Bryan and I had the honor of documenting a beautiful family wedding this weekend in historic downtown Sonora. My cousin Bryant married Laine! We did a “first look” and formals at Indigeny Reserve (where we also got to taste some yummy ciders), followed by the ceremony and reception at the Opera Hall in Downtown.  Here’s a sneak peek for you to enjoy.

So much fun this morning with my youngest model ever! August is 6 days old and so precious. He slept through most of the time we spent together, but opened his eyes wide a few times for me!  And, I do believe that we saw a smile a few times.  How beautiful is he?

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of hiking up the hill behind Kick Ranch in Santa Rosa.  UP the hill, like a deer, scrambling over rocks, and slipping on shale, UP the hill.  My friend Don took me up to a place that he goes to photograph the sunset.  Wow.  There was a heavy cloud cover that evening, but a break right at the horizon.  We sat and talked and waited for “the moment” when the sun would be in that sweet spot.  What a sweet spot it turned out to be.  But the cloud cover made for interesting shots as the sun approached the break.

Here’s the approaching hazy sunshine, I love how the hills over Riebli Valley flatten and how each is it’s own shade of the same color.  Look closely to the left, and you’ll see two birds in flight.

Then once the sun sank into the break between cloud cover and sunset, wow, just wow.  Love where we live, love the new friendship with Don & Jen!

These images are available for sale on my website:  http://www.purelightphotography.net/ Click “Galleries & Store” to see many of my favorite landscape and fine art images available in prints, gallery wrap canvas prints, and standouts.  Thanks for looking!

I’ve joined this awesome group of photographers who do a monthly blog circle called “Keepin’ It Real.”  Please read all the way to the end, and follow the blog circle to the next photographer to keep it going.  (not like a chain letter, I promise!)

This month’s theme is “Real Bliss” and I just joined so didn’t have a whole month to think about it and shoot sessions with bliss in mind.  So, in a moment of, “oh shoot what do I do???” I went out in the garden that we’ve been working on over the last few months.  The flowers are blooming, hummingbirds and butterflies are zipping about, and I just sat down.  Our neighborhood is out in the country, and at that moment, it was silent except for sounds of nature.  Wind blowing gently through the oaks, the one hummingbird that makes noise as he flies, my chickens making contented noises as they dig around the yard for yummy bugs, other birds in trees…… As I sat, I realized that I was IN BLISS, right then, perfect timing.  Of course, being the photographer that I am, my camera was around my shoulder, and my macro lens was in my pocket.  So, I started taking shots of the beauty around me.

(My business focus is on lifestyle and portrait photography, but my first love was macro, so if you review my work over the last few years, you’ll see many images shot with this battered and dented Sigma lens.)  Enjoy my bliss:

Toward the end of this time.  Our little bantam rooster came over to me.  He hadn’t been feeling well, and I knew he might not be able to recover from whatever chicken ailment he was suffering from.  I held out my hand, and he kind of lay down on it.  So, I picked him up and held him and talked to him, and of course, photographed him.  Here’s Matador:

I’m glad we had that moment of bliss together.  He passed away the next day, and we buried him under the apple tree so he can continue to bring us joy as he did in life.  Goodbye sweet chicken, you will be missed.  Your noise at 5am, probably not, but your spirit and spunk, definitely.

Find the next amazing photographer in the series here:

Caroline Martin Photography, San Diego Lifestyle Photographer

I had the honor of capturing the images of four generations on Mother’s Day.  My former principal has a new beautiful granddaughter who is seven weeks old.  What a fun afternoon.  I couldn’t leave until I had taken lots of extra baby shots.  Those eyes!!

Violet, Violet, you are adorable, precocious, and so photogenic. What fun I had over the last two days, chasing you around, aiming for the perfect image. Who knew that I had 50+! Thanks for visiting. The chickens are still talking about you.

What a joy to photograph the energy of this beautiful family! They were the winners of the giveaway last week!

The wine was excellent, the paella wonderful, and the company couldn’t have been better. Crux Wine Club party to celebrate the release of 2012 Crux Petite Sirah which just won a gold medal at the North Coast Wine Challenge!

This beautiful senior rocked her session this evening! Too bad we didn’t have a volleyball to celebrate her sports prowess!

I’m so honored to be displaying gorgeous mounted prints of some of my favorite landscape images. Thank you Dr. Tucker’s Chiropractic Office for showcasing my work!