The Saleem family joined me for my recent mini-session in Folsom. It was great to see them again this year and I just love how coy their little girl is. She really likes to make you work for her smiles and we had fun playing hide-and-seek in the bushes. But, oh my, when you get those smiles, they’re golden!
Max was around two weeks old when I photographed him a few weeks ago and already a little charmer. What I love about this family is how obvious their devotion is to one another. From the careful way Max’s big brother holds him, to the way his daddy looks into his eyes, and the comforting touch of mommy’s hand… these are my favorite kinds of sessions, where the magic is already there, you just have to keep clicking!
Enjoy.
I was so excited for this family session at the Laguna College of Art and Design which I scheduled during my vacation to Southern California a few weeks ago. Ever since little Liam was born, his mom and I have been trying to coordinate schedules. It was awesome to have been able to make it happen. And since I used to live in the O.C., the opportunity to shoot in my old stomping grounds was one I could not miss.
It turned out to be almost impossible to select a “few good” images from this session because there were so many. Liam literally shines on camera (that smile!) and his parents are obviously so full of love and wonder just watching him that every image had something real, warm, and special about it. Even Grandma got in for a few shots!
It was great to be back in SoCal and nice to have a change of environment to shoot in. Now I want to schedule more sessions in the O.C. Any takers?
It was sunny with nothing but blue skies outside my window when I touched base with this family the morning of our shoot. “Yes, it looks good here too!” they said, agreeing that, for the hundredth time in as many days, the weather forecasters had got it hopelessly wrong.
Well, apparently they were only wrong 99 times. Ahem.
No sooner had we stopped the car on a quiet stretch of a tree lined street and got out, than the wind whipped-up and the heavens opened… with vengeance. If you live in the Sacramento region, you’ll know that it rains rarely but when it does, it does not mess around.
I hastily snapped this photo before we moved to Plan B
Thankfully, there was a Plan B: the nearby country club and their beautiful home, which we then got the opportunity to show-off in some fun family shots.
The moral to this story: sometimes Plan B works out pretty darn good. The only casualty seemed to be the floors which wound-up littered with little pieces of polystyrene from one of their son’s toys. You can see a little of it on the last two shots but there was much more. Thank goodness for PhotoShop… AND vacuums!
My hat comes off to mom here because she did a FANTASTIC job of outfitting her whole clan. I loved the mix of bright, royal blues contrasted with the classic neutrals and all finished off with the pop of red. This is how you do coordinated vs. matching.
Not only were the outfits fabulous but the weather was unseasonably warm for this fun family session at the Flower Farm Inn, in Loomis, CA. I shot a session there back in October and just love the variety of backdrops, the colorful doors, and the fun props just sitting around.
Baby Max is due in early April. I just loved how his big brother, Cole, is already soooo in love with him.
This was a really sweet and relaxed at-home session. So many people worry about their home not being “ideal” for a photo session but during pregnancy and the early days of a newborn’s life, it’s often the place where everybody is most relaxed. And that is always when you capture the most beautiful moments…
My last session of 2011. A wonderful year and a wonderful session to end it with.
Four beautiful ladies and a sunny winter day; I was truly humbled to have been chosen to capture this wonderful family at an emotional time in their life. Thank you, girls!
I am simply in LOVE with the Old Sugar Mill. It has to be the most inspirational place I have ever shot at, hands-down. The light! The variety of backdrops! The peacefulness! Plus, the drive down the 160 along the Sacramento river on a sunny afternoon isn’t half bad either.
Which is why I was super-super-super excited for my session with my good friend, Kim, her boyfriend and spirited four-year-old son, who I have watched grow from birth.
We ran, we danced, we climbed, we “surfed”, we jumped in leaves… we had a blast and I think it comes through in these images.
The face that signals: “All done!”
I just love newborn sessions at home. They are fast becoming my favorite type of family session. Not because they are beautifully staged or perfectly lit but because it is just truly an honor and a privilege to be allowed into those first few, intimate days at home with a new baby and her family. They’re also super challenging – in a good way – because I have limited space and locations and, often as is the case for me, I’m also trying to encourage a stroppy toddler to model the doting sibling. It never fails, folks. The minute I walk in the door with camera-in-hand, even the most loving siblings flip the obstinate switch! Making beautiful portraits in those moments is fun, emotional, and creatively stimulating for me.
And so it was for the Wilson family and their second daughter, Caitlin, just 9 days old…
If you are pregnant and hoping to schedule a newborn session in the future, I highly recommend trying to schedule within the first 7-10 days of your baby’s life. Babies are still sleepy and curled-up at this time and easier to work with. Although your baby may not arrive “on” your due date, I can block out time around that date to ensure we don’t miss our window of opportunity.
And don’t stress. So many moms worry about how they will look and how their house will present. Honestly, anywhere with a window is a great location for a photo – all these images were taken within 5 feet of a patio door – and newborn sessions are literally the most laid-back sessions for you! The first 30 minutes I work with your baby one-on-one while you relax or finish getting ready. Plus, you’re at home, so everything you could possibly need is on-hand for you and your baby.
Please call me if you would like to learn more. 916.200.3956.
We couldn’t believe we beat the rain for this fun Old Sacramento family session – it was definitely looking ominous with 100% cloud cover and a chilly wind. Not that bad weather ever stopped two little girls from running around on train tracks, having fun and eating candy!
