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Welcome to the blog!
Here, you will find lots of articles about many aspects of what we do! From special offers to the' Chat Room' as well as session highlights and featured locations. Please use the search tool to find what you are looking for such as 'Seniors'.
The blog is updated regularly, but if you really want to be the first in the know, please subscribe to the monthly newsletter! All full of great advice, pictures and fun stuff!
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Gift Cards Make Great Presents!
Session gift cards are great! They are slim enough to hide, but weighty enough to make a great present!! If you are at a loss for what to get the important people in your life, it's a great option!! A $125 gift card is good for any local portrait session under two hours! A $250 gift card is good for the same portrait sessions as a $125 card but includes 5 high resolution images (printable up to 8x10) All gift cards are valid for one year from the date of purchase! How to be


Latest and Greatest - Coastal Portraits Flyer - 10% off in April!
There’s nothing quite like an afternoon at the coast!! April often comes with sunny skies and relaxed temperatures in the Bay Area. In addition…10% off all coastal sessions in April!! Contact us to book now!


How to Feel Comfortable in Front of the Camera
1. Start With Movement Standing completely still makes people feel awkward. Instead, move a little between shots . Examples: Walk slowly toward the camera Shift your weight from one foot to the other Turn your shoulders slightly Adjust your jacket or hair Think: movement, not posing. 2. Angle Your Body Standing straight toward the camera can feel stiff. Turning slightly instantly looks more natural. Simple rule: Turn your body about 30–45 degrees , then look back toward the


Chat Room…1 for you and 2 for me!
March chat…we’d love to hear from you! please resond here… For You 🎤 Do you love photography? We would love to help you with your skills…please let us know a topic you would like to know more about and we’ll include it in our next newsletter. For Me - 🎤 I know we should be printing our family pictures, but it’s so much work… Remind us why we should do this? To see those pictures you love ~ I know with our kids, there is very little chance of them rooting through the di


My Own Camera Fun - Grey Whale Cove
A spring morning at Gray Whale Cove State Beach, sunshine warming the cliffs, the ocean stretching and sparkling endlessly ahead and just a few footprints in the sand…at less than an hour from the East Bay, it’s a real gem.


Wild Flowers for Seniors!
The yellow mustard flowers will always remind me of spring in California. They seem to appear overnight and blanket the hills and open spaces with brilliant color visible from miles away! A huge thank you to this wonderful girl who chose us to capture her senior portraits in true California style!


Senior Spotlight - Crow Canyon Gardens
You never know what you’re going to find at Crow Canyon Gardens…the untamed and beautiful garden that was used for growing produce for Mudd’s restaurant in San Ramon in the 1970’s. It’s great for a short walk through diverse foliage…including wildflowers, apple trees, daffodils and even redwoods. The more the merrier…you don’t have to capture your senior portraits alone! Thank you so much to this lovely family of girls - cousins and sisters who brought their smiles and con


Latest and Greatest - 50% More Images for Fall Family Bookings in March!
Book your family session now for Sep-Dec time and get 50% extra images - ~ just the session fee of $125 is needed to book ~ Offer applies to both personalized and mini sessions. No need to schedule a date or choose a package/mini… but you can if you want and of course if you have worked with us before you know we are flexible with changing dates and fitting in with your schedule!! Contact us to book now!


Chat Room…1 for you and 2 for me!
Here goes the latest chat…we’d love to hear from you! please resond here… For You - 🎤 If you could have a professional photographer join you for a couple of hours during a family vacation, would you do it? What kind of pictures would you want from it? For Me - 🎤 What are you most grateful for in your business? Wonderful clients who I love to see time and again. Some of our clients have worked with me up to 10 times! It’s like catching up with friends you haven’t seen


Senior Session Highlights - Coastal Sunshine!
Spring sometimes shows up in the most beautiful way at Baker Beach - sunshine, blue skies, and that fresh coastal glow that makes everything feel brand new. There’s something special about senior portraits at the coast that feels both grounded and full of possibility. Wind in your hair, sand under your feet, the Golden Gate watching quietly in the background — it’s a perfect backdrop…full of golden promise! Thank you so much to this aspiring student who chose us and this ico


Dante’s View - Death Valley
A towering 5,575-foot-high panoramic view can be seen from Dante's View located on a ridge of the Black Mountains in Death Valley National Park. Sweeping over Badwater Basin, the salt flats, and the Panamint Range. We were lucky enough to be there for a chilly sunset late last year and managed to capture some pretty dramatic panoramics!


One Room Schoolhouse as a senior
We are so lucky where we are in the East Bay…there really are numerous locations that are all spectacular for pictures…both urban and rural. One of the favorites is the ‘One Room Schoolhouse’ off Tassajara Road. Make sure to wait for the foliage to grow…it can look a little bare in winter! Thank you to this lovely student who chose us to capture their senior pictures…it was a really fun session with lots of laughs!


Destination Sessions
We’ve been working up to this for sometime and, hurrah! It’s now official. We’re offering destination sessions…in your favorite places to relax and explore…and in many cases….on your schedule!! Imagine heading off on vacation to your favorite recharching place and coming home with more than just memories…beautiful, professional photographs that capture you in the place you love. Whether it’s a milestone season, a romantic getaway, or simply time together, destination session


Session Highlights - Bring on the Senior Sunshine!
Spring is a special time for high school senior, full of ups and downs, highs and lows. But one thing is for certain…they’re almost at the end of their grade school career. It is a very exciting time but can also be daunting and scary. There is no other time like it! Celebrate your student’s achievenments with our dedicated senior sessions and packages. From end of Feb to the end of April are the most saught after times…book your session soon to make sure you get the da


Latest and Greatest…Holiday Mini Sessions - Still some beach availability!
Limited availability, but you can still catch one! We still have some openings for holiday mini sessions as well as new dates Osage Park -Wed Nov 19th Sycamore Park - Sat, Nov 15th, Fri Nov 21st Baker Beach/Crissy Field - Mon Nov 24th and Tues Nov 25th Essentially, they are precious moments captured in compact style photography session. The holiday mini sessions in Danville are $299 and include 20 minutes of photography time and 10 professionally edited high resolution


Black Friday Month…Our Gift Card - 10% Off!
The only time of year you can get a discount on the session as well as products!! For the month of November only! Please use code - BLACKFRIDAY25 Complimentary…All gift cards are delivered including a stylish 8x10 frame to present your gift card!! https://www.medcalfe.com/gift-card


My Own Camera Fun…Channel Islands - Santa Rosa
A different experience for sure! Santa Rosa is remote, exposed, wild and completely unspoilt. ONe of the farthest islands, it takes 3 hours on a boat from Ventura. Carry in and out everything you need for your stay. Don’t be fooled by the image below…those are just wind shelters that you can pitch your tent inside. Is it worth it? Without a doubt, I would highly recommend the detached experience for a few nights! Here are some highlights including a fascinating primord


Quote of the Month
"Strive to live in the present, resolve with the past, and create my ideal future" ~ Mark Divine


Panoramic Passion - Golden Gate Bridge Sunset
The race was on to capture this photograph, I can tell you! I was coming back from Bolinas Beach and noticed just how beautiful the sky...


Little Ditty About My Own Camera Fun - Japanese Maple at it's Best!
The Japenese Maple must be one of my favorite trees! Here in my recent pictures, it is showing off it's full colors!
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