eliza j. photography

Wall & Call: Engagement Session Newport Beach Photographer

2012-01-31T22:10:00.000-08:00

So. much. fun these two..

Call them what you will-Wall & Call, Jen and Chan, Chanifer...

I call them lovely.

Chandler and Jen were the perfect couple to photograph. You'll be able to tell by all the photo vomit you're about to read up on ;-) Narrowing down is not my forte and needless to say these two didn't really improve that situation....

SO excited for their wedding in May!

Also exciting- my cousin Jeanette made this darling stop motion video for the duo's wedding. We will be teaming up for future events and she will soon be offering stop motion videos for all my clients! Family sessions included so stay tuned and check out her awesome video

here and here

Miracle Baby: Orange County Photographer

2012-01-26T08:50:00.000-08:00

Meet baby David.

He is nothing short of a miracle.

When mama Jess (my besty) was just nearing the end of her pregnancy, she went in for her last routine ultra-sound before baby boy was to arrive. Following the test she was told that there was water in the back of the brain and also in his right lung and that she was now considered a high risk pregnancy. Shocked and confused, the days that followed were grey and dark, to say the least. At times they wondered whether their little boy would even survive and if he did, they worried what the consequences might be. They were told everything from downs syndrome to maybe even close to dead at one point. As I watched these two beautiful parents struggle through this process, I was so overwhelmed with peace. The two of them did not not hesitate or step back-they just moved forward with faith and I watched in complete awe. They were both so strong, so vibrant, and knew that even if their son was born with a formality that it would be something they could handle.

It was then concluded that Baby David would in fact, have what they called the "Dandy Walker Variant." This meant that there was an absence of a vermis which leaves a build up of water in the 4th ventricle of the brain and effects the cerebellum (or fine motor skills and balance.) There was such a wide variety of conclusions and outcomes with the Dandy Walker disease that they really didn't know what to expect. You could have someone who has handicaps like trouble walking and slower in some areas of development, or you may have people who go through their lives being confined to a wheelchair. They knew for sure that the first year of his life, they would have to make sure the water on his brain didn't increase and that meant taking any measure to prevent that. Jessica continued to have testing done 3 times a week until the baby came and we all held our breath and waited until he arrived...

Sure enough, come baby day, David was born healthy, lively, perfectly devoid of any complications and beautiful as can be. Not one thing could be found wrong with him. He was perfect head to toe and truly

nothing short of a miracle.

Love you to the moon and back Howell family.

“And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.”

(Morm. 9:11, 18–19.)

Love

2012-01-15T23:12:00.000-08:00

To say I'm in love with this couple would be a massive understatement...

More coming soon...

My Babies

2012-01-09T20:53:00.001-08:00

Taking a moment to reflect on my babies today

I can't believe Cash is already 4 months old!

These two love each other...it's pretty special

Nikki Bohne: Orange County Fashion Photographer

2012-01-09T16:26:00.000-08:00

Alright peeps, hang onto your seats...

This girl is a total knock out!

This is my dear friend Nikki Bohne. She's basically everything in a nutshell. Singer, dancer, performer, fashionista, friend, companion, and everything else lovely you ever wanted to be. Nikki is currently starring in the Broadway musical "Bring It On" and was most recently spotted as Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde" the musical.

I told you she was fancy :-)

Not ONLY is she gifted musically, but check out her killer wardrobe??? Who IS she???

She recently started her own fashion blog and you can follow her here at Carry On Couture.

Check out Miss Nikki.

The King Clain: Orange County Photographer

2012-01-09T14:30:00.000-08:00

Alright, enough is ENOUGH!

These kids are outrageous. It doesn't get much sweeter than this.

The Turleys: Orange County Family Photographer

2012-01-06T17:15:00.000-08:00

Another favorite!!! These are some of our greatest friends from college. We have so many fun memories with them. Memories that still make my stomach hurt with laughter!

Pure joy photographing their sweet family.

Sanchez Family: Orange County Family Photographer

2012-01-05T20:54:00.001-08:00

I think it's safe to say this was my favorite session of the season...

Check it out.

The Battles: Utah Family Photographer

2012-01-03T11:24:00.000-08:00

Meet the beautiful Battles bunch :-)

Tamara and Eric are our best friends. Tamara was my college roommate and my husband Chris is now working with Eric at the same company. Our girls love each other and our boys are destined to. There's no getting around it, we love these guys!

We actually took these photos at my parents house in Alpine, UT while I was home for Thanksgiving. The setting was perfect, and the neighbors even let us use their corn field JUST before they tore it down! What a treat!

