This is a great age to photograph a baby – even if it is your first professional portraits of the baby like it was for this mom. They are not yet running around – and they are still basically babies at 12 to 14 months. Around about 15 to 16 months, in my experience they graduate to toddlers and it is a whole different ball game.  Here are some of my favorites from this session….

It is almost graduating time for the Class of 2012, and two best friends came to me to have their “real senior portraits” done. Both named Natalie, they go by “Nat” and “Nay” – and these two girls wanted  cool, urban san francisco senior portraits that also included nature scenes and the golden gate bridge. No problem – the San Francisco Presidio has it all! We started out at Baker Beach – then worked our way through armories and woodsy meadows. Nat and Nay did plenty of solo shots but also some bff shots. Double senior sessions are a great way to photograph your high school portraits – you save some $ on your session fee, and having your friend around can be inspiring and adds to the overall experience.  We had met a week earlier in my Alameda studio  to plan and discuss outfits, accessories & style – so the day of the session we had nothing left to do but have fun and capture these girls on a gorgeous day.

Spring Mini Sessions are $75 for studio or $95 for an urban or beach/park location near the studio – this 30 minute session includes a phone consultation with me to plan out the session, the 30 minute session, and then a 60 minute post-consultation in the Alameda studio to view the images and place your order for prints, books, wall portraits, image boxes etc. Print packages start at $375. Your order includes mini facebook files for all ordered images to bring a little spring to your social network pages!

We also have some great new studio backgrounds, chairs and vintage props in studio that we will be trying out with these sessions. Spring mini sessions are perfect for babies, toddlers, children, families, dogs, teens & adults – but would not be suited for newborns (babies under 3 months).

Interested? Contact the studio via email: info@annamyersphotography.com or call 510-748-8959 (monday through friday 9am to 5pm) The session fee is due in full at sign-up. Only six Spring Mini Sessions are available – weekdays March 1st through March 30th between 9am and 5pm.

When I go to a client home to photograph a newborn baby, I am always looking for details to incorporate into the session that will help describe the beginning of this babies life. And when I went to photograph baby Z for his natural light newborn portraits in San Francisco, I was delighted to find that the details in this home awaiting this beautiful baby boy were very heartfelt.  His crib was originally his mothers when she was a baby, having been purchased by baby Z’s great grandmother in India. It was gorgeous! His sterling silver rattle had also belonged to his mother when she was a baby. The textiles in the home made for a colorful background for the session. Then we used the same blue polka dot sari fabric that we had photographed the mom in our maternity session 6 weeks earlier – but this time with her sleeping newborn son wrapped in it. And if that was not enough, I had two doting grand parents on site to photograph with their newborn grandson. It was a very colorful love fest for my camera :)

And then of course there is the non-prop approach – always a standing favorite of mine – naked newborn on mom or dad’s arms… a timeless classic

Huge sigh!  The holiday portrait session for 2011 is officially a wrap – but what great sessions they were!  I have been shooting and editing sessions for six weeks straight and finally have a chance to come up for air and post one example of a modern, hip, happy holiday session from this year.  There were many to choose from – but this one with three sisters (two are twins), two parents and a somewhat irreverent dog named Kono -  seemed to sum up my 2011 family photo sessions. Embodying great light, bold colors, fun subjects, a little bit of snow and a modern twist on family portraits – here is a taste of our session,  all shot in a 30 minute holiday mini session under the freeway in Oakland :)

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It was one of those very rare days at the San Francisco Beaches – clear and 75 degrees at 9am – wow! Lindsay wanted to have her high school photographs at the beach with a little bit of interesting architectural backgrounds as well. The armory attached to baker beach was perfect to provide a distressed, edgy look.   We met in the parking lot for her san francisco beach senior portraits and went through her various outfits to plan out the session.  Lindsay has an easy going manner that is very natural and fluid, so we went for very simple styling.  Here are some of my favs from the session….

Starting at Baker Beach – we did some easy photographs on the beach. We included the Golden Gate Bridge in a few of her beach high school portraits, and also made sure to capture the Northern California coastline features.

then we headed to the armory to find some cool, unique backgrounds that would set off her blue eyes…

We finished with a few quick shots in the San Francisco Presidio – some of my favorites were with this iron gate which made a nice graphic and also made me think about cross roads – an apt symbol for a graduating high school senior :)

and in case you were wondering if she got wet at the beach…. she did….

