Grin & Share It Photography

Bye bye old blog. Hello new blog!

2011-04-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

My new Grin & Share It Blog is officially up and running. Please update your records, as this blog will be deleted later in the week.

To visit the new & VERY much improved blog, please click HERE, or just click on the link below.

http://blog.grinandshareitphoto.com/

~Tessa

Mine on Monday

2011-03-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

Isabelle recently started playing tball and the whole family couldn't be more excited! Not only is this the first team sport she's played, but I'm having a great time taking sports photos for the 1st time. I have been eyeing the Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR II for awhile now, and tball was the final push that I needed to hit the "purchase" button. A friend of mine said that the nausea I felt after spending the money would go away as soon as I used it, and she wasn't joking! One thing though, I am so out of shape. Five minutes of holding this lens and my arm and wrist were burning. I think maybe I need to do some sort of stretches and a warm up before I use it next time. Well that, or maybe start lifting some weights at the gym ;)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Baby Luca

2011-03-04T15:22:00.000-08:00

Met this cutie pie last weekend. Poor little guy, everytime he finally fell asleep, we'd start moving him around and putting more hats on him. He was a trooper though, and oh-so-adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Nowak Family

2011-02-18T16:03:00.000-08:00

I just love it when clients contact me because Grandma & Grandpa will be in town and they want to do a family session during their visit. Personally, I think photos are one of the best gifts we can give in life...the opportunity to freeze a moment in time and to literally hold onto it and to carry it with us. I love looking at old photos, and to relive whatever was going on when it was taken. Just another reason why I love my job :)

Oftentimes, after I send a client their gallery, they will email or even call me to thank me. I can't tell you how much I treasure those emails and messages. I just wanted to share with you a little of what Momma Nowak sent to me after she received her gallery. On those days when I question if "I'm good enough", I go back and read these emails to help pick me back up. The quote below is the number one reason that I do what I do. Thank you so much for your kind words Roberta!!

"I just went through the pictures. They are wonderful. Thank you so much! I've been on the fence so long about getting pictures done, and I could never find someone I really liked, and when I saw your pictures, I knew you'd be the one... I hope we'll get to do it again soon. Next time anyone asks about a photographer, I will definitely mention your name."

Enjoy,
Tessa

Heredia Kiddos {The Valentine's Sofa Session Mini}

2011-02-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

The last time I photographed little Ms. Daylin, she was only a few days old. What a difference a year and 1/2 makes!!! I had a very hard time narrowing down which images to use for this blog post. There are SO many adorable photos of these two, and man, check out handsome big brother. He is going to be a heart breaker someday for sure!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Montgomery Kiddos {The Valentine's Sofa Session Mini}

2011-02-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

I had a blast photographing these little cherubs! Both Livi & Jake love the camera, and as you can see below, the camera certainly loves them back. Their Mommy said something at the beginning of the session that totally made my week too; "Olivia you remember Tessa, she's our family photographer". Oh how I LOVE hearing the sound of that!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Provins Boys {The Valentine's Sofa Session Mini}

2011-02-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

I have been photographing this family for years now, and not only are they great clients, they also happen to be one of my favorite families on the planet :)

Tracy & I talked about what the boys should wear weeks before their session date, so when I saw these ties pop up on Kidsteals I called her immediately! I love it when my clients take my advice on what they should wear, and I was thrilled when the boys showed up not only in color, but also not perfectly matchy matchy. The colors totally pop in their photos, but yet you still see the boys first, and their adorable outfits second.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2011-01-31T11:32:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago my family was invited to to attend my girlfriend Angelica's 40th birthday bash! It was 50s themed, and we all needed to dress accordingly. I am a HUGE fan of themed parties, and absolutely love dressing up. G's outfit was already taken care of since I still had Isabelle's first Halloween costume that I made 6 years ago. It just happened to be a 50s outfit, and Belle's saddle shoes even fit G (whew). Belle borrowed a dress from her buddy Lauren, and I threw some things together for Joel & I that we already had in our closets. The final touch was a pair of 50s style glasses that I picked up for myself at a local thrift store.

As we were getting ready to leave the house for the party, I found Ms. Isabelle in the bathroom posing in front of the mirror. Suffice it say that she really liked her costume ;) I grabbed my camera and snagged a few photos of her...

At the party Genevieve decided that she wanted to wear my glasses and actually kept them on for quite awhile. OMG, she looked so darn cute with her pizza crust in hand, dirty face, and Mommy's cat glasses on. Yep, out came the camera again...

Man I adore these girls, and I am trying to savor every moment with them before they get too much older and don't want to hang out with Mommy & Daddy anymore :(

Enjoy,
Tessa

Little Ms. Adelynn {The Valentine's Sofa Session Mini}

2011-01-30T12:05:00.000-08:00

I was SO excited for my Valentine's Day Sofa Session Minis yesterday, and Ms. Adelynn was my first client. She loved playing on the sofa, and was a total ham for the camera. Since it was just Adelynn, and her family just had photos taken with me in November, I did a quick 10 minute mini. It was the perfect amount of time to grab some super cute shots, and we even managed to squeeze in an outfit change :)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Ms. Viviana

2011-01-28T10:51:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled when Belle's 1st grade teacher asked me to take pictures of his oldest for her upcoming Quinceañera in March. We chose Balboa Park for the session, since I knew the architecture there would make the perfect backdrop! Viviana looked so beautiful in her gown, and since we did the session on a Tuesday morning, we practically had the whole place to ourselves. Later Viviana changed into her street clothes and we headed over to Spanish Village to finish up. Spanish Village is quickly becoming one of my new favorite places to shoot at, with all of the vibrant doors, tiles & beautiful stucco buildings.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Baby Reese {7 Days New}

2011-01-26T20:52:00.000-08:00

Here's something that most of you don't know about me... newborn sessions terrify me. My palms get sweaty, I get butterflies in my stomach. Seriously, there are a lot of "wills" with newborn sessions. Will the house I'm going to have enough light, will I be inspired by my surroundings, will the baby sleep at all for me, will little brother or sister be happy during our session, will I get the shots I want, will Mom & Dad like their images?? After all, we humans are our own worst critics. And for some reason, I really feel a lot more pressure before newborn sessions.

