Maria • Maternity

Recently I had the opportunity to do a maternity session with the most excited mom I have ever met. Maria had a rough morning before the session, but from the moment we met she was all smiles. She told me how important it was for her to remember this time in her life, and how happy she was to be able to take these pictures as a birthday gift to herself.

Any day now she will be welcoming a baby girl into the world. Her name will be Malia Nicole and, like I said, she is going to have a mom with a heart overflowing with love for her. She will be a very lucky little girl.

Congratulations, Maria, and I hope you enjoy seeing a few of my favorite shots from the day-- I know you've been waiting for them;)

Oh how I love teeny tiny shoes!

And one of my personal favorites :)

Kasey and Brooke • Senior Session

I really like doing senior sessions. Mostly because they intimidate me and challenge me to think outside the box. And I certainly like a challenge. With a couple or family a session comes naturally because I ask them to interact with one another and they end up looking beautiful doing it because they're happy. With a portrait session, especially seniors, theres someone silently watching me and waiting for direction. And I have to give it to them, quickly.

Luckily Kasey and Brooke are complete naturals. They are best friends that will be high school seniors this fall, both hoping to attend FIDM next year. They also both happen to be completely gorgeous.

This is Brooke.

And this is Kasey.

Kasey is very much into Instagram, so she had her sister Kelly take a few shots during our adventure.

 I had a great time with you girls, and wish you so much luck with your fashionable dreams!

Camera Bags and Jealousy

This past week I did a senior session for two gorgeous seniors that were totally fun to work with. We had a great time and ended up at the beach like a lot of my sessions do (so thankful to live in a place like Southern California). Anyways, at the end when we were hiking back up to our cars, we came across another photographer with a couple in tow that he had just shot engagement pictures for. He was carrying a top-of-the-line camera with a ginormous lens attached, and thousands of dollars worth of lenses in a suitcase rolling behind him. The couple was wearing white button up shirts and cuffed denim jeans. 

I was jealous. I coveted his big, fancy camera and the look of confidence on his face. I looked at his bag and calculated the cost of everything he was carrying, knowing that it would be years before I could purchase even one piece of it. But then I stopped myself. Remembering the thing I hear over and over again, the camera does not make the photographer. He was walking a few steps behind his clients and no one was saying a word. It was a silent up-hill battle of awkwardness. I wondered if he even knew much about them or what made their relationship unique. I wonder now if he even noticed her antique engagement ring and asked for the story behind it. Or did he not care?

I realized in that moment how lucky I am even with my "starter" equipment and little lenses I carry over my shoulder, because I have clients that are so beautiful inside and out. Clients that trust me even though my business is new and I have an unhealthy hatred for matchy-couples and hand-heart pictures. And with this realization, I just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank everyone that has trusted me to photograph their memories for them this far. It really means a lot that you put your faith in me and my passion, and I love each and every one of you for it.

And heres a little sneak peek of the two seniors I mentioned. I'd love to hear what you think!

Emery and Charles • Engaged

There's only one word to describe how Emery found Charles: fate. After meeting one another for the first time, they knew that any relationship between them was simply not an option. No way, no how. But fate had a different plan. Weeks later they found themselves talking online. It started with a hello here and there, maybe they would catch up on what was new in their lives. Then the conversations grew longer and later into the night. It came to a point where neither could deny the attraction they felt towards one another.

But, again, fate stepped in. Emery was in school and Charles was serving in the Navy. Their dreams of holding hands and going on late night coffee dates together had to wait, and a relationship started to blossom through words on a computer screen. And they fell in love. Quicker than either one of them even expected and a stronger than they have ever felt before.

From the first time they said those three words to that day on the beach when Charles dropped down to one knee, they have been intertwined in mind, soul and faith. She said yes before he could even ask, and now proudly wears his ring with the words "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."

Emery and Charles- I think you two are absolutely perfect for one another and I am honored you chose me to take your engagement pictures. I hope you enjoy them!

Our session took place at the Redondo Beach Pier and the oh-so-gorgeous King Harbor.

