Crystal Garcia Photography » Children

Unicorn Hair: Autumn’s Crazy Hair Day 2013

Crystal — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:44:06 +0000

Today Autumn had Crazy Hair Day at preschool. We looked around the internet together last night and she told me she wanted pink unicorn hair. So here it is (it is also covered in glitter, but you can’t really tell in the photo). In case you can’t tell her hair is pulled into a pony tail with an elastic in the front, hair-sprayed to keep the short pieces in the back in place and then wrapped around 2 pipe cleaners and then prayed pink in two coats (her hair is brown so it needed two coats to show up well) and then top coated with glitter hair spray. Happy Friday!

Snow Princess: Ashland, Oregon Child Photographer

Crystal — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:04:57 +0000

Autumn and I took a little time out to enjoy the snow last week. She is so much fun!

Townsend House Pumpkin Patch 2012: Ruston, Louisiana

Crystal — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:11:31 +0000

SO every year for the last 6 years I have done pumpkin patch mini sessions in my home town. SInce moving away I make a point to come back to shoot these each year. I get so emotional seeing all these “big kids” that I began photographing as newborns, some I even attended their births! This year I photographed 30 families in one day of mini sessions and wow was it a busy day! I had a great time with Mali, my lovely assistant and with all of the babies and children. Can’t wait to see you all again next year!

Breastfeeding: Beautiful and Real

Crystal — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:46:41 +0000

Over the past several months I have been photographing some local mamas for a project. Every summer I do a personal project for nothing other than to see something beautiful in my head realized and to help me and hopefully you remember that the best things in life are the simple, natural and everyday things we have before us each day. This year I wanted to simple capture mothers breastfeeding. There is no motive here other than to show that breastfeeding is beautiful and normal and different for every mother.

Many of of breastfeeding babies, depending on how many we have fore years during our lifetime and some people never have a single photo of it. I simply wanted to document this stage for some sweet mamas and their children.

If photos for breastfeeding offend you, you may not want to be on a birth photographer’s blog, haha, but more importantly you may need to relax and know that women’s bodies and their breasts need not be sexualized. They were created for an amazing gift of nourishment and can be seen by generations to come as a healthy and normal part of childbearing and rearing if we only diaplay them as such. Blessings.

This is me breastfeeding Josiah at somewhere around 3-5 months (it was on film so no date stamp!). Outside of the hospital it is my only photo of me breastfeeding either of my babies, and one I cherish. My husband took this during one of his photography projects in art school. I think he was the only student who showed a photo of his wife topless to the class.

Autumn’s My Little Pony Session

Crystal — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:13:12 +0000

My little girl is turning 4 pretty soon and she is majorly into My Little Pony so we did this photoshoot for her invitations. I had the unicorn horn made for the shoot and I made her double sided cloak as well, both worked out great! We had so much fun! Thanks to the Nutting family for letting us play with Snow Flake for this shoot. She is so sweet!

Let the Family Photos Begin: Ashland Family Photographer

Crystal — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 08:12:43 +0000

Last week I had my first family session of the fall season as I am gearing up for Christmas cards and holiday gifts and what a great start! This 3 kid family was so much fun! I just love them!

Autumn’s Spider Lilies

Crystal — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 03:23:23 +0000

Yesterday Autumn and I took a little mother daughter trip to go see the spider lilies in bloom and take her yearly photo in them. I love the spider lilies, they remind me that fall is rolling in and we are about to celebrate the birth of my baby girl.

I ordered a bunch of bulbs this year so I can plan them closer to home for next year. Autumn loves the spider lilies and calls them hers, because she knows they come near her birthday and we should has always had them in her life.

Thanks Jenn Kilpatrick for the maternity picture.

Josiah’s Fresh Beat Band Party

Crystal — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 09:18:56 +0000

This week my little man turned FIVE! I really can’t believe it has been 5 years since we welcomed him into the world! Anyways, we had a Fresh Beat Band themed party at Josiah’s request. Here are some pictures of the fun. And in case you want to use the food labels I made using some of the graphics on the free printable on the Fresh Beat website, feel free to download them here.

Josiah as a newborn, 1 year old, 2 year old, 3 year old, 4 year old, and 5 year old!

Tattoos for everyone!Presents

Rocking out!

Drumming!

