Capturing the essence of family love is my thing. Not always cheesing at the camera are always my favorite shots. Not saying that composing that great portrait all posed just right is not beautiful but really I just like them to be doing their thing and step back.

I was so happy to get to finally photograph Lisa’s family this time as we have photographed her sister with their mom at the same spot which is very special to them. This time we included dads mom/dad and brother.

I truly love this beach even if I have to go thru red tape with paperwork with 2 companies to get a LEGAL permit to shoot there… its SO worth it I tell you! Low tide is the best.

I know as kids grow older the photo shoots become less and less. I start to see them infrequently as it used to be every year now as they become teenagers its every 2 years. Still finding it important to get them together. I know that when we are all old and hopefully still in touch

they will say “melinda I am so happy they we did this thru the years… as I look back now, they are off to college, I am so thankful to have these memories on my walls!”

So here is to booking the appointment even IF your husband does not really want to be there ( but who’s does right?)

Thankful.

Did I mention the crazy fun uncle? How fun to have him there…

I know they will be happy I made them take a walk together these shots were so sweet!

It was SO dark by this shot…. gotta love the 3400 iso at sun down shoot it open and fast.

First family session of the year, officially 2013. I have been busy that week after Christams as families are in town so that makes it a perfect time to book an extensive family shoot. A bit tardy with the images going up on this one… but I think its worth the wait. 

I was amazed with the brothers eyes…I am sure that he hears that all the time. But what a great color they are. they almost glow. How fun for sister to have a big brother who can give piggy back rides and you are able to really play hard with him

knowing he wont just haul off and give you a big whack like my kids do!

I dont think that kids realize when they are so close in age that you can really hurt someone. It was so sweet to see how big brother was with her.  It shows how protective he is with her,too cute!

Despite the cold it really was a beautiful night… you could see Catalina so clear.

Hope you enjoy the images!

This shoot has been a long time coming… I know how important it is to get your mom and siblings together for a photo shoot as life goes way too fast.

The sun was amazing even though it has been cold… we as Californian’s think this is cold, however take a visit to the local beaches to see the people from out of town in shorts enjoying the 60 degree weather.

Then we may think how blessed we are to live here. I have been photographing these kids forever… I mean like 10 years or so. Its funny to see them once love it to now it becoming a chore.

Only the boys it seems… the girls however seem to love it more and more as they grow older.

Thank you for this beautiful opportunity to get you all together. Jason… well… sorry you got caught at work (wink wink) I really missed you.

I am trying for the next 4 weeks just to keep my head above water. I have 14 clients before this shoot that I did not blog yet. {and an amazing wedding!} I was thinking of just doing a favs of 2012 in a few weeks. This time of year we are just trying to get everything edited so that we can get the Christmas-Holiday cards done so our clients can get them out.

On top of shoots editing cards and orders I don’t sleep much. I love this time of year anyhow….SO here, I had to blog one of my DEAREST friends.

We have been friends about 20 years now. I love this family. We love to hang with them, and I wish they were closer. Surf with them, have yummy BBQ’s. So here is to a happy family…. These boys are the sweetest you could ever know and my Emily is crazy about them.

They have some pretty amazing parents too. Love you all so much!

How much fun can you have with 5 teenagers? And often? Well this is what happens when you get 2 families that blend together so well.

I think that it is SO awesome that mom and dad are together and have this great bond with their kids…. all 5 of them.

I can only imagine the quirky conversations that go on among them. FUN. I love to meet new moms from my community too. I love to get to meet new kids I never met who go to my kids school.

Good for a heckle or 2 when I see them on campus.:)  So here is to love, friendship, bonding and blending.

