shawnaKstudio.com

I'm Moving

2011-04-03T23:19:00.000-07:00

After 2 years on Blogger, I've decided to go back to WordPress and change some things about my site. I'm sad to see it go, because it's so beautiful and Zofia at Zofia WebDesign did such a great job on it. [If you're ever in need of blog customization or web design, send her an email to webdesign@zofiaphoto.com.] However, when I changed hosting accounts and my image links broke, I just decided it was time for a fresh start with a new look.

I hope you'll take the time to visit back over at http://www.shawnakstudio.com. It should be ready soon!

Baby Brielle

2010-08-18T07:48:00.001-07:00

Well, it's the time of year again ... the time of year when my oldest daughter heads back to school and I get really hopeful that while she's at school I will have some extra time to blog. haha! Ahem ... sure ... wishful thinking! But, I am going to give it one last ditch effort.

So, I hope everyone had (or is having) a great summer. Ours was VERY eventful. From cheer camp to swimming lessons to almost losing my dog Cordy to pancreatitis and ketoacidosis from diabetes we didn't know she had, it's been a wild ride. It seems like so many good and bad things happened in such a short amount of time. But now it's time to get back to routines and homework and early wake up calls.

Today, I just HAD to share with you little newborn baby Brielle who I was so excited to photograph. Not only were Brielle's mom and grandma super excited to have her newborn portraits done, but they also were not lacking for any adorable scenarios and outfits for her session. I seriously could blog over 100 images from this session ... but I'll try to cut it down! Enjoy!

One of the keys to our success with this session was that Brielle was only 11 days old when she was photographed and we planned on an entire afternoon for her session to acommodate feedings and changings. If you're interested in a newborn session, please be sure to contact us during your last month of pregnancy!

Introducing Lauren | Senior Portraits San Diego

2010-06-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Lauren recently. Since beautiful Lauren with her long blond hair is moving out of state, she wanted photographs that would remind her of her time as a California Girl. So, off to the beach we went! Enjoy!

Remember, just because your school might use a contract photographer, doesn't mean that you HAVE to order your senior portraits through that photographer! Those portraits are really just so everyone looks uniform and consistent throughout the yearbook. If you have your heart set on beach portraits, urban portraits, or any-location-you-can-think-of portraits, then don't hesitate to call or text us at (619)861-3630.

There's a Method to My Madness

2010-06-22T11:27:00.001-07:00

Why, yes I am the WORST blogger ever. I admit it. I am! In my defense, when I signed up for this career, I was a film shooter and I was SO happy to get my life back from my former job where I was sitting behind a computer in a cubicle all day. HA! That only lasted for a couple of years and then I went digital. Um ... yeah. Behind a computer much???

So, no, I'm not very good at blogging. It's just more time behind the computer and hey ... it's summer AND it's wedding season! Yes! I love summer time and I love wedding season!

Of course, Brenna and DeShaun got to see just how much I love wedding season as they were the victims, I mean subjects, of some of my most recent wedding madness. Yes, Brenna's heels were sinking in the grass. Yes, they were both standing in a swarm of bugs and were trying to keep the bugs away while looking sappy and romantic and googly-eyed. Yes, I shoot directly into the sun despite all of those well-intentioned-but-often-lame photography books that tell you to never, ever point your camera directly at the sun.

HOWEVER, I think it was all worth it .... Here is a sneak peek of Brenna and DeShaun ... and I hope it shows you that YES, despite all of my crazy ideas ... there is method to my madness. Enjoy!

See You at Costco Today!

2010-05-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

I will be attending a local business faire held inside Costco La Mesa today. Proceeds from the faire benefit Rady Children's Hopsital and the Children's Miracle Network. I will be holding a raffle for a one-hour portrait session and one 11x14 museum-finish wall portrait, as well as selling gift certificates for future sessions at an extremely reduced rate (today only!).

Stop by and say hi!

Kim & Matt | An NTC Promenade Wedding

2010-02-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

Have you had the chance to visit the NTC Promenade lately? It is so pretty there! They did a fantastic job with the remodel and it's such a neat place to walk around and shop, eat, and hang out. When Kim and Matt told me that they were going to be married at the Promenade, I was so excited! There are so many fun and different settings for photographs, and the chapel is just gorgeous. Between fountains, archways, courtyards, interesting walls, and pretty lighting, it's truly a photographer's dream location.

Of course, Kim and Matt are a photographer's dream couple, too! They were easygoing and relaxed in front of the camera, super sweet and nice, and they were so much fun to work with. It is my pleasure to share some images from their wedding with you, even if it is belated. Ahh, alas, someday I *will* be caught up with my blogging! :)

A Facelift Awaits! | San Diego Senior Portraits

2010-01-31T09:40:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to announce that Anthology will be receiving a facelift very, very soon! Check back soon to see how http://www.anthologyseniors.com has changed! YEAH!