I think this next one is my favorite!

To end the session we made a super-quick stop for the sunset at the beach ( and a quick change to Charles' Navy whites!)

Three Letters

Sunday Love Story

...

I wrote my very first letter to Sam before he left for Italy.

"Sam,
Hopefully this little gift makes you smile. It might not be the best idea to do some of the things on the Long Airplane Ride list, but hey, it's your call! Just as long as you come home to me in nineteen days. 

Even though I'm going to miss you soooo much while you're gone, I hope you have the time of your life in Italy! I'll email you as much as possible and will probably be going to bed a whole lot earlier;) haha. But don't worry about me while you're there, because I am totally and completely addicted to having you in my life. I'm 110% crazy about you... I didn't think it was possible, but you were right. 

You're the best friend a person could ask for. I don't know how we ended up where we are now, but I thank God for it constantly. I hope you have an incredible Italian adventure! Go eat some spaghetti and have a cappuccino at a street cafe or something!

Miss you already and thinking about you right... Now:)

Ciao Baby. -Jess

(P.S. Don't forget our July 3rd sunset date)
(P.P.S If your last name was Mickerson, your initials would be S.A.M.)"

While talking the night before his flight, we made a few promises. One was that both of us would take a picture of the sunset on July 3rd. So that maybe we would feel closer knowing we were experiencing the same moment at (kind of) the same time. When he first left, I sat in my room and reread text messages from him. Somehow missing him already and wondering if he was missing me. A quick email from the Chicago airport erased any doubt I held.

July 3, 2009

The other two promises were a little more daunting. I had to talk to one of my closest friends, who also happens to be Sam's ex-girlfriends, and ask for her blessing. I didn't want to hurt our friendship but I was also worried about loosing the future I had started to imagine with this wonderful boy.

The last thing I had to do was talk to my dad. Even now the thought of doing this makes me nervous. My dad is incredibly over-protective, to say the least, and had stated many, many times that he would never let me go on a date.

I put the conversations off as long as possible. Days went by and Sam's return home was coming closer. I wanted to be excited, I really did, but instead I was anxious and afraid. I tried to mentally script what I should say to them, and quickly realized that the only way I would be able to get a single word out without bursting into tears was in the single form I felt comfortable: I would write them letters. My friend's letter came first, and I poured my heart out. Then I wrote my dads and made it as logical as possible, promising to keep up with my studies and that Sam was a genuinely good person. After many prayers all the pieces fell into places and we could finally be together... once he came home.

I waited.
And I waited.
And I waited some more.

Occasionally I would get an email from him telling me about his sailing adventures to Croatia, the delicious foods he was eating, a field of sunflowers next to the home he was staying at, the beautiful language he was learning, and how much he missed me. I read every word several times. Soaking them in and trying to hear his voice. Every inch of me missed him and I began to count the time until he came home to me.

The days, hours and minutes all grew smaller, until there was only 1, 24, and 1,440. It was so close and I stayed wide awake all night long. Waiting. But what came in the morning is a story for next time.

the Italian sunflower field

The Moore Family

I was so excited (and nervous!) when Andrea asked me if I would like to photograph her family. You see, she is a photographer as well and someone whom I had reached out to for advice when I first started my business. When the day came, however, I saw a beautiful little family walking towards me that was perfectly color coordinated and full of energy even though it was quite early. We strolled down the Hermosa Beach Pier and I was introduced to 2 year old Julia and 4 1/2 year old Kirsten. It took them a little while to warm up to me, but by the end of the session I had a pocket full of sea shells Kirsten had collected for me and another pocket of snacks Julia had shared. Needless to say it was a perfect way to start the day! 

Andrea, Will, Kirsten and Julia- you are a fun little group and even though Julia dropped my ring into the ocean, I think we can still be friends;) I hope you enjoyed our morning together as much as I did!

Photo props go to Kirsten and Julia on this next one. I think its so special! They started to warm up to me because I let them use my camera... I see mini photographers in Andrea's future!;)

They are such a cute couple!