Summer Summer Summertime!

This past April I decided to move to Los Angeles, California to focus on my photography career. To be honest, up until a few months ago it's really just been a hobby. Since moving here though I've met countless photographers who have shown me that it can be a sustainable and fulfilling career. Which has always been a huge fear of mine. Through a mutual friend I've been afforded the opportunity to have an incredible mentor who I've had the pleasure of shadowing since April. At first I was having trouble with finding new clients to shoot. So in July decided I would make it a goal of mine to shoot a different subject every week. Regardless if it was paid or not. Around the end of July, my mentor introduced me to The McKay Family. Anyone who knows me well knows how much I adore shooting families, couples, and children. I can of course shoot anything, but my heart simply smiles when it comes to these subjects. 

When I saw Jennifer and Justin's kids I knew I wanted to shoot them as a family. So I asked Jennifer if she would be down to shoot while they were in town visiting LA. A few weeks later we were at Exposition Park Rose Garden (my absolute favorite place in all of Los Angeles). It was just going to be simple shoot to add to my portfolio, but when I saw their outfits I knew it would turn out to be something much more. Jennifer definitely did her thing styling the entire family! Shooting young children can honestly be a full time job. I've been told that I have the patience of an elephant to be able to shoot kids and trust me, they're not lying. Mason is the youngest of the two, and I knew he wouldn't be the most excited for this shoot. Most young kids (especially little boys) can't stand taking pictures. Simply saying "cheese" is not enough. You must be engaged and you must have props and plenty of distractions. Hell snacks are definitely a must as well and the first on the list of things I ask clients to bring to family shoots. Needless to say Mason finally warmed up to me and I have to say this shoot was definitely my favorite of the year! We caught the best natural light at the perfect hour. After it was all said and done Jennifer's reaction to the photos helped me understand that I'm exactly where I need to be. 

Check em out below and if you're in the LA area, hit me up! 

Brittney's Empowerment Shoot

I met Brittney through social media by way of Auburn University #WarEagle! She reached out to me to do a Boudoir session after I posted a photo from a shoot I did several years ago. I've done a few in the past, and have noticed the positive effect they have on women. This is why I call them "Empowerment Shoots". I believe we as women struggle immensely with our bodies and self-image. An empowerment session can give you the opportunity to see yourself in a more positive light. Exactly as you are. No photoshop required. These shoots are super fun and a cute way to celebrate your womanhood. 

The session was an absolute blast. It took place in the morning and Brittney had mimosas and snacks for a light breakfast. Hints to future clients. Hehe! I totally suggest anything that will help to lighten you up. Below I've added just a few images from our shoot. We shot this on the last Friday of the year! As you can tell Brittany has a gorgeous spirit and an impeccable interior design taste. I can't thank her enough for such a fun shoot. It was definitely one of my favorites. Next time I'm going to have to capture the interior of her home!

Christina's Fall Family Session

I've known Christina since we attended college at Auburn University some many odd years ago. She has to have the most adorable kids in the world. I've observed her on social media and admire the way she takes care of them and how invested she is in their lives. From their photos and videos they they seemed to have such infectious personalities. I knew at some point we would definitely have to shoot together. 

When I reached out to Christina to shoot her children she mentioned that they had never had a professional shoot done before. This made me even more excited. I just wanted to capture the kids having as much fun as possible. As you can see they are absolutely adorable and we had so much fun. Thank you again Christina for allowing me to shoot your gorgeous kids! I hope you enjoy the images for a lifetime!

They Dab In Bangladesh Too!

My session with Sakif and Samia is definitely one of my favorites. Their love was shot was relative ease. When I met them back in October 2016 they informed me that they only get a chance to see each other once a year. Things would change when after they got married which exactly one week after the shoot. Samia had no idea that Sakif was planning on proposing. As they never had a proper proposal he thought this would bring her the utmost of joy. Timing the proposal was interesting. Once we found the perfect location it was all a go from there! The bride and groom also brought their family (wedding party) to be in the shoot as well. 

The best part of this shoot was literally not having to direct them to catch their love. It was effortless and extremely inspiring. I am lucky to be apart of these special memories and I hope to shoot more couples like them in the future. Congratulations again Mrs. Samia and Mr. Sakif Islam. Thank you again. Good luck!