And ~ It's March! ~ Bay Area Photography

OK guys...only 5 days left in the Contest!!! I can't believe it's March...seriously! The month FLEW by! So, if you're thinking about entering....stop thinking and DO IT! :)

To enter, email me at veronica@vandjphotography.com

There is some fun stuff on deck on the 'client' side....and I hope you aren't getting tired of 'Isaac' shots, but here are a few shots from today. A trip to our favorite city, a train show for Isaac and a coffee stop at the best coffee place in the world!

A snippet of the day

Love all the window displays on Fillmore...texture, color...yay!

Beautiful window, empty store :( (Though J and I were really happy to see so many new stores on the street...does this mean the Economy is looking up?)

Happy Sunday!

~V

This Morning ~ Bay Area Photography

*** To ENTER the "Flaunt Your Rock" contest, click HERE***

Hi Internet! So you've all noticed the metamorphosis that our little blog is going through, right? Well, there are still A LOT of changes up ahead, but hang in there with us, will ya! I'm having a lot of fun changing things up.....

As for today's post....we wanted to give you a little taste of how we spent our morning. (Is it a bad or good sign if my kid now says things like "Mommy, take a picture of me on the bike..." and "Mommy, take a picture of the chalk by the tire of your car"....I say GOOD!)

Flaunt Your Rock ~ Bay Area Photographer

LOVE is in the air! Did you recently get engaged and are beaming with pride over the shiny rock on your finger? Want to flaunt it some more? In honor of all the love going around V&J Photography is holding a contest for you engaged love birds to show off your new bling!

What do you get for flaunting that shiny new rock? The winner will receive a full engagement session and a $100 print credit. PLUS the winners of each local Flaunt Your Rock contest will be placed in a national contest to win a grand prize worth $450+. The grand prize includes custom invites from Paper & Ink Studio, a wedding cake topper from Custom Cake Toppers, a custom clutch from Clutch That and a wedding accessory from Little White Chapel Accessories!

The Details:

• Submit 1 photograph of your ring & 1 photograph of yourselves (please do not submit images taken by another professional photographer).

• Encourage all of your friends and family to vote for you. The ring with the most votes wins!

• Engaged couples only.

All submissions must be received by midnight March 5th, 2010.

Entries will be judged by a panel of photographers who will narrow down the selection to 3 rings. The finalists will be posted on the V&J blog and the winner will be chosen via a public voting poll. Voting will occur between March 7-March 13, 2010. There are specific rules around voting that will be clarified during the voting round of the contest. Winners will be announced on March 15th, 2010. Winning session must take place between March 22-May 1st. Winners must sign a release to allow V&J Photography to display images on blog, website, Facebook Business Page and any other print or web materials as deemed appropriate.

Don't live in the Bay Area? Have friends across the country? Check out these photographers who have Flaunt Your Rock contests running in other cities!

UNITED STATES

Boston, Massachusetts: Helen Makadia Photography

Denver, Colorado: Keri Doolittle Photography

Columbia, Missouri: Ashley Turner Photography

Seattle, Washington: Susan Berman of Whimsical Photo Design

Philadelphia and Main Line, Pennsylvania: April Ziegler Photography

Grand Rapids, Michigan: K. Holly Photography

Spokane, Washington: Cameron Glass Photography

Phoenix, Arizona: Jeanette LeBlanc Photography

Ft. Smith, Arkansas: Beaty Photography

San Jose, California: V&J Photography

Tampa/St. Petersburg: Stephanie A. Smith Photography

CANADA

Edmonton/Vancouver Canada: Jen Williams Photographer

Fort McMurray/Northern Alberta: Leslie Brown Photography

Powell River BC/Vancouver Island: Jennifer Kennedy

Central Interior, BC: Andrea Blair

Langley, BC: Cathy Empey

The Fine Print:

This is our contest, we make the rules. We have researched many different ways of voting and there are pros and cons and hanging chads in just about every method out there. This is how we have decided to run our contest. if it's not a fit for you, we respectfully accept your decision to decline participation. We also know there are ways to work around the system, so we will actively monitor IP addresses and research anything that appears to be fishy. We reserve the right to disqualify any entry that appears to be suspicious.

