An orange orchard with a rusty tractor?  Check!

Some rocks to pick up off the ground?  Check!

An adorable toddler and his fun-loving parents?  Check and check!

Meet the A. Family.  We met up with this cute trio at one of our new favorite spots, an old orange orchard in San Juan Capistrano.

The orchard, still peppered with spring mustard flowers, was the perfect choice for the A. Family’s session.  Us adults could appreciate the beauty of the open field, while adorable 18-month-old Jack had plenty of room to roam and explore.  Sitting in the driver’s seat of the rustic tractor provided some entertainment.  But for Jack, the highlight of the afternoon had to be finding all of the rocks and loose oranges that dotted the ground.  It was especially cute to watch Jack offer Keith the rocks and oranges he found.

To top things off, we were treated to a show in the sky—the solar eclipse caught our attention as the moon passed in front of the sun.

Thanks so much to the A. Family for the wonderful outing, and for helping us showcase this fabulous orchard.

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 first of them brought their two adorable girls wearing matching red and white dresses, which contrasted nicely with the wood siding on the Institute.

We worked our way over to the picnic area and then down to the sand to get some more family pictures. The girls had fun looking for a favorite rock.

It’s a family session, but why not grab a nice portrait of mom and dad while we’re at it?

Thanks to the T. family for heading down to Dana Point to spend the afternoon with us!

We met the V. family at our famous secret Irvine location, which is perfect for a two-and-a-half year-old boy to run around and explore. I think he got his exercise, and we got the pictures we wanted, although convincing a boy of his age to smile for the camera can be a bit tricky. After all, who can focus on the camera when there are so many awesome rocks and walls and open grass areas to enjoy?

Jackson did a great job working with us, and provided some good laughs along the way. We hope he had as much fun as we did. Much thanks to the V. Family for coming out to play!

For the past two years, the L. Family has been up for a little adventure and chosen to break the mold by avoiding local parks and the beach to have their family sessions at a couple off-beat locations.  You might remember their awesome photos last year at The Lab and The Camp in Costa Mesa.

This fall, the L. Family took us up on one of our mini-sessions offered at Los Rios Street in San Juan Capistrano.  And just like last year, the results were awesome!  This trio has great energy and everyone was willing to explore all the scenic nooks that line this historic street.

Harrison was four when we first met him.  This year, he is a proud 5-year-old and in kindergarten.  It was great seeing how much he’s grown since their last family session.

Our favorite shot of Harrison.

And our favorite family shot. The tall tree in the background is actually a cactus.  It’s definitely a must-see!

Thanks so much to the L. Family!  We can’t wait to do it again next year.

First up was the C. Family.  We were excited to photograph this foursome from the start—they rocked their session with some great outfit combos that blended together well, but weren’t overly matching.  And their casual style fit in perfectly with the laid-back atmosphere of the historic district.

We loved Owen’s tie and sweater combo.  Totally preppy, and totally cool.

Little sister Olivia, was equally cute with matching purple bow and skirt.

And let’s not forget their folks.  Keith spent some time during the mini-session with Garey and Leida to get a few portraits of just the two of them.  We’ve had several couples request a few solo shots without the kiddos, and we are always happy to oblige.

Our favorite shot of the day.

Toward the end of the session, Owen and Olivia requested a photo of their parents smooching.

But I don’t think Owen was too keen on the idea when Olivia leaned in for a peck on the cheek.

Thanks so much to the C. Family for making our first mini-session of the fall season so great!

We’ve got one more session from last Sunday to post on the blog soon.  And we still have two mini-session slots available before the calendar for 2010 is officially closed.  Check our pricing page for more details.

The L. family was adventurous and willing to try something a little more rugged and edge-of-nature. Believe it or not, those areas do still exist in Orange County! We found one such spot on the border of Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills. And Tiffany and Jef were smart to schedule their brood’s session a few weeks before the summer heat wave kicked into high gear.

We knew the greenery would make for a great mother/daughter backdrop.

But we didn’t realize the rocks and sand would be great entertainment for the little guys.

We might just add this location to our list of north Orange County options for family portraits. Thanks to the L. family for such a great afternoon!

Megan is beaming, isn’t she? With such good-looking parents, baby William will be a handsome little guy, no doubt!

Love that bump!

Congratulations Megan and Stuart! We hope you enjoy this sneak peek. And we can’t wait to meet the little guy!

And a special tip for all you moms and dads out there…you don’t need fancy backdrops or studio lights to get gorgeous shots of your little ones at home.  Just experiment with a little window light and some cool fabrics.  In the shot above, we had some great afternoon light peeking through one of the bedroom windows.  We stretched out about three yards of this cool swirly fabric (compliments of Jo-Ann Fabrics) on the bed and placed Linley on top.  Landon was awesome and held up some of the fabric in the background while Keith and I photographed.  The result: cute photos!

Again, here’s that great window light.  It made for a great mother-daughter shot.

And don’t forget the details!  Photos of tiny hands, toes, and bellies make for great shots for the baby book.

Congrats to Miko and Landon!  Thanks so much for letting us share in documenting this special time for your family.