Dandelions

It’s the perfect time of year for on-location boudoir & profile shoots. The grass is green the weather is warm. There are plenty of dandelions to make your wishes come true :)

The photos below were from two friends, same session, in Raleigh, NC. Booking a duo session like this one is always an option, with the right company it can be a lot of fun to amplify the vibe. - Perfect if you’re interested in a sesh but don’t wanna fly solo!

DM me for June specials - either on location or in my home studio in Montford, Avl. xoxo

Reflections on a Palisades Maternity Shoot

Madona, 6 months pregnant, at her home in the Pacific Palisades in June 2021.

On this particular serene day in the midst of what Angelenos know as “June gloom” it would have been difficult to fathom the firestorm that would later tear through this beautiful neighborhood and the home she was creating with her husband. I’m looking back at this shoot, amongst others, from a cold wintry day in Asheville, NC. I reflect on the numerous beautiful moments I’ve photographed along that stretch of the Pacific Coast and it is full of the kind of milestones that shape the beauty of our lives. A baby on the way, a surprise proposal on a Malibu cliff, a couple running on the beach newly engaged, a family documenting their growing numbers in the sun-drenched meadows of the California parks that border the city… so many memories. The January fires will be another milestone; unwelcome yet branded on the land and psyche for decades to come. Much like the floods of Hurricane Helene that impacted Appalachia this fall, the enormity of natural disasters will inevitably re-structure the lives of those communities. However, we can choose how to rebuild, and how to move forward.

In this first photograph, Madona looks towards the great Pacific, across the valleys, its underlying scrub, the homes and pools of the Palisades, she harbors new life and is a reminder to me of how in the wake of disaster there is also community, resiliency and hope. Every day we wake up, w are our own living examples of the miracle of life, and we hold the power to come together to shape a more harmonious world for ourselves and future generations.

All my love from flood to fire, to the city of angels in this time. January 10, 2025.

Shooting with Pardis Saremi, Actress & Model

You may recognize her from Hulu’s show Death and Other Details; Pardis Saremi is one of the best models I’ve had the opportunity to work with. More than being beautiful, she was able to maintain control over her expression, posture and angles with such ease in front of the camera that it made my job feel almost too easy as a photographer! The majority of my shoots are with subjects who don’t face the camera professionally. I love working with non-pros, but it’s always inspiring to engage with someone who knows their image so well and is able to move with the flow of the shutter.

Personally, I find that in moments when I need to be on the other side of the camera, I’m forever learning and questioning my best angles (it changes!) and this can be mildly stressful, but also good practice for me so I know how my “regular” clients feel on the other side. It takes a level of vulnerability to expose oneself to a lens. I never forget this! It’s my goal to eliminate any and all stress for my subjects- I believe that is what allows one to capture someone at the height of their beauty.

In short, it wasn’t a surprise to see her familiar face on this stylish muder-mystery series; Saremi knows herself, and she plays so well to the camera. I only expect to see her career grow as an actor. xx @paradeees

Skylar Gudasz x Rolling Stone

I’ve been photographing Skylar for years and one thing that makes her such an amazing subject to work with is that she is always down to experiment with a creative vision. She puts herself into the images as much as I pull her out of them! Her latest album, titled COUNTRY, has finally been released, and her soulful, lyrical voice is available to stream everywhere.

With her album release, she was featured in Rolling Stone, and highlighted with one of the images we took at my home studio in Asheville, NC. A song of hers, titled Fire Country, was the inspiration behind the projection of flames onto her body. Here are a few BTS images and a selection of my favorites from this shoot. Lmk what you like best! Photos, however will never do justice on their own, as the best way to experience Skylar is when she’s holding a mic.

Lastly, in celebration of art, help yourself to this gorgeous video she and others created in the windswept Outer Banks of NC; it’s definitely worth a watch. xx

Fashion Shoot on Muir Beach

North of San Francisco, along the piney, rock studded coastline- this was a shoot for Anorak with model Ghazal @Ghaazelle shining in these sweet puffer jackets. I loved the slightly other-worldly feel we channeled in our natural surrounds, with this little pocket of time and space.

Gwen + Jack: The Bradley Estate

Introducing a page out of Downton Abbey. Gwen & Jack got married in New England at the historic Bradley Estate during late summer and it was a beauty of a wedding. These sweet souls have been together for 10 years - so much so that their friends and families already seemed to meld together as one fabulously dressed party. Wish these two all the happiness in the world. xo

Galleries: I shot a mix of film and digital- first up are the film scans from my Mamiya 645 on Portra 400. After that, the images are from my Leica SL2-S. Can you tell the difference below? What medium do you prefer? I’d love to know!

I love that special feeling of film. However, given lighting constraints or the nature of things happening quickly, digital reigns. See the digital captures up next. Another question for you is do you prefer to go home with fewer special images, or to see a wide range of elements captured? (If you had to choose…)

Fall Fashion Shoot in Steep Ravine

Our goal was to catch the morning fog along this coastline that fringes San Francisco to create the cozy chilly vibes for this Fall/Winter lifestyle shoot for Anorak. With an early start the day was a total success. We hiked down the long road towards Steep Ravine with several looks in tow. I loved the salty wind-washed cabins that dotted the low cliff’s edge at this location and the craggy rocks in the hillside felt oh-so-Irish to me. xo

A Sweet Venice Beach Proposal

Just your average 9am on a Tuesday :)

So excited for these two… congratulations!

