedding photography, and I can’t wait to shoot there again! It was a completely perfect day! Here are some of my favorite images… All the best, Shannon & Steve!

in daddy's comfy chair...

Every photographer has someone in the very beginning of their business who takes a chance on knowing you will do a good job! Someone who knew you could do it even if you hadn’t done it before… someone who believes in you and chooses YOU! Christy and Matt were those clients for me. When I met them I knew I wanted to photograph their wedding more than anything, and after interviewing quite a few photographers they chose me to do just that… They were married at the beautiful Carmel Mission, and their reception was at the Marriott, and it was a wonderful day! I love both of their families (and photographed Matt’s sister, Bridgette & Darren’s wedding a few years later) and so the time has come… Christy, Matt and awesome-hound Indiana have a beautiful baby girl who was born just 10 days ago. I could have just snuggled her all day… Here’s a couple of favorites… Happy First Father’s Day Matt!!

Newborn sweet baby Rosie

View our wedding gallery!

Happy 4 week-i-versary toooooo youuuuuuu! I know you can’t wait to see these images and without further ado…. here is your gallery of colorful, wonderful heartfelt wedding images! Please share with anyone you choose, and feel free to leave comments on the blog! much love, Kim (and Jill & Carrie from the Mill Cottage Photography team!)

click the image to go directly to the gallery!  or follow this link: Atherton Wedding Images for Eliza and Justin Enjoy!

A beautiful wedding for Eliza and Justin

 After the ceremony, guests were treated to an amazing fare of appetizers and signature cocktails, and everyone flocked to the games and our Celebration Photo Station. Styled by the amazingly wonderful Carrie D. Mader, whose talents are unending… guests posed for portraits with cute signs and well wishes. To view the images and order your own, please visit the photo booth Gallery here and laugh along with the crowd!

Everybody had fun at the photo booth!

Eliza gets ready

invitation, rings and chairs

Eliza's tribute to her parents

Both Eliza and Justin are the kind of people everyone wants their kids to grow up to be… smart, funny, lovely, and with a passion for helping others and fighting for social justice. They are very cherished by their friends and family, and had a record 18 people in their wedding party, which just shows how much they are loved!

Backyard Atherton Wedding | Justin and Eliza Smith

Sonoma wedding day for Kim and Derek

Kim & Derek were married yesterday in a place that still holds magic for me, Ramekins Culinary School and Event Center. You see, that’s where my wonderful hubby and I had our wedding reception, and why I love photographing weddings in Sonoma and Napa… Yvette, the wonderful events manager, is like having your best friend looking out for you as you plan your wedding, and on your wedding day! I love working there because the staff is like a machine… all this stuff going on to make a perfect event, and it seems to just happen! I got a little chill when I walked up the stairs yesterday remembering my wedding day, and the anxious excitement of being a bride… Kim was beautiful, AND has the best taste in shoes (hot pink, me FREAKING OUT with glee), and her whole family was warm and welcoming! Derek had the sweetest look of adoration for Kim, and I was so glad to be the one they chose to photograph their amazing day! I know there will be more images, because there are sooooo many to share, but here’s a small appetizer… xoxo

sleepy little Liam

Seems like yesterday you saw Matika’s gorgeous baby bump in her San Francisco Urban Maternity Session, and newborn baby Liam came just a few days later… Oh, he’s a yummy little guy, and I am so glad I got to hold him, and get my baby fix… Here’s his first professional family portrait in his home… So wonderful to see you guys today, and can’t wait to show you all the images soon!

Family Portrait at home

sweet baby Abby

oh, the sweetness of a brand new life… As I said to her mommy, there’s not a better way to start my day than photographing a brand new baby! Welcome to this little miss, and congratulations to her family, especially her wonderful big brother, who is getting so big!

Remember all you future mommies out there… your newborn session (within the first 14 days of life) is in your home, easy, all about the new baby, and my baby gift to you! If you have a friend or loved one expecting a baby, please tell them about this San Francisco bay area newborn photography special offer!!

Image worked in Photoshop CS5 Beta Version

Here is a before and after… bye bye ugly tennis courts and pole in my way… hello perfect! “sure,” you say, “it can be done in whatever version of Photoshop I have now,” but can it be done in oh… um…. 5 SECONDS???? Seriously going to give me weeks of my life back as a wedding photographer… weeks I’d like to spend on the beach with a fruity cocktail in my hand… Enjoy, and discuss!!

NO!! It's MY CAKE!!!!!

