There is a really wonderful  website called I heart Faces that holds a portrait photography contest on a different theme every week.  When I read about this week’s theme (photojournalism!), I knew I had to enter this set of images:

I love the story they tell and I’m incredibly proud that they are hanging in my friend Sara’s brand new shop in San Francisco! Wish me luck :)

I love getting word of mouth referrals from clients, it’s the highest compliment you can give to a photographer that you recommend him/her to your closest family and friends!   So I was so excited when Heather referred her cousin Danielle to me for her daughter Lyla’s christening photos.

And then I MET Lyla and fell in love. What a gorgeous baby girl, as beautiful as the most precious doll, and smiley and sweet too.  And how amazing is mom’s wedding dress transformed into Lyla’s Christening dress?

I knew I’d captured a great moment with this one when my almost two year old saw me editing this picture and said “Baby happy mommy!”

Big sister Sienna had to get in on the action too.  When I tell you that Sienna is the most precocious child I’ve ever met that won’t even begin to describe it.. she posed and followed instruction better than most children twice her age! What a sweet and smart little girl:

And one of my favorites (and mom’s favorite!) from the session:

Thank you M. family for letting me get to know your beautiful girls!

Today my sweet baby boy turns two.. so bittersweet. In these images you see the wild toddler who won’t stop running and also the big boy starting to emerge – the one who sat and “posed” for a second on the chair for mommy.

I love this child so much it hurts.

When Cathy emailed me to set up a session for her 18 month old Maddox and told me she’d been a long time blog reader of mine and that Maddox (like Jasper) had also been a reflux baby, I had a feeling we’d have LOTS to talk about and totally hit it off, which of course we did!

We had been planning this session for months and had the perfect location picked out when Chelsea Clinton had to go ruin it all and get married a few miles away (gridlock!), so we did a last minute scramble to find a new spot.  It was a little bit of an adventure getting there, but Cathy and Maddox were game and I think the results were definitely worth it.

Maddox is a sweet, smart, curious little guy..

who is so photogenic I am having a very hard time even deciding which images to post here..

he’s a little bit mischievous..

but he did consent to sit still for a second or two..

and we even got the hint of  a smile..

most of all, it was quite obvious how very much he loves his mommy..

Thank you Cathy and Maddox for letting me document this time in Maddox’s life and to capture the special bond you two share!

Jennifer and her husband Evan are dear dear friends of mine. Evan and I went to high school together more years ago than I care to count and seeing them is always a pleasure.   They have been through some very tough times the past two years so it means so much for me to be able to capture this incredibly joyful time in their lives!

Jennifer is one of those mutli-talented actress/model types who is completely effortless in front of the camera, photogenic doesn’t doesn’t even begin to describe it.  The marathon session FLEW by too fast, and I could hardly wait to start editing the images.  But as soon as I got them onto my computer I realized I had a monumental task in front of me to narrow them down to a few favorites – they were almost all perfect! I think you will agree, she is a stunning mamma to be:

and my personal favorite,  I call it the Birth of Venus photo!

Dear Evan and Jen, everyone who knows you knows how lucky your son will be to have you as parents!  I can’t WAIT to meet him and Jasper is excited too, he wants to meet the “baby in the belly.”   I see many playdates in our future..

Chloe and Jasper are daycare buddies,  so of course I was thrilled when her mom Roxana inquired about booking a session.  Not just because I’ve known Chloe since she was an infant, but because she is without a doubt the most stylish toddler I’ve ever met, which of course is because her mother has an incredible fashion flair -  no surprise given that she is French!

Here are just a few of this gorgeous girl:

and her beautiful family..

Dear Mahdad, Chloe & Roxana, thanks for making the drive, dodging the raindrops and running around all evening with me.  I hope you enjoyed your sneak peak!