“He loves everything to do with firemen”

I could just picture him running around the house dressed up like a fireman.  The fights to take off the firefighter gear so they could go to the grocery store.  Explaining that wearing a fire fighter’s hat might not be appropriate for a wedding.  I don’t know if that is how it actually plays out at their home, but that is the image that popped into my head when she said it.  In the midst of having my vision I just said, “That is awesome!”.

I just love that kids are who they are.  They get into what they are into and then they are shameless about it.  Wear it everywhere.  And I LOVE AND ADORE parents who just let them embrace it.

So when Rebecca said that she might bring some of Hunter’s firefighter attire for our photo shoot, I am pretty sure I squealed.  I am not a squealer…but that day I did.  ”OOOOooooooooo YES!  BRING IT!”

This photo shoot was a-mazing.  I got to walk around the most gorgeous, lush park that I have ever been to.  I swooned as I got out of the car and saw the redwoods, green grass, flowers, duck pond.  Memories flooded as I reminisced what it was like to grow up with redwoods in my backyard (answer = the BEST thing ever.) And then when they arrived, the first thing I noticed was Hunter’s fireman boots.  I was in heaven.  I got to capture Hunter being the most fun, energetic, social, and imaginative boy I have ever met…and sweet sweet Lexi who the moment I held the camera up to my face smiled with the kind of smile that just makes you melt.

E family, thank you!  I had so much fun!

Check out this tree! Isn’t it gorgeous? And the light…and the family…and the…well, everything!

Introducing the sweetest smile in the world…by Lexi…

This picture kills me. Rebecca, I can’t believe you don’t get in front of the camera more often. We are all at a loss…. you are gorgeous! (Those eyes are natural folks!)

Introducing the fireman himself…Mr. Hunter!

Every fireman needs a fire pole to slide down….

…and some formal fire fighter portraits (I am in LOVE with these! Isn’t he the most handsome little guy? Hunter stole my heart!)

Sometimes firemen like to also hide in bushes and watch out for dinosaurs! (like every little boy!)

Then we rounded the troops for a little play time. This was SO much fun! I simply adore the way these shots came out…real family moments…..just playing and giggling like families do!


This shot is a more calm moment, but something about it makes me smile.

I am in LOVE with this series. I told Hunter not to smile. He held it for about a minute…but then burst into full giggle. It was the best.

And this one DEFINITELY makes me smile…and warms my heart. I love the love. I can’t fake that as a photographer. I can’t make a family connect and love one another…this family just did, and I was lucky enough to be there and be a part of it. Thank you E family for warming my heart!

Drum roll please…..

Today I get to share with you “Part Two” of my first ever “two part photo shoot”!

In the spirit of drum rolls I would like to start by awarding this family with a couple prizes.  [During the shoot Dorinda revealed to me that she has a slight competitive spirit, so I thought it would be fun to award her some prizes...I mean they are totally deserved!]

#1 Shoot…The Wettest Shoot (only shoot I have had rained on!)

#2 Shoot….The Sandiest Shoot EVER (this family was willing to not only play in the sand, but lay down in the sand and get covered in sand!  I came home the sandiest I have ever been…so they I AM SURE brought half the beach home with them!)

#3…Best Muffins! (Dorinda made some muffins for snack at the shoot…and sent me home with a plate full!  Thank you SO MUCH Dorinda, they were SO YUMMY.  Let’s just say, only two actually made it home!)

Dorinda, Ruud and Joshua…I cannot tell you how much I adored being able to see and play with your family, not once, but twice!  You showed me that the words “play” and “photo shoot” can go perfectly hand in hand.  I have to say that I think God smiled down on us for the second half of our shoot, nothing but clear blue, very sunny skies, with a perfect San Diego temperature of 75 degrees.  Thank you so much for being so flexible, so easy going, and I hope you enjoy sharing these San Diego beach (with blue skies!) pictures with all your family back home!

Look at those blue eyes!  Isn’t Joshua the cutest?

Joshua was the happiest and FASTEST little man I have ever chased…he completely stole my heart…and I ADORED trying to capture him. This second shoot I made it my mission to try and capture how fast and busy he is.  It was so fun (and I think we got it)!

And we were able to snag a couple family shots too…

I love this shot below!  So romantic…with Joshua just peeking on…

And nothing makes me smile like kids being thrown into the air!  They just love it so much!

Below is my favorite from the shoot for so many reasons!  First, they were willing to lie down in the sand for me….and second to me it just captures their family so perfectly!  Definitely my favorite!

Before saying goodbye…a little San Diego sunset shot…(or a few)

I can say with all honesty, and no exaggeration, that I have had the pleasure of photographing some pretty AWESOME moms!  To all my clients who are moms (and all the moms out there) THANK YOU for what you do everyday for your children.  Thank you for loving and sacrificing and giving so much on a daily basis.

