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

Crystal Cove Family Session | Orange County Family Photographer

Crystal Cove Family Session | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

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.

Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach | The Dunbar’s Family Session

Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach  |  The Dunbar’s Family Session   

The Dunbar Family has allowed me to photograph them for quite some time now, all the way from when their sweet Paisley was just a little baby! She is now 2 yrs old  & going to be a BIG sister this coming April! I just seriously adore this sweet family and love being able to document this special time for them and watch their little family grow! I feel so honored when families trust me to capture such precious milestones for them . One of the most rewarding parts of being a photographer is getting to witness & document a couples journey into parenthood and so on. It was a gorgeous day for a maternity/family session and we lucked out on some of the best sunset light at a gorgeous little beach location

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. 

Blair+Ricky | Crystal Cove State Park Engagement Session

Blair+Ricky | Crystal Cove State Park Engagement Session 

Not only is the sunset of this shoot incredibly breath taking, but the couple themselves are beautiful and I get to be the one to document their wedding day this coming May 2016. For this sweet engagement session we strolled through Crystal Cove State Park exploring all of its beautiful landscape + jaw dropping cliff views of the horizon while the sun was setting; it made for such a romantic session! I loved capturing these two lovebirds and their deep connection, it makes my job so incredibly easy and more importantly, fulfilling! I honestly have to pinch myself sometimes when I wake up because I can’t believe this is what I get to do everyday for a living, so much gratitude! Thank you Blair & Ricky for trusting me to capture this special time in your lives. . . 

- xoxo

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 McGuire Family | Crystal Cove State Park | Orange County Family Photographer

The McGuire Family | Crystal Cove State Park | Orange County Family Photographer

THE MCGUIRE FAMILY | CRYSTAL COVE STATE PARK 

This sweet family came all the way from Salt Lake, Utah to visit sunny California! We decided to do our session at Crystal Cove State Park  to get those great rocky areas with a long open shore.   This location ended up being the best choice because the sunset was seriously breathtaking! The beach gave us all this incredible soft light with pastel tones in the sky like a watercolor painting. It was so dreamy ! These sweet boys were so excited to explore at the beach on their little vacation, and I loved capturing that excitement in their eyes. One of the greatest parts of my job is getting to witness children experience the beach for the first time. The sense of wonder in their eyes is always so neat to capture.  You can really feel the love between these brothers & their incredible brotherly bond. I absolutely loved this session!

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! 

Romantic Crystal Cove Anniversary Session | Leilani + Shane

Romantic Crystal Cove Anniversary Session

The Haileys

Leilani & Shane contacted me for an anniversary session to commemorate the 7 years they’ve spent together as husband & wife . These two have had their share of struggles with Shane having been in the military so early on in their marriage and Leilani often home awaiting for his deployment to end so that they could be in each others arms again.  Despite the distance, these two stayed strong and wrote letters back and forth constantly. We wanted to find a way to incorporate this very unique part of their story into their session, so we thought what better way then to bring all the letters he wrote to her on his deployments, with us to our session? This added a touch of intimacy and reminded them of the strong connection they share. We started at Crystal Cove State Park with open dirt paths to really connect to the nature around us  and then walked down toward the beach to get those gorgeous cliff views. These two cuddled under the sunset  with cliff views overlooking the ocean, wine glasses to toast the 7 years of marriage they’ve  shared and a cake to celebrate too. It was such a beautiful moment to witness as their friend + photographer.. Sometimes I would step back from the camera and just soak up their joyful presence. Their love could honestly light up a room.

I am truly honored they chose me to capture this incredible love they share, 7 years later.

PS: Wondering about the dress she’s wearing and where it’s from? This gorgeous fall colored dress is the Sienna Maxi Dress by  For Love & Lemons. It can be found at Free People or directly from them by clicking here. 

The Bentzien Family | Lifestyle Newborn Session

The Bentzien Family | Lifestyle Newborn Session