Some sneak peeks...

I have had a LOT of shoots lately so I thought I would show some sneak peeks of the ones I haven't posted about. It might take me a while to get the blog posts up: what with the kids being off, preparing for travel, editing photos and and all that jazz. Plus, clients like to relax and take their time choosing their images, I don't want to rush them just because I am in blogging mode!
So, without further ado, here are some of the amazingly fun shoots I have gotten to do recently...
More from these shoots after LONDON! Yes, I am off to London, it's been 6 years since I have been 'home'!

A horse loving, funny, cool family...with one son off back to Uni and one daughter off to horse camp (can I say jealous!) for the summer, we needed to get this shoot done!...we got some great fun shots (including some lovely individual/couple/sunset shots) but I wanted to share this traditional BW for the sneek peek. (This was the one weather rescheduled shoot, we were scheduled for the morning, but it was 'pissing down' so we managed the late afternoon listening to thunder!)...

Capturing newlyweds...This couple just got married in Bali, have great friends who bought them a gift certificate for a shoot and are ready to PCS. Another shoot that we were lucky enough to beat the rain for!...Wait 'til you see the graffiti scuba man shot!...

Pre wedding shots for a couple from Hong Kong...very common thing in Hong Kong, for couples to get a shoot way before the wedding...this was multi location...from Murasaki Mura to Zampa lighthouse and everything in between!

A sunshiny start to a new day...Baby M is ONE!...this was my last shoot until September and I was glad to fit them in for their early morning shoot (so early, the park gates were still closed!)...

Speak to you soon :o)

Three is the magic number...

No, I am not talking the De La Soul song, although it was good to hear!
Seems like the other day that I was up at the castle ruins, in the sweltering heat, photographing a little two year old. Well, Little Miss E is back, ready for the big three! Wonder what kind of birthday cake she will have? Well, not a problem since Mum Marisa is one half of cakeMEone...need a cake, give them a holler!

She had some Dad time...

Some Mum time...

Some alone time...LOVE this pose...

Finished up at the Ferris wheel...two slightly different processed versions...

I thought for sure this time we were going to get rained out, but the rain held off yet again! I have been SO lucky! Thanks guys and Happy Birthday, E!

It's back...

the humidity that is...
With the humid Okinawa summers comes the very hot sunsets...or should I say right after the sun has set.
This one is from Sunday night...

I don't have a view of the sea as there is a building in the way (but I can go to my roof for a great view). I usually see this yummy pink/purple/orange light coming into the apartment and that's when I say 'Kids, let's go to the roof, I have to check the sunset'. If it's a really good one, I will end up running back down, grabbing the camera and running across the street!

This one is from Monday night...

This one is from tonight (less dramatic tonight)...

On Saturday, the kids played dress up all morning...

until they got so LOUD, I had to go out. So, the kids and I went to the zoo and wonder museum. We quickly visited (it was HOT) all the animals...the bats with the massive bolitas (April's words), the rainbow butt monkey (Loubie's words) and the very close hippos...

This is very close. I only had my 50mm lens, so you can see I am not far away, in fact, I touched his nose! I just had to!

This is the 'fish head rainbow hair' doll I made inside the craft area of the wonder museum...

Talking of crafts, Loubie has been doing some culture classes at his school, here he is with his Star Festival bamboo. He's very happy and proud of it...although he looks so serious in these photos!

I am not sure what made me post all these random things, just wanted to do something personal. Plus, it reminds me that life in the moment is special. Sometimes I forget that. I wanted to say that I am thinking of my friend Shelia right now, she just lost a brother...you are in my thoughts, Shelia...

I heart Faces - Wedding Bells

I was lucky enough to photograph a Hong Kong couple's pre-wedding shoot a couple of weekends ago, so I am entering it into this week's 'I heart Faces' category...which is 'wedding bells'...

It was a hot evening here in Okinawa (what night isn't these days!). We managed to catch a real nice sunset too...This is my first (and probably only 'wedding'). I love this moment I have captured, it's very real. To me, at least. :o)

Kelly and the Great Typhoon...

Kelly, hubby Joe and gorgeous honey child Gabe are such a sweet family, I was so glad to get to photograph them connecting...

and enjoying their last days on Okinawa...

If you are on Okinawa, you may know Kelly, for two reasons:
If you read Okinawa Hai, she was until recently the TO EAT editor. Kelly's family are leaving the island heading Stateside very soon.
Kelly is also a children's book author. I thought it was really cool when she told my she was writing a childrens book about two Shisas. I love Shisas. Even before coming to Okinawa, I began to get obsessed with them. Now, I take them for granted because they are everywhere.

Just like the beautiful East China Sea...I try not to take that for granted.

and it was cool to photograph G's recreated traditional Korean birthday table...

Apparently, the food/item he chooses represents his future. I think Kelly told me he chose cheerios?! Whatever he chose, he looks so noble, doesn't he?...

Check Kelly's book out HERE. I have my signed copy and the kids really enjoyed it. April couldn't believe that her 'famous photographer Mum' (yeah, her words, she actually thinks I am famous LOL) knows a 'real live famous writer' (what she wants to be when she grows up...well this month anyway!)!!! Kids, you have to love 'em...
I had a great time the few times we hung out Kelly and the shoot was a blast, I hope you all laugh long and hard...

Safe trip :o)

Bisy Backson

It's been a busy few months to say the least. School's out, Albert's redeployed and time is flying.

The kids and I spent 4 days up at Okuma with our friends and their kids.
Sixteen of us in a 7 bedroom condo! It rained the whole first day, but we had good times and the second day we got to the beach. Some of us went jet skiing and later in the afternoon took a boat out for some snorkeling.

We didn't see too many fish, but we all had a blast jumping off the end of the boat. Even Carrie's mother. I always say if the Mums and Grandmas are last in the water when the kids have gotten out, then you have some very cool Mums and grandmas! ha ha

Thank you for everyone who has made the last couple of months so busy for me, I have been all booked out. I feel like Toguchi beach has become my second home (not bad, huh!). Thank you also, weather, for the pure luck I have had with missing the rain!

If you haven't popped in to see my photos up at Foster Library, they will be there for 5 more days. So, go check them out :o)

I will be shortly (finally) doing some traveling...LONDON, here I come! I haven't been 'home' for 6 years. Lewis was 9 mths old when we left back to San Diego. April still remembers everything though. But, she has lost her British accent :o(

I will be happy to take shoot bookings for September and beyond, so send me an email if you are interested and I will get right back to you. Whether you are crazy (like me) or traditional, we will get the shot that says YOU!
For those of you that have their 2nd part of the Motherhood session, I will be in contact as soon as I get back to Okinawa. I will be posting a few more images from shoots before I leave. I have three families, a couple and a pre wedding from Hong Kong! So watch this space!
In the meantime, I love Winnie the Pooh!

GON OUT
BACKSON
BISY
BACKSON
C.R.

Mary Maternity

Mary is eight months preggo with her first baby, so off we went to the beach...Mary, hubby Don and one lovely baby belly...It was another one of those is it or isn't it going to rain down kind of days, but it turned into a beautiful evening...

We got some of the gorgeous Okinawa turquoise sea in the background...

and some 'have to have' shots...

It was a real tropical feel shoot...

I love it when I can get some flare in just the right spot...

And then of course, it was time for a sunset silhouette of the most gorgeous of female forms...

See you two on the other side :o)