He is too young!

To be rejecting the camera!! W was sitting at his little table watching Sponge Bob, while S was in his swing right next to him. I look over and W is holding S's hand. It was TOO cute. I run to get my camera, but of course by the time I came back he had let go... *sigh*.

At that point I already had my camera out, so I decided to snap a few of Mr. S.... well that didn't last long lol... he is defiantly a photographers child.

It's almost over!

And it is so bitter sweet. I love pregnancy and knowing that I helped to create this child. That I carried this baby for 40 weeks (give or take). That I nourished and protected this baby from the outside world. On the flip side, I am SO done! LOL. I can't wait to see and hold my baby. Nurse him. Change his diapers. Watch him grow. Sleep on my stomach. Bend over. Shave my legs without needing a nap afterward. Eat without getting heartburn. Have a stable mood (crying and snapping at people at the drop of the hat is really making me feel a bit bipolar). Get back to my normal routine! Watch Mr. W and no-name baby play with each other. Here are a few pics from this pregnancy.

Flagstaff Fun

This past week Jay needed to head up to Flagstaff to turn in some military gear. Since no-name baby is almost here (any day!) we decided to make a day trip of it. Yeah I know I'm crazy for traveling that far this late in the game, but I needed out of the valley of the sun. Despite our recent monsoons and slightly cooler weather, I just needed fresh clean air. Two and a half hours later we went from a hot & sunny 100* to a nice cool and rainy 68* with perfect overcast skies for photos. It was beautiful!! Not only was the weather great, but Old Town Flagstaff just gave me so much inspiration. I can not wait to get back to taking on clients!

I was really hoping we could get a few family shots in, but it just wasn't going to work out. I would definably love to back some day to do family portraits or even take a client. The day we were there would have been perfect for a trash the dress session! I did manage to get ONE photo in of Mr. W. I can't tell which version I like better, so here is both :)

Panasonic DMC-ZS7

I was selected to participate with CafeMom's Influencer Program and to test out the Panasonic DMC-ZS7 point and shoot camera, and then give my opinion on the camera. I a will be testing it out with the manual settings it has, along with it's auto settings. So far I have found a few things I do not like, however, I do not know how much of that is due to using a DSLR for everything. I don't think I would pay the cost of $300-400 for it. It has GPS, but it runs down your battery REALLY quick, even when turned off. It gives overall nice images (I will post more here soon) and is great for just throwing into your purse or diaper bag.

Cup cakes, BBQ, & Fireworks

We had a fun yet laid back 4th of July this year. We just kind of moseyed around for most of the day, had a little grub and struggled to stay away for 9pm fireworks. Mr. W and grandma fell asleep around 8pm while Jay and I did our best to keep our eyes open. Around 8:45 Jay and I headed on out to get a good spot for some firework shots. We ended up between an open field and a canal. Big mistake. The moment we stopped moving we were instantly attacked by mosquitoes. Some of them were HUGE! I really wanted to leave, but the photographer in me said "NO! You will get the shot!!" So I sat and endured the torcher. Jay was a great sport and barely complained... he's such a good hubby!

It's here!

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It's finally here! And I'm so excited...

I purchased/Jay got me a gift a Nikon D90 that came with the 18-105mm kit lens (which is a pretty decent lens if I might add). I also went ahead an purchased a 70-300mm lens, UV filters for both, a Nikon SB-600 AF speedlight flash, and a ML-L3 IR remote.

I have been watching youtube tutorials for about a week now, and I made sure I read the manual front to back before I even turned the camera on. I am happy to announce that it is ummm... TOTALLY FREAKING AWESOME! LOL. Here is one of the first photos taken....

My wonderful & patient model Mr. William

The amount of post processing that needed to be done compared to the camera I have been using are worlds apart. Just a little "boost" and we are good to go. Now don't get me wrong, the Olympus has been a great starter camera and was simple to learn on, but wow.

I shoot fully manual and in Raw, so I am giving myself two weeks to learn the ins and outs of this new wonderful toy, and then I am going to start booking practice sessions!!! Now I have a good while before I can start charging, but let me tell ya, the only way to get to that point is with practice, practice, practice. So for about 6 months to a year it will be completely FREE portraits for local families (willing to travel for the right person *wink, wink*). These shoots will be no where near what a professional shoot would be like. There will be delays, questions, etc. The only charge anyone will see for the time being, is the cost of prints + tax.

I'm so excited and can not wait to share more!!!

AZ Camping

W and Daddy laying in the grass, originally uploaded by Jay & Jennifer.

We are out doors people and this past weekend we turned a day trip into a camping trip. We met up with Mike, Jay's brother, to hike and hang in beautiful Payson, AZ. It is about 2 hours from the valley and is well worth it. With cooler temps and a great running creek, you could just never leave.

We weren't sure if we wanted to camp or not, but Mike planning on staying and bringing an extra tent for us, we just ended up staying. It worked out great and William actually did very well for his first time (he LOVES the out doors!!) There just isn't anything like a spontaneous camping trip and laying under the stars and listening to a creek all night.

In the morning William and I did a little hiking while everyone still slept and it was so peaceful. Absolute silence in the woods, dew on the plants, and a perfect personal sunrise.

William hangin in his PJ's