Senior: Rachael

Senior year can be the most exciting, stressful, what in the world do I wear for prom time in a young girl's life. Rachael is right smack in the middle of all the ups and downs the high school senior life can bring and in a short while she'll be headed out to the real world with a dream in her pocket like any other hopeful senior. In her case, she's taking a ticket out to the Air Force and something tells me she's gonna' kick some serious military butt. I had an absolute blast having the opportunity to have her rock out in front of the camera for her senior pictures and dare I say she worked it like a pro. With the Museum of Photography  (which by the way I've become obsessed with) serving as her backdrop, Rachael strut her stuff and I was so glad to be able to document such a special and exciting time in her life.

Rachael, you are fabulous girl. Really, you are. Thank you for allowing me to snap pretty pictures and have a blast while doing it. :)

Here are some of my favorites from her session.

Thoughts on building my own business....

I've never taken a business course nor have I ever cared in informing myself in business related, you know, stuff. No, I'm the essay writer, I-want-to-teach-high-school-students-vocabulary-skills chick that dug her face in every form of literature you could think of in college because, well, I liked it ok. Don't hate. So business, umm, there was no reason for me to ever ponder the word unless I had to spell it. When I started doing photography I never thought of ever, and I mean EVER building any type of business out of it. And frankly, I never thought I would be close to being even remotely good at it to begin with. I mean, I studied Shakespeare internet!! Not on whether to shoot manual or automatic! However, after the first shoot I shot for free, and then the next one and the one after that I was hooked. Like how Romeo was hooked on Juliet the minute he saw her. Oh snaps, what chu know bout that simile! Anyways, my older sister was the one that convinced me to even begin doing photography in the first place because one upon a time internet, I was broke and my sister saw the need in her little sibling and told me I could get some extra cash by booking a few shoots here and there. So I agreed, mainly because I had to pay my phone bill, and strangely, on the other hand there was a part of me that felt I could do it. Then, the little photography journey began, still feeling super insecure and freaking out over thinking that people were going to realize that I had no idea what I was doing. I still think that sometimes. Then I drink a big oh cup of get over it and move.

 I love photography. I love being able to interact with and getting to know the people I get to have in front of the camera and giving them images that they will love. However, it takes more than loving and perfecting your craft to have a successful business. That takes drive, vision, leadership, creativity, efficiency, and all these other really cool words that sound professional. Believe me, I want so bad to nail every single one of those down and I cringe at the reality that I still have a long way to go but I know that stalking other amazing photographers who have really cool, swanky studios and wishing I also owned a swanky studio that offered my clients really cool macaroons with expensive tea isn't going to lead me anywhere. I have to work really hard. Really really hard. Yes, even when at times I may feel like the new kid in school who none of the cool kids sit next too during lunch because instead of a cool fruit roll up all I have is salty crackers. But in the mean time, while I try and make salty crackers taste sweet, I picked up The Fast Track Photographer Business Plan at Barnes and Nobles yesterday and after reading the first three chapters I swear, it's like I'm smarter. Dane Sanders gives fascinating and easy to apply business techniques as well as marketing strategies to help build a successful photography business, weather you're a rookie or an old timer in the biz. Sanders discusses the importance of having a specific vision for your business and leading your business in the direction you want it to arrive to. No one said it's going to be easy but a girl can dream right? And why not dream big? Why not dream of having a swanky studio where I could offer my clients colorful macaroons and tea imported from Europe!?!? Yes, I said Europe, but who says it's not possible? For now, I enjoy the progress I've made since I picked the camera for the first time and I look forward for the many photography adventures in the future.

