My first PNW family shoot and I GOT LUCKY! This family is so generous and the kids during the shoot were SO quick to accept me into their world. I have a lot to learn from this bunch…how to build your own home, how to live a minimalist life, new perspectives on parenting, etc. Good eggs.
Author: Ali Carras
At a very young age I lost site of my mom in a local grocery store in Boulder, Colorado. I did, however, have the smarts to go to the customer service counter. The kind woman at the counter asked "What is your name little girl?" My reply: "Assi." The woman gave me a look like, "Are you playing with me you little devil?" but she proceeded to blast on the loudspeaker the "We have a lost Assi at the front of the store." Customers throughout the store gagged and giggled, but my mom knew exactly who the woman was referring to: the mullet haired little girl with a tongue too big for her mouth, wearing a leotard, skirt, tights, and jelly shoes (with florescent green laces in them...even though they didn't need the laces). A shy little character for whom every little detail in life was a huge thing. I am pleased to report that today I am able to fully pronounce Allison (aka Ali), but the Assi pseudonym has always stuck, evolving into Aszi. As for the shy little character for whom every little detail in life was a huge thing? Some things never change.
I have closed my comments due to mass amounts of spam that no filter could ever control. Feel free to contact me abeckord [at] gmail.com!
Before the Curls were Cut | San Francisco, CA
I don’t play favorites but occasionally I’ll have a shoot that just inspires me. Thiiiiiiiiis was one of those families. They had such a fun light filled and thoughtfully designed home, their kiddos were allowed to just do their thing and be themselves, and their outfits (or lack there of) were so insanely cute! And, to top it off we ended the session with ice cream which = chocolate mustaches. Thanks, guys. I genuinely had a grand time.
Oakland, CA
Last spring I was lucky to photograph this family in a special little spot in the Oakland hills I had never been to before. Now I want to have loads of free time back in the bay area so I can take my family back to this location and spend a lazy Sunday reading books and eating cheese…oh reality…you so terribly get in the way of all the fun.
Oakland, CA
This family. They lived down the hall from us in our crazy loft building and we became good friends. We had babies and bonded. Now they are off on a new adventure and they will seriously be missed but that just means we get to travel to Tennessee (!!!) so it ain’t all bad.
coming out of hibernation
I **think** I’m coming out of hibernation. Maybe. It is sunny and 50 today so I’m full of vigor. I love the word vigor. Anyhow, we’ll be in various parts of the west coast over the next few months so if you are in need of some kid photos hit me up.
Available dates and locations:
Palm Springs/SoCal: February 15-20
San Francisco/Bay Area: March 24-27 (26th not available).
Denver/Boulder: Potentially late April (20th-ish).
Seattle/Portland/Olympia (i.e. PNW): all the dates in between the above mentioned.
Photo shoot options:
-Mini sessions: 20-ish minutes, outside, 5-10 final downloadable images. Little flexibility or variety but quick and easy.
-Full family sessions: 1.5-2 hours, in your home and/or outside at a spot that means something to you. 25-40 final images. Full family sessions are a bit more candid, flexible and offer a lot of variety. If your kid needs a break, a snack break or time to warm up to me we have the flexibility to give it to him/her. I’ll let you do your thing so things are as natural as we can make it…and we’ll also do some more formal shots. Natural light only and the final images would be a mix of color/black and white. The full sessions I like because they tell more of a story about your life at that time vs crafting a couple nice images in the mini session.
What makes for a good photo? Sharp apparel or lots of mud (depending on the direction of the shoot), awesome lighting, letting your kids be kids, dancing like a puppy monkey baby, rolling with it, stiff drink/s.
If interested shoot me an email at ali [@] aszichild.com
holiday card 2015
“Pink” – Art direction by 3 year old
I must confess that these holiday cards can be a bit stressful. We never know what to do, we don’t know where to get the appropriate attire, we don’t want to spend hours and hours and hours because who has the time?!?! But yet we love (kind of) to do them. This year as we were on our way to Goodwill to get “inspired” (ha!) we asked the kid what we should do. Her response: “Pink.” So, there you have it. And I’d have to say this may be one of my favorite of all time.
holiday photo time…double woot
Holiday photo time, folks. Since we are still slightly nomadic I will be in various parts of the west coast between now and the end of the year. Get some memories photographed and smash ’em into a holiday card. Book it, yo!
Available dates and locations:
- San Francisco/Bay Area: September 20-27.
- Denver/Boulder: October 30-4
- Palm Springs: November 24-7
- Seattle/Portland/Olympia (i.e. PNW): all the dates in between the above mentioned.
Photo shoot options:
Mini sessions: 20-ish minutes, outside, 5-10 final downloadable images. Little flexibility or variety but quick and easy.
Full family sessions: 1.5-2 hours, in your home and/or outside at a spot that means something to you. 25-40 final images. Full family sessions are a bit more candid, flexible and offer a lot of variety. If your kid needs a break, a snack break or time to warm up to me we have the flexibility to give it to him/her. I’ll let you do your thing so things are as natural as we can make it…and we’ll also do some more formal shots. Natural light only and the final images would be a mix of color/black and white. The full sessions I like because they tell more of a story about your life at that time vs crafting a couple nice images in the mini session.
