anita j c photography blog

i've moved!

2009-02-18T22:09:00.002+08:00

no, not a physical move... still living in China.

but my blog has a new home. come and visit me at:

www.anitajcphotography.com/blog

please update your subscriptions and bookmarks accordingly!

p.s. this would be considered exciting announcement #1.

p.p.s. for you readers in China, you should now be able to access the rest of my website too at www.anitajcphotography.com. yippee!

p.p.p.s. that last pps would be considered exciting announcement #2.

and we're back

2009-02-13T16:15:00.003+08:00

back from our travels to sunny places, yummy food, and good friends. *sigh*

still settling back in, and all the pictures i took are still sitting on my camera. so you'll just have to wait a little longer.

but just wanted to check in so you don't miss me too much.

and i have multiple exciting announcements to post over the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

and i know some of you only really want to see photos, so i'll leave you with one that was rather hastily but inspiringly (is that a word?) thrown together the day before we left for our vacation...

i love my little rockstar. (some of you photogs may recognize this =) )

taking off

2009-01-23T16:49:00.000+08:00

Happy Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year in China is like Christmas/New Year's time in the US - which means extended time off of work and a time to travel. Most people will go back to their hometowns to gather with family and eat and eat and eat.
Our hometown is kind of far, so instead we're off to explore and enjoy Hong Kong and Phuket for about 2 weeks. Can't wait to be in warmer climates. Will post more when we return. =)

(note: sweater shown above is, of course, another by Shokay)

dialogue

2009-01-21T20:43:00.003+08:00

hannah: wo bu shufu (translate: i don't feel good)
me: really? then maybe we should snuggle. snuggles always make you feel better. (note: this is me half joking, as she actually hates being squeezed and snuggled)
or i could rub your back.

*no feedback*, then...

hannah: i think Little Mermaid make me better.
me: (very loud laugh)
hannah: i think Little Mermaid DVD make better. i think Little Mermaid DVD make better.

Shokay part 3 - my favorite | commercial shoot

2009-01-20T20:07:00.002+08:00

OK, I know all the Shokay clothes I've posted so far are adorable, but when I received this collection, I knew it was my favorite! All the outfits are simply darling, with the best coordinating hats. And the workmanship and details are just amazing.

Some of you have wondered what sizes these clothes are available in. The answer - any size! They're standard sizes go up to size 6 yrs old for kids, but they custom anything for any age and size - including adults!

makes me feel like going on a Sunday afternoon picnic.

*love* this.

Shokay part 2 - children's luxury handknits | commercial shoot

2009-01-17T15:36:00.005+08:00

More wonderful outfits from Shokay.

And I must say, when photographing commercial shoots, it is rather convenient to have a model always on hand, available to do whatever you tell her to do. =)

I love this dress with its bit of Chinese qipao style.

I really like the bold color - though you can customize the colors on any order.

These mittens and scarf match the cardigan in my last post. And the top of the mittens are flapped so that they can open and fold back, exposing the fingertips when it gets warmer.

Love the details and colors on this hooded cape.

And one last one for fun.

So which is your favorite?

Shokay - children's luxury handknits | commercial shoot

2009-01-13T20:33:00.000+08:00

Ok... finally ready to post about my exciting project I mentioned in my last post. Sorry to keep you in suspense. =)

I mentioned a while back that I met one of the co-founders of Shokay.

Well, I am very excited to have the opportunity to photograph for their upcoming catalog, featuring their new line of children's clothing.

All of these products are handknit and can be custom made to order. The feel of the yarn is *nice* and soft and warm. And ultimately, their sales go back to helping give sustainable income to impoverished communities in China. An all around feel-good business, I'd say.

While their new catalog is still in process, here's just a few glimpses from one of the shoots.

(isn't this design beautiful?)

More to come soon...

we have finally arrived

2009-01-07T15:19:00.003+08:00

before we moved, one of the few things that hannah understood about China was that after we got there, she would be able to ride a bike. (we didn't want to purchase a bike for her earlier in the States and then have lug it all the way here) almost everytime we mentioned we would be moving, she would respond that she would then be able to ride a bike... or play with her new toy kitchen (another object we held out on opening until after we moved).
well, on Christmas day, when Luke rolled her new bike through the door, she exclaimed, "Oh! Wo men zhongyu dao Zhongguo le! Wo men zhongyu dao Zhongguo le!" (Translation: We have finally arrived in China!) so yes, I guess our move is now official.

(excuse the blurry, not very professional looking picture =) )

I have another exciting project to share about in the next few days, so stay tuned!

andy+katina | engagement shoot

2008-12-26T23:09:00.004+08:00

a couple friends visited us from Shanghai last weekend, and one of the items on our agenda was to take their engagement photos. when i first met andy and katina, i thought they made such a handsome couple. so i was definitely excited to get to do this session. the session was a lot of fun - along with a bit of a workout as i made them hike up and down a mountain. =) but they were open to try anything and had lots of their own ideas too. i'm still wading through the *tons* of photos we took, but i know they're eager to see some, so here is a small sneak peek.
it's also a breath of fresh air for me to finally be posting some people pictures on this blog, rather than inanimate objects. =) because photographing people is what i really love in the first place.

some landscape you can't find in the States - a bamboo forest.

and finally they were determined to get a jumping shot - it made for a lot of laughs.

congratulations andy and katina. we're very excited for you guys.

carols, cookies, care packages, and the christmas story

2008-12-24T15:58:00.003+08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!!

