Happy Birthday!

These gorgeous twins, Samantha and Sophia had a wonderful Princess birthday! It was such a sweet little party where the girls actually got a real Princess visitor! They were so cute and in such awe of this real life Princess! They spent the first 20 minutes just staring at her with their little mouths dropped. Then they got to get their beautiful little faces painted and, of course, get all dolled up in tiaras and jewels. I'm sure these girls will remember this special birthday forever!

To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Mama Leave!

As most of you know, my husband and I are expecting are second little one in Spring...yay! Because this time is very precious to us, I will not be accepting any bookings from
MARCH 1ST to SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2009.
I will occasionally be available for reprints, albums, dvd’s, etc. Also, if you’re having a little one and need to get those newborn images before they change, let me know and I’ll try to work something out :)

Collections
Starting, 9/1/09, there will be exciting new portrait
collections available! This will also include an increase in rates. To have portraits done at the current $275 rate, you can book your session for January and February 2009. GIFT CERTIFICATES are also available at the current price, but the session must take place before March 1, 2009.

Thank you for your understanding and I hope to see you soon!
Happy Holidays,
Mariah

Scarlett's 1 Already!

Some of you may remember this beautiful little girl from her debut show, here on my blog, called "A Birth Story". Yep, that little perfect peanut has grown up into a spirited, sweet, funny and curious little toddler. I pretty much fall in love with all my kids but this one definitely has a special place in my heart...that's why there are so many dang pictures in her show :) I absolutely love watching all the things she's learning and seeing her play with her parents. They have so much fun together and I know she's going to grow up with an awesome sense of humor. Just for fun, I'll post the story of her birth after her big one year old girl session...just because they're so cool to watch together (I'd watch the birth first :)!

To view her 1 yr old. show larger, click HERE

Beautiful Family!

This definitely had to be one of the greatest family's to photograph! Their wonderful kids were so sweet, polite and fun. They had so many things that they loved to do together as a family and all I really had to do was follow them around. The best part was definitely the baking...my daughter loves to help in the kitchen and it's always great to see other families enjoying that time together also...even if a few egg shells end up in the cupcakes ;)

To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

The Cutest Sisters Ever!

Okay, I may be a little biased...these precious little girls are my nieces :) But still, I don't think they get much cuter! My brother's family lives a couple hours away so instead of using their home, we used another one that means a lot to our family...our kid's Yaya's and Boppa's home. It's definitely a place full of memories and our kids have the best time there. I absolutely love the images of each girl with their mom and dad...they obviously have such a special relationship with each of them and that always makes for a beautiful portrait. I know I'm going to watch this show over and over again :)

To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Dylan's Always on the Go!

This wonderful little family invites me to do portraits of Dylan every year around his birthday. It's so fun to see him grow up and watch all the little changes. One thing is always to same...he never stops moving :) This boy is definitely busy and always on to the next thing...good thing I remembered my comfy shoes this time! We had a lot of fun having him show us his favorite things..ringing the doorbell, playing with the antique clock and the gorgeous upstairs play room. I can't wait to see what he'll be like next year (gotta remember to get new running shoes :).

To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Fabulous Finnegan!

What a fun little boy! And a great name...I just might steal it if I have a boy :). Finn and his mom had such a great time together and it was wonderful to photograph. I love when little ones are just so sweet mannered and completely in love with their parents. Our session was so easy and relaxed and I can't wait to do it again!

To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Spencer & Rachel

What a beautiful couple and wonderful day! The day before, we all ran out and bought huge umbrellas, reception tents and mud boots..it was pouring and threatening to continue through the picturesque outdoor wedding Rachel and Spencer had planned. Luckily, the sun came out right before the ceremony and we had a gorgeous day...although I was a little disappointed not to be able to use my cool new polka dot umbrella :). I've had a great time working with this couple and the wedding day was even better! Their family and guests were all so friendly and fun, my team and I didn't want to leave :) Rachel and Spencer are absolutely gorgeous together and so full of love for each other...I really was honored to get to capture this day for them.

