BTW – for the above picture of the family’s feet, mom had in mind that this would be a B&W image, but when I saw that mommy’s toe nails just happened to be the same blue as the blanket we happened to use, I thought this image just had to be in color.  Hope you agree!

I did also capture some quieter, timeless moments and here is a little glimpse.  But I’m not going to feature them here, because it takes away from the happy color story above.

I’m getting back into the swing of posting.  Thanks for baring with me while I get my wheels turning again.

Sometimes I find it hard to believe that my husband and I have been  in Los Angeles for twelve years (we moved here from London).  To most people that’s probably not a big deal, but I have never lived in one city for that long before.  So, it shouldn’t be surprising to me that now that I’ve been here so long I’m crossing paths again with people we met when we first moved here.   I mention this because the dad of this lovely family worked with my husband when we first moved here.  It was a small start-up part of the first generation during the internet bubble of the late nineties, when the internet was the Wild West and businesses had not yet figured out what business models would work in this new medium, or as my husband  might say, “how to monetize the web“.  As start-ups go, this one didn’t last, but we will forever be grateful to this man as he gave my husband his first opportunity in this new country; the first step in us following our “American  Dream“.  So when his wife contacted THOMPSON and SPRING for a shoot and I saw their name come up on my Caller ID, I couldn’t believe how we had come full circle… and after all these years, he hadn’t aged one bit!

However, in the interim, his family had significantly expanded and he now has three gorgeous kids.  It was fun doing a family portrait session with them near their home in Hancock Park.  The kids all had very distinct personalities and looks.  And, while the weather report had been threatening Los Angeles with rain, luck was on our side and we managed to have fun outdoors.

It can be particularly disconcerting for a dog, often a couple’s first “baby”, when the real first baby shows up.  In the case of this gorgeous little girl, her cocker spaniel melted at the sight of her penetrating eyes, as did I when I met her for her baby photo session.

For these Black and White photos, I decided to give them a real luxe tint.  Her mother works as a creative executive of Ralph Lauren, so I knew she understood the world of luxury and would appreciate this interpretation, however subtle.

Needless to say, this couple’s home looked like it had come out of a high end design magazine (mine just belongs in a blog ).  As a lover of design, it’s something I always appreciate seeing and am honored that with the mother’s access to her own creative team, she felt that THOMPSON and SPRING was best suited to capture her family’s special time.

But, I had to share a recent a recent newborn photo shoot I did in Palm Springs as it is not every day, I or any other photographer gets to photograph TRIPLETS!  I’ve photographed multiples before, but they were not newborns.  With three of anything you never know how things are going to unfold, so I was lucky these three little girls were complete angels.  While each had their own temperament, they all rose to the occasion beautifully.

The arrival of a newborn is filled with chaos for all new parents; I can’t even imagine what it would be like with three.  So, it is a testament to their loving dads that they were all so well behaved.  They have provided them with the loving and nurturing environment needed for them to thrive.

I often love to take a few pictures just of the parents, because with the arrival of children, quiet time for two is hard to find.  Images of two loving parents can be a simple reminder of what they mean to each other as the journey forward as parents.  I have always said I am a modern photographer for modern families, whether families are mixed race or same sex, what I treasure most is capturing the special moments and the love that is shared.  I was particularly honored to momentarily be a part of this modern family.  Thank you.

I had a chance to reconnect with this gorgeous little boy who just turned one.  I’ve got a soft spot for him as he shares my son’s birthday and good nature.  The weather kept us indoors for the most part, but we still managed to capture some lovely moments and dad was around this time, choosing to get to work a little late so that he too could be in the family photos so that he too might be included in the family’s holiday card .

I’ve been doing a lot of color lately, but this shot spoke to me as Black & White.  Hope you enjoy them.

I LOVE this last shot, as you can see the face of a sweet little boy emerging from the face of a baby.

P.S. Mom had already bought some pumpkins to decorate the house for the season, so for good measure I took a few shots… Here’s one of my faves.

