Bittersweet…
Posted on September 3, 2010
Going home is always good, no matter the occasion…except I guess if it’s for a funeral. 
My Grandfather lived a very long, full life, and his death wasn’t unexpected….or shocking. But saying goodbye to him ~ and ultimately to an “era” ~ was hard.
If you read my blog, you already know that my Mom is one of 10 kids….she’s number 5 actually ~ so totally the middle child! You also know that I have a HUGE extended family…like we could have our own town…wait, we do. Anyway, I’m technically the oldest of all the grandchildren, unless you count my cousin Wendy, who technically came after me. She and my cousin Tommy came as a package deal when my Uncle Barry married my Aunt Carla. 
And I was SO happy….Wendy and I shared so many talks, secrets, dreams….she is truly my soul sister. And I miss her! The good part about funerals? You get to see everybody…and it may be the last time we’re all together in that place…
So, me being ME, I forced asked everyone to take some group family pics, ya know…since we’re NEVER together like this. They obliged…..
My amazing family
I also have these in color…but for this post, I’m using black and white for family photos….’cause it’s my blog and I can post black and white if I wanna!
I love my Mom sooo much ~ blessed to have her in my life. Very grateful.
My "baby" brother and his beautiful wife.....wish we could hang out more...
The afore-mentioned Wendy ~ miss her so much
"The Ten"
and “The Ten” back in the day…..
My Uncle Chip and Aunt Jan would take me to Florida to babysit during summer vacations when I was in High School....so fun.
The extended families of Uncle Barry & Aunt Carla..my how they've grown!!
No, this is not Santa. (although my kids think he is related) Uncle Reggie (the oldest of "The Ten" & shares the same bday as my first born, Reece) & Aunt Debbie & their amazing children and their spouses....
Aunt Jeanine and Uncle Anthony ~ both taught music to me at different points in my life. Both are amazing musicians/artists/teachers.
My Godmother, Madelyn and her husband Dave ~ I still have all the hand written letters we shared for years... they are priceless to me.
Aunt Simone & Christopher....I can't really explain how much she has impacted my life. She was like the older sister I never had....a mentor, friend...and one of the most selfless people I've ever met.
My Aunt Dianne and her *baby* Justin...she was like a second mother to me...and a fellow Virgo
Aunt Eileen, Uncle Mike and Sarah....they are truly the 3 muskateers! I called her Lulu when I was a baby....she'll always be Lulu to me
My Uncles ~ "The Guys"
Gotta love little girls running!
Cassidy..
I wanted to take as many photos of my grandparents' house b/c it may not be there when I go back....well, it'll be there, but their "things" may not be. Wanted to get all those details so I could remember
My Grandfather's belongings, and of course, his rosary ~ on his dresser
In my mind, they will always look this way
My Grandmother's perfumes
I used to ring this bell when I was a very little girl when I was sick and wanted my Grandmother to bring me *Sprite* ~ and she would. This bell is older than I am.
One of two violins my Grandmother played.....
I could shoot these violins all day
I always wished I could play them...but never learned
The flowers at my Grandfather's funeral were never-ending...
and beautiful. He was deeply loved and appreciated by so many people.
My Grandfather's war medals
I hope Andrew and I are as happy and connected as my grandparents were....and ARE. They're together again, and although I miss them, I know they are always near.
My Mother, along with her brothers and sisters will spend their next few months going through over 50 years of memories in the house they grew up in. I think that process would be both wonderful and difficult….re-discovering memories long ago forgotten, finding new ones, undiscovered. My Grandmother kept Every. Single. Little. Thing. She was incredibly organized and knew where everything was….
So much of me is because of who they were.
“If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors.
All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”
~ Thich Nhat
Tags: child and family photography, family ties, Renee Bowen
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Saturday Ramblings
Posted on August 28, 2010
I’ve been scouring through all my photos, in an attempt to become more organized. Life moves so fast ~ I never seem to have time to get “it all” done. The internet is both amazing and evil…I love having literally everything at my fingertips, but I also detest seeing how wonderfully “together” some people are. Seriously, who are these people? It’s a struggle every single day for me just get my kids fed and cared for while trying to run a business by myself…oh and there’s the matter of the husband. (Who thankfully is extremely supportive and very much an involved Dad) But I feel spread so thin most of the time….and I know I’m not alone.
Back to my point, though – in my organizational frenzy, I’ve been finding photos that, for whatever reason, I overlooked – or never edited, or just forgot about because they were shot on film – and I’m re-discovering some great moments! (As IF I have time for this!) Alas, I thought I’d post of few of some long ago faves…bring them back to the light of day. 
Happy Saturday!
I LOVE this photo of my son, Seth. He's skimming rocks on the lake and it looks like he is "bursting" with light...and if you know him, then you know this is really "him".
