Bunny

Something cool happened today. We were adopted ... by a bunny! I opened our kitchen door this morning, and a bunny was sitting outside. I immediately grabbed my (new!) Blackberry and took a few pictures, afraid that the bunny would disappear as quickly as he came. I grabbed a few low res shots then went back outside (later on I brought out my 'real' camera for better pictures). I was afraid to touch him at first. Do bunnies bite? I had no idea, but this was no wild bunny. He was clean, sweet, and not afraid to let me pet him. He's a little bit dirtier now from his day romping in our backyard. Tonight I'll go around to the neighbors with kids, and ask if anyone lost a bunny. If not, well, I think we have a pet! The beauty of it, of course, is that he adopted us. Now if only he'd tell us his name ... and if he is a he or a she! =)

Question of the Day

Here's a fun little something I found! The question will change every day. Enjoy! =)

First Set

The first set of Christmas cards arrived today! These postcard style cards are have a luscious watercolor texture & are tres chic! I can't show much ... I don't want to spoil the fun for anyone on their Christmas card list! Here's a peek (just a little one)...

Stroke of serendipity

I just love serendipitous days. Those days where one good thing leads to another, & you find yourself somewhere you had not intended to go, but exactly where you want to be.

For me this often involves a museum. I love museums and cultural experiences. When I returned from my semester abroad in college, I vowed to visit a new museum every month. Um, yeah, that hasn't happened. I love museums but at terrible about planning to visit them. I lived 1/2 mile from the Bowers Museum for over 2 years, and even though they have advertised amazing Tibetian and gemstones and mummy exhibits, I never visited! Last February I had a serendipitous day at the Malibu Getty where I had the most amazing tuned in tapped in turned on experience, but that's another post altogether.

Today serendipity took me to the Bowers. Here's what happened...

I'm going out of town for a family party this weekend, and my grandma asked me to pick up the biggest box of Sees candy I could find. I was about to pull into Main Place Mall, when I saw a sign saying that the Bowers Museum's Terra Cotta Warrior exhibit been extended through October 16. I have been wanting to see the exhibit since it had been announced, but, well, I've told you I'm bad at planning museum visits. I bypassed the mall & headed right to the Bowers.

There were about 15 full Terra Cotta Warriors, a gorgeous metal crane & swan, various replicas, and many fragments. One of the fragments showed the inside of a Warrior's torso (the torsos were created by coiling clay, like making a vase, so they are hollow), and you could see how the craftsman had worked the clay. The plaque said that you could see fingerprints, but, to be honest, I couldn't see them. This human aspect is my favorite thing about art. I'm the person in museums who cranes my neck to see the bottom of the vase or the back of a figurine. There is so much human-ness in the raw "back" of art. I love that.

I also spent some time in the Ancient Arts of China collection. I'm glad I did, because I saw something really cool. Picture a bronze disk, perhaps 6 inches in diameter, heavily inscribed with vines and Chinese writing. The opposite side of the disk would have been shined & used as a mirror. The inscribed side, translated, says:

May you enjoy everlasting fortune.
May you enjoy wine & food.
May you enjoy freedom from worry.
May your days be replete with happiness.

I just love this quote. It really makes me happy. I'm going to use it for something in my house, but the idea hasn't formed yet. Such inspiration from a 2000 year old mirror!

One last note ... There was a plaque on the wall listing the names that Bronze-age Chinese used for different food & beverage vessels. There were at least 12 words for vessels used to carry wine. Bronze-age Chinese were my kind of people! Haha! =)

I just wanted to share my serendipitous day with you. I love days when things line up & you know that you're tuned in tapped in turned on. Those days are happening for me more and more.

So, now it's your turn. How did serendipity strike you today?

Aaron + Jena: Anytime Session

Last weekend I did a really fun Anytime Session with my good friends Aaron & Jena. An apple picking photo session has always been at the top of my idea list, &, with Bob along to assist the shoot, I knew we were going to have a fun couples day. As we trekked up to Oak Glen, I told them about the great apple farm we were going to, how parking was so easy compared to other Oak Glen farms, and about the fantastic tri-tip sandwich I had there. The one thing I didn't bargain for, though, was how dramatically different the crowds are on a Saturday in October compared to a Thursday in April (when I had randomly gone up to Oak Glen on a photo expedition). Every spot was taken in the once open parking lot, and traffic attendants directed cars into a big dirt lot. There was a petting zoo, child bluegrass band, and press your own cider stand ... & the line for the promised tri-tip was nearly 40 people deep! Luckily, there was a lot of open nature area that wasn't part of the "U-Pick" orchard. We didn't end up picking any apples (although I have a few of Aaron & Jena pretending) or eating any tri-tip (we picked up Molca Salsa on the way home ... yum!), but it was a fabulous day with fabulous friends! Thanks Aaron and Jena! =)

We laughed & played. What you can't see is that the picnic table is about 15 feet long, and I'm sprawled across it on my stomach! I love how dreamy this one turned out. It's like a fairy tale!

