The Jones Family | Rancho Palos Verdes Family Photographer

Lindsey is a photographer from Southern California, and in fact, I've known her for about 5 years online. We met for the first time in Las Vegas for WPPI just a few days before we had her session scheduled. I photograph quite a few photographers which I don't find odd at all. Lindsey has all of these adorable shots of her boys, but none of her in them. That's all too common among photographers, so it makes sense to have someone else do photos so that you can be a part of the session as well. We shot at a beautiful little park right near the coast in Rancho Palos Verdes. It was a cool, sunny day which I think matched Lindsey's own style - she seems to love things that are warm and soft, just like me! Together she and her boys read books, played with some vintage cameras, laughed, tickled, snuggled, and even flew a kite for the first time. There was a time when a session with two toddlers would have terrified me, and now I am proud to say that together I move through these sessions fairly easily, because when you allow the kids to just be themselves, everything becomes simple and the photos more natural. It helps that Lindsey's little guys were very well behaved! Enjoy! :)

Zane took a little spill in the grass. Good thing Daddy was there to brush the grass out of his mouth :) This is what being a 3 year old boy is all about!

The Zohlen Family | Redondo Beach Family Photographer

I photograph a lot of other talented photographers, and Staci is no exception. When she contacted me to do her family session, she had a clear and concise idea of what type of session that she wanted. We gave ourselves two hours - the first hour of which we would shoot inside their beautiful home, and the 2nd hour would be shot outdoors at a gorgeous park. Staci and I joked that we would get the traditional shot out of the way first - the kind of shot that the grandparents would like, where everyone is looking at the camera and smiling :) Then, we would move on to what we both love the most, the candid, real, fun lifestyle images. We painted nails, jumped on the bed, red stories, and put together a puzzle. I truly believe that when you put a 2 1/2 year old and a 4 year old in an environment where they feel comfortable, you will get to see the real "them". It doesn't help that they are terribly well behaved :) I love this session and I hope you do too.

The Lenzini Family | Anaheim Family Photographer

Elizabeth contacted me earlier this year, planning many months ahead for her family portraits. She has 3 young kids and we discussed how the session would go. We would let the kids play, be themselves, and capture their family interactions just the way they are. I love sessions like this the most. Not only do I love seeing how the kids personalities show through in the photos, but I also love to see how the parents come out of their shell. There is nothing that makes me happier than seeing a mom and dad smile and laugh with their kids. Now, don't get me wrong, Elizabeth and her husband probably left the session feeling like they just ran a marathon (wrangling 2 toddlers plus an infant is tough!) but at least it was worth it, right? :)

Now, check out this next series of events...

Ooooh, the life of a mom. Next time we'll leave dad at home, okay? ;)