Welcome to the Schafer Photography Blog

NEW BLOG

2009-03-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

hi,
We've moved the blog over to a different site. If you are not redirected in 5 seconds, click here to visit the new blog at www.schaferphotographyblog.net
-jason

The Amazing Angela

2009-02-27T16:01:00.000-08:00

An angel is someone you feel like you have known forever, even though you just met. This is how the amazing Ms. Angela makes people feel. She is such a wonderful woman that inspires people around her with her warmth and beauty. She is the angel in so many people’s life both young and old. It was such a blast spending an afternoon with her and taking her picture. Thank you Angela.

He's seven.

2009-02-18T14:40:00.000-08:00

Birthday's have taken on a whole new meaning after he was born. I know it sounds corny. But, for me, it's true. We really do celebrate something special on a birthday. Now, as I excited as we all are about birthdays, this kid truly takes the cake. As we were walking around taking these shots on the day just before his birthday, he looks me in the eye and says: "Dad....can you belive I'm almost SE-VEN! Every second is like...one more that I'm not going to be six anymore."

San Diego - a beautiful city

2009-01-24T20:55:00.001-08:00

I really do love the San Diego skyline. Last weekend I was down in Coronado just about sunset. Here's a few quick shots of our beautiful city.

As the Fog Rolls In

2009-01-08T13:45:00.001-08:00

We had a chance to run down to La Jolla for some stylish family fun. Hope you enjoy the images.

Hanging out with Kathy

2009-01-05T22:17:00.000-08:00

Headed to the mall with Kathy to take a few casual head shots. Kathy is commercial ready!!! We even checked out the sales at DSW!

Maia and Dawn Gathering up Sunshine

2008-12-29T21:40:00.000-08:00

It was a blessing to spend time with Dawn and Maia over the New Year holiday. They soaked up the SoCal sunshine before heading back to the stormy Northwest.

spend

There is Nothing Like Family for the Holidays

2008-12-24T13:16:00.000-08:00

One of the most amazing things about the holidays, is we make the time to see our family. We had so much fun with this extented family gathering. It was clear to us, this was a fun group and it was indeed going to be a very special holiday season. Thank you for letting us spend the morning with you.

the wonder dog

2008-12-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

"The Wonder Dog"...that's what we would call him....cause we "wonder" what he is. Yesterday was a very sad day in the Schafer house. I had to take Max to the vet for the last time. Not something that we had planned on the day before Christmas. He'd had a lot of trouble with his hips for a while. He couldn't hear and the tumors all over his body were getting larger. The past few weeks were really tough for him. When we got him from the pound over 15 years ago, they told us that he was a lab-mix. He was the color of a yellow lab, had the ears of a shepherd, the size of a beagle, the attention span of a gnat, the independence and arrogance of a cat, and the intelligence of Einstein. Until the last full years, he lived life at full speed -- always a dead sprint to where-ever he needed to go, over a couch, under a fence, in the yard, at the beach - he never just walked anywhere. We got him the week before I graduated from college, before we were married, before kids, through 7 changes of residences. Our home will never be the same. We miss you, Max.

little monkey

2008-12-15T20:34:00.000-08:00

This little monkey was so cute. He spent a bit of time awake during our session and also took some short naps.

Pretty Princess Party

2008-12-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

Here is our princess strutting her stuff again. She got to go to a "Princess Makeover" party at the local Pigtails & Crewcuts. For those little girls who love to dress up, this is an amazing experience. It was a birthday party for one of her best friends and she got to dress up, get her hair, makeup and nails done. They even sent her home with a crystal crown comb and her own makeup in a cell phone.

The Hair:

The Makeup:

The Princess:

The Nails (any color you want):

gift certificates

2008-12-06T18:09:00.000-08:00

If you're still lookiing for a gift for someone this year, how about a gift certificate from Schafer Photography? Give us a call. We can tailor the certificate to whatever you are looking for. Here's one example.

San Diego Presidio...mini-session

2008-11-30T16:18:00.000-08:00

Many of us who've lived in San Diego for some time forget to take in the tourist attractions in our own city. The rich history of San Diego can be found everywhere. One of the places that we love to visit is the Presidio / Serra Museum in San Diego, just above Old Town. Yesterday, Susan and Brian met us there for a quick mini-session. Their son is wonderfully fun and photogenic young man with a knowing smile.

Four generations

2008-11-29T14:41:00.000-08:00

This beautiful lady was in town visiting her family. Last weekend we got a chance to spend some time with JeanJo and her kids, ......their kids, ...........and their kids...... Yes! A four generation get together. This was truly an honor for us to be welcomed into this family for an afternoon to capture them all interacting. Here she is "workin' it" for the camera.

Here's Bill and Suzie looking radiant.

and the great-grandchildren.

Finaly, the whole gang!

Black Friday - New Website to Come Soon!