The Broadbents: Utah Family Photographer

2012-01-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts of going home is reuniting with old friends! I was so thrilled I got to take my dear friend Lindsay's photos of her family and her sweet newborn. How precious are little babies in the home? They bring such a spirit of calm and peace...And then in the blink of an eye they are toddlers! SO happy we captured these soft, sweet moments while little Scarlett was still so fresh and new :-)

The Taylors: Orange COunty Family Photographer

2012-01-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

Absolutely, positively one of my favorite families to photograph.

Obsessed with them. Look at these pictures, and you will see why :-)

It would be really hard to hate these guys :-)

And CONGRATS to Kendra who had a beautiful baby GIRL!!!!!

Paige Hartley Taylor born 12.16.2011 at 6:11 p.m.

The Necaise Family: Orange County Family Photographer

2011-12-30T16:56:00.000-08:00

I photographed this family last year and I hope to do it again, and again, and again....and again....

To die for.

The O'Connels: Orange County Family Photographer

2011-12-30T16:52:00.000-08:00

Loved this cute family to help kick off the holiday photo madness!! And yes, she is pregnant. You literally cannot even tell. She looks like she ate a cheeseburger.

So jealous.

The Fragner Family: Orange County Family Photographer

2011-11-18T17:14:00.000-08:00

I love it when clients return year after year. These lovelies are no exception! Sweetest Maddie girl is one of my absolute favorite people and always such a joy to photograph! She has the sweetest disposition and is always the most cheerful thing! Her parents are nothing short of angelic either and I have so loved getting to know their darling family. That is one of the blessings about my job is that I get to form long lasting relationships with wonderful people.

Love you Fragner family!

The Jardine Clan-Laguna Beach Photographer

2011-11-17T19:44:00.001-08:00

Can I just tell you how bummed I was when it was POURING on the day we were supposed to shoot?

These lovelies were visiting from Utah and happen to be some of my very favorite people on earth-really.

So unfortunately we had to re-schedule, and in some bright midday sun but these guys were such good sports! Dad couldn't make it this trip (we missed you Stan!) but I am sure he will find his way into these photos via photoshop ;-)

Take a peek at our beautiful sun-shiney day in Laguna.

Love you guys! Thanks for being so flexible and for being such good sports!

xoxo

The Jorgensen Clan: Orange County Family Photographer

2011-11-10T16:53:00.000-08:00

Love, love, love this little bunch...

Believe it or not, the whole lot of em' caught the stomach flu just moments after these pictures were taken. Can you say good sports?? They did terrific! Kids included. I couldn't believe they were sick!

So fun getting the Christmas spirit going with all these family pictures recently!

Thanks for being so awesome, even with sick tummies!

The Allebests: Orange County Family Photographer

2011-11-01T21:47:00.000-07:00

I had such a great time photographing this little trio...

Noelle is my dear friend and I just love her kiddos. These photos are classic because this is literally what the girls look like all the time. Those cute little squinty eyes, coy smiles and giggles. They are so darling. It is such a special thing for me to capture the bond between a mother and her children. Noelle's husband is quite the champ I might add, but this was just special mommy daughter time ;-)

SO grateful and happy we did this. Such special moments.

Enjoy.

My love...

2011-10-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

Introducing

Cash Kendall Johnson

7 lbs. 8 oz.

19 inches long

pure joy.

This little guy made his debut into the world right on time!! I couldn't believe it! My daughter was 2 weeks early and 5 lbs 10 oz. so I was anticipating an early, and small baby! BUT much to my surprise, this little guy came exactly on my scheduled c-section date weighing nearly 2 pounds more than Eliza!

My first baby was breech (much to my amazement-that was a surprise!) and my water had already broken and I was in active labor, so naturally-I had a c-section. Well this time around, I had really contemplated having a v-bac since there were no complications with my last pregnancy. After much thought and prayer with my husband, we both decided a repeat c-section would be our best option. After that, my doctor decided not to do any more pelvic exams since it didn't really matter where his head was!

Well, much to my surprise, again, this little guy was breech as well! Exact same position as his sissy and turns out-I've just got a uterus that likes to bend my children in half ;-) We felt so blessed and so grateful that the Lord had guided us in that direction so that we were prepared. It was a tremendous blessing.

Since his arrival, we have been 100 mph ever since! With a 3 year old in the mix, things have been quite complicated I won't lie. She is a busy one!! But she loves her brother....She constantly gives him his bottle, asks to hold him, kisses his forehead and wants to help me change his diaper. Really she has been much more mature about things than I had anticipated, so no complaining here!

And this little man, is God's gift to our family. SO very well behaved. Only cries when he is hungry, constantly wants to be held and loved (twist my arm) and has already had a few 5-6 hour stretches of sleep at night!

Little angel.

Welcome to our family baby Cash.

