March: Feminine Empower Month

March is Feminine Empower month. I want to do a photography project that helps empower women. Invite your women friends to share their story.

When life’s stresses & struggles are overwhelming, what do you do? Is there a mantra you repeat to yourself (from your favorite author/guru or an original quote)? It can cover a variety of themes from work/career/finances, self-esteem, family, heartbreak. Because I want to hear it! Write your mantra down in the comment below and I will select my favorite quotes (March 1, 2012) & the woman associated with that quote. Please be available to shoot a portrait the 1st or 2nd week(end) of March in Bellflower, CA. Your portrait with your quote will be featured in my blog for the month of March. Your power extends beyond yourself and can touch the lives of many. Let’s spread positivity.

Piñeda Family

I shot Ruby’s baby shower a few months back. Amazing decor & party! You may view blog post here. Since then, Emma has arrived and it was such a pleasure to finally meet her! Here are some of the images we captured during our afternoon together.

Might Ruby & Tony be grooming little Emma to be a Laker fan? Me thinks, yes!

An adorable shot of Emma and her daddy Tony! I love this shot of them!

Now, to check out Emma’s beautiful room. Great job Tony & Ruby for the fun & bright colors! It’s a happy room! I know it makes me happy looking at it.

Little girls gotta have shoes, right? And this girl’s got a head start! So cute!!!

 

 

Guess What # 6

Happy New Year & I hope you are all feeling great about what this new year will bring. Positivity can clear the fog that may have lingered last year to shed some light on where we are on our journey, where we want to go and how we shall get there. Along the way, I hope you are adding lots of fun & laughter! It makes everyday just a little bit better, doesn’t it? To start off the fun this year, I’ve put together another Guess What game. I just love games and I hope you do, too.

Please enter your guesses on the comment below. I shall keep everyone’s entries private until the day I reveal the winner so as not to copy off of each other. Deadline for your entries is Wednesday, February 1, 2012. First entry with all 4 correct guesses shall win a free 45 minute photo session with me. Prints/image files/CD sold separately. For every image guessed correctly, you may take $10 off your session fee, up to $30 off your session!!! Local entries only (Los Angeles/Orange County). Good luck everyone!

[May not be combined with other offers.]

Mini Photoshoot Party

I held my very first photoshoot party this past weekend and it was a blast! These ladies were beautiful both inside and out! They all just seem to beam in front of the camera and the images captured reflects that!

This here is Mari, she is absolutely gorgeous!

This next shot reminds me of an anime. So serene & picturesque!

This lovely lady is Ruby. She’s a new mama and it sure does suit her! She looks so good after giving birth only 3 months ago!

This next lady is Guada. What a very unique name! She was a bit shy in front of the camera and down-played her ability to pose well. She used the word “awkward” but look how natural & beautiful she looks in these images.

Lastly, we have Sara Rose. I know Sara Rose from my time dancing in college. She is a sweet gal who is a great dancer and a beauty to boot!

She was such a sport when I suggested getting in the water! I love her adventurous spirit!

I’m excited to shoot more mini-photoshoot parties this year! If you’re interested in hosting your own party, you may contact me privately, claire.o.photo@gmail.com.

Liz + Robert Maternity | Heartwell Lake | Long Beach, CA

My last blog post before the new year. Wowie! What a year it has been! Looking forward to 2012!!! Lots of new photography endeavors to “develop!” Yes, a little photography humor.

A very sweet young couple Liz & Robert who are expecting a little one in March scheduled a maternity shoot with me this month. It was such a pleasure to work with them. They are such a cute couple. They’ve known each other since they were teenagers from opposing highschools. Eeek… where there should be animosity, love blossomed, instead. ♥

Rob made his young bride giggle like they were still in highschool. Humor wins the girl, every time! Here are some of the images we captured…

Kit Kat and Pop Tarts are some of Liz’s cravings. Sweet tooth baby!

Thank you for a fun afternoon Liz & Rob! Looking forward to capturing your little bundle of joy in 2012!

Lalaine | The Big 3-0

Lalaine turned the big 3-0 this year and what better way to celebrate than with a photoshoot?

.

This next shot is so sweet. I told her to think of someone special and she did.

Lastly, a business portrait. Two birds with one stone and what not….

You look fabulous L! To a whole year of even more fabulous-ness!

The Coopers

I had the joy of spending a sunny Saturday afternoon with The Coopers a few weeks back. They are the loveliest family with the cutest boy on the block! They’ve recently purchased their home that is picture perfect; white picket fence and a red door! I hope they shall always fondly look back on these images for years to come.

This darling boy has the brightest personality. He would walk by and ring the bells by the pots. There are also these large boulders surrounding the front house that he would tap as he walked by. It’s as if he was playing baseball? Hitting all the bases before running home? lol.  The mind of babes is truly remarkable!

I caught him blowing kisses. How cute!

I love this next image. At work or at play? I think it’s both!

I was so excited to have caught this next image. I just love how happy they all look.

Thank you Cooper family for welcoming me into your lovely home and allowing me to spend an afternoon with you. I wish you many years of great health, happiness, love and good fortune!

Nicole + Spencer | The Parker | Palm Springs, CA

Early July Wedding in Palm Springs proved to be a scorcher. Fortunately, lemonade was plentiful at this lovely venue! Oh, how lemons thrive in hot hot weather! Thank you Pamela Lin Photography for the privilege of 2nd shooting Nicole & Spencer’s beautiful wedding. The way these two look at each other made shooting in the heat worthwhile!

Badgley Mischka shoes are the cutest!!!

Nicole’s dress reminds me of swan feathers! So pretty!!!

An apple & glass of wine a day keeps the doctor away? I believe so!

The lighting was absolutely gorgeous in there! The chandelier really helped set the mood.

I loved their attention to detail! From their invitation to place cards …

… to the flip flops for dancing the night away!

… to their personalized polaroid guestbook!

How cute are the lemonades?

I just love cupcakes at weddings! Not only are they pretty but they are delicious!!!

May you have a sweet life Mr. & Mrs. Bogner!

Renee | Griffith Park | Los Angeles, CA

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons and it inspired me to capture the feeling of fresh brisk air wearing your favorite warm fuzzy clothing, boots & accessories! My dear friend Renee is always up for a photoshoot and the day was Autumn perfect!

We stumbled across this abandoned ticket booth in the parking lot! I love the glamour she emits in this image! So great!

A lady sitting in the park enjoying her day whilst observing informed us of the horse and its owner walking just a few yards away. What a great photo idea it was and Renee got to feed the horse with a carrot while keeping all her fingers!

Overall, an amazing Autumn day!

Celeste + Giles | Old Orange Courthouse | Santa Ana, CA

Last day of summer, 9~22~11, I was so excited to be photographing the beautiful Celeste and her equally handsome beau, Giles at the amazing Old Orange Courthouse in Santa Ana. The architecture of this old building is something to be admired! It was a very intimate ceremony with close family and friends and I was honored to be a part of it.

Their love story is one for the books! The stars & the universe aligned (in other words, sisters & friends conspiring behind the scenes) to introduce these two and voila…cue wedding song. What matchmakers their friends turned out to be!

Artists with their canvases, easels and paints sporadically located around the building capturing the essence of the courthouse! I had to work around them not to get them in the shot!

Cafe Piccolo, Italian fine dining located in Long Beach, CA.  Amazingly delicious food and the nicest fellows to ever serve you!

To a lifetime of happiness Celeste and Giles! May you have lots of little one’s running around for me to photograph!