With Christmas not as widely celebrated around here, we've had to largely depend on our own means and creativity to remember the Christmas season. In some ways, it's not such a bad thing. So our Christmas this year has consisted of...

Carols
lots and lots of singing these past few weeks. there's nothing like christmas carols to warm the heart. hannah's favorite is "gloooooooooooria in excelsis deo"

Cookies
lots and lots of baking going on... literally made hundreds of cookies. homemade cookies are a rare commodity around here, and people were impressed and happy to receive them.

Care Packages
lots of packages have come in, to our pleasant surprise. and thanks to some loving friends, we even got to make our own paper ornaments and hang lights for decoration.

Christmas Story
finally, it's been good reading the Christmas story a lot of times, and being in wonder of the greatest Gift of all.

May your Christmas be filled with joy and wonder, as well.

thanksgiving, part 2

2008-12-10T21:35:00.003+08:00

another big thing i was thankful for this Thanksgiving was that our shipment of belongings finally arrived right on Thanksgiving Day!

The move-in process was fast and impressive. Who knew one person could haul so much on their back.

So we've been busy unpacking the past couple weeks (i.e. my excuse for not blogging lately) and making home more "home". It's nice.

thankful

2008-11-27T01:08:00.002+08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

i am thankful:
- for being able to bake pumpkin pies and sweet potato casserole on this side of the world
- for friends who take me to local markets to find pumpkins and sweet potatoes
- for friends who have extra (toaster) ovens* that they generously give to us so we can now bake
- for friends to feast with tonight

*note: most kitchens here don't come with ovens. so the next best thing is basically a big toaster oven. and ours is even a convection oven. ooooh...

mail and bananas

2008-11-26T21:14:00.008+08:00

after 1 1/2 months, i am happy to say i know how to send and receive mail here.

i had stocked up on some beautiful stationary and thank you cards from dozi before leaving the States. btw - she's having a giveaway in honor of her blog's one year anniversary, so go check it out!

several stamps and a mandatory (i.e. boring) "standard airmail" envelope later, they were finally mailed off and will hopefully brighten someone's mailbox soon.

we've also received our first postcard in the mail(exciting). And then a couple weeks ago, our first care package arrived, which included this:

um... yes, if you do the math, it arrived a little too late to be filled out and counted.
But we still watched the election results from here that day. And as we watched cnn.com, hannah kept repeating the name of our new president - "Barakobanana! Barakobanana!"

this time there's something for mom and daughter

2008-11-24T15:51:00.002+08:00

Once again, Grosgrain has a couple more fabulous giveaways:

Perhaps something for hannah

or something for mom

warmth

2008-11-20T20:59:00.003+08:00

one of the neat things about living here is that you are bound to meet some interesting people who do inspiring things.

this weekend, i met the co-founder of Shokay.
Shokay is a company specializing in luxury products made from yak fiber (think cashmere, without the itch of wool).

For you moms out there, they have an adorable baby collection.
For you knitters out there, they have wonderful, luxurious yarn.
For you Christmas shoppers out there, they have handknit and woven goods for the home, for women, and for kids.

I guess I fall under all those categories, which makes me extra enthusiastic.

But perhaps the most meaningful aspect of Shokay is that it was started in order to "empower some of China’s most impoverished communities".
From their website:
"At Shokay, we aim to impact the lives of Tibetan herders in China oppressed by poverty. By introducing luxury yak down to the global market, we hope to create a market for yak fiber, thus increasing the value of the raw fiber to provide herders with long-term employment and a greater sustainable income."

I'd post a few pictures from their website, but I rather you head on over and take a look for yourself. Feel free to pass it on to others too.

www.shokay.com

a journey

2008-11-19T21:13:00.000+08:00

Ten years ago, I came to this place. And a few days ago, after 10 years, I got to return.

Over these 10 years, she has seen so much change, so much growth, so much faithfulness. I was beyond words to see and reflect on this amazing journey we have both been on these past 10 years.

the city

2008-11-18T20:58:00.004+08:00

this past weekend, we took a trip to Shanghai, and soaked up the, um, more modern feel of the big city.

I'll post a few posts about our trip, but of course, our trip would not be complete without FOOD adventures. On Saturday, we went to this crazy big and packed food court. We circled around the whole thing to check out the selections. There must've been 30-40 different stands, selling all sorts of goodness. But perhaps the more impressive point is that all 40 stands were selling some kind of Asian food. Who knew you could have so many choices in just Asian food alone? I guess that's why we Chinese people like to eat. =)

from a child's perspective

2008-11-12T22:37:00.004+08:00

So last week, my girl suddenly developed some drawing skills. Instead of random scribbles, she actually drew objects that had some semblance to what she said they were.
You know how you record your kids' first words? Well, here are my daughter's first objects she has learned to draw (in actual order), along with what she called them shown in "quotes" (english translations provided in parenthesis when necessary).

1. "goggles"

she gets very excited when she sees goggles. maybe because she loves swimming. but we haven't found a pool here yet, so maybe the deprivation is making her dream about goggles and swimming.

2. "yu yu" (i.e. fish)

3. "dun de matong" (i.e. squat toilet)

Ah. The beauty of living here, expressed through art. =)

Note: Art shown are not the original first objects drawn, as those got wiped away on the Etch-a-Sketch. However, drawings shown are still by original artist, though proportions and shapes may have changed somewhat since the originals.