And a Johnson baby wouldn't be complete without his own mini photo shoot ;-)

Love you little bird!!

More photo shoots to catch up on. I'll be back soon ;-)

Brett and Michelle Married: Orange County Wedding Photographer

2011-10-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hey! Did ya miss me??

It's been a while since I last posted and things have been busy at our house with a new baby!

Post coming on that soon :-)

In the meantime, here are some pics from Brett and Michelle's beautiful wedding. It was such a treat to photograph them. They are my absolute favorite people. It was a perfect day! And a HUGE thank you to Brooke who assisted me with this wedding!

Newport Beach Temple

Reception: Ladera Ranch, CA

And they lived happily ever after...

The End.

The Smith Family: Orange County Family Photographer

2011-09-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

This may be one of my very favorite families of all time to photograph. They are SO darling. I could just squish these girls.

Taisia (the mama) is extremely talented and has 2 of her own etsy shops! You ABSOLUTELY have to stop by. I was thrilled beyond belief to receive some of her goodies in the mail a while back and have been "oohing" and "aahhing" over them ever since!!

Check her out here and here. I can't wait to photograph my little cutie wearing these goods! I will do another post on that later ;-)

On to the Smith family! Take a peek at our day in Laguna. So much fun!

Are they beautiful or what?? It's almost ridiculous...

Thank you to the moon and back for playing with me on the beach. You guys are perfect.

xoxo

Check It Out!

2011-08-30T13:49:00.001-07:00

http://zozobugbabyblog.com/2011/08/29/big-photographer-giveaway/#comment-603

Click on the above link to see this awesome giveaway for photographers!! If you win, I will be super jealous, but I'll still love ya ;-)

Baby Hudson: Orange County Newborn Photographer

2011-08-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

You might remember David and Taryn from their awesome maternity shoot in Huntington Beach a while back. I fell in love with these two the second I met them, and now that baby Hudson is thrown in the mix-I'm over the moon!!

This shoot made me soooo excited for my own little man to arrive. Isn't he delish? And his strawberry swirl is just to die for...

Take a peek

Absolute perfection.

Thanks you guys

Mortensen Kids: Orange County Children's Photographer

2011-08-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore these kids. When I was first married, I used to babysit the two oldest. It's so SO crazy to me how grown up they have become and what can happen in just a few short years! Now I am a mother to my own children and I get to come back and visit these little cuties :-)

We took these at a friends house in her garden. Isn't it amazing??

They absolutely melt my heart! Love you guys!

Heugly Family: Orange County Family Photographer

2011-08-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

It was so fun for me to get to spend time with this darling family. They were here visiting Orange County from Salt Lake City (my home town woop woop!) and it was seriously a blast watching them interact as an extended family. Large family groups are always extremely difficult because there is just so much more to work with! More bodies, more personalities, more kids etc...

We had a little guy who REALLY really didn't want to have his pictures taken. Bless his heart. What boy really does enjoy having their photos taken?? Let alone a toddler who would much rather be playing at the beach than posing on it!!

But by the end, we even got some smiles out of him! See if you can spot him ;-)

Love it. Sometimes tough at first, but always smiles at the end :-)

Thank you Heugly Family!

John and Caitland: Orange County Wedding Photographer

2011-08-09T22:22:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhh....let me start by saying I adored this wedding.

Everything about it.

Even the house..John (dad john) had asked me to take some photos of the house while I was there and happily I obliged! They had never had anyone photograph it and there is SO much to be taken in there. Seriously couldn't get over the beauty of it.

So the first part is dedicated to the one I love..

Beautiful. And that's not even the half of it.

And now for the wedding :-)

Loving all these summer weddings!

Thanks John & Cate! Happiness and love to you both

And a HUGE shout out to my friend Brooke Bakken for second shooting with me!! Check her out here.

Flew all the way from Utah to help me shoot that crazy weekend! Love her!

Ward/Larsen Wedding: Orange County Wedding Photographer

2011-08-09T17:09:00.000-07:00

Remember David and Jessica??

Well their wedding was a hit. Loved spending the day with them and getting to know them a little bit better. They were married in the Newport Beach, LDS temple and had their reception in Aliso Viejo at the Glenwood Golf Course.

And I absolutely cannot fail to mention Mrs. Kathy Jo Peterson who was their exquisite wedding planner. You can see more of her work here.

What a beautiful pink wedding on a beautiful summer day.

Beware: major photo overload....

Part I: Newport Beach Temple Wedding Ceremony

This is baby sister. We called her Pippa for the day ;-)

Part II: The Golf Course

Part III: The Reception

Oh what a night!

Thanks for letting me be a part of it! Everything was spectacular and I loved being there to share it with you!

Have a happy, blissful first year you two! And many more to come...