I really love the flares in this photo of my friend Sabra...she's so gorgeous
Really old photo (film!) of my babies...on the beach in 2003
Sax player from New Orleans, 2003-ish? Also shot on film
2 little girls playing cards in New Orleans, 2000
One of my all time favorites...Reece riding on Andrew's back, 1999
Tags: child and family photography, event photography los angeles, family ties, photography blog, Renee Bowen
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Chandler ~ Senior Rep 2011
Posted on August 24, 2010
Oh. My. Gosh.
I’m way too excited about Chandler’s pics….but really, this is why I love what I do. Chandler is like….the sweetest girl ~ these smiles of hers are genuine. That goofiness you see in some of these ~ that’s her bubbly personality. And then…WHAT? She pulls out these killer looks ~ like she belongs in a magazine. I had so much fun editing these…hope you enjoy these few….and feel free to leave some comment love down below
And if you haven’t contacted me yet to get YOUR Senior Portaits done, then what’s stopping you? Email or call me today ~ September is booked…but there’s some dates open for October!
One more….Chandler, I hope you know how beautiful you are!
And what a trooper you were for letting me convince you to climb inside a barn window ~ and to lay on your tummy on top of a fence!
Amazing makeup by the fabulous Jami Cox! (all my Senior clients get free professional makeup before and during the shoot!)
To see even more photos, check out Chandler’s slideshow: (all my clients get one of these too)
Tags: los angeles senior portraits, photography blog, portrait photography santa clarita, Renee Bowen, Senior Model Reps, senior portrait blog, senior portraits
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Backyard Family Portraits
Posted on August 17, 2010
Shannon has been trying to get these pics done for months….literally. It’s so funny how “life happens” when you have three kids! I’m so glad we were finally able to schedule the session ~ it was nice and relaxed for the kids since we shot them in their back yard! Keeping the kids happy is key for good photos….trust me. I wanted to give them a mix of sorta posed, but fun – and non-posed photos…..they’ll have about 92 to choose from, so hopefully I accomplished that! These are some of my faves……(and it also helps that they are ALL gorgeous….seriously!)
Such a beautiful family!
Tags: child and family photography, photography blog, photography santa clarita, portrait photography santa clarita, Renee Bowen, santa clarita
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Cori ~ Senior Rep 2011
Posted on August 13, 2010
Such a fun session with Cori at Castaic Lake ~ I’ve never shot there, but figured, what the heck? We ended up with some great stuff and once again, I’m blessed with SCV’s prettiest Senior Reps. Gotta love that!
Check out the video for more images:
Makeup by Jami Cox
Tags: los angeles senior portraits, photography, portrait photography santa clarita, Renee Bowen, santa clarita, Senior Model Reps, senior portrait blog, senior portraits
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Conner ~ Senior 2011
Posted on August 10, 2010
I was so excited to shoot this session, for a few reasons: 1. I always love shooting Seniors 2. I don’t get to shoot enough guys ~ they need portraits too!! 3. I was able to shoot at a really cool/different location. 4. I’ve known Conner since he was a baby! He’s my not so little cousin ~ and lives in Texas. So when I found out they were coming out to CA to look at colleges and they asked if I could shoot his Senior Pics while they were out here, I was thrilled.
Y’all should all take note of this kid, by the way ~ he aims to be the next John Lasseter ~ and someday someone will say they want to be the next Conner Troxclair! An amazing artist, student ~ and just a great person, I have no doubt that he will accomplish everything he sets out to do, and then some. Can y’all tell I’m a proud older cousin?
I asked my friend Matt Gratzner if we could shoot at his special effects studio, because I wanted this session to be unique to who Conner is…..and because I thought it would be fun! Being the sweetheart that Matt is, he said “Sure!” (Thanks, again to him and his team for allowing us to invade their space….we got a kick out of looking at all the miniatures they’re working on)
I think Conner looks like he already owns a studio in some of these shots!!
I still can't believe he's a Senior! (and so handsome!)
Tags: los angeles senior portraits, photography, photography blog, photography santa clarita, portrait photography santa clarita, Renee Bowen, senior portrait blog, senior portraits
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5 Comments so far
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August 11, 2010 at 12:05 am -
LOVE them!! Renee, you always do such an amazing job – these are no exception
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August 11, 2010 at 2:19 am -
Renee, they’re fantastic!!!! So much better (and cooler) than anything I could have imagined! Thanks so much for taking my pictures – you really do have a talent for this! And thanks for the kind words that went along with them, they really made my day
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August 11, 2010 at 5:11 pm -
So glad y’all like them ~ Conner, you’re a sweetheart
xoxo -
Ashley ~ Senior 2011
Posted on July 29, 2010
I’m so pleased with how this session turned out ~ but really, Ashley is already stunning so that tends to make my job a tad easier. Here are a few of my faves….
Seriously, the girl needs to be a model!
Thanks to Ashley Meyers for her fabulous makeup artistry!
To see more photos, here’s the slideshow ~
Bonus photo: (just to see if you’re reading all the way down) ~ here’s Ashley’s Dad sawing off the sensor that the store forgot to remove from her jeans! He was bound and determined to get this thing off….and he totally did! Check out the sparks
Tags: photography santa clarita, Renee Bowen, santa clarita, Senior Model Reps, senior portrait blog, senior portraits
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3 Comments so far
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July 29, 2010 at 5:04 pm -
Gorgeous, as always, Renee! And three cheers for Ashley and her absolutely stunning eyes!
