real life...beautiful and romantic photography with a twist of glamour

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

tonya joy one on one mentoring…

last saturday I was so lucky to meet up with an up and coming photographer to hold a tonya joy one on one mentoring session. We spent 6 hours together and covered so much good stuff. I really do love sharing what I know with other photographers who are as excited about photography as I am. Such a treat…thank you so much Jacqueline!
She requested a family shoot, so I asked one of my friends, Ashley, if she would volunteer her adorable family for our session. The mentoring session that was booked, was a stylized session, so I had so much fun putting together wardrobe and a few fun props to fit the season. Such a treat for me…I dressed up Ashley and her Family, and sent her to Kitsch by Katrina Kirk for Hair and Makeup and was just so happy how it all came together!!!
Hope you enjoy!!!

um…ashley is so stinking beautiful!!

meet her little man Dillon

he wasnt so sure about waking up from a nap and being in front of the camera…

sweet lil miss Brynn

and her doll of a sister Avery…

such awesome kiddos!!!

they sure love their handsome daddy Rob…

Jacqueline had specifically requested to work on backlighting together…so we headed out to a nearby field in hopes the clouds would open to let a little light in…LOVED this part of the shoot!!!

it was the first project I got to take on after getting over all that horrible morning sickness!!!

Thought a sweet valentine styled shoot was a must with valentines day just around the corner…

a little fun fact about ashley’s skirt…it is actually 2 skirts I found on clearance for 10 bucks at forever 21…they were sooooo short…so I sewed them together to make this adorable tea length skirt! love me a good deal!

you guys are so so so beautiful!

rawr!

thank you so much to Jacqueline, Katrina, and Ashley and Fam for making this day so much fun!!!

scroll down for a sweet little slideshow of more images!!!

xoxo

Tonya

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children, families, orange county photographer, photography, photography mentoring, photography workshop, styled shoot, Uncategorized Tags: riverside county family photographer, tonya joy one on one mentoring session

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Monday, December 19, 2011

Christy and Brett…Married

This last week, Kelsey Claire and I shot a lovely weekday wedding in Newport Beach…

I always walk away from weddings feeling like I get a unique impression of the people who i am blessed to share the day with…

this wedding…without a doubt, left me thinking of how much these people all cherish each other as family…you can see it in the photos…you could feel it during the day…hear it in every toast shared….

what a blessing to Christy and Brett to join together and celebrate the fusion of these two wonderful families!

we started the day at noon at newport beach temple…

i really have never seen a couple more at home with their family and guests…

it was just such a happy event for everyone present…

there certainly was not a shortage of adorable little ones either…christy and brett have some really beautiful nieces and nephews!

some of the lovely details

christine! you are a beautiful bride!!!

such a gorgeous couple and I know they have so much fun together too!

after the wedding, we headed to a hotel where the family enjoyed a beautiful luncheon and shared toasts and stories about the couple.

I snuck the bride and groom away just in time to catch a little bit of the remaining drops of sunlight at the back bay in newport…

I am so glad we did! I love these photos…

and we ended the night off with a gorgeous reception at the back bay bistro…

congrats you two! Thank you so much for having us along to document the day! Everything was beautiful and I am so excited to see where your lives lead you!

enjoy a slideshow below!

xoxo

Tonya

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orange county photographer, photography, weddings Tags: back bay bistro newport beach, newport beach lds temple wedding photographer, orange county wedding photographer

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Thursday, December 8, 2011

the dream…

i love the way that a camera can help me to tell a story…the way I can create images to materialize pieces of my heart…bring a feeling into a tangible and visual thing I can share…
i don’t sing…it is a talent I admire so greatly in others who have been gifted beautiful voices…but if I could, I can imagine that the way I feel when I get to shoot something special and beautiful is probably much like how it must feel to express yourself in song…
this shoot…my heart was singing…
so I share with you…the dream…(or the “dreem” as my sweet scribe ella put it).

once upon a time…there were 3 beautiful little girls…their momma was feeling a tugging on her heart because life seemed to be a little tough at the moment…

so she took her sleeping beauties out for a special shoot to remind them all of how very blessed they all were…to do fun and girly things…

they put on beautiful dresses, painted their eyes with delicate gold makeup, and giggled together…and then they feel into a beautiful dream…

they found themselves in a beautiful wilderness…

they looked around to see the beauty that was everywhere around them…

they danced…

laughed and played in the warm sunlight…

their momma told each and every one of them how beautiful and special they were…

they wondered what was in this beautiful place…

so they explored…

they enjoyed being in such a beautiful place…they sat and warmed in the sun…talked…and played a little….

but then they remembered the secrets they had giggled about the other day…

so momma asked them about their secrets.. what they dream about?

mia must dream about all the fun letters and words she is learning to write in preschool…

ava is catching on to technology…

girl you better marry a stock broker

and ella is dreaming of…what??? BOYS!

oh no…we have to have a talk girl!

so i thought it was only fair to share something I have been dreaming about lately!!!

