Blog
How Do I Love You?
My friend, Davina Fear, is doing some amazing work on something called Familyness. Rather than focusing on the external world, our wants and wishes, she turns it back around to the micro-world that happens in our most special relationships. Here Davina has invited 25...
Brower Youth Awards 2013
"Anything you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." Goethe The Brower Youth Awards is a cause that is close to my heart. When I was in high school I wanted to Save the Whales. In my speech class I gave a presentation about...
The Great Gatsby Summer Afternoon
“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby Excitement for the Gatsby Summer Afternoon bubbles like a sparkling summer brook, escaping like...
The Queen Mary Art Deco Festival
"Oh, it was easy to see why people had whirlwind shipboard romances, for it was a temporary journey into fantasy, where dreams could come true--if only for the duration of the cruise." — Patricia Hagan (Ocean of Dreams) It has been a year of crazy adventures and I...
We may never pass this way again.
“The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with eager feet, Until it joins some larger way Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say” ― J.R.R....
the dance
the dance from Laura Cottril on Vimeo. "Please send me your last pair of shoes, worn out with dancing as you mentioned in your letter, so that I might have something to press against my heart." ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. I shared this piece with a photographer...
Striving for Excellence
I have a group of photography friends with whom years ago we decided we would "go for our Master's" together. In our local Professional Photographer's of America group, it was hard to keep the Masters interested in coming to our meetings, so we decided to educate...
The Art of Vintage Dance
My journey continues as each person I meet leads me to the next person, and the next. Recently I was invited to photograph the final dance Soiree of Joan Walton's Santa Clara Vintage, Waltz and Swing workshop at the San Jose Woman's Club. Electric fans were blowing...
Then and Now
A little blue velvet suit, reminding me of The Blue Boy painting, was discovered in my grandma's basement when we were sorting through her memories after her death. It was my dad's. We also found photos of my dad in the said suit. Looking chubby and a little off...
The Old Oak Tree
It all started with this big 'ole tree. My client would stop me in the halls at our children's school weaving a tale about this tree and how it had a hold on him. Although we had talked for years about scheduling family portraits, his love of the Briones open space...
Why Vintage?
It's so funny. The thing you resist becomes the thing you most wanted. When I was asked to be the photographer at Vintage Day I didn't want to do it because I didn't want to be the event photographer. My strength and gift lies in the creating and crafting, rather than...
Vintage Day at the Groveland Hotel
If you have been following me over the last few months you may have noticed my passion for Storybook portraits arise. These portraits don't just include little girls in princess dresses, they include stories of all kinds, including stories of the past. Imagine my...
Do you photograph puppies?
The question took me by surprise. I've photographed many dogs in family portraits but have never been asked about having a Puppy Photo Session. Although I do have photographer friends that specialize in this sort of thing. Well, when I met Meadow, it was like meeting...
John Muir’s Daughters
While on vacation in Santa Cruz we decided to look for treasures by going thrift store shopping. We happened upon a costume shop that had not an inch to spare, it was so full of every costume you could imagine! As my children tried on the dragon heads and climbed high...
More than Charity
I've been struggling for the words to define my feelings on this subject ever since it happened. I'm not sure if I only just noticed it at this level and if it's always been there. The Pleasant Hill Elementary Education Foundation (PHEEF) auction happened in March,...
The making of a dream…
I couldn't stop thinking about it. The book. Where was that book? I set the seed into my mind to germinate until the answer came. I went directly to the garage, moving aside the boxes until I found the one I was looking for. After months of feeling uninspired, this...
Pleasant Hill Elementary Spring Gala
Anticipation rules the air as the calendar pages fly by and the Pleasant Hill Elementary Spring Gala quickly approaches. We get many questions about the photos every year but it is as simple as this: We photograph approximately 140 kids of parents who are going to...
Hope for our Future
Tuesday night was a big night for our future. It was the 13th annual Brower Youth Awards night. Out of hundreds of applicants six youth leaders are chosen to receive this prestigious award from Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative. These youth are already...
Bella Belle
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