Napa Portrait and Wedding Photographer » Family photographer

| The Yellow Leaves | The World Exploded into Love |

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:33:55 +0000

The title says it all really. I was on my way home from a photo session one afternoon a few weeks ago and I decided to take a detour to see what was happening on ‘the yellow leaf street’. It’s this great street lined with Ginkgo trees. Sometime toward the end of November and into December, the street looks like it snowed yellow ginkgo leaves. Well, this lovely family that I know, has been taking photographs of their children and family in this very spot for 12 years now. We had tried to work out a date for me to take photos of their family, but we just couldn’t align our schedules and the leaves were moving out. The question of if the leaves were still there was really bugging me, even though I knew we’d missed our opportunity for a session, which also really bummed me out. So as I’m driving slowly down the street and noticing that most of the leaves were gone, I spy a court with a load of leaves. I also spy what I believe to be a family attempting to take photos of themselves. No offense Dave, but that little itty bitty tripod dealio looked like it wasn’t working so well. I back up my car, pull up to the curb and park. Yes indeed, that’s my family! I get out of the car, we laugh that I looked like a stalker slowly driving down the street and backing up, but how fortuitous, we all agree, I’m here!

It wasn’t the photo session that we had tried to schedule, but it worked. They got the worn out photographer traveling home from an out of town shoot, but we were only looking for a few fun shots. I think we got ‘em. And, no one rolled in hidden dog poo either, always a plus! I thought it would be fun to show Camp Kaywoodie (as they’re known by the loads of people who love them) their proofs from that day as a slideshow gallery here on the site. So you’re seeing everything. I even kept in some of the in between shots, the ones that are blurry. To me, they have meaning too. It’s kind of like real life, don’t you think? Life is fast, life is full of these blurry, fleeting moments of squished noses from pressing our foreheads together with those we love, messy and unkept snippets that we wouldn’t trade for anything. That’s what I’m after. There’s no fancy background here, you see the neighborhood cars, bicycles, blah, blah. Mostly, you see love.

Kari, I’m glad I happened by. See you soon.

Kathi

3039 Text Slide 1 3040 3041 3043 3044 3045 3049 3052 3053 3054 3070 3071 3077 3083 3084 3085 3086 3088 3089 3090 3093 3097 3098 3099 3100 3103 3108 3109 3115 3120 3123 3126 3133 3134 3137 3149 3150 3153 3161 3168 Text Slide end Family in the Yellow Leaves Family in the yellow leaves

Fun on-location Family Portraits in the Napa Valley

admin — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:59:39 +0000

I believe my very favorite request that I get from people contacting me for family photographs, is on-location photography, in and around their own home. And, the only other thing better than that, is when they preface that request with a statement about what’s important to them and how they go about their day at home. This is what they want to capture. Whether that means everyone is looking at the camera or not. Splendid! Lets do it!

This beautiful family was gifted a session with me as a result of an auction/fundraiser at the amazing Castello di Amorosa, here in Napa, for what is now, my oldest son’s former school (sigh….., I miss them) Stone Bridge School. We spent some time talking about what the family typically does on a weekend day, thus the tea party, as hosted by the very cute little girl with the blonde curls. The very same cutie loves to search the backyard for acorns and play. Their son gardens, loves legos (lucky guy, check out all those LEGOS!), tetherball and goofing around. The parents are both very easy-going, warm and friendly, and I think it’s apparent that they love their children and family life.

As always, I want to thank this family and all of my faithful clients for allowing me into your lives and for all the fun we have capturing moments that you cherish.

Kathi

Beautiful Growing Family …. ahhh, babies and children

admin — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:15:10 +0000

Yes, I’m sneaking back on my blog after having a super busy summer. I have so much to blog, I wasn’t sure where to begin. In the end, choosing wasn’t that difficult and this beautiful growing family got top bill, hands down! I went ahead and combined both their sessions, maternity and newborn.

Meet Kristen and Paul, both local chiropractors here Napa. You can find them here, at Giles Chiropractic. Really, click on their link and check them out. They are so passionate about health, sharing their expertise on health and wellness not only through their daily practice, but also through fitness classes and loads of great tips on their facebook page. You can catch free Turbo Fire workout classes with doctor Paul right now on Saturdays at Giles Chiropractic. Let me tell you, these people walk their talk, you won’t be disappointed.

Anyhow, we began the maternity session, at their home with some fun about-the-house kind of shots, and some very tasteful fine art images of the beautiful Kristen. This post is already on the large-ish side, so those images will just have to wait for another venue. You’ll have to settle for the images of doctor Paul down there with his sweet little Sydney. You’ll know the ones I’m talking about, you will definitely see the results of his current Saturday morning Turbo Fit classes! Go doctor Paul.

