Angela Valerie PhotographySouthern Calfornia Story Telling Photography – The Nelke Family
Posted on March 25, 2013
This blog post is LONG overdue. I was so booked up last fall that when I shot this session of my sister and her family, I told her that she would have to wait to get the images and that she would just have to pick from un-edited pictures to have me edit quickly and email to her for her Christmas card. Well, things didn’t start slowing down until about now! Better late than never, though. 🙂 I loved this shoot even on such a gloomy day. We just had fun at the beach and marina. Anywhere where kids can run and play is fun, really (although there was no running at the marina. That wouldn’t be safe). Poor baby Camille was coming down with a fever and through all of the smiles, some cranky and sad came out, but not much. She was a trooper especially since we didn’t know she was feverish until after the shoot.
When our shoot started, there was another family photo shoot going on. To my surprise, they happened to know my sister and her husband. It was a totally different type of photo shoot and I posted a small view of what it was like for the other photographer. It’s the last image in this post.
And then there they are. The large family all dressed in white shirts and blue jeans. They seemed like a totally awesome family and they probably got fantastic photos that they LOVE. I just want you to know that this is NOT what I do. I need to tell a story even if there are some posed family pictures during the shoot, the majority of the shoot is documentary. I will document your time because that is what I feel is important in family photography. That’s all. The end. 🙂
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Camarillo Family Photographer – 9 month old Grace
Posted on February 28, 2013
Oh boy this post isn’t short because I loved this session and I love this baby so much. Little Grace has my heart. She is so sweet and ADORABLE! She is funny too. She amazes me. She is so little and standing and walking with a walker and she is also so bright. She would probably call me out on that run on sentence that I just typed. HAHA! No, really though, she is incredibly bright. I am so excited for her upcoming one year shoot AND birthday party. I really lucked out with being this family’s photographer. They are awesome.
So, for this shoot, we decided to document some of the things that define Grace at 9 months old and also we decided to have her experience her first visit to the park. It was a bit chilly out but she was a trooper. She was so serious when we put her in the swing. Then her face started turning red and she sandwiched her thumb between her fingers. She wasn’t so sure. But after a few swings she was enjoying it. But, there was more to explore and she did some exploring. A first trip down the slide, some leaf handling, and some good old fashion grass pulling were on her agenda.
I really love to document a baby’s first year. I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite. But, it’s not only because I love babies so much, it’s because I get to witness the parents loving their babies so much. Parenthood is such an amazing gift and I feel like the luckiest person in the world that I am one. I also feel so lucky to be able to re-live the early days, the feeling of being a new parent through my clients. I really miss the early days and it is so refreshing to be reminded of what it was like.
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Conejo Valley Family Photographer – The B Family
Posted on February 19, 2013
This family is awesome. In just one hour I felt such a sense of kindness about them. Also a mutual respect for each other along with mutual and complete adoration for little Mr. P (who, btw, couldn’t possibly be any cuter). Little Mr. P was such a gentleman humoring me with smiles. I am not joking when I say that most babies don’t like me. I don’t know what it is, and it may be a premature assumption, but I have a track record of getting plenty of stink eye from the babies. So his smiles made my day. It truly takes every ounce of willpower for me not to grab and kiss my client’s babies (stink eye or not) and Mr. P was no exception. The older siblings were AMAZING! The nicest kids ever! They live with mom in Canada and so it was without a doubt a fantastic idea to have their family photos taken while they were out visiting and I am SO happy they chose me.
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Thousand Oaks Family Photographer – The L Family
Posted on February 6, 2013
I don’t do very many large group photo sessions, but this shoot was different in that it was a family session and then it split into a couple’s session. The reason I don’t do many of these shoots is due to a few reasons:
1. I am not great at directing people. Being more of a story telling photographer, I am used to just observing life as I just click away. When this session began, they asked “what do you want us to do? How should we stand? Where should we stand?” I replied with “well, I don’t like to pose people, so I usually just ask that you gather naturally.” They all started laughing. Then I started laughing. I guess that is pretty funny. It’s not NATURAL to stand together like this and smile while all looking in the same direction. People wouldn’t just do this naturally. They do it because there is a camera and they are supposed to say “cheese”. That’s how it goes.
2. I don’t love doing group pictures because I am not a perfectionist. I am not saying that you have to be a perfectionist to take group pictures, but you have to be able to see things while you are in the moment. I usually get home and THEN notice that one person wasn’t looking at the camera in 30 of the 35 frames or someone has a hair tie around their wrist or someone forgot to take off their hat or purse. I SHOULD notice these things, but I usually don’t. Then I have to get into some heavy photoshop work to swap a head or remove the hair tie or purse strap (if even possible). I love photoshop and I love to be challenged, but I don’t like the time involved because it takes time away from my time with my family.