Thank you, Rachel and Spencer...enjoy your show! To view larger, click HERE

MaBelleLune Pregnancy Resource Directory

Another thing I love! I just picked up the 08-09 copy at my favorite coffee place (shhh...don't tell my midwife I had a latte this morning :) and highly recommend it to anyone expecting. It's got a great pregnancy journal/calender and is full of wonderful local resources for us preggos...from Acupuncture to Massage to Photography :) You can check out their site HERE

Adorable Jake

This little guy was more intrigued by my camera than any other child I've worked with. I got there right as it was time for him to wake up and he was such a sweet little cuddler, I had to take a couple shots. As soon as he heard my shutter, he spun around and from that point on, thought my camera was the coolest thing in the world. It was great! I had such a wonderful time with this family. We got to hang out at Jake's grandparents home and the family winery, Arista, which was absolutely beautiful and full of fun toys (the home, not the winery ;)...although they did have a pretty cool Alligator.). You can tell that they all really enjoy each other and there's nothing better than that!

Enjoy the show!

Is He One Already?

I've been photographing little Ryan and his family since he was still in his mommies belly. I can't believe how fast the year went and that we've already used all their sessions. I always have so much fun with these guys. Ryan's little personality is really coming out and he is a busy little guy! I think the pumpkin was a hit...he couldn't think about anything else...until we brought out the bubbles :) I can't wait until they have another little one so we can do it all over again!

Enjoy the show!

Teapot Parties & Children's Boutique

I honestly don't think I could love this store more! If you haven't yet been, it's this sweet and fun wonderland full of toys, books and cozy clothes. They also have this absolutely beautiful room upstairs for whimsical tea parties. They even have little dress up outfits so the party guests can be all frilly with white gloves or perfectly in character with Mad Hatter costumes. They even offer a super cool photographer to capture your party images ;) Check out the slide show by clicking on the last picture below. I can't wait until my daughter's birthday next year because she is definitely getting a Woodland Whimsy Tea party :) You can check out their site HERE you can check out their lovely store and party spot in downtown Santa Rosa on 4th st. in Railroad Square. While you're there, look up...you may see someone you know :)

Kelly and Rich

Probably the sweetest, most laid back couple ever! These two were so easy to work with and so full of love for each other. Kelly was beaming the whole day and I absolutely love all the images I captured of her... I don't think she could've been any happier! This couple once again showed me that my favorite time of any wedding day is the couple's portraits. After the ceremony's over and I get to move the couple away from all the guests, they finally get to relax and just enjoy actually being married. Kelly and Rich both just lit up during this time and the images are gorgeous!

Thank you both so much for having me be a part of your wonderful day! To view show larger, click HERE

My Exciting News (and why I haven't posted in forever!)

Sorry, I've been a little MIA lately...first I thought I had than flu, then I thought I was getting sick from stress...turns out, it's neither! It's really another baby turning me into a slacker :) Yay!! My husband and I are expecting our second little one in May and we couldn't be more excited!

I've been crazy booked these last couple of months and trying to get stuff edited and up for viewing. I'm a tad behind but will be getting some fun stuff up here soon! Thanks for checking in and I'll be back with the some slide shows soon, promise :)

Roller Derby!

My crazy sister decided she wanted to join our local roller derby team. So, we decided to all go check out a bout and see what she was getting into to. It looked like so much fun, I think we're all signed up now ;) Apparently, there's a huge following around here because the place was packed! We had a great time...those girls are tough... and of course ended the night with a serious record setting Rock Band concert!






See I was there too :)

Michelle and Andrew

What a "Perfect Pear"! This couple had such a sweet wedding, from the amazing gown to cute little pear place cards. Michelle thought of everything and her and Andrew really worked hard to bring it all together. Of course it all payed off and their wedding turned out absolutely beautiful! We were honored to capture this wonderful celebration. To enjoy the show larger, please click HERE

We're Going All Waldorf!

