It is not often I get to say the word “exclusive”.  I guess I could randomly throw it out there to make myself feel better throughout the day.  ”This bathroom cleaning is exclusively yours Ginette!” or “Ginette, you have the exclusive rights to feeding your child lunch today!”

But this really IS exclusive!

(And nothing short of awesome)

This year I had the pleasure of working with the Graphic Designer Lydia from Lydia’s Pen and Paper to come up with 6 Holiday card designs that will be available only to Sundin Photography Clients!

Yes.  It is true. Exclusive.

Lydia is amazing to work with, INCREDIBLY talented, and the best part is that the cards are CUUUTE!  She has a ton of little “extras” that make her cards special, unique, and STUNNING, especially when you are holding them in your hand. They are beautiful.  They are cards you are going to be so excited to send out this holiday! I can’t WAIT to share all the designs and details with you of how awesome these are, but for now here is a sneak peak of two of my favorite designs:

More details and the FULL UNVEILING coming October 14th!!

Go away.

I think that is how I said it. Not everyone gets the luxury of this kind of treatment during a photo shoot, but friends do.  I mean, for the sake of getting the shot of course!  Sometimes I  tell parents to just go away and let me hang out with their little one.  To get the shot (not just because I adore your child and want to play), I swear. So if we are friends, chances are I will just tell you to go away.

Something about Danny and Maria makes them feel more like friends to me than clients.  Maybe it is because we share the lack of fondness for getting our picture taken (Yes, this is true, I HATE getting my picture taken but want you to love it.  Double standard, I know), or that I too adore their little Devon, or just that they are the most down to earth and easy to talk people you will ever meet.  Whatever it is, they feel like friends to me. I had the pleasure of ending their photo shoot with eating breakfast with them and it was the SO FUN.  We laughed a lot and I found out Danny’s secret hate of getting his picture taken.  But it was cool, cause I hate getting mine taken too.  And to be honest with you, he fakes liking it waaaay better than I do.

This photo shoot had Devon’s baby dolls, Maria’s baby bump belly, and brunch.  What is not to like?  Three awesome B’s make another awesome photo shoot!

After a little tea party in the park, we headed down Avenida Del Mar in the adorable downtown San Clemente to capture a little bit of the urban setting.  San Clemente is SUCH a cute town with so much character so I was thrilled when Maria said that she wanted part of the photo shoot to be there!

(and that my friends is where Devon began melting my heart with all her charm as well!  Come see this little cutie pie!)



When Devon got a little bored with my “photographer tricks” she wandered off and I was able to quickly snap this one!  Totally candid, and I love it:

Devon is  just SOOOO cute and my shutter just couldn’t stop taking pictures of her…so this is when I told mom and dad to go away so I could have her all to myself.

I had a COMPLETE BLAST playing with this little sweetie pie (and some  fairy wings)! I LOVE this next series!!

Here are a couple shots I snagged after the photo shoot was over, both were “just one more shot” and I just love them!

Maria, Danny, Devon, thank you again SO much! Such fun. And congratulations on your new growing addition to the family, I am SOOO excited and can’t wait to meet your new little peanut!!

When I first walked over to the car door to greet Nana, she looked tired from a long day. “Did you have a fun day?” I asked. She proceeded to tell me about all the things they had already done since her flight to San Diego.

Then, without warning, she perked up, every ounce of “tired” disappeared from her face, and she beamed as she said the words that not only rang in my ears, but rang in my heart.

“I just love to be with my family.”

There was a pause. A reflection.  Then the conversation took a quick turn to other things, “Did you know I just turned 88?” “No!” I replied, “That sounds like a fun year! Double 8′s!” “Yes! I didn’t think of it that way, I like it!” Then we quipped about how 8′s were great and that made her pretty great. Unsurprisingly not even five minutes went by when the conversation turned back toward her children and her grandchildren and her great grandchildren. “I just love being with my family” she reflected again as her eyes twinkled with an outpouring of love.

I think Nana knows something I still have yet to truly appreciate.

As the “busy” of life whirlwinds around us, as we sweep our children off to dance and swim and music, as we obsess about offering every opportunity that we never had, as we strive to work extra hours so we can afford that trip to Disneyland…..sometimes we have to stop and reflect, does it all matter? Or is life really just about loving those around us, and spending time with those who we love.

I think Nana knows.

This is biggest group of people I have ever done a photo shoot with, all 23 of them! Coming from a family of seven children myself (we also reflect the wonderful number 23 when we all get together!), the chaos didn’t scare me as much as it just made me feel at home. And this family was nothing short of FANTASTIC!

