January 10, 2014

prints, quotes, and a new photoshop trick

i don't know if i'm just way behind or what, but i learned the  coolest photoshop trick yesterday and i am all kinds of excited about it! 

(it's been around for years, i'm aware, but it's new to me so i'm allaboutit right now)

it's such a fun way to blend my love for words, type, and photography, and i think i'm going to create hundreds of these, so watch out. if you have quote/scripture ideas, pass them on! 




happy friday, friends! 

January 9, 2014

GIVEAWAY: love session

since christmas, engagements have been blowing up my facebook and instagram feed,and i love it! in the spirit of love (valentine's day is just around the corner!), i'm giving away a love session (engagement or anniversary) to a lucky couple. documenting incredible love between two people is one of my favorite things - there's just nothing better.

scroll down for details


here's how to enter: 

1. send an e-mail to debbie.gilley1@gmail.com and tell me your love story and why you want to win a love session. 

2. include a photo of you & yours in your e-mail.

3. if you want to nominate someone who you think would love a session to document this season of their life, feel free to enter them as well! 

4. deadline for entries is Wednesday, January 15th at midnight. 

5. winner will be announced on Friday, January 17th (all other giveaway participants will receive a generous session discount). 

conditions: this giveaway only includes an engagement or anniversary session - no families, newborns, or senior portraits (but maybe in the future!). 

i'm so excited to read your stories and get to know you all! 



January 8, 2014

the holidays in instagram

whew, did anyone else feel like we just whipped through the holidays and were hurled right into the new year? december is just one big blur to me, but thankfully, my iphone was there to capture little moments that i might have otherwise forgotten. 

it was our first christmas together, and though not everything went like we had planned or maybe wanted it to, it was nevertheless magical. there is so much joy in decorating your home for the holidays together, walking around Naples & Torrance to see the christmas lights, snuggling in for endless holiday movies (i feel like i didn't watch enough and am tempted to keep watching them through January ;]), and listening to every christmas song at least a dozen times throughout the month. most of all, i was reminded of how deeply deeply blessed we are. even when things feel rough, we still have food to eat, time to be together, a roof over our heads, and family and friends we love. 

top left, clockwise: jen hatmaker is my jam. seriously, grab her books; my DIY christmas wreath!; i LOVED receiving so many holiday cards from my clients this year! it brightens my heart to see touch and feel these images; that one time my husband came home from work with this gorgeous bouquet in his hands (husband points, am i right?)
top right, clockwise: we might not have a backyard, but we have a backstep and a little greenway so hey, why not eat lunch outside on a sunny december day?!; wrapping up the semester with projects, finals, and coffee; we strung these lights in our bedroom for kicks, and i swear they are not coming down now - we love 'em!; my last day of BLAST - what a truly awesome experience! 
top right, clockwise: mornings are my favorite; a solo sunday at church; our best friends rachel & ryan came to visit after christmas and it was THE BEST. we adore those two and are so grateful for them; oh just jen, messing up my life again in ridiculously good ways.
top right, clockwise: driving home to visit the family for christmas; the american river and old town folsom gave us a beautiful afternoon date, where we also scouted out some apartments and places to move this fall - we're excited! 
top right, clockwise: we received some of the cutest ornaments for christmas! we can't wait to add them to our tree next year; strolling around Naples (one of our favorite holiday dates); strolling through folsom; we loved our christmas tree this year - that it was standing by the front window made it even better! 
that one time the common head cold visited our house for over a week. we have never eaten so much chicken noodle soup (home made, delish), watched as many episodes of LOST (addicting), or spent that much time on the couch before. needless to say, NYE was almost non-existent and new year's day was nothing but resting and staying home. but, nothing made me happier than having that guy by my side, no matter how congested and sneezy we were! 
top right, clockwise: mornings; headed out to date night in the midst of a nightmare work week - Travis was scheduled for almost 100 hours in 9 days straight, and has been working non-stop. it's been really rough and has taken away so much of his free time (literally, we wake up, he goes to work, he comes home, and we go to bed), but we made the most of this sunday night with a movie (GO SEE WALTER MITTY), pieology, and drinks (i've never ordered a drink at a bar before, so this was way fun to do together!); more gorgeous flowers that i picked out and T bought for me on our date night; BLACKFISH: watch this eye-opening documentary and think twice about enjoying Seaworld or any animal entertainment show. why are so foolish to try and tame God's powerful and intelligent creatures? heartbreaking and mindblowing.
 here's to a productive first week of the new year! 

xo. 








