love // sneak peek of Kari & Maddie

The bubbles were in my bag. My speaker system was on stand-by. And I had my list of poses to hit and interactions to help get them there.

But I didn't need any of that.

These two were magical all on their own.

My props stayed tucked away and I concentrated on the natural beauty unfolding in front of me... snuggling together on the blanket, talking about favorite memories, and even sharing a "secret" handshake.

Watching this family brought joyful tears to my eyes. And I'm thankful to them for allowing me to witness a piece of their world.

Here's a sneak peek from last night's family session:

Like what you see?  Leave a comment to show your LOVE... if 15+ comments are received on this blog post, this family will receive a bonus 8x10 print for their home!

explore // Santa Monica Pier

I've been feeling pretty adventurous lately. More and more, I get this desire to just get in my car, crank the tunes and drive. Particularly to those places I've never been before. I simply need to get out more. There... I said it. 

So when I had a chance to visit the famed Santa Monica Pier, I was jumping for joy. (Quite literally, to the embarrassment of my husband.)  We'd just finished up a photoshoot in Manhattan Beach, so Santa Monica was a quick cruise up the coast from us.

Santa Monica Pier is one of those landmark places in Southern California that everyone has heard about. And everyone has seen. Well... everyone except me. Even though I've lived here all my life, it's somewhere I'd just never visited. I've been to the 3rd Street Promenade quite a few times, but simply never made it one block further.

Till now.

Here is our photographic journey.

And yes, this IS a dinosaur on the merry-go-round.

Indulging a sweet tooth with strawberry ice cream... one of his faves.

There was so much to see and DO here. I was blown away by all the different sights.

Like this trapeze school...

And I loved all the bright colors.

And you've gotta love the "surprise" factor. You never know what you're gonna see.

Like the scariest Mickey & Minnie Mouse I've ever seen.

And a patriotic speedo on a bike.

Which made me really glad my camera was ready for that last shot. Because otherwise, who would believe me?

Santa Monica, I hope to see you again real soon. And next time I promise to stay and PLAY a bit more.

sneak peek // Tomoda family session

Meet new mother Satomi, new father Hide, and one month old baby Kao. Their in-home family portrait session was filled with lots of joy & laughter. And with lots of family members gathered together (both sets of parents were visiting from Japan), I couldn't help but feel surrounded by love.

Here is just one of my favorite images from their session.

Show your LOVE by leaving a comment below. If 15+ comments are received, Hide + Satomi will receive a free 8×10 print to display in their home.

happy birthday to THIS guy

 This guy is one of the most generous people I have ever met.

He makes me laugh out loud with his wicked sense of humor and sarcastic wit.

He is incredibly thoughtful... doing all sorts of little things to take care of me.

He even reminds me to call my parents when it's been a while. 

This guy treats his nieces and nephews like his own sons and daughters... playing with them, teaching them, cheering them on at all their various performances, and showing the ultimate patience and love when dealing with them.

This guy makes me jealous every time he puts a pen to paper... he's able to bring the most awesome creations to life. (And YES, the following image really IS one of his latest creations.)

He re-introduced me to the fabulous world of cartoons and superheroes.

This guy is incredibly musically gifted... he plays piano, taught himself guitar, and has a beautiful singing voice.

He would sometimes even sing me to sleep while holding me close.

This guy's intellect can lead us into some of the most interesting discussions for hours on end.

He goes head to head with me... because neither of us like to admit that we are wrong... ever.

This guy swept me off my feet over nine and a half years ago.

And I am incredibly proud to call him my best friend and husband.

Wishing a very happy birthday to this guy... Tony Carrillo!

inspired

I felt like I was one of the "cool kids" in high school. Books were being passed around and signed in permanent ink. But instead of "have a great summer," the handwriting read "be inspired," "live creatively," and "here's to picture perfect memories." Now THOSE are my types of messages. I was in the midst of creativity, determination and courage, and I was soaking it all up. Like a sponge.

