Andrea Hautala Photography Blog

Come ooooooooooooon down!!!!!! (Was that the Price as Right game show from the 70′s where they used to say that?)

We couldn’t wait.
No patience….
Out of the 70+ name slips in the “hat” (ok, it was actually a CD case holder but whatever works, right?), my daughter picked Brandy’s name (surprise surprise) as the winner of the $20 gift card to Starbucks for blog comments challenge.

Enjoy your mochas, or lattes, or whatever!!

And thanks everyone for participating in my blog comments challenge.

This was fun. I just might do it again soon. Feel free to comment on what you think a good prize would be next time.

Has it been 30 days already?!?!?!? Tomorrow I’ll draw the winner for the blog comments challenge. If I were a betting gal, I’d say Brandy will win as she’s been my most faithful comment maker, and the odds are definitely in her favor! ….but I’ll let DD pick the name out of the hat.

Spent some time over the weekend working on a birthday invitation. Goal was to get some shots of the children jumping in the air. This is actually harder than it looks but the process is alot of fun! The kids had a ball! While these images are technically not perfect, I still think they are “keepers”.

In the middle still editing this senior’s session but thought I’d get a sneek peek blogged.

It’s getting to be that time of year…everyone is looking for that perfect gift to give their loved one. Why not get more bang for your buck and purchase a gift certificate from Andrea Hautala Photography.

When redeemed between January 1 and June 1, 2008, your gift certificate will be worth DOUBLE the face value!

Use it for yourself, have a loved one buy one (or two or three) for you, or give it to someone you know would love a portrait session.

Double Your Dollar Gift Certificates are sold in increments of $50.

No not me silly!

But M. and J. are, and two weeks sooner than they thought….always a nice surprise.

I have been so busy that I have yet to go through the tons of images I shot last month when we were on vacation. But this one stood out in my mind when I was downloading the cards. You see, my parents live far away and we don’t get to see them very often. So I was determined to capture as many images of my parents together with my daughter as I possibly could when they were here for a visit.

This one….this one evokes so many different emotions for me. Sadness because they live so far away and our daughter doesn’t get to have that everyday relationship that I wish for her. And happy because its one of the sweetest moments I’ll ever remember of them together and I was able to capture it to have forever.

With sessions and ordering appointments just about everyday this month, its been c r a z y around here. And as such, I *almost* forgot to post today. Only 5 days left of everyday blogging–I hope to keep it up after the month is up. Its been fun!

I can’t have a post without images, right? I posted these two sister’s younger brother a few days ago (bet you can’t guess who!) but didn’t get a chance to add the girls in.

Just a couple of this sweet 1 month old and his fiesty older brother who was so not into the whole photo shoot thing.

I had the honor recently of photographing this wonderfully delightful family on the shoreline of Discovery Bay. Fighting raindrops the entire day, we were skeptical we’d even get a chance to do the shoot.

It’s that time of year right before the yearbook deadline and the rush of seniors coming in for their senior portraits. I’m loving ‘em! They are fun and actually do what I tell them to, unlike the little ones. LOL! Finally got a chance to get some serious editing done and thought I’d share a few of these beautiful young people.

What to do when you have a two year old that is not into having his “picture” taken and just wants to do his own “thang”?

a) try a little hide and seek

b) and then a little peek a boo around the tree

c) and maybe a little bit of playing in the dirt

and lastly, bring out the puppy for some puppy lovin.

I have to say that there is no way I could have done this alone. Thanks to his mom I think we got some keepers.

I photographed this one year old as a newborn and now he just turned one years old. How can it be?!?! He is such a happy little guy and has the sweetest disposition. Its no wonder because his parents are such awesome people! Its easy to see where he gets it. Here he is a year ago, and then from earlier this month.

Congratulations to Aki Suzuki who must have waited up until the stroke of midnight to catch me not blogging yesterday. A few others were in hot pursuit but Aki had the fastest fingers last night. Aki wins a free studio session and 8×10 to go with it.

