it started with a smile.

it was the smile that his mother had when she found out she would be having her first child; it was her smile when she found out it was going to be a little boy; it was her smile when she met him and knew his name was elijah; and it was her smile when she realized he smiled because of her love.

meet elijah. the cutest little man i think i have ever met. the little man with a smile than already lights up a room and lights up our hearts.

i am pleased to have met him and his proud mommy for some casual portraits in laguna a few weeks ago. we spent a lovely afternoon together getting to know each other, and by the end of it we were great friends.

i am honored to show you these portraits of elijah and elizabeth– they are a little glimpse into their lives, their hearts and their love.

these are the moments that we treasure… sort of.

elijah, you are so loved!!!

now you know where elijah gets his good looks from…

elizabeth… you’re stunning!

Sometimes I wish I could go back to high school… first of all to knock some fashion sense into the 15 year old me, but also to make more informed choices about college. I probably would have enjoyed a smaller campus with proffesors who were actually approachable, but I chose to go to the big school with the big name. I wish I would have had Lauren around to tell me that I had more options, more choices. 

She’s the loveliest college freshman to hit campus this year… and I’m sure she is going to have an extraordinary time there! Lauren just started at a little college in the pacific northwest where she can wear coats and jeans and boots and all that cute clothing that we rarely get to wear here in Southern California. She’s also going to have such a wonderful time sharing moments and experiences with people that are a lot like her… articulate, intelligent and brilliant! She’s going to look fabulous in her pea coats and Wellies when it snows and I am so excited to see her grow into the amazing woman I know she is on her way to being.

I am so blessed to have had an opportunity to spend one of the last warm summer afternoons with her and am so happy to know her. Thanks Lauren for hanging out with me, I’ll never forget it!

You know that feeling you get when you see an old friend after you haven’t seen them in a long time? It totally felt like I was meeting an old friend a few weekends ago when I met up with Wendy for her portrait her most recent portrait session. 

Her energy and vibrant personality radiate from her– she can really find the fun in anything! We wandered around back alleyways and side streets in Downtown LA and had a blast the entire time! I’ve never me t a woman who can work a bright blue storage facility door like she can! She the most fierce woman I know!

Thank you so much Wendy for allowing me to photograph you and your beautiful smile!

Sometimes I really need to pinch myself to believe that I get to photograph the most amazing people and it’s my J-O-B!

I was so lucky to spend one HOT July afternoon with a new friend, Sharon. It was the first time she had done anything like this, but she handled it like a total pro! We wandered around the arts district in Downtown Los Angeles and found some absolutely fantastic new locations to shoot! I love all the color and grafitti that was all over the place- what a haven for creative energy!

Thank you to Sharon for trusting me to make you feel comfortable and look beautiful! Hope you love this little preview of your portraits!