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San Francisco Photographer – Bay Area Portrait Photography bio picture

welcome to my blog and website!

I love what I do - I'm a mother to my 2 year-old baby girl named Gemma, wife to my amazing husband Scott, sister (youngest of 6) to my wonderful brothers and sisters, and daughter to my supportive and sweet mother and father (may he rest in peace).  I am also a photographer in the Bay Area with passion for people and telling stories.  

For 15 years I produced video games, focusing mainly on art, animation and story. Now I'm applying those artistic and story-telling skills to my photography and having so much fun!  

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my site. Drop me a comment and let me know what you think - I love hearing from folks!  :)

Enjoy life!  Enjoy my site!  Gracias!

Monthly Archives: March 2009

free engagement sessions!

I’m looking for some great couples to shoot! I love working with couples that are crazy in love. And I love catching all those little fun, sweet, honest moments between you that make you you.

So I’m offering a fun opportunity to photograph you and your loved one at the location of your choice anywhere in the Bay Area. Most sessions will last about an hour in the late afternoon when the lighting is so nice. I will provide you with the digital negatives of the best images from the shoot. Contact me at rosaura@rosaurasandoval.com to further discuss your shoot and set up a time.

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my gear

So I’ve been building my arsenal of equipment and I wanted to share especially as folks have been recently asking me about it.  So here goes, as you can tell I’m a Canon girl for sure.  🙂

Camera Bodies

1 Canon 5D Mark ii  – such an amazing camera!

1 Canon 40D

1 Canon 20D

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Glass

Canon 85mm f/1.8

Canon 50mm f/1.4

primelenses

Canon 24mm f/1.4 – on order and coming soon!

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Canon 70-200mm IS f/2.8 – I call this my big fat mama lens70-200

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I have my eye on a macro lens too but I think I’ll rent that one for when I need it for now.

I also have 1 580 EX flash and access to other lighting equipment for an off-camera set-up.

Armored Saint!

Armored Saint is back!  My brothers are in the band (Gonzalo on drums and Phil on guitar) and it was soo much fun to see them perform and have fun. The band came together again to do an Australian tour and they kicked it off with an awesome show in Hollywood’s Key Club on the 6th of March.  The band started as friends and teenagers in my neighborhood and have accomplished so much and have traveled all over the world – it is super cool.   They sounded great and they did not disappoint the standing-room-only crowd.

Here’s G posing for me during sound check.  🙂

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I thought I would be able to get lots of really good pictures during sound check but what I didn’t realize is that they would also be programming the lighting.  Most of this time the lights were either off or super back lit.  I still managed to get a couple neat shots:

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John Bush’s son was turing 2 the next day when the guys would be flying out, so they decided to bring him along and do a little ‘Color Me Mine’ party during sound check.  Little Guiseppe is following in his father’s footsteps singing and rocking out to the drums.  Here they are during sound check (nice protective head gear!):

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I did manage to get a group shot before they all chilled out before the show (thanks, guys!):

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Sandovals in the house!  Even my mother came to show!  My father would have been here too.  And he was there in spirit.  During the show the band dedicated a song to my father, “Armored Saint’s #1 fan” and to my sister Maria for her birthday.   It was a family affair!  🙂

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The opening act was San Francisco-based, Death Angel.  They did a great job warming up the crowd.  Death Angel will also be traveling with Armored Saint to Australia – good combo!

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My mother waiting patiently for the show to begin.  I love the tag on this Armored Saint t-shirt, “Made in the USA” with the Mexican-American spin on it!  🙂

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And the the show BEGINS!   Oh my gosh, everyone was just cheering as the rumble of the music started!

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Jeff Duncan on guitar, Joey Vera on bass, Phil Sandoval on guitar and Gonzo on drums!  armoredsaint_blog_12

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And John Bush on vocals!  🙂armoredsaint_blog_16

I love how much everyone really gets into it and has fun, especially my brother Phil!armoredsaint_blog_14

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Everyone was on their game and John Bush really belted it out for us and also showed his range.armoredsaint_blog_20

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Check out the crowd!

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I came down from my protected balcony with the engineers and techs and decided to get up front.  I had to push my way to the front but it was worth it.  Plus I think it is easier when one is female.  😉

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Phil showing off for the fans!  They loved it!  🙂

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I love this last show of Phil with the red light behind him and the light coming out from under his arm.  So cool!

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These are some really happy Armored Saint fans right after the show.  The couple in front drove 500 miles from Arizona to see the show and the guys in back helped me get some good shots by hoisting me on their shoulders.  These heavy metals fans were so nice to me and I wanted to include them in the blog.  Long Live Armored Saint!  🙂

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18 months

Today we had Gemma’s 18-month checkup.  I can’t believe it is already a year and a half!  She doing super well and we are really happy about that.  In the past 3 months she’s gained over 5 lbs and had a growth spurt in height.  Her weight is still 70% but her height jumped from 70% to 90% and her head still remains at 90%.  Scott is very proud of that fact.

And in general, she is a very happy and healthy little girl.  But here in this waiting room photo, she’s looking a little suspicious about the whole thing.

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Fully unclothed and waiting for the doctor in the exam room.  Scotty is talking to Gemma and keeping her warm with his jacket.  He is such a wonderful father!  🙂

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Gemma is such a delight to be around.  And the more she learns the communicate, the more exciting it is becoming.  Here are the words she uses:

Agua (water in Spanish)

Food (sounds like ‘pooh’ and she does the sign for it)

Mimis (short for ‘dormir’ which is ‘to sleep’ in Spanish)

Melmo (she _Loves_ Elmo!)

Cracker (sounds like ‘caca’)

Uvas (grapes in Spanish)

Fruta (fruit in Spanish – sound like ‘booba’ in Gemma-speak)

Apple (this is really clear)

Banana (Gemma speak is ‘nana’)

Ya (this is ‘all-done’ and does the sign)

Pee-pee (she’s interested when I go to the bathroom… she’s doing the sign for this now)

Poo-poo

Peekaboo (she does this with a Spanish accent and I just love it)

Please (sounds like ‘peeeas’)

Thank you (sounds like ‘tunku’ and does the sign for it… sometimes)

She does the sounds and sign language for the following:

Bird – pio-pio

Airplane – shuuuuu and points to the sky

Dog – gua-gua and pats her leg

Gato – gaaa

Cow – mooooo

Duck – quack-quack

Flower – she pretends to smell a flower

Car – she pretend to drive a car and goes beep-beep

And the dreaded, MINE!  I know she learned that in daycare.  Oh well.

She understands everything I say to her in Spanish but somehow she is tending to produce words in English.  I’ll still speak to her 100% in Spanish since I know she is getting it.  The best I can do is give her a framework for the language and hope she continues it in her life.  I’m just so happy that she is learning and communicating and feeling confident and loved.  🙂