Summertime
It’s officially {but not officially} summer here in Northern California! My son just finished first grade, and he is super excited that summer is here! My 3 1/2 year old daughter is excited that her brother is now home every day.
During the summer, my kids love to play outside, whether it’s squirting each other with water guns, blowing bubbles, drawing with chalk, jumping on the trampoline, or playing in the sandbox. And inside, we enjoy putting puzzles together, painting, reading books, playing with Play-Doh and building with Legos.
But I also like to get out of the house and play/do/see/learn/experience NEW things in June, July, and August. And if I’m really being honest: Being out and about helps me keep my sanity (and enjoy some adult interaction) when my husband is working long shifts.
Below are some activities that my kids and I love to do during the summer months.
VISIT THE LIBRARY | My kids and I regularly visit the library during the school year because well, we really LOVE books. But we also go in the summer time to participate in our library’s summer reading program. Our local libraries host activities such as movie nights, puppet shows, slime-making events, animal shows, and live music.
LISTEN TO BOOKS ON CD OR PODCASTS | We enjoy listening to books on CD in the car as we drive to karate or gymnastics classes. (And yes, we check out them out from our local library!) If we don’t have a book on CD to listen to, I put on a podcast episode. The kids enjoy Big Life Kids, Story Pirates and The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian.
SEE A MOVIE | Regal Theaters offer $1 movies for kids and their caregivers every Tuesday and Wednesday morning at 10:00 A.M. We saw Despicable Me this morning with friends. Thank you, Regal!
GO SWIMMING | We don’t have a pool at our home, so we often swim in one of our local public pools, in a nearby lake or river or at our neighbor’s pool.
PLAY AT THE SPLASH PAD | Just ten minutes from us is a small splash pad that the kids really enjoy on hot days. We bring along two plastic buckets for water play and a few sticks of chalk, and the kids are entertained for at least 30 minutes.
PLAY AT THE PARK | We love to meet friends (usually before 11:00 AM when it is still relatively cool outside) at the park for a snack and some play time!
RIDE BIKES | We live in a rural area with lots of hills, so we often ride bikes at the elementary school, the middle school or on the walking trail at the park. Another option I just learned about is the fairgrounds. The Nevada County Fairgrounds is open (and free!) to walkers and bikers {almost} every day. Just enter through Gate 4.
ATTEND A SUMMER CAMP | Our son is excited to attend a sports camp with a few of his friends in July. The camp is offered through our local parks and recreation district. In the past, he’s participated in a British soccer camp, a Lego camp, and a space themed day camp.
TAKE SWIM LESSONS | Every summer, we enroll our kids in swimming lessons at the beginning of the summer. This summer is no different — the kids have swim lessons all next week at a local high school pool.
PAINT ROCKS | I’m not sure which activity the kids like better: Painting the rocks or hiding them in our local downtown area.
PARTICIPATE IN A PARADE | Last summer, our kids loved riding their bikes in our town’s 3rd of July parade. The night before the parade, they decorated their bikes with American flags and red, white, and blue streamers and bells (all from Target and Dollar Tree stores).
TAKE A HIKE | Living in the foothills, we are fortunate to have a plethora of walking trails nearby. Our daughter doesn’t always want to walk the whole way, though, so we often bring along a hiking backpack.
FIND A GEOCACHE | Have you ever tried geocaching? This week was our FIRST time ever searching for a geocache (or hidden container), and while it was challenging to locate it, we received some much needed help from a park ranger. Thank you, Ranger Lynch! To get started geocaching, just download the “Geocaching” app on your phone (it’s FREE), and search for geocaches near you. (Look specifically for “easy” geocaches that have been found recently!)
And here are a few activities that we haven’t tried yet, but hope to this summer.
GO BOWLING | Did you know that kids can bowl for FREE during the summer months? Yes, it’s true! At participating locations, kids ages 2-18 can bowl two games EVERY DAY from April 15 to August 19. Pretty sweet, eh?! I just signed my kids up! Go to kidsbowlfree.com for a list of participating locations and to sign up.
