FAMILY: Vasquez Family Portraits

Last month I had the joy of working with the Vasquez Family to update their family portraits.  We met up for a stroll through our local park but what happened instead was pure comedy.  Elijah(6) and Jacob(2) provided nonstop laughter and entertainment as we "struggled" to snap a group photo.  Belly laughs, fist fights, and trips through magical tunnels brought out the true spirit of these little guys and if I'm honest, that's my favorite way to do it.  Parents often stress over getting that one perfect shot, but it's also so important to remember these stages and to document the childhood they will remember.  (But don't worry, we got one of those nice family shots too!)  I love all the candid shots and emotion we captured, and the golden light was amazing--but don't just take my word for it, check it out for yourself...  :)

 

Baby Girl: Avalon Avery

Jesse & Kelly have been an institution in my life for the past eight years.  When I moved to Long Beach for college, Kelly was one of the first people I met at CSU Long Beach.  We were in the same art history class and we also found the same church.  We were kindred spirits, having both grown up in small San Diego offshoots; we had so much in common and became fast friends.  It didn't take much for me to also bond with her boyfriend (now husband) Jesse, because he, too, was one of the kindest souls I've met in this town.  They've seen me through some of my toughest times, and undoubtedly some of my best.

When I heard the news that they were expecting, it rocked my world, the same way it does every time I learn someone from my cohort is moving on to a new milestone.  I've been lucky to spend the last few months working closely with Kelly as part of a small team of wedding vendors and I've had the joy of watching her pregnancy progress.  It was hard to imagine what a new addition to their family would look like, but now that I've met their little Avalon it seems like she's been with them forever, and in some ways I suppose she has.

When Kelly asked me to take a few photos of their newborn baby girl I squeeked with excitement--I was honored to be one of the first to meet her!  They stopped by last week and we spent hours catching up and soaking in the goodness of their new daughter.  I was amazed to hear about her birth story and how at almost 42 weeks Kelly labored for 30 hours without any intervention or medications (the rest of the story is hers to tell).  The result was a beautiful and healthy baby girl, weighing in at 8lbs 7oz, and I'm not exaggerating when I say she could not be more perfect.  I see so much of her parents in her, and can tell she carries their same sweet disposition.  I cannot wait to see what life has in store for this new trio and I'm so thankful to have witnessed it from the start.

Watching my friends transition into parenthood is bittersweet.  Selfishly, I'm sad they will no longer share with us in the small, carefree delights of non-parenthood, but in the grander sense it warms my heart to see them taking on these new roles as the center of their universe shifts a little with every passing day.

MATERNITY: Candy + Norman

Recently one of my past clients contacted me about maternity photos, and she was upfront about the fact that she wanted them to be amazing.  Of course we like to think all of our work is amazing, and to us it is, but I knew what she meant.  We picked a gorgeous beach, she bought a perfect flowy gown, we arrived just a tiny bit before sunset, and then the magic happened. I can honestly say this was one of my favorite shoots to date, and now the standard I will continue to hold myself to!  I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

(Favorite image I've ever taken! :D)

Baby Benny

I met the Manfre family over the holidays when they came out for some maternity/Christmas card photos.  They were warm and wonderful clients and I secretly hoped they would ask me back to do their baby photos when the time came...  and they did. :)

Introducing Baby Benjamin..

 What a tender bond..