laleh & kaveh • the shannon-noghreh family welcomes twins!

little ones, we are family

In January, I had the pleasure of doing pregnancy portraits for my dear friend, Linda. Two weeks ago, her twins arrived via natural childbirth! “Baby A” became beautiful boy Kaveh, & “Baby B” is the lovely little girl Laleh. Linda is an amazing woman who makes having twins, nursing twins, diapering twins, & all manner of caring for twins look like a walk in the park. She is so vivacious & full of joy & humor. These babies are so lucky to join this family of Linda, Kamboud, & big brother Kian. I can’t wait to chronicle the growth & change of these beautiful children & this wonderful family. In these photos, Kaveh alternated between being asleep & milk-drunk, & Laleh was all alert, eyes open & taking it all in…

Kam & Kaveh, & their identical profiles…

This image below is a special one, because the backdrop is a Persian carpet given to Linda & Kam from Kam’s mother who carried it all the way here from Iran…

baby nicholas maxwell • the au-watts families

little ones, studio, we are family

Tricia & I have known each other since birth; our moms are best friends from junior high school! Both our mothers were tickled blue this January, when Tricia & I gave birth to our sons within three days of each other. I was so honored & happy to celebrate the arrival of their Nicholas Maxwell with this session of portraits for Tricia, husband Josh, Baby Nicholas, & his grandparents on both sides, as well as Tricia’s brother & sister-in-law. The best part of the day, besides coming away with some treasured photographs, was just everyone hanging out together. We know that Baby Nicholas & Baby Zen will grow up to cause quite a bit of trouble together!

3 + 2 = 5! • shannon-noghreh family pregnancy portraits

little ones, pregnancy, studio, we are family

I’m so lucky to know this woman, Linda. She is an extraordinary force of vision & compassion, & if it weren’t for her, I don’t know where I would ever have felt safe sending my girls to school for the first time. She has created a community of kindness around her in so many forms–not in the least being the preschool she has founded, Riviera PlaySchool, an unique environment based on the NVC method of communicating with children. Up until a couple weeks ago, Linda was expecting twins! And I myself was officially on maternity leave from shooting, but I just couldn’t not take her pictures, especially when she told me, “I’m just gonna go to the mall.” What?! No way, not when I have a chance to give back to her, just as she has given to me. All her friends love the first picture the most, saying, “It’s so Linda.” That big laugh–yes, indeed it is!

ecstatic • michelle • dance & pregnancy portraiture

beauty & boudoir, dance, little ones, pregnancy, studio

I had to categorize these as both “dance” & “pregnancy” portraiture, because they most definitely are! Michelle & I have been friends since our days of dancing together at UCLA. We’ve known each other now more than half our lives, & this last fall, we celebrated our 40th birthdays in November. And to make the occasion even more special, we were both also just 3 weeks apart in our last pregnancies, & both expecting our third child. Michelle traveled down to LA to see me, & we took the opportunity to do some pictures–of course! Michelle has been one of my muses since our college years–her beauty is unique, timeless, exotic, romantic, & being a dancer, she moves with such grace & ease. During our photo session, she embodied the ecstatic feeling of carrying life inside her–and here these pictures I think celebrate the dance of life…