More from Ali's Session | Senior Portraits San Diego

2010-01-29T16:16:00.001-08:00

I've been off celebrating Tyler & Jordyn's 3rd birthday, gearing up for Valentine's Day sessions, and also getting ready for some glamour shots I'm doing in conjunction with a salon and makeup artist. If you are interested a new look for 2010, let me know and I can put you in contact with some cool people who are ready to pamper you just in time for Valentine's Day!

Alas, I am FINALLY getting more from Ali's senior portrait session on the blog! I'm so excited about these!

CLASS OF 2010 ... I AM LOOKING FOR MODELS RIGHT NOW ... I NEED MODELS TO EXPLORE FUN NEW LOCATIONS FOR SENIOR PORTRAITS. YOU GET: UNCOMMON AND FUN PORTRAITS AND A COMPLIMENTARY STANDARD PORTRAIT SESSION (IN ADDITION TO YOUR MODELING SESSION), IMAGE CARDS FEATURING YOUR PORTRAITS, DISCOUNTS ON PORTRAIT PACKAGES, AND OTHER COOL STUFF. EMAIL ME AT INFO@ANTHOLOGYSENIORS.COM TO GET STARTED!

Ali's Sneak Peek | Senior Portraits San Diego

2010-01-11T13:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, Everyone! I'm placing orders this morning and getting caught up on some work in the office, but I just had to share with you another beautiful girl I recently had the opportunity to photograph. Ali was a trooper in some very cold weather ... but you wouldn't know it! So gorgeous!

I'll share more soon!

Kyle, Cameron & Donovan | Family Portraits San Diego

2010-01-08T22:25:00.000-08:00

I am always in awe of moms who have the same amount or even more children than I do and still manage to have it all pulled together. I'm especially in awe of moms who have all boys ... because little boyes seem to have SO much physical energy at a young age. Chasing little boys at photo sessions often wears me out, and I'm only with them for 60-90 minutes! Of course, the flip side of this is having all girls, like I do, because little girls have so much emotional drama. At my house, it seems I don't really have to chase my girls to take their pictures ... but I have to negotiate with them, bribe them, suffer through the tears and all of the issues when getting dressed and getting their hair done. It's just drama, drama, drama.

So, I love chatting with Tanya and I am totally in awe of her. Her sons, Kyle, Cameron, and Donovan are 3 of the most handsome boys you'll ever meet ... and yes, they kept me on my toes at the playground. I do not know how she keeps up with them! And, of course, they were going in 3 different directions!!! Action shots were definitely my friend.

This was my second year photographing Kyle, Cameron, and Donovan, but I didn't blog their photographs or their gorgeous album from last year, so I am going to include it in this post. Enjoy!

This is Cameron:

This is Donovan:

This is Kyle:

Here are their photographs from 2008:

Lastly, here are some shots of the gorgeous album they ordered from their 2008 session:

Aiden and His Beautiful Family | Family Portraits San Diego

2010-01-07T13:20:00.000-08:00

I have so many family sessions and children's portrait sessions to blog, that I thought I'd just go down the list and blog them alphabetically. So, Aiden, I guess that makes you first! (technically, I'm going by last name ... but I don't use last names on my blog, so Aiden works, too!)

I've known Aiden's dad, Wade, for about 15 years now. Dang, that sounds like a long time. Anyways, Wade is my husband's best friend and I've known his wife, Caryn, for at least 10 years, too. In fact, if you're one of my former brides reading this note, Caryn may have actually been my assistant at your wedding! She worked for me in the very early days of shawna K studio ... and her last wedding with me was the day she told me she was pregnant with Aiden!

Wow, that sounded bad. It sounds like a lawsuit, actually! No, Caryn didn't get fired for being pregnant with Aiden ... haha! Caryn just decided that weddings were very hot in the middle of summer in San Diego (so true), were a lot of hours on her tired feet (also very true), and really not the type of photography in which she wanted to focus. Caryn is very talented with a camera herself, and her nature photography is superb!

Anyways, here are Wade, Caryn, and Aiden:

Danielle | Senior Portraits San Diego

2010-01-04T23:14:00.001-08:00

I have 8 million reasons as to why I am so behind on my blogging. Christmas. The flu for a family of 5. And, most recently, my own lovely case of strep throat. Yeah, it's been one of those seasons!

So instead of boring you with the minutae of my day-to-day life and the perils of being a working mom with 3 children under the age of 6 ... I am going to share with you something a little more glamorous ... someone who is absolutely STUNNING. Let me introduce ... Danielle.

Danielle's parents bid on one of my sessions at a charity auction and decided to give their session to their daughter for her Senior Portraits. When I first met Danielle, I learned that she is extremely creative, will be going to art school, and was looking for senior portraits that were above and beyond anything typical.

I knew this was going to be FANTASTIC! And when Danielle showed up with her hair and make-up done, her awesome animal print top and leather boots ... well ... I knew her session was going to rock. And it did.

I know I'm going to post way too many of these, but I can't help myself. Here's Danielle:

Framing/Hanging Ideas | San Diego Portrait Photographer

2009-12-01T10:13:00.001-08:00

This morning I had the opportunity to see the fruits of my labor. My good friend and client extraordinaire, Gina, had me over to show me the final results of her family portrait session. I have to admit, I was blown away by how gorgeous the session turned out going up her stairway.

