When Your Bestie is Having Her Baby | Newport Beach Maternity Photographer

My beautiful friend had her baby boy this month and my goodness there is nothing like those “firsts” together. This little person, who was there for so long, just tucked inside, is finally face to face. And in that moment, you wonder how ever lived your dats without him.

This photo shoot was definitely extra special to me as one of best friends ever met me for a sunset shoot in Newport. It had been gloomy all day along the beach until close to time, when the clouds blew out for the most gorgeous evening. Maternity will forever be one of my favorite genres to photograph.

Newport Beach is Cold So We Relocated to Cabo for Warmer Sand | Orange County Family Photographer

We live ten minutes from the beach. You would think we would want to go somewhere like the mountains for vacation, right? What can we say though: we’re chasing that warm sun life whenever we can. When I say that Newport Beach is “cold” I mean like high 50s/low 60s, which I understand some may laugh at, and with good reason. I grew up in Michigan, who even am I. But to my kids, who only know Southern California degrees, it’s straight up jackets and boots weather, and we were longing to be in our summer dresses again. Cabo did not disappoint, either! Mid 70s, a bit of humidy, and a lot of sun, these kids were living their best lives sipping pina coladas pool side.

Aaand, my mom dreams come true: I finally got a picture of the four of them all together! It may have taken us one year and a flight to another country, but we did it. Be right back, going to go print these out large now! :)

My Own Maternity Photos | Newport Beach Maternity Photographer

37 weeks pregnant and I just knew I wanted to document this special time with our rainbow baby still in my belly. Between school, work, and all the kids activities though, it was so hard to find that free evening. It was a random weekday where we all happened to be at home. I looked out the window and saw the sunset was going to be beautiful. With that, we ran like madmen and women and got ourselves together in 20 minutes flat. Rushing up to the hill by our house I knew we had about 15 minutes of sunlight left. I figured if my husband could just grab a single good one I would be so happy. Well, my kids were dreams, my husband outdid himself, and they gave me the most special gift of this pregnancy. I will cherish these photos forever with my greatest loves.

Let's Say Goodbye to the Stuffy Photoshoots | Newport Beach Family Photographer

If you’re wanting the super posed, super perfect children, photo session… I’m probably not your best bet! :) Give me all the fun, happy families, please. Swing those kids around and throw them in the air. Chase them till you’re both ready to crash by the end. Energy, excitement, and love of life is what children are made of, and how I love to capture that true sense of who they are. I fully believe when you look back at all this joy it will be well worth the chaos that most often defines a family photo session at the beach. We will leave full of sand, a little bit of exhaustion, and priceless memories of your beautiful life together.

This is the second time I had the privilege of getting this family behind my lens. The last time big sister was in her momma’s belly for our first maternity session together. Now they are getting ready to add a baby brother to the mix, and I couldn’t be more excited for them. The weather was absolutely perfect at Newport Beach this evening with the sun illuminating their sweet love. Let the photos speak for themselves—stuffy photos are so yesterday’s news. ;)

Maternity Sessions in the Cold Still Works: Newport Beach Family Photographer

Winter photo sessions are my very personal favorite! Yes, it is cold. Yes, I have to go unthaw in a hot shower when I get home. But, also, YES, to empty beaches!! Not only does a small crowd help make it so much easier to get those beautiful landscape shots, but the comfort level is next level. Unless you model for a living, no one is usually super comfortable being behind a camera. But how about being behind a camera with people sitting on the sand just staring at you? Or trying to get a shot and having to keep waiting for others to walk by? In the winter months we get to erase all of that, and just concentrate on having fun! And hello, the fun I had with this beautiful, growing family! These two are going to be the BEST parents ever!

Also, side note: who else wants to wear a yellow dress on the beach?! I absolutely loved the way this color popped among the sunset!

