Well! After 5 days of little to no sleep, great classes and inspiring speakers, friend making like crazy, and both eating and drinking a little too much I am happy to be home and working in our little blue office today. I had the opportunity to hear so many inspiring artists speak about my profession and am so thankful that on a daily basis I love my job! It’s going to be a tough month trying to implement all the things I’ve taken from the convention but in the end it’s experiences like this that make me not only a better photographer but a better business woman and person. I’m not sure there is really any other industry like ours-

Part of what I love about WPPI the most is the lasting friendships I make every year there. It isn’t often that we get out of our little Los Angeles bubble and it is so refreshing to spend time getting to know people from all over who love the same things you do! I happened to be sitting next to Lee Ann Fuller in Jesh De Rox’s super duper inspiring talk about TRUTH,  and she ended up joining us for dinner that night. I am so glad she did because we LOVE her!!! We were hanging out in the room before our 2nd dinner together and Heather caught this beautiful window light- I joined in and we both ended up directing her for about 20 minutes. Love these improptu shoots… enjoy!

  This is my favorite- couldn’t decide between the two. Can you?

Before Christmas my lovely cousin Morgan hired me to do some new shots for her pending new commercial agency. I don’t normally shoot head shots and to be honest get a little nervous when people contact me about them because I know how incredibly picky actors can be and since I don’t have much experience working with agencies I am always afraid they aren’t going to get what they are looking for. But I have just started approaching these shoots just as I would approach a portrait session and so far so good! We sort of pulled this shoot together at the last minute before I left for the holidays, spent a cloudy afternoon hanging around Los Feliz and utilized an empty apartment in our building as a make shift studio for the day. Morgan has such a great sense of style and is always a pleasure to photograph!!! I think she looks like a porcelain doll!

You might remember these little dolls, Lucy and Wilder from this post from what seems like another world. They are such bright, creative little beings- can’t help but get great shots of their adorable little faces! (and of mom and dad too of course!)

We started out inside with some lighting and a wall- I really think the simplicity of these speaks volumes.

Then we headed outside, despite the smoke in the air the lighting was actually really beautifully even.

And some ice cream to ensure the day ended in smiles!

A couple of weekends ago I had the utmost pleasure to photograph my dear friend (and fellow Edward lover) Nichol and her beautiful family at The Huntington Gardens in Pasadena. We spent the late afternoon running around the gardens and seriously, we barely even got to use most of it- can’t wait to go back there! I know Nichol follows this blog and has probably been stalking it waiting for this post (no shame there!) so here it is! Lots of images to follow…..

Seriously, I could post like 10 more…. Thanks so much for hanging out with me guys!!!!

QUICK NOTE! My schedule is rapidly filling up with holiday sessions …. if you or anyone you know is looking for a Christmas card sitting have them email me asap to get a session booked! I shoot Christmas card sessions up until December 15th and will be in the bay area a lot in the coming weeks and will not being charging any travel fees…. Good god, the holidays are upon us!

A few weeks ago I drove down to Newport Coast to photograph my good friend Wendi’s son, Carson. We were in art school together and it seems like yesterday she told me with glee that she was pregnant! Tim and I drove down to Newport less than a year ago to have breakfast with their family and I was absolutely shocked when I saw how much he had grown. It reminded me why I don’t want to live away from my parents when I have babies- how would my mom feel if every time she saw her grandkids they’d be massive! Anyways, Carson has grown into the most wonderfully expressive little man who just love love loves his mama. Him and I had a rough start but once he was positive that his mom wasn’t , in fact, planning on leaving him with me we became quick friends! Thanks for breakfast, Wendi and for letting me spend the day with little Carson- can’t wait to get to know him over the ages.

Don’t kill me Wendi He ate dirt, we laughed, he thought he was sooo funny- and ate some more.

The perfect example of why locations don’t always have to be extravagent. This was outside the public restroom and it’s one of my favorites!