Watch me on Television on September 8, at 9 a.m!! Sacramento & Co. Live!!

I have some fun and exciting news to share with you! I will be featured on our local television news show, Sacramento & Co. next Wednesday, September 8, 2010. The show is broadcast live from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m on Channel 10. I am thrilled that they have asked me to do this and am excited to share some of my photos and tips with you. The segment will be about how to get your kids ready for a photo shoot and various other tips that we hope you will find useful!  I hope you tune in to watch!  You can also watch the show and segment online at www.sacandco.net. 

Wine and Bricks - A Sneak Peek! {Sacramento Family Photographer}

I love this family! They were all about making this photo session incredible and I had a fabulous time shooting them. I had told Mom about the place and she went and checked it out with her sweet hubby of 19 years (I know..you are saying..noo way..they got married at 5, I think!).

Despite all the dirt, the dust, and the broken windows, she was totally up for it and we had such fun capturing these images! I love the juxtaposition of the nitty gritty next to such beauty. And that is what this family is..beautiful! They all rocked the session, giving me their best and I think is shows. We got into nooks and crannies, got a little dirty and then ended in a cool, lovely vineyard...after a time posing in the middle of the street! They loved it and so did I. I had so much fun. Thank you guys for going with my vision and sticking with me all the way. I hope you like your sneak peek...it was so hard to choose!

Sweet Holiday Mini Sessions and Your Holiday Help are Here!

I know. Crazy. Who is thinking about the holidays right now? It's still warm, soccer is just beginning, and well, we are not ready! Well, I'M thinking of the holidays to help YOU take it easy this holiday season, get that special photo DONE and your holiday cards taken care of without you having to do anything but SMILE!

So how can I help you do that? I am hosting two days of mini holiday sessions for you! They will be held September 25, 2010 and October 2, 2010. These sessions are great to get that special family photo for your holiday card or update your current family photo. I am accepting only a limited number of sessions, and I expect them to fill up fast, so please contact me and book your special session soon!

The Joyful Collection

$295 

• 30 minute custom photo session (immediate family up to 4 people*)
• 10 fully retouched images in a private online gallery
• 25- 5x7 custom high quality designed holiday cards and envelopes with your choice of image (fine card stock cards, not standard thin photo paper cards)
• 4 gift prints (8x10 or smaller)
• 5 images watermarked and web optimized for sharing online
• 1 high resolution image on a CD with print release
• additional prints/cards may be ordered at a 10% discount

The Thankful Collection

$245

• 30 minute custom photo session (immediate family up to 4 people*)
• 10 fully retouched images in a private online gallery
• 3 gift prints (8x10 or smaller)
• 2  images watermarked and web optimized for sharing online
• 1 high resolution image on a CD with print release
• additional prints/cards may be ordered at a 10% discount

Call soon to book your special session (916-213-6753) or email us at lisasmileyphotography@gmail.com with your preferred date. I will book your preferred slot with full payment.

*Additional prints and products may also be ordered. 4 people included in this pricing. Each additional person is $20. The holiday card above is an example of the several designs that will be available. The photo in the holiday card above is not the property of Lisa Smiley Photography and cannot be used for any purpose. Permission was granted for this minimal use.

**I am also scheduling full regular sessions, and have mornings and evenings available for these sessions, so you may contact me if you would like to book a full session also!

The A Family - A Sneak Peek {Sacramento Family Photographer}

Today I met with this sweet family and had so much fun capturing their love. I have known them for a quite a long time and they are just awesome, genuine and kind people. Dad is one of the pastors at our church (and is so wonderfully patient with my boys) and Mom and I have known each other since our boys were little. They have grown up so fast. I know, everyone always says that, but the rate of growth in children really does impress upon me the reality of Time and really reminds me that this life is so very short. So I'm glad they were documenting this small snippet in photographs!

So the boys have not only grown up fast, but they have become such neat guys! During the shoot, they were cooperative and sweet, and without complaint. At 10 and 13, I have to say, it was impressive. Mom and Dad did great, too! :) Here are a few from the session that I'd like to share. "A" family...thanks so much for hanging out with me today. I hope you like your sneak peek!

It's a Small World Sneak Peek & Sweet C {Sacramento Children's Photographer}

I wanted to share with you a little sneak peek of the FREE sessions I will be doing over at "It's a Small World" clothing store in Pavilions (look here for the juicy details).  I dropped by to drop off some flyers today and met a good friend and her darling three year old for a quick, light-checking session. They were so great and he was such a ball of energy! I think he ended up having tons of fun even though he was getting his picture taken. At least I hope so! I have to say, I love, love, love the image above. Does he look 3 to you? Or does he look like a little man just waiting to grow up? I hope you can bring your kiddo out and enjoy a session! It will be tons of fun and you will have some precious memories to boot!

I wanted to really make his blue eyes pop in this one, so I did a different edit to show them off. I love how he was playing peek with me behind this pillar.

