I Heart Faces - Silhouette

  

I like to browse websites and blogs for photography inspiration.  "i heart faces" is one of my favorites and run weekly photo contests.  I've been watching them and hesitate to enter... but I had to jump on the bandwagon for this week's "Silhouette" contest. 

 

 Living in Hawaii, I have many of the typical "silhouette beach" images... but then I remembered this one and thought it would be different to share.  =)

Purple Dragons!

Here are some recent shots of my 9-year-old playing with her current soccer team, the "Purple Dragons"!  I designed these images as an 8X8 storyboard page so I can just print it out later, and slide them into a scrapbook.  =)  I think I'll be doing that more often, so I can get my personal shots off of my computer and into an album! 

Youth Soccer

I've been a soccer mom for 15 years, and now when I look back, I REALLY wish I had a DSLR camera back when my oldest was playing AYSO and HYSA.  You can capture so many great shots (and memories!) that a regular point & shoot camera is not capable of.  Now I have 2 daughters playing soccer, and I have NO excuse for missing those moments!  haha!  Below are some images that I took this past winter season.  The athlete here is not my daughter, but her family are good friend of ours.  She is SO expressive which makes these images SO much more precious!  You can FEEL the energy and excitement when looking at them!  Enjoy!

idkwhat2wear

Okay... we'll be rewinding for the next few posts so I can share some images from photo shoots I did earlier this year.  =)  In mid-March I had the privilege to do a shoot for idkwhat2wear. 
You can view their great products and most of the photos from the shoot at http://www.idkwhat2wear.com/ 
Here are some of my favorite shots:

and here's the entire group...

This was my first commercial shoot, and my first experience with such a large group.  I learned so much and had lots of fun! 
Thanks again Karl & Terri!  =)

A Time to Reflect

It's been quiet the past couple of months.  I haven't been asked to do a shoot recently, and that's a good thing... really.  Besides losing Sweetie in early June I've also lost a 3 other special people in my life ---  A dear neighbor friend in May, a classmate that I've known since elementary school, and a wonderful woman we called "Auntie Jo" that was just like a mom to my husband as he was growing up.  As they say.. God knows what we can and cannot handle... and I would not have been able to be as busy as I was earlier in the year while going through all the emotions that I've been experiencing.  I actually haven't picked up my camera for probably about a month... but I will very soon.  =)  It's been tough... I've never cried and experienced so many losses in such a short amount of time.  It just makes me appreciate the people and pets that I still have, and never take life for granted.  Life really is too short.

On a happy note, we did get a new puppy!  Her name is Lily, and she is the sweetest thing!  She's a blessing because she has really helped me since losing Sweetie. 

She's 1/2 Chihuahua, 1/4 Fox Terrier, & 1/4 Jack Russell Terrier, and she currently weighs just over 4 lbs. 

When she's really tired she loves to sleep on her back!

She's a little younger here than in the top picture.  She's a cutie!

Our Sweetie

Last Friday we had to say goodbye to our beloved Sweetie.....  =( 

This pic of Sweetie was taken about 2 weeks ago as she was sleeping in our kitchen.  She was a wonderful dog.  Alot of people are surprised when we tell them she's a long-haired chihuahua (a purebreed AKC dog too!) because of the calm temperment she had. We got her 16 years ago from an ad in the newspaper.  We met her parents and they were also very friendly, so we knew she'd be a great fit into our little family.  Back then we only had one child - haha.  =)  She had cost $300, which was alot then ... nowadays I think I'd have to pay atleast a $1000.... but she was worth it . Thank you to friends and family for your encouragement and prayers.  I didn't think saying goodbye to a pet would be so difficult.  She will be missed.

A Precious Heritage

This year marks my 10th anniversary of homeschooling.  WOW! 
Yesterday we had a wonderful picnic with some fellow homeschooling families, and I caught some adorable shots of a couple of the youngest in our group.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
so are the children of one's youth." - Psalm 127:3-4

Congratulations Kadee!

Just wanted to throw a shout out to my niece Kadee C. who graduated tonight from Kapolei Highschool! 

Congratulations Kadee!  May God continue to bless you as you embark into this new chapter of your life!  You can see more Senior shots here.

1st Wedding in just 9 days!

About 6 months ago I was asked something that has been, and still is, opening up new opportunities for my photography passion.  I was asked by a friend of a friend to shoot her daughter's wedding.  And now it's only 9 MORE DAYS to THE day!  I'm excited but nervous!  lol

Here is the happy couple:

This was one of their photos from their engagement shoot in January. 
I also designed their SAVE THE DATE card:

You can see more of my digital designs at my other website
Just a Moment Designs.

I'll be sure to post again with new pics after the wedding!!

I should thank my mom.

Over 30 years ago, we were on a trip to visit family in California.  I was only around 5 years old then.  We were at a get-together at someone's house, and my mom let me use her camera to take some pictures.  Mind you, back then there was no DELETE button!  This was FILM!  lol  My mom must have trusted me.  This is the camera I believed to have used.

or it could have been this one....

How'd the pictures come out?  I believe they came out okay... they're probably at my parent's house somewhere in a box.  ha ha 

Anyway... I should thank my mom because this is how my interest in photography all started.  "THANKS MOM!"  =)

Let's do this! My first post...

Hello world! 

I should have started this blog months ago... or maybe a year or so ago when I first made my website www.shotsbycheryl.com  Now when I think about it, there is so much I could have posted about since then... but that's okay. 

I'll give you all the short and sweet version of why this blog now exists. 

This blog is to give you an inside look at who I am, what I do, and why I love what I do.  =)