MAKE SOMETHING | Michael’s Art Stores offers Camp Creativity on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 AM to Noon from June 10-July 26. It’s just $3 per child to make a craft! Each week there is a new theme. We hope to attend a session in July!
What do you and your kids like to do during the summer time? Please COMMENT below!
Texas Minis | The M Family
I was honored to be able to take my youngest sister’s maternity photos again.
Isn’t she just glowing?!
Such a pretty mama.
I also took photos of E by herself, and with her mama and daddy.
I love, love, love this photo of Kate and Ellis looking at one another. Such authentic connection and gorgeous light!
E’s giggle is the BEST!
Thanks, P, for being a great sport and hamming it up for the camera. Two peas in a pod!
I’m so glad I was able to capture images of this family of three in March because just two months later, they became a family of FOUR! Congrats, M Family!
Texas Minis | The C & K Families
While I was in Texas visiting my youngest sister and her family, I had the opportunity to photograph my cousin, her husband, and their 4-year-old son, along with both sets of their parents.
They drove over an hour and a half to take photos with me, and I SO appreciate them making the long trip.
I enjoyed getting to see all of them! Because I live in California and they live in Texas and New Mexico, we really only see each other at weddings and funerals. And meeting my cousin’s husband’s parents for the first time was a treat!
C is the SWEETEST 4-year-old boy who listens and follows directions so well.
Seeing the bond that C has with his maternal grandmother (who lived with him for awhile recently) was precious!
Texas Minis | Mother & Daughter
This was the first time I photographed this beautiful baby girl. She was just SIX months old.
At the time, in 2015, I was attending MeRa Koh’s Confidence workshop in Dallas, and Mom Ashley brought her adorable daughter, Milania, to model for us.
Gosh, she was the CUTEST baby!
Fast forward to March 2019, and Milania is now FOUR! She loves playing soccer year-round (Texas has spring soccer leagues — so awesome!) and watching hockey.
M and her mom were SO much fun to photograph! They brought tons of energy to their photo session — which from a photographer’s standpoint is totally AWESOME! It makes my job SOOO easy! M and her mom chased each other around the grass, tickled one another, made silly faces, and just generally had fun together! Plus, Mom brought Sour Patch Kids for smiles (and big eyes!), and M earned every.single.one.
Thanks, you two, for a fun mini-session! Let’s do it again sometime!
The B Family | Little Bear Tree Farm
The first weekend of December, I met up with a family from the Bay Area at Little Bear Tree Farm in Alta. I’ve known mom Shannon for many years — her uncle married my aunt back in the mid-80s— and thanks to Facebook, we’ve been able to stay connected.
Shannon asked me to join her family at Little Bear Tree Farm to document their tree hunt and snap some family photos. A great idea, right?!
And she dressed her family in the CUTEST red and black buffalo plaid shirts! So appropriate for a tree farm photo session.
Have you been to Little Bear Tree Farm? It’s such a charming place. Shannon nailed it when she said it could easily be the set for a Hallmark Christmas movie!
We arrived a few minutes before the farm opened, parked, and then bundled up in warm jackets. There was snow on the ground — an unexpected, but welcome, surprise!
We all rode up the mountain in the back of an old Jeep, and then I followed Shannon and her family around the farm as they picked out their “perfect” Christmas tree. It was snowy and rainy at times, but the plastic bag I had wrapped around my lens kept my gear dry.
The more sessions I do, the more I realize that my favorite time is when I get to capture moms playing with their kiddos or dads having fun with their daughters and sons. It’s when they are chasing each other or tickling one another or telling a knock knock joke or whispering “The thing I love most about you is…” that I find myself most in love with my job.
I know it’s April, but if you want to do a photo shoot at the Little Bear Tree Farm, let’s chat! Getting a date on the books soon (before your December weekends fill up) will ensure that it happens!
The B Family | Lincoln, California
I enjoyed taking photos of the B family last fall at a private residence in Lincoln.
Mom had been wanting photos of the whole family — the kids and grandkids — for YEARS, and after exchanging a dozen Facebook messages or so, we finally found a date that worked with everyone’s busy schedules.
