Today was a great day! I met up with my friends Alicia and Ryan, a wonderful couple expecting their first baby very soon. We went over to Fairview Park in Costa Mesa to take some couple maternity photos. Fairview Park is absolutely beautiful. It sits on the bluffs in Costa Mesa which overlook Huntington Beach. It's full of lovely plants and wildlife, and is kind of a little nature sanctuary nestled in a busy suburb.

It was such a pleasure taking photos of Alicia and Ryan because they are a photographers dream... They absolutely love each other and are so completely at ease when they're together. The camera loves them, and feeds off of their happiness. Just by looking at the photos, you can see how truly excited they are to become parents... being a relatively new mommy myself, I totally understand how they feel.

Alicia and Ryan, I am so happy for you two and I can't wait until you get to experience all the wonderful new things that come with being a Mommy and Daddy. Thank you so much for letting me take your photos, and I wish you nothing but happiness with your little boy!

...until next time,

Smile!
 

There's something special about being able to take photos of people you love. Whether they are family or friends, there's no doubt you just feel more comfortable. Taking photos of my best friend and her family was no exception for me... this was some of the most fun I've had during a photo shoot.

My friends are planning to move to New Jersey at the end of August, so for the family photos, they decided to do something very "California," and have the photos taken at the beach... Crystal Cove State Park to be exact. There are tidepools, shallow water and calm waves, sun and sand, rocks to climb on, just a ton of fun! So off to Crystal Cove we went. The day was perfect... there was just a slight breeze, it was warm, the water was just starting to warm up, and not too many people. The boys absolutely loved looking in the tidepools at all the fun little creatures. Mom and Dad had fun teaching their boys new things, and obviously had a great time playing in the water. All while they were carrying on, I was capturing their fun time.

I'm going to miss my friends more than words can say, but I'm so glad we got to have such a fun time making memories! Love you guys!!


...until next time,

Smile!

Misha and Dustin are a fantastic couple. They love to have fun, and are so sweet and in love with each other. We took these photos on a wonderful Spring day in April at Crystal Cove State Park. It was bright and sunny, and the weather was warm and inviting. There was a slight breeze, and the Pacific Ocean was nice and cool. There were children digging in the sand and splashing in the water nearby, and the flowers nestled along the trails in the bluffs were bright and cheerful.

The featured couple met me with excitement, but was soon calm and relaxed. They enjoyed spending time together in such a peaceful place-- which clearly radiates in these photos. We had all the elements to have a great photo shoot, and we certainly did.

It was a pleasure to photograph you, Misha and Dustin, thank you so much for a great day, and I hope I have the chance to do it again soon! 


...until next time,

Smile!

A new day, a new month, and a new year! Greetings to all, I hope you have a fantastic new year! 2011 is proving to be great so far... I had a lovely morning with my family, and in the afternoon, I photographed the Pacheco Family! 
First stop was Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach. This family consists of Mom, Dad, three daughters, and three sons... it was busy, but it was a lot of fun! We got some fantastic photos on the beach, and some special photos for Mom and Dad of their son who is a new enlistee into the United States Army.

Next it was off to TeWinkle Park in Costa Mesa. What I love about TeWinkle is that it's very serene and foresty, pretty much right in your back yard. The family played hide and seek in all the trees, and gave me some great smiles while climbing rocks.

I had a great time today with the Pacheco Family, and I hope to do it again soon.


...until next time,

Smile!