A boy and his Dad | San Diego Family Photographer | Alicia Q. Photography

Yesterday I had a very special session down in San Diego with Matt and his son.  I had never met the two before and I must say I had an amazing time getting to know them.  Matt was in town from Florida visiting little "G" and it was awesome watching the two interract.  They don't see each other often and it really meant a lot to capture this day in photos.  "G" is a perfect 6 year old boy-- smart, energetic, funny, outgoing and so sweet.  I could tell dad is very proud of his son and that's expected.  Afterall, it's not everyday you meet a 6-year old who busts out push-ups in the middle of a session in Balboa Park!  He cracked me up with that one, lol.  Oh.  And he wants to be a U.S. Marine, too, when he grows up.  I could have spent the whole day photographing this pair!

Here is a sneak peek at their session.  Let me tell you-- I had a hard time deciding which ones to show!  Enjoy!

Brothers | Temecula Child Photographer | Alicia Q. Photography

Time to share another holiday mini-session!

How handsome are these brothers?  Don't they look just like Precious Moments dolls with those perfect little noses and big round eyes?  Too bad G and A didn't have the same angelic impression of me.  They told me I was scary!  Oh no!  LOL.  I'll just imagine they were afraid of the camera and not my face.  Haha.

And now something far less frightening than the crazy camera lady-- sneak peek!

B Family: Holiday Mini-Session | Temecula Family Photographer | Alicia Q. Photography

Look who's on the blog again!  Baby Jack!  Mom and Dad came in for their family holiday portraits and it was sweet to finally get some shots of the whole gang.  Aren't they just the cutest?  I was so impressed that Dad swapped out his t-shirt and jeans for something more festive!  I won't mention that he forgot shoes and wore white sneakers for the entire session :)  I guess men do need detailed instructions even when it comes to putting on clothes.  Ooops!  Did I say that out loud?

In any case, they sure are a handsome bunch.  Enjoy!

MCAS Miramar Air Show 2010 | San Diego Photographer

I intended to blog about this year's Air Show a couple of weeks ago, but it's been so hectic around my house that I'm just getting to it now.  So, here it is :)

My mom used to take me to the Miramar Air Show when I was a kid, back when the air station belonged to the Navy (think "Top Gun").  It was a family tradition, although most of the time it was just my mom and I.  My dad was usually working and my brother preferred to sleep in rather than look at military aircraft and watch the Blue Angels.  They missed out on a lot of good memories.  It was something I waited for every year.  My mom instilled in me a love of all things military and patriotic.  Is it any wonder I ended up with a U.S. Marine?

Unfortunately, my relationship with my mother isn't what it used to be, but I wanted to continue the same family tradition with my son.  Last year I was just days away from giving birth, so I missed the show.  But this year it just so happened my mother-in-law was in town visiting the same weekend.  Of course we headed out to Miramar to take in the sights-- and heat.  It is always SO hot on that tarmac!  But it is ALWAYS worth it :)

Here are some of my favorite shots from the day.  I still get goosebumps when I see the jets flying over the 15 freeway and I'll cherish these photos for a lifetime.  I can't wait until I get to show my son these one day.  I hope they'll refresh his childhood memories like they do mine.

A little bit country and a whole lot of Sexy! | Murrieta Photographer

When Jen asked me to take her photos so she could send them to her boyfriend in Afghanistan, I was so excited!  As a military spouse myself, I love supporting our troops-- and what better way to do that than sending photos of the beautiful women who keep the home fire burning?  Not to mention I love boudoir sessions and incorporating the outdoors is so much fun.

Jen wanted a country setting for her photos and I decided on a beautiful location.  Unfortunately, a Park Ranger informed me I wasn't allowed to conduct business (commercial photography) on private property-- in this case, an ecological reserve.  Oops!  He let me off with a verbal warning and I won't soon be forgetting the valuable lesson I learned.  The coyote that greeted us upon our arrival and the tarantula that popped out on the trail to see us out further solidified the notion that we were not welcome to take photos in their home.  Noted :)

A special thank you to Amanda Valletta for the amazing make-up.  Contact me for her information if you're looking for a professional artist for your special even or photo shoot.

I hope you enjoy this peek, Jen!  And of course, your boyfriend John is in our thoughts during his deployment.

Oh boy! | Vista Newborn Photographer

I finally made it down to Vista to see Nicole and meet her brand new baby boy (almost brand new-- he's just about four weeks old now).  He didn't want anything to do with having his photo taken, but we managed to get some good shots anyhow.  So here he is, the newest member of the ever-growing Q familia!  Isn't he just the sweetest (and so long!)??

Congrats Nicole and Jay!