Chili Peppers, Red Jeep and a Longboard | Senior Portrait Session | Redlands Photographer

It’s about that time again…the school year’s winding down, everyone is starting to get anxious for the summer, and of course we are getting ready to see off another great class of seniors as they head out into the world to start the next chapter of their lives! 

     During this session, I was lucky enough to spend the afternoon with one really cool girl.  Right away I knew we were going to hit it off, as she walked up rockin’ a Red Hot Chili Peppers tank top and I thought to myself, “Wow! She knows who the Red Hot Chili Peppers are!?!?!?” I love the Red Hot Chili Peppers!  

     She drove me around the reservation in her bright red jeep, which absolutely matched her personality.  We stopped at various locations, snapping some great shots and really capturing the essence of this outdoorsy, fun, all-around great girl that she is.  I especially loved the little red dress combined with the black Converse sneakers, which really allowed her to show off another side of her personality.  But just when I thought this girl couldn’t be any cooler, she busted out her longboard and started skateboarding for me!!!

     Best of luck to this awesome senior, who with her many talents, beautiful smile, and great personality, I know will do some great things in life!

In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips! | Redlands Photographer| Children Photographer

In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips.  ~Author Unknown



I just wanted to wrap these two up and take them home with me!  These sisters sure love to play together and love each other, and I was having fun watching them and photographing them.  They are just so sweet, like sugar and spice!!  :)

She said YES! | Redlands photographer, Engagement photos

This is my year of new adventures...Just when you think you've caught all the right moments in people's lives, you get asked to photograph a proposal!  Of course I will do it!  Kudos to the men who hire a photographer to photograph one of the biggest days of your life!  And hers!  Thats what Abe did and his beautiful girlfriend said yes!  He was so strategic about this, as he doesn't live here but we arranged everything via email, phone calls, and texts!  Yes he even text me as they were driving into Redlands to let me know what time they should be arriving to the beautiful Kimberely Crest Mansion and to let me know what they were wearing.  (remember I had never met them before).  It ran pretty smooth despite the small wedding party that showed up at the mansion about 5 minutes before my engagers.  Almost disrupted Abe's proposal location but he managed to stall so they wouldn't be in the way.  It was a hot June day and he and I were both sweating a bit because of the bridal party.  But, of course, it all worked out and I was in place as he proposed!  I was so excited for them both and couldn't wait to meet them after taking the pictures.  Congratulations Abe and Farnaz!!  And thank you for letting me be apart of this incredible moment!

MODEL SEARCH | Senior Portraits, Redlands, Photographer

And away we go!  I have officially announced the 2013 Senior Portrait "Model" Search!  I am looking for guys and girls, graduating in 2013 to be the face of SF Photography next school year.  One winner from each High School in Redlands REV, CVHS and RHS) will be picked, ultimately by votes!  The winners will receive a full senior portrait session for free!!  And I will feature their face on my marketing materials for Senior Portraits!  (See the information below).  So class of 2013...email me your bio on your high school experience (What are you involved in, what do you like to do, funny experience in high school, etc...).  I want to hear from you!  You have until June 8th to email me, but don't wait until the last minute!  Do it now!  The 3 finalists from each school (yes, I pick these) will have a FREE 20 minute photo session with me in which I will then post 1 pic from your session on SF Photography Facebook page for all your friends and family to see and vote for.   Can't wait to hear from you!!

FACEBOOK...It's like Therapy! | Redlands, Photographer,

Today is one of those days that way heavy on my heart.  It comes around once a year and I know it's coming, I try to prepare for it, but when it arrives, sadness hits.  You see, today would've been my mom's birthday.  Her 80th to be exact.  But 4 years ago she passed away after 7 years of battling aneurysms.  She died on a Friday, after being in the hospital for just over 5 days.  It was quite an emotional week of saying goodbyes, prayers, tears, reminiscing, sometimes a little laughter, more tears, and more tears.  That was April 4, 2008 that she passed.  One month shy of her 76th birthday.

Of course, the first thing I think of when I wake up this morning was my mom.  So many thoughts and memories rush through my mind.  As I check my emails, I decide to post my thought of her on the beloved social media network, Facebook.  The ULTIMATE social network! I try and FB often, but there are some days when I don't.  But I have to admit, I enjoy reading what friends are doing or what they have on their minds.  As the morning goes on, I am getting FB notifications on my phone.  People are "Liking" my post about my mom.  Which, in turn, means they sympathize with me and how I'm feeling (at least that's what I'm guessing).  And as I start scrolling through all the people that have chosen to click the "Like" button, I am realizing that most, maybe even all, the people have had a loss in their life like I have.  I see people that I know have lost a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, or maybe even a best friend.  Without knowing the details of all of their pain, I know that they know what I am feeling.  They know that it hurts...that it SUCKS, that this special person is gone.  All we have left are memories, PICTURES, videos, handwritten letters...and we cherish these.

All of a sudden, I don't feel so alone.  I realize these 25+ people have gone through the same thing as me.  That they have buried a loved one, grieved, been angry, been alone.  And you know what...it's comforting.  It's comforting to know I'm not alone...NONE of us are.  I didn't need to call all of those people to know they were thinking of me, and probably thinking of the loved one they lost.  It was right there on Facebook.  A simple "click" showed me that I am not alone.  For this reason, I say Facebook is therapy.  Sometimes all it takes is to know that one of your friends feels the same way as you do.  In turn, it's nice to share your happiness, too.  If I post something exciting on FB, I love to see the 'Like' button has been clicked for that, too.  And I also click "Like" for other people to let them know I'm thinking of them, or that I share in their excitement, too.

Thank you FB for giving me the opportunity to have a support system on this international highway of social media.

Carmen J. Poma

May 3, 1932 - April 4, 2008                                     

Every Event NEEDS a PHOTO BOOTH! | Redlands Photographer

I have to say, Photo Booths are the latest and greatest!  They are so much fun and can be incorporated into almost every event!  The latest one I did was for the Valley Prep School Dinner Dance.  This event is held every year and helps the school raise money for various things.  The theme this year was A Night in White Diamonds, and it was a lot of fun!  I know a few people were a little skeptical at first about getting their picture taken, but when I showed them props and told them to have fun with it, THEY DID!!  It was great to see teachers having so much fun with it, too, since we usually only see them in front of their classrooms!  Thanks Valley Prep staff and families for a really fun night!

This group was "Party Rockin"!!!  

Andrew

It was a beautiful Saturday morning in downtown Redlands and I set out to photograph Andrew.  We were able to great shots around our historic town despite the Farmers Market we ran into!

I love the new look of the "park" on State St.  I've been waiting to use this wall!!  It's so iconic of Redlands.