{Engagement Shoot} Heather & Steven

“She says she’s camera-shy, but now I don’t know if I believe her.”

Steven was happy to tease his wife-to-be, Heather, on Saturday as she worked the camera. We did this shoot at the Los Angeles Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles, the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Music Center.

Heather and Steven had such an easygoing way with each other that you could see the sheer joy they have in each other’s presence. Apart from the teasing, Steven was a very willing participant in this engagement shoot, helping Heather positively shine. A wonderful combination, their love and spirit made this a great morning for us.

Thank you Heather & Steven! We can’t wait to shoot your wedding!

For the rest of the slideshow, CLICK HERE!

{Tanaya} Fun with Point and Shoots

195 of 365, originally uploaded by LA Wahine.

You don’t always have to have the biggest and most expensive equipment to take stunning photographs. Here is an example from my 365 project of a photo I took using my Canon Power Shot. I actually manipulated the color by diffusing the flash with the palm of my hand. Doing this gave the images a rich ruby color. Other than cropping the image, no other effects or editing was used. I played around with a lot of different things to diffuse the flash, at one point I tried using some thick green glass. I actually find it really fun to experiment with my point and shoot because it is more limited.

Plus, as they say, your best camera is the camera you have with you and I never leave home without my trusty point and shoot.

{Engagement Preview} DTLA

I have lived in Downtown LA for four years and while Tanaya and I have done several shoots down here for headshots and promotional work, we have yet to do an engagement shoot here. We were excited to meet Heather and Steven because they were willing to make the trip to Los Angeles for a Saturday morning shoot. Their shoot took place at the Central Library, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Music Center.

Just a little sneak preview…

{Engagement Shoot} Aroxie & Brian

Aroxie and I tried to arrange this engagement shoot for two months. Finally, after the third failed attempt, she sent me an email saying that perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be. She decided to forego the engagement photos and concentrate on the wedding day.

When we met to discuss her wedding, she mentioned a trip she and Brian took to his grandmother’s home in Florida. She said that if she could she would do her engagement photos there. Knowing that it was impossible, she said that she would like to try again and that she was looking for something that looked like a “Secret Garden.”

It was a dreary, gray morning, and I was a little sad that we wouldn’t have a bright blue backdrop of the sky, but the haze burned off pretty quickly and we were able to get some very nice shots.

I can’t wait for their August wedding!

For more pictures, check out the SLIDESHOW HERE!

{Baby Shoot} Sterling’s 1st Birthday

A year ago, I had the pleasure of doing a newborn shoot of Sterling just a couple of weeks after his birth. He was such a cute little baby, and we’ve had the opportunity to do some family portraits in the past year, but I was beyond delighted when we were asked to do portraits for his 1st birthday.

Sterling is just about the cutest little boy, and he’s filled with beautiful energy that he inherited from his beautiful mother and a calm, confidence that is clearly his father’s. I spent a couple of hours with Sterling on the rooftop of his parents’ apartment building, playing around with some toys and watching him climb up stairs.

Just taking a stroll on a rooftop. Here, he's listening carefully to dad's directions.

He's just the happiest little boy!

And always intrigued by things....like dad's Blackberry.

Future musician! Talent runs in the family, and he's already singing!

Back into the same rocking chair we shot with him and mom a year ago!