Wow it has been almost a month!

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I have posted! It is not for lack of great pictures to post! I have been so busy with the Holiday rush I have barely had time to think... (or call back friends, just ask Stacy) Now that everyone should have received their Christmas cards I can share this years Christmas picture... She looks so cute, but let me tell you this was one hard photo shoot... She is over it.... Just doesn't want to sit for me anymore... Bribes don't seem to work anymore either!

I call this luck!

Baby JJ is getting ready to celebrate his first Christmas... Just before this shot he was sleeping like a baby lol.. He then woke up and his Mommy was trying to get his attention by shaking Koko's cat toy. When I opened this proof up and saw his little face, his hands so perfectly placed (not in his mouth like they had been all the other time he was awake) I thought to myself this one was pure luck!

One for Em..

Here is one for Emma... All she wanted was to see the shots with her and Megan... Here you go girl...

Meet Em!

Ok so no sleep for me! I told myself that I would just take a peak at what we got and it is now after midnight! Here is one that jumped out at me right off the bat! I love the look on her face... Can you say canvas!

A Sneak Peak....

What a fun shoot! The kids were great! Even Dad was into it! Here is the sneak peak that I promised... I just love this one! She looks like a little doll..

Janet you out there??

Janet, now you have proof that they actually do get along! LOL.. Just a cute shot of my friends two boys that we snuck in during a newborn shoot... Pretty darn cute for not being a planned shot...

Can you say Spooky!

Could she been anymore scary! Megan was a Bratz Bat for Halloween. She was a little afraid of all the Halloween decorations and costumes this year so she decided to be something scary to scare away the very things she was afraid of. Scare the scary... Pretty good reasoning for a 4.5 year old! What is hilarious about this picture is that she was irritated with me for wanting to take some pictures of her costume... So it is the real deal my friends! Minus the makeup I see this look every so often! Scary stuff I tell ya...

At the Pumpkin Patch

Here is one from our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. Megan looks forward to our visit every year. This year she even cooperated for a few snaps by the pumpkins.. She played with the pigs, the goats and even rode the train... What fun! all this and it was only 92 degrees outside here in October.. It wasn't that bad as long as you stayed in the shade...

A little sneak peak!

These are from a recent session and I promised Mom a sneak peak... I just love these two shots but there are plenty more to go through... Ok back to proofing..

A Couple from Today

Little did I know that the Chestnut seamless paper and the faux wood floor would get so much mileage.. I am just lovin' this combo.. It is now becoming the most requested set up... Today we did some fun shots of the girls and we got Nate Dogg in his "do-rag." I now have a nice dent in the wall from Megan riding the skateboard when we weren't looking... Oh well, I guess that is what drywall putty is for...

Baby Maddie

This is baby Maddie. She is just the sweetest little thing ever! Her Mommy is the President of our MOMS Club and that makes her one busy lady! I am so glad I had the opportunity to take Maddie's newborn pictures... Although there were many favorites these three just spoke to me for some reason. The emotion shared between Mother and Daughter is priceless...

Megan's First Photoshop Creation

Megan decided that she wanted to help me in Photoshop so she jumped up into the stool with me and I taught her some techniques. She learned how to use the halloween brushes. She can change the color of the brush and re-size it too! I taught her how to flatten the layers and change the background color as well.. She created this picture! Following in Mommy's footsteps! You go girl! And at four even!

Front Yard Fun...

My new camera arrived yesterday so I talked Megan into a front yard session... She stayed focused for about six shots! She was just not in the mood to stay outside very long... I guess I need to invest in another bottle of bubbles. Bubbles keep us outside for at least ten minutes or so. I did get this one which I just love! One out of six ain't bad...

Just a couple of my little Witch!

Here are a few shoots from our Little Miss Witch session. I had to promise candy corn to get her to cooperate! New for fall '07 is the beautiful Halloween Tutu! I think we have a tutu now for every occasion! Stay tuned for the Winter '07 Christmas Tutu soon to be released... and I have a love/hate relationship with Ross (the store)! I got this cute little chair there over the weekend! Love it! Hate the fact that there is like four more I want! They just have the cutest little mini furniture!

Time to start thinking Christmas Cards!

I can't believe how fast this year has gone! Christmas is right around the corner! I have been busy getting the 2007 card templates ready and have uploaded a few to the site. Take a look and let me know what you think..

http://photographybydaja.com/ Click on the link and go to galleries and then Custom Cards! Check back often for new templates.

Meet "the Baby!"

He's here and could he be any cuter! These were taken when he was just 12 days old. I can not get over how alert this little guy was! After peeing on the floor two times and eating he finally tuckered out! What a sweetie..

Waiting for baby!

I love these portraits from my most recent Mom to be session! She has the most perfect round belly! These were taken about a week and a half before little JJ arrived. Little did I know that Megan's Build-a-Bear shoes would be the perfect added touch...

Then and Now...

So what a difference a year makes! Or does it? He still looks the same to me just more hair! Little Madden is now one... He is too darn cute and I am so glad I had the opportunity to take his picture again! He makes me want to just pick him up and squeeze him... He still holds the record for the biggest 6 week old I have even seen!

