It’s an amazing thing how memories can turn a regular place into the most beautiful location. What was once just a coffee shop, or a city park, or a stretch of shops, becomes a place you recall in your mind with so much love and adulation. Suzanne & Rob chose UCLA for their engagement session, a location that served as the place where they first met (a story not too different from Scott & my own :), and as we walked around the campus, they pointed out the spots where their memories were created.

I loved how the session came out – it wasn’t the cover of a UCLA brochure, with Royce Hall & the Sculpture Garden in the background, it was the UCLA that Suzanne & Rob remembered best. It was the hallways where they had neighboring offices, where they belonged to student coalitions fighting hunger and homelessness in LA, it was the “less-scenic” South Campus where they would meet between classes, it was the back lunch patio by a familiar building.

I hope when Suzanne & Robert look through these photos, they can feel filled to the brim with memories of excitement and happy moments :)

Stay tuned for Part II, camping in the wilderness! A tent, hot chocolate, and piggy back rides soon to come!

Suzanne told me that she specifically bought her shirt for the session, & that it was from *swoon* none other than Anthropologie. I think Anthro’s romantic styles always look so beautiful in photos!

It’s hard for me to imagine what it must be like to become a parent. The combination of joy, accountability, and pure love that I conjure up can only pale in comparison to the real collection of emotions that a new parent must feel. I got just a small glimpse at such a reality when I photographed Nancy & Garrett a couple weekends ago. I was overjoyed when Nancy contacted me to photograph the two of them & the soon-to-be newest addition to their family! (A big thank you to Hana for sending them my way!) It was my first time doing a maternity session and I loved seeing the way Nancy and Garrett interacted with each other, as well as with baby Lucas. They’re going to be such wonderful parents!

UCLA’s Botanical Gardens provided the perfect secluded and scenic location for the shoot. Even though all three of us are UCLA alums, we had each only visited the gardens once or twice. And after visiting it this last time, I must say it is way WAY bigger than I remember. Who knew there was a jungle in the middle of campus?

One of the things I love most about what I do is meeting new people and going through the process of getting to know one another. But it’s an equally wonderful thing working with people I’ve worked with before. It’s like having coffee with an old friend – you pick up right where you left off, with old laughs, new stories, and a warm sense of comfort. So when Gabi contacted me to do another photoshoot, I was super excited to work with her again. This time she had a wonderful vision of creating shots with movement, images that really showcased her killer dance moves. We brainstormed locations and ended up shooting at UCLA, our joint alma mater, since it provided lots of opportunities for jumping, spinning, climbing (you know, all the normal things we Bruins used to do in between classes). I loved seeing locations on campus in a new light; little corners that I never gave a second thought to as I walked to finals with my head buried in my notes (I was one of those “cram-everything-in-30-seconds-before-the-test” type of “studiers.” Not necessarily always “effective.”)

Thanks Gabi for a wonderful session! I’m continuously amazed by your talents and wish you success in everything you do! :)