Jeff and Tia Married: Salt Lake City Wedding Photographer

2011-08-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

You may remember this couple from a while back! I shot their engagements here in Laguna and Jeff, the groom, is my cousin and all-time greatest childhood friend. I was lucky enough to shoot their intimate wedding in Salt Lake in April. Take a peek at their special day!

The Reception: Zions National Tower, Salt Lake City, UT

Love you two!! Thanks for letting me be a part of your special day!

xoxo

Alyson and Mike Part 2: Orange County Wedding Photographer

2011-08-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

Well I died a little bit, but I'm trying to make a come back on the blog!!

Things have been so busy with summer photo shoots, and vacations, and being pregnant, I've completely neglected my blog. But here is part 2 of Alyson and Mike's beautiful summer wedding.

Bridal Session: Balboa Fun Zone, Newport Beach

2011-07-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

Remember these two from here and here??

Well we met up after their engagement session for a little bridal/groomal session at the Balboa Fun Zone..and fun it was!! We even conned 3 random citizens into riding the ferris wheel with us just so we could "even it out" as the ticket master would say ;-)

LOVE doing bridal sessions. Wish we could do this every day!!

This is going to be long-I warn you!

Part I-Fun Zone

Part II- The Pier

The lighting was positively dreamy... Loving these last few shots of them together with the incredible sun flare!! I love beach sunsets!!

More of their wedding to come-aren't these two pretty to look at??

The Lefrandt Family: Salt Lake City Family Photographer

2011-06-29T08:59:00.001-07:00

This is my beautiful family....

Well, not actually MINE of course, but they are my cousins. They were pretty much adopted siblings growing up and really there is a fuzzy line between whether Aunt Diane (diamond) is my parent or not ;-)

This family is extra, extra special. You will notice not everyone is here...there is a special person missing from each photo, and that person has found a special spot in heaven where he can better look over his precious family. My uncle Harold passed away a few years ago from cancer. I actually had 2 uncles who were diagnosed with cancer in the same week, and both have since passed on. But there is something important to be said about the women of these families (both of which have 7 children) It takes a special woman to be able to bear the burdens of "widowhood" and I mean that in the utmost respect. I truly believe God does not give us burdens we cannot bear, and because he knew these women and these children were strong enough to do it, they have been blessed tremendously in their faith and their efforts of becoming unified families. I have no doubt in my mind my uncles look down with pride on their sweet, ever growing, ever changing families.

They truly are never alone, and we have all felt that.

Praise to those men who helped to raise such beautiful children.

It was a freezing day in Alpine, UT in the middle of January or something wild like that. I cannot even express to you how unbearably cold it was. We had to jog in place between shots to avoid freezer burn. Not only that, but the wind was blowing like a tornado was on the brink. Really....I can't think of more unfortunate weather circumstances, ha! I was miserable and every time I pressed down on the shutter to snap a photo, it froze there...so we got a LOT of pictures!

Enjoy this remarkably talented, modelesque, Ralph Lauren ad-I take no credit. I had beautiful subjects ;-)

These two are twins. Would you ever guess it?? ;-)

And one more, for good measure.

I love you crazies!!

Alyson and Mike Part 1: Orange County Wedding Photographer

2011-06-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun day...

Alyson and Mike are SO easy going. I even ended up being their chauffeur for the day because they didn't have their own car-And with all that driving and chatting, came to find out that Mike grew up just 10 minutes away from me and went to my rival high school :-) What a small world.

SO with all their laid backness and wedding bliss-they opted to let me drive them into a random field, in their wedding attire, and play around a bit. Could they be any cuter???

I love it when a bride doesn't mind roaming through the forest in her heels and white wedding dress...Such a trooper.

More coming from this awesome day soon-here was our beautiful morning together at the LDS Newport Beach Temple and the flower forest ;-)

So bright and cheerful, just like them! Loved all the orange and green.

Their beautiful reception soon to follow :-)

Growing.

2011-06-24T22:09:00.000-07:00

With all this stomach expansion, I've been having a hard time keeping up!!

A little slow to post on the blog as of late.

But not to fear, lots coming soon!!

Baby bump-28 weeks and growing

:-)

Baby Brusky: Orange County Photographer

2011-06-15T23:01:00.000-07:00

I know, right? You love her? You want to be her? Your body doesn't even look that good when you have been dieting and working out and she's due any day now???

Tell me about it.

Rachel has actually been on pretty strict bed rest because she has been contracting regularly-but of course, she was a super trooper and so was her husband and not only did they come for photos-they came SO well prepared. Her husband takes the medal for most supportive. I loved him. And Rachel??

She was climbing up rocks, rolling around in freezing cold water..you know, the works.

