Welcome to So Cal!

Another great beach day! We had to cancel our first appointment because it was super foggy again, but this afternoon ended up being perfect!

This sweet family is celebrating their first Christmas in So Cal having just moved from the East Coast! I love that they have eaten at Wahoo's Restaurant more times in the 3 months that they have been here then I have in the last 3 years! And I love Wahoo's!

I had a great time photographing them! The boys were full of pep and...boyness! Little Mr "G" was a big ham, even though he tried to hide from my camera when ever he could! And big Mr "G" was a sweetheart!

Admired

I was elated to photograph my friends and neighbors the "W" family this year. They both have been working so hard! "J" is enrolled in the fire academy and well on his way to following a life long dream and becoming a fireman! And "R" is one of those gals that just does it all! Church secretary and Sunday School/VBS organizer extraordinaire! She is so creative! And both girls are so sweet and well mannered (even if one is now a teen!).

Fun in the trees!

What a unique spot for a Southern California photo session! I get a little burned out on the beach photos, so I'm always excite when someone requests something a little different. The "P" family asked me if I could come out to where they live and photograph "L" in the forest by their house. I've driven by and have seen the forest of trees planted in their neighborhood for years, but never took the time to investigate. Boy was it cool! A total kids' dream! A creek, a bridge and lots of dirt and rocks. And oddly enough for November- mosquitoes! Luckily, I've never been their favorite meal.

A New Favorite Location

Oh! I'm so happy the "H" family introduced me to this new location in the Dana Point area! It was really cool (except for the friend I found and almost stepped on! See the last photo.) Originally "T" called me and said she wanted a pumpkin patch this year (this is my 3rd year photographing her family). I thought it was a really fun idea...until I tried to find a pumpkin patch that would work! They are all filled with people and distracting backgrounds- imagine that! Then her sister remembered this really cool area with maple lined streets and a beautiful little park- perfect!! I loved it! But next time I will watch how close I get my feet to the wildlife!










He was just a baby! About the size of my fist (which I hear is the most venomous!) He never even rattled- even when my foot (in flip flops!) was only 12-18 inches away!! Oh the things I will do for a good shot!!

Park Time

I'm a little behind posting previews! Sorry!

I had a lot of fun photographing the "M" family at their local park in Newport Beach. Last time I photographed them, Little "G" was hanging out in mom's tummy still! What a cutie he is- love the red hair! I love that all the kids have such different hair. One brown and curly, one blond, one brown and straight and one red! How fun!

Boys

I love boys! I'm so glad I don't have any of my own to shoo off the roof tops, but boy are they fun to hang out with! These 3 were just the kind that almost makes you wish you had one or two (or three?) of your own at home. (But I think I'll stick to my girls just the same!). They were just adorable!

The littlest- Mr. "S" was so cute- he would say "cheese" every time mom would tell him to smile. The oldest- Mr. "J" was done with me after the first 10 minutes of having to smile- but he held in there pretty good until the end. And Mr. "M"...look out girls, he'll be a heart breaker!

Hurry Hurry Hurry!

I Love the Beach, But...

I love the beach! I am a total beach girl! But this time of year, I am so happy when someone wants to do photos someplace other then the beach! It's such an adventure! There are so many really unique places to do photos here in Southern Orange County. Sometimes it's hard to pick one! Luck for me, the "M" family knew what they were looking for. We had done their photos on the beach last year (on the windiest day in history!- see "a Blustery Day" posted here) No wonder they chose something other then the beach!!
I have to add that they are the darn cutest family and so sweet! I was tempted to take the littlest, little "N" home with me. Not that they aren't all adorable- but he is a heart stealer!
I love this! It captures all three of their personalities! With little Ms. "M" trying to be coy and pose with the flower!

I may swap this one out for another favorite as I go through them, but I like that this captures the idea of being away from the beach- even if it was at the end of the shoot and the girls were getting "done" with me and smiling! They hung in there for such a long time!! I was really impressed!