January 7, 2014

baby blessings: simon + ashley // el dorado county maternity session




this year is already guaranteed to be awesome because in just 5 little days, my sweet niece is due! baby emma will be the first grandchild & the first niece (both on both sides), so to say we're all a little bit excited is an understatement. she is going to be one loved little girl. 

on christmas day, right before T and i hit the road and drove back to Long Beach, i took these maternity portraits for simon + ash, and i just love how they turned out! i just love these two parents-to-be - enjoy! 


January 6, 2014

archives: jordan // bixby knolls senior session

during 2013, i learned so much about post-processing, so sometimes it's fun to dig through the archives and work on old shoots. this senior session from last march was one of my favorites, and it was so fun to revisit. oh and hey, it's time to start thinking about those senior photos (high school or college), so let's connect! =) 














January 4, 2014

announcing mentoring sessions

did you get a new camera for christmas, but don't really know how to use it yet? OR have you had a DSLR sitting around the house and still can't figure it out? 

if you need a helping hand, schedule a one-on-one mentoring session with MOI! OR grab a few friends and make it a group session. nothing breaks this photographers heart more than watching people use a "fancy" camera like a regular point & shoot, when your DSLR has so much potential waiting at your fingertips - you just need to know how to tap into it! 


rates start at $75 per person, or $60 per person for a group of 2 or more

your session will include the following:

an introduction to the basics of your DSLR

lighting techniques

posing techniques

and a newfound love for your camera - i promise

plus, we'll probably meet at a coffee shop, so lattes on me! 
(and now i've totally convinced you, right?)

e-mail debbie.gilley1@gmail.com for more info - i'm so excited to get the fun started! 

January 2, 2014

january goals

all this talk about a fresh start in 2014 is so inspiring - don't you think?! i love the new-ness of the new year, the opportunity to reflect, dream, and make changes. in addition to creating a list of 2014 dreams & do's, i'm also going to try and set monthly goals in order to keep me on track throughout the year. most of all, i want to use my time intentionally, live a life that reflects Jesus, and work on my relationships and friendships with others. that last one is definitely dear to my heart. so many people have told me that the post-graduate life is almost disappointing in a way, and i tend to agree - so many things change in ways you didn't expect. your college friends move away, start new jobs, enter into new relationships, and it seems like there isn't much to connect you anymore - does that make sense? i seriously struggled in my friendships during this past year, with many of my closest girls moving far away. i'm a quality over quantity girl, and i really only need one person to pour my heart out to, one person with whom i have a deep quality friendship with. though Travis is hands-down my closest and truest friend, he ain't a girlfriend if you-know-what-i-mean, and we've both recognized that it is important to have other close friendships, including each other. so i'm praying hard for a woman who i can connect with, who makes me think about things differently, who asks the tough questions, and who encourages me through rough times - and she must love coffee. it almost feels like dating again sometimes - pursuing people, feeling out whether you click or not. but at the same time, God has always brought the right people into my life exactly when i needed them - in fact, before i even knew i needed them. so i'm trusting Him to do the same for both T and i this coming year. all that to say, i'm going to try and schedule regular coffee dates with friends, to show up and be present, and to invest in those around me. 

end of long thought process. 

remember how i had a list of end-of-the-year goals? well, then the common cold decided to visit this house and in the past week we've had more chicken noodle soup, watched more episodes of LOST, and have spent more time on the couch doing nothing than ever before. i'm praying we're on the tail end of this because i'm ready to get back to bizzzness! 


speaking of business, here are my January goals - i'm looking forward to seeing what i can accomplish in the next four weeks! 

// submit substitute applications
// clean wedding dress
// print thank you photos for vendors
// make care packages for the homeless
// pray about joining/creating a small group
// host a game night/worship night
// go home to see Baby Emma (& take newborn photos)
// organize 2013 photos and back it all up
// create a realistic schedule for the spring semester: office hours, work, errands/chores, school/HW
// sell moped and Xterra and bring the motorcycle down! 
// shoot two sessions
// begin our devotional through the Gospels
// eat more dinners at the table instead of on the couch, watching TV

have you guys set any goals? i'd love to hear them! 

xo.