Kristen and Paul are blessed with two sweet little girls and I had a blast with Kierra, their oldest daughter, when we met for the maternity session. She was sharing her cute little stickers with me, her play jewelry that I got to wear throughout the entire session. She cracked me up on so many levels, so playful, sweet and fun. Apparently, she was taken with my rickety old wooden step ladder that I haul to most of my sessions. Did I mention that I’m 5’2″? Just about everybody is taller than me. I have nicer looking ladders, but this old wooden one is kind of like an old teddy bear security blanket and I just can’t make myself use the new, shiny ladder. Kristen told me when I arrived at their home for the newborn session, that Kierra asked if I was bringing my ladder. Ha, ha, why yes, I did. This brief post here, is a quick pic I took of Kierra sitting on my ladder. It was a specific request at the maternity session that I stop what I was doing and take this picture of her on my ladder. Of course, I granted her request. I loved these images of her. She’s got those big beautiful eyes, just like her mother’s. Well, we moved onto another location for some lovely scenery and play for the rest of the maternity session. The newborn session took place in there home, which is always nice.

I loved photographing your family Paul and Kristen, and look forward to many more sessions with you as your beautiful children grow. Thank you for sharing your time with me, it really is an honor and a privilege to be invited into your lives.

Kathi

I hope I don’t embarrass Paul, but look at those eyelashes up there!

That dog sings, and I’m not kidding. Love the dog. Remember when our pets were our first kids?

This next image is one of Paul and Kierra’s favorite things to do. Airplane!

When they were a sweet family of three.

Cute!

And now, no words necessary, just a gorgeous glowing family (and some silly faces courtesy of Kierra, thanks fun girl)

Lifestyle Family Photographer | Shooting a Shooter | Napa Family Photographer

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 06:35:01 +0000

My favorite thing to do is photograph people just living life, documenting the little things in their daily lives. Turns out for most people, these little things are loaded with meaning. Think of my job as sort of a visual journal, a way to go back and look at an image and remember what was going on that day. Really, telling a story, the story of you. Someone said to me recently that they felt that my photographs felt true and full of life. The images they saw made them want to be there, where ever that was. It almost made me cry. I just about floated away from that meeting. How nice. It’s what I hope for whenever I pick up my camera and set out to photograph my sessions, that I will tell a story. That I will be that fly on the wall, unobtrusive and watching the story unfold and tell it in a way that will be remembered always.

That leads me to this session with someone who knows what I’m talking about. Please meet my friend, Jennifer Chaney, photographer extraordinaire from the East Bay. Jennifer invited me in to capture some very sweet and meaningful moments in her life. She has such a sweet family! There’s ‘the crazies’, I mean the kids, the handsome husband and a gigantic dog (who managed to not be in any of these shots, whoops!). It was fast paced and so much fun.

Thanks for the fun and the laughs Jen, can’t wait ’til next time.

In Your Eyes | Napa Children’s Photographer | Napa Black and White Photographer

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 05:13:39 +0000

I’m a photographer, I love people, I photograph people. I’m also known as a children’s photographer and I love that association. I tend to chatter a lot, and I’m trying not to here. I want this to be brief and about the art. The art of children, the art of photography, the art of really seeing someone. Seeing them whether you’re with them for a number of hours, minutes, days. Do you see them? I was with this lovely little person last week photographing her expectant mother, and we’ll get to that in a few weeks when I’ve had time to look it over, edit, etc. But tonight, I just wanted to share this beautiful little person, this moment caught right here. We were just goofing off when I took this image and it was a total distraction tactic on my part to get her to cooperate with what we were about to do next with her momma. It was brief and it was beautiful. You know what they say, life is what happens when you’re making plans. As someone who has been photographing for a long time now, I know what I’m doing, I know that what I cherish most in shooting is the moments in between moments. The in between places is where’s it’s at for me. Ask anybody who’s worked with me, that’s where the magic is and that’s where I go.

Get lost in the magic that is this precious child. She’s in her moment. They’re fleeting and we’d better hang on or we’ll miss them. Miss them as photographers, but most importantly as parents and people who appreciate the magic that is the child. And, I mean no matter the age. Hang on guys, enjoy it all.