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July 29, 2010 at 6:42 pm -
Thanks guys
Mary and Jesse ~ SoCal Wedding
Posted on July 18, 2010
I was a little nervous. I had never shot a surprise birthday party….but it sounded so fun! How hard could it be, right? So off I went to Mary’s party ~ and not only was it a blast and not only did I get some great shots, but I kinda fell in love with her family. She’s got these amazing kids ~ a few of them and they reminded me of my own family back in Louisiana. So imagine my extreme excitement when Mary contacted me 2 years later to ask if I might be interested in shooting her wedding! This is why I love what I do ~ I have the opportunity to form relationships with my clients and see them in various stages of their lives, and their kids’ lives…it’s sorta great.
Mary is a detail person and her attention to those details is why her wedding was as beautiful as it was. That, and she also hired an insanely fabulous wedding coordinator ~ Chris Albanese with Argyle Events. I almost wish I were getting married again so I could hire him. Yeah.
The wedding took place at Middle Ranch in Lake View Terrace ~ beautiful facility and thankfully, the wedding took place before this horrid heat wave we are having here in Hades, I mean Southern California. The flowers and centerpieces were thoughtfully created by Claire’s Flowers (Claire Cullen Middleton) and I loved the vintage look of all the floral arrangements ~ vintage, yet current…so pretty. Cynthia Brooks Distinctive Catering presented some fabulous food (and vendor meals – gotta love that!) and the gorgeous cake was provided by A Sweet Design. In all, it was a magical, fun night. And many thanks to the amazing Amy Teegan for some awesome second shooting. Here are some of my favorite images:
To see the slideshow, click HERE
Tags: event photography los angeles, middle ranch, Renee Bowen, wedding photography, wedding photography santa clarita
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3 Comments so far
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July 25, 2010 at 12:42 am -
Thank you guys – I’m happy y’all like them
Meet Emma, Senior Rep 2011
Posted on July 12, 2010
So excited to introduce Emma as one of my reps for 2011! We thought it would be fun and different to shoot at a local golf course, since Emma was on the Golf Team in High School, and thank goodness she new “golf etiquette” because I’d never stepped foot onto a course before this! I’m sure I would have been hit by a ball or just generally thrown out of there had Emma not shown me the way.
To see the slideshow of even more images from our shoot, click HERE
Awesome makeup by the fabulous Jami Cox
Feel free to comment & to book your appointment today, email me at renee@reneebowenphotography.com
Tags: los angeles senior portraits, portrait photography santa clarita, Renee Bowen, santa clarita, Senior Model Reps, senior portrait blog, senior portraits
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Katie ~ Senior 2011
Posted on July 3, 2010
Placerita Canyon served as a fabulous backdrop for Katie’s senior portrait session. I’ve wanted to shoot there for some time now, and I’m so glad we did. Gorgeous day, gorgeous girl…love the light. Here’s some of my faves from our session:
For more photos, check out the slideshow HERE
Tags: child and family photography, los angeles senior portraits, photography santa clarita, portrait photography santa clarita, Renee Bowen, Senior Model Reps, senior portrait blog, senior portraits
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3 Comments so far
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July 3, 2010 at 5:29 pm -
Thanks Maggie!
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Renee…words cannot express how very proud I am of you and these pictures that you took of the “family” and memories. You not only are a wonderful photographer, you have put your heart and soul in every picture. I love you and am so proud of you!! Aunt Carla
That means so much to me
Thank you!!
I am just in tears over here! Seeing all these amazing photos and reading about your family really touches me. I feel the love oozing out from them. I know I don’t know all of them, but somehow I can feel the pulse of your beautiful family through these, Renee. The photos are incredible.
Renee,
This is an incredible group of pictures. There is a sensitivity and artistry present in this collection that seems rare, but then not surprising since you are descended from a lineage of artists. It is a gift to be able to see the unique personalities captured in both the photos of our family members as well as the objects that represent them so well: Daddy’s war medals, Mama’s perfumes, their rosaries and blessed objects, the bell. All of these move me to tears. I also especially like the picture of my four brothers. How amazing that you captured them in such a candid moment so that each of their faces conveys their personality so well! And also the pictures of us girls. The ending comment is also wonderful and appropriate. Thank you for this beautiful gift to us, Renee. Love, Nanny
Renee,your blog is wonderful. You truly have a gift – in your photography, of course, but also in your writing. You captured so many wonderful moments of our lives, our childhood and MonMon and PaPa. Thanks for the beautiful pictures (then and now). It made me cry, but in a good way! Love you so much! Mom
Renee, you touched my heart deeply by not only your captivating eye in the photographs, but by the connection to your heart in the narrative. I am so proud of you and your work! Love you so much!
Aunt Mone