Custom Photography

At Serendipity Images, I offer Custom Photography. Everything is geared towards my client. Every session is different and customized to you. All of my sessions are dynamic, on-location experiences. Every session is different, and every client gets 100% of my attention! I never look at my watch to say that your session is coming to a close (actually, I don't even wear a watch!). I edit your photographs individually, making sure that every image you see as a finished product is smoothed out & gorgeous. At Serendipity Images, it's all about you!

The Professional Child Photographer Consumer Guide offers a great article about custom photography:

Why Choose Custom Photography?
by Marianne Drenthe

Custom photography is more of a luxury than your entry level cookie cutter chain experience. Custom photography truly is not for everyone, it requires a level of commitment, investment in time and money, forethought and planning on the part of the subject/client and requires a larger time commitment for the photographer as well.

Clients who enjoy taking a more active role in the creation of their families’ memories have the desire to have portrait art that is truly personalized. These more discerning clients have been known to budget and allot time for a custom photography session. Many clients opt for it to be a once a year special experience, some opt to have custom photography sessions done to record their child’s stages in life. Having said this, it is clear that custom photography is not in everyone’s budget, it is something that most families save for to splurge on from time to time to memorialize their children as they really are (not posed and primped in the cookie cutter studio setting).

There is a great deal of time involved in creating high end custom photography sessions for a client. The luxury of great service, better choices and a supberb end product. The result of all this are heirloom quality images. The time invested at the session is only a small portion of time involved in this process.

Custom photography has been likened to purchasing a fine vehicle. To get to point B from A let’s face it, even a bus ride would suffice. If you want to luxuriate in a finely appointed vehicle, customizing your own experience by listening to smooth jazz while sitting in a climate controlled setting adjusted purely for your comfort in a body hugging leather interior, perhaps that Lexus you so desire is your cup of tea. Custom photography is much the same cup of tea. It is the Lexus of the photography world. It is where the intangibles make the experience truly wonderful and the images themselves make the investment of money and time truly worthwhile.

Custom photography can be broken down into even more levels. There are on location, studio, mixed studio/on location, specialty location and destination type photographers. The beauty of custom photography is in the choices and in the luxury of thoses options. The customized service level you are sure to experience will be amazing. The knowledge that your final images are the result of someone caring about those moments so much that they take extra time ensuring that the artwork you receive is good enough to stand by with their name on it. That level of quality and commitment is all but lost in the age of "mass produced," "mass marketed," corporate "everyone is a number". Custom photography is based on being unique to you. How great an experience would be, to be able to sit back and allow a photographer to do this highly custom work for images that you will most likely cherish for a lifetime?

Keep in mind more than anything that the Lexus will never appreciate in value the way your portraits will. The portrait art you become invested in from your custom photographer will no doubt increase in value and become more priceless as the years pass.

Aaron + Jena: Sneak Peek

This weekend I did a really fun photo session with my good friends Aaron & Jena. Here's a sneak peek to hold you over until I get the full post up!

Christmas Card Samples

This is the first year that I have offered Christmas cards, and I am SO excited!! My Christmas card designs are chic, contemporary, and downright beautiful! You can order cards in sets of 25. Your cards will be professional press-printed by White House Custom Color, an industry leader who I use almost exclusively for both photographs and printed products.

Your cards will be enhanced with your Serendipity Images photographs and a custom greeting. I can modify the color scheme of each design to make it more -- or less -- traditional. These beautiful cards can also be sent to celebrate Hanukkah or offer a non-denominational Season's Greeting.

The Limited Edition Christmas Special includes 25 cards and a gallery wrap (great to keep or give!). You can also schedule any other photography session with me, and order cards. Even though it's only the 2nd week in October, the window to order Christmas cards will be shutting quickly. I want to make sure that you get your cards with ample time to mail them out! All Christmas cards should be ordered no later than Thanksgiving.

Contact me today to book your Christmas photography session! (Tracy@SerendipityImages.net or by phone at 714.300.5348)

Isn't this the year to send your friends, family, and clients something special?

Here is a taste of what I'm offering:

Limited Edition Christmas Special

Baby Session: Dallis

When I found out that my cousin Lindsay was going to visit her parents in California, I knew I needed to drive out and visit. I wanted to see my cousin and famiy, but even more than that, I was excited to meet Lindsay and Sean's baby girl. I had an absolutely wonderful & relaxing day hanging out with my family, and photographing Dallis. Dallis is an absolute doll, with gorgeous bright blue eyes. She was so good natured, and really hammed it up for the camera.

I hope that these pictures hold the rest of our family over until Christmas! Enjoy! =)

Just a little something funny

I saw this online tonight and it cracked me up. Enjoy!

Coming Soon...