[VIDEO]: Hochleutner Family - A Beautiful Day

I had such a fun time with this wonderful family, I wanted to share a video of their slideshow.

FAMILY PORTRAIT: A Room of Their Own

We've had some un-California like weather recently, but rather than reschedule this family portrait session, we took the shoot indoors into their home, which turned out to be the best thing. Not only did the rooms give the shoot a more intimate and personal feel, everyone, especially their eldest daughter, could really relax and be themselves.


This family had super fun energy, and a warm and wonderful home in Hancock Park that reflected an artistic eye. And, while I love photos of happy smiling kids and parents, I am personally drawn to the more quiet, introspective images that seem to provide us with a glimpse into more private moments that aren't usually captured on camera.

What to Wear: Spring

Here in sunny Los Angeles Spring is definitely in the air. The flowers are starting to bloom and the days are getting longer. While I welcome the new season with open arms I have been under the weather this last week thanks to the temperature going from cool to warm and back again, but I digress.

Spring is the time for Spring cleaning, but it is also time to bring out our warmer weather clothes. In my case I keep them boxed up under the bed, but for my son, what fit him last Spring wouldn't fit him this year because like all children he is growing like a weed. So I've been looking at kid's clothes and thought I would come up with some seasonally appropriate ideas for what to wear for a Spring photo shoots in Los Angeles, or anywhere else for that matter.

Clients often ask me for ideas, so here are a few. While, I don't like to use a lot of pattern, there are ways to make it work, and of course texture and color go a long way to adding interest and depth.

Easter Party


Easy Breezy

Fresh n' Sunny

The key to the various looks is keeping the color palette (or as they like to say on Project Runway the "color story") similar and complimentary, so siblings don't have to dress identically, but their clothes relate back to each other. Same rules apply for grown ups. So whether you having professional photographs taken, or are taking pictures yourself, having clothes work together creates a more cohesive image.

All clothes featured are from the Gap, Old Navy, Gymboree, Target and the Children's Place, available nationwide or online.

NEWBORN: A New Addition

Technically this family has more than an addition under construction, they have a whole house under construction in a great spot in Venice, CA which they designed as they are both architects. But in this case, when I say addition, I am referring to the adorable little girl they just welcomed into the world.


This shoot was super fun, not only because I had had the pleasure of previously photographing this lovely family for their maternity and holiday shoot and so we already knew each other...but also because they wanted to shoot on the construction site of their new home. It's not everyday you get to shoot using beaten up ladders and wheel barrows as your props for a newborn shoot! The results are great and really managed to capture the wonderful changes going on in this family's life.

I hope you enjoy these. I certainly enjoyed taking them!

NEWBORN: Quiet Alert

Ever wonder what it might be like to have Harry Potter's invisibility blanket? I have.

At a recent newborn shoot in Pacific Palisades I had the opportunity to be a fly on the wall. Everyone was so comfortable that I just melted away into the background giving me the wonderful opportunity to capture intimate moments in this family's new found joy. I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to be a part of that moment, with this lovely family.


And, while I think babies are often at their most angelic whilst asleep, this little boy wonder was in that wonderful quiet alert state for much of the shoot. I hope you enjoy these.



I love this last image because father and son are spitting images of each other, down to the expression and furrowed brow!

Family Portrait: Daddy's Girls

Nine time out of ten moms are the ones organizing the family photo shoot, setting up the date, asking what to wear, etc. It's always a pleasant surprise when a dad takes the lead. That was the case on a recent family photo shoot in Beverly Hills where a doting dad decided it he wanted to capture some precious moments of his beautiful wife and gorgeous little girls.


They recently moved here from the Windy City, so enjoying a glorious sunny, warm Southern California fall day must have been a nice change for them. I've lived in colder climates from the Northeast, to Northern Europe but once you get used to going to the beach in December you can never really go back. I anticipate these girls are going to love being California girls.

Family Portrait: Heavenly Sight

I have visited the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on a few different occasions, but never was it as crowded as it was for my recent shoot. However, from the photographs you wouldn't know we weren't the only ones there and I'm so glad we shot there, not only does the space have an added layer of significance for this "science minded" family, but the colors worked beautifully with the jewel-toned wardrobe.