Give Me All the Maternity Photoshoots Please | Newport and Laguna Beach Family Photographer

I feel like the luckiest photographer as I almost always have at least one or two maternity photoshoots each month! I have no doubt they will forever be one of my very favorite genres to shoot. I never take it lightly that I have the privilege to document this priceless moment in time for these growing families. We met for this photoshoot in the middle of Southern California’s “June gloom” so made sure to arrive extra early just in case the clouds stayed thick. I was so happy when the afternoon winds blew all but the beautiful skies away for these sweetest parents to be. And how perfect that Newport beach showed up with its pinks and purples for baby girl!

Beaches and Bellies | Newport and Laguna Beach Maternity Photographer

Have I happened to mention once or twice how much I love photographing maternity sessions?? ;) There are just no adequate words to describe how beautiful this time is. Watching as your belly expands, knowing there is a miraculous life that you will have the privilege to raise. First time parents are my very favorite to shoot, as I know the way their hearts are about to beat right outside their chest.

I love for my maternity sessions to carry that whimsical feeling of the inner hopes and excitement parents are feeling at this time. To give each mom a small piece of that unmatched beauty that is motherhood. She may not always feel so pretty. By the end it’s sometimes more liked a beached whale—haha! But her beauty is far beyond the physical. It’s that real glow that comes from growing a real life. My number one goal each and every time I pick up my camera is to show her how amazing she is.

And this evening, my goodness! When we showed up Newport Beach was pretty heavy with clouds, but I saw that along the horizon there was a patch of clear and was pretty sure it would break out for us. Within a few minutes it did just that, showing off in all its unmatched glow and illuminating the sky! Just perfect for one of the sweetest couples you will ever meet, who are going to be THE best mom and dad.

My Very Own Wild Flower | Orange County Maternity Photographer

Being a mom has been by far the greatest gift of my life, and the thought that I am going to get to have another child to hold again is a dream come true. At 30 weeks pregnant the reality of it seems to really be hitting me lately, especially as I feel her karate chopping inside me each day. ;)

I really wanted to make sure I documented this pregnancy as I didn’t with my first two and greatly regret it. I told my husband we should go head over to this field that I thought was turning green and he agreed. But by the time sunset rolled around I felt tired and nothing like dressing all up. I’m so glad my husband encouraged me to just go and take a quick few photos though as I will treasure these forever now. And oh my gosh, this field!!! It doesn’t last long here before all turning back to brown, so only fitting it decided to bloom right in time for my own special wildflower. <3

There is definitely going to be an age gap between her and my “big kids.” My daughter almost nine years older, and my son seven, but love really does know no age. As we were walking to school the other morning Boston told me she couldn’t stop thinking of all the great places she’s going to take her sister to someday. And I know this baby girl is going to be crazy lucky to have such an amazing human to look up to as she grows. My son doesn’t go to bed without kissing my belly and telling his baby sis good night. And first thing in the morning he asks her if she slept good. My heart is beyond full, anxiously counting down to the moment I get to see her wrapped all up in their arms.

When Is the Best Time to Take Your Family Photos? | OC Newport Beach Photographer

I get asked sometimes when is the best time to have family photos taken. And I totally get what they mean by the question. Is the warm summer best when you can really play in the waves? Or the still warm but less crowded fall to double up with the Christmas card? Or maybe bearing the crispness of the winter with its low tides and stunning skies. Or is Spring the ideal with its still empty beaches but warmer temps and golden light? All seasons have their pluses and minuses. All seasons are honestly unpredictable weather as well. Honestly though my answer for the best time is simply “right now.” So often I have women tell me their going to book me when they loose more weight, and I get that. I really do. Your kids, though, they don’t care about a few extra pounds, and they won’t later on when their looking back at memories of their beautiful mom. Others tell me when their schedules slow down, but let’s be a bit of realist—its most likely not slowing down till your kids move out someday.

And so my first answer for the best time is simply now. When it is still today. When your family is just as it is, perfectly imperfect. With all the love and chaos that means life with kids. Because today comes and goes before we blink, and pictures are the most tangible memory we will have to look back on.

