Orange County baby photographer
The Parthemer Newborn Session | Orange County Newborn Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography | Santa Monica Newborn Photographer | Los Angeles Newborn Photographer
CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
The West Family | Malibu In-Home Session | Lifestyle Photography | HomeAway Vacation Rentals | Cori Kleckner Photography
It’s been so incredibly busy around here for us photogs trying to juggle busy season that my blog tends to be the first to suffer! I am the first to admit I put blogging on the back burner but know how important it is to keep sharing fresh content with you guys too! I wanted to start by sharing this gorgeous in-home family session in Malibu .
I had the pleasure of documenting blogger & mommy , Roxanne West, and her adorable little family visiting here from Canada! They were vacationing here with HomeAway Vacation rentals and the space we had for the day was seriously unreal! I’m talking ocean view, super kid friendly, cozy little space filled with yummy light & sea salt air! This shabby chic, ocean front beach house had panoramic views of Santa Monica and surrounding LA, large sea level deck and the most adorable built-in-wall bunkbeds!
Not only was our space breathtaking but The West Family was a dream to photograph! For this session, I really wanted to push myself as an artist to find ways to freeze the connection between them . Lately, as an artist, I have been digging deep within myself , soul searching as an artist, pushing myself to newfound ways to capture families in their most authentic state . For this reason, during the session we did ALOT OF PLAYING. I'm talking coloring pictures, taking polaroids, bed cuddles, tickling, upside-downing, dancing in the kitchen, piggy backs kind-of-playing. I feel this type of play nurtures an environment to capture those authentoc moments , to capture those memories we all want as mommys to look back on one day.
CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
Being an Orange County Family Photographer is a dream guys! Their is seriously nothing I was more destined to do . I love capturing these first moments for families and everyday I am so grateful that you choose me to document it for you! Their is such an over-abundance of joy when a baby arrives , it's always important for me to help you to remember these precious (and sleep depriving ;) moments that can be so fleeting! When a family invites me into their home, I aim to capture that effortless raw everyday beauty . I love to step back and ask parents to just stare at their little munchkins features, let the baby move, yawn, and stretch. Babies have wonderful, perfect, sweet movements, so I do not stress over having the perfect pose in every frame. If theirs an older sibling in the session, tickling is a must! Play airplane with them, let them include their favorite toy, talk with them about their little sibling, whether it be "Can you find your sisters nose?" or "Lets give love to the baby!" Remember, lifestyle photography is about capturing moments, not poses. That’s pretty much the best part – you don’t have to stress about making everything perfect – you just want to get your newborn an griwing family on camera, so you have photos to remember them by.
I had the pleasure of documenting this sweet little munchkin, whom happens to also be my niece, only 3 days new! I truly can’t put into words how lucky I feel that parents choose me to document one of the most delicate and precious milestones in their lives!
When photographing newborns, I aim for simplicity. I hope to leave you with photos that tell the story of their entry into this world , that reflect the strength and beauty of a mothers love and the strong bond in all of its newness . Since I document these families in the first weeks after birth, I understand parents are sometimes sleep deprived, moms are wearing their emotion on their sleeves - but it always moves me at how tangible their love is. I then have the obligation to portray in it my photos, its just so raw and amazing!
The newborn stage is a fleeting moment; those wrinkles, those rolls, that flaky skin, those teeny tiny delicate features... all gone in the blink of an eye! Capturing it all is an investment you will never regret!
CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
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 Eisenman Family - Orange County Family Photographer- Irvine Regional Family Session
Jessica + Avery | Mommy & Me Session | Motherhood Photos
This gorgeous mamma, Jessica, is a dear friend of mine and I just can’t get enough of photographing her new little girl Avery. For this session we incorporated floral crowns and flowy neutral toned dresses to really get that dreamy feel to our session. I loved just sitting in the fields with these two watching them interact and capturing their love + bond. I think motherhood is so incredibly beautiful and we really can’t photograph it enough. I love the raw emotion and real connection between a mamma and her offspring , I love to get those natural organic shots that allow us to once remember a time that seems to go by so fast. Scroll down for more from this session.
Floral Crowns: Petals and Pop : http://petalsandpop.com
The McKay Family | San Juan Capistrano Family Session | Hamilton Oaks Winery
These guys came all the way from Vegas to enjoy sunny Cali beaches, They were so excited to be here to soak up the sun and it was a great evening for family session with all that golden light shining. We shot their session at Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach to really capture the diversity of open sand + rocky shore with pools of salty water, pebbles and boulders. Just love this spot and these sweet families I get to meet along the way who travel from all over to visit where we live.
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
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.