Enter baby Reese & her big sister Taylor. Taylor and I were instant buddies, and her house had the most beautiful light flowing in wherever you turned. Baby Reese slept through the entire session, waking up only once to nurse. Seriously, I never saw this little love bugs eyes!! It was a wonderful way to spend my morning, and I left their house grinning from ear to ear :)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Leitel Family

2011-01-25T12:29:00.000-08:00

As you all know, I'm super behind on blogging since I took 2 months off during the busy season so that I could stay sane ;) Not sure I'll ever get caught up, but my goal is to blog everyday. Okay, I realize I might be setting myself up to fail here, but heck, I like a good challenge.

I'll start with my 1st family session of 2011, and what a super fun family they were. Deanna is a good friend of mine, and her sister in law was getting ready to move back to Germany with her family, so we met up in PB to grab some shots before they headed to Europe. Deanna's youngest is in a hip-hop class and showed me some of his break dancing moves before we were done. I have say, "GO Aidan", because he is really good!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2011-01-24T11:01:00.000-08:00

Here are more images from THIS session I had with my Isabelle & her buddy Lauren last week. I am so lucky that my girls love the camera as much as I do, but I'm wondering how much longer it will be before Belle starts asking to get paid?! Luckily she is still happy being compensated with a 99 cent candy bar ;)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Tredo Family

2011-01-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

I met up with this beautiful family right before Dad shipped out for his deployment. I wanted to make sure that he had some beautiful photos to take with him, and also for his girls to have more fun memories of playtime with their Dad. I honestly can't imagine my husband being gone for months at a time, and have a huge respect for military families and all that they give up for us, and our freedom!

Thank you Tredo Family!

Enjoy,
Tessa

2011 Valentine's Sofa Session Minis

2011-01-18T00:29:00.000-08:00

Today I got together with my good friend Jennifer of Delicieux Creations for a Valentine's Sofa Session preview. I asked her to bring along some of her gorgeous hair accessories, along with her beautiful daughter Lauren, who happens to be close buds with Isabelle. We had a great time dressing the girls up, and I couldn't have asked for two better models! I am SO excited about the backdrop for this year's minis since I can get a bit more creative with styling it for the sessions, and of course I'm super excited to use my brand new sofa :)

These once a year sessions filled up quickly last year, so be sure to book your session today!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

And Baby Makes Five {Lynette's Maternity Session}

2011-01-13T19:16:00.000-08:00

I only wish that I looked this great when I was pregnant! I mean look at her adorable, perfectly round belly!! You'd think by the way she's carrying that she is expecting another boy, but nope, this time pink is in the air :)

We scheduled Lynette's session right after the New Year, on the same day that the weathermen told us that it wouldn't start raining until after 7:00pm, or "even later". Nope, wrong! About five minutes into their session, at 3:35pm, it started to drizzle. Then is started to pour. Session over! I did manage to get some beautiful shots before the skies opened up on us, and we decided to reschedule for part II in my backyard the following weekend. As luck would have it, it was nice out last weekend and we finished up the second half of her session with some lovely images. Ahhh, happy photographer, and most importantly, happy client!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine On Monday

2011-01-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

First, let me apologize for being MIA for so long. This was my busiest Holiday photo season yet, so I took a little hiatus from blogging to make time for more editing and attempting to spend some time with my family. Plus I am in the works of creating a whole new Grin & Share It Blog and was going to wait until it was finished, but it's looking like that may take another month or so, and I just couldn't wait that long to start blogging again :)

I promise to show you some of the highlights from my October and November sessions, but I just had to kick off the New Year with a Mine on Monday post of my girls, and my newest obsession, my beautiful green fainting sofa. I plan on doing quite a few Sofa Sessions with this beauty, including "Seaside Sofa Sessions" in the Spring & Fall for holiday shoots!! Yep, I dragged this bad boy out onto the beach for some playtime with my girls in their ADORABLE new ZozoBugBaby outfits. I discovered Zozo on Facebook, and instantly fell in love with her whimsical outfits and had to buy one for the girls. Her stuff is absolutely PERFECT for photos sessions, so if you're looking for something different and fun for you next session, be sure to become a fan of ZozoBugBaby on Facebook today!!!

I hope that you all had a fabulous Christmas and that your 2011 is prosperous and full of only great things!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Gupta Family

2010-10-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

The Gupta Family was one of my very first clients back before Grin & Share It even existed. I was very excited to do a session with them again, and was happy the weather held up long enough for me to capture some great images.

