What a privilege it was to capture my first Bar Mitzvah earlier this month in Hollywood, CA at the Temple Israel of Hollywood. Shelly, an old college friend and Allan her husband, invited family and friends from afar to witness and participate in this coming of age ceremony for their son, Simon. With over a year of preparation, a rehearsal, a family dinner, a Shabbat service (my favorite), a Bar Mitzvah service, a hora and luncheon, and then a big ol’ bash with “This Is Fun”, Simon’s band performing to a fan filled audience….Simon was officially a Bar Mitzvah. What a…

Ok, I sit here in awe that I have been photographing this wonderful family for so many years now…and then just as struck that I can’t exactly remember how many years that it has been. Sigh. (Negar says 13 years- I trust her). I feel like the luckiest person when I get to move through the years with families like the Jamalis’. A very special welcome this year to their newest family member, Charlie, a big ball of curly Labradoodle. As a photographer, it is both the trust in the people you are capturing, and their trust in you, that…

A self proclaimed “fall, winter” person, Jordan, who graduates from Charter University Prep this spring wanted WINTER in her senior photographs so off we went to Echo Lake. Highway 50 was clear but I was glad to have AWD once we turned towards Echo Lake. It sure is beautiful out there. Jordan’s super kind-hearted boyfriend, Conner came along and I got to capture a few of their nurturing relationship, too. Once she graduates, Jordan plans to attend Folsom Lake College this fall for a couple years and then transfer with Conner to UCLA to study orthodontics. Both Jordan and Conner…

and what better time to take some time to capture this exciting time in life. I’ve known Chase’s mom, Jen for a long time now. We used to exercise together “back in the day”. I’m not sure why we don’t any longer because she has always been such a positive and motivating force to be around…really, she even made exercising FUN…hmmm…Ok, another time 🙂 I was so happy when she contacted me to photograph her son Chase, during this time of transition….somewhere between childhood and adulthood. Having an 8th grader myself, I know just how it is. Chase will complete…

I’ve known Michelle and Tim since their engagement in 2010. Since then I have photographed various versions of their growing family seven times, I think. I added the links below to some of these blog posts because it is fun to look back, and to remember. Life gets busy when you add a wedding, a new home, the birth of a first daughter in 2015 and all the firsts that go along with that. It was time to get out to the Mathewson home and capture some family photographs as we all welcomed Paige Marie, and especially big sister Madelyn.…

David is bright, creative, friendly, curious and passionate about life. Working with him to make images that captured his love of life was a great day out in the late afternoon light at Sly Park Recreation Area. Be sure to get an early date scheduled this year for your senior session. Up here in the mountains, we usually have to work around the weather a bit. Booking earlier gives you the most flexibility with weather rescheduling and you’re still able to get your invites out on time. People schedule now for a March date…and then sessions spill over into April. Email…

Ahhh…Grace. A simply lovely, connected and so naturally beautiful, high school senior, getting ready to take on the world. And she will. I loved connecting with Grace, one on one, and getting the opportunity to experience and capture her with my camera. This was another one of those sessions when you smile as a photographer. We worked great together and I enjoyed every minute of our time together. Grace attends University Charter Prep. On completion of high school she will attend college locally and then hopefully transfer to Chico State to become an elementary school teacher. Lucky kids who will…

On January 4, Baby Mac greeted his Mom, Dad and big sister Stella for the very first time. Back in 2012, I had the honor of photographing Stephanie and Bill’s wedding and also a year or so later, Stella’s newborn photographs.  I was super excited when I was able to go spend some more time with them at their home and capture what their new family of four looked and felt like. It’s so comfortable photographing past clients and they were no exception. As Bill held little Mac and looked around the room at their daughter Stella running around in full-on…

It was about a week before Christmas and I had just purchased a brand-spanking-new Nikon camera and had a big family session planned for the weekend. I wanted to test my new baby in a portrait setting so late one night I reached out to a couple friends to see if they were free the next afternoon and the lovely Miss Macy was. We squeezed her images in after school and before dance in about 30-45 minutes – such is the life of a busy middle schooler! The best part? Macy got to surprise her mom and dad with a couple 8×10’s…

One would think that simply getting your once West Coast, now mostly East Coast, family together for a holiday in Lake Tahoe would be enough reason to celebrate and capture family photographs, the Blair family squeezed so much more in. When Rebekah, their oldest daughter contacted me months ago with an holiday gift idea for her mom(and my old friend), I was all in. I knew Ruthie back when my kids were young and it really seems like forever ago. As I remember (and that can be tougher these days), she was the mom who always made it all look…

On a lovely fall day in October, down by the river in Coloma, Alyssa and Brett, along with their dearest friends and family, gathered to celebrate their marriage. What followed was an amazingly beautiful day of warm love.

The Gray Family. There are many kind people in this town that I have called home for over 17 years, and the Gray family definitely comes in at the top of that list. Melinda is a dear (forever) friend and her heart explodes with endless energy and compassion for others. She’s always there for you, and for anyone, really. I’m not sure how she squeezes in all the life she does, into her own, but she does. She’s an amazingly beautiful friend, inside, outside and all around. Lance and Melinda are raising equally amazing kids and I’ve known Jack, Catie,…