By the way, thanks for all your suggestions on creative constructive activities too. I enjoyed reading them, and mostly just hearing from you. I will have to try to implement some soon, as the garlic peeling seems to have lost its appeal.

what do you do when...

2008-11-06T16:36:00.002+08:00

you haven't found a playgroup for your kid? or there aren't a wealth of fun programs or storytimes or playgrounds to take her to? and most of her toys and books are still on a boat somewhere on the ocean? and she seems kind of bored and keeps asking what we're going to do?

you put her to work.

...and she actually finds it really fun to peel garlic and it keeps her preoccupied for a while. and mom has one less thing to do too. =)

of course, i'm open to other suggestions for some creative constructive activities... anyone?

this is too cute

2008-11-03T15:54:00.002+08:00

the idea of trick-or-treating has not quite caught on around these parts, so i am just living vicariously through other people's blogs. haha.

look at this cute cute costume:
Tropical Tree Frog Costume Giveaway!
...and you can try to enter to win it too if you're already gearing up for next year.

you can be sure, though, that when Thanksgiving comes around, we will be feasting over here and not just salivating over food blogs. =)

can you tell we had a good time?

2008-10-31T16:51:00.001+08:00

Here are more from this session.

I had this session during the last week we were in Michigan. Had a lovely morning with her and her mom. Thanks M! =) It was a nice final note to leave on before moving. Lots of fun shots, I had a hard time picking which ones to post now... so I'm posting a lot. Hey... why not, it may be my last sneak peek for a while... though definitely not the last blog post you'll see from me. =)

weekend outing

2008-10-30T16:22:00.003+08:00

last saturday, we decided to explore our local area a little by going to an area that seemed to be more busy and had more shops. i guess it ended up being more of a food outing for us, as that's all we ended up purchasing. but that is not so unusual for our family. =)
we got to experience the extremes of eating out in china...

first, going to a street cart that sells lots of food-on-a-stick, which they cook for you on the spot and slather with yummy sauce. we have been told you have to be careful not to get sick when getting food off of street carts, but it looked so good, we couldn't resist. and none of us (thankfully) got sick either. =)

then, we decided to go for some hard-to-come-by western food. amusingly, pizza hut is a fancy ordeal around these parts and hannah enjoyed finally going somewhere that had high chairs. we soaked up the pristine surroundings and the waitresses wearing witch hats for halloween.

finally, we topped it off with a cup of mango juice from the local milk tea stand. good stuff... hannah definitely agrees.

now i'm getting hungry...

stunning...

2008-10-28T16:21:00.001+08:00

... is probably not the first word that might come to mind when it comes to toddlers. But when I saw this picture, that is all I can say.

Will try to post more from this session soon, but just wanted to give mom a peek, since she's been patiently waiting so long!

milestone

2008-10-27T15:24:00.003+08:00

During my girl's first year, I would take pictures of her on each of her "month-birthdays". After she turned one, I cut it down to every 6 months. Maybe after she turns 3, it'll be a once-a-year occasion.
But this weekend, she turned 2 1/2, so we did a little mini-session in honor of it. In her new room and around our new neighborhood. Can you tell she's used to the camera? =)

Grosgrain - a new online find

2008-10-25T16:45:00.001+08:00

So I just found this blog through another photographer blog last week. I've only glanced through it but it's full of cute clothes and fun giveaways. And it looks like she'll be opening a mini online store soon. Fun!
I love the skirts in this post... think she'll ship to China? =)

hanging out

2008-10-24T15:30:00.002+08:00

so it's been 2+ weeks since we moved.
as expected, life is a little different around here.

example #1:

no dryer.

but i've come to appreciate the wonders of liquid fabric softener, along with a good working washing machine. (our washing machine broke earlier this week and i learned that hand-wringing clothes is not fun nor is it effective. fortunately, service people here come very quickly and repair costs are very inexpensive.)

ni hao

2008-10-15T18:29:00.002+08:00

so it's been almost exactly a week since we landed here in China. it's such a huge change, that i'm a bit at a loss as to what to write.

but just in terms of this photography blog...
the good news: i can still access this blog and post to it. so keep checking in. =)
the bad news: i'm not having as much luck with accessing or being able to update the rest of my website. =/

but i have a feeling that, just like everything else... how i use photography here will look a whole lot different from before. we'll just have to wait and see...

hopefully, after we're fully over jetlag, and semi-settled into our new surroundings, i'll post more and include some pictures next time. in the meantime, would love to hear from you guys, from all parts of the world. =)

first she insisted that he be in the picture...

2008-09-30T09:40:00.008+08:00

(these two are inseparable sometimes.)

then she insisted that she get out her camera too...

then she was just being a ham...

...before i finally got a normal, boring shot for her visa application (not shown here). =)

So I was "tagged" earlier today by the lovely Jen, a fellow photographer. Fun! So here's how it works:
The rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Write 7 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post.
4. Pass on the tag.

So here's my stream-of-consciousness list.

1) In one week, me and my family are up and moving to China (thus the visa photos) !!!!!

2) Contrary to somewhat popular belief, we are moving to China and not back to China. None of us have ever lived there, except for one summer I spent in Shanghai during college.