Enjoy,
Tessa

T Family

2010-10-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to finally get Emily and her uber gorgeous family in front of my camera! Her kids are the some of the sweetest, well-behaved children you will ever meet, and they are hilarious to boot.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Kaplan Family

2010-10-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

I've been photographing this lovely family for 3 years now, and this was our first trip to the beach together. The weather was fabulous, and the boys were all smiles. Can't ask for much more than that :)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Ardilla Family {Backyard Mini}

2010-10-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

Denielle is one of my BFFs, and her sons will one day marry my daughters ;) Well at least this is the way we have it planned out in our heads! But seriously, look at how handsome they are... our Grandkids would be absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Baby S {Backyard Mini}

2010-10-20T19:51:00.000-07:00

I just photographed this little one and her brother in the Spring, but her Mommy wanted to document her hitting the 18 month mark, and a 10 minute mini was the perfect way to do it! We pulled out the sofa for her to play on, but she was a little unsure as to why we were letting her walk and jump on a couch, LOL. I was in love with her adorable outfit, and the expressions she gave me were priceless.

Enjoy,
Tessa

The Little Rascals Session

2010-10-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

Cindy is one heck of a creative Mommy! Not only does she run her own custom card business, but she's also an avid scrapbooker and amateur photographer. I shoot her family/kids about 3 times per year, so when she came to me and said that she had a cool, creative idea for her next session, I was all ears. She told me that she wanted to dress her kids up as a few of the characters from the Little Rascals show that was popular in the 1930's. She had ordered her kids clothing from that era, and even knew the perfect local for the session that I was sure to love. She even got the family dog in on it, classic!!!

So it's without further adieu that I give you The Poling Kiddos in; The Little Rascals Session!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-10-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

My little pumpkins! Becoming a family of 4 is the BEST decision we've ever made!!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Saldua Family

2010-10-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

I love this family, and was so excited when Janelle asked me if I'd be interested in doing a session in their new home vs. at a park or the beach. After all, they have the perfect house for creating beautiful images, with all of this gorgeous natural light pouring in. And of course it doesn't hurt that they themselves are gorgeous as well :)

Congrats again you guys on your hew home, and I can't begin to tell you how glad I am that you are back in San Diego where you belong!! Muah!!!!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Gonzalez Family

2010-10-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

Katie is a fellow photographer and also a good friend. This is the first time I've photographed her gorgeous family and to say I was nervous is an understatement! After my nerves settled I had a great time, and her family is simply a pleasure to photograph. Her boys really love the camera and they are both beyond photogenic (oh the dimples, how I love them!).

Enjoy,
Tessa

Barbera Family

2010-10-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

How HOT is this family?!!!! They are such a fun, funny, sarcastic group and remind me a LOT of my own family. Mike is an old co-worker of mine and I instantly fell in love with his wife Angie the first time we met. I've had the pleasure of photographing their kids a few times but this was the first time I them had both in front of my lens. I certainly hope they enjoyed the experience as much as I did :)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Lily is ONE {The Beld Family}

2010-10-12T19:18:00.000-07:00

We all say it over and over again... just how quickly time goes, and there's nothing like a birthday to remind us of that. It seems like yesterday that I took Lily's newborn photos, and now she is 1. I can vividly remember how & when her Momma told me that she was pregnant, and then I was so excited to find out that we were both having girls; I knew they'd be life long buddies! This little cutie is simply a pleasure to be around and is one of the happiest kids I've ever met.

Happy 1st Birthday Ms. Lily!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Epperson Family

2010-10-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

I met up with this super fun family at Presidio Park a few weeks ago (yes, I am very far behind on blogging. Bad Tessa!). I got so many fabulous shots during their mini session, and was having so much fun that it seemed more like 5 minutes instead of 30.

Enjoy,
Tessa

R Family

2010-10-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

I met the R family two weekends ago on a beautiful Sunday evening. I knew the beach would likely be a bit more crowded than usual due to the incredible weather we had been having, but was shocked to see just how many people were actually there. It could have easily been Labor Day or Memorial Day, and parking alone took me 15 minutes.

Since this family is a bit internet shy, Momma R asked me not to post any photos that would give away their identity, but that's okay because I got some simply beautiful photos I could share with all of you as the sunny beach weather made for some amazing shadow and silhouette images! These are always some of my favorites to take at the beach, and even though it was jammed packed with people, you would never know it from the angles I used and the shots I got.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Baby Luciana

2010-10-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

This gorgeous little girl was the perfect model. She slept for most of her session, and when she was awake, she was as happy as could be!!! I had a blast photographing her big brothers while she ate, and it's obvious that she is a very lucky girl to be born into a family with so much love to give.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-10-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

her future's so bright...

Enjoy,
Tessa

Berry Family

2010-10-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

I hadn't photographed this family in almost two years and it was so cool to see how much the girls had grown! I was so happy to see that they still loved the camera, and we had a blast during their session.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Zeis & Rodenbo Kiddos {Backyard Minis}

2010-09-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

I have been taking more and more photos of my girls in our backyard since we got the landscaping done this Summer. The light is just lovely in the late afternoons and this got me thinking... Hmmmm, I could totally host mini sessions in my own backyard. All of my props are already here, and I could just let my clients pick out which ones they'd like to use.

Trista & Shauna were kind enough to volunteer to by my first "backyard" clients, for a quick and easy 10 minute mini (try saying that quickly 10 times in a row ;). We had so much fun playing in my backyard that we were done before you knew it.