Ani's wonderful teacher gave us a copy of a great book at our visit yesterday..."You Are Your Child's First Teacher" by Rahima Baldwin Dancy. I really love how Waldorf education values the stage of a child's life when their imagination is over flowing. They acknowledge that make believe and fantasy play is not only beneficial but necessary in a child's development. I read the chapter about how to make your child's room welcoming to this type of play...get rid of toys that think for your child or direct them (play should be with no goal or direction...just imagination and tools), create play areas that are inviting (don't stuff the toys in cubbies), give them dolls that don't have defined features so they can create their own in their mind's eye, etc. We already had her room pretty close but we went through and boxed up a bunch of her babies that she doesn't play with. Got rid of a bunch of "junk"...you know the plastic, rubbery things that just seem to collect. Made a bunch of beds and blankets for her babies...we used odd baskets that we just had lying around and little pieces of material I had in a sewing box.

But, the best part was we made her a playhouse. I wanted her to have a little private area where she could do whatever she could play house, stage for a play, etc. I rummaged in our garage and found her old changing table...took the shelves off, ran an old window panel through a front rod and draped one over the top and WA LAH...it's not Martha but it's a playhouse that was free, fun to make and even more fun to play in :) Trust me, I'm not a crafty girl nor do I have a lot stuff lying around but I had enough to put this together so if I can do it, so can you...a great way to move a baby item into a kid item!

Visit Day!

My daughter, Ani, got to go visit her preschool today before she starts it later this week! We both absolutely adore this place. Ani felt comfortable as soon as she got there and took off to play. She got to rock the baby (her favorite part), grind wheat, pump the water and a bunch more fun stuff. Her symbol (it's a Waldorf thing) is the butterfly. It's such a sweet little place where kids get to play and make believe and just be kids. We are all so excited for her to spend her mornings here!

The Funnest Game Ever!

Amoung the many other brilliant things I learned at the McWorkshop, I learned that Rock Band is definitely the greatest game ever!! I'm notoriously anti video game and my husband is a notorious gamer...the cause of many many battles. But, Corey started this guy up and after 5 min. on the drum, I was logged into Amazon buying my own...unbelievable! It hadn't been in our house more than a few hours when I scheduled our first tournie. Even the most vocal hater..."that game is so stupid...I can't believe you're playing it" was a convert after 2 minutes strumming to Mississippi Queen. When I wasn't being a Diva (apparently, I wouldn't share the mic :), I got to experiment hand held shooting in a very very dark room...fun all around!

Rock Star McWorkshop

Ahhh...finally a minute to tell you all about my awesome week! I was lucky enough to get to fly allllll the way to North Carolina to learn from some of the industry's best, Corey McNabb and Amber Holritz. Both are extremely inspirational to me...not only in their photography but also their talents in business and client relationships. The week was crazy and the workshopees were even crazier - my wonderful (and overworked) roommate Jessica C, but she hates her site so don't check it for a few weeks:) My super chauffeur with the stupid GPS, Chris. Our favorite swamp girl, Maureen (can't wait to see her images from her next swamp adventure), Jessica who kept us on track and laughing. Our local ladies, Laurie and Jill and our lone guy, Will. We spent pretty much every minute of every day together and we all made it out alive.

The first few shoots were really uncomfortable for me and I'm not proud of the shots I got. We did group shooting and I was totally out of my element...I'm used to working by myself and it really threw me off to have a bunch of other shooters and to be watched by two photog. superstars. But, after I got used to all of them, I had no problem pushing them out of the way to get the shot I wanted :) We had some amazing models, Tara and her famous actor husband, Jonathon ;), Nicole and Tracy, Lindsey and John Bamber and an absolutely beautiful real bride, Lee Irvine (sorry we can't show her images until after her wedding). Thank you so much to our wonderful models...we really put them to work!