2008-11-28T11:59:00.000-08:00

Our family is full and well fed. We started the day by fighting the crazy 6 am crowd at Target and then ran home to have our "stuffing" omelet. That is an awesome recipe we got from Sam The Cooking Guy. BluDomain had great sales and I even donned red lipstick to get one of their great Black Friday deals. Anybody who knows me realizes I would never wear lipstick. I had to search the depths of my bathroom sinks to find some. So look for our new and improved web site to come soon.

To really get in the spirit, check out this great video by the Gap.

http://72.2.118.90/#/merry-mixed-carols/we-3-kingz

Leeper - sneak peek

2008-11-27T12:09:00.000-08:00

This beautiful family met us down by the bay last weekend for some family shots. We got so many photos of family, it was hard to choose which to put on the blog. Here are just a few.

Holiday mini-sessions (part 2)

2008-11-27T12:03:00.000-08:00

The weather is supposed to clear up by Saturday and we still have 2 spots available for the Saturday Holiday mini-sessions. Contact us right away if you are interested.
We also have just a few standard session dates available for December.

backyard fun

2008-11-26T16:25:00.000-08:00

My sister, nephew, and niece are in San Diego this week for Thanksgiving. Yesterday, we got a chance to go in the backyard a play for a while. We had football, bugcatching, and lots of giggling.

It's good be 2 months old.

Crazy Photobooth at the Fall Festival

2008-11-26T15:11:00.000-08:00

Last week we had a blast taking "just for fun" shots at our kids school fall festival. Kids love to get in front of the camera and just ham it up. We did a "be crazy" photobooth and at times we had twelve kids trying to cram into the same picture. It was a carnival style production that was tons of fun. Can't wait to do it again next year.

upside down

2008-11-24T18:07:00.000-08:00

Jack Johnson's music is a big family favorite, I could almost hear him singing in the background during this session...

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I'll find the things they say just can't be found
I'll share this love I find with everyone
We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's songs
I don't want this feeling to go away

While we were a little nervous about Mother Nature getting the best of us with her santa ana breezes, we ended up a beautiful park in Poway, a gorgeous sunset, and a great time.

i absolutely love this shot!

There's a story here about Julie. In the rare occasions that she wants someone to do something "now", she will slap the back of one hand against the other palm. Seems the whole family knows the maneuver.
upside down.....is this how it's suppossed to be?

and since this song is already in my head: enjoy a little jack johnson

it's not easy being green

2008-11-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

It's not easy being green....or keeping the grass green. A few weeks ago Julia spent some time with Larry and Wendy from PACE Turf. PACE Turf....
"provides expert, objective, science-based advice and information to the turf management community. Using research results, on-the-ground experience, and their over 50 years of combined knowledge in agronomy, plant pathology, entomology, weed science and turf science, PACE Turf has long been a leader in translating science into practical turf management information, and in helping turf managers prevent problems before they occur ."
They keep the beautiful golf-courses green..which isn't easy. Wendy and Larry needed some updated photographs for their website that showed a little more of who they are. Julia has some experience with the test tubes, microscopes, and beakers, (and playing in the dirt) so she jumped at the chance to meet them out at the beautiful Fairbanks Ranch Country Club and at their personal lab to capture who they are and what they do.

and just for fun and memories:

kermit the frog

wisdom is...

2008-11-14T21:22:00.000-08:00

You need to go this link. This video really resonates in me. It's hard to describe. It takes a few minutes to watch. Inspiring. Simple portraits. A wonderfully powerful idea. I'm going to go find this book. Click here next: http://www.wisdombook.org/

the happy hour

2008-11-11T20:45:00.000-08:00

She loves Starbucks, running, being "fashionably late", and has a kindness and empathy for others that is unmatched. He's a "niners' fan, can cook a mean Sunday morning pancake, and mixes THE most wonderful margarita on the planet. Together they share a love affair with their two light-saber-dueling-run-where-ever-we go boys. After a few reschedules, we were finally able to make it out for our official photo shoot near their home in Coronado. You may remember this family from a previous trip to the beach. With the final happy hour of beautiful late-Fall sunset light setting the stage, we had a blast on another beach adventure with our great friends.

visitors from the north....sneak-peak

2008-11-06T20:08:00.000-08:00

There are some people that you meet that inspire you to be better people. You know, the kind of people who just feel good when you are near them. You can feel the closeness, the respect, and the love they share. We've been friends for long enough to see the girls grow into amazing young ladies. Even though we haven't been able to see them as often since they moved to the far reaches of the county, we try to get together every month or so. A few years ago, we met at the beach to take family photos of each other. It was wonderful to renew that tradition.

Holiday Mini-sessions !!!

2008-11-02T11:52:00.000-08:00

Ummmm...it's November! How did THAT happen? According to a quick google search, that means that there is only 52 days until Christmas.

