a quick update

bueller? bueller? Bueller?

anyone still out there?

remodel update: postponed until early 2011, but still picking stuff out and making design decisions

photo update: I've been mostly referring new clients to a great friend and photographer Tory. She's nothing less than amazing. She recently switched back to film and is loving all the time away from editing the photos on the computer. Hm... I might have to whip out my old film camera too! I'm trying to find a little more balance in my life... adding regular exercise (I could only use carrying the kids as my exercise alternative for so long). I've gone on some great hikes with friends, tried P90X a few times and even got signed up for a spinning class (though I feel like I'm not in shape enough to exercise in front of others). :)

I'll be posting some photos from some of the shoots I did this year (woah, can't believe the year is almost up and our house still looks the same)! I did get to photograph my newest niece last weekend! She was all of 6 days old and such a perfect model. My newest nephew will be coming out from Arizona in December so be on the lookout for some more adorable baby faces on the blog coming up.

proud big sister

proud big brother

he wooed me! || santa monica newborn photographer

Here's little duke at 5 weeks. I wasn't sure what to expect with a little 5 week old since the newborns I've been photographing have all been less than 14 days old. Well Duke did not disappoint! He peed on us once and even fell asleep for a few photos. He also stayed awake a long time and gave us lots of alert blue steel faces (and I think maybe even one smile).

Duke's mama is friend and fashion designer staci woo. I'm sure you've all seen me sporting her "carefree stylish living" clothes (if it's not than jeans and a tshirt, most likely it's something she's designed)!

I couldn't be happier to welcome little Duke to the world. Congratulations staci and mike!


wooing his mama




For this shot, we put him on the kitchen counter and had someone hold up a white blanket to block out the rest(including the kitchen sink). Oh and I guess when you've got great style, that also means you've got great little vase combos casually sitting on your counter. ;) And a side note... aren't these borders around the photos cute? Check out my post on albums...then envision and album with page after page with these little borders around your little one...so simple, yet so darling!







POW!










staci...thinking he's looking like you here! gas or smile? SMILE!




perfection

it's raining babies!!! || south bay newborn photographer

I had my car all packed up and was ready to head down to the South Bay to photograph baby Asher. BUT I got a call bright and early from his mom saying he was sick. Poor little guy... less than 2 weeks old and already getting junk from his big brother. Luckily Asher's schedule was mostly just sleeping and eating and I was able to shuffle my plans around, so we moved the shoot out a few days (didn't want to wait too long and miss our chance to get those sleepy curly shots).

Asher did a great job and big brother Kellen got a big high five for chilling out with us during the photoshoot. Boy did mom and dad luck out with two gorgeous, well-behaved little boys! Here's Kellen when he was just four months old! Looks like the boys take after their dad in the hair department! ;)


hi mama! hi papa!




love those little sleepy smiles







flaky skin




got to remember how I made this hat...love it!







I wonder why most of the Kellen photos are blurry? lol.




thank goodness we had Mom to scoop him up.




seems like just the other day the little baby was Kellen...

how life changes in 10 years. || playa vista newborn photography

In some ways college doesn't seem like so long ago, but talking to a current UCLA student on a Southwest flight up north, I realized that I was no longer the hip recent grad I thought I was... I am now more of a mom-type who hasn't been on the quickly changing campus in over 10 years. UCLA is where Matt and I met while life guarding at the swimming pool, and it's also where my friend Ivette met her husband Adam.

Ivette and I recently reunited online through facebook (join my fan page!), and I am honored that she contacted me about taking newborn photos of her new little man Ethan. Boy has Ivette has got her act together! Usually after having a first baby, the parents are so overwhelmed, I get a call about 3 months after the baby is born asking for newborn photos. Well, a 3 month old and a newborn are not exactly the same. If you want those sleepy shots where the baby is all curled up, then it's usually got to be done in the first 2 weeks...any longer than that and the baby usually wants to stay awake and check out the party.

Ivette called a week after Ethan was born and since I was supposed to be on a family vacation I referred her to some photographer friends... but what do you know, we ended up canceling our trip to Germany the day before we were going to leave! Such a bummer, but the reward was that I got to take newborn photos of Ethan and our other friends' baby Emme.

Ethan was a perfect little angel....when he wasn't sleeping, he was just eating or peeing and pooing on us... just the hazards of the job. :) And I think I've decided that if I ever think I want to have another baby, that we should just rescue a sweet dog like Ivette and Adam have - a King Charles.

It was fantastic seeing you again Ivette! I can't believe it's been over 10 years because you look exactly the same (other than the baby attached to you). And great meeting you Adam!

hapa baby...she's a beauty, eh? || santa monica newborn photographer

Sorey aboot the "beauty eh" comment.

translation: Sorry about the "beauty eh" comment. ;)

he he... it's after midnight, so maybe I'm not so funny as I think I am right now, so please forgive me. The papa of this beautiful little hapa girl is Canadian, so I have to get in all my Canadian lingo while I have the chance (all learned from watching Degrassi Junior High back when I was a kid growing up without MTV in a home with 6 televisions but no cable, destined to watch pbs all summer). Someone take the keyboard away from me, I don't think I'm even writing proper sentences...

Take 2:
Remember that maternity photo shoot I did a couple weeks ago in my neighbor's bamboo? Well, someone wanted in on the photo action and decided to come a couple weeks early...

When I saw this baby girl all swaddled up -- a tiny bundle peacefully sleeping on her parent's big bed -- I just wanted to put her in my camera bag and sneak her home with me. She has the most perfect little round face and was just sooo good during our photo session. I can't wait to watch her grow up and see what characteristics she inherits from her mom and dad. Congratulations Ann and Jeremy... you've got one beautiful family. I just realized we didn't get any photos with your redheaded child (the dog), so I'm sure you'll be seeing me with my camera again soon!