pattern-mixing • family trail walk

little ones, outdoors, personal, we are family

There’s a fire trail that runs behind our house, & it’s like having a backyard that is really long & narrow & leads to the “special drink store,” where my husband takes the girls on Sundays to indulge in this Japanese soda that comes in a glass bottle with a marble in it. We’ve walked the trail in every season–breezy summer, crisp autumn, chilly winter, & now green spring. I’m glad I took my camera on this walk to capture my oldest daughter’s complete freedom with fashion (stripes, plaids, & knitted patterns all mixing beautifully), & just the mundane miracle of everyday life with my family. This was our baby’s first trail walk; held tightly in the arms of daddy, he slept through the whole thing.

The girls raced each other over & over again on the damp dirt trail…

Here’s Zoë letting Zara win, & I wish I had a picture of the look on Zoë’s face after, because she looked more joyful & proud of herself letting her sister win than she did when she won herself. Such kindness & compassion in a child!

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!