I can't thank the crew enough for the one of a kind experience I had! Corey and Amber taught me invaluable lessons that are really helping me move my business forward. The camaraderie between all the students was addicting and I can't wait to see them all again...WPPI, anyone? :)

Alright, on to the good stuff...here are my faves from the week. BTW, if you want to see pics of the actual workshop, check out Amber's site and Corey's blog...actually, maybe not...I had a thing for ordering giant food and the pics are not so pretty ;)













AND, I'm a contest winner...woo hoo...I took 3rd place for this baby, and I'm not bragging, but the competition was steep...there was some serious talent at this workshop so I'm stoked to have an image be a winner :)

Amazing Ally!

One of my favorite sessions ever!! I got to meet this precious little girl when she was only 3 days old. I love when I actually get to spend a lot of time with new parents. The "honeymoon" right after your baby is born is so special and I'm always honored to be a part of it. I love watching the new mom's and dad's be so natural and loving and yet always a bit overwhelmed and unsure. Learning what each cry means, how she likes to be held, what sounds soothe her...it's different for every baby and it so sweet to watch parents getting to know their little one.

Ally got to have her grandma's over and they're always so much fun...beaming from ear to ear, sitting on their hands that are just twitching to hold her. Then you get the three generations of women with a grandma getting to watch her daughter learn to be a mom...whew, talk about emotional. To top it off, they're a beautiful couple with a gorgeous house and an amazing nursery...it really doesn't get any better for us photog's :)

Thank you so much for having me over! To enjoy your show larger, click HERE

Thank Goodness for Bubbles!

I love large family shoots but you got to be ready for them...running shoes and lattes are definite musts! These kids were so excited to be with their cousins that there was no wrangling them. Good thing I like kids being "unwrangled" :) It was a lot of fun trying to come up with activities that would get all the kids in my lens at once...racing, wagon riding, book reading...but the favorite had to be the bubbles. Even parents turn into kids when they're blowing bubbles ;) This family was really wonderful to work with and I hope they enjoy their images as much as I enjoyed creating them!

To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Matt and Carissa

What a gorgeous wedding! Carissa and Matt got married at a stunning small family winery in Sonoma. Their seven year courtship led to this beautiful union and I was honored to be a part of it. These two were absolutely wonderful to work with...fun, relaxed, happy and completely photogenic ;) Their families were equally awesome! There was so much love and life at this wedding that me and my assistants left all giddy!

Carissa and Matt, thank you so much for having me and I hope you enjoy your show. To view larger, click HERE

Gorgeous Mazie

What a fun and relaxed family to work with! When I first arrived, I was showed a collection of beautiful images that Mazie's dad had from when he was a kid. His mom had hired a photographer that shot in a very similar style to mine. The images were amazing and completely inspired me for this session. Remember those images from the 70's that had really strong black shadows and bright white highlights...they were totally unposed, used only sunlight and had that gorgeous rich film contrast? Those were the images I grew up loving and while I'm always inspired by those, today I shoot with a bit more modernization. But, for this session, I threw all that modern stuff away and tried to create images that compared to the one's her dad had. It was great...I let the family just go about their day with no (or very little) scene setting, embraced all the dark shadows I'm usually cautious of, and we had a great time! Of course, the deep blacks and sharp contrast really show up more on the prints but I think you'll see a bit of it in the show :) Thank you so much to Mazie's parents for having me over...can't wait to meet her new little sister! To view the show larger, click HERE

Beautiful Meher

I've worked with this beautiful family since before Meher was born. They are an absolute joy to work with and I love watching their little girl grow up! The last time I saw her, she was this petite little newborn and now she's starting to crawl and talking up a storm. Her little personality's coming out and it's so cute! This is one of the best parts of my job..thank you so much for letting me a part of this special time! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Is There Anything Better than Family?

