About a month ago, I flew out to Irvine, CA to teach a class to a group of photographers about photographing newborns.  I decided to bring the whole family and spend a week away from the winter weather.  We had a great time outdoors all week enjoying the scenery and exploring Orange County and Los Angeles.  We visited a variety of parks, drove into the mountains, rode the rides a Santa Monica Pier, Bob and I were in the studio audience of Dr Phil, and we visited some gorgeous beaches.  I took the opportunity to photograph the kids outdoors, something I haven’t had the chance to do since last fall.  Here are some highlights from our trip.  Enjoy!

My aunt Edie came along and I had to catch a few of her in action while my daughter Nina hammed it up in the water.

A big Thank You to Edie from Layland Masuda Photography for capturing these beautiful portraits of me with the girls, and for the gorgeous family portraits in Laguna Beach.  The following images courtesy of Layland Masuda Photography:

In Memory of Kelly and Olivia Kane

Last fall I met Kelly and Olivia for the first time.   Kelly was a first time mom and so excited to have their first professional photo shoot.   The moment they walked through the door, I fell head over heals for baby Olivia.  She had the most beautiful round baby face with big, innocent eyes, and she could melt hearts with a single glance.   Olivia was 4 months old, and Kelly had signed her up for my baby’s first year program, which meant I got to work with this cutie two more times during her first year.  I was thrilled to say the least.  Kelly was easy to talk to, and I could relate to her.  She was a single mom for the time being, who had wanted her whole life to be a mom.   It was her dream to have a child, and although she had to wait a while for it to happen, her dream had finally come true.   Boy was Olivia worth the wait.  Olivia was a doll with her chubby little legs and dimpled hands.   We had a great time encouraging her to grab her toes, a new skill that she had just mastered.  Kelly had said that she wished she had come when Olivia was younger because she just loved the pictures she had seen on my page of sleeping babies.  At the end of our session, Olivia was looking tired so we decided to try for a couple sleepy ones anyway.  She didn’t want to stay asleep once we put her down, but we managed to get some on Kelly’s shoulder – I’m glad we tried because those images are so sweet.   After our session I couldn’t wait to see Olivia again at 8 months.

In January I finally had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with Kelly and Olivia again, this time at their home.   As impossible as it seemed, Olivia had grown even more beautiful!  Her big brown eyes had gotten even bigger and full of innocence.   I only had to look in her direction for a split second before a giant smile would form on her face.  I was in love.  again.   I got to play with Olivia for quite a while when Kelly was getting herself ready – she had the sweetest little doll face and her laugh was contagious.   I was already crazy about her – I could only imagine the affect little Olivia had on Kelly and other family members who were so lucky to get to see her often.   Kelly had a bunch of fun ideas for our photo shoot and had adorable outfits picked out for Olivia, including her Baptismal gown that she’d be wearing the following week.  She’d also invited Olivia’s father along to witness Olivia as the cute little model she was.  Of course we had to include Kelly in a few mother daughter images as well – I’m so glad we did.    I left their home full of energy and ideas for Olivia’s first birthday photo shoot.   I posted a collage of her pictures on my Facebook page, telling everyone how much she had stolen my heart.

About one month later, I’d prepared Olivia’s pictures for Kelly and put them in the mail.  I never expected what came next.  A call came in about a week later from Kelly’s mom, telling me that Kelly and Olivia had passed on.  In shock and disbelief, hoping I’d heard the voice message wrong I returned her call, and heard the devastating news once again.   These two amazing, beautiful girls, so full of life and love, were gone.   That week went by very slowly, my mind full of disbelief and my heart aching, for Kelly and Olivia, and for their families.  If Kelly and Olivia had touched me  so much in such a brief period of time, I can’t begin to imagine how their family must feel.   I’ll miss them dearly.  Olivia’s first birthday would have been next month, and it’s hard to think about how I won’t get the chance to carry out the ideas that Kelly and I had come up with, to play with Olivia outside and watch her feel the grass on her newly walking little feet.  It breaks my heart, over and over again.   I don’t know what’s out there or what happens after this life, but I can only hope that Kelly and Olivia are somewhere together, happy in each others’ arms.

I’ve created an album for Olivia’s grandparents, and I’m sharing the pages below.  Knowing how much Kelly valued these photographs, I know she wouldn’t want them to go unseen.

This is Kelly and Olivia, whom have touched many lives and will never be forgotten.

Kelly had a song that she’d sung to Olivia, and the lyrics are on the next pages.  

I’m including the video tribute made by Kelly and Olivia’s family below.  If the video does not come up, it can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbOOkdZP45c&feature=youtu.be