Casting Call Family! | Jenn Hoffmann Photography| Family Photographer| Bay Area

Today I had the pleasure of meeting up with my "casting call" family after inclement weather postponed our original session date!  This family is absolutely adorable and the love between them is palpable.   I love everything about their outfits; Mom thought of everything down to the little accessories!
Joyce Family, I can't wait to help share your story of hope!  Here is just a tiny Sneak Peek of the day...  Be on the lookout soon for their big debut to learn more about their journey!

"Mommy and Me" Giveaway! | Jenn Hoffmann Photography, Family Photographer, Bay Area

As a mother myself, I know how hard it is to raise your children, get the laundry done, cook dinner, give baths, run errands and SO much more!  So I would like to reward one deserving mother with a great Mother's Day gift!

Enter to win:
- A complimentary "Mommy and Me" Mini Session (see details here), includes "gift bag" ($115 value)
- $25 print credit
- A sterling silver Mommy keychain with picture from session ($80 value)
- Bare Minerals Naturally Luminous Skin Renewing Trio (exclusive 30 day try me kit)

Also includes one item that I have won myself and am "paying it forward":

- $100 Gift Certificate to Skin Wizdom in Lafayette (specializing in facials and hair removal)

That's a value well over $300!!!

If you are not already, go to my Facebook Fan Page and "like" me!  Come back HERE to this post and leave a comment telling me that you are a fan!  For ONE additional entry, post about this giveaway on your Facebook page (or any other social media).  Leave an additional comment HERE saying that you did so (winning entry will need to be validated).

Contest closes at midnight on 5/6/2011; winner will be announced on 5/7 just in time for Mother's Day!
If the winner has already purchased a "Mommy and Me" Mini Session, their purchase price will be refunded!

Rules:

Only "fans" on my facebook page will be eligible to win

Only comments on this blog post will count as entries in the drawing

Comments will be accepted until midnight on May 6th, 2011

A random drawing will be held and the winner will be announced on May 7th, 2011

Surrounded By Love | Jenn Hoffmann Photography |Family Photographer | Bay Area

Today I had the pleasure of photographing an ALMOST 1 year old and his family that surrounded him to celebrate his birthday!  How lucky are these boys to have both sets of grandparents in their lives to watch them grow, give them advice and tell them stories?  It was great to meet you all- enjoy your Sneak Peek!

"Mommy and Me" Mini Sessions (RESCHEDULED DUE TO RAIN) | Jenn Hoffmann Photography, Family Photographer, Bay Area

***PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THE NEW DATE 6/26/2011.  RESCHEDULED DUE TO UNFAVORABLE WEATHER!!!***

Spring is here and it is time to start thinking about Mother’s Day! Mother’s Day is a great time to capture your mother/child relationship in photos.  I’m very excited to be offering "Mommy and Me" Mini Portrait Sessions for you.  These sessions focus explicitly on the mother and child relationship.

We all know how often Mom isn’t in photos with her children since it always seems she is the one taking photos of the kids!  Well, this is the perfect time to remedy this problem of Mommy never being in photos with her children.  And what a perfect gift…..the gift of portraits is a gift that will last a lifetime and beyond (think about how your children and grandchildren will cherish these photos after you are gone! Don't wait until you lose those extra 10 pounds!).  I encourage you to schedule your "Mommy and Me" session now, whether it is as a gift for yourself, or as a gift to your wife or your daughter and her family.

This is a great tradition to start with your children – yearly portraits to capture how your children and your family grow each year.  And let’s be honest…..how many lotion and perfume sets do we REALLY need?  Be sure to ask your spouse for this as a very special gift that will never fade or run out (plus it comes wrapped and ready for gift giving, so all they have to do it pay)!!!

I will be offering these exclusive mini sessions on Saturday, June 4th Sunday, June 26th on-location in Danville.  Please email me to purchase your certificate and reserve your special mini session today!  The sessions will last 20 minutes and will include 6-8 unique images of you and your child/children in a private online gallery.
*not applicable with any other offers

I look forward to photographing you with your children!

"Mommy and Me" Mini Sessions, $115 (plus tax) includes-
(pre-payment required at time of booking), includes gift certificate for gift giving

-20 minute on location session (in Danville) for Mom and up to 3 children on 6/26/2011
-6 to 8 images in a private, online gallery

-one 5x7 print of your choice
-10% discount on any additional orders

-a make up artist on hand to help you enhance your look for the camera!

-A "gift bag" with discount coupons and samples toward services to help you prepare for your session!
-Refreshments during the session

Albums, prints, storyboards and high resolution cds for printing will also available be available for purchase (with a 10% discount!).

