Do you need updated family photos? Do you love how each day is getting longer and the bounties of spring are blooming more every day? Are your kids getting older? Can you remember the last time you were in a picture with your kids and everyone looked really good and happy? Do you want to get your wife or mom the perfect Mother’s Day gift but haven’t yet figured out what that may be? Do you want to have a gorgeous 24×36 canvas of your family hanging on the wall that will surely make all who see it envious? And not pay a cent for it? Do you like chocolate?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you should take advantage of this opportunity. Trust me. Its worth it.

Here’s the scoop:

Its super easy. You just pick a 20min time slot, pick either date that works for you, make sure you arrive a teeny bit early so that you’re ready to go the second your time starts, and we walk around a small area and I get oodles and oodles of photos that you’ll cherish forever of you laughing and loving each other. This is perfect for the husband who hates getting his photos taken because its quick and easy. This is perfect for any mom who deserves to have beautiful photos of her family and actually be in them and not the one always behind the camera. And this is the perfect way to celebrate spring and the start of the next six months of beautiful weather that this incredible area has to offer.

Need more convincing?

How about a few examples from last year’s mini sessions.

Shall I sweeten the deal even further?

Sure, why not? How about having each family that upgrades to the full collection choose their favorite photo from their mini session. Then, I’ll let people vote on their favorite. Which ever photo wins will be turned into a top-of-the-line (trust me, I’ve searched far and wide for the best labs for each of my products) 24×36 canvas delivered to the winning client’s home. Not too shabby, eh?

The mini sessions will completely book up, so please contact me as soon as you can to reserve your spot.

Have you ever met a person who you could only describe as “good”?

You know the type.

They are incredibly nice. I’m talking down-to-their-bones-for-real nice. Not nice to your face and not-so-nice-when-you-walk-away kind of nice. You meet this kind of person and your first reaction is “wow… I don’t think I’ve met too many people like them”. This type of person is immediately easy to get along with yet knows what they want. They smile because they’re happy. They are giving. You can’t think of any other way to describe them other than downright genuinely good.

Have you thought of someone you know who fits into this category?

Now think about this… Have you ever met an entire family, a reasonably big family at that, where everyone falls into this category? I’m talking about a set of parents who visibly care for each other and their kids. I’m talking about a group of kids who behave in a way you wish all adolescents would. I’m talking about an entire that is so amazing together that you know they will have such a full life of happy memories together.

If you haven’t met a family like this, let me introduce you to one. Enjoy!

Although I still have a ton of 2011 sessions to post to the blog, I figured I’d throw in something recent now and again. I took these photos last week when I was in Southern CA. If the “Portland & Newport Beach” in the title is confusing to you, let me explain. I live in Portland and I will forevermore because its the best damn city on the planet. However, I have family and friends in Southern CA and take a couple trips down there each year. It helps my self-diagnosed seasonal depression to see blue sky and temperatures above 50 during the eight months out of the year when its normally dark grey and rainy here. Plus I love driving 75 on the Freeway and referring to it as “the 5″ instead of “I-5″.

Anyhoo, these photos are of my stepsister and her family. I got a temporary baby fix last week when I got to hold the handsome little dude, but I’m sure that is close to wearing off so I’ll soon be on the lookout for another baby to hold. I was so lucky to be able to take their first family photos. To be able to capture how much they love their little man. To freeze in time all those awesome little faces he makes. I’m sure these are the first of many photos they’ll get from me (one of the little perks, in addition to enjoying my charming personality of course, of being related to me), and I look forward to watching him grow in front of my camera.

This first set of photos is kind of fun. The one on the left is from their wedding (their wedding photos were gorgeous). We were standing in front of a garage door and I told them to stand like they were in their wedding photo. They knew exactly which one I was talking about. Had we planned it ahead of time, we may have found a different door or put heels on her so she stood a couple inches taller, but it was a spur of the moment kind of thing. I had to try and copy their wedding photographer’s processing and I’m the first to admit that I kind of suck at copying other photographer’s style, but I did my best by converting it to a sepia b&w and added a bit of grain. I’m a bit of a technical rule follower freak when it comes to photography so it just about killed me to crop in a finger chop, but I had to do it. Kinda cool, right?

We took a few at their place before we ventured outside. Look at those blue eyes. This won’t be the first time I talk about them.

This is Murray. He’s one of the best three dogs I’ve ever known. Kodi and Millie are the other two.

This is the first of many unbelievable adorable expressions this little man gave me. I love him.

See what I’m talking about? Look at both of his expressions, just seconds apart.

GORGEOUS blue eyes.

Can’t forget who the first baby was in this family.

Does this photo not melt your heart? This was one of those photos where I couldn’t decide whether I wanted it in color or b&w. I literally sat in front of my computer and converted it back and forth like 20x. Color won. Barely.

These two photos are two of my favorites from the session.

These two are my kids’ favorites. Look at poor Murray. Taking such abuse. Told you he was one of the best three dogs ever.

These two photos are why I named this post Happiness and Tenderness. There’s no other way to describe the photo on the left other than happy, and tender for the photo on the right. The two ingredients that make being a mom the most wonderful thing in the world.

I couldn’t decide which of the next two to post. They’re both very similar but have completely different feelings to me. My indecisiveness won and I posted both.