games fans • new friends from reebok @ crossfit hax • harbor city, ca

sports

This month’s big event in the CrossFit world was the 2011 CrossFit Games, where competitors from all over the globe come for a chance to earn the name “Fittest on Earth.” This was also the first year that the Games had sponsorship from Reebok, who outfitted all the athletes & are bringing the CrossFit method to a mainstream audience. One of Max’s clients, Danielle, works for Reebok & put out the word that CrossFit HAX was happy to treat any visiting Games fans to workouts while they were in town. For a few days, we got to make some great new friends from Reebok! I tell ya, that company has some fit employees! A special thank you to Danielle, & a shout out to all the Reebok CrossFitters who stopped on by. We hope to sweat again with you soon!

just a taste • mrs. d • boudoir session • palos verdes estates, ca

beauty & boudoir

Mrs. D is one of the most wise, crafty, & creative wives I’ve ever met. She speaks with an understanding of relationships & men’s brains that far exceeds her age, so much so that I really think she ought to write a book. While planning her boudoir session, I was really awed by how attuned she is to her husband’s likings & tastes. And she spoke of making him happy in the most generous, enthusiastic way. And their efforts to stoke the flames of love & desire & connection are all the more meaningful, as he is deployed somewhere far, far away, for much, much too long. Mrs. D & I had such a fun time getting creative, & she was bold, & brave, & a celebration of feminine wiles. Can’t wait for Mr. D to finally see these soon…And they’ll be more to come after this sneak peek…

strong is sexy • ladies of the la temptation @ crossfit hax • harbor city, ca

sports

Recently, I finally got to spend some time at my husband Max’s new gym space in Harbor City. His “box” is part of a larger athletic facility called HAX, which specializes in basketball tournaments & camps, but also includes a fully-equipped fitness space. Max is the director of the CrossFit division of HAX. CrossFit started getting a lot of mainstream attention when the movie 300 came out a couple years ago; all the actors got into warrior-shape doing CrossFit. Max’s gym has had earlier incarnations in Hermosa Beach, but now we have a ton more space at CrossFit HAX.

We have a handful of loyal clients who have followed us all the way to Harbor City, & we’re also joined by new clients in our new community. I was excited to be able to shoot some new pictures of the gym & everyone working out hard. On this particular day, our usual crew was joined by the ladies of the Lingerie Football League’s LA Temptation, who do a great job of showing how strong is indeed sexy. Stephanie Psick who plays for the LA Temptation is also one of CrossFit HAX’s newest trainers. She & her husband Garrick were recently Level 1 Certified–congratulations!

impromptu • cuevas family • pregnancy portraits

outdoors, pregnancy, we are family

Freedom lately has meant not having my youngest baby strapped to my chest at a party–because it means that I can snap away with my camera without the added 18 pounds of chub! And being more quick & agile on my feet means I’m able to take advantage of the gorgeous late-day light & the as-yet unphotographed belly of my friend Erin, who is due in August with Baby #3. We were both attending the birthday party for our mutual friend’s little girl, & as the day stretched out into the early evening, the sun stayed warm & hovered just above the tree line, bathing us all in the glow of summer. I had done pregnancy portraits for Erin almost two years ago when she was pregnant with Jack (the beautiful boy you see below), & this time, she didn’t have any real plans for formal portraits. So, I just asked her to stand in the sun for me, & I clicked away as she, Jack, & hubby Frank laughed & played & hugged (daughter Sienna was off with the other kids). And oh, how much I love these impromptu portraits…