Orange County Session

THE BERENGUER FAMILY- Orange County Family Photographer - Crystal Cove Family Session

THE BERENGUER FAMILY

 Orange County Family Photographer - Crystal Cove Family Sessio - Newport Beach Family Photos

 I love giving the children in our session free roam to play and run around, capturing their real selves, their little but oh so BIG personalities as they interact with mom & dad in front my camera. Play is the key in a successful family session. Lots of tickling, chasing, jumping , splashing - I live to capture that raw beauty that lies within family connection. Sometimes asking a toddler or child to sit still and smile doesn't exactly give us a true memory of them at this age, this is why I feel its important to sing with them , giggle with them, ask them questions. This is how I capture family sessions, like a casual day with mom & dad at the beach.

The Hodge Family Session | Orange County Newborn Photographer

The Hodge Family Session | Orange County Newborn Photographer | Orange County Family Session

I am SO behind on blogging guys! Like a gazillion sessions waiting on my desktop to hit the BLOG, eeks!

 I’ve been photographing lots of new little blossoms of humanity lately and I’m loving it! It must be baby booming season you guys! This Orange County family session was really fun because of big sister who was full of spunk & energy! I just adore watching little ones become siblings and that I get to witness the love & joy of it right behind my lens! My goal for these sessions are not to force anything, to roll with the punches and capture the beauty that is already right there in front of us. I do a little posing and directing but mostly just to give big sister something to do with her hands ;) Their is nothing more beautiful than a family bonding and I really like to encourage story time, jumping on the bed and lots of cuddles + kisses to get those real & raw moments captured. 

OKAY- this sweet little boys nursery? Can we just hashtag #nurserygoals already?! I mean who doesn’t love a travel room , this theme was so darn cute! I love how mamma pieced together the wall of little travel books, the word “E-X-P-L-O-R-E”  and the little personalized car with their families last name.

Don’t even get me started on the incredibly beautiful garden swing they had just hanging out in their yard! I literally saw it thru their window as I was peeking thru their curtains (wait, that sound creepy. I mean in a non-creepy way ;) and said to them “ Can we please use that gorgeous swing surrounded by roses & greenery ?!  Hashtag #everyphotographersdream

The Barron’s Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Montage Laguna Family Photos

The Barron’s Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Montage Laguna Family Photos

A few of my recent clients have asked me , “Does the time of day you shoot at the beach make that much of a difference?”

Heres my answer : The golden hour occurs from about half an hour before, until about an hour after sunrise in the morning, and then an hour before sunset, to about 20 to 30 minutes after the sun has gone down in the evening. When you shoot in this soft light the light is golden in colour and often changes colour from yellow, to orange to magenta. 
-The light is soft, i.e. no major contrast such as hard shadows and very bright highlights. 
-Colors are more exaggerated, the color of the light is far more emphasized, much more oranges, reds and magentas are visible in the scene.
It is for these reasons that photographers choose to shoot in the early morning or early evening, these times produce the most dramatic images.

Many of us were taught to shoot under bright sunlight, in the middle of the day, with the sun behind us. Sure, that can work, but you won’t get dramatic results every time, in many cases, your images will look very average. This is because light is harsh at this time of day.

So to many of you who are wondering, yes, the time of day can make a HUGE difference in the outcome of your photos.

The Schwartz Family // Vintage French-style girl’s nursery and newborn photos

The Schwartz Family // Newport Beach Newborn Session // Nursery Inspiration

 

This sweet family invited me into their home to document their new little addition to the family . When I entered into this nursery that this mamma pieced together and designed for her little girl arriving , my jaw about dropped. For starters, every last detail was so intentional and the color palette was pretty much a photographers dream!  Second, big brother Fin was super excited to show off his new little sister and definitely stole the show (in a good way) Every mamma wants their baby’s first ever room to be special and Nicole definitely nailed it ! I mean c’mon,  look at that hand made bracelet with baby girls name spelt out, how stinkin cute & personal is that?!

The aesthetic of this nursery is honestly to die for and I couldn't stop swooning over it our entire session, clicking away on my camera. 

 

 

CREDITS: Photographer: Cori Kleckner Photography / Horse, Cie La Vie, & Swan artwork: Rylee and Cru / Roses print: Rifle Paper Co / Baby Fawn artwork: Susan Windsor / Stay Wild My Child print: Love Supply Co / Elephant dish: Anthropologie / Name bracelet: MySoCalCreations / Himmeli mobile: Meandshestudios / Bassinet & Crib: RH Baby and Child / Woven wall piece: Wioux / Faux fur stool: Target / Boho Kilim Nagar Rug: World Market / Cream wool rug: Rugs USA / Wooden shelf: Urban Outfitters / Cat doll: Pottery Barn Kids / Dog doll: Blabla Kids / Wooden sign: Heartcraftedco

 

Elizabeth + Robert | Shaw’s Cove Maternity Session | Orange County Maternity Photographer

Elizabeth + Robert | Shaw’s Cove Maternity Session | Orange County Maternity Photographer

For this mamma-to-be we wanted a session full of earthy soft pastel tones. When Elizabeth contacted me to document this special time for her and her husband Robert, we brainstormed a color palette similar to the colors you see during the sun going down at the beach. We decided on a dreamy beach location; Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach. As a SoCal photographer, I'm a sucker for a rocky shore with pools of salty water, pebbles and boulders and this spot had just that for us.

Elizabeth picked up some flowers at the local market to incorporate in her session . She wore a flowy gown and then changed into a tighter more fitted gown that accentuated her belly a bit more. We really made our visions come to life! This was such a dreamy romantic session! It was a great day for a maternity shoot.

