Napa Portrait and Wedding Photographer » Napa Valley Photographer

St. Helena Family Photography | St. Helena Cyclery’s own Jake Scheideman!

admin — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:38:46 +0000

Hey my local friends! If you own a really great bike, chances are that you bought it from Jake at St. Helena Cyclery. And, if you didn’t, next time you’re in the market for a bike, go see Jake. The selection, service and way nice people will make you customers for life! I love my bicycle, and it’s pretty too. Almost looks like it has these pretty henna tattoos on it. Sorry, didn’t think about photographing it and it’s raining at the moment, so no can do. Yep, thought about searching the web too, but nah, just use your imagination, or go see Jake. Anyhow, St. Helena Cyclery is a great resource for upcoming riding events and a lot more. Click on the St. Helena Cyclery link here and check it out. And, just for a bit of added background, if you’re not aware of this organization, DCN, Developing Communities in Nicaragua, it’s pretty amazing. Based in St. Helena, Jake is the organization’s founder, and it’s a coalition of volunteers who’ve partnered with residents of Empalme de Boaco in an effort to help the community towards a better future. It all started long ago out of Jake’s passion for baseball and a trip to this community after college. It has, with the help of many, assisted with housing, education, recreational programs, jobs, and firstly, that coveted baseball field. If you do click-though to the DCN link, please watch the brief, but incredibly moving video, ‘Diamond in the Rough’. See how our own San Francisco Giants got involved. I challenge you to keep the moisture out of your eyes! I’ve only vaguely known about this ongoing project in Nicaragua until recently. After our photo session, I asked Jake more about it and was completely drawn in by the story of how it all began, the steps forward and his then, upcoming December trip with Amanda (that’s his beautiful daughter in these photos). Jake and I talked about the community in depth and I am hoping to see this place and meet the people for myself in the near future. Just an amazing bunch of people, all the way around.

So I leave you with a few images we took this beautiful day, in this beautiful place we call home. Every year when Jake calls, I’m so happy and grateful that I get to photograph the two of them once again. I’ve had the opportunity of photographing these two many times over the years, watching Amanda grow into the pretty young lady that she is today. And wow, I’ve known her for a long time! Amanda and my oldest son, also in high school now, spent some time together as toddlers in a wonderful, super small in-home daycare in St. Helena. Now that does seem like a very long time ago, and I will not cry.

Thanks, Jack and Amanda (He told me I could call him anything I wanted to on the blog, ha, ha. There was this one typo in some correspondence) !

Real smiles, loads of sunshine and fun in the beautiful Napa Valley

admin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:44:33 +0000

Hello and Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a grand Holiday season filled with love, fun, family and friends, and oh yeah, too much food! I have zero complaints and nothing but big smiles when I look over these past several months. The only thing I see that I don’t have is, you guessed it, no blog posts! Well, that seems to be the way I roll at times. I just don’t come up for air. Did you miss me? Well, I missed you and thought I would begin the 2011 with a bright sunshiney post from the end of summer that I never got ’round to showing off. And wow, if you live here in California, there was no shortage of sunshine well into the Fall. How lucky are we? What that means is, more beautiful light in the posts from me ahead. Can you see my big smile? Hear my laugh that follows? If you’ve not met me in person (and you know you want to!), that’s how my smile works. I don’t just smile, there’s always a laugh. What can I say? I’m just mostly a happy person and inherited a ridiculous sense of humor from my mom. I sometimes laugh at the way I see the world, like a Pixar film at times, ha, ha.

Anywho, for anyone in need of some sunshine, smiles and just feasting your eyes on a little person who absolutely, unequivocally knows how to have not just a good time, but a GRAND time. Well then, this post is for you. When I know I’m going to be photographing my friend Lilla, I know I need to have my running shoes on, knee pads ready for the ‘army crawl’, really whatever it takes, because this girl moves very, very fast! I LOVE photographing Lilla! She just makes me so happy. And, she’s the luckiest little thing. She has this great property to run all over, gardens with more flowers, fruits and vegetables, goats, chickens, horses, dogs and cats, as well as her sweet mom. Can’t wait until next time!