At Pandora in Old Town Pasadena, I was attending the book launch of "Inspired Celebrations." And it was, indeed, an event to celebrate... for SO many incredible reasons.  This book started as a seemingly far-fetched idea from Ngoc Nguyen Lay (of Skybox Event Productions). But her idea grew and grew, and she decided to turn this dream into reality... making sure to tell her husband so he could help hold her accountable. Ngoc then paired up with dietician Tram Le, MS, RD and photographer Caroline Tran for this undertaking. But soon after the initial manuscript was submitted, Tram Le (who was 7 months pregnant at the time) was in a horrible accident. Suffering from brain trauma and a 7 month stay in the hospital (and with a new baby), she was still unable to speak... but when asked if she wanted to continue this project, she nodded "yes."

And so the dream continued.

More people were brought on board... amazing stylists including Henny Vallee and Lucia Dinh Pador of Utterly Engaged, incredible chefs like Anahita Nedari, and many other amazingly talented people, as well ... each person contributing their own creative touch.

And so, things progressed into the book I cradled in my arms the night of the premier (and have not wanted to put down since). A beautiful book in its own right, filled with so many different themed party and meal ideas, this book is also so much more.

It's the realization of so many dreams come true.

To see a list of the many people involved in that night's celebration, and to see an AMAZING VIDEO of the story behind the book, simply click here.

sneak peek // twins

I love to sit back and watch the magic that happens when kids forget that they actually have an audience, and aren't trying to "perform" for anyone. So I was in heaven when I captured this hug shared between 2-year old twin sisters.

More to come soon.

love and (paint) war: timree + matt

Matt & Timree are both artists. He's into the darker monsters that haunt the pages of comic books. She's into anything pink and glittery. They've dubbed themselves "Spooky and Sparkle." If you've ever met Timree, you know how much she sparkles. But see her in the presence of Matt, and you'll see how she can SHINE!  She looks up at him with total adoration, and he returns the silly grin. The two of them together are simply fabulous. 

Matt + Timree are one of those couples that makes me smile just by being in their presence. Both upbeat and fun people, it's easy to see how it was that they fell in love with one another.  

And in the 2.5+ years of being together, they have developed their own language of sorts... finishing each others' sentences, sharing inside jokes, and sometimes conveying words with just a glance. There's a flow about the two of them where they just FIT together. Like a dance. And, at times, like a well-rehearsed comedy routine. Always entertaining, and totally in love. 

I'm thrilled that they allowed me a peek into that world of theirs... 

----------------------------------------------

I LOVE when personal elements, such as the location, are incorporated into a portrait session. We started the session in the backyard of Timree's parents... which is where the wedding will also take place.  Don't you LOVE this? And the backyard had sooooo many cool nooks and crannies, I could have easily stayed and played there all day.

Next it was a short trip to the nearby Newport Back Bay area. Glamazon Timree was a vision in gold, and Matt got the chance to strut his stuff. Their future's so bright, they both had to wear shades.

Back at the house... just another nod to the differences in personality. Ha!

We ended their session with something a bit different.  Because what's the fun of being an artist if you can't play with color? 

1, 2, 3, 4... I declare a PAINT WAR!

Let the games begin...

Click here to see even more from their session. 

Show your LOVE by leaving a comment below. If 25+ comments are received, Timree + Matt will receive a free 8x10 print to display in their new home.

Look like FUN? Check out my LOOKBOOK for inspiration & details on how to plan a portrait session of your own.

--------------------------------

sneak peek: phuong + kim

Weddings are incredibly beautiful.

There is so much thought and time put into every last detail.... the perfect flowers, the perfect location, the perfect food...

But it's not the beauty of those things I speak of.

Because when the big day comes... all those little details fade away into the background.

And there is only him + her, and the way they look at one another... the beauty of their love shining through their eyes. 

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of photographing Phuong + Kim's wedding alongside the fabulous Hanh of Hanh Nguyen Photography.

More images to come...

------------------------------------------------------