Laguna Beach Family
Montage Laguna Beach is a wonderful destination for a professional photo session because it provides beautiful scenery and an atmosphere that is made for relaxation and rejuvenation. It just might become the place you go when you need to recharge your batteries. Your session will have a rich variety of backdrops to choose from as we meander along the coastal bluff and then descend onto the white sands below.
Annual family portraits preserve precious moments that remind you how quickly your children grow up. This ocean landscape is the perfect setting to play and create artistic portraits while doing so. Here are a few favorites from a recent session with a sweet family of three who traveled from Utah specifically to update their family photos at this Mama’s favorite ocean view! Enjoy! xoxo
Preparing for Your Family Photoshoot
As a family photographer in Los Angeles, California, I understand that preparing for a photoshoot can be overwhelming. You want your photos to be perfect and to capture your family's memories in the best way possible. I want to assure you that I will help you every step of the way. Here are some of the things I do to prepare for a photoshoot, and some tips for you to ensure a fun and enjoyable experience that yields stunning results with minimal effort.
We plan ahead: Before the day of the shoot, we will have already planed out the location, outfits, and time of day for the images (usually during golden hour for the most flattering light.) We’ve had multiple discussions and have considered what you want to convey through your photos, and we chose a location that suits the mood and feel you are trying to achieve.
We coordinate outfits: As soon as we schedule your session I will send you a “What to Wear” email with lots of specific suggestions and visuals to help you put together your wardrobe. I’m a firm believer that attire can make or break your photos. Coordinating your outfits in advance and ensuring that they complement each other and fit the location and theme of the shoot is crucial. Have the outfits laid on the night before, ensure the they are wrinkle-free (and if they wrinkle easily you might even want to consider changing on location and bringing a bottle of Downy wrinke-releaser just in case!). Ensure nails are well-manicured, as it’s not uncommon for me to incorporate hands into my photos.
Get a good night's sleep: This one It may sound simple, but getting a good night's sleep can make a big difference in how you feel and look during the shoot. Being well-rested and relaxed will make it easier to capture natural and authentic moments with your family.
Hydrate the morning of your session, if we have scheduled an afternoon shoot. That will give your body time to absorb adding shine to your smiles and allow for time to expel prior to our session.
Pack a bag with essentials: Bring a bag with essentials such as water, snacks, and any necessary items for children like toys or pacifiers. You'll want to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy during the shoot to capture those genuine smiles and moments. Don’t forget extra hair ties, bobby pins, and some wrinkle releaser if your outfits will need it!
Relax and have fun: The most important thing is to relax and have fun. Enjoy this experience with your family, and let me capture those special moments. As your photographer, it is my job to ensure that your photos turn out beautiful and timeless and I take this job very seriously.
As you can see, preparing for a photoshoot doesn't have to be stressful. With these simple tips, we can make the most out of your session and create memories that will last a lifetime. As a family photographer in Los Angeles, California, I'm here to help you capture those special moments and create beautiful memories that you'll cherish for years to come.
Montage Family Session
Despite the roller coaster that 2020 has been, there have been many beautiful moments. Reconnecting with returning clients who have become friends, is always a highlight! I’m so thankful for the Case family! Please enjoy my favorites from their Laguna Beach family session. Please stay safe and well! And let’s plan to shoot together in 2021! xoxo
Laguna Beach Family Session
This Laguna Beach family session embodies many thoughts and emotions. First, this session was in honor of the long journey Mark and Traci have been on regarding their health. Mark has been suffering from Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for several years now and both of them underwent gastric bypass surgery last year. The fact that Mark was able to stand for more than a minute or two, in broad daylight, let alone participate in this photoshoot was a literal miracle! You can hear him tell part of his story by clicking here. He talks about how undergoing gastric bypass surgery allowed him to lose 190 lbs in less than a year and has helped alleviate some of his (IIH) symptoms.
The timing of our session was also miraculous! California beaches had been shut down for months because of Covid-19. They had reopened briefly, but were closing again for 4th of July. With the possibility of all of us having been exposed to the virus weeks before our initial session date, we tentatively rescheduled. (Mark and Traci are from Utah and extended their stay in SoCal to accommodate.) After confirming we were Covid-free and setting a new shoot day, the day before beaches were to close for the holiday weekend, our paths aligned and we were able to make beautiful pictures together! I’m so thankful this session came to pass! 😉
Old Ranch Country Club Family Session
I love this family! This is our third family session together and each one has been a unique and wonderful experience. We shot this latest session at the Old Ranch Country Club. You may notice that mom is pregnant in these photos and just gave birth to their second child, a baby boy, earlier this month! Congratulations to the Soko family! I hope you enjoy my favorite images from this session! xoxo
Newport Beach Family Session
It’s a pretty great feeling to have clients hire you again to make pretty pictures with them! This Newport Beach family session was my second time working with Rob and Emily, as I had the privilege of photographing their wedding in 2016. We had a ton of fun! I send my gratitude to them and all the families and individuals I have the honor of working with (including those who work as my assistants)! Thank you so much for supporting and appreciating my art! Much LOVE! XOXO!!
