Downtown Long Beach engagement session
The sky couldn’t have been more in our favor for this downtown Long Beach engagement session. With Shoreline Aquatic Park as our backdrop, we had an array of stunning scenery to work with, not to mention Jenny and Matt make such a dang cute couple! I’ve got a lot of love for these two, dating back to the days we worked together at the Isabel Patterson Child Development Center, connected to CSULB (our alma mater). It was there that I found my love for photographing people and Jenny and I worked on creating visual yearbook dvd’s for families to take with them at the end of each year. I learned so much from my experience at Is Pat and from Jenny. I don’t have the words to express how grateful I am for the time I worked there. It is an honor to be chosen as Jenny and Matt’s photographer. I’m looking forward to their wedding in June! Enjoy the photos! xoxo
Newport Beach Wedding and Five Crowns Reception
This Newport Beach wedding was lovely from start to finish! Emily and Rob, along with their family and friends, filled the day with warmth and love. Their ring ceremony and reception were held at The Five Crowns in Corona Del Mar, and let me just say, the prime rib lives up to every expectation! I loved all the details that went into making this day special!
Long Beach Plant and People Portraits
After a Naples family session, I had arranged to pop over to Lisa’s house, from Succulents for the Soul Instagram fame, where we met for the first time! I photographed her amazing yard and met her adorable grandson named Dean. Lisa has poured hours into landscaping her beautiful front and back yards! She has created an oasis to surround her home. <3
Costa Mesa Portrait Session
Light and shadow were in full effect for this Costa Mesa portrait session. This couple had been wanting to have professional photos taken for some time now to celebrate their love. I am a huge supporter of documenting relationships at any and all stages. Whether you are celebrating 6 months together or 60 years… I am ready to document your love! Thanks for trusting my process and experimentation Mary and Jordan! SO happy with this first “ring of fire” shot!!! It was a blast working with you both! Enjoy! xoxo
Long Beach Portraits | Art Farm
Shannon is a henna maker and the dreamer of dreams at Art Farm in Long Beach.
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.
Los Angeles Wedding Matt & Mayra
Matt and Mayra were given this advice on their wedding day: Become best friends. Become one (in heart and mind). Keep God and prayer in your marriage. I can think of no better recipie for a happy marriage. Thank you Matt and Mayra for hiring me to be your wedding photographer! It was a joy working with you both and I wish you all the love and success in this new journey together. xoxo!
Los Angeles Wedding and Reception at The Aquarium of the Pacific
If you are planning a wedding and are looking for a fabulous space, hands down, let it be The Aquarium of the Pacific! I am still dreaming about Adam and Angelique’s choice of reception venue! The wedding took place at the Los Angeles LDS Temple, followed by a drive southward the the Aquarium in Long Beach. Their guests got to explore the Aquarium for an hour before reception festivities began. They were even treated to an educational talk about the resident sea otters! Those furry little guys put smiles on everybody’s faces! These two truly made their special day one to remember on so many levels! Not only did they throw an awesome party, but most importantly, they made sacred promises to each other that have the power to bind them for eternity. Here is a glimpse. Enjoy. 🙂 xoxo
December Portraits
How was your 2015? This year brought several weighty trials for my family involving the loss of loved ones. Saying goodbye has always been difficult for me in all of it’s sundry forms. I’m working on accepting what I cannot change and becoming more gracious in so doing. This is my goal for the new year; to possess grace. May this new year bring you and your families the fineries of life, laughter and much love. Creating images is still something that brings me great joy. Here are a few December themed portraits of Jackie and Gwen, Neri, Melissa, and Loraine with her beau. Thank you for following and supporting my work! xoxo, dawn altier photography!
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!
Summer 2015 Portraits
It’s hard to believe that summer is coming to a close. I look back over the past few months and feel most grateful for two things: 1.The intense temperatures will soon be on hiatus, and 2. for the fun I’ve been able to have behind the camera with Andrew and Becca, The Walkowskis, Ana Sophia and family, and the Gleasons. Here are a few highlights. Enjoy!