If you are a shawna K studio/Pattycake Photography client and you've got a grouping or wall hanging you'd like to show off on the blog, let me know and I'll come photograph it (or submit a photograph you've taken). I love sharing ideas!

Thank you, Gina. It's absolutely beautiful.

So Many Surprises ... | San Diego Portrait Photographer

2009-11-30T22:57:00.001-08:00

The holidays are always a difficult time of year for me. People often ask me how I do it: how do I raise three kids, take care of a husband and home, run my business, and keep up with everything else that I do or we do as a family? Well ... I do have little secrets. Like, my kids probably eat too much fast food (though I've cut WAY back on that these past 6 months or so). I rarely workout during the holidays. My house is a disaster area, so please don't come over right now! Little secrets like that.

But the fact of the matter is, it gets worse during the Christmas season. Starting in October, I have TONS of family photo sessions to squeeze in on the weekends at a time when daylight is getting more and more scarce. The fall is almost always busy with weddings, because autumn weddings in San Diego are so gorgeous. Babies that were conceived during the winter are being born, so I have plenty of newborn sessions. My list goes on and on. I LOVE being busy and I welcome the work ... but it IS hard to get all of it done in one season.

But the worst part of it? KEEPING SECRETS! I've been doing SO many fun sessions lately, and I can't share them with you because the results of those sessions will be adorning Christmas cards and be given as gifts over the next month. It's so hard to keep a lid on these things, because I'm dying to share them. Anyways ... since you can't see their faces and since I already know what gifts are going to be given from this particular session, I thought I'd share a little teaser with you. Here are 3 of my most favorite and most special little clients ...

More coming soon!!!

Emily's Impromptu Session at Balboa Park

2009-11-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

Some of you might be fortunate enough to have met my lovely and talented assistant, Heidi. Well, Emily is her lovely and talented daughter, and recently I had the opportunity to photograph her at Balboa Park. The session was a combination of me photographing my own twins with Heidi's help, and then me also photographing Emily ... also with Heidi's help! I couldn't have done it without her. Photographing 3 toddlers/preschoolers at the same time is very much what I would imagine cat-herding would be like! Craziness!

Anyways, it was a great time! I can't believe how much Emily has grown.

Enjoy!
-shawna K

Kim and Matt's Sneek Peak from their NTC Promenade Wedding!

2009-10-27T23:03:00.000-07:00

Kim and Matt became husband and wife on Saturday at NTC Promenade! Here's a little sneak peek of two of their images from their wedding day. It was such a beautiful day and Kim and Matt are two of the nicest people you could ever meet. Can't wait to show you the rest!

Welcoming Baby Ella!

2009-10-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it's been 5 years since my friends Loren and Brandon got married. They had the perfect Coronado beach wedding with sage green dresses, lots of hot pink and other colorful flowers, flip flops, sunglasses, and darling parasols! Now, they just welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Ella Grace, into the world.

Don't they make the most beautiful little family?

To schedule your baby's session, please call us at (619)861-3630.

Dryw's Anthology: A Collection of Images from His Senior Portrait Session

2009-10-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

This is just a very small sampling of the gorgeous album Dryw ordered to commemorate his Senior year of high school. To see the complete collection, click on the Facebook icon below and become a fan!

Anthology Seniors

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Catching Up: Courtney, Alexis, and Danielle at Summer's Past

2009-10-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh, I have SO many sessions to blog, it's not even funny! I don't know if I'll ever catch up ... but here's one I've been dying to share with you. Courtney, Alexis, and Danielle wanted to surprise their dad with a photo session of all 3 of them before Alexis and Danielle moved away. They wanted some place with sunflowers, so they chose Summer's Past in El Cajon. It's a fantastic place for photo sessions and the owner was kind enough to let me use her grounds for the shoot.

Of course, when we had the session, most of the sunflowers were gone. But that part wasn't important. With girls as gorgeous as these three, I think the background really becomes a non-issue. Aren't they beautiful?

The girls ended up doing a wall grouping and hanging it in their dad's house for him. Alexis sent me a quick snap of it from her cell phone so I could see it. I'm so excited about how nice it ended up looking, with some photgraphs hanging and some photographs leaning from the photo ledge. What a stunning display!

Taylor's Anthology: A Collection of Portraits from His Senior Session

2009-10-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

One of the exciting perks of having your Senior Portraits taken at Anthology, is that you have the option of ordering as many images as you would like in a beautiful bookbound collection. You select your favorite images from your fashion-shoot style photo session, and we arrange them in an attractive and elegant layout, which is later bound into a complete album.

Here is a sample of a few of Taylor's album pages.

To see the entire album, visit us on Facebook and become a fan of the new Anthology page!

Anthology Seniors

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When are you getting your family portraits done this holiday season?

2009-10-07T12:42:00.000-07:00

Holiday family portrait season is well underway. So let me ask you this? When are you taking YOUR family portraits?