3) I tend to blog as a form of procrastination (thus blogging the night before the movers are coming rather than packing or sleeping)

4) I used to be an engineer

5) After studying Materials Science & Engineering for 6 years, I realized I actually wanted to work as a Mechanical Engineer. go figure.

6) The common theme among a lot of things I like to do (e.g. photography, cooking, knitting, craft projects, engineering) seems to be this insatiable need to create

7) When I got married, I only had to add one letter to my maiden name to get my husband's last name... and I didn't even need to change my signature. Convenient.

OK, jean, rebecca, wendy, sarah, julie, michele, joanne... your turn.

if you give a child a cookie...

2008-09-20T03:58:00.002+08:00

...he'll work the camera for you.

Btw, I could get lost in those deep brown eyes, can't you?

what happens when your child doesn't nap...

2008-09-19T04:15:00.002+08:00

well, most of the time it just makes for a grumpy afternoon and evening for everyone involved.
But sometimes, surprises happen.

Like this afternoon, after waiting almost 2 hours for Hannah to fall asleep, I finally was going to give up and get her. (Yes, I am stubborn too, and can wait it out that long) But I got momentarily distracted by something else, and when I went to her room, she had finally fallen asleep... at about the time she normally wakes up from her nap. But I'm not complaining, I'll take the extra break anytime.

Or sometimes, they just fall asleep right in the middle of eating...

just in time for my birthday/Christmas...

2008-09-18T02:03:00.005+08:00

So after years of rumors, Canon has officially announced the release of the new 5D Mark II. It won't be out until end of November (conveniently right before my birthday and Christmas). I guess that gives me a couple months to devise a plan as to how I might afford to buy one. Canon, if you're reading this, I'd be more than happy to "test-drive" one for you. hahaha.

For those interested, you can read more details here.

Ok... off to read more and continue with my obsession. =)

i plan to check this site every day...

2008-09-12T11:05:00.002+08:00

http://www.canon.com/moon/en/index.html

wide-eyed and red-y

2008-09-09T04:00:00.002+08:00

Had the privilege of photographing this lovely newborn recently. She had the biggest eyes and greatest red hair for a newborn. She must've been extra excited for her session too, because she stayed awake as long as she could.

But we outlasted her and got some sleeping pictures in the end too.

I love the proud look on big brother's face.

This family may look familiar to you, as they are all over my website. Mom was one of the first people to take a gamble on me as a photographer, and I am so thankful for her faith in me! I may not have gotten to this point otherwise.

sisters

2008-09-05T02:31:00.003+08:00

We're back from Boston. And had a wonderful time there, just soaking up Boston.
Will try to post more from our trip later, but for now here is a couple beautiful sisters, whose different personalities shine through in these images. I know mom is faithfully checking. =)

2 cool chicks

2008-08-27T11:07:00.003+08:00

off to Boston tomorrow morning. weeeee!!!

promise to post some non-cruise-related pics when I return. =)

i know i'm a photographer when...

2008-08-26T03:08:00.003+08:00

i get the new jcrew catalog in the mail, and all i do is look at the photos, thinking "i love the composition, background, lighting, blah blah blah" of these photos and imagining how to stage similar shots. And I don't even pay attention to the new wardrobe lineup.
But seriously, JCrew has been doing some pretty eye-catching on-location photo shoots lately. I guess it doesn't hurt that they're in places like Prague and Morocco. Gotta find some clients over there... =)
You can see the latest catalog here and get some inspiration!

i know it's been quiet around here...

2008-08-22T05:40:00.002+08:00

i guess that's what happens when you're busy moving to the other side of the world. but thought i'd quickly post this happy picture taken from 1/4 way around the world. i know my family will be amused. =)

whose jump do you like the best?

some things you don't see every day...

2008-08-15T00:26:00.004+08:00

at least not on this side of the Atlantic.

(fresh catch of the day, hung at restaurant's entrance. it's actually luke's fav dish in greece - grilled octopus. not kidding. good stuff.)

(where you leave your dog before going into the store)

(toddler playing mini-golf... on a boat)

which one is your favorite?

08.08.08.

2008-08-08T20:00:00.001+08:00

Just a quick post in honor of it being 08.08.08.

8 is a lucky number in Chinese because it sounds like the word "fortune". So definitely a very "lucky" day today. (Thus, also a very appropriate day to start the Olympics in Beijing)
8 also sounds like the word "dad" in Chinese, so today is also considered father's day. =)

If I was more on top of things, I'd post a photo in honor of dads, or of our recent trip around the Mediterranean, or in honor of the number "8"... but alas, I am not, and merely wanted to commemorate the date 08.08.08... at 8 o'clock nonetheless. =)

So have a wonderful day and catch some Olympics.

And because I'm feeling silly... if anyone feels inspired to take a photo that somehow honors the number "8", email it to me and maybe you'll get a special surprise. =b

vacation

2008-07-24T01:00:00.000+08:00

Just a note that I will be on vacation 7/24 to 8/4... which means to emails, no orders, no phone calls until I get back. =)
Now stop reading this and go out and enjoy your summer. =)

FYI, we're headed to Rome and cruising the Mediterranean, so I'm sure I'll be taking *lots* of pictures...

just for fun

2008-07-23T03:17:00.002+08:00

I've been posting so many newborns lately, thought I'd show something on the other end of the "childhood" spectrum.
I've known this girl for quite a while now, and it's hard to believe she's headed to college in the fall! She had her senior pictures taken at a local studio earlier in the year, and wasn't super thrilled about them. So when I found out a workshop I was going to needed models, I thought it'd be a perfect to invite her!
She was quite a trooper, posing all afternoon for all these photographers, going all over downtown Detroit... but I think now she'll have an amazing collection of senior pictures that others will envy.
Isn't she stunning and sweet, all mixed together? =)

precious

2008-07-19T11:26:00.002+08:00

Had the most enjoyable session this morning, photographing this beautiful newborn girl.
Parents who trust me to try anything + a newborn who will sleep through anything + such delicate, tiny features = a session that left me happy for the rest of the day.
It was so great to see guys again! Congratulations on your beautiful girl. I know you were eager to see a few of these...and I am eager to share!

look at those lips...

