Cash's Fault

I blame it all on Cash. Because I can. A 2 hour housecleaning job becomes an all day, heck, all week project. Sitting down to answer an email becomes a constant litany of "No. Don't. Stop. Don't touch that. Cash!" Trying to pack up an order becomes...well, just see the previous sentence. On top of that Mat's schedule at work has changed because of the season and he's been starting at 3:15, then 2:15 and now 12:15--so I lock myself out of my house, away from my work because a certain 16 month old doesn't have volume control and apparently Mat needs something called sleep. So, right now? I'm at my mom's. Cash is sleeping and I totally just remembered that I had a blog.

This has been my life. Since the end of October and early November. Really. My brother in law has dubbed everyone in the family as mine and Cash's babysitters because of how often we are at everyone's house so that my husband can sleep. I.just.want.to.be.home. I will be so glad when January comes around.

All that--just to explain my blogging absence, my 2:00 AM emails and blogging 2 months after my last post! I'm probably going to do my Christmas shopping after the holidays. Okay, well, I'm going to buy Cash a present after the holiday! What? The kid is going to be loaded, so no need for me to feel the pressure y'all! ;)

I kid, I kid. *chortle* ya right.

Anyhow, I promised to catch up here every chance I get! I've had some amazing sessions this season and a couple of weddings that I need to blog with some beautiful brides. I hope everyone has an amazing holiday!

Winter Mini Sessions||Gilroy Portrait Photography

San Jose Family Photographer::Alfaro Family

I had such a good time with this amazing family! I'm pretty sure we laughed and talked the whole time. At their ordering session we enjoyed pizza and ice cream sundaes. Um, I could get used to this. Here are some of my favorites!

Happy Thursday on a post that actually got published on a Wednesday! :)

To inquire about a family portrait session with Urban Rose Photography contact deanna@urbanrosephotography.com

Tips & Tricks::Keep It Natural

If your kiddo is anything like mine, more often than not they don't realize when you have a camera in your hand and are snapping photos. I love these times. I shoot hundreds of photos when he's not paying attention. Photos that will probably never grace my wall but will definitely sit in a yearly book filled with photos of Cash's life. I wish I shot more, but I get terrible, terrible light in my living room. Most of the light in these photos is coming behind me from my bedroom, which gets amazing light. 

Today's tip: keep it natural. I didn't do Cash's hair before I took these, I didn't make the toys all nice and I pretty much just sat in the same spot and observed him playing. I took photos of pieces. Pieces of his toys, pieces of his body, pieces of his face. I never told him to turn around and smile, to look at me or tried to get him to pose. I just let him be. 

When you're capturing life don't forget to capture the little things. 

During these times is also the perfect time to explore your camera and settings. Especially if you have a small SLR or your point and shoot has manual functions. Practice your lighting, angles and composition. Take the time to notice all the details and begin to think of starting new traditions with your photos (ie. putting together an annual book for your family to enjoy). 

Have a question you want answered about photographing your family or about photography in general? Ask! :)

Happy Tuesday! 

Friday, ahem, Saturday Randomness

We ate, slept and laid around watching movies and doing absolutely nothing. For the first time in over a year and it was so incredibly relaxing. We surrendered our child Saturday morning to my amazing sister for the rest of the weekend and spent the rest of the entire time with no schedule. We got massages, well actually Mat got a massage and I got something that made me more tense because the pressure was so weak. Its probably mostly my fault though, I was too scared to interrupt the silence to tell the woman MORE PRESSURE! Poor Mat has had to compensate since then with my constant please-rub-my-shoulders-because-she-did-such-an-awful-job request. I'm wondering how much longer I can play out that excuse...

Yesterday Mat came home from work (he works a very early morning shift for a delivery company) with flowers and chocolates. I'm sure I looked totally frazzled chasing around a one year old who thinks diaper changing is a game, but it totally  made my morning! Until I came home and found Mat had dug into the chocolate he bought me. Dude! I may or may not have hid the rest. Especially because I've been eating sweets like crazy trying to abstain from anything fatty before our family shoot this weekend.

Which I still need to shop for. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I've started to stress out about this. To all my clients, I now feel for you. I mean I've done this before but that was before I got on Pinterest and saw all the yummy clothing goodness and options. Makes me feel so....momish. Seriously, I can be wearing something that I think is cute only to find out that I look like I'm wearing Lee brand mom jeans (like the ones in the Saturday Nigh Live commercial) with a tucked in polo. Ugh. I want to look like a mom who doesn't have a pile of laundry, dishes at the end of every night and who dries her Egyptian cotton sheets in the Febreeze scented wind.

Happy Friday all--if you need me, I'll be getting my eyebrows waxed dreaming of Febreeze scented sheets and perfect massages.