You know that old saying about the cobbler's kids having no shoes...yep, that applies to my poor daughter (not to mention the rest of my family). They're horribly ignored by my camera because I just never want to take it out when I'm not working...that, and I know that we could always do it tomorrow, ya know? The sad news is that my sister in law and her amazing family are going to be moving far far far away soon (okay, not that far but definitely not 5 minutes from us anymore). The good news is that it got my bootie into gear and I've taken some much needed portraits. The first is the beautiful family that we'll miss seeing nearly every day and then we've got my little girl that's getting too big, too fast. To enjoy the shows larger, click HERE
and HERE

Nicole & Jason

What a gorgeous wedding! Not only were Nicole and Jason fabulous but they're attendants and guests were all so fun and friendly. I absolutely love weddings like this! Nicole was stunning..from her cathedral length veil, to her perfectly elegant dress. And she even had a gorgeous stoll when it got chilly out! Everyone had a great time and it was so obvious that this group is full of joy and love. I absolutely loved being a part of this wonderful celebration and can't thank Nicole and Jason enough for having me there. Here's a little treat for you guys :) To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Yay...I love this family!

I got to work with these guys last year when the little one was just a babe! His older brother was so sweet and gentle with him and still is! They've turned into little friends and I really love watching them grow. I can't wait to do it again next year, or even sooner ;) To enjoy the show larger, please click HERE

Lucky Winners!

Whenever I'm asked, I try to donate something to fundraisers that I like to support. This was a drive for a local school that I'm a big fan of, so I donated an Artist Package session. This was the lucky family that got it and after many months of trying to coordinate our schedules, we finally met up. Unfortunately, the park was a little browner than we wanted but they were so much fun to work with, so we still got some great shots. Here are a few of my fave's!

Rachel & Spencer

Another beautiful couple! I had a lot of fun going around a great little neighborhood with these two. We wanted to have some fun, urban images and I think we got them. These two are so photogenic and great to work with...I can't wait for the wedding! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Absolutely Marvelous Madison!

Talk about beautiful! It's been so fun to watch this little girl grow up and see how wonderful parents her mom and dad are. This little family is so full of love and obviously really enjoy just being around each other...I love getting to photograph them! When I first got there, Madison looked right into the camera and started posing! Her mom and I were cracking up as she turn her precious face to give me different angles. Where do they learn this stuff?!? :) She also showed off her great commando crawl/scoot....I love this stage! She was so fast, she crawled right out of her pants..watch for the serious in the show, it's hilarious ;) I always have such a great time with this family and can't wait until the next time! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

He's Here!

Little Carter's parents have been waiting for him for a quite awhile...and he was well worth the wait! His mom was so excited when she found out she was pregnant, that I think she booked me before she even told her husband ;) Okay, probably not but she did email me about 8 months ago to make sure I was available to do his newborn portraits. I was so excited to finally get to meet and hold the little guy. He's absolutely precious! I love spending time with families right after their baby gets here...there's so much excitement, exhaustion and emotion. It's such a special time and I so appreciate being a part of it. Thank you for letting me photograph your gorgeous little man and I hope you enjoy your show! To view larger, click HERE

Super Cute Jacob!

This family was so great to work with! Little Jacob was so busy! He had just gotten a great little sandbox and was hilarious in it. He was so serious and definitely had to get his sand work done :) I had such a great time with these guys and Jacob was such an adorable subject! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Ridiculously Loveable Ryan!

I'm so happy that I get to work with this family! I met them when Jennifer was pregnant and have loved watching little Ryan grow up. They're such a sweet and loving family and I always have such a great time working with them. I can't stop looking at little Ryan's portraits...he seriously has the sweetest face and most endearing eyes ever...not to mention the cheeks. They don't come much cuter! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Gotta Love West County!

This absolutely wonderful couple was married last year in Southern California. They still live there but decided that we have such a beautiful area, they wanted to come up here, get all dressed up again and take some portraits! I was lucky enough to be the photographer they hired. We started in Sebastopol and drove slowly out to the coast, stopping at any cool spot we saw. We braved traffic, annoying drunk guys, property owners (No Trespassing signs were totally ignored) and brutal Bodega Head winds but we captured some beautiful images and created some great memories. I can't thank Trish and Mark enough for letting me photograph them and I can't wait to go to LA and do it all over again! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Beautiful Head Shots

I was asked again to do some "edgier" head shots...images that actually represent the real person in their real environment...no silly backgrounds and studio flashes that look like your formal senior portraits. I think professional marketing head shots are really starting to go in this direction and I'm stoked because they're a lot more interesting to do and look at. We didn't get too crazy (they still need to be professional) but we did have a good time. Christine is such a beautiful woman and had an office with great light so my job was super easy.