Meet her guardian...

You may recognize this couple from here... and still gorgeous.

i'm glad i waited

2008-07-15T10:50:00.003+08:00

For some reason, I had this particular pose in mind during this recent newborn session... but no matter how much I tried, this guy just wouldn't do it! So I actually gave up, since we got plenty of other good shots anyways. But then I stuck around for lunch... and after we both had a bit to eat... he finally cooperated. =) So do you think it was worth the wait?

More to come later...

intricate beauty

2008-07-09T08:28:00.003+08:00

Just a little post to say hello, taking a breath in the midst of my craziness.
Was in LA last weekend for a wedding. It was good to see lots of family... and go to my first bridal henna party. =)

Can you find the groom's name hidden within the design?

Congratulations you guys!

announcement

2008-06-25T11:59:00.003+08:00

I've been holding off on making this announcement, but I think it's about time. Many of you already know that we are MOVING to China (!!!) before the end of this year. I am both excited and fearful, as it's something we've dreamed of doing for a while... yet now that it is reality, it's also equally scary with all the unknowns and challenged ahead.

So what does this mean for "anita j c photography"? A few things...

Well, I've decided to not take any additional bookings for July and August. (If you've already contacted me about a session, this does not apply to you) Things are way too crazy right now with all we have going on with the move, and as much as I love my photography, I need to focus on other things for the time being.

If things settle down and we don't move right away, I may open up a limited number of sessions for September and beyond. (Christmas card mini-sessions, anyone?)
If you would be interested in a fall session, please email me and stay tuned to this blog! That will ensure you get first notice if and when I open up some sessions ...and it might motivate me to open up some sessions =)

Also, people keep asking if I'll keep doing this while I am in China. The answer is I don't know. I would love to, but we'll have to wait and see...

Thanks to everyone who has made this little interest/passion/obsession of mine possible, and trusting me with capturing your family and moments! I won't get totally mushy now, as I'm not quite leaving yet!!

I'll leave you with a couple recent shots of Hannah, since someone complained I don't take enough photos of her. (I do!! I just keep most of them for myself. =b)

Oh, and one final note: I will be out of town until July 1st. All emails and orders will be taken care of after I return.

because they're waiting so patiently

2008-06-25T01:57:00.004+08:00

I thought I'd post a couple quick sneak peeks while they wait for me to finish up editing their collection.

heehee. Can you guess what her name is?

Mom really wanted to get her adorable girl's 6-7 month pictures taken... and I really wanted to be able to take them for her!! 6 months is such a cute stage. But I already had a pretty booked schedule, but managed to figure out *one* possible time slot for them. I am glad it worked out. And Olivia was a trooper being out in the heat and new surroundings. Thanks for being so accomodating!

how many photographers does it take to take a group picture?

2008-06-24T04:08:00.004+08:00

apparently a lot. =b And a lot of tries! But after a couple cameras tumbling off of chairs, tipping over, (don't worry, they were point-and-shoots) or shutting off instead of going to self-timer, we did finally manage to get a couple decent group pictures of everyone who attended the "I Shot Someone in Detroit" workshop.

haha, of course this snapshot was ultimately taken with my SLR, self-timer on, perched on a chair. I think us professional photographers just don't do well with those little point-and-shoots.

i feel like posting a lot of pictures

2008-06-19T03:32:00.002+08:00

Maybe because this baby is such a happy kid, it makes me happy to look at all her pictures. =)

Thanks so much for having me capture your beautiful, happy child! Can't wait to show you the rest!

i shot someone in detroit

2008-06-18T11:41:00.004+08:00

no, that's not a confession... it's a photography workshop I've been at the past couple days. So I really should be either sleeping or catching up on some editing or cleaning up the house... but can't help wanting to post about this workshop instead. Had a great time meeting about 30 other photographers in the area, getting together to do tons of "shooting" and learn from each other. I feel like my mind is reeling with different conversations and things I absorbed from being around other photographers... and maybe it'll lead to some revamping of things around here. =) But before I start thinking of all that, should really get on that editing and/or cleaning...

In the meantime, here are some of the boys...

triplets!

Hannah came along also to model, and she totally became attached to this sweetheart, following him wherever he went. hmmm...

Thanks Amy, Chris & Michelle for all you put into it!!

Baba

2008-06-16T09:00:00.000+08:00

Happy Father's Day to all you loving dads out there!

I love photographing dads with their kids, because no matter how much of a "guy" any dad is, they totally melt and soften when they're with their little ones. And the tenderness and love captured is so real and natural.

But this post is especially for this dad, who is the best "baba" Hannah could have.

all smiles

2008-06-14T02:53:00.002+08:00

Meet Brady. He is by far the most smiley newborn I've ever met.