Holiday portraits now booking, October 1 through November 30. Don't miss out!

Call 619-861-3630 or email shawna@shawnakstudio.com to schedule your session today.

A Playdate with Dominic!

2009-10-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

When I last photographed Dominic, he was just a little smiling sweet baby with enormous blue eyes. Now he's running and playing and doing big-kid stuff! I can't believe how fast they turn into toddlers! (Okay, now that I have his mom crying ... I'll move on to the photographs from the session!)

As you can see, Dominic is still super smiley and sweet! He just loves to play. That's the beauty of the Pattycake Photography playdate: the kids get to play and I get to create beautiful portraits in a low-stress, low-key environment.

Pattycake Contemporary Children's Photography is the children's portrait division of shawna K studio. To see more, please visit www.PattycakePhoto.com or click on the baby picture at the top of my blog (who just also happens to be Dominic!). As usual, your comments are welcome and appreciated.

Introducing Michelle, Steele Canyon High School's Newest Senior Spokesperson!

2009-09-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

The best part about my job is that I get to meet the nicest people on the planet! Michelle and her mom, Karen, are no exception. As soon as I met Michelle, I knew she'd be the perfect person to be a Senior Spokesperson for Anthology Seniors, the senior portrait division of shawna K studio.

Michelle is super nice, has a bunch of friends, and knew that she wanted something different for her senior portraits. I am so excited that she chose Anthology to capture her just as she is: a beautiful young woman with a vibrant and fun personality!

Michelle is our newest Senior Spokesperson for Steele Canyon High School. Anthology Seniors still needs a male Senior Spokesperson for Steele Canyon and Valhalla, as well as male and female spokespeople for Granite Hills, Grossmont, West Hills, and Christian. If you have a bunch of friends and you like getting cool, free stuff, send us an email at info@anthologyseniors.com. THANK YOU!

Tiffany & Praus's Coronado | Il Fornaio Wedding!

2009-09-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore small, intimate weddings! In my past experience as a guest at small unions, it is an honor because you truly know how important you are to the bride and groom. As a photographer, it is an amazing feeling because you get to be more involved with the the entire experience: you get to know the guests more and you really feel like an integral part of the celebration.

Tiffany and Praus and their families made me feel so welcome and involved. Tiffany got ready at Loew's Coronado Bay Resort and met Praus at Coronado Beach for the ceremony. Their reception was held at Il Fornaio in Coronado. The food and the atmosphere was casual and relaxed, just as Tiffany and Praus requested!

Thank you, Tiffany and Praus and your families, for making me a part of your special day!

There is a gentleman at the Hotel del Coronado who does sand art of varying themes throughout the week. I loved how his theme was romantic on the big wedding day!

Brad & Michelle's Wedding Album

2009-09-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. It's been waaay too long since I've last posted. Things are so busy in the studio and I got so caught up in album deliveries and so behind on blog posting that I didn't know where to start! So, I decided to pick my most favorite item of all the things I've been photographing, editing, designing, and delivering as of late ... and that turned out to be Brad & Michelle's wedding album.

Their wedding at St. Michael's Church and The Thursday Club was truly, truly gorgeous. When Michelle told me of her plans to use a damask design with green, black, and white accents, I knew it was going to stunning. And when I saw her dress, I was blown away.

The most fabulous part about the end product was that my album designer took Michelle and Brad's damask design elements and incorporated it into their 11x14 couture wedding album. This album is phenomenal! It opens to a whopping 28-inch panorama double-page spread and is so amazingly eye-catching. I just love it! The photos on the blog don't even do this album justice, but here they are anyways!

I removed their last names for privacy:

Senior Spokesperson Nicki ... Class of 2010!!!

2009-07-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that summer is swiftly coming to a close and the new school year will soon be upon us! While I am sad to see so many new friends from the Class of 2009 head off to college, I am excited to meet the incoming Senior class.

Nicki is my first Class of 2010 Senior Spokesperson. If you are a fellow Norseman and you are interested in Senior Portraits that are different from what the school's contract photographer can provide, then Nicki is the person to talk to. She can tell you all about the Anthology Seniors portrait experience and how we don't take 6 pictures of you in front of a boring blue background. Instead, our sessions are more like on-location fashion shoots complete with clothing changes, different backgrounds, and your choice of multiple locations. It's SO much fun!

I absolutely loved Nicki's sense of style. She had gorgeous, unique clothes that were completely "her" and matched her personality. She also has those eyes that change color with each outfit change and each change of the light. Beautiful!

To schedule your Senior Portrait session, send us an email or call us at (619)861-3630. We're looking forward to hearing from you!

Ashley & Matthew at Balboa Park

2009-07-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

I recently had the privilege of photographing Ashley's Senior Portraits in Balboa Park. Since Ashley is headed off to college, mom wanted some photos of Ashley with her brother, Matthew, too, so we did a combo session. These two are so adorable! Ashley just has the most perfect smile and outgoing personality -- and Matthew's freckles and sparkly eyes are just way too adorable. I could have photographed these two all day (oh, wait! I think I did!).