Aki, I can’t wait to photograph your babies again! Here’s one of her older daughter from a few year’s ago.

Congratulations to Aki Suzuki who must have waited up until the stroke of midnight to catch me not blogging yesterday. A few others were in hot pursuit but Aki had the fastest fingers last night. Aki wins a free studio session and 8×10 to go with it.

Aki, I can’t wait to photograph your babies again! Here’s one of her older daughter from a few year’s ago.

In our little (ok, vast) pro photographer community, there is a little game going around and I just got tagged by three, yes three talented photographers: Shelley Edwards, Jenifer Samaha, and Sherri Winstead. Its taken me a few weeks to find a free moment to think about 8 random things about myself but here goes:

1. I have bungee jumped numerous times when I was in my 20′s. There’s not enough money in the world to make me do it again, but it was quite the rush when the wind was rushing by me and the ground rushing toward me.

2. I once flew to London on the spur of the moment with a friend, to meet another friend, and attend a Jane’s Addiction concert. My hair at the time was dyed white white blonde and was spiky short. We stayed for three days and enjoyed the sites.

3. Only my immediate family and BFF call me Ann. For everyone else, it’s Andrea.

4. You wouldn’t know it, but I actually am quite shy. Its taken me a long time to get to the point where I can ask people questions about themselves (a much needed skill in my field of work).

5. I wanted to be a state patrol officer and join the Navy when I was younger. Of course, neither of those careers came to pass, and I’m quite happy about that now.

6. I’ve driven cross country alone twice in my life, and once with my husband. Now that I have my own child, I understand why my parents wanted me to call them and check in every night while on my journey.

7. I love to collect sea glass. The smoother the better. And what a find if its turquoise from old glass.

8. I absolutely positively abhor clutter. I can’t think or function when things are messy. You wouldn’t know if from looking in our garage or spare bedroom–but luckily those areas have doors I can shut until I can get around to organizing them….again.

And due to my procrastination, it seems like everyone I know has already been tagged, but I think I found a few to continue the game.
Tracy Spencer
Audra Edgington
Kristi Norberg

I woke up this morning and realized I forgot to blog yesterday. Unfortunately, no one noticed so no free session giveaway. Bummer! Catch me next time.

In our little (ok, vast) pro photographer community, there is a little game going around and I just got tagged by three, yes three talented photographers: Shelley Edwards, Jenifer Samaha, and Sherri Winstead. Its taken me a few weeks to find a free moment to think about 8 random things about myself but here goes:

1. I have bungee jumped numerous times when I was in my 20′s. There’s not enough money in the world to make me do it again, but it was quite the rush when the wind was rushing by me and the ground rushing toward me.

2. I once flew to London on the spur of the moment with a friend, to meet another friend, and attend a Jane’s Addiction concert. My hair at the time was dyed white white blonde and was spiky short. We stayed for three days and enjoyed the sites.

3. Only my immediate family and BFF call me Ann. For everyone else, it’s Andrea.

4. You wouldn’t know it, but I actually am quite shy. Its taken me a long time to get to the point where I can ask people questions about themselves (a much needed skill in my field of work).

5. I wanted to be a state patrol officer and join the Navy when I was younger. Of course, neither of those careers came to pass, and I’m quite happy about that now.

6. I’ve driven cross country alone twice in my life, and once with my husband. Now that I have my own child, I understand why my parents wanted me to call them and check in every night while on my journey.

7. I love to collect sea glass. The smoother the better. And what a find if its turquoise from old glass.

8. I absolutely positively abhor clutter. I can’t think or function when things are messy. You wouldn’t know if from looking in our garage or spare bedroom–but luckily those areas have doors I can shut until I can get around to organizing them….again.

And due to my procrastination, it seems like everyone I know has already been tagged, but I think I found a few to continue the game.
Tracy Spencer
Audra Edgington
Kristi Norberg

I woke up this morning and realized I forgot to blog yesterday. Unfortunately, no one noticed so no free session giveaway. Bummer! Catch me next time.