Doing the dance for “We had a great day”

About to do (cup)cake!

Singing

Coloring

Nick Jr. Kinect Dancing game featuring The Fresh Beats

Super Awesome Cupcakes by The Cupcake Daily!

“Going Bananas” Race Cars

Sweet Friends

We love to dress up as a family! (Me as Marina, Autumn as Kikki, Josiah as Twist and Brian as shout)

Smoothies and music-Fresh Beat Style

Goodie Bags
Brian working at The Groovy Smoothie!

Sorry about all the out of oder images!

Naiya

Crystal — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 01:34:04 +0000

Southern Oregon Family Magazine asked me to photograph Naiya for the cover of the August/September issue which I was so excited about. Naiya is a really fun kid with a lot of personality and as you can see, just absolutely beautiful! Not to mention her whole family is all around great to be around, which makes a big bonus on a shoot. I will share the cover when it hits the stands, but for now here are some that didn’t make the cut, but that I loved.

My Cool Dude

Crystal — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:08:43 +0000

Today I took Josiah to the skate park for the first time to use his scooter. There were several other little boys (some small but he was the youngest still) there on their scooters too and the big boys were really good about watching out for them. He did great for his first time!

Smiles Day: Ashland Child Photographer

Crystal — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:30:22 +0000

Last weekend I did mini session for Celebration Smiles Day to raise money for Operation Smile, an organization who helps provide life saving surgeries for children born with facial deformities. These two sisters were one of the families who participated. The younger is Rosa and she is one of my son’s best friends and preschool. He talks about her all the time at home and how he likes to make her laugh. (I love that my little boy loves to make the girls he cares about laugh. I hope he always stays that way!)

I had fun with Rosa and her big sister and all their laughter!

Southern Oregon Family Cover Photo: Ashland Child Photographer

Crystal — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 02:42:43 +0000

If you have seen the current issue of Southern Oregon Family out around the Rogue Valley, then you have seen the sweet Miss Roxanne gracing the cover. You may remember Roxanne from the “Lost Boys” inspired blanket fort at the creek shoot or from the session with her two newborn brothers. And to think when I met her last year she was camera shy! Anyway Southern Oregon Family ask me to take some pictures of Roxanne and incorporate flowers for their spring cover. You can see the one they picked below and here are some other of my favorites. When we did the shoot there wasn’t nearly as much blooming as there is now, but we managed to find some pretty spots (thanks to the family that lives on Hersery that let me use their yard for the daffodil shots!).

Today I popped into Roxanne’s house to snap a few pictures of her brothers who I believe are no 4 months old!

Lithia Park Fun: Ashland Family Photographer

Crystal — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 05:33:15 +0000

I had the pleasure of meeting a sweet new family in Ashland last weekend for a family shoot and pictures of the cute little man below for his 2nd birthday! I really loved these kids.

Cousin Love and Giggles: Ashland Children’s Photographer

Crystal — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 02:45:26 +0000

My niece Kylie is up from Sacramento for the weekend and these three cousins could not be happier! I thought it might rain all day, but Ashland gave us some sunshine earlier today.

This compared to one of the three of them just about 16 months ago below. Josiah was cracking the girls up!

Alissa and Ruby: Ashland/Talent Kid Photographer

Crystal — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:30:08 +0000

Meet Alissa and her daughter Ruby! Alissa owns this great Pilates studio in Talent that I LOVE (and do not go to enough!) and highly recommend for getting fit, and healthy in yours mind and body! Anyways I got to hang out with Ruby for the first time last week and boy is she fun! I love this little girl! She has so much spunk! Happy Thursday everyone!

Mario and Luigi Kids

Crystal — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:00:06 +0000

In my house Mario is a beloved family past time. My hubby is a lover of retro games and has shared that loved with our kids. Today my kids made use of these clearance aisle Halloween costumes and I thought them too cute to not photograph! I love that Autumn likes to dress us as Luigi as much as she does a Disney Princess!

“Celebration of Smiles Day” April 21st in Ashland, Oregon

Crystal — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:59:02 +0000

Hello Friends!

I thought you would want to know about a very special promotion we will be participating in with other photographers from around the country. On April 21, 2012 we will host “Celebration of Smiles Day” in Ashland, a wonderful opportunity for you to update individual portraits of your family members and at the same time support the work of Operation Smile, which treats children around the world who suffer with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.