We're in the mix of some great holiday portraits. We're also going to be offering some Holiday Mini-Sessions on the following dates:

Tuesday, November 25 location: TBD (probably in Chula Vista)
Saturday, November 29 location: TBD

If you would like more info and pricing you can:
1. Give us a call at 619-261-0471
2. Send an email at info@schaferphotography.net or make a comment below,
3. Scream "I want to book a mini-session with Schafer Photography" out your front door. (this one is slightly less reliable, so you might want to also try #1 or #2.

These sessions book pretty fast. Please tell your friends, neigbors, and any random people you meet about the sessions. :)

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween.
Last night we were able to do soem trick-or-treating and hang out with some wonderful friends. Our "animated transformers BumbleBee" and "Snow Princess" sure had a fun time.

Olivia - sneak peak

2008-10-19T20:59:00.001-07:00

Please say a warm welcome to Olivia Rae.....our niece. More to come!

Haircuts

2008-10-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

Awww......they look almost angelic after their new haircuts.

play time in the sand

2008-10-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

Kyna and Jeff contacted us a month ago to get some photos of their family and two beautiful children. With birthdays coming in the near future, and Christmas right around the corner, they wanted some beach shots that match the southern cal lifestyle. This was one of those photo sessions where we truly got to play at the beach. Within 20 minutes, we were all soaking wet with sand from head to toe. Thanks again for a great time. We hope you had as much fun as we did!

brothers

2008-10-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

Julia grew up with brothers. She often tells stories of watching them beat up on each other, play football, wrestle, laugh, learn, and stand up for one another. I think she participated as much as possible too. These two have a mutual respect that goes beyond friendship. Don't get me wrong, they share the brotherly enthusiasm for finding what makes the other go to Mom or Dad with an exclamation of "MOM!!!! He did it again! I told him to stop! but he didn't!!" Despite the normal trials of surviving life with a sibling, these two brothers care for each other deeply. They have vastly different personalities, but share a inner sense of love for family.

San Diego

2008-10-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

I just love living in San Diego.

heads-up

2008-10-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

His hair is a bit long right now..the side-burns are a little much for me. He's been wanting a mowhawk style for a while. Today the spikey-gel held it in place all day.

5 friends

2008-10-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

you may have already seen this....just a reminder.

born to ride

2008-10-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

Here's something a bit different for us. A friend bought a new harley this summer. One afternoon I was walking by it when the light looked really cool as it reflected off the black, white, and chrome.

Baby Sister

2008-09-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

These are the moments that make me realize how lucky we are to be photographers. Spending a Saturday morning with this family and getting a chance to hold this precious new baby sister was priceless. This new little girl is surrounded with love and an adoring family. It was clear her big sister takes her role seriously. Thank you for letting us into your home.

love to laugh

2008-09-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

One of the things we love most is watching people interact. Capturing those moments with our camera is an honor. Being able to be a part of those moments with good friends is even better. Vickie and Joe are getting married next year. They asked us to take engagement photos of them and we jumped at the chance. As you can see, these two love to laugh. Even more, they love to be with each other, you can just see it in their faces when they are together.
We found this hamburger restaurant on Coronado. The words on the wall were priceless.

Vickie and Joe, Thank you for letting us capture this special time for you!

new blog header

2008-08-23T10:11:00.001-07:00

A few months ago we said that we would try to put a new blog header up every month....ooops! With such a busy summer, I think we may have missed a month. The latest header shows the little man with the dance moves. We had such a good time with his family that we couldn't resist seeing his smiling face everytime we visit the blog. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think. Hope you like it!

-Jason & Julia

The previous header is still one of our favorite images of all time....

I hope you dance...

2008-08-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

Leann Womak's song "I Hope You Dance" tells the story of a mom encouraging her child to enjoy life. This little man gets the same message from his loving parents. He eagerly pointed out every airplane flying over Balboa Park, lead us around the park to see the water and butterflys, and earned a special place in our hearts in the process.

During our session we even learned a new dance.....the Eko Shuffle (it's a little mix of the twist, some feet stompin' and a smile that lights up a room!)

packing her things

2008-08-14T21:44:00.001-07:00

I still remember moving away to college and the feelings of being on my own. I loved the sense of Independence, the excitement of new friends and location, and the hope of something new and different. Growing up, our families were very important to both Julia and I. And both of us might admit that we didn't show it to our parents enough. But I also remember that I wished I had brought more pictures of my family with me to my dorm room. Before Carissa left for college, she wanted to make sure that she had some family photos. As she packs up to leave it is clear that she will be packing more than just her clothes and photos. She will take the love and support of her very caring family. Good Luck, Carissa.

Coming together

2008-08-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

When Leigh contacted us about getting some family photos done for Dan's family, we were really excited. She wasn't sure though, if she would be a part of the photos. You see, she was due to have a baby that week. Sometimes, timing could not be better. The baby was born 4 days before the session, and we were able to sneak a trip to the park before everyone left for Florida and Texas. We were truly touched by the closeness of this family. It is wonderful to see everyone come together to celebrate a new family member.

Special thanks to the Chula Vista Fire Dept for letting us hang off the truck for a few shots. They needed to keep the truck running and it was a bit loud.

where did it go?

