[MATERNITY]: Esther + Rob = Glowing

What is it about mothers-to-be that just makes them glow from the inside? OK, granted this couple is a pretty darn handsome couple to begin with, but sprinkle on them the joy of expectant parenthood and there's pure magic.


They nearly didn't do a maternity shoot, but I'm so glad they didn't just settle on casual pics. As these images demonstrate, this is a magical time in a couple's life, when they are awaiting the arrival of a little one and it's still just the two of them. It's still special when a couple does a maternity shoot of a second or third child, but with it also comes experience. The anticipated arrival of a first child is filled with greater wonder... and admittedly less chaos. :) Although in this case, the couple has a lovely dog that was very eager to participate.


For this post I've chosen images that are intimate. The minute I went to their home I knew I wanted to take moody shots in front of their large picture window. They are a fun couple so I also took some more playful shots, but for this post I want to just showcase the pure magic. Hope you enjoy them.

[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.

MATERNITY: California Sunset

I love shooting at the beach with the setting sun, but lately this hasn't been as easy to accomplish because of the rains we have been having. We had to reschedule twice but finally the Gods smiled on us and we were able to catch some rays for this gorgeous maternity shoot.

This maternity shoot was a baby shower gift certificate, which also includes a newborn shoot and announcement cards. It's a great gift to give and to receive because you are giving the gift of memories. In the case of this lovely couple, they only intend on having one child so capturing the magic of expectant motherhood was even more important.

We took it easy, but still managed capture their spirit and sense of fun, and because we did this beach shoot on a weekday, it felt like the beach was all ours.

Look at them glow!

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!

NEWBORN: Butterfly Kisses

It's wonderful to welcome in the New Year with a new life in the form of a baby. Fortunately I can do this vicariously by photographing precious newborn babies.

This gorgeous baby girl was born just a few weeks ago down in Orange County, but she already seemed to have settled into a comfortable routine with her adoring parents and as a result was in a very good mood for the photo shoot.


This is a credit to her parents, who though new parents, are handling the chaos of their new arrival with the attitude of experienced pros.


I think this last one would be great for a baby announcement card as she's all smiles.

NEWBORN: Welcome Little Man

Most babies arrive in the world with little desire to do more than sleep, but at a recent photo newborn shoot in Westwood, this days old little boy just wanted to engage with the world. He was so alert, both a good thing and a bad thing when it comes to photos, since the lack of limb control while alert can be a little challenging.


Perhaps he was so alert because he stayed in mama's belly a week longer than most, and so just couldn't wait to see what this big world was all about.

But at the end of the day it's the parents' tenderness and love of these early days that always makes me melt. The focus at a newborn shoot is always the baby, but it's the parents' emotion that is magical when captured.

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.