Along with other participating members of Professional Photographers of America (PPA), we have pledged to donate 100% of each $24 donation made to PPA Charities, which has chosen Operation Smile as its charitable partner.

Evoking and capturing the smiles of children is our ultimate goal. That’s why we believe so strongly in the work of Operation Smile. Each year this incredible organization of more than 5,000 volunteer doctors, nurses, dentists, and specialized health care professionals, perform free reconstructive surgeries for children suffering with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.

Every three minutes a child somewhere in the world is born with a facial deformity. One in ten will not survive to see their first birthday. Those who do survive often live in isolation and pain. More than 100,000 children are born with a facial deformity each year in Operation Smile’s 26 partner countries.

I hope you will join with us in helping to make this vital work possible. As always . . . we look forward to creating some truly wonderful portraits of your children!

Warm wishes,

Crystal Garcia

Click here to download the poster. Click here to register for the event!

At Home in Your Body: Talent, Oregon Child Photography

Crystal — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:23:55 +0000

This week I got a bladder infection that I avoided going to the doctor for and tried to get rid of via water and cranberry juice, which meant that I let it get really bad and painful before I got any relief. Anyways, while I spent several days in or around my bed I was thinking up in my mind about the human body, movement and awareness.

One thing that I love about the stage that Autumn is in, is that she is so comfortable in her own body. Something I hope will not change, but likely will given, our culture. I love how she moves in order to get her body to do things for her. She doesn’t think about sucking in her tummy, unless her body requires her to do so for balance. She doesn’t worry that when she bends over she may show the world her undies.

I struggled last week when Autumn fell in love with a pair of plastic princess “heels” she wanted from Goodwill. She has been wearing the things all around the house and even to bed (I don’t let her wear them outside because I don’t want her to fall and because I want her to run). I personally hate heels and never understood the point of causing yourself discomfort for the sake of fashion, so I really didn’t understand why Autumn would wear something that limited her movement, are hard and surely must be uncomfortable. I may never know, but it seems the fad is dying down. At any rate, I hope she never chooses heels because she thinks she needs to to make her legs look better, fit in or to feel taller like girls in magazines. I guess I will cross that bridge when I come to it and model a different attitude along the way while I am at it.

Today however was about photographing Autumn in some of her beautiful, natural movements. I didn’t even get half of them. In fact as soon as we got home I immediately noticed some tippy toe stands as she reached for things just out of reach and a pointed toe on one foot (for whatever reason). I imagined these photos taking place in this cool place I had seen in Talent, but when I took Autumn there this time it just didn’t seem like safe enough place to let her be free to move and explore so I opted out. I think they turned out to be a nice capture of her being comfortable in her own skin in a simple way though.

“And though she be but little, she is fierce.” -Shakespeare

And a little happy color to end the session. Of course we followed up with a cupcake at the Cupcake Daily here in Talent. The prefect little Mama/Daughter date!

Tired of cheesey character Valentine’s?

Crystal — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:51:55 +0000

Josiah and Autumn helped me do some test shots today for Valentine’s day. We used a random strand of all red Christmas lights (that I have no idea where they came from) and set up a fun little area in my bedroom and made these. They thought the way the hearts came out was really cool!

If you would like to book a mini session before Feb 4th to get a few fun pictures to send cards or e-cards to friends and family or for your child’s school Valentine’s party just click the contact button! We can do this same set up in your home or mine, or one of man other love themed ideas that are simple, fun and relaxed.

For now, Happy (early) Valentine’s Day form Josiah and Autumn!

Creative Family Christmas Card Pictures: The Cherry Family

Crystal — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:44:43 +0000

Last night I had so much fun photographing the Cherry family out beside their new house that they built. The wanted to have their Christmas card photo taken on their land roasting marshmallows in front of a fire. Little Rowdy had a blast and so did I, with all the smoke, fire and embers! It was just the perfect setting for this family! Plus there were some awesome clouds and a beautiful moon out.

I can fit it one more family next week in the Rogue Valley (Oregon) for family pictures in time to get Christmas cards in. Just shoot me an email and let’s set up a session! Crystal@CrystalGartcia.com. I am on the lookout for a person to trade a sewing project for their family session. If you might be that person, let me know! (I love to barter!)