Don't tell her doctor ;-)

but I think the results, are totally worth the effort.

Don't you?

Taryn and David: Hunting Beach, CA

2011-06-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

Remember the little sneak peek I gave you of these two lovelies? Well, here they are in all their maternal glory ;-)

Taryn is such a beautiful momma already. You can hardly even see that little bump!! So excited for baby Hudson to make his debut. No doubt he'll have great style with two former Nordstrom employees and a now Van's representative. Such a cool couple, inside and out.

Her hair, right? It's unreal.

SO fun you guys. Thanks for hanging out with me for a couple of hours

All the best to you two.

Baby Hudson is sure to have the most rocking kicks around ;-)

Refer a Friend Discount!!

2011-05-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a new program just in time for the holiday rush this year!

Since I won't be shooting after September-remember to book your holiday photo sessions EARLY this year! I only have limited spots available and things are starting to fill up!

I've just been advised to be on modified bed rest with my pregnancy, so I won't be taking quite as many clients for the holidays this year, so make sure to book your appointment soon ;-)

David and Jessica Married Preview

2011-05-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

Remember David and Jessica's engagements (here) ?? Well they're big day was spectacular. This was the last (mostly) of my May weddings.

Just a small peek until the final post! Enjoy!

Caitland and John Preview

2011-05-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

So many weddings this month! It's been so fun seeing all these girls different tastes. This wedding was absolutely stunning....

Hopefully this can hold you over for a little while ;-)

Brett and Michelle Sneak Peek

2011-05-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

Remember Brett and Michelle?? (here)

Here was their beautiful coral pink and lime green wedding ;-)

More coming soon.

Murphy, Jylare and Scarlett: Orange County Family Photographer

2011-05-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

I had the awesome opportunity of photographing this sweet family a few weeks ago. Jylare, the beautiful mama, is a wonderful photographer herself! You can check her out here.

It's always fun getting to swap photo sessions with photog friends because the exchange is is more than just photos. It's a learning process. Jylare commented that she feels so shy in front of the camera, and I totally know the feeling!! It's a little odd when you aren't the one snapping pictures anymore ;-)

Lucky for her-she didn't even have to try. Aren't they lovely??

So excited to have her take my maternity pictures next month!

Thanks girl. xoxo

So, so beautiful. Loved it.

Jeff and Tia Married

2011-05-25T15:43:00.000-07:00

Just a little sneak peak from Jeff a& Tia's wedding in April.

More coming-I love my family.

Paradise

2011-05-19T23:28:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the absence...

We just spent a week in Mexico.

I miss it already....

Back at work! I'll be posting lots of fun sessions soon, so keep tuning in ;-)

Baby Addie: Orange County Newborn Photography

2011-05-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

Little baby Addie is such a gem...Can you believe what a trooper she was for just being a couple weeks old and trekking it out in the forest? Seriously, she deserves a medal.

Initially we were worried this day was going to be gloomy with a chance of rain! To my hearts content, the sunshine came out and the sky was literally so blue it looked fake. You can see for yourself. Gorgeous day, gorgeous mama, gorgeous baby.

What a treat!!

My little day troopers!! Thanks so much girls! You were great sports!

Brett and Michelle Engaged

2011-05-03T17:07:00.001-07:00

These two are so perfect for each other. Let's just get that out of the way...

While I was with them I kept thinking about how well they balance each other out and how they will only learn more about each other as they grow. It's such an exciting stage of life.

I'm so excited to shoot this couples wedding this weekend AND to post their adorable bridals we did at the Balboa Fun Zone! Such a fun pair!

More coming soon..

Aren't they darling?

Growing Up.

2011-05-02T21:34:00.001-07:00

This really is not photography related at all, but I just put together this design board for my daughters "big girl room." Wondering how parents make the change?

We were thinking of letting her spend the day away from home so we could knock it all out in one afternoon and when she comes home...SURPRISE! Maybe it will make the transition a little more exciting? How do you keep a toddler in bed!?!? Lol. We are learning as we go.

Hopefully her room will turn out a little bit like this...

Bright and cheerful. Just the way we like it ;-)

David and Jessica Engagements

2011-04-30T02:05:00.001-07:00

Are you ready people?

You know how I can't narrow down....

Get excited to see these two on their special day coming up in a couple of weeks!!!

Love it. Love these two.

So excited for their wedding.

Josie Turns 1-Orange County Children's Photographer

2011-04-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of shooting this adorable girls family a while back and just fell in loooove with the Lovegrens. Lucky for me, Josie came back to visit for her 1-year old photos and she was SO happy!!! She seriously smiled almost the entire time (except when we put her in weird, dirty, itchy grass up to your eyeballs type of places) She was such a good sport!