What makes for a good photo? Dapper apparel, awesome lighting, letting your kids be kids, dancing like a monkey, rolling with it, whisky.
If interested shoot me an email at ali [@] aszichild.com
creatures of the woods come out and play! a pop-up
I have to “quiet my wild mind.” I posed the thought on Facebook about doing a pop-up in the bay area at some point in June. The response was awesome and now my mind is going insane with ideas. So here is the plan:
The basics:
A 20-30 minute portrait session for up to two kids (max) aged 4-6months (i.e. siting up) to 8 years (ish). We’ll meet outside at a predetermined location and your kiddos can become whatever creature of the forest they want. Think wild things, caped queens and kings, flower fairies, etc. This will predominantly be a time for your kiddo to play and will be a kid focused shoot but parents may want/need to step in. I’ll have some costumes on hand for your offspring/s but I’d encourage any articles that may get your kid/s in the mood (i.e. crowns, capes, wings, tutus, flower crowns etc). If your kiddo/s don’t want to channel their inner woodland creature/s we can most certainly do normal stuff sans costume.
When and where:
June 27th from 3-7pm in San Francisco.
June 28th from 3-7pm in the East Bay.
Exact location TBD.
Sessions happen on the hour and time slots must be reserved in advance.
How much and what do I get?
$200
20-30 minute session
Private online gallery with 10-15 photos
5 high resolution digital files for download
Tell me more:
Session fee due at the time of booking to reserve your time. The fee is non-refundable. From the online gallery you will choose your 5 favorites photos and send your selects to me. I will electronically send you the high resolution digital files for you to download. The download will include a permission to print release for personal usage only (copyright still belongs to me). Turn around time for the digital files will be four weeks from the shoot date.
Snap, can’t make it on either day, will you be doing this on any other days?
Potentially, but most likely not. We’ll returning to the bay area in early September and October and **might** do additional shoots then. Email me if you are interested and we can chat.
Give it to me! How?
Email ali[at]aszichild.com and let me know:
1.) Your name and the name/s and age/s of your offspring. Two kids max per each session. If you have more than two kids you’ll need two sessions.
2.) Your top three picks for time slots in order of preference (i.e. 3pm, 6pam or 7pm). Reservations are made on a first come first served basis and will start on the hour.
a bay area sabbatical
Soooooo, it has been kind of a long time since I’ve posted on the old blog. Yes, I’m still taking pictures. in fact, I’m sitting on a pile of amazing images and can’t wait to update the site with fresh stuff. But, the big news is my family and I decided to go on what we call a “bay area sabbatical.” The timing just seemed right to pack up our loft and put our lives in storage for awhile. We LOVE the bay area and had been living in paradise for 15 some years, but with a kid and school on the horizon and a dream to own a home (that is not ridiculously expensive) we decided to test out a few areas to see if we “belong” anywhere else. We are on a hunt to find a simpler life, if possible. And, more than anything we hope to be closer to family. Since December of 2014 we’ve been nomadic aka somewhat homeless but mostly bonafide moochers (ha!). With the encouragement of a lot of people I started another blog that documents the changing terrain of our adventure: www.slightlyadrift.com. So, yeah. That is where I’ve been.
how to scare the crap out of your parents, as told by a 23 month old
“How to Scare the Crap Out of Your Parents” as told my our 23 month old little girl…
Step 1: Dish up a low grade fever. Have your fever go up and down and all around just to confuse them a little…especially if they are the type of parents who can’t remember how high it needs to be before they take you to the hospital.
Step 2: Start to feel better and have your fever go down…right before bedtime. Then act like your silly self so your parents think all is well.
Step 3: Go to bed in record time.
Step 4: About an hour after you are fast asleep have your fever spike and start up a febrile seizure. Let out a shrill sound that your parents have never heard before so they come running.
Step 5: Pass out, turn gray and play dead (but still breathe).
Step 6: By now your parents will really be scared so they’ll probably be screaming in your ear to “Wake up!” and “Stay with us!” and such and such. Just ignore it all, pretend to be a limp noodle and don’t open your eyes.
Step 7: Your parents will now probably rush you to the ER if they haven’t called 911. You’ll get prodded in the bum so the docs can see how high your temperature is and if you are lucky they will put you in a room with a big comfy bed. Keep taking some naps.
Step 8: Now the fun part begins. You get to meet all these nice people who talk to you in high voices and your daddy might show you a video while you get your blood drawn and they have stickers and a coloring book and stuff to look at. Keep in mind that it is now the middle of the night so you get to stay up really late!
Step 9: Your parents get scolded for not giving you Tylenol right when you got that low grade fever.
Step 10: When you get to go home your parents treat you like this magical princess and they give you hugs and kisses every few seconds and the next day you get to read books all day and you’ll maybe even get to watch a Mr. Rodgers show and you get yummy yogurt tubes and your mama makes you chicken noodle soup and man…life is good.