Eli Turns 1!

It's been so wonderful getting to know Eli and his parents over the last few years...I knew Kim and Scott before Eli came along, and then before we knew it he was celebrating his first birthday! We were at Camp Ramah in Ojai for a Shabbaton and decided that would be the perfect time and place to his 1 year photos. There was no shortage of lush green grass and rustic backdrops, and since we were on a very relaxed schedule we just picked the time when we were ready and did the shoot. Tell me this little guy isn't going to break hearts!

Jillian and Julian - expecting twins!

Jillian and I go way back. And I mean ALL the way back, like to infant-hood! We were babies together with our mommas, so it's incredible to have stayed friends this long to see ourselves becoming mommas. Jillian was there to celebrate with me as I welcomed my kids into the world, and I cannot wait to do the same with her. She and Julian are going to be the best parents. Even if you didn't know them as well as I do, you would know that from the love and affection they show each other. I can't wait to meet Baby Girl and Baby Boy who should be arriving any day now!

Olivia - Brand New!

I got to meet sweet baby Olivia when she was just 1 week old. Those first few days are just so surreal - looking at the tiny person her parents had been dreaming about, and now she's here. It was fun to bring out the pinks and purples from my stash of props, since most of the recent newborns I've photographed have been boys. And the more newborns I shoot, the more I'm starting to better articulate my style. I do some simple "studio set-ups" with blankets, backdrops, and baskets, but what I really love is just capturing the baby and her parents in their home in the most relaxed and natural way. Enjoy these shots of Olivia and her beautiful family!

It's Fun Being One!

Hi everyone!

Yes, I know I have been remiss at updating the blog. ::hangs head in shame:: BUT I do keep you all up to date on my Facebook page which is where I post current sneak peeks from my shoots. Now that I started a new day job, my time is even more limited and I'm simultaneously working on organizing content for this site. So hopefully soon I'll be up and running again! In the meantime...

Last weekend we celebrated my nephew's first birthday, and I've also had the opportunity to do a number of 1 year old shoots recently so I've got 1 year olds on the brain! So many of these kids I knew when their mommies were pregnant and some even before that.

If you have or know of a one year old in your life, I would love to capture the fun and amazement of hitting that first year milestone. Contact me to schedule a session!

"Mommy & Me Mini" - Penina and AT!

I met up with my friend Penina and her sweet son Ariel at the Grove early one Sunday morning...our timing was perfect, because the sunlight wasn't too strong yet and we weren't lost among throngs of shoppers and tourists. I forgot that it's actually a really awesome place to explore with a little one even though I tend to avoid the crowds there. Anyway, Penina and I had been talking for a while about doing photos (she wanted to treat herself to a birthday present!) and the moment was finally right. I loved how these shots turned out, and that she decided to do them just her and her boy (daddy/hubby was working that morning)...in fact, when Mother's Day gets closer I'm going to offer a special Mommy & Me Mini sessions!

So...what do you think?!

I am SO SO SO excited to roll out my new blog site!!! I've been working the amazing Becca at Jumping Jax Designs for the last couple months to create a whole new look for my little biz. Up until now I had just been playing around on my own with fonts and watermarks and logos and business cards...it was all over the place and nothing was coordinated. Time for a change!

I have seen Becca's work on a bunch of blogs I read so I reached out, and it's one of the best investments I've made thus far, for the logo work alone! She really pulled everything together - the overall look, the fonts and colors, and logo styles. We had over 100 emails back and forth, as I debated to death the font choices (I drove myself totally batty in the process, I'm pretty sure it was no picnic for Becca either!) and then had to come up with 3 different logo concepts. And this was all starting from scratch...I literally said "I want something clean and sophisticated, somewhat whimsical but not too cutesy." I mean, that doesn't exactly narrow it down, does it?

Here is Becca's genius at work:

Seriously, if you have a blog - whether its for a business or just your own personal one - and you want a little makeover, you need to talk to Becca NOW! You won't be sorry, I promise!

Happy spring!

200 fans and counting - Giveaway Day!

Happy Monday! Thank you - all 202 of you, at current count! - for following me. It means the world to have so much support and encouragement from friends, friends of friends, and people I don't even know! Keep spreading the word. As a token of my gratitude, here is the giveaway that I promised:

ONE MINI PORTRAIT SESSION

1/2 hour photo shoot (up to one nuclear family), 10-15 images in an online gallery to share with your friends and family, and two (2) 8x10 prints of your choice.

You will also have the opportunity to upgrade the session and buy additional prints and/or the full size hi-res images at a discounted rate.

Session must be in the LA or San Diego (when I'm planning to be in town) or anywhere in between (again, when I'm already planning a trip south), or in any of the cities/areas I will be visiting this year - Mountain View/Palo Alto, CA, Charlotte, NC, or Boston, MA.

Session must be booked for 2012, and it may be gifted to someone else in the above-mentioned cities if you are not able to do it.

I love doing Minis, and starting this year I'm only offering them as special promotions (no longer on the regular menu), and it's a fun way to get a few great shots of you, your kids, or your family. So, you're probably asking yourself, how do I enter to win this fun opportunity?!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

1. Like my Facebook page.


2. COMMENT on this blog post to tell me that you like it AND your favorite image that I've posted on my page so far. Make sure to leave your name and email so I know how to find you!


3. EXTRA ENTRY - follow this blog on Blogger and leave me a comment to tell me you do.


4. ANOTHER EXTRA ENTRY - follow me on Twitter, and leave another comment on this post with your name and Twitter name.

I will do a RANDOM drawing on Thursday, February 16 sometime in the morning. Thanks for playing - enter early and often - LOL - and thank you for your support!