A mini little nugget of perfection….makes me want another one.
Tag Archives: modern portraiture
the healing continues | surviving breast cancer
Those of you who have followed my blog may remember the brave and beautiful Jen as she was just beginning her battle with breast cancer, (click here to see the first post.) Well, I couldn’t be happier to announce that Jen has made it through her final chemotherapy treatment and is on the path to a full recovery. I was beyond honored that Jen asked me to photograph her in this second stage of healing before she faces more surgery and yet more healing. We decided to meet at a beautiful, secluded beach up the coast. Poor Jen got stuck in hours of terrible traffic on her way there, but she still arrived with a bright smile and willingness to brave the rock cliffs that I had her climb and the cold that I made her endure…I think that kinda sums up Jen’s spirit perfectly. While I was wandering around the beach before Jen arrived, I found a piece of driftwood that when pushed together with some effort, formed a heart. It made me immediately think of Jen, so I gave it to her during our shoot. I love the shots of her holding it, especially the one at the end of the post. Jen I adore you and wish you continued health.
I asked Jen to be my guest blogger again, because I know her words do much more justice to this experience than mine ever could. She kindly shared these words:
“With the completion of chemotherapy in the first week of June, my gift to myself was a celebratory photo shoot with Carlie. When Carlie photographed me in the winter, I was about to have a mastectomy on my right side, about to start fertility treatments should my reproductive system not “wake up” after chemotherapy, and yes, I was about to start chemo as well. Part of my reason for asking Carlie to photograph me was that I had a fear that I wouldn’t recognize myself anymore, both in body and soul. I was afraid I would be changed forever. Fortunately, I did about as well as anyone can do with chemotherapy: my side effects were pretty minimal, nonethless, chemo and all that goes with it made for a long winter. I learned that nothing (mastectomy, chemo, hairloss, etc) lived up to my fearful idea of it. Each time a big moment came up, I would have all kinds of anxiety and before I knew it, I had adapted, because really, what other choice do you have, and I was OK. I don’t think anyone goes through a brush with a life-threatening illness without a ripple through their soul, but I’m not convinced anymore that you become a stranger to yourself in the process. This experience has fortified my ties with my friends and family, and brought into the light new important people in my life. When I feel happy, I feel it deeply, with gratitude for the moment. I’ve climbed a mountain of sorts and I’m seeing myself and my world from a whole new vantage point. I think that’s what Carlie captured. With relief, I can say I am cancer-free and chemo-free. With triumph I can say I did it and it is behind me. With humility and gratitude I can say I love my life, my friends, my family.”
senior portraits with ‘alice’ | santa cruz photographer
This was more than just taking senior portraits with a high school student, this was like hanging out with Alice in Wonderland. Santa Cruz always feels like a pretty magical place to photograph, but when you add a beautiful, adventurous, willing and kind-hearted girl, then Santa Cruz becomes Wonderland. We had so much fun together, and I feel like our portrait session captured the many different and lovely sides of our sweet ‘Alice.’
family portrait session | santa cruz photographer
I got to photograph the very beginning of this family, back when big sister had just been born. Fast forward two very short years, and I am back to photograph this family again, together with it’s newest member; a little sister! It’s always so amazing to get to experience the growth of a family and the personalities that emerge once those newborns grow up into toddlers. I loved being introduced to little sister by big sister, and as I stared at this beautiful new life I wondered who she would grow up to become. We managed to have some fun and get some shots in between the fussiness and fatigue that is expected of a newborn, and the desire to play and resistance to pose that is expected of a toddler. In those ‘between’ moments I am always trying to capture the character of each child and each family at that time and the beauty of this ‘stage’ because I am so aware that we’re all in a constant state of evolution.
dad & daughter | portrait session | santa cruz photographer
I have to say that I love a Dad who keeps his daughter home from school on a Friday just so that they can hang out together, (I hope I’m not ruining any alibis ) a Dad who wants to remember each stage of his daughter’s childhood by doing annual portraits together, a Dad who builds the things that his daughter designs and launches a business together called Sugarline because her middle name is Sugar, but mostly I love a Dad who simply adores his daughter.
I am a self proclaimed post-a-holic, and so I’m going to do my best to resist the urge to post about 100 images form this single portrait session. There were so many great moments, expressions and acrobatics documented that I find it really challenging to be selective. I think that I get extra snap-happy whenever I sense a depth of connection between the people I am photographing, and this father and daughter are so beautifully close and comfortable together that I never noticed the time nor the frames flying by until the raindrops started falling. I could tell that they just truly enjoyed each other’s company…and of course I loved being around them too.
three sisters | portrait session | bay area photographer
Three beautiful sisters who live in different parts of the country were united in Palo Alto for the holidays, so I came to capture some of their time together. Lots of laughter and sisterly antics ensued, as the youthful spirit of adolescence re-emerged while they posed, pulled funny faces and played in the park together. The three of them have such a connection with each other and with their sweet father, who joined us too. I love how they were all up for anything and even agreed to lay on the ground and let me hover over them to get the shots I had in mind. I love my brother to pieces, but I kinda wish I had two sisters now.
sinclair & lazerwitz | san francisco children’s photographer
I loved getting to meet and photograph this family for the first time, and the sculpture garden at the de Young Museum in Golden Gate park was the ideal location for our session. Both kids had these glowing eyes and eager spirits, interested in exploring everything that the gardens had to offer. They were off and running from the start….and I just tried to keep up! Talia came right up to me and revealed her sweet spirit without any hesitation. The first photo here is the very first photo I took of her. Her brother Noah is equally sweet spirited, and even more curious. He was born with an extremely rare genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome, (a communication and neurological disorder in which the he is nonverbal, has seizures, is cognitively impaired and has global development issues) so although he couldn’t speak or take direction, he really responded to all of the reflections and textures with such a sense of intrigue and joy, and of course speed! I was amazed by the graceful yet playful ways of both parents, they made the day flow so smoothly and feel so fun. I could definitely tell that this is one love-filled family.