The family was fun and high energy, and their darling little daughter was just starting to get comfortable on her legs and seeing the world from a new perspective. She ignored the crowds and humored me as a snapped away these gorgeous family portraits.

I'm also told that grandma hasn't seen her little princess standing yet, so I'm hoping these images not only capture a special moment in time, but make everyone in the family smile.

Family Portrait: Afternoon Delight

I never used to think much about the daylight savings thing; you either move the clock forward or back and adjust accordingly. Since becoming a mother and a natural light photographer daylight savings has taken on a whole new meaning.

As a natural light photographer I am blessed to work in Los Angeles because for most of the year we have good weather. Even if the days are overcast, it's never dark and depressing, but daylight savings still means you have to make some adjustments. It gets darker sooner, so I have to shoot earlier in the afternoon. It also means that nap time, for my son and other adorable children, can get quite disrupted.


While the sleep schedule of this happy Silverlake family was a little off, their cute little daughter was a good humored delight. However, as the session went on, you could tell that the sleep disruption had finally caught up. The sleeping shots don't show the baby girl's friendly and vivacious personality, but I like their quiet serenity.

These are just a few pics from this recent family holiday portrait shoot.

Family Shoot: Morning Glow

I had a super fun time taking pictures of this family. They were so easy going, and while the mother had indicated that the kids might not be too cooperative, they were a pleasure to shoot. Their daughter in particular is gorgeous in an intelligent way, if you know what I mean.

This family holiday photo shoot took place in Miracle Mile, at a location I've shot at before but never in the morning. I scouted the grounds for spots where I thought we could play, based on the light.

Here are just a few of my favorite shots of this lovely family.

Family Portrait: Country Chic

I love the juxtaposition of opposites; the soft with the hard, the the pretty with the rough. For a recent family portrait session in the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to work with a gorgeous family with three adorable little girls.

The mother had clearly taken the time to think about the family's wardrobe, following some of the suggestion I had provided to her, which as a photographer I really appreciate. The outfits worn by the family related to each other providing cohesion, but were not identical. I think it is important not to be identical, because we each have different personalities and this was certainly true of the three little girls. The setting was woodsy and rustic, but the handsome family brought to it a chic and glamorous look that worked beautifully.

These are just a few of the timeless images that were captured.

WEBSITE: New Design and Functionality

HURRAY! THOMPSON and SPRING Photography's new website is up. It features a streamlined design, a tweaked logo/identity, but most importantly the the new website has two important new elements:

1) It has a Shopping Cart which allows you to pick and choose the photos you want, the dimensions, etc. It even allows you to pick from our great print packages which provides substantial savings. With the shopping cart you can pay via credit card using paypal, or send the order for payment to be sent offline. It isn't the most sophisticate online shopping cart you will find, but at least it's a shopping cart... meaning no more faxing or mailing of order forms.


2) It's completely HTML, which may be seen as both a good or not so good thing. The not so good, is that it doesn't have the fancy flash element that allowed you to have a slide show experience. With HTML you have to click on each image to view it, there's no pause/play button. On the positive side, an HTML site makes it more internet friendly. Easier to load and easier to search. So, if you are looking for a Los Angeles photographer, or a Los Angeles Maternity Photographer, or a Los Angeles Family Photographer, or are looking to purchase a photo session as a gift certificate for a friend's baby shower you are more likely to find THOMPSON and SPRING Photography.

In addition, the new design also features custom background colors. Not an important feature in my book, but it does make the site more vibrant.

Oh, and you may also have noticed that to keep the identity consistent this blog has a new header. I'd love to know what you think, so leave us your comments.

TAKING FLIGHT

Do you remember this handsome little boy from just a few months ago? We had done a beach photo session together. Unfortunately, dad wasn't able to join so they decided to do another shoot, this one with a decidedly urban vibe.

Well, when I met this little fellow just a few months ago he was still cruising. This time I couldn't move fast enough to keep up with this little runner taking flight. The family portrait session yielded some precious moments of pure love. I selected a few shots here that show a little variety. Enjoy!

I think we have ourselves a future Olympic gold medal sprinter on our hands!