Will have to wait until the announcements go out before posting more. =)

Congratulations you guys. Can't wait to show you the rest.

serenity

2008-06-13T06:39:00.002+08:00

Saw this spot yesterday. Looking at this photo just makes me wish I could be in and stay in that quiet spot all day.

vote for hannah... please?

2008-06-04T03:54:00.003+08:00

Haha. I randomly came upon this contest, and submitted a quick snapshot just for fun... and I just checked and my entry got picked! So if you're reading this on or before June 4th, will you cast a quick vote for Hannah? =b I guess you can vote for other kids instead, but thought I'd put in the shameless plug for her. =)

http://simplysplash.com/blog/2008/06/02/time-to-vote-for-mays-contest-winner/

putting a smile on my face

2008-06-03T04:14:00.002+08:00

In the midst of editing this recent session, and the images we got of these two sweethearts are totally making me smile -- and even laugh out loud at times. It makes me think the work I do is good for my soul.

Erin just turned one (can't believe how fast time has gone!). Mom was out of the room when we shot these, so these are a surprise for her:

And here is big brother Colin, working the camera. =)

Can't wait to share the rest with this family!

flying high

2008-05-31T02:22:00.003+08:00

Thought this was a good happy-because-the-weekend-is-here image. Hope to have more from this session up soon.

Happy Friday everyone!

i wish i had remembered to photograph the closet...

2008-05-29T03:55:00.002+08:00

...because this girl had quite the wardrobe to be envious of! Not to mention a whole assortment of hats - gotta love accessories.

(i like the modesty ;) )

such a lovely family

dozi design

2008-05-24T02:27:00.003+08:00

I've been waiting for the day to post about this, and it's finally here! =)

Dozi design is finally opening shop and ready to sell delightful and original paper products - stationary, cards, blank books, etc...

See a preview and more details here.

The girl behind Dozi design is the one who actually did my wonderful logo design, which I've gotten tons of compliments about. See here...

So take a look, and I'm sure you'll find a little something that gives warm, happy feelings.

Ok... heading up north for the weekend to spend some fun and hopefully refreshing times with some crazy kids and families.

fun in the sun

2008-05-21T03:51:00.003+08:00

This sweet girl just turned one. Despite a very rough night of sleep and battling a cold, Tia seemed to warm up to me pretty quickly (or maybe she just wanted to play with my camera). We had a great time together. I am in the middle of processing *a lot* of photos from this session, but I happened to place these 3 together and liked how it looked.

Enjoy!

due in july

2008-05-16T06:32:00.002+08:00

I got to photograph this mom-to-be yesterday. Baby is due in July, and she is looking great being 7 months pregnant. Here's a sneak peek for mom-and-dad-to-be:

Isn't she gorgeous?

(dad-to-be says he never turns out good in photos, but I think this one is pretty good)

It rained all day and we kept going back and forth about whether to reschedule. But it cleared up for the short time we were taking pictures. Thanks guys for being so flexible, willing to brave the wet conditions, and letting me lead you down random alley ways. =) Looking forward to the newborn session!

relief

2008-05-14T03:25:00.003+08:00

I am so excited, I had to blog. =b
We got a new computer over a month ago, and I was totally looking forward to using it for all my photography work, as it is *much* faster than what I was using before. But unfortunately, I soon found that I couldn't jump right into using it because I was having issues with the color being consistent across different programs I used... so I couldn't trust whether the color of my images was accurate or not during my editing.
I finally got a little bit of downtime to look into this issue further, and was planning to spend this entire afternoon on the phone with Adobe customer service, trying to figure out what the issue was exactly (I had talked to them a while back and they suggested trying one thing, but it didn't work, and I haven't had time to call back since) But before I called them, I decided to play around with it a little more.

So by a combination of 1) one of the programs miraculously fixing itself (seriously, I turned it on and suddenly the color was different than before) and 2) me changing one other color setting ... my computer is all better and good to go!!!

So now I am happy because I can finally use our new computer... and I've got that nice satisfying feeling when you kinda understand what you had to do to fix it. Ok, I guess that's my nerdy side coming out. =)

a day at the zoo

2008-05-06T08:06:00.003+08:00

I had the privilege of photographing this beautiful family a couple weekends ago. They had the great idea of going to the Detroit Zoo for their photo shoot. I had such a fun time walking around with them and just seeing them enjoy each other as a family.
Addie turned one recently, and she is such an active kid! She was constantly on the run, and I got a good workout chasing her around. But that is all part of the fun.

Doesn't she look like she's having a ball? (And I love seeing the Detroit Zoo water tower in the background)

You might recognize these gorgeous blue eyes from my website... I can't get enough of them!

We took lots of family shots because mom felt like she didn't have any good pictures of the whole family. (I think she will now) They are such an easy-going and loving family!

Fun with dad...

And an intimate moment with mom.

in honor of free cone day

2008-04-30T03:57:00.004+08:00

If you haven't heard yet, today is Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry's. We got our fill earlier this day, and it reminded me of the many Free Cone Days we enjoyed back in Boston.

So a few shots for the love of ice cream...

This was from a recent session at the Detroit Zoo. (Hope to post more photos from this session soon) Someone is having her first ice cream!! I think she likes it.

And some ice cream cone cupcakes we made for Hannah's birthday. Yum.