I think I'm going to add an evening of backyard minis to my fully booked Holiday schedule, so if you're interested, stay tuned to the blog.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-09-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

I took this photo in August while we were on vacation in Montreal visiting family. Everyone always tells me how "European" my girls look. Now you know where they get it from... my handsome hubby!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Rose Family

2010-09-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

I look forward to photographing this family every year... not only are they one good looking group, but they're always tons of fun too. It seems like yesterday that Sarah couldn't even sit up on her own and now look at her! She definitely can keep up with her brothers now and heck, she could probably run circles around them. All the while looking as cute as can be :)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Perkin Family

2010-09-23T10:07:00.001-07:00

I'm always a bit nervous before photographing a family I've never met before because I'm not familiar with their family dynamics or how they interact together etc, but was instantly at ease when I met the Perkins last Saturday in Poway. Mom & Dad were SO nice, and their daughter looked like a little doll baby who had the most adorable expressions, as you'll see in the images below.

While their session was only a 30 minute mini, I got SO many fantastic shots that it really was hard for me to narrow down which ones I wanted to keep, and also blog.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Baby Joshua {The Sofa Session}

2010-09-22T12:42:00.001-07:00

The last time I photographed this little guy he was only a few days old and look at him now! Seven months of adorableness and some gorgeous blue eyes. He is still just as mellow and happy as he was at 9 days old, and was so much fun to photograph.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Martinez Family {The Sofa Session}

2010-09-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

This family likes to laugh, a lot, and that's just one of the reasons I look forward to their sessions. They're not bad on the eyes either ;)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-09-20T15:54:00.000-07:00

Whenever Mommy buys a new toy for sessions, one of the girls always gets to be my guinea pig. Luckily Genevieve loves the camera as much as I do :)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Herrera Family {The Sofa Session}

2010-09-19T22:31:00.000-07:00

I kicked off my Holiday Sofa Session minis on Saturday with the Herrera family! This is the second time I've photographed this lovely family in 2010, and they were just as fun the second time. I also brought along two of the new chairs I snagged at my favorite shabby chic store, and they were perfect for the twins. Love these chairs, love the twins :)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Gugins Family

2010-09-16T10:52:00.000-07:00

I chased this adorable little guy around Windansea Beach for a 1/2 hour last Saturday. He was celebrating his 3rd birthday and made me want to be 3 again. The shear joy on his face running down the beach, without a care in the world while Mommy & Daddy cheered him on warmed my heart.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Parkes Family

2010-09-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

I kicked off Holiday photo season with two sunset mini sessions at Windansea Beach on Saturday. It felt so great to get back to the beach & this photogenic family was a lot of fun and the perfect way to kick things off!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-09-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you take two 10 month old cutie patooties, 1 surfboard, and two pairs of RuffleButts to one of San Diego's prettiest beaches?? Some absolutely adorable images!!

My girlfriend Chantal & I started planning this shoot back in July and were thrilled when it all came together last Friday. Genevieve & Coraline were perfect little models and I think they had as much fun as we did :)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Bramley Family

2010-09-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

I recently went to lunch in Old Town, and as we were leaving the restaurant I said, "why haven't I done a session down here before?!". Enter the Bramleys, who were kind enough to volunteer to be my guinea pigs for their mini session. We only shot in two locations due to time, and there are still SO many fabulous backdrops to explore that I have to do another session there soon.

Little Ms. Sophie was celebrating turning 6 months old, and boy did she work the camera!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Almost completely booked for the rest of 2010!

2010-09-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe that I only have a handful of dates left available for the rest of the year! Below are the dates/session times that I still have openings left. If you are interested in booking a session, please contact me ASAP at tessa@grinandshareitphoto.com

There are still 2 spots left for my 20-minute Sofa Session minis this Saturday, September 18th. 9:00am
10:00am - BOOKED

There are only 2 spots still left for my 20-minute Sofa Session minis on October 17th.
9:20am
9:40am - BOOKED

I am open for morning or evening beach or park sessions on the following dates in November.
Saturday, November 20th - BOOKED

~Tessa

October Mini Sofa Sessions

2010-09-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

Sessions will be secured on a first come - first served basis.
If you're interested in booking a session please send an email to: mailto:totessa@grinandshareitphoto.com

WHAT: Holiday Sofa Sessions

WHEN: Sunday, October 17th

WHERE: Presidio Park

TIMES:
9:00am - BOOKED
9:20am - BOOKED
9:40am
10:00am - BOOKED
10:20am
10:40am - BOOKED

COST: $140.00 plus tax. Includes a 21 day private online gallery & a CD with approximately 20 color & black and white high-resolution images w/ release.

These 20 minute minis are perfect for photos of couples, just the kids, or small families (up to 4 people) who are interested in grabbing a few fabulous photos for their Holiday cards and gifts.

Calendar Update

2010-09-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

September is now completely booked for 1-hour sessions and October is filling up quickly. I will be doing sessions until the 20th of November and then taking the rest of the year off (except for Maternity, Newborn & Birthday sessions) to enjoy the holidays with my family.

I will be offering one more day of Sofa Sessions minis in October, as well as one morning of mini sessions at the beach in October (I will release those dates in the next two weeks).

The post below regarding my mini sessions on the 18th and 19th has been updated!

~Tessa

September Holiday Mini Session Dates

2010-08-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

Sessions will be secured on a first come - first served basis.
If you're interested in booking a session, please send an email to: tessa@grinandshareitphoto.com

WHAT: Holiday SOFA SESSIONS!!!!!!