Check out our day in San Juan

Just look at the chub on those rolls....

to.die.for.

She LOVED her cupcake.

Can ya tell??

Happy Easter Sunshine

2011-04-25T23:33:00.000-07:00

Hope your Easter was as bright and blooming as ours was...

Wishing you warmth and sunshine always

Love,

The Johnsons

Chris, Tiffany, Eliza and baby bun

The Lee Family: Salt Lake City Photography

2011-04-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

This is my incredible sister and her darling family...

Aren't I lucky? Well unluckily for them, I am JUST NOW getting around to posting these! These were taken way back in December, can ya tell??

Makes me want to get all cozy by a fire again and it's basically summer!

I felt so lucky to be a part of them for the day. I mean, I always am, but capturing them in photos was just unreal for me. I kept tearing up as I was editing these just remembering how much I miss them. Lucky for me, I'll see them this weekend!!

Wahoo!!

Take a peak!

My sister has the most INCREDIBLE voice...Her resume is out of this world and her talent is off the charts. It's no wonder little Reve turns to better in her arms ;-)

OOOoooooo I just love you to the moon and back.

I'm so glad we get to be best friends forever.

I'd die without you.

Thanks for texting and giggling over funny memories this week. You light up my life.

Both of you.

All my heart and soul,

your little sister

Coming Up!

2011-04-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things coming up in the next little bit! One of them being my very own baby ;-)

Since I am due the second week of September, please take note that I will not be accepting or doing any photo shoots from Sept.1-Jan.1.

That being said, I realize this is right in the midst of Christmas time traffic for holiday photos! If you would like to book a session for holiday photos this year, please do so before September! I will be out of commission after that and accepting new sessions come January, with a little bundle of love in my arms ;-)

Now that we got through all that mumbo jumbo, take a peak at what's coming up!

Josie's one year old birthday

David and Jessica's engagements

Precious baby Addie and her mama

Alyson and Mike's wedding

Max and the Bermudez family

Michelle and Brett's engagements

And the beautiful Smith Family

So many fun sessions to post in the next little while

Until then, I'm off to Utah for Jeff & Tia's wedding!

The Necaise Family: Orange County Family Photography

2011-04-18T16:32:00.000-07:00

This family made the trek up from San Diego and it was so fun for me to get to spend the evening with them!! We had debated back and forth the entire day about whether it would rain or not and OF COURSE, the second they pull up, the sun comes out. It was SO perfect! The weather was totally perfect. Beautiful sunlight just for this precious family..

Are these kids ridiculous?? I swear, I want to adopt all of them. And their little personalities are just so evident in all of these pictures. I did not give them any direction!! All that posing you see?? That was pure genius from the kids. Such a treat!

Aren't they luscious? S0rry for the photo vomit..

They were just so darn cute!

Beautiful Baby Harper: Orange County Newborn Photography

2011-04-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Katie (little miss Harper's mama) just so happens to be my fabulous hair stylist. Seriously, if you ever need your hair done-she is the best around. I kid you not. But don't judge by my every so often mousy brown do (i once colored my hair brown out of a box)

If my hair looks good-Katie takes the credit!

here is her website

NOW-look at this little beaut....

I have been so lucky to have all these newborns lately! And there are more coming as well!

Spring is definitely in the air and this little angel was just so sweet.

Big brother Ryder really didn't want much to do with pictures, but we finagled him into some anyways ;-)

Soft, sweet little angle dear. Such a treat to nestle up to you for the day.

She finally tuckered out at the very end.

We wore her out!!

Sleeping babies are positively dreamy...

The baby hunger is just getting more intense by the minute!!

Thank you Hoffman family! Such a special treat

~ xoxo

Bakken Clan-Orange County Family Photographer

2011-04-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

Brooke and I met in a very round about way. She and my husband were actually good friends in college which is initially what brought us together. However, over the years we have become closer and especially in the past year since Brookie has started her own photography business! I am so thrilled that she will actually be flying out here in May to help assist me in a couple of weddings! You can check her stuff out here.

Brooke and her family were here visiting a couple months back and we went to downtown San Juan to capture some memories ;-)

Is her little boy the cutest thing ever? He was smiling NON STOP! I get heart burn just looking at it-I'm so excited to be having a little BOY!!!!

Check it out

Does he not just make your heart melt???

Such a treat to be with you guys. Thanks for everything!

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

2011-04-06T17:24:00.000-07:00

And the winner is....

ASHLEY HENRY!!!!

Congrats Ashley girl-Audra will be in touch with you about your headband!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:8Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Baby Lauren: Orange County Newborn Photographer

2011-04-04T20:40:00.001-07:00

Okay so listen....