I captured a few of him with his sweet mama and just fell in love with this dreamy one. I got caught up in it being so dream-like and how it seems to me a photo a mom could really love when her cute little three year old becomes a big, stinky teenage boy. She is holding flowers he picked for her and his sisters. So sweet!

This little guy was such fun! I just love this one because it really captures how he was on the move as little boys are. Guess to whom he was heading?

FREE Back to School Photo Session for your Child! Get your session booked now!

I am pleased to announce a FREE

Back to School and Welcome Fall Photo Shoot Opportunity!

Tired of the same old standard kid's school pictures with that horrible standard background and the forced smile that they take at school? We have the perfect solution! On two separate days in September, 

Lisa Smiley Photography and It’s a Small World Children’s designer wear boutique in Pavilions (502 Pavilions Lane, Sacramento) are pairing up to offer a FREE back to school photo session event so you won't be forced to buy those school pictures that don't capture the real essence and personality of your child. Babies and toddlers are welcome too! 

So what do you have to do for the free session? Just spend $100 in the store and sign up for your free session!*

It's a Small World has adorable clothing and goodies from newborn to size 12.

Two dates are available September 10 &18.

I will be hosting the 15 minutes sessions from 10am-12pm , so be sure to make your purchase and get your session booked soon. They will fill up fast!

Go by the store to set your appointment or call 916-213-6753 (or email me @ lisasmileyphotography@gmail.com) for more information!

*The images from your child's shoot will be placed in a private online gallery for your enjoyment. You may purchase prints and custom items if you wish.  The sessions are for children only.

(Trying to Be) Tough {Sacramento Children's Photographer}

Look at these total cuties trying to be tough!
I took them out to a new location last week and wanted to get them out of their comfort zone to try something new. (they are mine, so I can do that :)  Instead of trying my usual tactics to get them to smile "naturally", I went with the "be tough" mode and asked them to look serious for some of the shots. You know, I actually think it was more challenging to achieve this kind of shot purposefully than it is to get the smile. Or maybe they weren't used to it. In any case, sometimes they looked a little too tough, bordering on mean. But they came around and I got some fun shots that I love. I also got some great smiling shots in the process, because, well, these boys cannot stay serious long...here's a rather large sampling since I just love them all :)

As you can see, I wasn't fibbing. This is what the first "serious" shot morphed into.

Just loved this door.

I met a sweet friend, Mindy, there. She brought her kiddos along. She is also a photographer and has a fun time working with her own kids and all the challenges that comes with that, so we switched kiddos here and there. Here are some of her precious loves.

I adore this shot of this sweet little gal.

And here is Mindy, the beautiful mother of the two cuties above, behind her lens :)

The B Family Sneak Peek! {Sacramento Family Photographer}

Today I photographed a very fun and creative foursome! This beautiful Mom wanted to get some photos of her kiddos with their Grandma and herself. They had big plans for this shoot! They came equipped with their superhero shirts and their butterfly nets! They had a fun time playing with each other and enjoying the session, I think, as you can see in the last photo in this sneak peek! The kids were troopers and survived a colorful butterfly-tie dye clothing with much patience. Grandma and Mom should be very proud!

Thanks for letting me catch these special moments for you!

Incidentally, Mom is a very talented friend of mine and writes a  fun and informative online newspaper/magazine for the Natomas, Sacramento area. You should check it out if you are in the area (The Natomas Buzz) and want to be in the know!

The G Gang {Sacramento, California Family and Child Photographer}

I was blessed to photograph one of my super sweet dear friends and her beautiful boys for a quick mini-session way back in June. She wanted to some shots for her husband for Father's Day so we snuck out between church services and fired a few off while the boys allowed. I actually did get these shots to her on time for Father's Day (and it was reported Dad loved them), I'm just a bit late in her "not so sneaky" peek!

The F Family - A Sneaky Sneak Peek! {Sacramento Family Photographer}

I had the opportunity a couple evenings ago to photograph a dear friend of mine and her beautiful children. I also got the added bonus of including their sweet dog, Raisin. The kids were troopers while we played around the farm looking for fun places to play and shoot. Raisin waited in the car till it was his time, and boy, was he ready to be included when he got out! We did manage to capture some still shots of him and I think the rest of this gorgeous family is rubbing off on him! Isn't he a cutie?

Oh, and the reason this is a "sneaky" sneak peak is because it's all a surprise for dad's birthday in October. I think he will treasure the shots we captured. Good job F Family!

The Beautiful Miss A {Sacramento Children's Photographer}

I had a fun opportunity a couple weeks ago to go out with a sweet friend of mine (who is also a photographer) and her beautiful daughter. We both wanted to scout this new location and so we brought Miss A along to help us. We ran into some unexpected glitches on the way...we arrived a bit later than expected, and the location was actually not open to car traffic. So we had to improvise and walk a bit further than expected, but in the end, it was worth it. We didn't get to see the entire location, but what we did see and use was great. And Miss A was a perfect model...I may have to adopt her! Yeah, her awesome family may not go for it, I suppose. So here are some of the shots. I just love the looks and the environment. Can't wait to see the whole location next time!