One amazing thing about Ashley is how athletic she is. It's not everyday that you meet someone who has lettered TWELVE times! That's right ... she received 12 Varsity letters. That's quite an accomplishment!

Ashley and Matthew's parents are really cool, too. Ashley really wanted a lime green beach cruiser to take with her to college, but she couldn't find one anywhere in the color she wanted, so her dad bought a cruiser and took it all apart, painted it lime green, and put it back together again. Now, that's fatherly love!

Aren't they gorgeous?

Enjoy!

-shawna K

Beautiful Rachael's Senior Portraits

2009-07-17T15:10:00.001-07:00

When Rachael's mom called me to schedule her daughter's senior portraits, she neglected to tell me that Rachael was sooooo beautiful! I mean, all moms are partial to their children, of course, but if she would have told me that Rachael was going to be a model, I wouldn't have been at all surprised. According to Rachael, she's not going to be a model ... but she totally could!

Rachael's Graduation Announcement:

I would love to hear your feedback and comments on this post!

Thanks! Shawna K

Tonya's Boys!

2009-07-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to blog this session for an ETERNITY! However, when I took these portraits, we had to keep everything hush-hush because the session and the photographs were a surprise for Tonya. A group of her friends got together and purchased the session of her boys for her birthday ... and my friend and client, Jenna, made all the arrangements for where and when I would take the images. When mom's eyes are everywhere, it's hard to sneak around behind her back ... haha! But Jenna and the boys' dad made it happen (too bad Tonya had to get a migraine for the boys to sneak away unnoticed).

I thought it was a very cool thing to do for a birthday present, and so did Tonya! She was SO surprised.

Trip to the Desert 2009

2009-06-25T23:33:00.001-07:00

Devyn's uncle is celebrating his birthday tonight, and my sister will be surprising him with some pictures from the desert this year. We had the opportunity to go out and visit them and play with their desert toys this winter and we just had a blast! Tyler and Jordyn spent most of their time fighting over who got to sit in Tim and Marisa's golf carts, and Devyn got to take her first spin on Ethan's old quad.

Since I was ordering some of these photos for Tim, I thought I'd post some of my favorites on the blog! Enjoy!

This is the poster we made for Tim's garage and one for Ethan's room, too!

Here's Timmy enjoying the dirt and the twins' tricycle.

Me taking the twins for a spin in the golfcart!

Devyn getting ready to ride.

Auntie 'Risa showing her the ropes on how to drive the quad.

Ethan catching some air.

Lastly, here are some of their friends' son, CJ, showing us his super mad quad skills!

Andrew's Senior Portraits in Coronado

2009-06-23T16:57:00.001-07:00

When Andrew called me on the phone, I could tell from his tone of professionalism that there was something a little different about Andrew. He wasn't your typical kickback, casual teen. I immediately turned to my husband and told him that I just spoken with a senior from Granite Hills about his portrait session, and that I wouldn't doubt for a second if I had not just spoken with the Class President.

Sure enough, I had guessed correctly. Andrew is the ASB President for the Class of 2009, and after spending some time getting to know him, I wouldn't be surprised if we won't someday be addressing Andrew as Senator . . . or even Mr. President. This guy is going places!

Andrew told me that he wanted some of his pictures in his suit. Since my style is very casual and relaxed, I wanted to somehow mesh Andrew's personality with my style of portraiture. Immediately, a very "Mayorial" look came to mind, with the city skyline in the background and Andrew looking as if he had the keys to the city. So much FUN!

Felipe's Senior Portraits in La Jolla

2009-06-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

One of the main differences between Senior Portraits at Anthology, as opposed to Senior Portraits at a high-volume portrait mill (where most schools require you to go for your yearbook picture), is that my portraits are a reflection of your personality. When Felipe told me that he was very quiet and thought a quiet day at the beach suited him best, I wasn't nervous when the May Gray/June Gloom rolled in. I thought the dark, dramatic skies really went well with his quiet demeanor. Success!

We have several exciting specials running right now for Anthology Seniors. If you are a Class of 2009 or Class of 2010 student, visit www.AnthologySeniors.com or call (619) 861-3630 for more information!

Kelley & Josh's Engagement Session in La Jolla

2009-05-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some more from Kelley & Josh's engagement session in La Jolla. You can just tell how much these two love each other! 8 weeks to the Big Day!

Kelley & Josh - A Sneak Peek

2009-05-21T15:27:00.000-07:00

I recently photographed Kelley & Josh's engagement session and we had the best time. The clouds parted for some gorgeous sunset shots and they were so goo-goo eyed and lovey with each other it was adorable! Of course, they both kept making each other laugh . . . which is why I think I love this shot so much. Normally my sunset silhouettes are sweetsy and romantic. But since they're cracking up in this one, I think it's extra fun! More coming soon!

Why are Your Kids Sick all the Time??!!

2009-05-16T13:33:00.001-07:00

I often get asked why my kids are sick all the time (well, the twins -- Devyn doesn't get sick very often). Gee . . . I have no idea why. haha!