And remarkably, every single person was ON TIME for the photo session! How did they accomplish that? Unbeknownst to me, Mom had told everyone to be there at 3:00 pm, instead of the REAL start time of 3:30 pm. Smart, eh?!
Second Shooting | Coloma Wedding
In October, I had the opportunity to second shoot for Megan Escheman Photography at a wedding in Coloma. The weather was perfect — and the beautiful American River served as the backdrop for the ceremony and reception.
During the golden hour, as the sun was setting, the lead shooter and I captured a few shots of the bride and groom embracing.
One of the things I love about second shooting is that I get to spend a lot of time capturing the details of the day, while the lead shooter works one-on-one with the bride and groom. (If you know me, you know I am a detail-oriented person!)
Generally, when I first arrive at a wedding venue as a second shooter, I capture the groom and groomsmen getting ready.
Then, if there is time before the ceremony, I will photograph the ceremony venue — before the guests arrive. And if the reception area is close by, I will take shots of the tables and place settings.
During the ceremony, I assist the lead shooter in capturing the wedding. As you can see, this bride and groom had a great sense of humor!
After the ceremony, I help the lead shooter with the shot list, making sure that she captures all of the formal portraits that the bride and groom desire.
This creative bride made her own wedding cake! Very impressive.
Congrats, Mandi & Don!
Fall Mini-Sessions | Bywater Hollow Lavender Farm
After my October mini-session schedule filled up, I had two more families request mini-sessions. I’d been wanting to try out Bywater Hollow Lavender Farm in Lincoln for some time, so I scheduled an afternoon of mini-sessions there in November.
I photographed four families in all; I’d taken photos of two of the families before, and two were in front of my lens for the first time.
As it turns out, I met ALL of these families through Mountain Moms, a wonderful group of parents and kids in the Sierra Foothills. I’m super grateful for the friendships I’ve formed through Mountain Moms, and for the clients I’ve gotten to photograph.
I look forward to photographing more families at Bywater Hollow Lavender Farm soon!
The W Family
The K Family
The B Family
The S Family
Fall Mini-Sessions | Vina Castellano
In the fall, I hosted TWO days of mini-sessions! In October, I photographed five families at Vina Castellano Vineyards, a beautiful Sierra Foothills winery located in Auburn. I’d taken photographs of two of the families before — I’m so grateful for returning clients — and the other three were new-to-me families.
The grounds were really pretty with a lot of variety: vineyards, golden grass, rock outcroppings, green grass, a pond, and more.
In fact, all five of the photos below were taken in different areas of the 8-acre property.
And the lighting that afternoon and evening? Oh my, it was SO beautiful!
I hope to shoot at Vina Castellano Vineyards again!
The E Family
The J Family
The K Family
The O Boys
The P Family
Maria & Bryce's Wedding | September 2018
Maria and Bryce were married in early September in a small town outside of Placerville. The couple opted not to have engagement photos done, but I suggested we meet up a week or so before their big day at their wedding venue. I love meeting each couple in person before their wedding day. It gives me a chance to get to know them a little better, both individually and as a couple, walk through the venue with them, and talk about the plans they’ve made for their special day.
And then when the wedding day arrives, the couple is more comfortable with me (which is SO important!), and I’m more relaxed and excited as well.
Maria & Bryce’s wedding day was filled with smiling and laughing and celebrating…all while sporting Converse tennis shoes! :-)
The soundtrack to the reception was today’s country music (I was in heaven — if you know me, you know I adore country music). I enjoyed capturing the first dances, as I always do, but my favorite part of the reception was when one of the young guests, a girl of maybe eight, started a dance-off with one of the groomsmen. Both of them had impressive moves — it was awesome! They even started breakdancing…say what?! So cool.
And then surprise! At the very end of the evening, as if not to be outdone, the groom broke out his breakdancing moves — and you guessed it — the crowd went wild!
Congrats, Maria & Bryce!