Have fun,

Kathi

Class of 2011 | Vintage High School Senior |

admin — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:12:45 +0000

It’s about time I posted my sweet friend TK! Welcome to the blog TK. Wow, I’ve known TK, and her cute sister, for a very long time. Cute sister’s senior pics are down the road a bit. However, I had to slip a cute pic of the sisters together down there anyway, because sis was at the shoot and did not only keep her sister TK laughing, but was a very good wardrobe assistant as well. Thanks sis! TK had this very particular place in mind to photograph her senior pictures and I was so happy to be able to oblige. It was beautiful, private and loads of texture, color, wildlife……. Fun. Let’s just get right to it, here’s my beautiful young friend, such a lady. Enjoy.

And, a little pre-visualization of what’s to come, too cute.

And, the cute sisters.

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)

| Spring Sale | Kathi Cook Photography Spring Sale | Napa Family Photographer

admin — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:22:11 +0000

It’s Spring in Northern California, and I want to celebrate with a Spring Gift Certificate Sale! A wonderful gift for Mother’s Day, right on through the rest of Spring, with all of its incredible sunshine and blue skies, green hills and wild flowers and general bliss. So here are the details:

For the rest of April through May 15th, each time you purchase a $200 gift certificate to Kathi Cook Photography, I’ll toss in an extra $50 print certificate FREE! Yep, for every $200 gift certificate (which can be used toward session fees, prints, albums, canvases, digital collections, or any other product I offer) that you purchase between April 23, 2010 and May 15, 2010 — you will receive an additional $50 print certificate totally FREE to use toward print and product purchases from your session! What a great gift for Mother’s Day —plus, these Spring Sale certificates never expire — so you can use them later this month, or later this year (buy a bundle and use them for birthdays, Christmas…..). Just send me an email or give me a call at 707.226.1688. The only fine print is that this offer is only valid for gift certificate purchases completed (ordered and paid in full by cash or check) by May 15, 2010.

| The One-Word-Project | Wrinkle | Napa Valley Photographer |

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:42:56 +0000

Recently I have begun participating in something called the-one-word-project with a group of talented photographers. Each Sunday, we get a word, then we go photograph our interpretation of this word, applying our artistic vision as we see it. We are to use four images for the completed piece. I am having such a good time with this little project. It is little, true, but its impact for me is big. Sometimes we get so caught up in only photographing for our clients (whom we love!), or we do photograph our own family and friends, but they never make it off the hard drive! So, with this project I’m forced to photograph for pleasure and post these images within a small space of time. I like a deadline, I’m good under pressure! However, I find I haven’t been doing much for myself and feeding that weird photography geek that starting photographing so long ago, spending hours in the darkroom watching the magic come alive in the trays before me. You know, the geek that drives everyone crazy because you just stop where you are, and simply cannot pass up documenting that really cool spider web, backlit with beautiful morning dew? Or, the one who has been driving her friends crazy for years requesting that they go climb down into that ditch, or trudge to some hard to get to place for that one artistic shot? Yeah, that would be me. Anyhow, I was at a close friend’s house the other day, and I find every detail of her home warm, cozy, friendly, interesting and filled with texture. She just looks at me and shakes her head as I’m wandering around her house, ignoring the fact that she doesn’t want me to go into a room that might have an unsightly mess. Well, that’s because I know better, even her messes are filled with interest and beauty. And, her children no longer pay attention to me, they just let me be and get in on the treasure hunting with me at times.

Just for fun, here’s my ‘wrinkle’ from my dear friends lovely home; and I couldn’t resist that beautiful artichoke when my young friend picked it up with her talented artists hands. That young artist will have to be in another post soon. Thank you friends, you know who you are.

| 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.

The Bui Brothers Rock! | Napa Portrait Photographer | Bay Area Photographer |

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:28:43 +0000

Hey all, happy Monday! I wanted to make a quick post before heading out for the day to photograph some really cute kids. Last week I got to meet Vu and Lan Bui aka The Bui Brothers, from Southern California. I heard them speak one evening, then got to hang out with them at a workshop the next day. Wow, what a great couple of days I had. These guys are just plain fun to be with and are so knowledgeable. They don’t hold back and show you/tell you everything you want to know. As a photographer, if you ever get a chance to attend one of their workshops or hear them speak, jump on it! And, of course if you’re going to WPPI (Kathi raises her hand, yippee!) in a couple of weeks, you’ll see them there as well. Anyhow, gotta get out there and shoot today, so here’s just a few fast images of one of our fantastic models that day.