All participants must agree to sign a model release allowing images to be displayed on the V&J blog. Winning participants must sign a release allowing images taken by V&J Photography to be displayed on web site, blog, Facebook and print advertising sources. Participants must also agree to standard Terms & Conditions of V&J Photography.

Regular session terms and conditions apply.

We require a consent that you are entering this contest voluntarily and that V&J Photography is not promising any winnings or other compensation for participation.

Whew! Now that all of that is over, contact me at Veronica@vandjphotography.com to ENTER!!!

Photography??? ~ Bay Area Photographer

Well hello Internet :) Today I want to talk a little bit about how in the world an accountant/auditor came to be a photographer...I suppose this topic is geared a little towards my fellow photographers or those interested in this medium...which I guess all of you are..otherwise you wouldn't be reading a photography blog, right! :)

I often think back to what it was that really got me interested in Photography. Those of you that know me...know that this was not the direction I was heading. UCLA...Accounting....Economics...does not a photographer make! And although I always had the creative side of my brain working...I really have Justin to thank for pushing me forward and encouraging a talent that he believed in.

But thinking back in time...Photography was always a part of our lives. You see...it all started with this:

My Dad's Zenit...made in Russia, built like a Tank...all manual, over 30 years old and still in mint condition. I remember dad developing film in his makeshift darkroom (a bathroom)..I remember the prints drying...we still have albums and albums of black and white prints. Can't tell you how many times I've looked through them...and now Isaac is too.

So, here's a toast to Zenit, to my Dad and to my Husband...and to all the folks who tell stories with their lens!

~V

Moments - Palo Alto Family Photographer

I've been feeling this a lot lately....that our little ones are changing and growing so much and so quickly...that these moments where they think we are the greatest thing are limited to a few short years....that I wish I could bottle up the emotion and daily hilarious interactions...so I could remember them forever.

I think about that with Isaac and I was thinking the exact same thing with this beautiful family I had the pleasure of photographing the other day. You see, J and A and C are a beautiful little unit of 3. But in just a few months C will welcome a baby brother. And what J&A wanted were photos of the three of them....as they are NOW! Big changes are up ahead...but these photos will forever be a memory of what it was like when it was just the three.

A&J...enjoy your sneak peek! You were fabulous...and FUN :)

So here we go, let's start with the traditional side of things! (but don't let this fool you....they were all about laughing and having fun and playing...not posing!)

What a handsome little guy he is....19 months old and ALL boy...sports, balls, etc

They love to Laugh! (i love love love this photo....to me it captures the way they are together)

They love to Play!

And they love each other!

And of course I can't end this post without a few portraits of beautiful A..with her perfect belly :)

~V

Cupcakes and Balloons - Palo Alto Children's Photographer

Those of you here in Northern California know we've been hit with some CARRAZY weather....well, crazy for this neck of the woods at least. I know i know..it's not Minnesota or Russia, it's not snow or blizzards or anything..but still...Rain, rain and more rain...is No FUN! Especially when you have a photo shoot that's supposed to take place outside in Sunny California weather!

So, you better believe I was jumping up for joy when I woke up Saturday morning to beautiful Sunny weather after weeks or rain! That meant we didn't have to cancel the photo shoot for the day...and good thing too!

Meet Ms. L...she just turned One, has gorgeous brown eyes and beautiful curls. She's a serious little pumpkin who loves to snuggle with mom and dad (seriously..it's the cutest thing!) Such a lovely girl...walking since about 11 months, so she's an old pro at the walking thing...but even still...didn't run from me! YAY!

A&J...here is your peek! Thanks you for a fun morning :) Can't wait to show you the rest of the gallery!!!!

Her eyes are SO expressive...

One of my FAVs from the session...looks very vintage...perfect for that outfit she's got on :)

Love the morning light here...

Can't believe how tiny she looks with those balloons

Mom and Dad wanted L to be the star of the show, which she was of course...but can't have a session without a few shots of the whole unit, right?

And last...A was totally prepared...she even brought a cupcake with a "1" candle...which L grabbed onto with all her might and refused to let go :)

~V