We also got a chance to break into smaller groups and capture the smaller family units. I was a little nervous about trying to capture so many different families (okay, a lot nervous…). I was so excited that we were able to have some fun and capture some genuine laughs. These are some of my favorites….

The cousins with Nana

Four Generations of Women

The joy of being grandparents

Some of the kids. The “posed candid” shots are always my very favorite!

A little maternity shoot on the side was a ton of fun too! Love the belly! Love the doors! Love the hugs! Love these!

To me, there is nothing like being able to step away from the kids for a bit and just be together.  Some fun moments to capture.

Thanks so much to you all for making Sundin Photography part of your reunion! I can’t think of a bigger honor then to capture so many generations, and so much love!

I am totally sure that every little girl at one point in her life modeled in front of her mirror.  Flipped her hair around.  Pretended to walk the runway.  Kristi told me she never did it.  Once you see her pictures though, you won’t believe her, just like I didn’t.  Although I will admit, maybe there is some truth in her statement, because I totally DID model in front of the mirror as a little girl, and practiced my runway walk down our long hall, and I am a complete goof in front of the camera. In that case, the lesson here is , you may actually be a better model if you have never practiced.

I don’t know what wrong with me the day of her shoot, but I was like, CRAZY tired.  I mean, like I just wanted to close my eyes and fall asleep right on my camera.  No joke.  On my camera. BUT THEN Kristi got in front of my camera and we snapped some shots.  She was a natural in front of the lens!! (you know, cause she didn’t practice modeling as a little girl, like the rest of us did) ..and THAT was when I suddenly forgot how tired I was.   My heart started racing, my blood was pumping, my eyes opened up, and I was SO EXCITED.  If you asked Kristi she would probably verify the story.  I went from strangely sluggish and sleepy-eyed into a giddy school girl, squealing with delight.  Cause that is just how I get when I know we are going to have fun and get some great shots!

A beautiful girl with a gorgeous maternity glow, who is a natural in front of the camera, in a stunning downtown setting, that is the recipe for AWESOMENESS.

Then Mike met up with us and the recipe went to WAY AWESOMENESS.  Two naturals. Two of the most laid back, coolest, and fun people ever.  And to top it all off, Kristi is pregnant with TWINS.  Doesn’t that just add to their total awesomeness?  It does.  I know.

This little spot is a hidden pot of gold right in the middle of downtown. I was dying to shoot here, and I LOVE LOVE the images we got! Totally my style…fresh…clean…kinda Crate and Barrel -ish, no? I want to get pregnant if only to do my own maternity photography session here!  The one above and the next 3 are all in the same little spot!

Like this one. LOVE. I am in LOVE with this image. If I could, I would marry it.

Isn’t this brick wall the coolest looking ? I have driven by it at all times of day, wishing and dreaming the light would hit it right, with no luck. On Kristi’s photo shoot day, the day was overcast…and I said…BRICK WALL here we come! Overcast skies is a like a photographer’s candy.

And lots of color? Yes please.

Told you she is a natural. Just look at this girl.  Stunning. WORK IT GIRL.

(and yes she is laying on the street downtown…but that is just one of the many reasons that Kristi became my hero that Saturday)

We passed this patio and I loved the way it looked so I asked Kristi to jump in for a shot. I totally love this, the urban nature of it, and the way she looks like she is on a movie set or something. Then I realized we were totally on the patio of a BAR and she is PREGNANT. Whoops. But still, I love this picture…..

Next we headed to Seaport Village and met up with Kristi’s husband Mike.

Who knew that Seaport Village had these awesome trees? These roots rocked my world.

This is right after we got kicked out of Seaport Village since apparently there is no “professional photography allowed” there (who knew?).  That is when Kristi became my hero…but that is a whole other story.  The ending….we kept on shooting…and got some of my favorite maternity images of ALL TIME.  I mean, who says that lollipops have to only be for toddlers?  That is right, I brought a lollipop to a maternity shoot…cause I thought it just might be this awesome.



And here it is…ending with my very favorite maternity image of all time. A vision that came life just the way I hoped.

Another BIG canvas to put up in my office one day. *LOVE*

Thanks to you both for a ton of fun and being stunning models that I had the pleasure of capturing! I am SO excited for you and the journey and blessing you have ahead!

I can say with all honesty, and no exaggeration, that I have had the pleasure of photographing some pretty AWESOME moms!  To all my clients who are moms (and all the moms out there) THANK YOU for what you do everyday for your children.  Thank you for loving and sacrificing and giving so much on a daily basis.

Happy Mother’s Day!

In celebration, here are just a few of some of my favorite captures of motherhood:

Happy Mother’s Day …and wishing you many more smiles, hugs, kisses, laughter, love and joy…