2008-08-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

....the time? I know that people say that all the time. But seriously, how did this happen? Our little "angel" turned 4 yesterday. I swear that we just took these baby announcent photos of her. She was only about days old when we shot the photos....now look at her! I miss the baby in her, but the young lady that she is becoming is something that I am very proud of. I love you, Angel.

(By the way, for those of you who know her, you understand the irony in calling her an "angel". The halo is held up by the horns. Some day, she's gonna be old enough to get my humor in that...then I'll REALLY be in for it. )

This song really fits for today. "You're Gonna Miss This" (by Trace Atkins)........I think I already do.

precious peanut

2008-08-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

We love newborns. Julia REALLY loves newborns. We have two children...and that is just the right number for us. But being around a sweet newborn does make you think twice. The smell and feel of a warm sleeping baby is hard for us not to love....especially this little 12 day old peanut. You may remember this beautiful couple from the maternity session we did back in June. In mid-july, they were blessed with this precious bundle of love. She was one of the most cooperative newborns we have ever seen...she slept for much of the session, but opened her eyes just when we hoped. It is clear that this little angel will be well loved.

A Star - Jasmine Star that is.

2008-08-06T01:08:00.000-07:00

One of my New Year's resolutions this year is to photograph somebody famous. It could be a movie star, musician, or tabloid floozy. On Monday night, I attended the Free to Succeed Tour to receive some marketing “secrets” or at least some how to succeed advice – right? Actually Jason was supposed to go and convinced me an hour before that I should go and “meet new people”. Well now isn’t he jealous. The information was refreshing and innovative. I know we aren’t wedding photographers but the ideas that David Jay shares are universal. I was especially moved by Jasmine Star and her very personal and genuine presentation. At the break, I quickly stalked her with my camera and got a quick shot off. So I am going to half count this as my New Years' resolution. I didn’t exactly take the photograph but I am with a “Star”. Of course after this seminar, I won’t stop at just this Star, I am “ determined” to meet and photograph more in the years to come. Love ya - Julia

Wyoming Wedding - Jon and LaRae

2008-08-05T23:29:00.000-07:00

I am the oldest sibling in my family and have changed the diapers for many of my younger siblings. On July 19th, I was able to be apart of my "little" brother Jon's wedding. Being under the big blue sky of Wyoming, where the local attire is Wranglers, boots, and cowboy hats brought back so many childhood memories. I can still remember picking Jon up from kindergarten in my beat up red Pontiac Ventura that rattled so loud you had to turn up the stereo to drown it out. Well, now Jon is all grown up and he has a family of his own. Something he has wanted for so long. I know this is the place and time that Jon belongs. You can see it in his eyes. LaRae is as an honest, genuine, and warm person. Together they look truly content. We should all be that lucky. Enjoy!! P.S. Don't get any ideas about weddings. We are not wedding photographers. He He. Love you guys. -Julia

Only 12 days old - sneak peak

2008-07-31T14:15:00.000-07:00

Tuesday we had the chance to go see this little peanut. She was an absolute delight and a beautiful addition to this gorgeous family. More to come in a few days, but here's a sneak peak.

Yard Swim

2008-07-29T16:32:00.000-07:00

Living in San Diego, swimming is destined to be a major part of our lives. It has always been important to us to teach our children water safety at an early age. We tried the "Y" lessons and even considered some of the other swim schools. Last summer a friend of ours introduced us to Bryan Quattlander from YardSwim. Bryan comes to our friend's pool and gives them lessons in the back-yard pool with a few other children.

I wish I could find the words to explain the miracles that I have witnessed over the past two summers. As a lifeguard at a community pool in my youth, I saw the normal development of beginning swimmers. Our kids have (no pun intended) "blown that out of the water." And so have the other swimmers in our little group. Our son moved from the arms-around-the-neck-white-knuckled-death-grip when we started to learning stroke technique this week. Our almost 4-year old daughter approaches most things in life with enthusiasm and passion (read: NO FEAR!). She has never been afraid of the water, which has put her into some very precarious situations. Now she swims to the deep end and touches the bottom with that same enthusiam, just a bit more safely. Last summer, before she was even 3, Bryan had her swimming underwater, by herself...like you see on those 20/20 specials on TV.

Bryan has taught them both the lessons of water safety, proper technique, and respect of others... and the water. He has done all of this while keeping the lessons fun and entertaining for the kids. Meanwhile, the adults sit by the comfort of a friend's pool chatting about daily life (sometimes even over a beer). Our family is has found this respectful, relaxed, and calm atmosphere to be the best situation for our kids...and for us.

When you look for swim lessons for those you love, contact Bryan and the instructors from YardSwim. http://www.yardswim.com/

First grade

2008-07-19T21:17:00.001-07:00

It's really hard for me to believe that we have a first grader. He started on Monday and was excited, but also a bit nervous. I think it feels like a big deal because he is now in a "grade". Kindergarten was a big adjustment, but this feels substantial too.

