Back to the blog - maybe this year I'll find a way to continue blogging through our busy fall season, but for now - it's time to get back to it!  Congratulations to Caleb and Faith who were married last weekend at Canyon Oaks Country Club, Chico.  It was a gorgeous January day.  So gorgeous in fact, that when I asked Mark for some "winter wedding images" these are what I got.

Fall Portrait Event 2014!

We are blocking off our calendar for portrait shoots starting November 8th and running through the holiday season.  This year we are excited to offer new packages and products to fit everyone's needs.  Mark loves working with each family whether the goal is ONE FABULOUS shot of your family of 5 (or 4 or 10 or..), or if you are looking for a variety shots to capture the moment of 2014.  And yes, 2014 seems like it has been just a moment.  I'm not sure how we're already planning for fall portraits.  Our metallic float mounts are a new twist on an old favorite - mixing the crispness of photo paper print, with the depth and eye catching display of a gallery wrapped canvas.  It's a great option for gifts and your own walls.  As always we will offer digital file packages to serve those who love to print their own cards and gift products.  Satisfaction guarantee on all.  Check out the pricing below and share, share, share!

Dove season is almost upon us.  Yes, this was an engagement shoot.  Yes, it was celebrating Julene and Andrew's upcoming winter wedding.  But the late summer landscape and this dog's ready eyes and posture scream of everything a Lab loves to do.  Even with owners distracted by each other, this one is patient and ready.

Back to Julene and Andrew and their fabulous shoot.  They are such a wonderful couple and we are enjoying the pre-wedding journey with them.  This shoot was done at 7:00 am at 5 mile in Chico to capture the late summer beauty without the heat.  We'll schedule a fall shoot as well when the leaves start changing and then shoot their wedding in January.  Here are a couple of our favorites from the first shoot.

 And one last image with the four legged friend.

"Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."

Mother Teresa

Class of 2015

Class of 2015 Portraits are off to a great start!  A senior at Pleasant Valley High School, Shawna enjoyed an evening with Mark and Nikki.  She started off with a hair and make up session with Nikki - photo ready make up is the BOMB.  There is no other word for it.  These images are STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CAMERA and Shawna looks gorgeous!  After the hair and make up were done, they headed out and about to Mark's favorite Chico spots.  There wasn't enough time in the day, so I'm hoping they hit a few more sometime soon!  Here's what we have so far.  Congratulations Shawna, we hope you have the best year!

From the creek and buildings around downtown, they headed out to 5 mile for this last outfit and some soft evening light.

"Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest

 later."

Og Mandino

Best of Chico - August

August is here, bring on the days of heat with slightly cooler evenings to enjoy.  Mark took this fantastic couple for an evening hike up to the ever popular Monkey Face and captured some images that he'd been planning in his head for awhile.  Opportunity presented itself with a willing couple looking for a few quality landscape images and a sky of fabulous clouds.  Traditionally, Mark will try to offer couples a mix of well lit portraits with crisp and clean skin tones and the more artistic candid shots as well.  This time however, it was all about the surroundings, and capturing the couple as part of the landscape.  It was nice to be able to compartmentalize the time allowed for 1 goal rather than the multiple styles he usually focuses on.

Sound strategy starts with having the right goal.

Michael Porter

Deep Summer

"Deep summer is when laziness finds 

respectability."

Sam Keen

Ah July.  We've hit that magical time of year.  A few big events and family shoots keep us just focused enough to remember how to work, but we have the time to take a breath and look around.  Mark will work in the yard throughout mornings, and I'll plow through a series of books.  We'll both have a few extra hours a week for ourselves.  Hard to even imagine once September hits!

However, we'll be shooting a State Level softball tournament this weekend and dipping our toes into the "instant" sales business model.  Trying it on for size and seeing how we like it.  Any other time of year the crazy hours required would scare us away, so this is perfect timing for us to try something new.  

Congratulations Chico Softball All Stars!

Congratulations to the Juniors team that won the District 47 tournament and is headed to the Nor Cal State Division Championship.   CSLL will be hosting the tournament and games will be played at Chico Westside Little League park.  We will be out there shooting and selling images from all of the games out there.  

Also Congratulations to this group, Chico Majors Black for winning the District 47,  Section 2 and the Divisional tournaments.  They are headed to San Bernadino for the Regional Finals this weekend, which is the last tournament before the Little League Softball World Series.  Good job girls!

Have a competitive team that would love pictures?  These attitude panoramas are printed on metallic paper in 10x30 and 5x15 sizes and are a great keepsake for all players and families.  The kids have so much fun setting them up and are always eager to get them back!  And it all starts with a high quality photograph - so much you can do digitally now once you have the high resolution image taken under the correct lighting!

"You're playing a game, whether it's Little League or Game 7 of the Word Series. It's impossible to do well unless you're having a good time. People talk about pressure. Yeah, there's pressure. But I just look at it as fun."

Derek Jeter