I haven't been one for newborn photos. There, I said it. For whatever reason, they just don't delight me. Not that the newborns aren't fantastic to look at because trust me, I could snuggle baby breath all day LONG! But trying to get them to be happy, and comfortable, and not crying, or trying to stay asleep, or keeping a diaper dry or blah blee blah blah

It's just a little exhausting don't you agree? If you don't, maybe I'm just a pouty face but my patience is tested every time.

UNTIL!!!!!!

I met baby Lauren.

The absolute

most magnificent

well behaved

well fed

well loved

sleepy

pretty

softy

baby girl on the planet earth

Never ONCE did she make a peep!

Never ONCE did she wake up!!

Never once did she get mad when we took her clothes of and propped her itty bitty hands under her chin

nope

Best. kid. EVER!!

I took the Binge's photos when they were applying for the adoption agency a while back. To my most happy astonishment, soon after they received this little package.

Worth the wait for every darn minute, wouldn't you say? And they are just so deserving..Such wonderful people and beautiful new parents.

I am so insanely happy for you Binge family. You are indeed well blessed with this little one here.

She is an angel from heaven. I kid you not. She just glowed. I love her.

What?!?!?!?!

Are you as astonished as I am??

I was in disbelief the entire session, and even now I can't believe how sleepy and well behaved she was.

Not even an eye open!!

OOooo she is positively dreamy.

Make sure my next one comes out like that k?? ;-)

I love you baby Lauren. You have invisible wings.

I just know it.

GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-04-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

My dear and talented friend and new contributor to this blog is doing an awesome GIVEAWAY!! Audra makes the most unbelievable vintage inspired headbands and I have seen these other places for twice the price, so you are getting a total deal here!

She is giving away this adorable cotton candy headband pictured below to one of my readers!

To enter the giveaway, simply visit her shop here , then come back and leave a comment telling me which headband is your favorite!

the winner will be chosen at random and announced by Wednesday night!

Happy shopping!!

*(Here is my little diva sporting one of audra's treasures! We love love loooooooove it!!)

You can find her button at the bottom of this page for future reference ;-)

Jeff and Tia Engagements: Laguna Beach Photographer

2011-03-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

Jeff has been one of my best friends since as early as I can remember. We used to roam the fields behind his house in Draper and use our wild imaginations to play games or make believe something crazy. We used to build tree houses in my parents back yard in Fresno with 3 stories and doors that opened and closed (you couldn't sit up all the way without hitting your head, but we were really proud.) We used to catch frogs and have races to see who was the fastest, or strongest. We have the craziest memories and I cherish every single one of them.

I most of all cherish that this awesome, handsome stellar dude is my dear cousin and that he is getting married to one of the most endearing women I have ever met.

Tia is so perfect for Jeff.

I absolutely, positively cannot wait to shoot their wedding in Salt Lake in April.

Take a peek at our day at the Montage beach in Laguna.

Little Miss Sophie-Orange County Children's Photographer

2011-03-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

Lucky for me, these sweet little girls are related to me. My cousin and his darling wife, who happened to be my dear friend long before they met, have these two adorable babes and came to visit a while back. We snapped these photos of them (but mostly Sophie) at my house one day while they were visiting. I really wasn't expecting the outcome to be what it did, but turns out my house has great lighting! Hooray!

Happy, happy babies!! Love them to the moon and back!

The Henry's: San Diego Family Photographer

2011-03-22T18:21:00.000-07:00

Oh mercy me...

It has taken me nearly a decade to finish these photos and finally put them up on the blog, but you'll see why.

Narrowing down just a few was not an option. To say the least. This family is ridiculous and not only are they just insanely beautiful with a wardrobe to boot, but they are simply the most genuine people on the earth. Ashley is a dear photographer friend (check her out here!) and we met up simply because of our craft-such an awesome, awesome thing. And now we are dear friends and I just love her stinkin guts.

Now let's get to the good stuff...

Our day in Ocean Side, Ca. Doesn't get much better.

Aren't they amazing?? And was the beach beautiful that day or what? And weren't their outfits so cute??

I loved it, and I love these people!

And he secretly reminds you of Justin Timberlake, you know it.

The Shiners Family: Orange County Family Photography

2011-03-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore these people...I can't believe it's taken me THIS long to post these pictures up! I took photos of this beautiful mama's clothing line a while back and just fell in love with her as a person, and her BEAUTIFUL daughters. These two little ladies are adopted and so well worth the wait in their parents opinions ;-) Mine too.

Could these guys be any cooler? We just hung out in downtown San Juan for the day and walked around. I loved that they let me capture them just being them.

Always a treat to be with you Shiners. All my love...