Since Monday, he seems to have settled into a smoth routine. He likes his teacher and has already made some new friends. Every day, after school, he makes sure we say "hi" to his Kindergarten teacher. It's really cute and I love how much he still cares for her.

Here he is getting in the car.

and finding his desk. Julia is so happy that he is in the front row (just were she always was in class....no surprise that I was usually in the back, btw. : ) )

Happy Birthday...

2008-07-13T22:48:00.000-07:00

...to me.
Had a wonderful day today. Breakfast in bed, slow-easy morning, dinner (and cake!) at mom and dad's house. a perfect day.

Happy 4th of July !

2008-07-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

Seattle

2008-07-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Before moving to San Diego, Julia and I lived in the Seattle/ Tacoma area. We still have some wonderful friends living in the area. I was fortunate to spend the last week with some great people who have known me for most of my "adult" life. The purpose of the trip was a "guys-golf-weekend". Thank you Tim, Jeff, and Marc for an awesome time.

The first course we played was the Home Course in Dupont. I've never had to wait for a deer to cross the fairway before I hit before...but it wouldn't be the first time. We had the same experience the next day. This is not the stairway to heaven as I first thought....they are used to see the fairway to make sure that you don't hit up on the group in front of you.

The next day we played 36 holes at the Newcastle courses. The views were absolutely amazing.
We spent way too much time searching for golf balls. The fescue grass was our nemesis for most of the rounds. If the fact that we lost countless golf balls wasn't enough, the allergic reaction that Tim and I had to them almost sent us home.
I think Jeff was a little proud of himself....but check out that view of the valley and mountains.

Lastly, we played at Chamber's Bay. This course is scheduled to be the home of the US OPEN in 2015. It's a links-style course = no trees (and a TON of sand). Some seriously hard pin placements and rolling greens will give the pros a tough time....but not as tough as it was for us. I hit it here in 1 shot on hole 12, though.
more seaching....

This area used to be a big gravel pit. The giant concrete structures were used to divide up the gravel. They add a really cool effect to the place.

Marc is as cool as the other side of the pillow.....

Dawn and Maia

2008-06-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

It was wonderful to see you in CO. You guys were all smiles. Love ya.

Colorado Rocky Mountains

2008-06-28T22:41:00.001-07:00

We recently returned from a trip to Colorado. They whole family enjoyed hiking and hanging out with family. The columbines where in full bloom. Our almost four-year old city slicker adjusted quickly to the fun in Colorado.
Playing with the horses was her favorite activity.
Getting together with new cousins.
Enjoying the view in Pikes National Forest!

Nikki, Price, and ?

2008-06-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we met Nikki and Price at Coronado for a maternity shoot on the beach. It was an absolutely beautiful day at the beach with a slight breeze and plenty of sunshine. I posted a super-sneak-peak earlier in the week. We really enjoyed watching them interact. Here are more shots from this beautiful couple.

This whole shot was Julia's idea and I was a bit skeptical, but now I think that it is my new favorite shot of all time! I wish we had this on a big canvas in our home.Nikki and Price, thank you again for sharing this special time with us. We can't wait to meet the little baby.

more disneyland

2008-06-18T19:43:00.001-07:00

For Father's day and our nephew's birthday we drove up to Disneyland. Here's a quick glimpse at a few images from the day. We had such a good time with the whole Schafer family. There were a ton of people and the weather was a bit warm, but it still is the "happiest place on earth". We were all wiped out by the end of the day. on the Nemo ride...

lots of waiting in line....but everyone did great!

he learned to wink and wanted to show all of us.... i guess leaning his head helps a bit...

weeeeeeeee......

and.....we're done.

confession

2008-06-17T18:47:00.001-07:00

okay...so I have a confession. With Julia and the kids gone for a few days, I'm fending for myself in the dinner department. When it comes to food choices, I have never made the best decisions for myself, but today I think I hit a new low. My dinner of choice tonight seems to have given me a bit of a stomach ache. but it sure tasted good!
...tomorrow I will do better.

Disneyland !

2008-06-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

The whole Schafer clan was at Disneyland on Monday. Here's the end-of-the-day-shot of the whole family (taken by the innocent bystander waiting for his family....poor fella, he knew I was eyeing him to take the picture and he just kept looking away.) These are pretty big smiles for such a long day, but we all had a great time.

Father's day ver 6.3

2008-06-15T09:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there. Hope you are enjoying your day!

maternity

2008-06-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

oh, we had fun today at the beach with a super-cute couple. here's a sneak peak...more to come in a few days.

A Great Family

2008-06-05T15:06:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the pictures we captured at the Presidio at the last mini-shoot. We had a blast with this fun family.

Just us

2008-06-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a few from a few weeks ago. We arrived a bit early for a session. Two photographers with cameras and a few spare minutes resulted in some fun shots of each other.

Trying a larger image

2008-05-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

I'm working on some ways to post images that are a little larger. Love to hear what you think.

