It only happens once every four years . . . February 29! And it will soon be here!

For one day only, between the hours of 12:01 am and 11:59 pm on Friday, February 29, we will be having our Leap Year Sale.

Option One:
1 Portrait Session
1 11×14 art print
Just $229.00 (regularly $340)

Option Two:
1 11×14 canvas gallery wrap
Just $229.00 (regularly $350)

Call me at (619)861-3630 to schedule your session or place your order, or email me (shawna@shawnakstudio.com).

Happy Leap Year!!!!

It seems these days the studio is filling up with kids . . . my own kids . . . my clients’ children (and new babies) . . . my friends families and kids! Since the launch of www.pattycakephoto.com, the studio has been all abuzz with children’s portraits. Be on the lookout for lots and lots of children’s photographs, as well as some new and exciting things I have in store for all of my clients: brides and kids alike!

This week, it was Noelle & Sam who stole the show. With Noelle’s pensive and thoughtful glances and Sam’s intense and deep stares, I found myself just enamoured with their eyes! Here are a few of Noelle:

Here are a few of Sam:

With this one, I used a texture from my friend, the uber-cool and the uber-talented Cory Ann from South Dakota. Cory Ann is the mastermind artist behind AC Ellis Photography, www.acellis.com.

You wouldn’t think that there would be too many similarities between photographing weddings and children, but there are in fact a ton! Photographing children (at least the way *I* do it), is fast-paced, high-energy, and fun . . . not unlike most weddings I photograph! But one of my FAVORITE things to photograph is eyelashes: be it bride or baby! Well, Sam had some amazing lashes going on . . . I think someday I might just make a coffee table book of eyelashes. yummy . . . . .

Too sweet!

And quite possibly my most favorite from this session:

I had the pleasure of photographing Mylinh and Eitetsu at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park a couple of weeks ago. Not only do Mylinh and Eitetsu have REALLY cool names, but they selected a really cool place for their engagement photos. I have probably walked by the garden 100 times at least, but it was nice to go inside for a change!

We started off by the koi pond with nice rock landscape in the background.

The Friendship Garden has all sorts of neat garden decorations . . . some of them practically hidden among the lush landscaping.

Since it was late in the afternoon, most people had left by the time we got there, so we had the paths to ourselves.

Did I mention the cool garden elements?

One of my tried and true standard e-session shots.

I assured Mylinh & Eitetsu that this was THE place to be kissing . . . because they were just bathed in afternoon light! Gorgeous!

We took a stroll around Balboa Park for some more casual and fun portraits.

One thing that I love about my clients is that they trust me . . . even if I’m making them hang out in kind of random places!

You know . . . like doorways! I just loved the colors on these doors!

-shawna K

Because we have received such an outpouring of love and support for our beautiful twin girls, we have many lovely articles of clothing that our bouncing (big) babies can no longer wear. I have passed much of my baby clothing along to my nieces and nephews and even a few homes in Mexico, but I have tried to keep the really matching and coordinating newborn, 0-3 month, and 3-6 month clothes together. As the twins keep growing, I know I will have a lot more outfits to pass down.

It is my hope to be able to bless someone else who is expecting twin girls. I really would like to give these gorgeous outfits to someone who maybe doesn’t have very much–a mother in need. If you know of someone, or perhaps someone at your church or charitable organization knows someone, would you please let me know? I would appreciate it!

Thanks!

Yesterday, I blogged that Jordyn didn’t know how to walk yet. Well, I think she was seriously offended or embarassed or something, because I was sitting in the office and the whole family was milling about in there and Jordyn just walked to me. Seriously! Just came right over and walked to me from across the room. It’s not like we were working on it or anything. [We happened to be doing the webcam thing with my in-laws who live out of state and I think my Mother in Law wills this stuff to happen. I mean, what are the odds that out of 12 and a half months of Jordyn’s life, she would choose to walk at the precise moment we are on the webcam with Donna??!!?? Too funny!]

Anyways . . . out of all of my 3 kids, I think Jordyn looked the funniest taking her first steps. She looked a wee bit intoxicated! hahaha! And it was so cute because Jordyn clapped when Tyler learned how to walk and Tyler was clapping sooo much for Jordyn tonight. We got that part on video. But here’s Jordyn shaking things up:

Oh my goodness, it has been sooo long since I’ve posted that I practically forgot the password to log-on to my blog! Things have been seriously crazy here. I’ve been designing albums and doing portrait sessions. We have a special portrait promotion going on right now at my daughter’s preschool, which is keeping me very busy scheduling and photographing the kids. Tyler learned how to walk. The twins celebrated their first birthday. My sister turned 30. It seems like it’s just one party after another!

Since I have sooo much to share, I think I am going to blog backwards and start with today. So, for those of you celebrating, I hope you had a Happy Valentine’s Day! I know we did. My husband took me to dinner the night before Valentine’s Day (we hate the limited menus and higher prices on the actual day), and Devyn had two Valentine’s Day parties at school. The babies didn’t know what was going on, but they sure loved their monkeys from their Gwammy. They have velcro hands and Ty will wear hers for hours!!!

The best part about this Valentine’s Day is that I didn’t end up in the hospital having emergency gall bladder surgery like last year! Woo hoo! The worst part about this Valentine’s Day is that Michael beat me by ONE lousy point (278-277) in Scrabble. That wasn’t very nice of him! He didn’t even know the meanings to HALF the words he played! Terrible. But, I am a sore loser. Enough about us . . . on with the cute pics of the kiddos!

Jordyn can’t walk yet, but she has great balance!

Ty can practically run now!

Daddy & Ty.

Devyn had an assortment of heart clothes this year.

Can you tell they just adore big sis?

Miss Long Bangs usually has a front ponytail.

Can you tell how loud our house gets???!!!

Miss J gives high fives!