Lakewood Newborn Session
There is nothing I can think of that is sweeter than a newborn baby. I reverence the sacredness of conception and birth and give thanks for the blessing of family. I am also grateful for the opportunity to document this little miracle. Please welcome sweet Gwendolyn Rose into the world! A huge thank you and shout out to my dear friend Kayla, of Little Lashes Photography, for her assistance on this shoot! Congratulations to the proud parents, Jackie and Scott! Gwen is so precious! Thank you for your patronage!!! xoxo
Seal Beach Maternity Session
My heart is full as I write this post. This maternity session celebrates the astounding joy that can only be embodied by *first*time* parents to be. Imagine the anticipation; the waiting for your new little wonder and creation to join you in full-fledge physical presence. Then multiply it by 100! Or even 1000! Through the help of modern medicine, great effort, and periods of heart break, Jackie and Scott are realizing their long-held dream of parenthood! I remember the day Jackie shared the news with me. It was around Christmas time last year. Jackie was then 6 months pregnant, but it was hard to tell. (She didn’t want to spread the news until they were certain this little girl was going to make it to full term.) As I sat across from her in her living room, she revealed the precious news. I wanted to sing! I wanted to shout for joy, cry, laugh, give her the biggest hug I could manage… I was ecstatic for her! Words can not do justice to the emotions I felt then, or the emotions she and Scott must be feeling. It was an honor to commemorate this special time in their lives. XOXO!
San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail Family Session
I love this family for so many reasons! Fun, fashionable, and faithful are a few words that come easily to mind when I think of the Araizas. I know them through church association and have so many good memories with them individually. All the hours of ironing and agonizing over wardrobe choices, prepping and bribing the children to smile paid off. 🙂 Loretta and Henry, you have a beautiful family~ I hope to have such a legacy of my own. Much love to you all and thank you for your patronage! xo!
Rancho Los Cerritos Family Session
Talk about panache! You may remember Angel from her graduation shoot here. Since then, she has married, brought a son into the world, and is in the midst of obtaining a Masters degree in Education. GO girl!!! 😀 We had a great time catching up and I loved the energy they brought to the session. Here are my favorite images. Enjoy!
Downtown Long Beach Couples Session
I’ve known Hannah since the day she was born. It’s hard to believe she’s all grown up and married now! (Adam and Hannah flew in from Washington the night before our shoot. Needless to say they were a bit tired the next morning.) I had suggested we start at sunrise for a dramatic sky. I’m so pleased with the results! Check out the first two images! Well worth rolling out of bed at 5 a.m.! 😀 Thank you for your patronage Hannah and for a wonderful morning cruising around Long Beach! Congrats to you and Adam and much love to you both!
Long Beach Artist Kendell Carter
Kendell Carter is an artist who is passionate about bringing people together through “art as experience”. His goal is to create a world where social distinctions and hierarchies cease to exist. His work functions as a catalyst for dialogue about issues of race, consumerism, art, design, utility, architecture and unity. He invites a new normalcy, where knee-jerk reactions to culture, and ultimately humanity, give way to a different kind of being in the world. He explores “alternate conditions” through elaborately staged, somewhat disorienting installations that encompass both familiar and foreign objects. He mixes materials and design traditions, such as name-brand clothing, du-rags and graffiti, toile and bronze-plated Timberland boots. One work featured below is his famous coupling of an Eames chair wearing a hoodie. The melding of formal and casual culture is quite common in his work. The Eames chair image is set to be published in the Krannert Art Museum’s MetaModern Catalogue as part of a show Kendell will be featured in in January 2015– We are EXCITED about that! It is an honor to know Kendell and photograph his work. He is a creative genius who seeks to inspire others to reach their peak potential of creativity. Thank you for all you do for me and countless others KC!
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!!! 🙂
Rancho Los Cerritos Family Session
This first image melts my heart! Laura, John, and Harrison, I love you!!! Thank you for hiring me to do your family pictures!!! It was an absolute BLAST working with you and I look forward to our next shoot together! Enjoy these beautiful images and thank you for making them possible!