Handsome Mateo!

Not only do I love this kid because of his name (one of my favorites) but he was so excited to be at this new park that he made the session so much fun! It's a good thing I wore my sneakers because this little guy had me running! It was so funny trying to corral him for a couple shots with his mom. They obviously have a very close and special bond but most of the time, this guy just wanted to run and check out all the new stuff. To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Lovely Laura!

Another beautiful senior! This shoot was a lot of fun. Laura brought her mom and friend (from when she was 3..wow!) and the morning was a fun little girls trip to our local university. I'd never shot there before and was pleasantly surprised at all the cool spots. I'll definitely use it again. Thanks to Laura and her family for letting me photograph her...she's absolutely beautiful and great to work with! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

More Family Fun

I think this has to be one of the sweetest family's ever! Little Kaylin took awhile to warm up (of course, she's 3 with a stranger and a huge camera in her face) but once we got her playing with her parents she livened right up. Little Chad woke right up and we got to get shots of some of his first steps..YAY! These two kids are very fortunate...their parents have such a special bond with each of them that's really obvious. I forgot my ladder and when I came back to get it, Kaylin's dad had told me that after I left Kaylin said she had wanted to give me a hug a kiss...Oh my goodness, what a sweetheart...she got the biggest hug ever! I'm so thankful this family let me share their life with them for a couple hours :) BTW, it's long show! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Super Happy Couple

I'm so excited to photograph Carissa and Matt's wedding in June! They have such a beautiful and easy way of interacting with each other...they're also really photogenic so that's a bonus ;) The whole session they were making each other laugh and were just so obviously comfortable and in love that it was great to be around. Their wedding is going to be an absolute blast and I can't wait to share the show from that one! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Senior Fun

Senior portraits are great fun...especially when your subjects are this beautiful :) I always love watching the interaction between the family during these sessions. Allie and her sister had a wonderful relationship and her whole family was just hilarious! They were all standing around making her laugh and it led to some great images. We also were fortunate enough to get to use this gorgeous ranch out on Westside Rd. I gotta convince them to let me do more shoots out there...amazing!! BTW, does anyone see the Faith Hill resemblance or is it just me! To enjoy the show larger, click HERE

Beautiful Little Family

I loved working with this couple and can't wait to get over and photograph their little girl. Rachel was an absolutely gorgeous pregnant mama with all the glow and serenity that just makes you want to hug her and her belly :) There was so much excitement in that house that I left wanting to expand my little family...I'm over that now ;) To enjoy the show larger, click here

Surprisingly Fun Head Shots

I've never really had an interest in doing head shots for people...I'm much more into photographing emotional things. But, an associate and friend of mine asked if I'd do some for him and since he's so much fun to be around, I said okay. Oddly enough, I totally enjoyed it and am excited to now offer them as part of my services! My assistant and I had a great time. Brian took us on a tour of the East Bay and we stopped at any cool spot we saw. His only guidance was that "he didn't want to look like a Real Estate agent" (no offense to all those agents out there ;). Anyway, I think we achieved what he was going for. Here are some non Real Estate headshots for ya :)

Oh so Delicious...

One of my favorite restaurant's, Langley's on the Green, asked me to photograph their restaurant and dishes. I was thrilled because their dining room is beautiful...rich, warm and welcoming..but they also serve wonderful and gorgeous food! Fred Langley and his crew take so much pride in their dishes and it's always exciting to photograph something that was created with passion (plus, someone's got to eat the food after it's photographed ;). Here are some images just to tempt you...if you haven't yet enjoyed Langley's, you definitely need to!