The Gutierrez Family

You know those people that just seem to bring the party everywhere they go? Yeah, that's the Gutierrez family.This past weekend I got to spend my afternoon with these awesome folks and needless to say, taking pictures of them didn't really feel like work. I know them from church and I've gotten the chance to get to know them so having them in front of the camera felt less like work and more like hanging out with ma' homies. When they told me they wanted to have their family session in Oakglen, I did a happy dance. Ok, more like dropping it like its hot cuz that's how I do happy dances, but with the beautiful backdrop and gorgeous views Oakglen has, I could shoot there all the time! And get my happy dance on. With freezing weather, overcast views and minor sprinkling, we stuck it through an hour of pictures and I had a blast.

To the Gutierrez fam bam, thank you so much for allowing me to capture images of your crazy family! You guys definitely know how to make a photo shoot into a dance party. And ya'll know I like me a dance party. 

 

 And I'll end with this one because, this? This is so them! Shake what yo momma gave ya'll!



Maternity session: Yahira + Gene

She had "the" glow written all over her face. The minute she stepped out of her vehicle to greet me for her maternity shoot the glow that every expecting future mommy wants was shown every time she smiled. Last week I had the opportunity to photograph Yahira and her husband as they go through the joys of expecting their first baby. A beautiful baby girl that is sure to wrap this couple around her pretty little fingers. To Yahira and Gene, thank you sooo much for allowing me to capture such a special time in your life! Get ready to change some diapers!

Here are a few images on their session. :)

One of my favorites....that lighting!!

 

Engagement: Celina + Hector

High school. The place of dreaded gym workouts, bad hair days, prom and meeting your soul mate in Physics. At least that's how it was for Celina and Hector. Celina was the new girl in school and Hector clearly recalls that she was the only person on the first day of class to take out her calculator as if she was ready to take a final exam while the other students were only concerned about getting through the first couple of pages of the class syllabus. But before they could learn about Newton's law of gravity and velocity, Celina dropped out of the class but that quirky, overachiever, new girl that sat across the room in Physics caught Hector's eye, and eventually his heart. Celina remembers the exact day Hector asked her for her number, not knowing that three years later he would ask her to be his wife. Both Hector and Celina are planning a beautiful wedding in Temecula and I was so happy when they asked if I could shoot their engagement shoot. They're also good friends of mine, which made me even more excited to have them in front of the camera!

Celina and Hector, thank you for allowing me to document such a special time in your lives.! You guys absolutely fit the idea of adorable! :)
 Love,
Fernanda <3

p.s. Can't wait to back it up at you wedding! ;)

Gorge!

Love the props Celina and Hector used! Love this next session. :)

Really?????

Locks of love shoot

Every girl knows her hair is her best accessory. You can braid it, scrunch it, curl it, straighten, it you name it. To a girl, hair is not just hair. It's valuable. Last week eight brave young ladies came together and reiterated this reality. That hair is valuable. It is valuable to that young girl who is fighting the battle of cancer and has lost the opportunity to run her fingers through her hair like so many girls can. And these eight girls? Well, they decided to give back by giving a little piece of themselves to those girls who aren't so fortunate. My brother in law is the youth leader at his church and he challenged these young ladies to donate their hair to cancer patients. Ally from glitz and glam decided to jump on board and offer her awesome hair cutting skills. This girl is a trooper. She cut and styled eight girls' hair by herself. She's a wizard, I swear. My brother in law asked if I could take some head shots of these fabulous ladies after their hair cutting experience and I loooved the idea! What a more awesome way to celebrate what they did than with a fabulous shoot to show off their adorable new do? They got short hair and they don't care folks! Each girl donated at least 6 inches of their hair to locks of love. A non-profit organization that helps disadvantaged children under 21 who are suffering long-term hair loss.

For starters, here's Stephanie. Girl, you're a natural!

 Daisy, your curly hair is purrty.

Yosi, you are just too adorable!

Astrid is so cute. Her hair was super long before she cut it and she was so nervous to cut it but she was a total trooper, and her hair? I'd say it turned out adorbs!

Melissa! Oh Melissa. You work that new hair like a pro girl!

This is Yesi, and she is pretty much fierce.

Last but not least, the youngest of the bunch. Grace. I just want to pinch her cheeks and take her home with me.