WHEN: Saturday, September 18th

WHERE: Presidio Park

TIMES:
9:00am
9:20am BOOKED
9:40am BOOKED
10:00am

These 20 minute mini-sessions are perfect for photos of couples, just the kids, or small families (up to 4 people) who are interested in grabbing just a few photos for Holiday cards/gifts.

COST: $140.00 plus tax. Includes 21 day private online gallery, a CD with all of your high-resolution images w/ release, and approximately 20 color & black and white images.

____________________________________

WHEN: Sunday, September 19th

WHERE: Old Poway Park, Poway

TIMES:
8:30am
9:00am BOOKED
9:30am BOOKED
10:00am BOOKED

These 30 minute mini-sessions are perfect for families of up to 5 people. Thirty minutes gives us plenty of time for group/family shots, as well as photos of the kids alone and with each parent.

COST: $160.00 plus tax. Includes 21 day private online gallery, a CD with all of your high-resolution images w/ release, and approximately 30 color & black and white photos.

October Dates will be announced soon!

8.20.10 Playgroup Picture Party

2010-08-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

I met up with Nicole and her playgroup at Old Poway Park a few weeks ago. While I have photographed Nicole and her family quite a few times, this is the first time I met her playgroup. Such an adorable, camera loving, group of kiddos!!

After I was done taking photos of all of the kids, I grabbed a couple shots of the older girls in their playgroup together, and just LOVE the photo above. I'm not sure why, but I can just imagine these little girls in their cheerleader uniforms running around the school together!!! So darn adorable!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-08-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

I took this picture back in January when my BFF Tia & her daughter Hailey were visiting us from Colorado. I miss my BFF, and Isabelle misses her buddy! Given my state of mind, I just had to post this photo...

Enjoy,
Tessa

Holiday Sessions

2010-08-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

I know it's only August, but my September and October calendar have been filling up rather quickly this week! To accommodate everyone, I will once again be offering my mini sessions on selected dates/times in both September and October. The minis will include beach, park and sofa sessions. I will be posting all of the information here and on my Facebook page (I generally update my Facebook page first, so if you want to receive regular updates, please be sure to "Like" Grin & Share It Photography). The mini sessions will once again be first come, first served.

If you are interested in booking a one-hour family session, please contact me ASAP as those dates are filling up quickly and will be limited.

~Tessa

Ildesa Girls

2010-08-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

I met up with these young ladies last week at Presidio Park. Big sister absolutely LOVED the camera and was so animated and ready to go, while her little sister wasn't quite so sure. Having two girls myself around their ages made me feel right at home, so hopefully they enjoyed themselves as much as I did.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-08-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

My (not so) little girl started 1st Grade on August 12th. I am so amazingly proud of her and how well she is doing already! These photos were taken on day 3... Belle loved this outfit and said she "felt like a cheerleader", and asked me to take some photos of her before we left for school. Whenever she asks me to take pics I jump on the chance, because it's not happening as often as it used to and I now have to bribe her 1/2 the time to get any pictures at all :(

Enjoy,
Tessa

And Baby Makes Four {Jana's Maternity Session}

2010-08-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

I was super excited to get back behind the camera on Monday after nearly a month of vacation. Not only was I excited because I was ready to get back to work, but also because I was taking maternity photos of my girlfriend Jana and her family. During the session Jana kept mentioning that she'd be trying to convince Cliff to take family photos for a few years now, and it took her getting pregnant to finally get her wish :) I'm glad she did too because I had an absolute blast during their session and was amazed at how quickly the hour and 1/2 flew by.

Congrats again Jana and I absolutely cannot wait to meet Graison!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-08-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Took this photo of my beautiful Mom and my girls on Sunday at her house. Love the emotion, love the light, love these three more than words...

Enjoy,
Tessa

Vacation Time

2010-07-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

Our bags are packed and we're ready to go! Grin & Share It Photography will be closed until August 8, 2011. I will have very limited access to the internet & telephone while we're in Montreal, so all emails and phone calls will be returned the week of the 9th.

Have a great week everyone!

~Tessa

Black White and Baby

2010-07-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

I recently received some headbands, bows, hats and flowers to photograph from Black White and Baby, a Mommy owned business in Northern California, and was thrilled with the product! Her headbands are super stretchy & comfy, and fit Genevieve like a dream. All of her bows & flowers are interchangeable with the headbands and hats, and are super easy to take on, off, and change around. My favorite piece was the "Ladybug Hairclip", and I have received numerous compliments whenever G is wearing it. As you can tell from the photos, Genevieve does not have a lot of hair and it's super fine, but this clip goes on and stays on! Also, all of her bows and flowers have a bit of velcro attached to make them hold onto those fine hairs.

As a little treat to all of my blog readers, Black White & Baby is offering a free black bow clip with every purchase when you mention Grin & Share It Photography (in the comment box on the order form), and as always, shipping is FREE!! This offer is good through August 10th. Her prices are super competitive and the product is top notch.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-07-26T16:58:00.001-07:00

I've been just horrible about these "Mine on Monday" posts, and have been meaning to post this one for weeks now, oops. I recently took my girls out for a photo session with Mommy so that I could make a canvas collage for our livingroom. Being a photographer you'd think there would be tons of photos framed around our house, but the truth is, while I'm great at taking the pictures, I'm horrible about printing them :(

First the photos I took of Isabelle... she is my buddy, my helper, my happy girl, my perfectionist, an amazing big sister, and has a HUGE heart! She loves to talk (loudly) and dances like Elaine from Seinfeld. She looks like her Daddy, but is all me personality wise. Words cannot express how proud I am of her and the young lady she is becoming. My only wish is that I could keep her this age forever, while she "likes" me and wants me around.

