My dear friend Purvi Shah is the founder of the Kids and Art, established in 2008, after her son Amaey, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2005. Feeling the need to create some order and meaning in her suddenly overturned world, Purvi sought a way in which she could personally make a difference – for her own child, and the thousands more like him.  She first joined The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training (TNT), ran three half marathons, and raised $14,000.  But she felt she could do more.

Purvi’s passion, background and career in design and online media proved the natural inspiration to involve kids with cancer and art.  What became the Kids and Art Foundation provides an outlet for children with cancer and their siblings to express their emotions through art, under the coaching and guidance of local Bay Area artists.  The resulting artwork, through auctions, supports leukemia and lymphoma charities.

With her friends Helen McNamara, Caroline Low and Jeanne Cox they have organized a Charity Art Auction and the proceeds will benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

My little contribution was to photograph the paintings of these amazingly talented kids, for the auction catalog. Take a look, how particularly detailed and original these work of arts are. Please join my friends next Saturday at the Bohhams and Butterfields in San Francisco, from 4 to 7pm to contribute to this important cause. For more info on Kids and Art organization and the Charity Art Auction visit www.kidsandart.org

In one of the hottest days in history in San Francisco, I met Stacie and Sean for their engagement photo session. Despite the heat, we spent nearly 4 hours together shooting in different parts of the city. Above one of my favorite locations of the day, this run down garage gave that edgy look I long for these days. Stacie and Sean made it easy for me being so at ease and sexy looking! We started the day at the Ferry Building and took our time at Pier 7… so romantic!

It started to get slightly cooler once we reached Grace Cathedral, after a change of clothes, here are Stacie and Sean resting and cuddleling on the steps of the church before we headed for our last location of the day, Crissy Fields.

It was good to see Camille again after I photographed her a few months ago.. Time flies and she gotten so big already, able to walk this time and a bit camera shy.. thank God for her little brother Elliot who can lighten up her face!

Elliot is at that age when it’s really challenging to photograph kids cause they give you the ‘fake smile’ or make ‘funny faces’… Give it a little time, have someone distract them and with some patience you can catch them in their natural selves. Also, after their first ’resistance’, I found that, after a while, they end up enjoying posing for the camera!

Last week my friend Ken Delbeek of Studio in Bloom came back to LightSky Studio to show us her newest flower collection. You may remember the beautiful bouquet we used for our destination photo shoot in Venice and her precious handmade creations I talked about just a few days ago. Brides who are planning destination weddings and wanna make sure to carry their favorite flowers down the isle no matter what season it is, they know they can count on Studio in Bloom!

I spoke with Nicolle yesterday as she and Dennis were just leaving for her honeymoon.. a long trip to Asia with many exciting stops.. I asked her why she didn’t bring me along Glad I cought her before she left for the airport so she could confirm the layout of her wedding album! And while she’s having fun with hubby relaxing in Singapore or Malasya… this goes into printing and binding… it’ll be all ready when she comes back! Happy honeymoon guys!!