We met this warm and happy family out at the park in Chula Vista for their Christmas photos last weekend.  Here’s a quick sneak peek.

On Saturday we visited San Diego’s beautiful Balboa Park for a morning session. The Bronson’s are a fun family that clearly enjoy each others company.  These kids are confident and playful.  We had such a good time running through the halls, checking out the fish in the pond, taking a break for oranges and crackers, and enjoying a beautiful day.

In between the rain this weekend, we were able to get out to Powerhouse Park in Del Mar for a session with a beautiful family.  This is one of those sessions where we take WAY too many photos.  These boys were so much fun to work with. They had tons of energy.  We got to play and run, jump on the grass, roll in the sand, and simply have a great time.  Here’s a quick sneak peek for Gina and Mark.  Many more photos to come….

Last shot of the night while we were sitting around talking….

We just love this young lady (and her parents too). While doing a shoot with her mom a few weeks ago we were able to snap a few quick images of this beautiful happy girl before the night ended.  I just love the wind blowing in her hair, her smile, and her love for the monkey. Enjoy!

Here’s a sample from our photo shoot last weekend.  We love these people.

The Leeper family is one of our regular customers.  We’ve had the chance to do their family photo sessions several times and Dallas’ senior photos too. Last year, many people in Chula Vista mourned their departure when they moved to Missouri.  On their vacation back to sunny San Diego this summer, they made time for a quick family photo session. For us, it was a blessing. We love spending time with the Leeper family.

Thanks again to the Leepers for a fun time.

Seaport Village is such a cool little place.  We usually don’t do much shopping there. Sometimes we will eat a meal, but we almost always grab some ice cream.  This last trip was to take photos of a wonderful family. Chris contacted us a few weeks ago with a plan to surprise Susan with a photo shoot gift certificate for Mother’s Day. her birthday.  She’d been hinting (not so gently) that she wanted some photos of the family before Chris’ next deployment. We had a great time walking along the waterfront, relaxing on the grass, and watching little Anabelle smile.

Over Easter we had a chance to hang out with my sister and her family visiting San Diego from Sonoma, Ca. As always it was great to see them. The kids are getting so big and we value the time with them. While they were here, we decided to head over to the park for some updated family shots.

I’m working on getting more photos printed for the house and office. This photo was shot when we were down in Coronado a few weeks ago.  Which do you prefer.. color or BW.  Let me know in the comments below…

Also… we have only a few spaces left for our May 14th photo workshop.  Contact us right away if you are interested.

Do you own a DSLR but feel lost in how to use it? Still trying to figure out all the functions? Wondering why your photos never quite turn out the way you see them through the lens? Want to learn to take amazing photos of your kids and family?

Our 4-hour basics workshop will help you feel more natural with your camera.  We’ll teach you how to capture those amazing everyday moments.

This workshop will cover what you need to take advantage of your dslr including:

Camera controls: We’ll talk about lenses, program and scene modes, ISO, aperture, and shutter speed settings to get those really amazing shots.

Photo Composition: We will spend time on basic composition rules and when to break them.

Lighting:  Photography is about lighting. We’ll discuss how to shoot in different lighting situations and how that impacts the overall image.

Hands-on: We want you to actually use your camera, so we’ll spend lots of time practicing the information above.

Snapshots and beyond: We’ll tie all of the above concepts together and discuss turning everyday snapshots into images that tell the story.

WHEN: Saturday, April 9, 2011 2-6pm MAY 14, 2011 (new date)

WHERE: Montevalle Park, Chula Vista

HOW MUCH: Cost is $99 which includes the 4hr class, detailed handouts to take home, and lots of fun! Class size is limited. Please register right away.

WHAT TO BRING: DSLR camera, notepad and pen, desire to learn, and a smile.

For more information or to enroll, please email Julia or Jason at info@schaferphotography.com