Family Portraits

These are literally F.A.M.I.L.Y portraits. I made some really cool gifts this christmas using my friend Sonja's website. For example, I made a few brag books, a deck of playing cards, a birthday calendar and a traditional calendar. Sonja is a consultant for Heritage Makers and I am loving their products. So, what I did was have a mini portrait session on my in-laws patio and these are some of my favorites of they day...

New product launch CASTING CALL...

I will be launching a new product for Father's Day of 2010. But... I need to make a sample book and I am seeking out two models. I need (one) boy and (one) girl to model for my studio. If you are interested in having your child be considered for this shoot please send me your CHILD's answers to the following questions.



1) My daddy is as handsome as....

2) My daddy is as strong as...

3) My favorite thing to do with my daddy is...

4) If my daddy and I could go anywhere in the world it would be...

5) I want to __________ just like my daddy



If your child meets the following requirements and you are interested please post your child's answeres on my facebook site...www.facebook.com/Cellabration under Discussions.



Only requirements are:

• your child must be between the ages of 3-7


• you must be willing to shoot one of three dates that I provide at a location of my choice (within 15 miles of Menifee)


• must be willing to sign a model release & provide studio with any additional information needed to complete the project

Perks:

• No session fee ($125 value)


• $50 credit towards purchase of new product (product retail value $85.00)


• Digital files on High Resolution disc


• Online hosting for sharing with family and friends

Thanks so much for your interest and keep an eye out for the launch in March/April of 2010!

Something for the photogs!

I just found this new site that I am SUPER excited about. It is Sarah Petty's the JOY of Marketing. I am particularly fond of the blog. I have found some awesome resources on there on how to market my business and even attended one of their web summits that she put on to raise money for cleft palate surguries through Operation Smile. I am a HUGE fan of their work and look forward to following the site for years to come!

SMILEstones...

This photo session was SO special to me. After we got done shooting portraits, the family here expressed to me how they do not have not ONE picture of their youngest son smiling. Not ONE! I couldn't believe it. He is the happiest little boy in person but for some reason he isn't into having his portrait taken.

So when I started sorting through their session and I saw this....

And this...


And this...

I just couldn't contain myself. I couldn't wait to get these portraits back to this family and shout, "WE did it!!" We hit a SMILEstone! You see, to me being a photographer is SO much more than f/stops and shutter speeds. It's an opportuinty to touch someone's heart with this talent that the LORD has blessed me with. To make a small difference in someone's life.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this moment with you! Words cannot express how this session has forever touched my heart!!

Ranch Style Family Portraits

This photo session was AMAZING. We went to this Ranch out in Murrieta that her family owns. It had this cute little stable that was perfect for their family portraits.

It also had this adorable bridge that over looked a little pond. The family looked SUPER cute in their Christmas attire and they were all really fun to work with. The twins have a special, special bond that radiated through the camera lens and made me wish I had a twin brother.

Thank you all so much for having me take your family portraits this holiday season. I had a great time and I hope you like them as much as I do.

A Love Story...

I recently had the opportunity to shoot some engagement portraits for my little brother. He recently came back to California after being away for 5 years. He has served our country, did two tours in Iraq and met his beautiful-soon-to-be wife in Savannah, GA. They fell in love and she came home with him to sunny California. Not only was it an HONOR to shoot their portraits but I had a lot of fun too! They are a super cute couple who will always have you laughing until your belly aches.

It's funny because this little tree setting is in the most unlikely of spots. I love that the leaves on the tree were falling off and that the branches were kind of bare. I can't wait to go back in the spring and see how they fill in.

I actually got the, "Sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G" idea from my very talented photographer friend Karen Demamiel. She did some amazing family portraits in a tree and I really can't take credit for the idea.

I absolutely LOVE this red wall. It photographs really well and is a lot of fun to use in pictures.

And then there is the brick! They really hammed it up for me during these next few shots. It happened to be very close to pouring rain and I can't even begin to tell you how COLD it was! My hands were numb and all of us were shivering but they still managed to be silly.

Aww....thanks guys for having me take your portraits! I had a great time and I can't wait for the wedding next year!


So, I had to throw this one in...this is my brother and I when he came back from Iraq the last time. We (my mom & I) got to fly to South Carolina and meet him at the flight deck when he got off the plane. We watched it land and had to find him out of the 500 other Marines that came home that day. With tons of tears and long hugs we welcomed him back home! Thank you Joey for serving our country and making the sacrfices that you did. I love you oh, so much!!

Not just a SNEAK peek...

As promised, the Petrowsky Preview is no longer in "sneak peak" mode...it is a full on Premier!! I finally got all of the portraits edited and am ready to share them with the world!

