Senior Portraits-Ignacio!

This was one of my favorite shoots ever! I don't think I've laughed so hard, had such fantastic light, and had such a photogenic subject all at once, and with a male especially! We met in Guadalupe because Guadalupe has some of the best natural backgrounds and backdrops. What more could you ask for? Old buildings and great sunsets make for some pretty special shots. Good luck in the future Ignacio, and congratulations!

Kira & Tommy-Avila Beach Maternity!

How cute are these two (technically three :) )? Kira received a gift certificate (available any time) as a gift at her baby shower, so this is the first of two shoots I will get to do with them! We decided to meet at Avila Beach for sunset pictures and it was gorgeous. It was at the end of one of our MANY heatwaves this year, so the weather was perfect- no clouds, no fog. Kira is seriously one of the most beautiful mamas-to-be that I've had the privilege of shooting. She carries that belly well and is simply glowing. I had such a good time with them! They seem pretty smitten with their little girl, and they haven't even met her yet! She's due this coming week and I can't wait to meet here either! In the mean time, enjoy these never seen before photos of our time at Avila!

Ostini Family!

Daniel is 1! Isn't this family just the CUTEST? This is my cousin Josh and his beautiful wife Ashley and their very handsome boy, Daniel. I love when I get to shoot them. It's always so easy, never awkward. This shoot especially, we got to hang out in their new backyard and just let Daniel play. I had SO many pictures I wanted to share, but had to let them see them first! He only got antsy when he was hungry. And all of his faces! He's such an Ostini. Love these people. Enjoy! :)

Baby Mark!

I've shot Sarenna and Travis' family twice before, their vow renewal and family pictures. I was so excited when baby Mark's momma Sarenna emailed me about newborn pics for him! At the time she didn't even know the sex, and anyone that knows me knows I LOVE surprises! I was stoked to hear he was a he since I've only shot one newborn boy! Due to mom's high blood pressure, this little guy had to be delivered 4 weeks early and then spent 2 weeks in the NICU. He and his mom are doing great now! I got to spend a few hours with them at the end of July and I had a blast! The so-called big "rule" for newborn photography is to do the shoot within the first 14 days after birth. It's the best way to ensure a very sleepy, very bendy babe. After 14 days, the baby "usually" starts to be a bit more awake, more bones start to form so they are less flexable, and dry skin and baby acne show up. Of course not every baby is typical. And not every baby younger than 14 days is by any means easy. It's really just a great piece of advice. With that being said, because baby Mark was in the NICU for two weeks, I knew I would probably have my work cut out for me. But you know what? He was pretty dang easy! He made it clear he didn't want to be naked or on his belly, so I worked with that. For being an "older" guy, he was perfect. And he's so little! Man, he was probably the smallest baby I've ever held! Thank you Sarenna and Travis for choosing me to document this very precious time in you family's life!

Mendez Family-July 204

I LOVE this family. Amanda and Henry have been together since God was a boy. Ok, not really, but they have been together for a really long time. Like forever. Amanda is my best friend's cousin, but in the last few years, she has become one of my closest friends as well. Amanda and Henry have a gorgeous 4 year old, Maddie. She has amazing long, curly hair and is as smart as a whip. Last winter, Amanda and Henry found out they were expecting baby number two. The pregnancy started off very rocky, but thankfully, things got a bit better. After what seemed like forever, we finally got to find out the gender. A boy! Not long after that, and after lots of tests, they found out that, surprise, baby is a girl (I knew that all along). They also found out that Mila had many chromosomal abnormalities and would not survive. Mila was born sleeping in April, both a heartbreaking and beautiful moment that I was able to witness. Since then, Amanda and Henry have had to learn a new way of life after loss. Though you never "get over" a loss like they have, they have more happy days then sad, and each day brings hope. After such a tragedy like they experienced, they needed something new and fun. So new family pictures it is! They are super easy to photograph, especially Maddie. She knows she's adorable. :) It was a nice evening at sunset. Very laid back and relaxed is how I shoot, so they complimented that perfectly. I hope you love these pictures as much as I do, because they are some of my favorites ever!