vivacious violet • the stackleather family • rancho palos verdes, ca

little ones, we are family

It was so fun to catch up with the Stackleathers! I have missed seeing them at my daughter’s school since they relocated a while ago. And what fun it was to see how big Noah & Lea have grown since our holiday photos two years ago. Noah is sporting a totally cool surfer ‘do to go with his fun, mellow personality. And Lea is a sparkly-eyed princess, complete with hot pink nails. Mama Bronwyn & Daddy Sonny are such a cute couple—they’ve got smiles for miles. A special treat was having three generations together, because we were joined by Suzanne & Tom, Bronwyn’s family. And Bronwyn styled everyone so beautifully in purple—such a rich, lively, fun color!

fabulous four • the canley family • los angeles, ca

little ones, we are family

The last time I got to do pictures with the Canleys, little baby girl Mayson was just weeks old, & she pretty much dozed her way through the session. I had also had the pleasure of doing pregnancy portraits for Vanessa & Bryan when they were awaiting Mayson, & just looking at those two good-lookin’ parents, I knew that their kids would be knockouts! Now, they are a family of four, & I was so right—it simply should be legal that one family be so gorgeous!! Mayson is a sassy, silly, graceful gal with a mop top of curls that makes my hair weep with jealousy. Lucas is just sweet & charming, & ready for anything fun. I had a wonderful time catching up with them & getting to play with these amazing kids. I so wish we lived closer for more playdates!!

balance {一} • wang shifu • shaolin temple kung fu

beach, martial arts, outdoors, sports

This is my third installment of my project with Shifu Wang Bo of Shaolin Temple Kung Fu. We had such a rich morning of shooting: the location was inspiring for us both, & I used it to structure our session. I showed Wang Shifu three areas that I wanted to use, & I asked him to choose which weapons he wanted for each one. For the enclosed space of the cave, he chose the shorter weapons, & out in this open space on the very precipice of the cliff above the ocean, he chose to use the longest—the staff. I had been shooting at close range, but for these shots, I wanted to go wider, which involved me climbing down & away from him. From even quite a distance, Wang Shifu’s dynamic presence & expressions in face, body, & movement were as arresting as from close up. And he was at once part of his surroundings, & yet also like a dancer upon a stage—no matter the gorgeous set, your eye is drawn to him…

little bells • the corter-bell kids & family • palos verdes estates, ca

little ones, we are family

Ah, my good friends, the Corter-Bells! We have known each other on the crazy journey of parenthood for the last six years. We met through our wonderful mutual friends, Karen & Jason, who encouraged us to get together when Alithea & I were pregnant with our first babies. We both shared an interest in homebirthing & natural health–Alithea & Bryen are both chiropractors who have contributed so much in healing & education to their larger communities. Every year, I get to update their family photos–once in the late winter for Chinese New Year & the children’s birthdays, & once in late fall for the holidays. This year, because I had a newborn in February, we had to put off their first session. So, we finally got around to it this month! So much fun watching these kids grow up…