Just a little sneak peek from a recent family photo session in Orange County… Doesn’t get better than cute kids and perfect lighting!
Being able to explore different parts of the country is amazing! There’s something about taking photos in an environment different than your own. After taking Baby Palmer’s newborn photos in Newport Beach last year, they moved to the Bay Area. Fast forward 9 months and I met up with Amanda and her family over Labor Day in the Henry Cowell Redwood Park while I was visiting the area. Her style is gorgeous and I loved the products of our combined efforts!
I’m working on photos right now from the Back to School mini-sessions at Rascals to Rebels.
Had to post this sneak peek…couldn’t be cuter!
The summer came and went in a flash. Weren’t we just in a pool eating popsicles? Oh wait, I guess we’re still doing that. Southern California doesn’t seem to get the memo that school started today and it’s time to cool the heck down! Regardless, September is here, which means it’s time to commence the holiday mini-sessions!!
Here’s how it all works…the mini-sessions are 20 minutes long. They are back to back at the specified location. Sign-ups are done via email or over the phone. Payment of the $100 session fee saves your spot.
Last year, I debuted digital collections to save you money on printing as gifts and for Christmas cards. This year, I wanted a little incentive for you planners, so I have an Early Bird Special. It’s a total of $475 for your session fee AND the flash drive of all your re-touched high resolution images, which is about 25. If you sign up right now, you don’t have to commit to this special...you can just pay the $100 session fee and order a la carte (pricing on the left). But, it’s a great deal and only available for those that sign up for these September dates.
Once you sign up for a photo session, you’ll be emailed the directions and specifics. Also, I’ll be coming out with more dates and locations in October once these are filled.
September 14th Garden Setting in Palos Verdes 9:00am-9:20, 9:20-9:40, 9:40-10:00, 10:00-10:20
September 15th Foliage and Trails in Palos Verdes 5:00-5:20pm, 5:20-5:40, 5:40-6:00, 6:00-6:20
September 24th Lake Setting in Long Beach 5:00-5:20pm, 5:20-5:40, 5:40-6:00, 6:00-6:20
I’ve been adding tassels to everything these days. My daughter has to wear a uniform to school, so we are always brainstorming ways to keep her outfits unique. It’s so easy to make a tassel with a simple package of embroidery floss, so we’ve been adding them to sweatshirts, pencil pouches and everything in between!
I just wrote an easy tassel DIY over on Little Skye kids, so if your looking for a 5 minute project go check it out!
This weekend Kyle and I did the underwater photo sessions and as much as I loved the last time, this year was twice as amazing! We had so much fun with the kids and I think the parents thoroughly enjoyed watching us!
I’ll do a full blog post later, but for now, here’s a few sneak peeks:
I’m so excited to be back at Rascals to Rebels for another round of mini-sessions! This time it’s for back to school and what a better way to document the new school year than with some fresh photos? I’ll be at the store September 7 (10am-noon) and 8 (noon-2pm). A $50 purchase at the store gets you a free 15 minute photo session. And if you can’t make it in to shop, you can buy a gift card over the phone to reserve your spot and shop later.
The backdrop is a classic dark wood backdrop with a few rustic props (if you want to use them). The store has so many cute options right now for back to school…go check it out!
Doing photo shoots at the beach is tricky business (which is why one might need a few tips for beach photography). To be honest, when a client books, I tell them unless you LOVE the beach, don’t do your photo session there. It’s sandy and windy and not a static location. Meaning, if you like perfect hair, it won’t happen here. BUT, if your kids love the sand and the water and you feel at home hearing the crashing waves, this is your place.
So, how does a photographer make the beach work for them instead of struggling against it? Well, this list is by no means exhaustive, just a few helpful things I’ve learned in the five years that I’ve lived next to the beach and done countless photo sessions there.
1. Find a beach that has more than sand and water. If it’s possible, look for a pier and maybe even some grassy areas or a cove. One of my favorite beaches has an old wood pier and I never get tired of its rustic beauty. PLUS shooting under the pier is the best light you’ll find.
2. Bring some shells. I wish I could say that you can actually find shells on Southern California beaches, but I think you’re more likely to find a candy bar wrapper. I bring a bag full of shells and hide them before the family arrives. It helps create those natural moments where kids are just exploring.
3. Use the horizon. The beach is about more than just the water. When the sky is impossibly blue, incorporate it! For these photos, I found a little dune and laid down on the ground so when I’m shooting up it makes the jumps look even higher.
4. Timing is everything. Not only the time of the photo session (I like 9am and about 2 hours before sunset), but the time you let the kids near the water. Don’t let an outfit be ruined by a rogue wave. I’ve made that mistake before and if they don’t have a back-up outfit, the session is over. No one likes to be sandy and wet for long. So, at the end of the session, we make our way down to the water and play in the waves. If someone gets wet, it’s okay!
5. Close-ups are important! I think every mom wants to see a close-up of their child’s face and for these shots, I find indirect light. Sometimes it’s under the pier or for these ones I used a close-by grassy area. While sun flare is awesome in wide angle shots, for close-ups I want to see the color of their eyes and every detail on their face. So, I make sure to get at least one close-up out of the direct sun.
Another great idea is to shoot at the bay instead of the beach. In Long Beach we have so many and I love the lack of wind and waves for little ones. It’s such a serene location. Click here to see more photos session and the bay in Long Beach.
What can be better than a perfect pregnant belly and the last rays of sun? Sigh.
Here’s a little sneak peek from a maternity photo session I recently did in Long Beach. Can’t wait for this baby to be born!
Aug
09
I think spritzer is just a fancy word for soda. It is reminiscent of summer. Sitting on a porch or in a backyard with a cool drink in hand is how summers should be spent. I found this recipe while looking for something to serve friends at a dinner party. It then morphed into a treat that I make for the kids on lazy summer days. I don’t buy juice or sodas for the kids, so it’s definitely a treat at our house!
The original recipe from The Kitchn calls for oranges and lemons along with sugar and honey. So feel free to switch up the ingredients to your tastes. I think the oranges make it sweeter, so I was able to cut back on the sweeteners and just use honey.
Start with the juice of four oranges and stir in 1/2 cup honey. Throw in four sprigs of rosemary. You can either boil this mixture for one minute or microwave it if you’re in a hurry, like I generally tend to be. Let the mixture cool and strain it into another vessel. It will be a concentrated herbal scented juice, which is diluted by the club soda.
Pour 2-3 tablespoons of concentrate into each glass and top with soda water. If you’re feeling fancy, you can top it with a rosemary sprig and a paper straw. My kids like to be able to mix the glass themselves, watching the color crawl it’s way up to the top of the glass.
If you want to try another soda alternative, check out my watermelon cooler!