Sophia was just crawling the first time I photographed her and her family last year… my how time flies! She just had her first birthday, and is as cute as ever! We had a blast with the tu-tus and she LOVED her cake!

Peek-a-boo

Mommy at the windmill

It’s never too late to schedule your maternity session… well, at least if you schedule it before the baby arrives… Matika & Mike, and their son Luke are expecting a new baby this Thursday!!! We headed out to Golden Gate Park to the Queen Wilhemina Tulip Garden on Sunday and it was a beautiful spring day!! Look at the glorious beautiful mama!! Good luck on Thursday you guys!! Can’t wait to get my lens on the new little babe!!

soccer practice

Lovely!!

I love fashion & boudoir photography, and love to teach, so we put together a workshop for photographers this past weekend in San Francisco, and WOW, it was fantastic! Thanks to all our attendees, our beautiful models, the fantastic makeup and hair by Armando Sarabia,  a spectacular Presidential Suite at the Wyndham Canterbury Hotel in downtown San Francisco, our assistant Anna Myers (you were indispensible!!) and my teaching partner, Joerg Lehmann, CPP, Cr.Photog. I know there will be more to post, but here’s a few favorites before I finally get to sleep tonight…. if you catch the thief that stole my extra hour of sleep last night, slap him for me…

Love this 1940's look created by Armando Sarabia

fashion and feathers!

We went with our dear friends Bonne & Peter Posert, who are in the wine business, so it doesn’t get much better than that! First stop was Lynmar – I am not a chardonnay girl, but man, this was so delicious, crisp and yummy! Then we went to Joseph Swan,which had delicious pinot noirs and zinfandels… mmmmm!

 Then we picked up Dave, and we were off to the “Love Shack” at Porter Creek… Here the second generation wine maker, Alex Davis, shared delicious barrel samples, and a finished Chardonnay that was completely amazing! Peter & Bonne and Dave have been going here for many years, and the small tasting room, aviary, and friendly staff kept us here for quite a while!

Next (and what turned out to be the LAST… LOL) stop was Moshin, and it turned out to be my favorite stop! I knew I loved it right away when we pulled up, and I saw this

weird pacifier hanging from the barb wire fence… photo-op snatched! The fine folks at Moshin had a great band, Bucky Walters, and anyone having a wine country wedding outdoors should consider hiring these really fun bluegrass musicians from Arcata. Man, they just rocked it! I have never heard a bluegrass version of Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, and it was a musical highlight. Serious fun for a rehearsal dinner among hay bales or a country themed outdoor wedding… The wine was phenomenal, the people were very welcoming, and we just stayed… we had our yummy picnic, a behind the scenes tour of the gravity tanks that gently move the wine from grapes at the top of the hill to the bottling machines at the bottom and mmmmm pinot fantasticalness… OMG! Get yourself some of this wine!!!  Here’s some images for you!! Thanks again to Peter & Bonne for the great company, and for driving… my glass is full, and the wine is great!!

delicious fashion & boudoir workshop

UPDATE: SOLD OUT!!!! thanks everyone!!! Ok, just a quick post about another workshop opportunity for photographers… March 13, 2010 San Francisco…

Two Lovebirds & a Chihuahua...

Many of you may know that I received my Photographic Craftsman degree last year, which is one of the highest recognitions for speaking, writing, or mentoring on photography; & positions the photographer as an authority in the industry. It is awarded in recognition of service to the profession as an orator, author, or mentor. I love to teach… a wise friend of mine once told me that the best way to really know something is to teach it to another. Today was the big day for a fantastic seminar called a Day with the DivAs, and I and three of my very best friends and colleagues gave a whole day workshop through the Professional Photographers of the Greater Bay Area to share some of our expertise in image processing, workflow, retouching, sales, pricing and presentation, as well as an afternoon of photography demonstration! We were so pleased that it sold out, and enjoyed meeting all of the partipants! It was down & dirty, nuts & bolts information designed to share some of the things that have made us sucessful San Francisco photographers… Here is one of my favorites from my part of the demo… Mischa & Brianne are one of the couples that has what we all want from love… a playful passion for each other that really makes you smile! I am crazy for this retro style photo. Love you guys!

Retro Love Portrait

The Spring flowers are here!!

Oh yeah, been getting creative with fun children’s photography wall collections! This is our newest springtime offering, and can be ordered in sizes from 10×10 to 30×30! Just choose a few of your favorite images, and we’ll do the rest! Can be completely customized to match your child’s room’s color scheme! See how our creative adorable garden grows!! This would also make a perfect custom invitation to your little one’s birthday party!