I loved this…. I got this in an email this morning from a canvas company. So this leads right into what has really been bugging me over the last few years; First of all the market is saturated with start up photographers. People who think they can come in buying a brand new $4,000 camera and start up a photography business. So now that it is saturated, what we have now are these photographers trying to cut into the market with cheap photo sessions and throwing the disk at you. I know, I know everyone LOVES the disk… Ok why? So you can throw it in a drawer? So now what you have is mediocre photographs that you just spent all this time preparing you and your family for (and we ALL know how that can be!!!! I just had my family shoot done UGGH!) and now you are thinking, ok now I can go to Costco or somewhere when I get some free time and get one of those gallery wraps done (ha! see the free time? yep we all have TONS of that right) WRONG!

 (come by my studio sometime and see my crackled gallery wrap done cheaply 5 years ago)

So here is what I know…. Here at Melinda Kim Photography we are FULL service. Not only are you getting 11 years of photography knowledge, but you are also getting TOP quality prints, amazing boutique items you can’t get anywhere else, AND the assurance you have hired a true professional and a full service studio (who is legal and pays taxes BTW) So a few things I see in the future, one is that I see it as a good thing  that the market is full of these photographers in the fact that they will burn out sooner or later, and those of us with business knowledge and years of experience will only get better because they are pushed to. I am happy that all these years I have stuck to what “I” do and what not the masses do. I know now that this has kept me busy and kept my clients happy. I know that I bring my clients  so much joy everyday when they see their amazing images on their walls. Oh and did I mention that I give you a disk too? Win win is what I say!

I love shooting my good friends …. It was so fun this night just reminiscing about the old times living downtown HB.

We really had fun… our younger years. We did a lot together, and this beautiful couple have been together thru it all.

I had the honor of being in their wedding how long ago now… 17 years or so?  I have the most fondest memories with these 2.

We have traveled together, had babies together…. shared many of our most precious life events together.

We often don’t realize how beautiful a friendship is till we look back. I hope that I never take for granted any of this.

What a beautiful thing to have. Even IF we don’t see each other often enough.

Just to know the quality of our lives are that much richer to have them in it.

Thank you for sharing life with me… and making life that much more amazing.

Like her mom says…. she just does not know how funny she is. She does not know that she makes adults laugh just by her cute personality.

She is set in her mind just as most 1st children are, and on top of it a girl. (I don’t think that ever changes!)

Now on the #2 baby girl!  What a good baby. Just rolled on into this family so naturally (she has an amazing set of parents!)

Mom says… just come over and  do your thing… no props just us as we are, candid doing what we usually do.

When baby #1 was born, I did the shoot, and was just checking my light and that test shot was one of the

ones blown up for their mantle. Mom was holding her, and dad was out of focus looking at them grabbing a diaper…

funny how that works out. I love these shoots. no plans. whatever happens.

I know it may be a long post but I loved these.

I hope you all do too

I have SO many book templates. Some I bought, some I make…

I truly wish I had more time to have an online store to sell some like the other photogs do.

I have my favorite shops to buy digital templates.

This book is going to be too sweet!

I originally bought it for a family with toddlers or older kids but this totally works

I will have to get one for a studio sample to touch and feel. I have SO much here at the studio to look at. We highly recommend coming

into the studio to place your order so you can do just that.  This brings me to another subject….

Now what do you think this client would enjoy better this amazing album

OR a round silver thing that sits in her drawer at home? YES that disk that WE all want….

For what? to share on FB send to grandma?

Did you know that I give you that? I give every client that wants one {the archival disk} But you know…. most don’t ever ask.

You know why? Because when they come into my studio and see all I have to offer they could NEVER get at costco

or anywhere online, let alone size it right to get it to look amazing. So you can have your disk… Yep you can.

But I can guarantee that you will want it all when you come in for a visit!!!

finally a taste of a melinda kim photo shoot….

and this is what we experience…cupcake swim suits, unmentionables and poor birds on the beach.

I am so happy it was you that night…we always find something to laugh at. I am so glad you get my humor.

I think we are funny together… never a dull moment.

Here is a taste of just a few.

xoxoxo