Cerritos Newborn Session
Can there be anything sweeter than bringing a healthy baby into the world and holding that child in your arms?? This Cerritos newborn session was a true celebration of life! Good things do come to those who ask… and wait! Baby Dean was a trooper the day of our shoot and Lindsay and Mike are taking on first-time parenting like pros! Please enjoy these highlights! xoxo
Orange County Newborn Session
This Orange County family session reminded me that there’s nothing sweeter than a newborn baby. Introducing Benjamin Ward, also referred to as Benjamin Button. 🙂 Love radiates in this home. I was particularly struck by this first-time momma’s candid emotions. Everything, from how she and her husband met, to how she knew that she had finally found the right man, the future father of her son. She held her baby so tenderly. Bringing a child into the world creates the context for endless sacrifice; giving up time, sleep, leisure activities, sharing all that you have and are to help your little person thrive. I imagine that in return, your heart doubles in size. Your capacity to give and feel love expands. What a priceless gift. Thank you Sarah and Smith for choosing me to document one of the sweetest moments of your lives together. May these images bring you great joy! xoxo
Swami Beach Family Session
It was 62 degrees and raining when I arrived, but this Swami’s Beach family session turned out beautifully. Baby Ronin touched sand and the Pacific for the very first time. The low tide gently lapped at our feet. Mom and Dad grinned as they watched Ronin’s reactions to the ocean water washing over his toes. The sky was overcast and the sun finally popped out 5 minutes after we were packed up and piled into our cars. No matter. It was a morning spent in the best possible way: documenting a family’s love for each other.
Lakewood Family Session with the Washburns
There is something very special about being in the presence of a brand new baby. Their sweet innocence fills me with reverence and awe. It was a privilege to get to work with the Washburn family and help them to welcome their little girl Alison into the world. Sessions at home are a great way to go because you get to be in a familiar and comfortable environment, can easily change wardrobe if desired, and it involves zero travel time for you as the client. Something to consider if you are wanting to book a family session but aren’t sure about a location. If you are interested in setting a session up or have any questions, please use the contact link above and send me an email. I’d love to work with you and your family! xoxo
Gum Grove Maternity Session
On a hot sticky summer’s afternoon, we braved an unexpected battalion of vampiric mosquitos to capture images of the little miracle growing inside Ariel’s belly. Eucalyptus oil pierced the breeze as we strolled down the path at Gum Grove. Despite the pouring sweat, we had a fun session! When we first met up, I asked Sam if he had a pocket knife. I wanted to cut a clean edge at the bottom of some reeds I’d picked on my way to the shoot. Sam went back to his car and emerged with a bowie knife!!! 😀 The thing was HUGE and came in SO handy! (No pun intended!) We cut out way through the rugged terrain again and again. It was totally worth the heat and bugs! Here are some of the results! Enjoy!
Newport Beach Family Session
This shoot took me back to my days as a preschool teacher at the Isabel Patterson Child Development Center. That was where I discovered I loved photographing people. (I’d been photographing landscapes and still life as a hobby up until that point.) I began bringing my camera to work so I could photograph the children I had grown close to and wanted to remember after they graduated and moved on. This endeavor turned into a project that I collaborated on with my supervisor: making an end-of-the-year slideshow dvd of portraits, details and activities for the families to take with them; a multi-media yearbook if you will. My love for photographing children expanded to include a love for photographing couples, then I landed my first paid wedding– and the rest is a continuing history in the making. So now we’ve come full circle. Meet Stacy! She ad her dad left their home in Texas for a two week vacation that included Disneyland, a tour of Dave’s home state of Oregon, and concluded back in California with this photo shoot just in time for Father’s Day. Dave’s not big on pictures, and was perfectly fine with letting Stacy steal the show! (She totally did!) 😀
El Dorado Park Maternity Session
This post is close to my heart. It’s Mother’s Day Eve and this post is about Rachel, the first friend I ever made in public school. Her mom saw me in tears in the doorway of Mrs. Nerell’s kindergarten classroom and brought Rachel over to introduce her to me and my mom. Minutes later, Rach and I were off exploring the dramatic play area and picking out squares on the story-time carpet. Life in a foreign environment was suddenly bearable thanks to her! Many years have passed since then… and she is now a wife and a new momma! She and her hubby Jesse welcomed a son into the world last month! It was awesome to reunite with her through this photo shoot! Happy Mother’s Day Rach– to all mothers! And a special thank you to my Momma! You are my voice of reason and I love that we can have silly moments together! Much Love! XOXO
Laguna Beach High School Grad Session
There are a few times in your life when professional photography is an absolute MUST. Senior portraits are no exception. If you can swing it, please don’t settle for the school’s photographer. No offense to a studio set-up, but there’s only so much creative latitude you can have with a “step-right-up”one-stop-shot kind of set-up. Who wants to be typical and cookie cutter? Why not create portraits that are a bit more scenic?
Shayne wanted a beach backdrop. Done! No better place than Laguna! He wanted wardrobe options. Done! You want traditional mixed with non-traditional. You wanna wear your sunny’s in a few of the shots? Done and done! He brought props too. Cool!!! That said, this first shot is probably my favorite. Love the wave crashing in the background and the expression on Shayne’s face! Congrats Shayne on 4 years of hard work in the bag! I know it will pay off! Here’s to getting in to UCSD!!! Go Tritons!!! 🙂
Laguna Beach Family Session with The Tinsley’s
This is one good looking family catching some salty sun at Laguna Beach! It is a pleasure and privilege to know and have worked with the Tinsley family. For the past 6 years, I “worked”, (code word for played), at the Isabel Patterson Child Development Center in Long Beach. This year, Ana Sophia was one of my preschoolers. Her vivacious spirit added so much life to our program. It has been a joy getting to know her and her family. We spent an afternoon climbing rocky tide pools, soaking up the ocean mist, and creating memories and images that will last a life time! Enjoy!
Katy is a Licensed Educational Psychologist with twenty years of experience in the field of education. She specializes in forming intervention plans for students who are struggling with learning and works with students who have unmet emotional needs which can lead to behavior issues in the classroom and at home. Helping families create effective behavior support plans is her passion. If her services sound like they can benefit you or someone you know, you can find more info here~