For this shoot we were also joined by her delicious first born. You might recognize his face as he has graced the campaigns of household names like the Gap, Target and Pottery Barn. But this is a big transition for him too. He has been an only child for five years, so while he fully understands what it means to have a brother or sister, he is also fully cognizant that the energy at home is going to be shifting.  Fortunately for mama, he is a sweet and playful little boy who is sure to make a loving big brother.

I expect her second child, whether a boy or a girl, to be just as gorgeous as mama and brother… and in a few weeks you’ll get to see for yourself as I will be shooting some newborn photographs.

The eldest was full of energy and definitely gave me a workout (note to self… again… you need to exercise in order to keep up with kids with boundless energy).  She was curious and playful.  The youngest was more reserved, and like my son, quite pensive, so it was really fun when out of nowhere a young man decided to do a headstand right next to where we were shooting.  Both were an absolute delight and seriously made me think that I ought to consider having another child so that I can have a girl.  Don’t get me wrong, I ADORE my son, but these girls made me curious about seeing the world through the eyes of little girls… more flowers, fewer trucks

The photo session was all about the girls, so my only regret was not having more time to spend with Liz, whom I could tell from the instant I met her and saw her warm smile that she was a woman after my own heart.

I am ever so proud to have been featured on Bloesem Kids, one of the coolest blogs about design for kids.  But it’s so much more than design for kids, it’s also crafts, cool clothes from small labels, and so much more.  One of the things that I love about the blog is that it is really in the know, it has a modern aesthetic that is perfectly aligned with THOMPSON and SPRING, but because it also has a craft angle, the modern designs featured also have a familiar and inviting feel… I don’t think most people would imagine that Irene, the voice behind Bloesem Kids, is based out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!  As I’ve mentioned previously, I LOVE that the internet has allowed so many great creative voices to be heard and discovered.

In addition to being proud, I am also immensely flattered to be in the company of other moms and dads that have been featured on the site.  Any of you follow Joel Henriques’ Made by Joel blog ? It features ingenious and creative ideas for kids crafts and toys, all with a modern flair.  I am humbled to be the company of such creative minds.  In the article I talk mostly about me as mother, my parenting style and my design inspiration.

You should check out Bloesem, Irene’s other blog, this one centered on crafts and interior design for grown ups and do leave a comment both here and over at Bloesem Kids.  Thanks!

As a family photographer and mother, I can tell you that kids, especially toddlers, don’t always like to perform for the camera.  So, when the mom of this little fairy told me, as we were planning for the session, that her little one did not like cameras, I thought I might not get the happy, free, smiling photograph that all parents want captured… but this couldn’t have been further from what happened.

This delightful little girl and I clicked from the moment I got there and much to her parents’ content, she was not  uncomfortable in front of the camera.  We all had a fun playing in a lovely Pasadena park.

She’s so cute, she gives Tinkerbell a run for her money (or fairy dust as might be the case here) and I think I made a new friend.    Hope you enjoy her sparkle!

I consider newborn shoots a real honor because this is usually such a strange and magical time for parents as they get to know their new babies, so when the parents let me into their world during this special time I always feel very privileged.

The gorgeous babe pictured here is destined to be a supermodel for three very good reasons: 1) she was born long and leggy.  22 inches is long for any baby, but for a baby girl that’s very long. 2) Her mom is Brazilian and we all know that Brazilian means supermodel, think Gisele. 3) I discovered that her dad, much like myself, is a big fan of Zoolander.  We were all cracking up doing our versions of Blue Steel and Ferrari, which made for a super fun shoot.

My favorite shot is the one above with the two new parents laughing.  It’s pure joy and happiness, and is a window into their fun, easy-going personalities.  We had so much fun together I  almost forgot I had never met them before.

I expect this little girl to be on the cover of magazines soon as she definitely seems ready for her close up. I only hope she’ll remember her first photographer.