More of Dryw's Senior Portraits in Little Italy and La Jolla Cove

2009-05-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay. I admit it. I've been TERRIBLE at blogging. No, it did not take me that entire time to get this post ready. haha. I apologize for my absence, but sometimes LIFE happens. And boy did it ever! For one, I've had soooooo many sessions. Baby sessions (I can't wait to share Baby Lucas's pictures), senior sessions (Rachael's pics are gorgeous!), and even engagement sessions thanks to my cousin Josh and his lovely fiancee Kelley! Then I had company come in from out of town, projects to do for Devyn's school, and all 3 of my girls got sick. But no, they didn't do at the same time . . . they spread it out over 2 weeks. Ugh!

To top it off, I've been delivering albums like a madwoman and ordering/delivering tons of graduation announcements for the Class of 2009. Where does the time go???

Anyways, I HAVE to share more of Dryw's senior session. I had so much fun with this session (Well, actually it was TWO sessions. We went to Little Italy one day for the urban look and went to the Cove a different day for his surfing shots). Anyways, photographing Dryw was so much fun. He kept telling me that he couldn't smile unless I made him laugh (and y'all know I'm NOT funny . . . people are usually laughing AT me, not WITH me). But truth be told, Dryw had me in stitches the whole time. He's just an all around GREAT guy. His mom told me that he's going in to Education, and I can tell he's going to be a FANTASTIC teacher someday. So ... here's more Dryw:

-shawna K

Dryw's Senior Portraits in Little Italy and La Jolla Cove

2009-04-16T22:26:00.001-07:00

I am in the process of finishing up Dryw's Senior Portraits and I wanted to give you a little sneak peek. I am so excited about them!

More coming soon!

Taylor's Senior Portraits

2009-04-14T21:00:00.001-07:00

People often laugh at some of the locations I choose to do portraits. Where "urban" sessions and grungy city scenes are quite the norm among photographers, I sometimes forget that my locations are new, and somewhat surprising, to my clients. Taylor's session was no exception. A couple of times he looked at me like, "Really? You want me to sit over there?" But in the end, I think my background selections were so worth it.

My Beautiful Devyn

2009-04-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

It's about that time of year where Devyn is growing out of her old clothes and I realize that another year of her life is passing us by. My little girl is going to be turning 6 pretty soon, and I can't quite believe it. Didn't she just take her first steps not that long ago? How can she be scoring goals and hitting line drives and diving into the swimming pool when she just started walking??!!?? Ahhh . . . I'm getting old.

Anyways, when I realized her birthday was looming, I took her out to take some photographs to capture the last few moments of 5 years old. Everyday she grows more and more gorgeous. I love my little Devyn.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T21:23:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic Easter. Between getting the house and yard and kids ready for our family Easter party, going to church, enjoying the festivities, having an egg hunt, re-cleaning the backyard and house, and getting the kids ready for bed, I am completely exhausted!

But I didn't want to go to bed before sharing my miracle picture. I'll preface this by saying that I don't photograph my kids together very often -- if at all. It's usually too stressful for me, someone's always griping or not cooperating, and my kids don't listen to me at all. I think if you ask most photographers, we'll all agree that it's a lot easier to hire our friends to photograph our kids for us. In fact, when my friend Ken photographs Devyn, she does exactly what he tells her. It's so annoying because she never does what I tell her! haha!

Anyways, the twins are getting older and slightly more cooperative, so I thought I'd give it a try before we headed out the door to church. And it was perfect! The kids all went over to the spot I picked out and as luck would have it, the dogs even joined in. I couldn't believe it! So . . . here are all 5 of my kids: Jordyn, Devyn, Tyler, Hayden & Cordelia.

Happy Easter, Everyone!

Hannah Montana Opened Today

2009-04-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

This week I haven't been working very much (or blogging) because we did one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my entire life--literally. We moved my gram into an assisted living facility. It just breaks my heart. To top it off, she's not adjusting well at all, so it's been extra tough. So, every spare moment of time has been spent visiting her, walking her around the facility, distracting her from her own heartache (she misses her dog), arguing with her that she can't leave the facility and go get a job!, and then once again trying to distract her. It's been an awful, awful week.

Despite the pain and heartache of this transition, we have been trying to make it a very fun week for Devyn. This was her first Easter Vacation from school! She went to Zoo Camp, had a bunch of playdates, visited great-grandma, and had a blast. Today we picked Gram up and took her with us to see the Hannah Montana movie that just opened. I have to admit . . . I think the TV show is super cute and I love what they did with Hannah in this movie. I saw some 3 and 4 year olds at the theater and, honestly, I don't know how they were following it. But for 6 year olds and older, it was perfect.

I think Devyn could have used a little less complicated plot and a lot more singing, but she loved it nonetheless. So fun! [FYI, the picture was taken with the really bad camera on my phone--sorry! And, yes, that is a Hannah Montana sweatshirt . . . you should see her REAL Hannah Montana guitar!]