Happy Mother’s Day!

In celebration, here are just a few of some of my favorite captures of motherhood:

Happy Mother’s Day …and wishing you many more smiles, hugs, kisses, laughter, love and joy…

As I saw the ominous clouds overtake the view from my window, I couldn’t help but hear her voice, with her sweet Dutch accent, on the phone,  ”We want a photo shoot at the beach with blue skies so we can send pictures of beautiful San Diego back home.”  As she inquired, “what if it rains?” I responded with confidence that it barely ever rains in San Diego, so not to worry.

Now as I was sitting there, I could taste my words.   I saw the dark rain clouds blow in and my heart sank.

When I first got to the beach the sun was peaking through, giving gorgeous light, and my spirits began to lift.  But as the minutes crept by, the clouds kept rolling in and the sun break disappeared.   As I met Dorinda, Ruud and Joshua, I think we all knew that this rain was not giving us any grace, but we optimistically decided to go for it.

I have to say, I couldn’t be more delighted that we did.  Not only was the light and the clouds a total dream to work in, this family stole my heart in a major way.  There is something about people who laugh easy and who you can tell just love life, that floods my heart with joy.  Add that to a family who is willing to run in the ocean and roll in the sand as the rain is starting to fall, and I am smitten.  I have never had to have a “two part session” before, but I can tell you that if the first part is any indication of how the second part is going to go, I CAN’T WAIT.

Dorinda, Ruud and Joshua, thank you again for your adventurous spirit and easy going attitude!  I can’t tell you how much I wanted to make the rain go away for you, but at the same time, I am so excited that we get to hang out again!  Hope you enjoy your peak from “part one”!

The one above kills me.  I LOVE Dorinda’s laugh!  Then we whipped out (by whipped out, I mean Ruud helped me lug it across the length of the beach.  What a great guy!) the MOST FUN PROP!  I was so excited when Dorinda talked about having a surfboard in the pictures!

Apparently on previous occasions Joshua was afraid of the ocean….and now…NO MORE. He wanted to do nothing but be in it! LOVE that!

Ingrained in them for SURE. Little boys love planes!

Are they not the cutest family?

Love this beach shot! LOVE.

See you guys again soon!

In the past, when I would read blogs of other photographers who did shoots with their family, I would think, “Uh. So easy!  I can’t believe you are blogging about your family!  I am sure they are so easy to capture, because you know them so well! Piece of cake.”

Now I KNOW.  THE. TRUTH.

How do you capture someone that you know that well?  You can’t just cling onto one fun characteristic and try to show that in your photos.  Like bringing out their quirkiness or their love for flowers.  NO.  That will not do!  You want to capture MORE.  Because you KNOW them. Really know. You have seen them laugh, and cry, and get married, and hold their newborn.  You know what makes them scream and what makes them glow like they are in love for the first time.  And you want to still in a photo each little piece of them that you love.  Leaving nothing out.  Trying to capture forever ALL that is them.  ALL that you love.

I can’t say that I captured all that is my sister in law, but I loved trying.  She is Daniel’s sister, so that means she is from the funny side of the family, which means we had a GREAT time while doing it too.  We laughed, and swung her one year around in “very safe” manner, and made all sorts of bad jokes (those are mine…remember, she is actually funny.  I, on the other hand, just attempt it….poorly.)  In the end I think I captured some of my favorite things about her….her energy, her super carefree and easy-going nature, her laugh, and her incredible beauty.

And her little Violet is still getting a hold on this world, only a year in it, so capturing her meant simply capturing her CUTENESS, and I think we definitely got that!

Hope you enjoy looking!

Every baby needs a pair of these.  How cute is that?

This next series of pictures I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. The blossoms. Uh. LOVE.

Violet gets a kick out of being flung around and I love this capture of it. (Don’t worry, no babies were harmed during this flying.)

We found this ramp on the side of a building and it had THE.BEST.LIGHT.EVER. Nothing like good light to make a photographer swoon. And I am pretty fond of the simplicity of the background too. Who says you need flowers and beaches to make a great portrait? Nah. Handicap ramps is where it is at.

And Violet liked the ramp too!

Had to grab this little series.  Up and over.

Whittier College has such awesome architecture. If you could eat architecture, I would eat this archway. YUM.

(to those concerned…baby Violet was being held in these shots…she just has a mom who is really gifted at hiding.)

I am having trouble picking a favorite…so this one below is favorite #534 from this shoot. SO CUTE.

And what girl doesn’t need some head shots? And this photographer was happy to brush up on her head shot skillz. Ain’t my sister the purrr—tiest!?