3. I suffer (a little bit) from social anxiety. With large groups, I get nervous. Everyone is looking at me expectantly and I begin to feel very self conscience. For some reason at weddings, it’s not so bad, but I think that is just because I am nervous anyway and instead of an hour of a shooting, it’s all day and I just sort of get over it. The chaos of the wedding kind of mutes the unease I feel. But when it’s myself with a group at a quiet location, I start to clam up a bit.
With all that being said, what I LOVE about photographing large groups is getting to see the family dynamic and getting to capture some candid in between moments. I definitely got to capture some great candid moments with this family and this family was a pleasure to be around. Little Mr. A was HILARIOUS. He was photo bombing the pictures as you will see him below getting pushed away. His mom (the one in the red shirt) decided to pose on the tree for her boyfriend and (in my opinion) created another great candid moment. There was a lot of laughter and it was a really fun hour. I am so happy I was chosen to take their pictures.
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Newbury Park Newborn Photographer – Baby P
Posted on January 29, 2013
This little baby girl has the BEST hair! I just couldn’t get enough of it. She is so sweet and so cute. I am very happy that I got to meet her and her awesome parents. This shoot was great because it was a little of everything. A newborn session, family session, and a tiny bit of documentary. Their dog is a recent rescue and is the sweetest thing. So gentle and loving. There was limited light in the house and it was a rainy day, but we got some great window light and then when the rain stopped we went to an outdoor location for some family shots.
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Conejo Valley Family Photographer – The R Family
Posted on January 18, 2013
The most photogenic family of the year award goes to this family. WOW! Even with “little dude” being afraid of me…or the camera…let’s say it was the camera…he was AMAZING. I was able to capture so many smiles. Little Dude and his big sister love each other so much! I just loved watching them together. During the shoot, there was running, dance moves, swinging, and stick collecting. It was perfect. =)
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Thousand Oaks Family Photographer – An Amazing Birthday Present
Posted on December 27, 2012
This lovely young lady got a photo session as a birthday present from a GOOD friend. She decided to get photos taken with her boyfriend and her sister. How cute are they????
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Calabasas Family Photographer – The Y Family
Posted on November 20, 2012
The soundtrack to this session was “Yo Gabba Gabba”. Literally. I am a big fan of Yo Gabba Gabba and so is little Mr. P who danced his booty off a few times during the shoot. Little miss S was so sweet and the first shot here was the very first shot I took and is one of my favorites. I love when kids are themselves in front of the camera and although she smiled a bunch during the shoot, this expression won me over. It was like “I will sort of smile for you…but…I don’t know you…” These kids are so sweet and so well mannered and SO bright. It was a joy being around them.
I have known the parents for quite a few years and was so happy to have had this opportunity to not only photograph their family, but also the grandparents. They were so sweet and welcoming and they love their grandchildren so much. This ended up being a more tradition photo session, but I was able to capture some candid shots with my favorite being the very last image (thanks to mom for pointing it out to me! Sometimes I wish I had eyes in the back of my head!)
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West Hills Family Photographer – The P Family
Posted on September 13, 2012
This session was awesome because it was full of activities. We started with story time in the family room. What I didn’t expect were dogs to be a part of the session and I am SO happy they came inside and joined us. The sweetest dogs ever! Love them and they LOVE their family so much, it shows. After story time, we walked to the park where there was some bubble blowing, some jungle gym, some nature discoveries for the baby, and some standing (which was new) for the baby. The kids were great the entire time and even indulged us in a posed family picture towards the end of the shoot. After the park we walked back home for a few last shots in their backyard. What I loved about this shoot (besides the fact that it was a story telling session) was that they included their nephew (cousin to the girls) and that was just so great. Family is MORE than your own unit and they really demonstrated that.
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Los Angeles Family Photographer – The G Family
Posted on August 30, 2012
This family rules. They chose an at home session and it was perfect. Gorgeous yard and the kids felt right at home…literally. These brothers were amazing. Different personalities and so much love for each other. It was such an easy session because the oldest brother was like a creative director for me. He would grab his baby brother and find a place to sit and pose, while the other brother was demonstrating his skillful tree climbing. Needless to say, my camera and I were so entertained the whole time. Then there is baby brother and his BFF Teddy. Teddy has been in the family for years and has been passed down between the brothers. Teddy needed his own picture and I got one, but baby brother wouldn’t let Teddy sit alone for too long and sat down right next to him. I love that it was real moment sitting with Teddy and not at all staged, even though it looks staged.
FUN FACT: I have know mom since I was a child and knew that we were related in some way. I was pretty sure we were cousins, but not first cousins. I think I did the math right, and she is actually my 4th cousin. It was really great seeing her and my cousin in law again AND finally meeting their kids. This shoot really felt like being with family…well…because they are, right?
Angela Valerie Photography 
