lifestyle « Wendy VonSosen Photography

Archive for the ‘lifestyle’ Category

“What A Sunday Afternoon Hike Looks Like” | Lifestyle Project | January

January 30, 2012

There will be no Art Display Project today but Come back on Tuesday for my last guest blogger, and then Wednesday for a sneak peek into a few wall projects of my own I’ve been working on AND… the GIVEAWAY winner will be announced! So use this break to enter the contest and have a peek into a wonderful lifestyle project I’m doing this year with a handful of incredibly amazing talent.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful this month, nothing like January at all. Today was no exception so after church we decided to go exploring to find a new place to hike. One of the things I adore about where we live is the diversity in the landscape. Our house backs to “open space” with golden hills and scrub oak trees. We can drive less than an hour west and hit the Pacific Ocean. And just up Highway 24 we can enjoy redwood forests and lush vegetation. Today we headed to the trees. It felt like a different world once we entered the trail. The redwoods towered above us letting pockets of light in here and there. The scent of Eucalyptus hung in the air. It was cool and moist and everything was incredibly quiet, it was almost eerie. The kids said they felt like they were in Jurrasic Park. I would have to agree. It was magical. A stream and a bridge and all was well with the world. We’re going back again soon!

Don’t stop here. Continue around the circle and take a peek at what everyone’s been up to this month starting with Jennifer Nguyen | Snails and Pigtails Photography | Temecula, CA Photographer. Keep clicking through the circle and you’ll end up right where you started.

Tags: bay area lifestyle photographer, danville california photographer, danville lifestyle photographer, danville newborn photographer, danville photographer, danville senior photographer, lifestyle photography project, what looks like
Posted in Fun, lifestyle, Me, what_____looks like | 10 Comments »

What _________ Looks Like | January

January 2, 2012

This post snuck up on me, lost in all of the holiday madness. I found myself a few days before this post was due thinking hard of what I wanted to document that I had time to photograph. I considered documenting taking down Christmas, but I’m always in such a hurry to get it put away that I didn’t want to spend time on that. Then I thought I might document our New Year’s festivities, but wasn’t inspired by the thought of chips and salsa while watching Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year at home. So when I talked to my mom on the phone that day and we decided to grab dinner and a movie before the New Year, I knew that would be something I wanted to document. My mom and I have lived near each other most of my married life. After my dad passed away six years ago, we all moved to Utah for a few years and then my family moved on to Idaho for a few years. Long story short, both my mom and I are back in California, close to my sister again, not more than 5 miles apart and it has been so fun to be close again. Isn’t she the cutest? Here is a peek into our movie night.

We started by grabbing some yummy soup and salad at Panera Bread in downtown Walnut Creek.

Then we walked across the street to the theaters which, by the way, were packed. Who knew a movie on New Year’s Eve was so popular?

I love a good movie and this one was surprisingly entertaining and didn’t disappoint.

When we got back to the car I wanted one picture of us together so, without a tripod, I set my camera on the car next to us and took this. It’s not perfect but I love it just the same.

And one more after I dropped my mom off at her house and was driving home. I don’t recommend taking pictures while you’re driving, but I really liked this shot.

Now head on over to Jennifer Nguyen | Snails and Pigtails Photography | Temecula, CA Photographer for a sneak peek at what’s she’s been up to this past month.

Tags: bay area lifestyle photographer, bay area photographer, danville lifestyle photographer, danville newborn photographer, danville senior photographer
Posted in lifestyle, what_____looks like | 8 Comments »

Nick | Class of 2012 | Danville California Senior Photographer

December 8, 2011

My sister and her family were In Danville over Thanksgiving and you know what that means. Lots of photo ops! We had THIS spur-of-the-moment nighttime session with a tangle of Christmas lights, followed up with a daytime family session (soon to be blogged), and finally my nephew Nick asked if I would take his senior pictures while he was in town. Of course, I was thrilled to spend some one-on-one time with him! He is the oldest grandchild in my family and my first nephew. I remember when he was just a baby and our families lived just down the road from each other. My husband and I didn’t have kids yet and I remember how fun it was to hang out at their house and play with the new baby. He was round and cute and loved to eat! When we had Maddy the following year, they became fast friends and have had a special bond ever since.