Nobody Said Anything About Fog!

Saturday was suppose to be warm and sunny here in So. Cal. There was never any mention of fog in our forecast! I think I started trusting that weather man a bit too much! Anyway, the fog rolling in THICK! None of that high level June Gloom- no, this was thick and low. Like something from a scary movie. Like I've said before, cloudy skies can make for great photos- but no so for fog. The water droplets get captured by the camera and make it look grainy and not sharp (this can happen when the waves are big too because of the spray!).

We decided to make a go of it anyway, even though poor "L" looked like she was going to burst into tears any moment. A make up session is in the planning, but I don't think these turned out pretty good too.

That Tricky Weather Man

The weather man said it was going to be cloudy and gloomy. "A thick marine layer" he said. That's the keywords for "yucky" here along the California coast- especially in Orange County. But it ended up being a beautiful day! And as the even drew closer and closer I thought for sure the sky was going to cloud over at any moment (which by the way, sometimes makes beach photos even better). But the beach I had planned on shooting the "V" family at is one of those that can be real hard to pull off on a clear, bright day- so I was getting nervous. But luck was on my side tonight! The perfect amount of cloud cover (aka June Gloom) moved it. Just enough to give us some soft light, but not so much that we missed out on the spectacular sunset!! It was the perfect combo!

Not my favorite photo of the bunch, but it was such a beautiful sunset shot that I had to post it! I'll add my favorite photo later.

Someone Was Not So Happy to See Me!

Little Miss "P" was not at all happy to have her photo taken while we were trying to get a good family photo for the "D" family Christmas card!! That little munchkin cried almost the entire time! But the part that really got me was that as soon as I packed away my camera and we called it a day, she looked right at me and gave me the most picture perfect smile! I had to laugh! Here I thought maybe she didn't feel well or was tired... oh no, she was having fun with me!! Too funny!!

We ended up getting a couple good ones. And big sister, Miss "D" was such a good sport through the whole thing! So was dad, who really just wanted to be at home watching the playoff baseball game!! LOL!

Luau Time!

I just had to post a few shots from the Dale Velzy Luau we went to. There is a surf contest during the day (was too lazy to bring the camera) and the luau at night. It's always a unique experience! A great mix of old and new surfers and the food and "jungle juice" are always great- not to mention the entertainment. This year was the best it's been as far as the hula dancers go, but we did miss having a band afterwards.

So if you are ever in Dana Point in October and want some good hawaiian style food and entertainment, stop by the Dale Velzy Luau in the harbor!

Getting Ready for the Holidays!

Time to start thinking about the holidays!

Book early to get a good spot! Weekends always go quickly! Please check the "Availability" section on my website for available days. Sunset beach sessions will take place around 5:00pm. All holiday orders must be placed by November 15th to ensure holiday delivery.

Don't forget there is more then just the beach to choose from (although it does make those relatives in Wisconsin really jealous!). There are some great parks here in Dana Point and Laguna Niguel, both green and rustic, as well as some unique locations in San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente to choose from. We can even do a photo session at your home.

"Digital negatives" are available for purchase for those who prefer to order their own Christmas cards through places such as TinyPrints.com or Costco. I also offer a wide range of cards, custom designed for your family. Contact me for more information.

A Sad But Sweet Story

I was so happy to be able to photograph the "W" family the other day! Their youngest, little "B" is fighting cancer! Leukemia to be exact- although I'm not sure which form. They found out in April and the poor little guy has gone through hell since then! Unfortunately, it's not over yet- but at least it's looking darn good.
The saddest thing was that mom asked me to photograph the whole family while little "B" was home from the hospital because they didn't have any family photos! None of all of them together! I'm so happy we were able to get a few good ones of them before little "B" had to put his germ mask back on and head back inside.
You can follow up on his progress on a blog his parents posted http://benji-walters.blogspot.com/