I'm so glad you found me! I'm a San Francisco photographer, and this blog charts my journey in the ever-evolving world of photography. One of the things I love about photography is that it's a journey, not a destination. I'm constantly learning and meeting wonderful people. Please peruse the blog to your heart's content, then check out my website and feel free to contact me! (I love hearing from you.)

“Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow." – Imogen Cunningham

“A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.” – Edward Steichen

Peach Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles


I'm on Pinterest. I don't know that I've ever mentioned that before here, not of course that I really needed to. If you're interested in looking at my boards or following me (mostly I just pin photos I love to remind me of moods or poses I want to replicate, or recipes I want to try) you can find me here. However, if you'd been following me recently you'd notice a theme: I've been pinning popsicles like crazy for the past few weeks.

It's a bit of an obsession, actually, and it even led me to purchase a popsicle mold (this one, if you're interested, not that it's necessarily the best one, but it does the job). First I tried making popsicles that were just like the smoothies I drink in the mornings, sans kale because let's not be crazy! But I found that fruit with plain yogurt and some ground flax seeds makes for a very 'healthy' tasting popsicle, and not necessarily for a delicious one. Then I tried just using raw fruit and I made some strawberry grapefruit popsicles inspired by these poptails (but without the vodka, because I like to have a popsicle whenever I want one, and I don't have the same policy when it comes to alcohol). Anyway, those were good, and seemed healthy enough, but they didn't blow my mind.

I decided that the popsicles needed to be sweeter/more flavorful, but I didn't want to add any sugar or honey unless that was absolutely necessary. So I decided to try cooking the fruit first to concentrate the flavor and maybe caramelize some of the naturally occurring sugar, and that gave me these babies, which are by far my favorite popsicles yet. And since we had it in the fridge, added some honey lemon greek yogurt that Evan bought by accident thinking it was plain.


Recipe:
 - 3 to 4 ripe peaches
 - 12 medium strawberries
 - 1/2 cup of yogurt, whichever flavor you prefer. If using plain, stir in some honey or maple syrup to sweeten it a bit.

Cut up the fruit into medium-sized chunks (size doesn't really matter here, no matter what those Norwegians say). Heat the fruit in a small saucepan with a bit of water to avoid scorching the bottom over low-medium heat until the fruit softens and becomes syrupy. Blend or puree or smash with a fork for a chunkier popsicle. Pour into popsicle molds until they are a little less than halfway full. Spoon a little yogurt into each mold, then top off with the fruit mixture. Freeze for at least four hours. If using molds that require wooden sticks like these, put the sticks in the popsicles after about an hour and a half. Once the popsicles are frozen, remove them from the molds by dunking into hot water for about 15 seconds each. Freeze whatever you don't eat in a large ziploc bag in the freezer.

Enjoy! And mess around, try out different combinations. Next up I'm looking to make some Vietnamese coffee popsicles, then maybe some chocolate peanut butter banana popsicles (for Evan, who loves chocolate and peanut butter), then maybe some roasted strawberry ones or green tea coconut . . . the possibilities are endless! Plus, check out Popsicle Week at Wit and Vinegar for more exciting popsicle opportunities. Okay, last popsicle link, I promise.

Happy summer! Go enjoy something cold!

Jessica and Mark - Baker Beach Anniversary Photography


Jessica and Mark came to San Francisco to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary, and wanted some photos on the beach to commemorate their time here. They came all the way from Missouri, and they were some of the most fun clients I have ever photographed, also they had their color-coordinated outfits down! (I love green.)


I also love it when clients aren't afraid to get a little sandy, wet, or dirty - it makes for better, more fun photographs! Jessica and Mark were willing to put their toes in the Pacific for the sake of photographs, yet more proof of their awesomeness if any were needed.



I love Baker Beach. The rocks there are just so great. Even if I did accidentally slip off of one at one point and scratch up a lens hood, it was worth it. (And thank you to the photo gods that that was the extent of the damage!)



See what I mean about the rocks?


And of course we had to get the bridge in a couple more shots.






Aren't they the most stunning couple?







Jessica and Mark, it was so great to meet you, and thank you for so much fun at the beach! Come back in five years and we'll do it again!

*Want to have me shoot an anniversary session for you? Contact me for more details!*

Happy Caturday!


Actually, not just cats today. I have a menagerie for you: some cats, yes, but also a few guinea pigs and bunnies. Enjoy the fluffiness!


This pretty gray dude is Romeo. I kept wanting to quote Shakespeare to him while I was photographing him, but we weren't alone together so I restrained myself.


Guinea pigs! Fun fact: I am totally allergic to guinea pigs. I only recently figured this out. They make me sneeze like crazy, and if I hold them I get hives. Which is all too bad, because they really are cute and sweet.



Two side views, same guinea pig.


Loved this sweet guy! He was a little skittish at first, but he calmed right down when I stroked his head. (And then I washed my hands immediately and sneezed a few times. Worth it.)


And of course bunnies.


Mid-hop!


Doing some grooming.


This dude was found on the streets and he looks a little worse for wear, but he was sweet and very energetic.



And he really enjoyed trying to eat this box.






This is Midge. She just had some kittens and she's missing them a bit. But she's a real purr machine if you give her some love.




And this is Augustus. He's a total sweetheart, and so pretty!



Find more adoptable cats, kittens, dogs, and other small animals at Animal Care and Control San Francisco.

*Want to see more cute and furry critters, or schedule a pet portrait session? Visit my website at www.quotidianphotography.com.*

Film Friday - The Dogs of Summer


A few shots from a weekend in Tahoe a couple of weeks ago with all the family dogs (none of which are ours, we're sticking to cats for now!)




Experimenting with Double Exposures



A couple of double exposures (in Photoshop) from a recent wedding. I have to say, I've never really been enamored of double exposures, but I think that's because I usually see them in color and then it seems like there is way too much going on. In black and white I'm intrigued by the possibilities to tell a wider story than one image can usually tell.

What do you think? Double exposures, yea or nay?

Film Sunday - Ocean Beach


How lucky are we to live right next to the vast Pacific Ocean? Sometimes I forget how lucky we are, and I don't make it out to the beach nearly as often as I'd like, but every time I do I realize yet again how majestic the ocean is, how constant and yet inconstant at the same time.

These were taken a few weeks ago, so it must be time to make my way there again.





*Interested in a film or digital portrait session? Please contact me for details!*
*Want to see more film? Check out all the Film Friday posts!*