So if you haven't made a run to Ben and Jerry's, go now!! And if you're reading this a little late and are sad that you missed Free Cone Day, you might still be in time for 31 cent scoops at Baskin Robbins on April 30. =)

I'll be having my 31 cent ice cream in St Louis with a dear friend of mine whose getting married this weekend! It's very appropriate, as our friendship bloomed off of a summer sustained by eating *quarts* of Baskin Robbins ice cream.

Happy Birthday Hannah!

2008-04-25T23:47:00.004+08:00

I can't believe my Hannah turns 2 years old today! Sometimes I still think of her as being just over 1 year (maybe because she can still wear 9 month onesies...)

We have been so blessed with her in our lives.

Here's the invite I designed for her little birthday celebration...

happy birthday hannah!!

let the festivities begin...

double delight

2008-04-25T02:57:00.003+08:00

A couple weekends ago, we took a trip to Charlottesville, VA for a cousin's wedding. For all the traveling we've done, I realized I know very little about the state of Virginia. But when we arrived, I immediately loved it. The area is so very picturesque. And as a photographer, I was practically drooling at all the amazing potential photo spots.
Then, not only was there plenty of beautiful scenery to capture, there were also plenty of babies to photograph!! This side of the family has had a bit of a baby boom in the past couple years (all girls!!), and we were so happy to meet all the little cousins. So needless to say, I was taking a lot of photos that weekend.

Here's one happy girl...

And her twin sister, just taking a rest on daddy's lap...

I will try to post more babies from the weekend another time, along with some scenery shots.

I also realized reason #37 as to why I am a photographer. When I am awed by the things around me, I just want to hang on to what I see and feel. Photography is my little attempt to grab all that beauty and put it in a little bottle for me to keep... of course, still nothing beats actually being in that present moment.

new arrival

2008-04-20T04:55:00.006+08:00

Life has been very full lately, and I've had to take a blog break (although I probably think about things I want to post several times a day).
But I wanted to squeeze in a post for this recent newborn session, since Mom is probably eagerly waiting. =)
I was so happy to meet Danny, who surprised everyone being a couple weeks early. He is such a beautiful newborn! And completely cooperative during our session. He slept so peacefully, it made my job easy. =)
Thanks Mom and Dad for humoring me and letting me rearrange your entire house. Haha.
I am tempted to post so many good images that we got... but I want to save some for the birth announcements, so here are just a few for now:

the affectionate big brother

ok, enough pictures already...

Lots of other things I want to post... hopefully I'll get a chance to later this week!

gift ideas

2008-04-09T03:52:00.003+08:00

I don't know about you, but this year has been flying by for me. When did it get to be April? I noticed on my calendar the other day that Mother's Day is just a month away. And then Father's Day comes soon after that!
So thought it'd be a good time to remind you that I have gift certificates available. They can be purchased in any denomination and used towards a session fee or specialty product. This is a thoughtful and timeless gift to get for any parent (or to ask for it for yourself!) I had a client hire me to take photos of her and her kids as a surprise birthday present for her husband. When dad finally got to see the photos, it brought *tears* to his eyes. That was so touching for me to hear.
And don't forget that many specialty photo products are also available and make great gifts. I have limited openings available, so contact me soon if you want something in time for Father's Day!

And photo sessions and gifts don't have to be limited to parents. Don't forget those precious grandparents! There's such natural tenderness and joy in those relationships, and I love capturing it.

sweet

2008-04-05T10:51:00.003+08:00

and this is the little cutie who went with those cute shoes...

cute shoes

2008-04-04T03:44:00.002+08:00

It's nice to finally have some warmer weather around here, and to be outside!! Don't these shoes just feel happy and spring-y?

yes, she is

2008-04-02T02:19:00.007+08:00

We went took an outing to the DIA the other day, and had a great time walking around, listening to a live concert, and making a couple craft projects.
It was also an inspiring place for photos, and caught this one that says so much...

thinking of you today

2008-03-30T03:49:00.002+08:00

a diversion

2008-03-28T04:01:00.009+08:00

thought I'd post something different today.
My dear friend is getting married in May, and I was happy to design and create her shower invitations - complete with matching envelope liners. She's going to Hawaii for her honeymoon (*envy*), so we're having a luau theme. Definitely something therapeutic and delighting about making and creating things... I think that's why I am always thinking of more projects to work on, despite having plenty to do already.

I even made a lei for hannah out of the leftover flower punch-outs.

Maybe if I get extra ambitious, and have lots of free time (haha), I'll try one of these:

http://techtv.mit.edu/file/93/
http://techtv.mit.edu/file/688

di-vert: to give pleasure to especially by distracting the attention from what burdens or distresses

living in michigan

2008-03-23T03:24:00.007+08:00

It's felt like a very long winter this year... So when it finally warmed up a bit last weekend, we were happy to go outside and do something more "spring-y" (though still in our winter coats). Was definitely refreshing and even soothing to be out.

Then of course, last night, it dropped another 4 inches... (see all that white stuff in the background...)

my poor flowers...

Oh well... they say if you don't like the weather in Michigan, just stay another day...

and the winner is...

2008-03-12T03:27:00.003+08:00

...melissa s!
Thanks for everyone's generosity towards the 30 Hour Famine event. In total, our youth raised enough to feed more than 15 kids for one year. amazing!!!

meanwhile, I am looking forward to photographing this cutie again in the near future.... (congratulations again melissa!!)

last day to enter!!

