Well the holiday season is in full swing.  Anybody done with their holiday shopping yet?  I have barely started.  The only gifts I have bought so far are for my nieces.  It is so fun to shop for little girls, I just love being Auntie Bah Bah!!! Not sure about the rest of the family gifts, but at least I am off to a great start.

We have been busy finishing up our weddings for this year and now holiday portraits are the focus.  I love sharing family moments with my clients each year.  It amazes me how time flies as I see the kids grow another year older.   This part of my job is incredible as I never know what I am going to get when it comes to taking photos of children.  Yes, some days it is a lot of work, but a gratifying job at that.  I have learned over the years that the perfect photo of a child isn’t the one of them just looking at the camera and smiling.  They are the ones filled with moments.  A kiss, a walk, holding hands, a smirk, curiosity, being a ham, a look at the new baby in the family, trying to hold the new baby in the family.  These things happen and it is my job to capture that.  All of these moments convey the age and what personality your little one has at that time in their life.  Some kids may change over the years.  Others may display their personality in their childhood photo that stays with them for a lifetime.  Whatever the moment is, you can hold onto it for the rest of your life!

This year we had the opportunity to shoot one of our favorite families at The Mission in San Juan Capistrano!  Sean and Jessica are friends of ours and we have been taking their family photos for a few years now.  This year they have a new addition, daughter Norah who is 6 months.  Their son Foster started school at The Mission.  It has been a big year for their family, so we needed a special spot.  Indeed The Mission was a spectacular place to do their family photos this year.  I just loved it!  I was like a kid in a candy shop.  The walls, fountains, stone, archways…just amazing.  I think everyone had a great time at The Mission as well as a nice shot for their holiday card this year.

Thanks Andersen Family!

The kids, a 4 year old, 2 year old and Baby Norah who is 6 months!  All three kids in the photo and no one is screaming!  🙂

Foster and Josie, these two are so adorable!

Little Norah

I love Foster’s GQ pose in this shot.

Josie checking out the fountain.  Don’t you just love her holiday dress?  Love the bow!

Foster checking out the fish in the fountain!

Walking!

Day 3 of our Holiday Portrait Series features Tony, Jeanette and Anthony.  We have been long time friends with Tony and Jeanette, in fact Jeff has known Tony since they were kids.  Now these kids have kids!  Crazy how time flies.  We just love Anthony and it has been fun to watch him grow.  At 3 years old, he is a ball full of energy and just as cute as can be.  We had fun in the park shooting their holiday portraits…we even took a ride on the rain at Irvine Park for a couple pics!  Happy Holidays to our dear friends!  Thank you for sharing your family with us.  Cheers+Love, J+D

Anthony riding the train at Irvine Park

Anthony…just being cool!  Another one of my Gap Ad Photography Shots!