Last minute Mini-session openings

2008-05-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
We had some openings for mini-sessons for tomorrow evening! (sunday). If you are interested, give us a call or send an email right away.

current times open:
5:00- already filled
5:30 - already filled
6:00 - open
6:30 - open

There's more info on our portrait website under "info" section, but here's the general info on mini-sessions:

Mini Session: $200 - Select Dates only. These sessions last up to 25 minutes. Plenty of time to get some great images. The Comlete Digital Gallery CD is included in this mini-session!! Mini-sessions usually generate at least 10-15 different photos. This fee also inlcudes digital editing prior of images prior to online proofing. Sessions are booked back-to-back and fill up fast.

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

2008-05-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Raffie. Thank you for letting us take graduation pictures for you at USD.

Family Happiness

2008-05-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses."-Joyce Brothers

We had the chance to go down by to the USS Midway and into Seaport Village to spend some time with this wonderful family.

Happy Mothers Day

2008-05-11T13:37:00.001-07:00

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day
With little time to stop and pray
For life's been anything but calm
Since You called on me to be a mom
Running errands, matching socks
Building dreams with building blocks
Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes
And other stuff that children lose
Getting lids on bottled bugs
Wiping tears and giving hugs
A stack of last week's mail to read
So where's the quiet time I need?
Yet when I steal a minute, Lord
Just at the sink or ironing board
To ask the blessings of Your grace
I seen then, in my small one's face
That you have blessed me
All the while
And I stop to kiss
That precious smile
Wishing you and your family a Happy Mothers Day! - The Schafer Family

Graduation is Upon Us

2008-05-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Ashley on your accomplishment. We know you will go far in life no matter where your path leads. Remember to keep smiling and you will do great. Thank you for letting us take your picture too.

Happy Earth Day

2008-04-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ~Native American Proverb

Make a pledge to do something small each day for the next year to help save our earth for further generations. We celebrated Earth Day on Sunday at Balboa Park at EarthFair 2008.

Mother's Day Mini-sesions Schafer Photgraphy - San Diego

2008-04-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

Here's some info on upcoming Mother's Day mini-sessions. Email us if you need more info or want to reserve your spot.

DATE: Saturday, May 10, 2008

Fee: $200

Mini-Session includes 25 min session (plenty of time to get some great images), 15-20 images on your personal online gallery AND a full resolution disc with your complete digital gallery. This includes a release for you have the images printed, email, blogged, or whatever.....

Session times start at 8:30 am.

Making memories- Schafer Photography

2008-04-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

I found this article the other day on another blog. The text is below.
I absolutely love to see the photographs of my parents and our family when I was younger. They are "dated" and certainly show the styles of times, but I love them. I hope my kids enjoy looking back on this time in their life through the images that we've created, as much as I enjoy looking back to my childhood.

Here's the text:
Note To Self Get Professional Photos of Your Children
I’ve never forgotten an invaluable piece of advice that I heard from an older friend right after my first child was born. She told me, “One of my greatest regrets about my children’s childhoods was that I didn’t have more professional pictures taken.”
“You didn’t take many pictures?” I asked.
“I took tons of pictures,” she said, “but the fact is, professional photographs are so much better than even the best snapshots.” I absolutely agree—professional photos are better. And keeping her advice in mind, ever since my daughters were born, I’ve been zealous about getting their photos taken professionally at least once a year.
While it’s a lot of fun (and also a pain) to take pictures myself, it’s terrific to have some pictures that are truly excellent. These photos don’t take the place of the on-the-spot pictures that I take myself—I still take scads of photos at birthday parties, first days of school, on the slide, with a popsicle—but these pictures memorialize my children’s childhoods in a different way. Plus they make great family gifts. I can never figure out a good present for the grandparents and great-grandparents, but they always love to get a really great photograph—especially the relatives who don’t often get a chance to see the girls in person.
Also, research shows that one way to boost your happiness is to reflect on happy times, and looking at photographs helps keep memories more vivid.
It’s a splurge, of course. Professional photos aren’t cheap.
However, I figure that the money I spend on these photographs will strengthen family bonds, enhance happy memories, and capture the fleeting moments of childhood. They give me more pleasure than practically any other purchases that I make. That strikes me as pretty good happiness bang for the buck.
A friend’s family had another great photography tradition. For her whole life, at every milestone, her parents took a picture of her and her brother sitting exactly the same way on their front stoop. It’s fascinating to see them change through the years. Along the same lines, the artist Nicholas Nixon took a photograph of his wife and her three sisters once a year for 33 years. The collection of these photographs, The Brown Sisters, is riveting.
Getting professional photos take is a great example of the tiresome fact that happiness takes thought and effort. These photographs are easy to arrange; in the scheme of things, not terribly expensive; contribute greatly to our family happiness—and yet it probably never would have occurred to me to do it if my friend hadn’t suggested it.

