I love getting the chance to photograph adorable couples just starting out. While these two lovebirds have already been together for quite awhile since meeting in college, they are also in a sense just starting out because they recently got engaged! Engagement portraits are not only about a couple about to take the plunge of promising forever, but it's also about the love that brought them together and got them ready for this huge step.
My husband and I had a great time walking around Jack's Peak Park in Monterey this past winter with Victoria and Kyle, taking in all of the gorgeous tall and mossy trees. It felt like quite an honor (and a lot of fun too!) to be able to spend some time getting to know them and their story, capturing their excitement to be spending the rest of their lives together, as well as their unique and sometimes goofy relationship. There were many laughs, kisses, a lot of tickling, and a little dancing. Just as it should be.

Not too long ago I held a Giveaway Contest which offered the winner a free mini portrait session and canvas of his or her favorite image. Being that it's wintertime, we had some unfortunate weather delays to scheduling our photoshoot. But we finally made it work, and I know it was worth the wait. Why would that be? Well my contest winner Sabrina and her husband Mike are expecting their first child very soon. If we'd done our photoshoot as originally planned, not only would we have been soaked by the rain, but there would not have been much baby bump to showcase. But as luck would have it, postponing just a month or so made all the difference.
It's definitely taught me to remember that age old advice, Good things are worth waiting for. Sometimes I need to be reminded to exercise patience and not rush things quite so much. Take my time and as Jack Sparrow would say, wait for the opportune moment. 
I feel so honored that I got to capture such an exciting and special time in their life. Especially since I had the privilege of capturing another amazing time for them several years ago on their wedding day. I am so very excited for Sabrina and Mike as they embark on this new adventure, parenthood, and I can't wait to meet their newest addition!

I am just a terrible blogger, I can't believe I waited this long to share photos from the fall Style & Smile pop-up event! Truth be told, I am always a little slow to reveal any of my fall portrait sessions online, because I know my clients usually plan to use the images for their holiday cards. And I hate to spoil that for them by jumping the gun. But this one I have to admit got away from me, since December is just about over, it almost didn't get posted! 

Travel back in time with me to October 2016. I was asked by the lovely Aime Gruber of Glamology Beauty Lounge (whom I met through the local Monterey chapter of the Rising Tide Society) to collaborate on a special portrait event at the Cardinale & Wright Pumpkin Patch in Monterey. GBL would be providing hair by Aime and makeup by Maggie, and the very talented Marysu of Cassia Forêt was designing our set pieces. She put together two different scenes for our clients. On the one hand we had pumpkins as far as the eye can see. And then we also had a decidedly more Christmassy set up. It was a wonderful day with these amazing artistic ladies, here is a little smattering of the images that came of it.