I get a lot of emails from other photographers asing questions and I **try** to reply as best I can, but sometimes it gets overwhelming! So, I thought I’d add a segment to my blog on FAQs - if you have something you want to know, just shoot me an email or ask your question in the *comments* section.

One of the more common questions is “how do you get the EYES so sparkly or bright?” I wanted to really SHOW that it is the LIGHT that is the MOST IMPORTANT element in making a great *sparkly-eyed* photograph! There are a lot of peeps out there who are really going photoshop-crazy **working** the eyes - I just wanted to add a gentle reminder that if you LOOK at where the light is falling when you TAKE the photo, life will be better….(at least your photos will be better!)

Here is an example of my little friend Lily. WE took these top two photos just one second apart. I saw that the light wasn’t hitting her right eye the way I wanted it to, and asked her to just turn her face slightly towards the window. Tada! Perfect light in both eyes! (NOTE : this is MUCH easier with a cooperative 7 year old then a cranky toddler - I know, i know!)

….and if I am showcasing *toothless grins* today…then this shot of Jake is for my Mom!

remember last year when i photographed matt & maddy? well, they were featured on OPRAH this week as part of her show on *Unconventional Unforgettable Dads*….pretty cool, huh?

You can view it here

My original blog posts arehereand here…and you can read Matt’s story

…soon.

haha

isn’t that annoying?

ok.

since you asked (you did ask - didn’t you?) here are a few hints :)

1) i **might** be announcing that I won something pretty cool ….

AND

2) i **might** be announcing that i am teaming up with my buddy (and super-fabulously-talented photographer) on some cool new projects…

So….stay tuned….

just one photo for fun….my baby girl turned FOUR last week….i can’t believe how big she is getting….

(photography disclaimer - *this is COMPLETELY the WRONG time of day to attempt this, but she was *willing* and if any of you have rebellious four-year-olds you will appreciate that i needed to *seize the moment*!) the idea was inspired by a photo i saw - and for the life of me i cannot remember the photographer or i would credit them for the idea - so if you know, please tell me!)

Big thanks to Kristy for sending me this photo of her wall! I love seeing what folks do with the photos….

I admit to being secretly paranoid that my clients will be like **me** and have their beautiful photos just sitting around in piles (do NOT be like me!) so it is always nice to see the *final display*!

These were 9 horizontal 11 x 14 photos from one of my favorite sessions ever (and my VERY shortest! just 37 minutes from start to finish - that is a record for me!)

You can see more from photos from their shoot here!

(calling all clients….i’d love to see what you have done as well….pretty please with sugar on top….)

Yikes! It has been nearly a MONTH since I have posted on my poor neglected blog! Bad blogger! Well - to catch you up on my month in one great big long grammatically-incorrect run-on sentence: We enjoyed the holidays, Santa was good to Jake and Ali and they were very happy with their new toys (and my new iPhone!) and then we had a mellow New Years, my Mom was in town visiting and we had lots of fun, as soon as she left I took off for Arizona for the Imaging USA and DWF conventions with my best photo-buddy (the fabulously talented Lisa M)- where I got all inspired to come on home and begin shooting again!

whew.

Betcha didn’t really need to know all that - did ya?

Okay - back to biz - I would like to thank everyone who took the time to email their nominees for my *giving-is-awesome* holiday giveaway! I **wish** I could do something spectacular for each and every nominee - and I will definitely be doing this again next year! It was hard to narrow down to just one *winner* - but something about Karen & Jordan’s story just touched my heart. Without sharing too many personal details - Karen is a single mom who has been through a lot and is still a ray of sunshine to her friends AND she is currently recovering from donating a KIDNEY to her sister - that is pretty selfless! Big thanks to the always fabulous LisaE for writing such a heartfelt nomination - (and she gets a $500 credit also!) Yay! I can’t wait to meet Karen and Jordan!!!

Because no post is complete without a photo - here is just one fancy cactus in Arizona……kind of appropriate with today being *Inauguration Day*, I thought….

We are off on vacation! BUT - before I left I wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas (or happy holidays if you do not celebrate Christmas!). Much love, laughter and happiness to you all this holiday season (and always….)

And, in the spirit of giving - I would love to GIFT a photo session to a special family. Here is how you can be a part of brightening *someone’s* holiday season…

You know someone. You know someone who’s experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can’t afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family’s spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone. I guarantee it.

I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography — $1500 worth, to be exact. I would like to give a very special person (or personS!) a photo session, 30 image gallery album and a DVD slideshow of their session to enjoy.

Oh, and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a $500 credit. What better reason to show some love could there possibly be, people?

The rules:

* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a two-million-dollar-vacation-home in Paris does not qualify as sincere financial need.)

* The nominee must reside in Southern California. Tell me who you know, what they’re experiencing, and why they are deserving. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.

* You must e-mail me the full story : jenwilsonphotoATyahoo.com AND jenATjenniferwilsonphoto.com (please email one address and copy to the other email address as I sometimes have email issues and I would hate to miss yours!)

The winner will be announced on New Years Eve — get nominating! I can’t wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season — and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.

With love,

jen :)

PS - If you are reading my blog and you are NOT in So Cal - but you know a family who is deserving - please visit www.givingisawesome.com to find a photographer in your area who is participating in this generous venture!

This has been such an awesome fall season - I have been crazy-losing-my-mind busy - but SO many of my sessions have been returning clients - it is always so fun to get all caught up! (not that I don’t love my brand new clients also - but it is just a heartwarming feeling when people come back year after year and entrust their family memories to me…) Did I just say that? Sounds pretty sappy…the Xmas spirit must be getting to me!!!

Enough rambling and on to the photos! (you can view last year’s session here if you want to see how cute he was then - he is even more adorable now!)

My little boy -every day I think *you have gotten so big, so grown-up*….and yet…I look again and you are still just a little little little dinky boy…I had NO IDEA how much having a kid would change my world…I was never a *baby person*…and I worried….”what if I don’t love him as much as I love my dogs?”…sounds crazy, doesn’t it???….and yet i worried…if only i had known how much i would love you and how much joy and laughter and silliness you would add to my world….

te amo…j’ taime…ooki sooki…ich liebe dich - I love you Jake!

the holidays are coming! the holidays are coming! how do they sneak up on us each year??

if you have received your gallery password already, i wanted to remind everyone that orders for christmas delivery MUST be placed by november 18th. if your gallery has yet to be released, don’t worry - i will extend the deadline for you until the 26th.

if you’re planning to order albums, coffee table books or canvas gallery wraps please contact me right away for the estimated delivery date.

….and now for my own baby girl! i just ordered this as a gallery wrap canvas yesterday - i can’t wait to see it!

aren’t they sweet? 5 months can be a tough age to photograph, since babies aren’t yet sitting on their own….but we had so many cute shots of these two!

filed under: Calabasas baby photographer, Calabasas children’s photographer, Los Angeles children’s photography, baby photographer in Los Angeles, Malibu children’s photographer, lifestyle photography, children’s lifestyle photography, modern children’s photographer. modern kids portraits