Japanese Friendship Garden

2008-04-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

We did some recent pictures with two of my favorite little girls. The Japanese Friendship Garden was the perfect place to capture their beautiful smiles.

tiny dancer

2008-04-13T21:43:00.001-07:00

Today was the big ballet recital. She'd been practicing for months with Ms Angela from Niesha's Dance Academy. She was a little nervous about going on "the stage", but she seemed to have a great time and loved all the attention.

No More Monkeys...

2008-04-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

She absolutely loves jumping on the bed, couch, whatever. (I got this idea from fellow San Diego Photographer Melissa Koehler blog.) Since I don't have a remote for my camera, this was done with a timer. Anyone who has ever used a timer know that it involves more than "one take". See below for more outtakes. We laughed and laughed! "Let's do it again, Daddy!"

"Now I'm going to jump by myself!"

Schafer Photography Blog Welcome Video

2008-04-09T16:30:00.000-07:00

Here's our welcoming committee for today!

new Schafer Photography Blog Header

2008-04-08T15:01:00.001-07:00

We're going to do a new Blog Header every month for the Schafer Photography Blog. Since our son took the photo of us from the old header, he insisted that we put it up on the site somewhere. Here's the original header.

morks from ork

2008-04-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

He told me that this was the best way to watch TV.

to the park

2008-04-07T16:51:00.000-07:00

Hi,

So we haven't been great at keeping up with the blog. From what I read on other photo blogs, this seems to be a strange phenomenon among photographers lately. I'd love to have a great excuse, but we don't. Here's a few recent shots from a trip to the park.

Keeping up with them...

2008-02-17T21:54:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time last weekend following these two around.

She loved how these shoes squeked when she walked.

Valentines Day

2008-02-17T21:52:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful valentines day!

Colorado snow

2008-01-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

Haven't posted in a while.

Here's one from our trip to Colorado in early January...more to come.

new website

2008-01-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

New Schafer Photography Website: www.schaferphotography.net
check us out!!

sneak peek - Young

2008-01-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

Just before Christmas we got the chance to photograph fellow photographer Tracy Young and her family. At first we were a little nervous to photogaph such a large group (and a fellow photographer), but they were so much fun and willing to let us do a few unconventional action shots. Thanks for a great time.

A Christmas Story

2007-12-27T19:51:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas here in the Schafer household. We are so blessed to have a very healthy and happy family. Here's a few (actually, a ton!) of shots from our life at Christmas.

Our normal routine on Christmas is to go to church, then dinner, then change into comfy clothes before opening family gifts. Yup!, we open gifts on Christmas EVE! Yippee!

I always love the candle-light service on Christmas Eve. I wish I could bring the camera, but it never feels like the place to break it out. Here's a shot after we got back home and before dinner. Our ever-so cute nephew was able to join us for the festivities.

He's tired of WAITING!

For the past few years, my mom and Julia have made steak and lobster for our Christmas Eve dinner. WOW!
After dinner, the kids get to change into matching pajamas....I think the adults should all get a set of these too! Can you just see the anticipation and excitement on their faces.

After a late night of opening presents, Christmas day always seems to come a bit early in the morning. Santa has arrived while we were sleeping, so the kids get more gear. And I got a cool new mug from Julia's family. I really look like I NEED IT.

Autobots, ROLL OUT! (from the Transformers movie...just in case you havent seen it.)
By the way, these two Transformers toys take me about an HOUR to transform.....being a DAD is cool.

And finally......the mess.

We hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and were able to enjoy valuable time with your loved ones.

Merry Christmas !

2007-12-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, from all of us at Schafer Photography.

new toy

2007-12-16T21:14:00.000-08:00

so...I got a new toy. havent' had a ton of time to play with all the features, but here's a few from this weekend that were fun.

I'm 5 now! and...I'm 2.

2007-12-02T21:41:00.000-08:00

After some much needed rain here in San Deigo, it was clear blue sky today. We were able to get out to one of our favorite parks to spend some time with the Stewart family. My little friend here informed me today that he did not remember when I took his pictures several years ago..."but I'm 5 years old NOW." he said.

Here's the shot from a few years ago....

...and here he is today.His sister is turning 2 very soon and has the most beautiful eyes. There is no doubt how much they all care for each other. Here's some shots from today of this beautiful family.....

Pacheco Family

2007-11-25T21:48:00.000-08:00

Fun. Fun. Fun. We had so much fun with the Pacheco family this weekend. I have to say that from the moment we walked in, we truly felt like we were a part of the family. I wish we could have stayed for the BBQ that followed the photo shoot. Here's a sneak peak...still have a bunch of editing to do, but here's a few that I've finished.

Nicolas

2007-11-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

We love this little fella. He was initially a little cautious about the big camera in his face, but by the end of our session, he was lovin' the attention.

Just hanging out in the rocker.

Gift Certificates

2007-11-17T16:02:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Christmas shopping. We now have gift certificates available.

Give us a call or send and an email to get yours today.