Heaven help me! We are expecting a baby!!!

I will admit…I have been a bit blue…

I have been so sick, been having such a rough time getting through this hard first trimester…

but I am almost through it and I know that the thing that pulls me through is to focus on the little person who will change all our lives in about 6 months!

how could I not be filled with such joy…

look at these angels that bless my life…

you kids all inspire me to find the magic in everyday…

…we are excited and I know I will be feeling better soon!

We are keeping this one a mystery and will find out whether we are having a girl or a boy join our family on its birthday!

Baby is coming in July!

thanks for letting me share my little dream with you…click on the slideshow to see a few more of our little shoot!!!

happy dreaming!

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children, families, motherhood, Uncategorized Tags: being a mom is the hardest thing I will ever do, being a mother is the best thing I will ever do

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kym vitar - December 8, 2011 - 9:06 pm

first of all, your daughters are absolute gems! they are gorgeous just like their mama!! second, as always, beautiful photos!! and third!! EEEEEEEEEEEEKKK!!!!! I’m so excited for you! congrats my lovely friend! I wish you all the best in the pregnancy!

Chelsie - December 8, 2011 - 9:07 pm

Congratulations! You make beautiful babies and this next one will be no exception This shoot is beyond gorgeous and your girls look so cute!

Stacy Ortiz - December 8, 2011 - 9:09 pm

Congrats on the baby how exciting
I love this post so pretty!!!

Stefanie - December 8, 2011 - 9:11 pm

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I had a feeling that there might be a big announcement in this post! Hope you start feeling better soon
Your girls are absolutely gorgeous! They are so lucky to have such a talented Mama!

Sarah W - December 8, 2011 - 9:30 pm

Gorgeous pictures of your gorgeous girls!
And congratulations! Such wonderful news:)

Kim loudon - December 8, 2011 - 9:33 pm

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I knew the second I started reading this were it was going! SO EXCITED FOR YOU! CONGRATS!!!! Just get through that MISERABLE first trimester!!!!!

Tegyn - December 8, 2011 - 10:24 pm

speechless!! everything about this post takes my breath away!!! Another perfect baby of yours to add to the mix…!! I bet your heart is just about to burst with love! SO so excited for you!!

Tiffany - December 8, 2011 - 10:50 pm

what an amazing post! first congrats on the baby! I especially loved to see what your daughters were dreaming of. So cute!! AND beautiful photos!

Meli - December 8, 2011 - 10:57 pm

Yay! I am so happy for you and your family! I was wondering if your rough patch was morning sickness : ) I hope you feel better soon! I don’t think I could wait until July to find out. You are more patient than I am! Your daughters are absolutely gorgeous-I can’t believe how big they have gotten! I swear I was just holding baby Ava at Becky’s wedding! Adam is as cute as ever too! Feel better! Love you bunches!

Domine - December 8, 2011 - 11:24 pm

BEAUTIFUL pictures, what a gift to the girls when they are older. So sweet. Congrats on baby #5 – so exciting. Hope you feel 100% soon.

Tammy - December 9, 2011 - 2:17 am

There are no words. Just perfect. Love Ella’s tooth! So excited the gender will be a surprise!

Brandie - December 9, 2011 - 6:53 am

Congratualtions Tonya!!!!! You are so blessed. This shoot was absolutely stunning. I just love your styling. What a special time for you and the girls♥

Herlehy - December 9, 2011 - 7:02 am

Congratulations on baby #5…that is so exciting! Beautiful girls!

Maya - December 9, 2011 - 7:03 am

breathtaking, so much beauty and such an exciting announcement made in the most perfect way. hope you feel better soon!

Herlehy - December 9, 2011 - 7:04 am

Congratulations on baby #5…that is so exciting! You have three beautiful girls and I can’t believe how big all three of them are getting.

Trish - December 9, 2011 - 7:57 am

congratulations… what an amazing dream!

