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..

capture your kid! photography workshop for parents • august 2011

little ones, we are family, workshops

I had a blast teaching my first ever “Capture Your Kid! Photography Workshop for Parents” this August! I put this workshop together as a response to the frequent conversations I’ve had with moms & dads that tell me, “We got a fancy camera to take pictures of the kids, & I wish I knew how to use it!” I really wanted to help parents learn some techniques & gain the creative confidence to be able to make visually interesting, aesthetically pleasing photographs that would really capture their children’s essence–& tell the story of their family. I know that parents want to make more than “snapshots” if they are shelling out the big bucks to buy a DSLR or even an advanced point-&-shoot (which are very sophisticated & can cost as much as a DSLR these days).

I also know how much logistical maneuvering it requires for a parent to carve out an afternoon away from the family, so I really wanted to offer a course that would provide them with valuable tools & information, presented in a digestible format in a short amount of time. And I wanted it to be challenging & intellectually & artistically stimulating, because if you’re a parent, you don’t often get to stretch your brain in new, uncharted ways; our days are filled with lots of routine & manual labor & not a lot of time left for pondering art & science & anything beyond what to serve for the next meal. Hopefully, I was putting together a workshop that would be like a little vacation from the usual, from which parents could return to their family life with little nuggets of photographic ideas as souvenirs to share with their spouses & kids.

I organized my workshop into five sections: Light, Composition, Bonding With Your Camera, Working With Kids, & Guided Shooting. I wanted to cover as much as I could with the basics–without doing so much that it was overwhelming. I crammed in about a semester’s worth of photo technique–as well as at least five year’s worth of anecdotal experience shooting kids & families. And there were some great “a-ha” moments as we talked about types of light, not always putting your subject in the center, & the key points of what to do if you want your kid to really smile (ya have to actually be fun & funny!).

And how rewarding it has been to see everyone’s photographs from the guided shooting & from the days after the workshop! All the photos in this post are the lovely samples of “real parents” photographing their kids–armed with a few new tricks & some inspiration…More to come in another post!

blue beach • the saunders family • redondo beach, ca

beach, little ones, we are family

The last time I photographed the Saunders kids, they were so little! Beautiful, spunky Summer was four, & little brother Mason was just a baby who was literally “laid-back” for our whole session. This time around, Summer is a big girl, even more beautiful & more spunky, & Mason is superbly athletic! I was so happy to be able to photograph the whole family. Jennifer & Skip & the kids were so game, running races, frolicking in the water, despite that it was the coolest morning we’d had at the coast in many weeks. But the mist couldn’t dampen this family’s energy & spirit–so much sweetness & fun in their group! And the cozy snuggling made for lots of warmth–enough to make us forget the chilly wind…

bo & eric • engagement portraits • redondo beach, ca

engagements

I had such fun with Bo & Eric, shooting them for their engagement! Eric’s sister, Joanne, is an old friend of mine from grad school, so doing these portraits for her brother was a special honor. I love the tale of Bo & Eric’s courtship; they told me their first date was at Cheesecake Factory, but it was the third date that cinched it for them. As they tell it, Bo was impressed when Eric offered to eat her piece of kobe beef that she thought was a little too raw; & Eric liked that their similarly low-key personalities were a good match. And when Eric proposed at the pier in Malibu, Bo said, “Are you joking?” So funny! So for our session, we celebrated their history by enjoying a dessert at Cheesecake Factory & then having some fun at the pier & the beach! Congratulations, Bo & Eric! Have a wonderful wedding in Korea!