‘In your eyes
the light the heat
in your eyes
I am complete
in your eyes
I see the doorway to a thousand churches
in your eyes
the resolution of all the fruitless searches
in your eyes
I see the light and the heat
in your eyes
oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light
the heat I see in your eyes’

Peter Gabriel

A Girls and Her Critters | Napa Children’s Photographer | Lifestyle Photographer

admin — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 03:14:05 +0000

I’d like to introduce you to a very fun family that I have been photographing for quite some time now. Meet Laleh, she’s fantastic! The first time I photographed Laleh, she was only 6 months old. I’ve been fortunate enough (thank you) to watch her grow and photograph her for oh, about 7 years now. Her parents are two very creative people and I find myself taking in everything I can when I’m in their home, or on their property. It’s such a visual feast. Well, anyhow, this particular session was about documenting Laleh and her chickens, very cute. I was first introduced to her caterpillar though. You can see, this little guy does tricks, yes, that’s the caterpillar walking the tightrope while Laleh looks on. And, is typical for me, I even climbed up into a tree with Laleh. It’s not that I do that at every session, but, where they go, I go, not a problem at all, more fun that way.

Many thanks to her lovely parents, Bill and Toyoko. I continue to feel extremely lucky that I get to take part in your lives this way.

Kathi

The Finale, as promised | Napa Children’s Photographer | Napa Lifestyle Photographer

admin — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 07:15:20 +0000

And, I do deliver. Here’s the finale, as promised, of some of my favorite girls. You may think I’m showing a lot, and I am, but believe me, this is but the tip of the iceberg with this session. The awesome images were too numerous to count, thanks to my unbelievable subjects. Truly beautiful people, in every way.

It’s late, so here you go and enjoy.

| One Fit & Hot Momma | & Her Sweet Baby | Napa Maternity & Newborn Photographer |

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:39:24 +0000

Meet Ines, of NapaFit and Bikini Bootcamp, and her adorable baby girl. You may remember a post awhile back that I featured of a fitness field trip to San Francisco that I took with Ines and all the Bikini Bootcampers here. Well, the woman never stops and she’s back at it, get over to Bikini Bootcamp right now before it fills up in a flash. Especially those field trips! Anyhow, back to this Hot Momma. Ines and I have enjoyed a friendship that began years ago when she first came to my studio for headshots she needed for some acting work. I’ve had the pleasure of photographing Ines many times since then, both personally and for her very successful businesses. I was beyond excited to photograph Ines once again, especially for this incredibly beautiful time in her life, her first baby. And isn’t that baby girl too sweet for words? Now I’m even more excited about my future as a photographer with Ines because I get to document this sweet little baby growing up. Seriously, I know we all say it, but what a great job I have!

So now begins this new chapter for Ines and her expanding family, I can’t wait to tell your story through my lens.

My love to you all.

Kathi

Lets start with some rockin’ hot momma here!

That sly smile off to the side below would be for her handsome husband off camera right.

~May I introduce sweet baby C~

~Just a little bit more of sweet C and her pretty momma~

| Isn’t She Lovely? | Napa Senior Photographer | Napa Family Photographer |

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:28:30 +0000

Hey there, how have you all been? Things are moving fast around here. As is usual, I have a lot of catching up to do here on the blog. I thought I would start with sweet Klarissa. I met Klarissa’s mom along time ago and we’ve reconnected through our mutual love for Napa Fit/Bikini Bootcamp. So I was more than thrilled when I got the chance to photograph Klarissa’s senior portraits. She was so wonderful the day we got together because it looks really warm and sunny, but it wasn’t at all! Beautiful light, beautiful day, beautiful girl, fairly chilly, I tell you. I told her she was definitely a pro in my book! Did I also mention that she’s one of the most hardworking high school students I’ve met? This is one industrious and hardworking young lady and I know she’s headed for success. Honestly though, knowing her mom, it’s in her blood, ha, ha! Enough from me, enjoy the images and these beautiful days we’re having around here.

One of my Favorite Sessions | Napa Family Photographer | Napa Valley Photographer

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:44:53 +0000

I don’t even know where to begin with this post. I’m still trying to catch up from the holiday season on blogging and showing off some of the fabulous sessions I had. This session seemed like the perfect place to start. It was a crisp, sunny, magical lighting kind of day in November when I got together with these gorgeous girls. Not only are they beautiful, sweet and fun, but they like to play around with clothing too! It doesn’t get much better than that. Well, actually, it does, because two out of the three are dancers as well. Fantastic! I would also like to plug the dance studio they attend because it’s such a great place, Napa Regional Dance Company. Along time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I danced with the Executive Director, Wanda Martin McGill. Wanda is an exceptional talent and you can also catch her at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. Now I realize this is a very long post, but let me explain. Brianna and I ended up with more time together that day because the other two girls had to get to their afternoon dance class. So, Brianna and I kind of had our own private shoot. I didn’t mind in the least! Makes sense to start with Brianna, yes?

Meet Sophie.

Isabella.

They’re great together.