MEF Photography Blog! &raquo; San Francisco-Based Wedding, Family + Portrait Photography

Dec 08 2011

The Sense Family | Rocklin, CA

Filed Under: Families

Oh, hello, beautiful family. :)

I’ve known Rhonda for over a decade, since back when she and Drew were high school sweethearts (yes, this family is THAT adorable). If there were one woman out there whom I would most like to resemble (in terms of her very obvious physical beauty, duh, but mostly because of her kind and generous, happy spirit), it’s probably Rhonda. In all of my travels, I’ve never met anyone quite as glowing and genuine in the way that she is — there is a warmth to her that just draws you in. And once you’re there, you’re sure to laugh a lot, because she’s also surprisingly sarcastic. A woman after my own heart. :)

I was THRILLED when she emailed me to take photos of her family (the first time they’ve ever had professional pictures!), simply because I don’t think there is a family out there with more teeth. You’ll see those in just a sec. But also because they’re just darned fun to be around. Caden, who just turned three, is a charming, rambunctious ball of energy who could easily pass for a Gap Kids model. He is also the most clearly-enunciating child I have EVER met, and I got a kick out of asking him to perfectly repeat some very complicated phrases. (I might have my own kids JUST for this phase.) And four-month-old Rowen is so giggly, and a spitting image of his momma, right down to the foot-long eyelashes.

But perhaps one of the most satisfying parts of photographing the families of my friends is seeing what wonderful parents they’ve become. Drew is a patient playmate who will gleefully count rocks and run sprints to make Caden smile. And if it isn’t yet obvious from my praise, Rhonda is a loving mom. My favorite part of the whole day was overhearing her nudge Caden to get the “T” sound in “tuh-tuh-trouble” instead of his current “crubble.” Seriously, if this family were any sweeter, I might have just died on the spot. But enough about that… ON WITH THOSE TEETH!

Aaaand Christmas card. :D

Seriously?

Rhonda also gets crazy bonus points for choosing the most adorable family wardrobe in the history of all mankind.

This is my scientific evidence for that Gap-Kids-Model hypothesis. SO CHARMING.

Then we changed up the outfits and headed to a new location!

I had a really hard time choosing, but I think this might be my favorite of the fam:

Want to know how to make a bouncy three-year-old happy? Give him a handful of rocks. Also, PHOTO ON THE RIGHT! :D

This is where my heart melts.

Please note: eyelashes.

Some classic, playing-with-dad shots:

I die.

And of course, the loving parents. :D

Rhonda and Drew, I really cannot thank you enough for asking me to photograph your family and for spending your day with me. I hope you love your photos and think they properly capture the joy that is the four of you. You’re just fabulous. Thanks for letting me enjoy some of it. :)

by Molly

1 comment

Dec 01 2011

December 2011 Goals

Filed Under: MEF Photography;Personal

December Goals | Ripening Oranges The orange tree in our side yard. Approaching ripeness.

If there is one refrain I am hearing lately from basically everyone, it’s “Holy crumbs, it’s December!” I’m in complete agreement. The older I get, the faster time seems to pass, and this year was no exception. It makes me happy to know (based on everyone else’s reactions) that I’m not alone in feeling this stunned.

I’ll save the full extent of this recap for next month, but 2011 was a groundbreaking year for my family, my dearest friends, myself and my life, my future and my business. Not everything went well. In fact moving my business 3,000 miles has easily been one of the more devastating, heartbreaking and trying experiences I’ve yet had in life. But equally, it has been thrilling, fulfilling and affirming in aspects that likely would have floundered and remained stagnant had we stayed on the east coast. I have a long, long way to go to get where I want to be, and last January I thought that by now I would be miles beyond where I currently am. But (on good days, at least!) I am confident that I am building a network and reputation I can be proud of, and I see bright things ahead for myself.

All that positivity aside, I SUCKED at my November goals — hoo boy did I fail! :D And wouldn’t you know it, it had a lot to do with not writing down my goals in a place I could see them each day. Toward the end of the month I started writing very detailed, daily to do lists with easy-to-complete tasks listed under my major goals for the day. Normally, I stick with the bigger picture stuff — I need to do X, Y, Z. But I’ve lately discovered that breaking X, Y, Z down into Xa, Xb, Xc, Ya, Yb, Yc, Za, Zb, Zc not only helps me blow through tasks quicker and with greater efficiency, but boosts my motivation because MAN do I like crossing things off lists.