2008-03-04T05:17:00.002+08:00

Don't forget... today is the last day to enter my Free Portrait Session raffle! (read post below for details)
This is a great way to help out some children in great need, while possibly winning a session for your own beautiful children!
Email me now to enter!! Thanks in advance for your gift of giving.

giving back

2008-02-27T03:35:00.001+08:00

Well, I've decided to do something a little different on this blog this week, and combine a few of my passions at the same time. When I first started into photography work, I wanted to be able to use it towards things bigger than myself and my family, and so I've come up with a way to give back an a couple ways.
I am offering a chance to win a FREE PORTRAIT SESSION. Got your attention now? Keep reading...
This past weekend, the high schoolers at our church participated in the 30 Hour Famine - a worldwide event that raises awareness and funds for children suffering from poverty and hunger-related issues. For 30 hours, our youth went without food, while doing different activities and service projects, and raising money for the cause. We even got featured in the local news! =)
This is the third year that we have had this event, and I think it's an awesome thing. I really appreciate what World Vision (the organization that sponsors 30 Hour Famine) does for children in need, in communities around the world... and I could go on and on about the awesome things they do. As a mom, my heart goes out to these kids who are facing an overwhelming amount of hardships and struggles.
So I'd like to offer this chance for anyone interested to donate towards the Famine... and have a chance to win a photo session with me in return. $30 is enough to feed one child for one month. So here is how this will work:

- If you'd like to give a donation towards the 30 Hour Famine, email me at anita@anitajcphotography.com and tell me the amount you'd like to donate.

- For every $30 that you donate, you will get 1 entry into my Free Portrait Session Drawing. (The more you donate, the greater your chances are to win!)

- Sometime next week, I will draw one winner from all the entries. The winner will receive one Basic Session with me.

- To enter, you must email me with your donation amount by next Monday, March 3rd. (I will reply to your email with more details on how to send in the donation)

- Thanks for listening and caring! Feel free to pass this along to others, as well. I know my blog is relatively new, so not sure how much traffic I am getting at this point. =)

(photo courtesy of World Vision)

BTW, sometimes, I half-joke that one of my dreams would be to be the photographer that gets to take these photos of these kids around the world one day...

And for those who are interested... here are the media links:
Detroit News (Friday online)
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008802220455
Detroit Free Press article (also shown in Sunday's paper version, front page of Local section)http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080224/NEWS03/802240664
Detroit Free Press online video (posted Sunday)
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080223/VIDEO01/80223047

job perks

2008-02-23T02:07:00.004+08:00

I was asked to speak at a moms group earlier this week about "How to Photograph Your Baby". I think the moms learned a little something and had a good time. And the benefit for me is that I get to meet more cute babies and take their pictures. Weeee!! What a fun job I have.

There happened to be a Luke and a Hannah there, so I felt right at home. =)
Here are just a few shots from the day...

*ALSO*, next week, I will be posting about a way to WIN A PORTRAIT SESSION by me... and help some kids at the same time. So STAY TUNED....

winter fun

2008-02-20T04:13:00.004+08:00

Many clients like to wait until warmer weather comes to schedule a photo session, but I love taking photos in the snow... and I am happy that this family was willing to humor me and brave the cold weather for part of their session.
...I think Gabriel had a good time, too.

(enough of these indoors, I want to be outside...)

tea for one

2008-02-19T06:49:00.002+08:00

Hannah decided to have a tea party for herself.

Step One. Pour "tea" from sippy cup into each teacup...

Step Two. Guzzle the tea.
Step Three. Repeat step 1 & 2 over and over again.

Optional Step. Proceed to line teacups perfectly in a row...

She continues to amuse and impress me. =)

a new look

2008-02-15T10:43:00.005+08:00

My website got a bit of a makeover...

I may still make some tweaks but go check it out and let me know what you think! http://www.anitajcphotography.com/

another newbie

2008-02-13T04:49:00.000+08:00

Our friends have a daughter, M, just a few weeks younger than Hannah. Hannah and M love playing together, and M's mom says Hannah and M "have the same program running" in so many respects. So I was excited to hear that they were expecting another baby, and couldn't pass up the chance to take his pictures. So welcome, little N. So nice to meet you.

strettttcchhh....

can't resist the little feet

already a loving and protective big sister

All Things New

2008-02-07T03:31:00.000+08:00

Welcome!! I am excited to finally launch my new blog... I have been a bit slow and shy to enter into the blog world, but here we go...! This will be my place to post my latest photos, sneak previews for clients, inspirations, and other hopefully enjoyable things for you to read and see.

So what better way to kick off my new blog than with some photos of a new baby. After several reschedules, I was happy to finally be able to meet little J for his newborn session. Here's a sneak preview for you S & J -- enjoy!!

At 3 weeks old, J may be getting past his newborn-sleep-through-anything phase. But we still got some sleepy shots...

... as well as some awake shots =) (I love the expression...)

look at the baby fuzz and rolls...

... and the little feet

I love mom's expression in the background...

and he was a trooper... even letting us take some photos outside!

ok... S & J, hope you enjoy this small taste of what your collection will be like. I really enjoyed the session! Thanks for having me come!

And in keeping with the theme "All Things New", I was a little late in my goal of starting this blog with the 2008 new year... but just in time for celebrating Chinese New Year's. So Happy Chinese New Year!

Looking forward to many more new things to come...