And Ms. Genevieve...she is my baby girl who's personality is really starting to emerge now. She is just as happy her sister, but unlike Isabelle, isn't afraid of much. I love the way she sucks her two middle fingers and is a fantastic eater who'll try anything. I can't believe she will be turning 1 in three short months and I am cherishing every moment knowing that she is our last.

Marley Family

2010-07-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

Meet the Marleys, who were in town visiting from Castle Rock Colorado last week. Ms. Mary and I go waayyyyy back... we were roommates in 92, I was a bridesmaid in her wedding in 94, and her oldest daughter, Tessa, shares a name with me :) This family is absolutely hilarious and Troy & Mary have raised two incredible young ladies.

I was so honored to take their family photos while they were here, and really wanted to capture the warmth and fun of their brood. I think I succeeded!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Kim/Moser Family

2010-07-11T20:33:00.001-07:00

As soon as I saw Noel & her family I knew this was going to be a great photo shoot! The outfits she coordinated were perfect for a summer session at Balboa Park, and her family is so much fun. We met at the park nice and early to beat the crowds, and were rewarded with what seemed like almost the whole place to ourselves (a very rare treat).

Enjoy,
Tessa

6.24.10 Playgroup Picture Party

2010-07-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

I met up with Angie and her newly formed playgroup in Old Poway last week. I had a BLAST photographing these adorable kiddos. I can usually capture quite a few great images in 5 minutes, but man, I had so many of each kid that it was hard to narrow down my faves!!

If your playgroup is interested in booking a picture party, please contact me at, tessa@grinandshareitphoto.com

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-06-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

G is really loving the bath these days and splish splashing in the water. Here are a few photos of my little water lover. She is already almost 8 months old and I can't believe how quickly the days are passing. People weren't joking when they said it goes even faster with the second child...so sad!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

6.17.10 Playgroup Picture Party

2010-06-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

They're ba-ack! Announcing the return of Grin & Share It's Playgroup Picture Parties!! For more information please contact me at, tessa@grinandshareitphoto.com.

I had my first picture party of the season last week with one of my favorite playgroups. It was so great to see how much the kids had grown, and also to meet the newest playgroup additions :) Below are some images from a few of the kiddos I had the pleasure of photographing.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Lynn & Van Groomals

2010-06-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

These two lovebirds are getting married in October and wanted some pre-wedding photos to display at their wedding & reception. I had an absolute BLAST taking them, especially since I don't do weddings and these were unlike anything I normally do. It is tradition in their culture for the bride to wear more than one dress, and this lucky bride gets to wear not two, but three dresses on her big day so I made sure to photograph her in all three!!

Isn't she absolutely gorgeous?!!!! She's going to make one stunning bride!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Sweet Coraline!

2010-06-17T12:20:00.001-07:00

Genvieve's little buddy Coraline came over to model some of her new outfits last weekend. This happy girl is pure joy to photograph and we had a blast during her mini-session!

BTW, I did not touch her eyes... they are naturally that beautiful. She gets them from her Momma. Lucky, lucky girl!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Nolan/Logan Family

2010-06-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love to shoot a family that knows how to have fun, and this family was a blast!! The Nolan & Logan families were visiting from Phoenix, Boston and Ft. Worth for some summer fun, and also to celebrate their parents 42nd Wedding Anniversary. Look at these two lovebirds; as I started taking their pictures Shirley started to cry, which in turn had me crying behind my viewfinder, but I kept snapping away. There is nothing like capturing an intimate moment like the one below...

I just had a client say to me last night at the beach, "you are so lucky to be doing this for a living". My response, "YES I AM!".

Enjoy,
Tessa

McDonald Kiddos

2010-06-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

Two 2.5 year old twin girls + one 3.5 year old brother = a lot of running around for the photographer :) We had such a fun time at the park last Friday and these guys kept me on my toes. I'd like to give a special shout out to bubbles...thank you bubbles!!!

Aren't they absolutely adorable?! I love shooting twins and watching them interact, and I was simply amazed at how incredibly opposite these two were. LOVE!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Thomas Family

2010-06-08T10:27:00.001-07:00

I met up with the fun-loving family last weekend at The Grand Del Mar. It was crazy how much we had in common (from where our extended family lived in Florida to where we graduated from High School in Colorado) and they were a blast to hang out with! I'm a lucky girl to have such incredible clients!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Butler Family

2010-05-31T19:01:00.000-07:00

Taking photos of this Utah family is always a treat for me! I met Carrie 3 short years ago at photography workshop that would forever change my life. We instantly connected and have been great friends ever since! Her girls are SO darn sweet, and as you can see, adorable to boot! This woman is a fantastic photographer and an even better friend!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Baby Samantha

2010-05-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to finally meet this little pink bundle of joy since I've been waiting 8 long months to do so. She is absolutely perfect and looks a lot like her Daddy to me!

Little Ms. Sam definitely didn't want to miss a minute of what was going on during her session, but was SO good and was a happy baby the entire time. I think we finally got her to sleep for about 10 minutes, just long enough for me to put a few hats on her and grab a few sleepy photos.