The “recommended” time to have maternity photos is between 30-35 weeks. This mom was only 17 weeks, but her husband’s job has all kinds of unpredictable hours and if they waited until the “right” time the chances were slim they could make it happen. He happened to have a random couple of days off and we set up this shoot in less than a week’s time. We made it happen and they now have these sweet memories of their growing family together.

Don't Skip the Maternity Photos | OC Newport Beach Family Photographer

I may or may not be guilty of saying this about every genre of family photography. I mean, what’s better than capturing people who love each other, right? Add one of our gorgeous Orange County landscapes to this mix and who am I to complain? BUT, maternity sessions have and will always hold a very special place to me. There is just something so unexplainable about this moment is our life as a new mom. This special place where it all began. Where we anxiously were awaiting this new life growing inside our own body. Worries, fears, hopes, joy—the beautiful unknown.

I know what it’s like to be pregnant, I had two babies of my own. We don’t always feel gorgeous and most days the thought of glamming up can easily be shot down with some sweat pants instead. ;-) But if there is one thing I will never regret having done is maternity photos with my first child. To this day I have a large canvas hanging in her room and she loves to mention how it is her inside of me. We often think we will remember exactly what it felt like, how we looked, the moments that happened. But life has this way of turning the past into fuzzy memories. It’s the beauty of photography though. It helps bring back some of those hazy scenes.

Such a gorgeous evening we had for this sun soaked maternity session last week! After what seemed like an endless eternity of SoCal’s “May gray/June gloom” it seems that those summer skies are finally gaining the upper hand! And I just love the way the colors complimented this momma’s blue dress too! The sweetest people you could meet, these two are going to be the best parents. I cannot wait to see them with their soon to be here little guy.

His Princess | Newport Beach Orange County Maternity Photographer

Hello beautiful family so full of love and joy for one another! You would never even know it was freezing temperatures out—well, freezing for Orange County at least. ;-) Such a fun maternity session we had at Newport Beach and its low tide magic. And lucky for us the rains the previous weeks broke down the sand revealing more rocks in this little cove than I’ve ever seen here before! I just loved the texture it gave to the whole scene, and of course with a little boy around, what’s better to add that ocean than a bunch of rocks, am I right?

I want my family sessions to be full of life and laughter. To not only have a pretty picture to look back on, but to have great memories behind it. And these three brought so many sweet ones! By far my favorite was about half way through our session when big brother ran up to his momma and exclaimed “You look like a princess!” This boy mom is about to add another male to the mix, and I have no doubt she will always be seen the same. And another favorite quote from earlier on, “I’m sitting on my brother!” And he most certainly was too! ;-)

Fire Breathing Girls | Newport Beach Orange County Maternity Photographer

“As for my girl, I’ll raise her to believe she breathes fire.” ~Jessica Kirkland

I love that I live in an age where I can run this business of my own. I love that behind my lensI get to capture women who encompass all different avenues of strength. I love that even in the middle of this time of female CEO’s and entrepreneurs, the raw beauty of motherhood is not lost. That she is everything and enough. No matter if she returns to work or stays home, breasts or bottle feeds, co sleeps, crib sleeps, no one sleeps... She simply tries her best, day in and out. It is enough, whether she feels it or not. Eventually though, she will, and in turn be able to pass this same message down to her own girl, “Breathe fire little one, it is what you were made for.”

Believe it or not we were considering rescheduling this beach session as the entire day was gray and dreary. SO glad we decided to go for it though as while the rest of Orange County remained dark, the sun decided to peak through the clouds right over Newport’s shoreline, leaving us with such soft pretty colors. The perfect compliment to the sweetest spirits of these parents to be. Maternity sessions are one of my very favorites. A time filled with all these unknowns and wonderings, excitements and anticipations of what’s about to me. Moms are so strong, and to show them their strength, mixed with so much beauty, is everything to me.