First day back to Preschool...

All grown up... I remember when we got her this back pack 2 years ago it seemed so big... She was irritated with me because she had to hold the handles in the front to keep it on... Not this year. She quickly pointed out, "look Mommy it fits now!" I saw that before she said anything and it made me realize how much she has changed. She started at a new school this year and she amazes me at how easy it seemed. If she was nervous she didn't show it. I cried like a baby when I got to the car after dropping her off... I didn't expect it to hit me like that since she has been going to preschool for two years now... But this was different.. I am going to be a wreck next year... (note to self... Bring the kleenex)

The New Lens

So my new toy finally arrived... Here is a practice shot with it... She was ohh so thrilled to pose for me... I kept saying just one more, just one more!

She says Mommy you keep saying that and you have taken like 50 hundred!

Sorry Everyone! I got an email asking where the latest pics were and I realized I have been so busy with sessions and proofing I haven't added anything new to look at! Here is one of Megan eating Ice Cream in the garage... and look I didn't photoshop off the mess! Some of you know the story behind the Mac-n-Cheese photoshopping incident... Seems I will never live that one down...

Could she be any cuter!

I made this Tutu especially for her! Could she be any cuter! There are plenty more where these came from but I was excited to share! I know her Mom and Dad can't wait to see what we snapped... So here is a teaser..

Tutu Cute in a non-traditional color!

I decided to make a tutu in a different color other then the traditional pink and purple for a client that had a shoot scheduled.. I picked out a bronze color that matches my chestnut background paper perfectly and I knew the bronze would go great with my little red headed client . Little did I know it would also look great on the sky blue paper! (a little bonus! we had a hat that matched) Here is Megan doing some test shots..

Look what the Monsoon blew in!

During a shoot last week we had a major Monsoon blow through! The whole house darkened! This is Megan showing my Client's Daughter how easy it is to pose! Thank God the Monsoon was fast and we had back our natural light to work with!

Cat Tail Antics (two more)

Ok so I missed a couple! Here is Cat Tail helping out with our 4th of July photo shoot! Megan is cracking up at him in both of these! I just love how he is holding the flag! Crazy Cat!

Cat Tail Antics

Cat Tail Mountain AKA Koko arrived via Santa's Sled December 2006. He is such a friendly cat. Usually he gets locked up in the bathroom for photo shoots, but sometimes we let him out! The first two pictures are from back in February and this was his first appearance at a client shoot. He was so interested in the sweet baby girl.. Her face and his tongue just crack me up! and as soon as we moved her he snuggled up in the flower blanket for a nap..

The second set of pics are more recent and just show exactly the same personality as before. All he wanted was to get near the baby and all she wanted was him. Her Mom actually held him behind me to get her to smile.. and then he decides he's ready for his portrait and plops right down on my backdrop....

The last pic is one of Megan and the darn cat was all over the set! I think he just loves to be part of the action!

My new and improved website is up!

For those that don't know I have been in the process of re-vamping my website! I finally got everything just how I wanted it and posted it live on Friday.. Thanks to everyone for letting me put your little cuties in my portfolio. It wouldn't be the same without all those little darlings! (oh and thanks to all you adult hotties as well!) and my most recent senior shoot! Could she be any cuter! You can see her on the Seniors and Teens page. Take a look and let me know what you think! http://photographybydaja.com/

For those that have a Digital Camera!

Back up those files! I have been so busy lately that I have been using my external HD as a place to back up what is on my internal HD and haven't backed up to DVD in awhile. I was safe since I had the pics in two spots but you never know right? and after hearing so many horror stories the more places you have your files the better! I did three photo shots over the past couple days and wouldn't you know it my internal HD is full again! So full that photoshop won't run...urrrrgggg. So I spent my Saturday making 28 DVDS! Making those suckers is time consuming! I finished at 11:30 last night... But I slept good knowing everything was safe and sound... and the best thing is my photoshop will run again! Back to proofing... I will back up to DVD as well as the external on a regular basis! It is my New Year's resolution in July... They have X-mas in July so why not?

Just Playing Around

Just playing around with the camera today... I was taking test shots of just things laying around the house and I got her to pose for a second... She only stopped long enough for me to snap this one but right away I knew it was a keeper...

I got me a Canvas!

I ordered this on canvas! All I can say is wow! I had it mounted on matboard and framed it with no glass and then darn thing is absolutely beautiful! (if I do say so myself!) I decided on this shot because I wanted something a little more artsy and less studio like for my canvas! and no she does not have on mascara! (I know it looks like but I swear!)

Super Star!

What a Super Star! This is my niece Faith and she is too darn cute! We searched all over for Four of July shirts to take pictures in the day before and found nothing. I had to laugh when she came down stairs in this the following day. She brought it from home and it was perfect!

Cookie Monster's B-day

I found these pictures from November of last year (06) while looking for something to scrapbook. I had totally forgotten about them! We had gone to the park with our MOMS Club friends to celebrate Cookie Monster's B-day. The kids got to decorate their own Cookie Monster.. This was Megan's, she was a little hesitant to eat him at first but then she dug right in.. (note the frosting and what not on her lips)