I can’t even begin to comprehend the fact that Nick is a senior this year. The time has flown by! He’s in the midst of applications and letters of recommendation and lots of pressure from the rest of us to find out where he’ll be going. Not to embarrass him, but without studying he earned a perfect score in English on his ACT and nearly the same on the Math portion. And not only is he academically gifted, he has an amazing singing voice, has a kind heart, and is genuinely nice to his three sisters. I love him to pieces and can’t wait to see what the future holds for him!

Tags: bay area newborn photographer, bay area photographer, danville california photographer, danville newborn photographer, danville photographer, danville senior photographer
Posted in black and white, Head Shots, lifestyle, Seniors | 11 Comments »

What ____ Looks Like {December} | Danville Lifestyle Photographer

December 5, 2011

To read more about this project, head THIS way.

This year since we’re in a new house, we decided to haul out our massive tree to see if it would “fit” (which is really a relative term depending on what you consider “fit” to mean). Although it takes up most of our living room, and since we really had no desire to take it down once it was set up, it will stay this year. And, or course, the kids’ tree always comes and is adorned with all the ornaments the kids have gotten through the years. It’s perfectly tacky and kitchy with its multi colored lights among the white branches. I love it! And with a little help from the cousins, it was decorated in record time.

I hope you are all enjoying the craziness that comes with December!

Please tell me your garage looked similar to this:

The kids LOVE going through the ornament boxes and unwrapping each ornament while reminiscing on Christmases past.

Our monster tree required a ladder and some brave souls to reach the tip top.

No matter how hectic we get during this month, our family always takes time to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas and the Gift of the Savior.

For the next stop in the circle, please visit my sweet friend Jennifer Nguyen | Snails and Pigtails Photography | Temecula, CA Photographer to see what she’s been up to this past month.

Happy Monday!

Tags: bay area photographer, danville california photographer, danville lifestyle photographer, danville newborn photographer, danville photographer, danville senior photographer
Posted in Fun, lifestyle, what_____looks like | 6 Comments »

“What getting ready for Homecoming Looks Like” | Danville California lifestyle Photographer

November 6, 2011

I’ve been lucky to have met so many incredibly talented and wonderful photographers during this journey who share the same desire to capture their own families in a real and beautiful way. I’m teaming up with eleven of these women on a very personal and meaningful project called, “What ________ Looks Like.”

Our goal is to capture our own families in a real and beautiful way. Some people call it “lifestyle”, some call it “real life”, some call it “unposed”. No matter what you call it, our desire is to snatch the moments that represent the relationships, the dynamics, the reality, the beauty, the truth, and the life of our families and record them here on our blogs as well as in print at the end of the project.

Each month we will each choose to fill in the blank with our word of choice. Some of us may choose to use the same word all year and some may choose to change it up each month. We will each link to the next photographer until our circle is complete.

We hope this project inspires you to take more pictures of your own families so that those moments that make your family unique will never be lost or forgotten.

Lately I’ve been a little melancholy as the reality, that we have less than 2 years left before our oldest will up and leave us for college, begins to set in. I wish for time to go by slower so I can savor it. But try as I might, my wish just doesn’t seem to be coming true. Life is flying by faster and faster every year. So I’m trying to snatch these moments out of the air with my camera in the hope that when I need a dose of her, I’ll be able to come back to them and remember.

Fall is probably my favorite season of the year. I love the beauty of the leaves as they change colors and fall. I love pulling out the crockpot to make soup and the Scentsy warmer to make my house smell like baked apples and cinnamon. As much as I quickly tire of it, fall just isn’t fall without college football on TV. And along with college football season comes high school football season. The best part, especially for us girls, is Homecoming. This month I’m focusing on What getting ready for Homecoming Looks Like. And please don’t judge. A clean room is NOT a priority for most teenagers.