The T Family | Griffith Quarry
As a photographer, I’m constantly on the hunt for new locations! In fact, it’s one of the things I really love about my job. Sometimes, I will learn about a location on Instagram or Facebook (a local photographer will mention where she did a recent session) or I’ll stumble upon a new spot while on a hike with my family. Occasionally, a client will request that their photo session be held at a particular location.
That was the case with the T family. Mom asked about a specific location where they’d hiked with her son’s Boy Scout troop, and although I’d driven past it several times, I’d never parked my car and explored on foot. What a gem I’d been missing out on!
In late November, I met up with the T family at Griffith Quarry in Penryn, and they gave me a tour around the place. The more we explored, the more it became clear what an awesome location this is!
Moss-covered granite boulders + wood split rail fences + open grasslands + beautiful light + a sweet, loving family of three = one VERY happy photographer.
Here’s a look at some of my favorite images from their hour-long session:
Thank you, T Family, for a fun photo session!
Want to take some family photos at Griffith Quarry? Let’s chat! Email me at jennieharlessphotography@gmail.com.
The D Family | Bernhard Museum
This adorable family of four was so much fun to work with! Earlier this fall, we met up at the Bernhard Museum in Auburn for a Sunday morning session. (I don’t shoot a lot of morning sessions, but mom Heather told me that her kids are happiest in the morning, and so we made it happen! And boy was she was right!)
Seriously, aren’t they the happiest and most beautiful babies?!
And yes, their eyes are just that blue! There’s no Photoshop magic happening there.
Speaking of Photoshop magic, I will let you in on a little secret. See that image above? The straight-out-of-the-camera image looked slightly different.
The little girl was looking off to the side (which is totally normal for a 3-year-old!), so we just did a little head swap and voila…she’s now looking at the camera!
And when I say “we,” I really mean Retouchup. (I have no head swapping skills to speak of, so for me, outsourcing is the way to go.)
Anyway, I say all of that, to let you know that if your munchkins are really wiggly during your photo session and looking anywhere but the camera, don’t despair. When I snap photos of kids, I almost always overshoot, knowing that there might be a head swap or two in post processing.
Thank you, D family, for allowing me to capture these special moments for you!
Want to take some photos at the Bernhard Museum, too?! Let’s chat! Shoot me an email at jennieharlessphotography@gmail.com.
The L Family | Fall Photos
We’re really lucky to live right next door to this sweet family of four.
This was a bittersweet September night for them; their son was heading back to college in the morning.
And I can’t believe their youngest is already a senior in high school.
I felt so honored to be able to capture this precious time in their lives.
Why You Should Bring Your Dog to Your Session
"The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind."
--Theodorus Gaza
So true, right?!
I grew up with dogs. In fact, I don't remember not having dogs in my family. My childhood memories and photos are filled with two sweet dogs -- a big, black Newfoundland named Bear who swam with us in the lake and protected us like we were her puppies, and Happy, a hyperactive golden retriever (read: spaz!) who chased his tail when he got really excited.
My family today includes my husband, two children, and a dog named Rudy. (Yes, he was named after the movie; my husband is a huge Notre Dame fan!)
Dogs are family, too, which is why I encourage you to bring them to your session.
Here are three past photo sessions that included dogs.
Let's capture some photos of you and your dog!
Click the Contact tab above or email me at jennieharlessphotography@gmail.com to schedule a photo session.
Amor, Santino & Hannah
Amor, a longtime friend and fellow choir member from my old church, contacted me requesting that I take photographs of her son and his girlfriend at Folsom Lake.
As you'll see, I took a lot of photos of the couple, but I also snapped a few of mom and son together.
In addition, I took a handful of individual shots of Santino who will be a senior at Casa Roble High School (go Rams!) in the fall. Hello head shot for the yearbook!
Mom brought along two props (a pillow and football), which we used during their session.
As I do before all sessions, I emailed a questionnaire to the family, and Santino filled it out. One of the things Santino mentioned in the questionnaire is that he loves his girlfriend's smile. With that in mind, I focused on capturing as many of her grins as possible.
Enjoy the rest of the summer, Taylor family. Hope to see Santino play football in the fall!
