Corey + Sami: Costa Mesa + Corona Del Mar Couple's Session

A DAY IN COSTA MESA & CORONA DEL MAR

Corey and I have known each other since he moved to California a few years ago. His modeling agency linked us up for a shoot and the rest is history. We became instant friends and always find a way to shoot together 1-2 times a year or at least meet up for coffee. When I saw Corey had a girlfriend, I was so stoked for him! When he asked me to photograph him and Sami together, I was so quick to accept. We made plans for the following week to meet up in Orange County since he loves to drive, especially to OC.

He and I had previously done a shoot outside of Kit Coffee, so I figured we might as well meet there, grab a coffee, and explore a bit. We hit Balboa Island and Little Corona. In this post, I’m focusing on their shots together, but if you’d also like to see their individuals/modeling photos, head on over to this blog post!

Nick + Paolena: Ruby's Laguna Beach Engagement Session

A LAGUNA BEACH ENGAGEMENT SESSION AT RUBY’S

Who doesn’t love classic cars and Ruby’s Diner? Nick and Paolena wanted to meet up and take their engagement photos at Ruby’s in Laguna Beach. I was a little nervous at first to get kicked out, but Paolena called ahead of time and we got the okay! We even grabbed a shake afterward and did some photos inside. This spot 100% suited them and the shots they had in mind. I had so much fun hanging with them. They are so fun, goofy and badass all at the same time. Pro tip: choose a location or activity that really showcases you as a couple.

Allan + Cassie: La Jolla Engagement Session

A LA JOLLA ENGAGEMENT SESSION

La Jolla is always a good idea for engagement session. La Jolla Village offers a variety of locations to take photos as well as plenty of beaches nearby. I met Allan and Cassie at a cute coffee shop called Better Buzz. If you’ve been to San Diego, you know this coffee shop is one for the books. I’d never been to the one in La Jolla, but I’ve been to others and the decor is always on point. The shop was a little more crowded than we expected, but we still managed to get a few cute shots of them sitting at the bar snuggled up then we decided to walk around a little bit before making our way to Scripps Pier for the final photos.

If we thought Better Buzz was crowded, Scripps Pier was ANOTHER STORY! I parked and waited for them at the top as I watched photographer after photographer walk down to the beach with their clients. By the time we got to the sand, there had to be at least 25 photo shoots happening. We picked a small unoccupied section of sand between a few photographers - that’s how busy it was! We waited in line for photos under the pier, too. It’s a beautiful beach and sunset is killer here — no wonder people love to shoot here. It’s the Laguna Beach of San Diego. The clouds also rolled in early here, so we didn’t get quite as nice of a sunset as expected, but we did get a little pink and orange in the there.

Karis + Shawn: Laguna Beach Pregnancy Announcement

AN ORANGE COUNTY PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

I was so stoked when Karis and Shawn told me they were pregnant and wanted me to photograph their announcement, maternity photos, and newborn photos. They drove down to Orange County to go to Disneyland and announcement photos. We met at Top of the World on a surprisingly misty/rainy day. Would you even guess it’s raining? It was definitely cloudy for the first part of the shoot then the clouds opened up and the light was glorious.

They definitely got the memo on props, too! Since they love Disney, they bought a custom Mickey hat ^^ for their little guy. Pro tip: the more props, the better.

The Gottliebs: Burbank Family Session

AN IN HOME FAMILY SESSION

I always get excited when I hear from Anastasiya and Brendan. I’ve had the pleasure of documenting so many important moments in their lives from their engagement photos to maternity photos to their recent shoot: an addition to the family.

They were kind enough to welcome me into their home in Burbank for some photos. I loved seeing their walls lined with photos from our various shoots — let me tell you, it means so much to a photographer to see how much you love the photos! We did some posed family photos then let Sophia just play. Sometimes it’s best to let the kids do their thing and follow them around rather than force them to smile at the camera.