Alanna & Mike, congrats again on your beautiful baby girl. Her little buddy Genevieve can't wait to meet her!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Cousins {Barr Sisters}

2010-05-25T14:36:00.001-07:00

Melissa contacted me about doing a session with her and her sister and their kiddos. Some of the photos would be a surprise gift for their Mom, and they also wanted photos of each of them and their children. Wow, what a good lookin' group of cousins, and I can only imagine the smile these pictures will put on Grandma's face!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Baby Lucian

2010-05-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

Remember this stunning couple from their Pacific Beach maternity session?? Well, baby Lucian made his debut on Cinco de Mayo and is just as adorable as I knew he would be. I have to be honest and say that I've been imagining the photos of him in his Daddy's arms since the moment I saw David's gorgeous tattoo, and the images certainly didn't disappoint!

Thank you both for another super fun session and I look forward to watching your little guy grow!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Baby Alana

2010-05-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

This precious girl was a perfect angel during the entire session, and slept almost the whole time I was there. She let me position her here and there, put hats on her head, and never once complained. I am always super nervous before newborn sessions and she quickly put me right at ease!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Faith is ONE!!

2010-05-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

Seeing this beauty last week reminded me of just how quickly a year truly goes, and just how big my own baby girl will be in less than 6 short months. She was SO much fun to take pictures of as always, and is all girl!!

Cindy, thank you so much for letting me document your baby girl's first year of life, and I look forward to years of fun sessions to come!'

Enjoy,
Tessa

For Cindy...

2010-05-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

I just got done editing this image from Faith's one year session and had to share it right away. Isn't she a precious cherub?!!!!!!! Lots more from this session to come ;)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Kalina & Cody's Senior Portraits

2010-05-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

These two high school sweethearts wanted to do their portrait session together before they go off to separate colleges in the fall. Ms. Kalina's Momma is a good friend of mine, so I happily agreed to meet them at the beach for some photo taking fun. I love senior sessions, and doing two at the same time plus couple photos was definitely a fun twist!

I hadn't seen Kalina in quite a few years, so seeing her all grown up was quite a shock for me at first. We used to tell Mir all the time when Kalina was little, "I feel for you when she grows up and all the boys are knocking on her door". She is just as gorgeous as we knew she would be, and even more so on the inside than out! The best part, the boy knocking on her door is a wonderful young man who treats her well.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Gillett Family

2010-05-07T15:01:00.001-07:00

Just another gorgeous morning in San Diego spent with another beautiful family! This little guy is only a few days younger than Genevieve and I so enjoyed taking his picture. Six months is such a wonderful age to photograph, especially when 6 month olds are as happy as this little dude!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Tran Family

2010-05-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

This was my second time meeting up with the Tran family during one of their San Diego visits from the desert. Unfortunately little Timothy discovered that sand in your mouth is not such a good thing, so our time on the beach was short lived. Nothing a little chocolate shake couldn't help though, and he was soon running around the boardwalk having fun once again!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-04-26T21:15:00.000-07:00

This Mine on Monday post is brought to you by the Jumperoo :)

Enjoy,
Tessa

Frasor Family

2010-04-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

CUTIE PIE alert!! Seriously, I feel like a proud Momma talking about her kids when I say that my clients' kids are the most adorable, and this little guy was no exception! And how did he know that Star Wars is my favorite movie of all time? I about fell over when he picked up a stick and started making lightsaber sounds while fighting off the evil bubbles. So stinkin' cute!!!!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Zoeher Family

2010-04-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to photograph these blue eyed beauties for quite awhile now, and was so happy when Alice finally booked a session for her family. Aren't her daughter's eyes amazing?! They remind me of the Caribbean, and I was having flashbacks of Belize and fruity drinks while taking her picture ;)

Alice, I hope you love your sneak peeks and I can't wait to show you the rest of the photos from your session!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mommy & Me Sessions {Christine)

2010-04-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

Meet Anna...a spunky, adorable, little ball of blonde energy who I had the pleasure of having in front of my camera last week. Her Mom sent me an email the day after their session and gave me the BEST compliment ever; "Thanks for such a great photo session. Anna liked you so much she renamed all her stuffed animals Tessa!" And if I didn't already love my job enough, that just made me love it even more!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-04-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

This week's "M"ine on "M"onday post also includes another "m".... ME!

It's very very rare that I actually get to be in front of the camera, so when I saw that local photog Carey Schumacher was offering Mother's Day Minis, I snagged one fast. I am SO happy to finally have some photos of me with my two favorite girls, and being on the other side of the camera reminded me of just how much my clients go through to get ready for their own sessions. Finding outfits, coordinating naps with the session time, doing not only your own hair, but your kiddos too, etc. etc. Whew, all of that work is exhausting! I definitely always want my clients to leave their session with a smile on their face feeling like all of that work was worth it - so that whenever they look at their photos they'll not only love what they see, but will also be reminded of what a fun time we had together!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mommy & Me Sessions {Fabi}

2010-04-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

I love taking pictures of Moms and their daughters. Maybe it's because I have two myself? And it's even more fun when there are 3 generations of ladies... this reminds me of taking pictures with my Mom, Grandma and Isabelle a few years ago and how proud my Grandma was to be in them.

Enjoy,
Tessa

The PERFECT Mother's Day Gift!

2010-04-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

Imagine your Grin & Share It photos preserved inside a beautiful piece of sterling silver jewelry!