Some Old Portraits of My Dog

2009-04-03T23:28:00.000-07:00

I have been working on album edits this evening and doing some hard-drive organization, and in my attempts at getting organized once again - haha - I found myself reminiscing over some old photos. These were so cute, I just had to share them.

This is Cordelia when she was just 3 years old. (We call her Cordy for short, but one of my 2-year-old daughters calls her Corlia.) It's hard to believe that she is 7 years old now. Cordy is my first baby. She looks like such a puppy here!

My New Anthology Brochures are Here!

2009-04-03T15:49:00.001-07:00

Walter and Paul at Copy Post Printing finished my Senior brochures this week and I am so excited because they look fabulous! Some of the seniors took them to school with them today to give to their friends. I'm just super happy because they turned out so pretty!

Makenzie's 6-Month Portraits

2009-04-02T13:53:00.001-07:00

One of the best things about my job is getting to meet incredibly warm, caring, and genuinely nice people. For some reason, it seems like all of these nice and caring people have that special kind of two-fold beauty: inner and outward beauty. Grace and her daughter Makenzie are no exception. In fact, when I photographed little Makenzie for her 6-month photo session, I got to not only meet Makenzie and her mom, but I also got to meet auntie and uncle and grandma and grandpa and they were all so welcoming and inviting. I'm very fortunate!

Makenzie wasn't too entirely sure why we were making such a fuss over her, but she warmed up to the camera quite nicely. With a little teasing and playing with her binky, we even got some laughing ones in the bunny ears. So much fun!

My Grandma and Her Dog

2009-03-28T23:01:00.001-07:00

This evening I was talking to my Father-in-Law about how you don't really think of some things in terms of doing them for the very last time. He had read my biography section of my Pattycake website, and said he thought it was sad that I don't remember the last time I ever played in my playhouse. But that's the reality. I mean, when you put your Barbies away as a little girl, did you really know you were never going to play with them again? Did you know that your tricycle was destined for a garage sale? Probably not. You put your things away and time marches on.

But today was one of those days where, for me, I knew it was going to be the last of many things. See, my grandmother has reached that stage in her life where she needs full-time care in assisted living. Her house that she has lived in for over 40 years now has sold, and today I took photographs of her with her beloved companion, Shiloh. Devyn swam in her pool today, despite the cold, for what I am sure is the very last time. Having been practically raised in that house, spent entire summer vacations swimming in her pool, and celebrated at least 30 Christmases in her living room, my heart is completely and utterly broken. I write this with tears streaming down my face for I know that yes, time does march on and it's not waiting for anyone.

As you can tell from the photographs, my grandmother was and is a very beautiful woman. And while there will be other houses and other swimming pools (and playhouses and Barbies and tricycles), there is only one Gram. I love her so much.

One of My Favorite Wedding Albums

2009-03-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

Over the past 8 years as a wedding photographer, I've used a lot of different album companies. Back when shawna K studio was Shawna Krystek Photography and no one could pronounce my last name (it's Chriss-tek, not Cry-stek), I only carried traditional wedding albums. All of the photographs were matted and then slipped into a large leather album. The edges were gilded, and some had metal tips on the corners. They were beautiful albums, but today I find most brides and grooms want something a little more reflective of their wedding day, whether it be traditional, contemporary, or even edge-y.

Finally, I have found a versatile bookbinder that carries products appealing to all of my clients. And the albums are gorgeous! Paige and Bret's album is one of my favorites.

This is the two-tone cover with image cut-out:

The turquoise and brown matched their wedding palette perfectly (wait 'till you see their cake):

The edges are flat:

The photographic prints are adhered to a hard substrate for durability:

My studio name gilded in copper on the inside of the book:

Some of the page layouts:

This palm tree image is one of my favorites:

Words of Encouragement

2009-03-24T23:44:00.000-07:00

During these difficult economic times, I've reflected on the current state of my finances, my business, and my career decisions more than enough times! Even re-connecting with old friends on Facebook has made me take a hard look at the decisions I've made ... explaining to old friends why I majored in International Relations and how I ended up owning my own photography business. I still have to explain to some of my family members why I dropped out of law school (haha)!

When I see all of these high school seniors nervously waiting for letters from colleges and trying to make life decisions they are way too young to be making, it makes me think back to when I was in high school: eager to make my mark on the world, excited to make a difference. I thought I could change the world.

Then somewhere along the line when you're listening to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun for the 200th time and photographing yet another bouquet toss in Hour 10 of a long, hot wedding day--feet and back aching, you start to question what it all means. I found myself asking ... why am I doing this?

Then an email like this, from a total stranger, arrived one day in my inbox:

Hello Shawna,

A wee note to let you know what a professional job you are doing and to encourage you along your way.

I viewed the pictures you took of Noelle and Sam and Noah and Elijah................my niece and nephews. :) You capture the essence of who they are ... that's quite a gift.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication to all the families you serve through your talents and abilities.

Warmest Regards,
Cynthia Jones

And in one brief note from a woman I don't even know personally, my life begins to make sense. I LOVE what I do. I LOVE providing people with beautiful images that will become family heirlooms over time. I love capturing moments that will never, ever be repeated.