I love working with teens, and especially enjoyed Nadine’s Urban Session last month! She brought her amazing outfits that really show off her unique personality, and her love of vintage looks! Nadine wanted an East Bay teen urban photography session that was edgy, vintage and still pretty.  So I loaded a few vintage chairs in the van and we hit the streets of Oakland to find some interesting backgrounds to have fun with. Here is a video highlighting some favs…

Celebrate your teen style with location sessions that are hip, urban, and totally cool! Bring your wardrobe of styles, and show off who you are in a session that is designed to be all about you! See more cool senior and teen photography here!  Urban sessions are especially cool for senior portraits and can be combined with some studio and some urban for a range of looks.

Modern Collages are a new product in the studio this year – and so far they have been quite a hit! Clients love the clean, fresh look that is super easy to install and flexible to update over the years. Available in luster, metallic or metal prints – so far the crowd has been split between luster and metallic.

Since it was time to update the photos in the fabulous Cafe Fudgelato in Alameda (next to Doumitt’s Shoes), I went ahead and installed two luster collages in this bright, cheery eatery so people could see the difference for themselves. There is still a teen themed metallic collage for comparison. As for the new collages – Dogs are featured in one collage, followed by modern family portraits in the other new collage to ring in the fall portrait season.

Curious? Hungry? Go check out the collages at Cafe Fudgelato – maybe you know someone in the collages, or maybe you are just craving some amazing gelato and treats with super friendly service!

Next I will be updating the teen collage as I have some Ah-Mazing new teen images from the last few months of shooting!

Update – all mini sessions have been sold out. We will be offering them again in Fall 2012. Sometimes we also offer them in spring for one week – but not always – it depends on the weather.

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Cant believe I am writing this… but it is that time of year again!  It is time for fall and holiday portraits!  And for those of you looking for a quick, fun way to get that done – mini sessions are coming your way!

Mini Sessions – $95 for two + weeks in November!

Available for weekday sessions Monday  11/7 through Wednesday 11/23 between the hours of 9am and 5pm, book your 30 minute mini session for either in studio or on location near the studio for $95.  While weekdays can be tough for some, these sessions are specifically scheduled when many are likely to have children out of school. In my town of Alameda, four of those twelve weekdays are non-school days for the public schools.

Mini Sessions are perfect for creating unforgettable holiday gifts and artistic holiday cards! Your choice of in the Alameda studio or on location near the studio featuring urban, woodsy or bay beachy – we can find something that matches your style for fun, easy, custom portraits of you and yours.

Mini Sessions include a phone consult to discuss location, clothing, people in session, as well as a 60 minute post-consultation in the studio with Anna to view the images and place your order. Post-consults for mini sessions are available weekday afternoons, Wednesday evenings and some Sunday evenings. All post consults and orders must be completed by Friday 12/2/11 for Christmas Delivery.

For many of my clients – this is their one-stop holiday shopping because one of the absolute best loved gifts is a great portrait that truly captures the essence of a loved one.  And for extra savings, starting November 1st through December 15th,  the studio Holiday Specials menu is in effect which includes lots of cool savings and packages to create gifts for everyone on your list with some portraits for your home as well! Of course we also have holiday cards – either fine art note cards and slimlines in lots of styles. Or you can purchase the retouched digital file(s) from your order and make your own holiday cards and photo gifts. So many great gift giving and merry-making options abound when you start with great images!

To sign up for a mini session, please email the studio at info@annamyersphotography.com anytime or call the studio at 510-748-8959 (weekdays between 9 and 5).  The $95 session fee is due in full in order to have your appointment on the calendar.  Last year we booked out completely so the earlier you get on the calendar, the more scheduling options you will have.

HOLIDAY DEADLINES & STUDIO HOLIDAY BREAK

Now, whether you do a mini session or a regular session, the last session date possible for xmas/holiday related portraits this year is 11/23/2011, and the last date for post-consultations is friday 12/2/2011.  The studio will be closed for our annual winter break 12/17 through 1/3/2012.