Here is the picture of the first post that I did but this time in color. I am so thrilled that even the baby has a smile on her face!

There were tons of laughs on this shoot which made the day that much more fun. Which brings me to the next set of pictures of the boys with their Dad...

Matt came up with that last pose all by himself! I was impressed by his spontaneity and I must say that this happens to be one of my favorite portraits of their session. But as much as I like that portrait my heart and soul belong to this one...


I love the colors in this picture (I know...I have been obsessed with this finish lately) but the green, reds and distressed wood really bring this picture all together. I am a total sucker for the tight crop, adoring mommy eyes and a beautiful, sleeping, peaceful, perfect, precious, baby Jillian. Thank YOU so much Petrowsky family for the AWESOME session, silly giggles, big imaginations and the new pose idea!

A Whimsical Thought...

I have now found my newest favorite photographer (one among a LONG list that keeps on growing)! Her name is Susan Berman of Whimsical Photo Design. And guess what, she BLOGS! I LOVE reading blogs. My fabulous sister-in-law turned me onto the blogging world and my life has been forever changed. But anyway, she [Susan] wrote a blog about Finding the Soul of a Child. It was such an incredible post and as I was reading it I immediately thought of this family.

In her post she talks about being in a class at WPPI where Tamara Lackey (another recent addition to "The List") was speaking. Basically (I am not doing this post any justice...you have to read it from Susan) as a photographer we are more than just button pushers...in Children's photography it is all about the photograper being able to connect to a child's soul. Which brings me back to the Kindred Family...

After I read her post it really felt like she put these raw emotions that I feel about these portraits, a set of emotions that are hard to explain...hard to put into words, that stir deep inside me...into a six beautiful words..."Finding the Soul of a Child". That's what I am looking for when I shoot children's portraits and that's what I hope all parents see when they look at my portraits.

Too SWEET!

WOW....is all I can say. These two kiddos left me speechless. Not only are they SO sweet but they are just down right adorable. I had the best time photographing them and their parents.









I could post for days...these two gave me a lot to work with. Check out my FB page to see more! Thanks for the AWESOME shoot, I hope you all enjoy your portraits as much as I have.

Top TEN things I am THANKFUL for...

1. The day that TRUE love died for a sinner like me!
2. My wonderful husband
3. My THREE amazing children
4. My awesome FAMILY
5. My LOYAL friends
5. Chocolate...candy, milk, ice-cream, coffee creamer (I love it ALL!)
6. Rainy days
7. MOPS (you Mothers of Preschoolers know what I mean)
8. My love and passion for PHOTOGRAPHY
9. Books
10. and for...snow sleds

Petrowsky Preview....

I couldn't wait to get home and start editing these shots from a portrait session that I did less than 12 hours ago. I was looking for a family portrait that would make a good B&W for this chic new Christmas Card that I got....Let me know what you think. Myhubby seems to think that Christmas cards should be in color, not B&W...I disagree in a BIG way...I mean, look at this card!


It's kind of hard to see on this white background because it is a white card but I am lovin' it! Sorry, Gina...that I don't have more portraits for you to get a sneak peak at! Promise, they will be ready soon (7 days max!)

Gotta love the WATERFALLS!

The other day I was asked to shoot some family portraits at the most POPULAR spot in temecula...the Waterfalls! Now, if I am gonna be really HONEST....sometimes I lack in the creativity department (shhhh...don't tell anyone). I'm the everything is a square and in a straight line kind of gal.

Well, when I was asked to shoot the Waterfalls I drove by to scout it out. I hadn't been there in a while and I like to have a plan when I begin shooting portraits- especially when kids are involved! Now, I don't know who I saw but this photographer had her clients...wait back up. I skipped the funny part of the story...I went to scout the Waterfalls 3 hours before my shoot and there was not one but TWO other photographers shooting at the Waterfalls! So, I am sitting back watching them work and I don't know who it was but she had her clients hike BEHIND the inital grass area...GENIUS!!!

Now, I am all for adventure...so I climbed all over that little area! And I am SO happy that I did because here is what I got:

See! I would have missed out on all of these fabulous shots! Now, to embarass myself a little further...just so you know...there is a TRAIL to hike up to here! I just never thought to go look on the other side!

And now....without any more random ramblings....

My in front of the Waterfalls, forever faithful, sure shot.

Thank you so much Johnson Family for letting me shoot your pictures. I had a BLAST with your family and I learned a few new tricks along the way! And I also want to say THANK YOU to the random photographer that I saw at the Waterfalls shooting clients behind the Waterfalls!