Last night, Keith and I thought it would be fun to take a look at all the photos we’d taken the past 12 months.  Our hard drives are full of 40+ family sessions, engagements, weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries that we had the awesome opportunity to photograph.

But it’s always better to show, not tell, right?  So to visually recap the year, we’ve put together this nifty collage featuring ALL of our fabulous 2011 clients.

So to all our our families and bridal couples, we’d liked to say THANK YOU.  Thank you for trekking through the tall grass, across the sand, or up the hill to find the perfect photo spot.  Thank you for dazzling us with your cute outfits, adorable hair ribbons, and stylish shoes. Thank you for your smiles, giggles, and the little dances in front of our lenses. But most of all, thanks SO MUCH for trusting us with capturing your celebrations, memories, and special moments.

The start of fall also means the start of our annual mini-session and holiday portrait season. Once a year we offer a discounted rate for portraits at some of our favorite Orange County spots.  Last Saturday morning we headed south to Los Rios Street in the historic district of San Juan Capistrano. This locale never disappoints.  And neither do our adorable subjects.  Meet the D. Family.  Baby Chloe and her mom met us near the train depot to start the session, where the green ivy is just starting to turn brown.  Fall has definitely arrived.

Chloe was a good sport for most of the session.  She let us sit her near noisy trains, on wood steps, and next to grass that was taller than her.

But then our adorable model got a little unsure and hungry.  Here’s proof that she’s cute even when she tears up.

But after a few cereal puffs and cuddles with mom, she was back to rockin’ the camera.

Thanks so much to the D. Family for making the trek all the way from the Bay Area to meet with us and kick off our fall portrait season! If your session is any indication for how the rest of our season will go, we’re in for an awesome couple of months.

For this family portrait session, Keith and I got to explore some new territory: Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach.  The C. Family suggested the location to us—it was spot for their first date.  And after visiting the beach we can understand why they are drawn to this particular spot—it’s got a great stretch of sand, some cute stonework, and an awesome view of the palm-tree dotted cliffs in the distance.  Here’s proof:

This three-year-old guy was adorable and a ham in front of the lens.

As the sun started to sink, it’s romantic orange rays hit the sand just right so we grabbed a few shots of just mom and dad.

And let’s not forget about the other two members of this family—Boo and Ollie.

Thanks so much to the C. Family for giving us the tour of this new spot!

To celebrate the occasion, and to document the pregnancy, we took some maternity pictures in Seal Beach, which is a great location for either surf and sand or that old-town America feel. And it doesn’t hurt that there is a fantastic little bakery, Sweet Jill’s, halfway down the main drag with these delicious cinnamon rolls you can smell from a block away.

At any rate, we took this cute couple down Main Street, stopping to grab some pics wherever we found something interesting: brick walls, comfy benches and the like.

Then we made our way to the pier.  Crowded spots can be a fun place for sessions.  People walking by are usually curious about what we’re up to.

After we dipped our toes in the sand, we headed below the pier.  It’s a great place to hide from the sun as long as you mind the birds and their *ahem* artifacts.

Our favorite shot of the day! Romantic and rustic!

Congratulations Stephani and Alex!  We had a great afternoon with you both and wish you all the best as you become a family of three.

All we needed was a family to give this spot a go.  We lucked out with one of our regular clients, the Y. Family, who were up for the adventure.  In fact, the whole extended family was ready to explore this 1.6 acre sculpture garden.  We started with a few groups shots.

Then we focused on smaller groupings.

We couldn’t get the kiddos in the same shot, but how adorable are these sisters?

Thanks so much to the Y. Family for another great session!

You’ll notice that most of our family sessions include little ones, but this group was special—it consisted of mom, dad, and their two adult sons, plus a friend that could one day be a daughter-in-law! Aren’t they a cute couple?

And did we mention that our sessions are fun?  Lots of laughing usually ensues.

The mission has everything we like: colors, textures and great landscaping. And don’t forget the architecture. There are several popular features that make for great backdrops like the fountains and historic church bells.

Ready to book a session at the mission? Let us know. The grounds of the mission are a premium location as a permit is required for on-site photography. But we know the folks on-site and can help to make all the arrangements. Thanks so much to the S. Family!

But that’s not all…Linley’s mom and big sister Leila baked and decorated this larger-than-life cupcake.  We were quite impressed with Miko’s creativity of using folded foil around the cake to simulate a cupcake liner.

It’s always fun to see children react to their first cake. But what we see as an icon of excitement and celebration some kids view very differently.

Her face says: “Oh my goodness, whatever is this thing?”

It turns out Linley isn’t a big fan of birthday cakes—yet—but she does make the cutest little ballerina! Happy 1st Birthday, Linley! We’ll have to see how you react next year.

And for all you moms out there, we make the smash cake photos sessions easy (here’s a little more proof).  You provide the kid, the cake, and a little space in your home, and we’ll do the rest.  Just send us a note to book your session.

Last spring we met the Y. Family at the mission. In tow was two-year-old Emily.  Her brown dress with pink accents was the perfect choice for the rustic setting.

If you’ve never been to the mission, it has a limitless number of backgrounds. Lots of textures, cute windows, and great landscaping (especially in late spring or early summer) dot the pathways at every corner. There are even a couple of fountains with koi fish lurking just under the surface—a perfect distraction for energetic toddlers.

And let’s not forget about mom and dad.  The benches at the mission are perfect for a snuggle.

If you are interested in a session at the mission, be sure to let us know. The mission is a premium location, as the venue charges a special fee for photo sessions, but that fee includes your entrance which you would owe regardless. But don’t fret…we can make all the arrangements for you.  And even if you don’t want photos there, we recommend you visit at least once to enjoy the architecture and learn a little something about California’s unique history.

The Y. Family - Irvine

The B. Family – Irvine

The K. Family - Irvine

The Y. Family – Orange County

The S. Family – Aliso Creek Beach

The G. Family – Irvine Regional Park

The T. Family – Orange County

The Y. Family – Mission San Juan Capistrano

Megan + Stuart - Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano

Instigator – San Juan Capistrano

The L. Family - Anaheim Hills/Yorba Linda

The K. Family – Aliso Creek Beach

The S. Family – Irvine

Stephani + Alex – Seal Beach

William – Orange County

The L. Family - Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano

The A. Family – Dana Point Ocean Institue

The Y. Family - Irvine

The C. Family – Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano

The L. Family – Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano

The F. Family – Orange County

Baby Elle – Brea

The V. Family – Irvine

The T. Family - Dana Point Ocean Institute

The C. Family – Dana Point Ocean Institute

The S. Family – Irvine

The P. Family – Irvine

The B. Family – Orange County

The T. Family – Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano

The A. Family - The Lab, Costa Mesa

The B. Family - The Lab, Costa Mesa

The K. Family - The Camp, Costa Mesa