Shannon Montez Photography Blog » San Jose's Family and Child Photographer, Shannon Montez, captures all aspects of family life: Families, newborns, children, babies, high school seniors, and weddings.

Found that quote while surfing through beautiful images and things online. I can’t read it without wanting to weep. The fool in me finally feels loved and justified and important.

I’m feeling a huge creative surge right now, but it’s not so much about photography as much as life. (I tend to do this every big seasonal change, something about the seasons changing makes me want to change too.)

I want my LIFE, my soul to be beautiful even more than my photographs. I’m focusing on cultivating my life into a beautiful garden.

I get so down on myself for all ways I fall short, but looking at it this way, I’m going to try harder to love the fool and make the masterful tyrant relax a bit.

In the spirit of cultivating, one of my “crops” in the  garden, ha ha:

This family… love them. The mom was one of my early customers, so she’s a sentimental favorite! I took pictures of their sweet daughter when she was about a year and a half old. Look how much she’s grown!

That shot just speaks “little girly-hood” to me, with the curls, the ring on her finger, the dollhouse in the background… love it.

And an illustration of a toddlerhood…

All his favorite things. Mommy, blanket, thumb… awwww…..

Cuuute family! And loving parents. Seriously, does it get better than that? I just love family love.

And an illustration of mommy-hood:

I have a picture of me that Shelby took several years ago of me loving on Franklin kind of like that, and it’s still one of my most treasured photos. I look at it and warm my sad heart when I think of my baby starting kindergarten in a matter of days! It’s true what they say, that photos become even more precious as time passes…

I first met this little guy just a few days after his birth. (apparently it never got blogged, slacker!) He was tiny… for comparison, here’s a storyboard from that session…

Crrraaaazzzy how fast they grow. This session was shot at this little park across the street from where my husband works. The dad in this session also works across the street, but not in the same building… funny coincidence. Anyway, I’ve driven past this park a bazillion times, and never thought “perfect for a session.” But it was convenient, and I know I can make anything work, so we decided to meet here.

Surprise! It was one of my favorite places I’d shot in a long time… I’m still amazed that I’d overlooked such a gem for so long…

Man, I love this age…

A stream? Seriously? Where did that come from?

I love this family shot…

Tear your eyes from the sparkly eyes if you can, and see that Mr. Man is getting a new tooth on the bottom… so CUTE!