Email me today to purchase your certificate and reserve your time slot (send me your top 3 choices)!
info@jennhoffmannphotography.com


Time Slots Available:
3:00 -Reserved
3:30
4:00 -Reserved
4:30 -Reserved
5:00 -Reserved
5:30 -Reserved
6:00 -Reserved

Thank you to all of the wonderful vendors that donated discount coupons and samples for the "gift bags"-
Flaunt Boutique (shop for that special outfit or accessory to wear for your session!)
IBar (clean up your eye brows for the close ups! ;) )
Utopia Tanning (get a nice glow on your legs and arms!)
Shear Adventures (have your children get haircuts, and even one for yourself!)
Savvy Styled Sessions (don't know what to wear? get professionally styled for your shoot!)
Initial Outfitters  (want a new piece of jewelry for pictures?) Contact Stephanie- (925) 628-5133
Galvanic Spa System (take years off your skin!) Contact Vanessa - vdpass@gmail.com , ( 925) 216-4655
Avital Beauty Lounge (services for your eyebrows and a makeup consultation!)
Arbonne (skin care for both you and your little ones!) Contact Joan joanc@myarbonne.com (510) 333-2271
*Also included- a sample of Bare Minerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer, Bath and Body Works Pocket Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel, chocolate, lip gloss and a few other goodies!

Baby "J" | Jenn Hoffmann Photography, Newborn Photographer, Bay Area

Just like us, babies have their good and bad days.  Baby "J" is no different.  The first time I visited him to do his newborn portraits he just wasn't having it!  I got a few cute photos, but he just didn't want to be moved and only wanted Mom to hold him!  So I went back today to try to get a few more and he slept like a champ!  Zonked out, happy as can be!  Sweet Baby "J" is just over 2 weeks old and is simply adorable!  Congratulations!

Casting Call Family Chosen! | Jenn Hoffmann Photography, Family Photographer, Bay Area

Thank you so much to the families that sent in a submission for my Family Casting Call.  I appreciate you opening your heart to me in your emails (some brought me to tears) and enjoyed learning a bit about you!  I truly wish that I could somehow pick all that applied, but at this point in time there is just one lucky family.... the Joyce Family!  I will be contacting you with all of the details within the day.
And keep a look out for my marketing magazine coming up in the next month or so that will be featuring this family (and much more!)!  It will be in a few local shops, as well as online!

Baby "R" | Jenn Hoffmann Photography, Newborn Photographer, Bay Area

When I first started posing this little guy for his photographs, he did not want his arms moved at all!  He kept tucking them in tight to his body but after his second feeding he was putty in my hands!  Baby "R" is absolutely precious and looks exactly like big brother!  Congratulations!

Look at that dimple!

Love how big brother is looking at him and caressing his head!  They will be the best of friends!

Ella's First Haircut! | Jenn Hoffmann Photography, East Bay

Ella had starting to grow a mullet in the back, as well as the front.  Is that even possible?  The kid has barely any hair on the sides of her head!  So we made an appointment with Sheila at Shear Adventures in Danville for her first haircut!
Here is her "before"-

Knowing my child and shall we say her "spunkiness", I prepared for the worst.  I KNEW she was going to fight it the whole way, kicking and screaming!  So I brought every candy imaginable to keep her occupied, along with several other distractions.

I would have bet my life on it.... and I would have lost.  She enjoyed EVERY. SINGLE. MINUTE. of it!  If she could talk, I think she would have exclaimed "Finally!" as I put her in the chair!  She sat there smiling, playing with the toys and looked around at the other children as if to say, "Hey, look at me!  I am big enough for a haircut now"!!!!  I know I say it all the time- but she really does want to do EVERYTHING her big brother does.

Candy, toys and a pretty bow- what more could a little girl ask for!?!?!  This is actually where our one and only problem arose... she didn't want to get out of the chair.  I tried to take her out once and she threw a fit, so Sheila let her stay there while Derek got his hair cut in the chair next to her.

Yep, we are still sportin' the "Pretty Smile"!!!

And here are the "after" shots!  How cute does she look!?!?!  And isn't the back adorable too?  No more straggly mullet! Sheila's the BEST!!!

Monster Jam 2011 | Jenn Hoffmann Photography, Child Photographer, East bay

We took Derek to Monster Jam as a birthday present.  He was over the moon when he found out that he was going to see the trucks "for real"!!!  It was a FREEZING night, but we were just glad it didn't rain!  We went to the "pit party" first where you get to meet the drivers and see the trucks up close.  He was disappointed his favorite "Blue Thunder" wasn't there, but his mood quickly picked up with some cotton candy and a gravedigger hat!
I have to say that this "sport" would be very easy to get in to!  Kai and I found ourselves cheering the trucks on as they raced around the track and overturned during their "freestyle" event!  Derek wanted them to crash more than they did- that was all he really cared about!

Canvas | Jenn Hoffmann Photography, Child Photographer, Bay Area

I just packaged up a set of three canvas wraps for a client; these are going to look fantastic clustered on her wall together!  The largest one is 16x20, the one on the left is 11x14 and the one on the right is a custom size 8x14.  They also have a 24x24 canvas of the family coming!  I can't wait to see it!

When most clients think about wall prints, they think the 11x14 size is going to look BIG!  But in all reality, it isn't.  It works perfectly here as a compliment to the other photos, but in no way would it fill the wall just by itself!  So when you are thinking of how to arrange your memories on your wall or mantle, don't be afraid to go big (16x20 and larger!) or group several smaller prints together!

My clients receive a link to a "Wall Display Idea" slideshow after their session to help visualize how to arrange the photos!  And I am always here to help with size suggestions, etc.!

I came across this read not too long ago and I think it really helps to put the whole "what size should I order" struggle in perspective- Bigger Really IS Better!