Annie's urban maternity session in San Francisco

I had so much fun running around San Francisco today in search of great places to photograph Annie’s beautiful belly! The first place we stopped is right around the mountain from my house, and I love the stone stairs! Annie was such a good sport in dealing with our frigid San Francisco chill… Her jacket was really gorgeous! Speaking of gorgeous, her hair and makeup was done by Jenni Huse of the Powder Room, who traveled down with Amy of Oaks & Acorns for the photoshoot! So what do you get when you take 3 photographers (one of them with a baby on the way!) and a great make up artist? You get a really great morning/afternoon of hip, modern maternity photos, not to mention a fantastic lunch at Luna Park after we finished! Their coconut cream pie is legendary… drool…

Four little babies sitting on the couch!

I could say it a million times, baby portraits in my San Carlos studio are such a joy! I will have a blog post for each of these babies (oh, how they have grown!) but first, here’s one of all of them together! (no small feat at 4PM when the afternoon crankies can sneak into the sweetest of babies!) Their mommies are all the best of friends, and I have photographed each of their weddings over the years, and as fate would have it, they all have wonderful sweet babies in their arms these days, who I am sure will love growing up together!

sigh, only two weeks old...

mmmmmm… photographing lots of babies today! Have to give you just one for now! Joel, Pia & Noah, thanks for sharing Ossi with me today! He is just so wonderful and snuggly! More to come, of course, but now I need to snuggle my own baby!

Kit & Ginny's Wedding Book

One of my album “babies” goes to its rightful home… I put so much heart and soul into every wedding I photograph, and it doesn’t stop there… This beautiful book went home today… an amazing clouded glass cover with exquisite leather details, and a really beautiful design. Ginny, the lovely bride, took it out of its box, and just looked at the cover and said that would have been enough for her, but continued to glow as she paged through it, commenting on how it totally reflected their style as a couple, and pausing to remember the memories the images invoked. (Gin, you had me smiling from ear to ear with your compliments on my work!) For a peek at the whole Hans Fahden wedding album design, view the slideshow!

Woodland Series Portraits on February 15, 2010

I am feeling the spring time, and am so pleased to offer a special portrait mini-session in and around my San Carlos children’s photography studio on Wednesday and Friday, February 10 and 12th,  just in time for Valentine’s Day!!! Only $95, which is a savings of almost $200 from our regular session fee! Reserve your 30 minute studio or outdoor session today by calling 415.515.6370, or sending an email to inquiry@millcottagephoto.com. Sessions are available between 10AM and 4:30PM on those two days only!!! We also will be having a special Woodland Series portrait event on Monday, February 15, and are accepting only three clients for that day for an on location session in the Los Altos Hills. The times available are  11:30, 12:00 noon and 12:30, and sessions will be 20 minutes, 1-2 children only.

All new clients will receive a special $25 gift card with purchase of a session, and current clients will receive a complimentary 5×7 print of their favorite image from the session as well as a $25 gift card! Images will be shown in your own personal, password protected web gallery, and will be available for purchase on-line for 3 days after they have been posted, so alert the grandparents, friends and family to be ready! Reposting your gallery after those 3 days will incur a $100 fee, which will automatically be applied to your order!

The stunning bride Io was absolutely sweet and wonderful, and the strong love between her and Tim kept us all warm and fuzzy! Her impeccable taste was evident in every wedding detail, and when Jill pulled the wrapping off her wedding gown we both gasped… WOW – there could have been no more perfect dress for this lovely lady! Thanks to Jill for having me along, and all the best wishes for only happiness in the future for Io and Tim!

Shoes and rings and bling, oh MY!

bride Io on the stairs before her Napa Valley Wedding

Perfect Dream wedding dress!

Stolen Kisses on a beautiful Napa wedding day

So much love with these two...

Jungle Joe with his handmade puppets rock the house!

One of the things that makes a birthday party, and thus the birthday party ph0tography, so much fun is the activities provided for the children who attend! I know when I go about planning the next birthday party for MY son, Josh, the only website I will visit is California Puppets planning site for Bay Area kids birthday parties! Not only will you see puppet show ventriloquist extraordinaire, Jungle Joe, but there is a plethora of amazing tips and ideas for making your child’s event a huge success! It is a really great resource, especially for first time parents, who have no idea where to start and what to do! Mill Cottage Kids has a great bunch of party ideas, so make sure all your lovely party plans get the photographs they deserve so you and your tot can look back on the occasion for years to come!