Cheers!

Sweet little country girls! | Napa Children’s Photographer | Napa Family Photographer

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:35:59 +0000

Meet my sweet little country girlfriends! And, be prepared for the longest post in history! I really love all my sessions, but these girls were just so much fun, so playful, the scenery so delicious, and I have been so busy (thank you everyone!) lately, that I haven’t been able to post many sessions. So, I thought I would lavish you with a delightful day of play in a gorgeous setting.

These cute little people have a great life. They live in one of the most beautiful areas in Napa Valley, not that they ‘get this’, or care. What they ‘get’ is, life is an adventure! They share this fun farm with their older brother (we’ll meet him another time, it’s all about the girls right now), their wonderful parents, and a whole lot of critters. We started off with some chalk art up near the house, took off from there with the cutest puppy on the planet (yes, even cuter than mine, don’t tell my dog!), combed the green pastures, sassed some goats, went creek stomping, out for hot chocolate and back again to enjoy our lollipops from the local sweet shop. I think maybe they napped, but me, I went on to photograph kids doing an art project at my sons school. But that’s another story…. For now, enjoy this story as it unfolds, you know you want to be there too!

Oh, I almost forgot to thank their sweet mommy, who let me just run with the kids and do things my way. Thank you! I had an incredible play date with you all, thanks so much!

PS Some of you might recognize one of these images as my ‘facebook’ profile image. It makes everybody so happy!

Love this little guy!

Just getting started.

A relatively calm moment.

Moments

more moments

They each have their own interests, although I think I have the puppy’s attention.

Doesn’t this remind you of that old Coppertone Ad?

Little C strikes a pose!

Sweet P.

Life is good on a ranch!

Some of the local color.

More sweet P. moments.

Come on Kathi, catch up!

Little bits of C. in her element.

OK, now we’re getting down to business in the sweet shop!

Sugar doesn’t effect kids?

Oh no it doesn’t!

Who cares anyway?!

Not her.

Em, the calm after the storm.

I’m at peace just looking at this.

And, they had me in pieces, ha, ha! Thanks girls, you know how to have a good time!

Exquisite Ashland | Beauty Everywhere | Napa Photographer Hits the Road |

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:28:14 +0000

Several weeks ago I traveled up to Ashland, OR with my son’s eighth grade class for a week long trip to attend the Shakespeare Festival . We had a fantastic time! We camped at beautiful Immigrant Lake, attended several plays and a couple prologues, took the backstage tour, toured the beautiful heart of Ashland daily, played at Lithia Park (even drank the disgusting Lithium water from the public drinking fountain — can you say sulfur? Bleck!), played with some costumes of our own, and had a generally wonderful time together. However, this post is just a sprinkling of our experience up there, as the photographs are too numerous to post, and I mainly wanted to add this post in the spirit of Halloween, and show you some of the beautiful costumes that are worn in these plays. As you may have guessed, you are not allowed to photograph on any of the tours, or during performances, so the costumes you see here are on display in a window at the Shakespeare Festival Visitor Center. Still awesome!

So lets get started, welcome to Ashland, OR!

The incredible outdoor Elizabethan theatre and a really awesome MacBeth!

Some of the beautiful costumes used at the Festival.

A lovely florist shop with a chocolate bar, as in chocolate you can drink, wow!

A couple of happy parent chaperones enjoying this ‘sweet’ venue.

Clearly he’s had too much of the chocolate drink!

So much beauty around.

We found a funky costume shop of our own. It was a kick hanging with these girls, I love them all!

Enjoying our spoils.

A quick shot of our prologue host front-loading us for the afternoon’s play, which was MacBeth. If this guy looks familiar, Google him, his name is David DeSantos. He’s not only on stage, but movies and t.v. as well. He did a superb job of engaging us in the story to come.

Some props around the room during the prologue.

Uh huh, a beautiful cup of coffee completes this episode of exquisite Ashland. For all of my fellow parents of this class, you know you will see hundreds of photographs from our time in Ashland. Patience though, ’tis a busy season for me. And, in the words of our lovely teacher ‘thank you for your children’. I can’t believe this is our last year together as a class. It has truly been an honor to be able to attend so many trips with these beautiful young adults and document them through the grades. What a slideshow we’ll have at the end of the year! Gotta go before I start crying, I love them all.

Kathi