We had an awsome portrait event last month at the Janie and Jack, Sherman Oaks store.  There were truely too many cute kids to count and I wanted to share a few of my favorites.  There really are too many favorites to choose from but I had to narrow it down to just a few! 

Here is a brother and sister team that just don’t quit! She was dressed in her finest Cinderella ball gown and He was ready for action in is fire gear! Here’s a few of my favorites.

If you would like do dress up your kids for a fantasy portrait session go to the contact section and drop me a message!

Thanks to all for the fantastic participation. We had over 300 voters from all over the country!

And now the results!!  Miss KH!!  And I couldn’t resist showing just a few of my favorites from her sitting.  She has been awarded a complete model session including styling by the talented Bethany Spurlock, and $250 in gift certificates.  The final images from the modeling session will be on display in Belle Bottom Baby.  We will announce a special gallery opening to reveal the final in store display so stay tuned for that announcement.

Congratulations!!

Announcing the newest Model Search.  Do you have the cutest kid in the Valley?  Belle Bottom Baby and Desiree Durang Photography have partnered together to hold a portrait event in the store August 15th and 16th.  YOU MUST come in the store to reserve your appointment.  Appointment slots will fill up fast.  The winner will get the full model treatment when we conduct a modeling session and use those images around the store and future advertising.  The winner also receives $2oo in portrait products and $50 to use in Belle Bottom Baby. 

I’m very excited to partner with Belle Bottom Baby  the grooviest kids boutique in the Valley.  She’s got a great eclectic selection of fun and unique kids clothes.  I’ve found some super cool stuff for my son over the last couple of years.  I bought my son the coolest vintage Duran Duran concert tee there.  It’s going to be a fun event.  Mini portrait sessions will be held inside the store so don’t wait to make your appointment.  Click here for more details!!

I’ve been a bit behind in keeping up on portraits of my son but I had a chance to capture just a few. My precious boy is growing up!

My blog needs some love! I’ve been away from my computer quite a bit lately.  The OS on my poor old Dell took a dump.  But I had a backup computer already loaded so I just had to transfer my data drive and my burner and all my applications… and the whole sh-bang… not so fun but could have been a lot worse.  Although I think I am realizing that I didn’t backup my Photoshop actions and Lightroom presets!!!!! AAAAHHH!!!! I know I must have them somewhere! Lesson Learned!  Adobe puts them in such a funky place it’s easy to forget to back them up!

 I’ve also been busy assisting on weddings and shooting weddings of my own and now I can finally sit down and sink my teeth into the editing processes.  I’ve also been busy meeting new mommies taking part in the Prego Mommy Model search. I have met some really beautiful women just glowing with mommy-hood. I can’t wait to start showing off some of the results.  I’m excited about what we will be doing!

Our affiliate [Channel Islands PPA] just had our quarterly print competition last night. We had some great judges which turned into a Simon, Paula, Randy match which made us all laugh! It was a great comp night.  My entries in the children’s category scored only an above average but I learned a few things too so it was worth the humiliation .

Here’s my little cutie.  He’s helping dad wash his Mercury Monterey.  He felt so important.  This weekend my little baby (not such a baby now) fell on his face off his little ride-on car.  You know how it feels when you have something brand new and you hate to have it scratched or messed up… like a new car or something? Well… that’s sort of how I feel because he chipped his front tooth!! It’s just a little chip and he got right back up to play again! But still, kind of sad.  His front baby tooth will never be the same.  I have to say though that at this age I LOVE that I have this special mommy power over him whenever he hurts himself.  If he gets any scrape at all he says “mommy kiss it” and it’s all over like it never happened.  I will be sad when my special mommy power will stop working. I love that a little kiss really makes it all better.

Comming soon!! Gabo and Gooch and the Rock-a-billy wedding of the year! WooHoo!

Here is an update to the work that was done for the National Model Search.  I was very happy to participate and help raise money for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.  I recently had the opportunity to assist on one of these shoots and it’s a very emotional ride.  But what drives the photographers to volunteer for this cause is a greater purpose.  To help grieving parents move through a very difficult time and I was glad to be part of it.
The contest was a huge success, 2,000 model’s images were submitted to the contest, and most importantly, the competition raised $164,775 for the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS) foundation.click here.

The competition was so much fun.  I was thrilled to enter some of Los Angeles’ cutest kids into the contest.  The feedback from clients has been overwhelmingly positive. People were enthusiastic about my philanthropic efforts to partner with NILMDTS. So many folks have experienced the loss of a child or know someone who has. Raising money for NILMDTS was an effort everyone supported.
 
The 50 finalists have been selected. Photography and modeling industry experts will select the grand prizewinner, which will be announced on May 1st. The finalist gallery is available for viewing – just

This has been such a positive experience that we plan on participating in the National Charity Model Search next year. I hope that just as many of you step up to partner with me in this fun endeavor, and that we raise even more money for NILMDTS in 2010.

I photographed this session a little while back but I just have to post some of the pictures because they are too stinking cute. This first one is my favorite. But they keep getting better This one with the dog needs a title.  If anyone has a good one post a comment.  If I choose your title I’ll have to give you an award.  How ’bout a gift certificate to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf?  That’s my favorite place

Two toddlers and a bottle of “beer” and we had a little drunkn’ show down…. (they walk like they’re drunk anyway right?) 

 On another note, I’m heading out to assist portrait and fashion photographer Matt Haines on a shoot this evening for a sunset beach model shoot.  Sounds glamorous doesn’t it? 

I’ve also received some updates on the Now I Lay My Down to Sleep model search.

There is still time to enter models!  We will accept submissions through March 25th, 2009 and voting will continue through 11:59pm on April 2nd, 2009!  Get your votes in soon because the top model of each city will be asked to do a live model shoot during the city tour happening March 18th for Los Angeles.  Then the top votes for each city qualify for National Judging later.  So get in and vote and there is still time to enter your son or daughter between 18 months and 14 years. 

I’m getting geared up for the Spring YAY! So start booking your outdoor shoots! I’ve already got plans to shoot at the Huntington Library again which is one of my favorite places.  So start thinking about family pictures or spring pictures for your little darlings.

On another note I am always looking to learn and grow as a business and as a person and I had the priviledge of meeting Dane Sanders face to face at one of our CIPPA Meetings last week.  I have read his book Fast Track Photographer and I was delightfully suprised it was more of a self help/self discovery type of book to help understand my own personality and how to be true to myself.  And I was delighted to find that face to face he is a genuine person who makes an effort to take an interest in the people around him.  So Dane, I enjoyed meeting you and your presentation was empowering and ever since I have been working on stopping automatic and not talking myself out of stuff.  And I will make strides in my business one step and a time and enjoy the journey.  Thanks Dane!