Angela Lewis Shines in First Time Parent Cover Spread

Angela Lewis has a spark and here it’s amazing to see it on the cover of First Time Parent magazine. She and her hubs Jamal, have a beautiful daughter Brooklyn who they are raising to be as strong, confident and compassionate as they are. Rise and shine baby girl! Parents are accustomed to playing a lot of roles but these two have a few more than the norm! Both working actors, you can find Angela on Snowfall FX as Aunt Louie! And Jamal Mallory McCree on Good Trouble & Homeland. I’m including here, a collection of photos from our shoot in Downtown Los Angeles. These two are an amazing team. xx

Proposal at El Matador Beach, Malibu

When Suchit visited El Matador beach on the Malibu coastline when he was little, he thought then that he would like to propose to his future wife there one day. Indeed he did. It was so special to be a part of this. They flew in from Chicago and she said yes. Congratulations to this glowing happy couple. xo!

Wadmalaw Island

South Carolina low country, Wadmalaw Island outside of Charleston, SC. This roll of medium format film had been sitting for a year! Nice to see this glimpse back in time now- and in this part of the country time stands still.

Maternity Session at Cabrillo Beach

I’ll note it wasn’t my suggestion for Jessica to sit down in the freezing waters of the Pacific at sunset- but those are the kind of clients I love! I also love how glassy the water looks when it’s just washed up on the sand, and the way the light reflects when the sun is low on the horizon. At nearly full term she was an amazing sport. (8 mo along + it was a cold day here in LA terms!) My 2nd maternity shoot with her, I had the pleasure of capturing her with her first baby, Jace, up the coast at Abalone Cove a couple years ago- then Jace as a newborn- and now the next one (a girl) on the way. I love developing these kind of relationships with clients and seeing how their families evolve from each shoot! - This shoot was freakin windy as well but we made that work for us! As well as those full moon vibes. :)

Location: Point Fermin Lighthouse and Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, CA.

A Family Session in Malibu

Sedona is now 11 mo and growing fast! I’m so glad we were able to do this photo shoot before she starts walking (and talking!)… I love the variety of looks we were able to fit in with Grace and Luke in just a couple hours. We started out by this incredible succulent backdrop near a beach access point on Malibu Dr. and then continued up the Pacific Coast Hwy until we reached El Matador Beach where we hiked down the cliff and captured golden hour and sunset. xx

Michele + Nick's Intimate Silverlake Wedding

Eight immediate family members, the groom’s brother officiating and all the distilled loveliness of a much bigger wedding. The Silverlake backyard was perfectly dreamy for a small ceremony and the cake was delicious. This was the sweetest day and I’m so excited for Michele & Nick’s future together. Congrats you two!

Vista Hermosa Maternity Session

I had the honor of photographing my beautiful and lovely friend Sharon and her husband Marco for their maternity shoot. The location was Vista Hermosa Park, a secretive lush pocket of greenery right beside the hustle of downtown LA. What’s most special about this park, though is that this is where the two got hitched! So it felt like everything came full circle in returning to these grassy lawns and sanctuary of trees. Oh- and as I just discovered… it’s a baby boy!

A Secret Malibu Proposal | El Matador Beach

This was beautiful! Fariz planned this out in secret while they would be traveling through LA from Canada… and he picked a beautiful location in El Matador Beach in Malibu, CA for the surprise. I was casually set up on my beach blanket and once the guitar player arrived, who just happened to play a favorite song of hers, I knew that was the cue! Fariz bent the knee… and Noreen said yes! And since it was a gorgeous golden hour we got some sweet sunset photos to follow :) xx

A Surprise Proposal in the Hills Above Griffith Observatory

Petr and his girlfriend were in town from Prague… He had supplied the coordinates for an overlook along the trails that climb up above the Griffith Observatory into the Hollywood Hills. The plan for a surprise sunset proposal was in action! A violinist who was also hired for this occasion also hiked up the mountain, and as we waited for them to arrive I took photos of her (the lovely Margarita Krein) as a ruse. It all worked beautifully. A philharmonic performance on a mountain top, an incredibly surprised/elated/stunned gf and some glowing photos to capture all but the sound in the air… Even I was surprised by how friggin beautiful the thing was!! And let there be no doubt, she said yes ;)

Shenandoah Mama

Lindsay on a canoe in the Shenandoah River with baby Jasper in tow. A few months later now and he’s safely out in the world and mama is too. Bodies are incredible, beautiful and resilient. Women, treasure yours and love it fully for all that it’s capable of! <3 35mm film.

Artist Profile: Jazzy

Switching gears like it’s no one’s business. I love it. Jasmine played pro ball for Germany and is now breaking onto the LA music scene. We had a great shoot in DTLA last Friday at Soundbite Warehouses. Follow her @jazzy_show_em

A Dreamy Backyard Wedding

Introducing Tanner & Charlie! These two lovebirds tied the knot on July 20th, 2019 in the backyard of Charlie’s family home. The day was so memorable- vibrant, loving, grounded, and exciting. They are an amazing match and they also were surrounded and supported by a most stylish (and sweet) entourage of a wedding party. (I loove the styles on these ladies!) Tanner herself was a dream, and that carried the tune for the day. So much to love here! XO