and baby makes four | silver lake maternity session

oh boy oh boy these guys are something else. talented designers, expert curators and parents extraordinaire. photographing families over time has got to be one of the best parts of my job. i shot molly + brandon's intimate wedding back in 2011 and then molly pregnant, james turning one and now as they were awaiting baby boy number 2! (he's arrived, healthy and delicious!) besides excellent hair and superb style, these parents are passing down so much love and sincerity to these little men and l.a. will be better for it. also, come on with those tiny squishy butt cheeks, right?!

eagle rock maternity session

these two. they mean the world to our tiny family. and they're becoming three.

we met art + reika one unassuming sunday evening at our tiny church plant in columbus, ohio five years ago. they walked into the old chapel and i thought "whoa, too cool. probably never gonna be friends with those cats." boy am i glad i was so wrong. A+R are two of the most genuine souls this earth has ever known. i had the pleasure of celebrating and photographing their fantastic backyard picnic wedding a few years back. fast forward to reika being one of three gal pals that dropped everything to drive across the country with me when we moved to l.a. Fast forward another six months and we get a phone call that art's job with jeni's ice cream was moving him to los angeles (i don't think i need to tell you the happy tears that flowed all over my lonely face after that call). fast forward another two years and here we are, each expecting a baby boy within months of each other.

leaving our community in ohio was so hard not only because the quality of those friendships was unlike any we'd experienced before, but because those people knew us. they grew with us. during transition, trial, ups and downs. we did life together on a daily basis. they helped us welcome ruth into the world and loved on us in a myriad of selfless, wonderful ways. to be able to continue that kind of friendship here in los angeles has been life-giving. 

we cannot wait to meet you, baby boy. any day now. and we cannot wait to love you, head to toe. you are one lucky little man to have the love of your mama and daddy. we have been the recipients of it for years and know the kindness of christ and the beauty of friendship because of them. you will be so very loved. 

taking genuine photos of your kids

a few years ago I shared 5 Tips for Photographing Your Kids which had a great response but was aimed at a more posed, directed image. now in the days where everyone has a camera in their pocket, I wanted to offer more documentary-type photo tips each accompanied by iPhone images so you can't use the excuse "I don't have a fancy camera." honestly the best advice I can give is get out of your head - stop photographing in the way you think you should or the way someone else does. these images are for you and your family. xo

1. ask yourself "what story do i want to tell?" are you simply capturing the humorous moment or attempting to preserve those tiny precious toes for years to come? how can you utilize the light to translate the quiet stillness of a winter breakfast or capture movement to convey just how wild and crazy this life stage can feel. the story dictates how you tell it.

2. let go of "cheese." we all know childhood isn't all rainbows and unicorns. don't neglect the other 985 expressions your kiddo can make. be sure to document each sassy, frustrated, mom-i'm-so-over-this look they have.

3. use the environment to add detail to your story. back up and have fun with the composition.

4. find good light. this will make or break your image so when possible, guide your subject to a well-lit area and use natural light only. don't be afraid of high contrast as that often adds to the dreaminess and nostalgia of an image. 

let them be kids. instead of giving them a mark and asking them to stay still, remember that their default setting is "wiggle." instead, ask them to jump, run, make the best silly face they can, show you how that skirt twirls when they spin... anything to build confidence in that moment and let their personality shine.

5. take a break from directing and be an observer. creep around the hall, peek around the door. try to capture life as it's happening like a fly on the wall, not interrupting their play time. you'll want to remember life exactly as it is -- that includes the mess. 

6. if you find it hard to stay motivated or get creative, try a series. is there an activity that your kiddo is currently obsessed with? ruth and I bake at least 2 times a week and it's something that I want us both to remember. her tiny hands rolling dough, sneaking tastes --  "one finger lick, mama?" -- and using every muscle to whisk the batter. play around with different angles but also try to photograph for continuity in a way that's engaging and interesting to view as a group. during every baking session I pop onto the step stool right behind her and snap an image from above. you can see the whole collection #ruthiebakes. 

get on their level. this can be the best way to document their size in relation to their surroundings. a peek into their life and imagination where many objects are the same size or even bigger. bonus : squatting is great for your thighs. 

7. don't forget the details. the way the day's first light hits every crazy inch of their bed-head at the breakfast table. their tiny toes dangling above the floor in their highchair. little bitty fingers stretching as high as they can to reach the light switch, your once clean child just after consuming an entire chocolate ice cream cone.

8. shoot consistently. this is the surest way to taking better photos (your mama was right, practice does make perfect. or at least perfectly wonderful images). one year i set an alarm on my phone to snap a photo at 2:14pm every day. it was a lovely practice that encouraged me to slow down, notice the beauty in the mundane and be creative for a few minutes and by the end of the year i had a collection of lovely memories. simply google "photo challenge" for an endless list of prompts and ideas.

9. photograph when you feel. don't think, just shoot. after all these images are ultimately for you and your family so if something moves you, document it. when your kiddo is particularly tender, touching, funny, or in the midst of one of their most impressive tantrums to date, click away. 

10. and for goodness sake, back up your images. When I hear parents talk about all the images on their iPhones I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that they're going to live there only until said kid drops it in the toilet. Cloud-schmoud. Make sure your images are safe and sound in at least two places (external hard drive, dropbox, icloud), and for the sake of your great grandchildren, MAKE SOME PRINTS. 

all images taken with iPhone in vscocam and edited with vsco or snapseed