rock & water • wang bo • shaolin monk & kung fu shifu

beach, martial arts, sports

My daughter recently started taking kung fu at the Shaolin Temple school near our home. The first time we met Yuan Shifu & Wang Shifu, we knew that we had finally found the teachers we were looking for–their presence is strong & caring, & their expertise is obvious. (I was also excited that Zoë might get to learn kung fu in Chinese!) Wang Shifu is an experienced performing martial artist as well as warrior monk of the Shaolin Temple. I had the amazing opportunity to do some pictures with him at a beautiful location that inspired us both. I have been so excited about the photographs; I just have to post a few here now, even though I have so many more to go through. Thank you, Wang Bo, for a spirited, energetic collaboration! I look forward to more in the future…

mama s. • beautiful belly pregnancy portraits • palos verdes estates, ca

pregnancy, we are family

I am so in awe of the pregnant form. It’s a magical, biological wonder, & I love photographing it. I’m glad I am part of a movement that celebrates the beauty of this special time; since Demi Moore was featured on the cover of Vanity Fair twenty years ago (!), women in cosmopolitan cities & modern communities have been flaunting their baby bellies. No more tent dresses, no more muumuus, no more hiding the bumps (as if you could anyway after those first months). And more & more, women & their partners want to commemorate this fleeting time with pictures that feature the belly front & center. We take pictures of every other milestone in our lives from first day of school to prom and wedding, & for women, pregnancy marks the most major change that will have ever happened to us since puberty–a physical, mental, spiritual transformation that reshapes who we are forever. And the body leads us first with its metamorphosis–first the journey “up,” then birth, then the journey “back.” If you really stop & think about it, it’s nothing short of amazing that our bodies–& hearts–can be expanded so beyond limits of what we thought possible…& we can enjoy & revel in it so much.

Here are some highlights from my recent session with Mama S. & her family who are expecting their third baby. Gorgeous & glorious!

peach beach • the hockensmith family • torrance, ca

beach, little ones, we are family

I’ve had the special pleasure of photographing the Hockensmiths twice a year for the last three years–& it’s been amazing to watch as their baby girls have grown into big girls! Haley is a spunky monkey who loves sports & dance. Hannah is a girlie girl, just as dainty & discerning as a modern-day princess. Their parents, Jacque & LeRoy are the type of parents who so have it together–they’ve always got a plan, execute it with style, & pay attention to the details. I always wish we had more time just to hang out as pals, but I just feel lucky to see them when we can! This session was a treat–on the beach on a perfect SoCal afternoon, the balmy breeze blowing us gently into almost sunset. We took our time & enjoyed the warmth & our little wedge of sand. Jacque & LeRoy got to play with the girls, & I got to capture their laughter & love. Sweet!

See the {Holiday Hockensmiths}!

sunshine sisters • kiana & quin • palos verdes estates, ca

little ones, we are family

Ah, sisters. I’m ever fascinated by how sisters interact, how they can be at once the closest of pals, and the next second embroiled in a battle over something seemingly so trivial that they won’t even remember it tomorrow. Perhaps it’s the biological hard-wiring to perceive our sisters as competition for resources–or mates. In my family, there are just my sister & me, separated by almost six years. My own daughters are 23 months apart. And these gorgeous girls are Kiana (8.5) & Quin (6.5), daughters of Lilavati, a mom who exudes both power & gentleness in equal parts. In just the little time I spent with Kiana & Quin, I could see how amazingly different siblings can be–& observe the ever shifting dynamic of love & mischief between them! I had such a great time just watching them be with each other, near each other–& then see them through the lens on their own, each with her special essence. Like when a chef puts two distinctly unique flavors together in an unpredictable combination–the pairing creates something special & rare & delicious. And this day was full of the hot sun, shining down on these two radiant creatures. They seemed to glow with the magic & contradictions of girlhood–at once of nature & this world, yet also ethereal..