Oakley family: San Diego County Newborn Photographer

2011-03-02T22:12:00.000-08:00

Well it's no secret that I am a stranger to this blog...

All within good reason, I assure you.

What with my daughter dislocating her arm, my family coming in and out of town, my grandmother passing away, a funeral this Saturday, five jillion photo shoots to edit, morning sickness and a car that broke down and had to be in the shop for 3 days.

You can imagine how I've gotten nothing done, right?

I need a little confirmation, obviously.

Regardless! I am intent on catching up! And it starts tonight! Here I announce the birth of the beautiful baby Grace.

She's literally perfect. Her features are amazingly tiny and proportionate. Her eyes are twinkly and magical. Her nose is small as a button and she smells like roses.

Perfect. I love her.

And I loooooo uh uh UHV this family! Some of the greatest clients ever.

Take a peek.

I told you she was perfect....

Christensen Clan: Salt Lake City Family Photographer

2011-02-19T09:12:00.000-08:00

If you are thinking to yourself right now that this is the most beautiful family of all time,

you're a smarty pants.

You either love em, or you hate em, because you really want to BE them.

This is my brother and his beautiful family. I just love and adore them to the ends of the earth. When I was in Utah last, I had the wonderful opportunity to take pictures for them and some of my other siblings, which will be coming soon! I'm so fortunate and so blessed to have such a wonderful family! No one loves their siblings more than we love each other...

I assure you.

Take a look at this AMAZING session at Westminster College in downtown Salt Lake.

True love.

New Website

2011-02-11T16:36:00.000-08:00

Have I told you about the new website?

Well, if I haven't, I am now :-)

I launched the site a little while back and I'm thrilled with the results. It's everything I could have ever wanted, and then some.

You can now set this has your home page, your photography bookmarks, your favorite site

hah! only teasing, but just a little

Come by and take a look!

www.ElizaJPhotos.com

Lots more posting coming soon..

The Johnson Family: Orange County Family Photography

2011-02-10T16:32:00.001-08:00

This family is so beautiful, it hurts.

What started out as a wonderful idea on this particular day, quickly dwindled into a horrific experience lol. Lucky for me, the Johnson's were SO accommodating, SO easy, and just PERFECT for this crazy situation. Turns out, the location we had in mind in Laguna Canyon had just experienced a crazy flood, so the gate was locked and no one was allowed in!! Well these two drove over an hour out of their way to come see me, in traffic, with a baby, on one of the only days hubs didn't have to work blah blah. There was NO way we were turning back now! So here's where it got a little crazy...

I had to tell them to park a freakin' coons age away from the actual location, since the parking wasn't available behind locked gates. So they park, even further away than I did because they had no idea where the heck they were going right? HA! oh mercy. So then, we find each other on the side of the busy highway, J WALK across the crazy traffic filled street with a baby and all our garb in tow, AND THEN

do a little illegal trespassing ;-/

So sorry city of Laguna Beach. Please forgive us.

I know you will once you see the result...

It's BEYOND fabulous.

TOTALLY worth the trek

and heart melting no less.

These colors blow my mind. This still proves to be one of my favorite spots (thanks to a dear client who showed it to me! wink wink, Doosa)

mud slides and all

Thank you dear, sweet, baby carrying, hike partaking, mud laying, grass stain obtaining, illegal trespassing

Johnson family.

:-)

I owe ya one.

The Gabaldon Family: Orange County Family Photographer

2011-02-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

I absolutely ADORE this family...to say the least. Stephanie started out as a client and quickly turned to a friend. We've gotten together for a lot of different things and she has a photography business herself, making it all the more fun for us to be friends! Finally getting to meet her charming family was just the cherry on top for me. Now she's even bigger and better and greater than she already was in my mind, and that was hard to beat. Love this girl.

I loved this shoot. It taught me a little about what family is all about.

For this crew, it's snips and snails and puppy dog tails!

And sometimes, "Family" looks a little like this...

Or even this..

Aaannnnd even a little bit of this...

Sometimes the load is a little heavy to bear..

But when you have the perfect companion by your side, you realize you can do it all!

And as the motto goes for me and my family,

"I have no idea what this life is gonna look like,

but I know that it has the both of us in it, and I choose us.

The plan doesn't make us great.

What we have together, that's what makes us great."
-The Family Man

And truly this family

was

great

Family. That's what it's all about.

And while we're on the subject, I suppose I'll fill you in on some news..

My family is growing PLUS ONE!

WE'RE PREGNANT!

So excuse the absence, the missed calls, the un-returned emails and the lack of blog updating.

I've been hibernating and cooking a bun in the oven. Hopefully these first trimester blues pick up soon so we can get back on our feet!!

But in the mean time,

we absolutely

positively

could not be more

ECSTATIC!