And right now, just in time for Mother's Day, I'm offering 15% off the retail price of any piece of jewelry when you use your Grin & Share It images. But be sure to contact me right away as Planetjill is only able to guarantee deliveries in time for Mother's Day on orders placed before April 29th.

Enjoy,
Tessa

And Baby Makes Three {Christina's Maternity Session}

2010-04-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

As soon as I met Christina & David I knew this was going to be a fun session! Poor Christina was a great sport because it got downright COLD at the beach that night, and yet you would never know it by looking at their photos.

I absolutely can't wait to meet their little one next month, and to grab more photos of this gorgeous couple.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Dominic & Sivan

2010-04-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

I met up with these two beautiful siblings for a morning at Presidio Park a few weeks ago. Their Momma brought all sorts of cool props, headbands and outfits. There were so many gorgeous photos it was hard for me to choose just a few for the sneak peek!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Cousins {Trinity, Lexan & Thiago's Mini Session}

2010-04-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you bring a 6 year old, a 4 month old and a 2 month old to Presidio Park?? A whole LOT of fun!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Hoppy Easter!

2010-04-03T13:13:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter everyone from our family to yours!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Lauren's Senior Portraits

2010-03-31T22:05:00.000-07:00

I have known Lauren since she was 7 years old. It seems like yesterday that she was half my height and now she's taller than I am (oh and how I wish I could have her legs...yes, I am jealous!). This beautiful young lady is SO much fun and quite the athlete. I'm sure her parents are proud of the person she has become, and knowing how wonderful they both are, I'm not at all surprised she turned out as amazing as she did.

I hope you like your sneak peek photos Lauren, you are absolutely GORGEOUS!!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-03-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today was day one of spring break, so we hit the beach since the weather is supposed to be cold and wet the rest of the week here in San Diego. We put up Trista's canopy and had a great little shaddy spot for us and Ms. Genevieve. It was G's first trip to the beach and she loved it!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Cronin Family

2010-03-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

Meet Ms. Gracie, she had some of the cutest outfits for her session and was so darn sweet. She was also quick, so I had to be on my toes since she didn't want to sit or stand still for more than 3 seconds at a time! And who could blame her?? Being 1 is fun, especially with a big ol' park to run around in!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mommy & Me Sessions {PB Pier}

2010-03-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

As promised, below is the information on date number 2 of my Mommy & Me Mini-Sessions!

This will be the ONLY beach Mommy & Me Session I'll be offering, so if you're interested in a beach setting, email me at tessa@grinandshareitphoto.com today!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mommy & Me Sessions {Presidio Park}

2010-03-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to announce the 1st date of my Mommy & Me Mini-Sessions! As with all of my minis, these sessions will be booked on a 1st come 1st served basis, so be sure to email me at tessa@grinandshareitphoto.com to book your session today!!

If this date doesn't work for you don't worry, I WILL be announcing 2 other Mommy & Me dates over the weekend, one of which will be a beach location at The PB Pier.

Enjoy,
Tessa

Aiden is One {Davis Family}

2010-03-11T15:13:00.001-08:00

I met up with the Davis family last week at Balboa Park to celebrate Aiden's 1st birthday and to grab some family photos. Aiden was sooooo good, and a natural in front of the camera. He even took a few steps for us while we were there.

I did learn something new during this session...the squirrels at Balboa Park are not only quite chunky, but they're also not at all afraid of humans. At one point I thought one of the squirrels was going to walk up and take cake right out of Aiden's mouth! Luckily they waited till we were done and then pounced on the crumbs left on the ground. No wonder they're so chunky!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday {Oops, Tuesday}

2010-03-09T20:43:00.000-08:00

So I'm a day late and a dollar short this week, but I've been fighting a bit of a tummy virus so please forgive me ;)

Today's photos are from G's 4 month session she had with Mommy this morning. Seriously, how is my baby 4 months already?? I've been wanting to take some pics of her without a top on to capture all of her adorable rolls. Seriously, she has rolls on her rolls and I love ALL of them!

I've also been wanting to take some pictures of her in the hat that my talented girlfriend Danielle, of EJ & Ellabird, made for her a few months ago (it's the black knitted hat with the red flower). Dani's hats are not only super affordable, they're so darn cute and CUSTOM! They, along with her custom lovies and matching binkie holders, make excellent newborn gifts!!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Freyja is Five!

2010-03-04T18:09:00.000-08:00

I had a quick mini-session with this big girl a few weeks ago after another session. I brought 5 bright red balloons to help Freyja celebrate her big day, and she had a great time dancing up on the stage at the Organ Pavilion. The sky was AMAZING that morning with the rain clouds coming and going. What a fun morning at Balboa Park!!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Mine on Monday

2010-03-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

Isabelle recently attended her girlfriend Lauren's "Pink Poodle in Paris" birthday party. I asked her to pose for a quick photo before we headed off to the party and this is what she gave me...

and then this...

The teenage years should be interesting!

Enjoy,
Tessa

Ethan is One!!!!

2010-02-28T19:59:00.001-08:00

I have been photographing this little guy since he was in his Mommy's belly, and now he is one. We were supposed to do a session at Windansea Beach, but the weather wasn't cooperating so we moved it to Balboa Park. While there was some rain on and off, the light was beautiful and we had a fun time walking around the park. Mr. E recently took his first steps so we tried to capture it on film, but he was feeling a bit shy and wasn't quite up to going for it on concrete just yet (can't say as I blame him).

Enjoy,
Tessa