We still have a few session times available for this year. Contact us right away to get in on our current pricing deals. Prices will go up on January 1st.

Some GREAT friends

2007-11-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

We finally found some time to get together with some of our great friends, the Pangelinans. For those of you who know them, you understand how easy it is to be around them. They are just FUN people. We made a promise (a long time ago) to get some shots of the kids to add to the Schafer Photography wall in their house. It's like a big ego boost for me to go and see a full wall of pictures that we've taken. Not too difficult to get some great captures, they love to smile and laugh and it comes through in the pics. Here's just a few samples. Thanks guys!

The Schafers

2007-11-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

Had a session today with some of our favorite people in the world...my parents. It was quick, but this one will definitely make it up on the wall in our house.

Day off taking pictures.

2007-11-08T21:52:00.001-08:00

Since I had the day off from my other job, we went out today and took a couple of pictures at the park.

Are we done yet?

Thank you!

2007-11-08T21:43:00.001-08:00

It feels great to be back taking pictures. Last weekend we had our first session with some previous clients and loved spending time with them at the beach. They are a beautful family and we enjoyed trying to capture that.

Fires.....

2007-10-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

The fires in San Diego are still burning, but we are in the clear. We were never evacuated and we feel so blessed that the last 4 days have been only a bunch of worry...no real danger for us. Many families have lost their homes. Our hearts and prayer go out to all of San Diego as we try to recover from this horrific time.

Here's a shot from our backyard of the wierd sunset on Wed night.

Keeping our children from driving us up the wall while we are all cooped up in the house has been...interesting. Here's a few of our activities over the last few days...

She insisted on wearing this hat...guess the kids know what' going on despite keeping them from the TV.

Doing homework...

...making cookies with Grandma.......finally going to the gym to play.

updated Flickr Photo Gallery

2007-10-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

We've started a new Flickr photo gallery. Check it out here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jschafer/show/
We've added some old photos and will be updating the gallery regularly.

We're back!

2007-10-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Welcome to the Schafer Photography Blog. We hope to use this forum to give regular updates on what is going on with Schafer Photography. After being away from the "business" of photography, we are excited to be back. Please visit our site regularly.

Friends of Schafer Photography

2007-07-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of some of our friends and their businesses. We would not be able to enjoy the success of Schafer Photography without their help. Please take a moment and click on thier websites to learn a bit more about them.

FatHappy - Music to make you smile. All of the music on our website is created by FatHappy. We've know Jeff Ostenson since traveling Europe in college. Their music is light and fun. It's a perfect match for our photos.

Yard Swim - THE best swim instructors, ever! See our post here on our experiences with Bryan and Yard Swim. Living in San Diego gives us the chance to be in water a lot more than other areas of the country. So, as parents, it was very important for us to make sure our kids were safe in-and-around the water at a young age. Bryan worked miracles. We are still blown away by what he has taught our kids in such short time at such a young age.

Paige Studio - Beautiful murals and artwork. Stephanie Paige has painted gorgeous murals on our kids's bedroom walls. She even helped us do a faux finish on our master bedroom. Her artwork is displayed in some of the most beautiful hotels and restaurants in San Diego. Despite her phenomenal success, Stephanie is down-to-earth, fun, and relaxed person.

SunGod Graphics - webite development, print design, logo creation. Steve Galaty from SunGod Graphics created our palm-tree logo. He has helped us with web-design and to develop the "brand" of Schafer Photography.

Cornerstone Mortgage - Joseph Pangelinan. When buying or refinancing, we wanted to make sure we found someone we trusted. Joseph is not only one of those people who you always want to be around, he is extremely knowledgable and open about our options, and is the ultimate professional.

Kristin Witham Photography - Austin, Tx

contact

2007-07-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

email: info@schaferphotography.net
phone: 619-261-0471

About Us

2007-07-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Schafer Photography aims to provide photos of you and your family that you will cherish for years to come. We hope that our casual style (both in personality and photographs) will put you at ease. While we often get a few posed shots, our "focus" is usually on candid photographs that reflect you and your family. We want to give you a photo or "souvenir" of this special time in your life.

Both Juia and Jason have enjoyed photography since childhood. Like many other photographers, our enthusiasm for child photography elevated to new levels when our children were born. All of a sudden, our friends (and their friends) wanted us to take photos of their children...and a business was born.

Julia will eat just about anything....Jason is more "selective" in his appetite. Julia has run 5 marathons. She prefers white wine over red. If her feet AND nose are cold, she gets a bit grumpy. Jason's favorite movie is Star Wars (please don't ask him to quote anything...Julia's tired of it). He feels a personal connection to Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang. Jason loves getting to know people, but is actually very shy and introverted. Julia gets more energy the more she is around others. Most of all, we love spending time together ,with our 2 wonderful children.....and taking pictures.

We would love to learn more "about you", so give us a call, send us an email, or leave us a comment.

-jason and julia

about us

2005-06-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

Schafer Photography is Jason and Julia Schafer.