And I fully admit that, on one particularly en fuego day last week, I zealously wrote “Eat Lunch” as an action item and later crossed that sucker off with alacrity! Because sometimes, you just need an easy win. So with that in mind… December goals!

December Goals (November holdovers in italics):

Take written stock of 2011 and write new goals for 2012
Finish Christmas shopping by December 15th
Purchase and decorate our FIRST Christmas tree!
Start writing smaller, actionable to do lists each night before bed
Write all of my wedding thank you cards
Finish painting the interior of our house (office, bathrooms, closet)
Reupholster our couch
Start planning our next winter styled shoot
Print and hang some of our wedding / engagement photos
Instate a new lead-tracking system
Blog about our wedding!
Build up to running three miles (I’m nearly there!)
Set up the new office / studio — It was naive of me to think this would be a first-thing-after-moving priority. This whole owning a home thing is a learning process!

Completed November Goals:

Start on a new branding project
Design and build out our master closet
Finish replacing all of our old two-pong wall sockets
Hold a November family portrait party
Breathe, relax and read a book
Landscape our atrium
Photograph my brother’s wedding

by Molly

no comments

Nov 29 2011

Baby Brady (+ Connor, Becca + Norm, with a Toby cameo)

Filed Under: Babies;Families

I’ve been writing and rewriting this post for awhile, with the ultimate goal of doing justice to this beautiful family. It’s no small feat, trust me.

The Weitzel family is warm, inviting and gentle, and filled with a love that suffuses every inch of their home. When Becca asked me to come photograph their newborn, I was thrilled and excited, particularly because I’ve found there is a certain ease that comes with a second child that is fascinating for me to watch, and I had a feeling Momma Becca would possess it in spades. I was so right, and I could have spent hours just watching Becca’s gentle sweetness around her new son. Norm, too, has an relaxed nature so infectious that even with an excitable 2.5-year-old running (and jumping, jumping, jumping!) around, the house still felt calm and welcoming.

I am so uplifted by good, strong, loving families — perhaps because they remind me of my own. And I am always honored to photograph them. So, without too much more rambling on my part, let’s meet the star of the show: Brady Owen!

I called for a caption contest for this photo, and, thanks to the timing of world events, a casually pepper spraying cop may or may not have found his way into it.

I know it’s really popular to wrap up newborns in crazy blankets, bows and hats and stick them into various baskets, suitcases and bookshelves, but I tend to think those photos are more about the props than they are about the babies. Sometimes a wee one in a newborn diaper is all you need. Plus, in the context of mom and dad’s bed, you’re reminded of just how teeny tiny they start out!

Meanwhile during a feeding break, Mr. Connor was mesmerized by a certain honey-loving cartoon bear. Gosh, I love pictures of kids just doing what kids do. :)

Fed, changed and happy. I admit I sometimes wish for an adult-size sheepskin rug. Sometimes. :D

Remember that sweet gentleness I mentioned earlier? Proof:

BABY EYELASHES! I never get tired of this shot!

I love that the whole family’s focus is on the new baby here.

Plaid moose. Enough said. :D

Okay, so now for some backstory. Becca is married to Norm, whose twin brother, Neil, is married to Jacqui. ’Round about seven months ago (and with no prior collusion!), Becca and Jacqui both discovered they were pregnant with boys due just two days apart. Twin brothers having “twin” cousins — what are the odds? At any rate, Jacqui and Becca wanted to commemorate this fleeting time with some photos of the two boys together. If I remember correctly, Brady (left) is five days old and Toby (right) is three days old.

Ladies with overactive ovaries, I apologize in advance for this, my most favorite newborn photo of all time:

Brady and Toby, I apologize to your teenage selves when you bring your first girlfriends home and these photos come out. We couldn’t help it. :D

What a difference a pound makes! Check out the cheeks on Toby (right)!

Becca, you are a gorgeous woman, inside and out.

Then we headed outside for some family photos!

I LOVE the one on the right! Favorite #2 (I saved the best for last).

PERFECT! FAVORITE! I sincerely hope this ends up framed on your walls somewhere, Weitzels! :D

Thank you, you beautiful family-of-four, for letting me invade your home for the day. Photographing all of you brought me some serious joy, and I sincerely hope you cherish these new photos of your changing family. xo, M

by Molly

1 comment