Being a business owner & stay at home mommy | Audrey + Jaelene | Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach CA

Being a business owner & stay at home mommy to Audrey + Jaelene

These two. They have my whole heart. Some days I feel overwhelmed with gratitude to be a stay at home working mommy while other days it can be very challenging and I forget to take the time to really relish in this beautiful time of them being little still and even needing me at all. Right now I’m juggling potty training a toddler, school pickup & drop offs, sports, homework with my oldest and all the other tasks of mommy duties all while running a business . Running your own business is no piece of cake. Neither is raising a family.  Though I always say family comes first , before work or house duties - it isn’t always easy.

There is enough guilt to go around for any parent, so I make a conscious effort to let it go and focus on the positives. I may have a hectic schedule, and, as a result, my children are learning how to be independent and self-reliant. I also know one day they wont need mommy to  brush their hair or make their lunch or tuck them in at night, and some days I have to remind myself to slow down so I can enjoy these everyday in-between moments. The messes on the table, legos on the floor, dirty laundry piled everywhere ; one day they wont be there. I will miss that when its gone (well maybe not the laundry part;). Right now I’m juggling running a business and being home with a toddler and up-keeping a house (which is the first HOUSE we’ve ever lived in) and it can be a lot to keep up with it all. Daddy works long hours too and finding a balance can sometimes be hard for all of us.  But days like today, where I'm soaking up the sun watching my girls build sand castles so innocently in the sand, I remember that homework can wait, cleanup can wait, dinner can wait;  quality time with these two little beautiful girls (and my husband) is whats most important right now. Giving them my undivided attention when they ask - that is what I am doing my best to work on as a mommy who feels so busy and rushed for time all the time. I know they see that. I know they watch as I frantically run around like a chicken with its head cut off so that work is caught up, house stuff is caught up, everyones needs are met and the ’to do” list is all checked off. I know they see me regularly nod my head to them as they are sharing something with me:  “mommy look at the painting I made” as I am trying to return an email to a client or finish editing a session.  I know I should pause whatever it is I’m doing to give them those valuable minutes of  attention & time because all else can wait .  I know. I know. I know they wont be this little forever. 

Some days feel really short though guys, don’t they? Like their aren’t enough hours in the day to get breakfast started, shuffle to school & sports, prep dinners, clean the house, devote time to work and still manage to find time for yourself.  It’s all about finding a healthy balance. The truth is you can do it all if you just change what your definition of balance is. There are times where my business gets more attention than my kids and vice versa. In the end I like to believe that it all balances out. Part of being an entrepreneur is being comfortable with changing direction quickly. 

Entrepreneurship, just like motherhood, is not a 9-5 job. Some days I stay up until 3 am working and then have to do a 7 a.m. child drop off at school. Be kind to yourself. Make time for you even if it's just to breathe and smell the air. Kids are going to make messes, they are going to eat your reports and download viruses to your computer. Your best weapon is a sense of humor. Enjoy your mommy entrepreneur life, wear the title proudly. We are basically super heroes.

My goal for 2016 is to not sweat the small things (i.e.: messes, missed nights of homework, running late in the morning, getting behind on work. . .etc), not push myself to do it all and be it all- all the time; but to be present in the moment and give my family more undivided attention - Because believe me when l tell you, nothing in the world is more important to me then my family.

PS: These photos of my girls were taken on a whim one day when we decided to head down for the beach to catch some sun rays. I will cherish these photos of my two girls and their incredibly close bond. 

Susan Conti | OC Mix Portrait Session |Orange County Headshots

Susan Conti | OC Mix Portrait Session

Orange County Headshots

 

One of my favorite places to do Portrait Sessions is at SOCO Collection in Costa Mesa, CA. This spot is one of my favorites . It  has so many cute little locally owned shops, gorgeous architecture surrounded by tons of gorgeous greenery. I honestly LOVE this spot because of the  diversity in backgrounds it gives . Many people don’t know this about me , but I am a sucker for architecture. I observe the architecture, the lines of buildings & aesthetic vibe everywhere I go. This spot is so darn unique you guys! Susan contacted me hoping to capture not just the standard corporate looking headshot but asking specifically for some natural portraits that really captures her in her element. I knew this spot would give us just that! We all have so many sides to us and so many aspects of our lives should be incorporated in the session to truly capture us as a whole. You may work a corporate job but still be a very silly endearing person; my goal is to capture all these different sides of you to really showcase who you are . Susan is a Life Coach  also currently working in a senior living home. I wanted to bring out her nurturing friendly personality as well as her business savvy side when photographing her. She has so many incredibly inspiring talents and interests, and it was important for me to get to know her to really bring out these different aspects of who she is. 

Crystal Cove Maternity Session | Baby Bumb Session | Orange County Maternity Photographer

Crystal Cove Maternity Session | Baby Bumb Session | Orange County Maternity Photographer

The Peterson Family | Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach CA

The Peterson Family

 

Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach CA

 

This sweet family was a blast to photograph! We captured some good laughs while we took a stroll down the shoreline... the light was killer and the sunset was even more beautiful! I really enjoy sessions like these, pure joy shines thru in almost every shot. This family is so incredibly bonded and you can feel the love in every moment captured. This is why I do what I do; to capture that raw emotion & connection between humans.

Thank you to the Peterson Family for allowing me to document your gorgeous & very fun family! 

The Bentzien Family | Lifestyle Newborn Session

The Bentzien Family | Lifestyle Newborn Session 

The Duggan Family Session | Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach, CA.

The Duggan Family Session

 Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach, CA.