Rachel - December 9, 2011 - 8:02 am

Congratulations, Tonya!!! Love to you Guys!

katrina - December 9, 2011 - 10:04 am

oh. my. goodness!! no wonder you’re blue! Pregnancy has got to be one of the worst things on the planet! but how exciting!!! congratulations!!! and, as always, such beautiful pictures!!! xoxoxo love ya! Kat

Heather - December 9, 2011 - 10:22 am

WOW!!!! Tonya, you are an amazing mommy and photographer. What a beautiful way to share your wonderful news. Congrats to you and your family.

Mom - December 9, 2011 - 10:31 am

Very beautiful and creative announcement! Take care…

SINDY - December 9, 2011 - 11:11 am

Congratsss Tonya!!! How exciting!!! Love this shoot, your work is so beautiful as always!

britty - December 9, 2011 - 11:31 am

tears! really, crying over here!!!!! so excited for you guys, maybe this will help me get my Jason on board with 5….we have to be like the Goettsches right?

Tanya J - December 9, 2011 - 1:41 pm

Awww tears! I had heard a rumor and was wondering if that is where this post was leading. So awesome! Congratulations and we would love to have your girls over to play while you take a much needed rest. xoxo!

Alycia Hagen - December 9, 2011 - 6:52 pm

Tonya! How beautiful these girls are!!!!! I LOVE this shoot. You make me want a house full of precious little girls. Congratulations on baby #5… You are an inspiration!

Sara Duckett - December 9, 2011 - 9:30 pm

My goodness you make beautiful babies!!! Congrats on your newest little bundle, I’m sure he or she will be such a looker. Hope these next six months go a bit easier on you. Merry Christmas!

Kelly Wright - December 10, 2011 - 12:48 pm

Yay!! Congrats to you!!

And oh man, these pictures are BEAUTIFUL!!!! Seriously stunning!! And your girls eyes are piercingly stunning!

Letty - December 10, 2011 - 4:33 pm

OMG!! Congrats to you both. How exciting. I wish I could have another child, but I get so scared because I am over the age of 40. I have three boys and I would love to have a girl.

Linda Pearson - December 10, 2011 - 9:37 pm

You have an absolutely gorgeous family! Congrats on #5!!

nic - December 19, 2011 - 7:35 pm

oh my goodness, this is WONDERFUL news! congratulations, sweet tonya! you are the best mama, and i can’t wait to meet your littlest person.

gorgeous shoot–your girls look so much like you.

terina - January 8, 2012 - 8:22 pm

Congrats Tonya and family! the shoot was so beautiful with those sweet little ladies and then your announcement gave me chills! I am so happy for you Hope you feel better very soon <3

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

an afternoon dream…the introduction…

often when I am styling a shoot, I take one or all the girls along with me. They ooh and ahh over the glam that ends up in my shopping bag and they always ask, “momma…when you are done with your shoot, can I have that?” I always tell them they are free to have anything I get after I am done with it. I love purchasing knowing that the goodies I end up with will be fun for all of us to use. I have been meaning to get them all dolled up for weeks and go out and play together…things have been busy, or someone was sick, or the weather was not right…but today…i decided we would make it happen. Even though I was exhausted, ella had a chapped face from fighting a cold, and the girls would most likely surely make me crazy shooting all 3 of them by myself, I seized the opportunity to put a little shoot on. I had picked up some individual false lashes at target and decided I would try them out on my little beauties…ella first, then ava, followed by mia whose lashes did not need a single falsie…so she opted out of them. How they giggled and stared in the mirror after sitting in momma’s make shift makeup chair. Jason came home and Ava ran through the house laughing and telling him she had fake eye lashes on. He all but rolled his eyes with a smile knowing what he had ahead of him with these little beauties!

I decided after dolling them up…that my little girls reminded me again…of the reality of the women that lived with in them that they would all too soon be…

mia reminds me of a sweet little hollywood starlet here…

this pic of ella is exactly what I mean…she is only 7…yet looks so sophisticated and mature here…

oh where do our babes go?
a little behind the scenes of our getting ready fun…

the girls were all ready, but we didn’t dare invite a boy on this outing…so while we waited for his babysitter (and best buddy daddy), we allowed adam into a couple shots

he stayed for about 4 shots and then was outta here…way too much sequin and tulle for one little guy to face alone!!!

“where are we going?” they ask…

I tell them “it is a secret…

we are off to shoot a dream.”

there are just times in life that you have to put the dreamy, most wonderful, beautiful things front and center…to see them…take notice…breath lighter and know the world is a pretty darn amazing place…and today we were gonna do that…

they giggle and start secrets of their own…things that little girls seem best at…

and this is ava’s “no really! this is a SECRET..face”