When Life Gives You Lemons...

Since returning from my annual holiday trip to California a few weeks ago, I've had a tricky time adjusting back into the swing of things (ahem, the hustle & bustle of living in NYC). This will shamefully be one of my first posts of the New Year. 

Before the holiday I had been working back-to-back weekends for a few months and not having much fun or being super creative with my craft. Lacking inspiration was an understatement, so I decided to break out my first film camera and go for a walk while I was away. And walk I did. 

Though my heart yearns to be near my family (my lemon), I know the time will come when we (finally) make the trip cross country and unpack the bags I've been toting around for nearly a decade in NYC (making the lemonade). 

Film aficionados, enjoy the journey!

My Mother spent 20 years cultivating a lemon tree in her backyard and every year, she has a full harvest of lemons!

Santa Monica is a special place for me, as it was a very popular weekend destination as a child and now, a place where my clients love to shoot. 

There's nothing like going to the beach during winter (!) in California!

This is Jorge, my hubby who "loves" to rep west coast sports teams and univeristies when in Cali. When in Rome, do as the Romans do! (People also say I never shoot him enough, so this one's for you!)

This is one of my favorite images from my rolls of film. It just captured the essence of the day and unseasonably colder weather California was having. 

I never appreciated this view growing up but after having living on the East Coast for nearly 10 years, I try hard to hike my little heart out when I visit. This trail is literally in my parent's backyard! 

Los Angeles Family Photographer

Saundra is a long time friend of mine and she wanted to get her family together for a big, "Kardashian" Family holiday photo. Well, without the Kardashian support staff we were left breathless trying to cajole kids (and adults!) into smiling for the camera. So, in the end we left with great photos of the kids and are still working on one image that will rival the Kardashians! 

Happy Holidays from the Abdelmaliks, Abeskharouns and Bishays!

This is the photo Mom and Dad will show Elijah when his first girlfriend comes to visit! 

Pure shenanigans between the basket and the Christmas tree ornaments!

Riley was just one month old and since she was the most  cooperative (mostly because she was sleeping!), she had the most photos taken!

Simi Valley Portrait Photographer | The Bishays

Sylvia is Saundra's big sis, and Saundra, well, she just happens to be one of my longstanding buddies from my adolescent years. Yeah, that's right, we go way back to the mid-nineties.

It's so crazy to see us all grown up, with growing families and such, and with the saturated photo market, I feel so flattered that friends near and far chose me to document these fleeting moments of parenthood. With the holidays around the corner, Sylvia and Mike wanted to get a few good shots with little Nicholas for their holiday mailing. Enjoy!

Los Angeles Family Portraits | Abdelmalik Family

I always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure and fortunately photography has been my vehicle in bringing this childhood dream to fruition. Almost every trip to Los Angeles now involves shooting first and family second which is still hard for me to believe since it wasn’t long ago that the scripts were flipped. 

Saundra, one of my beloved childhood friends, had first used my South Africa images for her baby, Elijah’s elephant themed nursery last summer. 

Since then, we have been waiting for the right time (and right trip) to shoot the Abdelmalik family and now that Elijah is nearly 7 months, we decided that it was now or never. So we met at the Simi HIlls Golf Course, in the town we grew up in on a sunny, breezy summer eve. 

Elijah was alert and chipper and Saundra and Robbie are so in love with him, that being in their presence was infectious. Every so often, I forgot I was shooting and proceeded with the much needed coochie-coochie-cooing. Surely Mom and Dad would agree that we all can’t wait to document Elijah's transformation from baby to boy. Sending my love to the Abdelmalik’s, especially the littlest one, Elijah. 

My Mother's Hands

When I was 5 years old my family moved to Simi Valley from Los Angeles. That year, my Mother, who has the greenest of thumbs, planted a lime tree and it wasn't until last Christmas that it bore organic limes. I mean who waits two decades for a plant to bear fruit?! You should have seen the delight on her face when she cut the limes open for a little garnish on her famous mango salsa! My mother could bring even the dreariest plants back to life, resuscitating them with love and care. The women makes her own compost for crying out loud! She's a serious and committed gardener! All of my renaissance like habits were inherited from her; she is simply an amazing woman who brings everything around her a new reason to live. Mom's garden speaks for itself as it boasts succulents, orchids, fruits and veggies and several species of flowers. I'm so inspired by how my mother's hands bring life to everything around her and I can only hope to be as influential as her when I become a mother. 

*** All images shot in natural light with my Canon 5D Mark II with an 24 - 105 lens.***

Los Angeles and Simi Valley Family Portrait Photographer

If you remember Bill and Michelle from their baby bump shoot, you'll get to meet their little guy now that he's out of the oven. Marcus is truly delicious and if you know anything about what motivates me to take pictures, you know I LOVE children and babies. They're tricky though, as are pets, because they keep still for all of a couple of seconds. Not to worry, I did manage to capture a few images that will just tickle your toes. Bill is a Doctor up in San Jose and he wanted me to take some pictures of Marcus wearing matching baby scrubs. Aren't they precious?! Let's not forget Mommy now, she's so stunning she doesn't even look like she had a baby! The B &W family shots are just delectable. Enjoy!