Your children grow up so quickly. Your newborn will be crawling soon. And your high school senior will be living on his own in a dormroom of peers. Your daughter will be tossing her one and only wedding bouquet to spend the rest of her life with the man she loves.

And I will have the privilege and honor of freezing that moment in time for you to reflect and look upon whenever you pass the photograph above your mantle or pull out the album to show your friends. Thank you for that privilege. It's my pleasure.

-shawna K

Riley's Senior Portraits, At Home and In Ocean Beach

2009-03-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

I don't normally post this many images from a single session, but since Riley is my cousin and I happen to think he looks uber-cool in these photographs, I'm going to post a bunch. In years past, I've been too focused on weddings to delve too much into high school senior portraiture. But since I photograph fewer weddings nowadays, I can give them the attention they deserve.

I had so much fun photographing Riley (and I'm having a blast photographing his friends, too -- if you scroll down, you can see Sierra, and I have more sessions to blog soon, too). Anyways, I had this concept of photographing Riley with his car because this car is a family relic. Riley claims it's his (well, he did pay for it), but before that it was his brother's, before that it belonged to my aunt's company, and before that my aunt was the owner but my sister laid claim to it. This car's been around. It may be old . . . but it's very cool.

New Signature Guest Books Now Shipping!

2009-03-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

There are not a lot of things that I regret about my wedding. Even though Mike and I got married nearly 9 years ago and styles have definitely changed, there isn't a lot about my wedding I would do differently. I do regret, however, not having a guest book with photographs in it. Yes, it's true . . . I have the old school guest book with the lines where people sign their names. No messages. No cute little doodles. Just a list of names. Yawn.

Nowadays, there are so many exciting options for guest books. shawna K studio is discontinuing our standard black signature book, but have no fear . . . we have 2 adorable new photo signature books to take its place.

The Fine Art Signature Book

The Fine Art Signature Book comes in a variety of cover options to match your wedding palette and white or black hard background pages for signing. The album comes in a variety of sizes with a photograph on one side and a plain page on the opposite side for signing. All Fine Art Signature Books are custom, so allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.

The Urban Scrawl Signature Book

The Urban Scrawl Signature Book has a full photo cover with archival quality photographic watercolor paper inside. A variety of layout options are available with this book, leaving plenty of room for your guests' signatures around the photograph. This book is not only popular for weddings, but makes an excellent guest book for graduation parties and first birthday parties.

The Standard Signature Book (Discontinued)

The Standard Signature Book has been discontinued, but we still have a few of these books in stock. The Standard comes in a black hardback cover with black pages for signing. Each page contains one 4x6 image, with room for guests to sign the border. This book comes with 14 pages holding 14 images, but you may choose to use fewer images to make more room for signatures.

Please call or email info@shawnakstudio.com for complete pricing.

Happy Spring, Everyone!

2009-03-21T22:26:00.000-07:00

Though I like the occasional rainstorm here and there, I'm not much of one for winter. Guess that's part of the reason I just can't seem to leave San Diego. True, I pay a hefty sunshine tax for the privilege of living here, but the mild winters and 80-degree days are just too perfect to pass up. I'm excited that the flowers will soon be blooming and that beach weather will soon be here.

In honor of Spring's arrival, I decided to pull some images of some gorgeous bouquets and wedding details from wedding's past. Please enjoy this rainbow of floral color! Happy Spring!

Wow! New Site is Live Today!

2009-03-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how excited I am to be posting to my new blog/splash page. For the past several months, I have been dreaming about the new face of shawna K studio, and it is FINALLY here!

If you are reading this, you probably encountered this page by typing in shawnakstudio.com. If you are a client trying to access your photographs online, have no fear . . . they are still here. Simply click on the photograph above that says "Client Login." That will take you to the shawna K studio shopping cart. Super easy, right??!!

I am currently in the process of updating my wedding website and developing my intimates website. So, those links won't be active for a little while longer. However, the links for Pattycake (the children's division of shawna K studio) and Anthology (the high school seniors division) are live. Check them out when you get a chance.

I also want to give a shout out to Zofia at Zofia Webdesign for making this beautiful blog come to life and to Joe at Symphony Photography for helping me with technical things because I am internet-impaired! Thank you!

P.S. If you follow my old blog, please be sure to update your bookmark to this new shawna K studio site! Thank you!

Sierra's Senior Portraits in the Gaslamp

2009-03-13T15:28:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun with Sierra creating her Senior Pictures in the Gaslamp! At first, I think Sierra thought I was crazy because we were in parking lots, on sidewalks, holding on to chain link fences, and doing all sorts of crazy things! But the results were so incredible that she "gets" me now!

Here's Sierra:

After Sierra viewed her Senior Portraits, this was the email I received from her:

"WOWOWOWOWOWOW i am soo excited and happy about the pictures! it was so much fun and they turned out great!! i love them so much! Shawna i want to to take more with you.. and go every where hahah. it would be so much fun!"

It makes my heart sing when my clients are super thrilled with their portraits! Thank you for the kind words, Sierra!