Bartkoski Family Mini-Session
At the end of each year, I create a Facebook post wherein I share my favorite photo from each session I've done. Then, I -- and many of my clients -- ask people to vote for their favorite photo. The individual or family who receives the most votes earns a free mini-session!
In January, the Bartkoski Family won the free mini-session, and I was delighted to photograph them along the Bear River (again!) earlier this month. (You can see their November 2017 session here.)
It's always a fun time hanging out with this family of four. Mom Christa does such a good job coordinating all of their outfits before each session.
What's her go-to store for cute kids' clothes that coordinate?
Old Navy!
It was a pleasure, B family. Let's do it again sometime!
Spring Mini-Sessions
In early May, I had the opportunity to photograph these four awesome families out at Folsom Lake. The weather was beautiful, the lupines were gorgeous, and the lake level was high.
All of the families showed up on time or even early to their mini-sessions -- surprisingly no one got lost on the way into the park -- and I had such fun photographing all the kids -- both big and little.
A huge thanks to the moms and dads who worked their magic behind me, coaxing their kids to smile and giggle as I snapped away.
Senior Photo Session | Jessie
I've known Jessie since she was a baby, and so getting the opportunity to take senior photos of her was such an honor and pleasure.
Jessie is such a fun-loving, sweet, funny, respectful, musical, and intelligent young woman with a super bright future ahead of her. (Kudos to her parents who have done an amazing job raising her!)
Fun fact: Jessie taught herself to play the ukulele by watching YouTube videos.
Before each senior session, I email a questionnaire to the teen, asking them for input about their session -- everything from location to music preferences to must-have shots. Jessie said that it was really important to her to have a few photos with her dog, Oliver.
And Jessie also requested that I take photos of her wearing her Seattle University shirt.
Jessie's mom brought along a few photos of Jessie as a baby. Isn't this one adorable?!
Old Roseville is such a cool place to take senior photos, especially for those clients who prefer an urban setting. All of the images shown here were taken within a few blocks, and we just walked from place to place.
I was totally digging this blue wall!
I love that Jessie brought matching bow ties for her and Oliver!
Jessie and I both spotted the shadow of the palm tree on this wall at. the. exact. same. time. I thought it was important to photograph her next to this wall, not only because she was born and raised in California, but also because in just a few months, she'll leave the palm trees behind and head to Seattle to study engineering.
A big thanks to Lea Buehler for doing Jessie's makeup!
Second Shooting | Nevada City, CA
In March, I had the opportunity to second shoot for wedding photographer Athena Kalindi (@athenakalindi) at the Miner's Foundry in Nevada City. (Did you know Nevada City is a destination wedding location? I had no idea!)
I'd never been inside the foundry before, but after seeing it online and in person, I get why it is booked nearly every weekend for weddings and events.
Not only is the inside of the venue special, but there are a handful of cool exterior walls -- perfect for photo ops of the bride and groom.
A big thanks to Athena for allowing me to shadow her and shoot with her. She was so kind and patience, and unbelievably generous with her knowledge of wedding photography. (I now use my DOF preview button to quickly and easily change my focus settings, thanks to her!)
I'll be second shooting again in June -- this time up in Tahoe.
The Killinger Brothers
These brothers were so much fun to photograph!
Both boys were so cooperative and loving -- tickling and hugging one another for the sibling shots.
During the session, we walked down toward the river, and the boys discovered a large puddle outlined in rocks that formed a heart. (Valentine's Day was just a few days before.) The puddle was a bit deeper than we realized, and the younger boy accidentally fell face first in the puddle. His shirt was drenched, but luckily, it was light in color, so you couldn't really tell. Plus, I had already gotten lots of great photos by that time.
The boys' mom wanted photos of them, so she could print and frame the images and surprise their dad (her hubby) for his birthday -- and to celebrate his new job.
Unfortunately, they couldn't keep it a secret from him, but he loves them nevertheless!
Want to surprise someone in your life with beautiful images? Photos make great gifts for Mother's Day and Father's Day! Contact me now to schedule a session!