Mon. February 22, 2010 at 4:06pm
In my last blog post I mentioned that I was shooting several sessions last week for sample reasons. The images below are from three separate sessions.. The common bond is that all three girls are really good friends and they could NOT stop smiling during their sessions! Which isn’t a bad thing of course 
I photographed each session at multiple locations: my studio, a local wilderness park, Santa Susana Park and Orcutt Ranch in West Hills. I had a great time photographing each of them… thank you girls!
Sun. February 21, 2010 at 2:14am
This week I’ve been busy shooting, among other things, several Senior sessions for sample purposes. The whole process, although time consuming has been extremely fun. On Tuesday I had the pleasure of photographing Kristen.. Kristen is a friend of my wife’s and a Senior at a nearby high school.
The first thing I noticed about Kristen was her piercing blue eyes, which are virtually impossible to ignore. Between that striking feature and a bubbly, fun personality… I knew my job was going to be really easy. Part of my mission in shooting these sessions was to not only capture fun, striking images but also to profile the students personality or interests. For some it could be a sport, others a musical instrument or hobby… whatever the case may be, ultimately I wanted to have each session be as unique as the person in front of my lens.
The session with Kristen was really fun for me to shoot. She was able to put up with my joking and kidding and even dish it a little too! For Kristen, Snowboarding is her passion and at times I felt like a commercial photographer shooting a new ad for Roxy. Please check out a few of my favorite images below.
Sat. February 6, 2010 at 12:05pm
Last weekend we packed up the family, gassed up the car and headed to
Fresno, Ca to see me Sister Beverly and kids. I’ve always enjoyed hitting the open road and going for a drive. Not only is it fun to just get out of town, but it also seems like long drives cultivate meaningful conversation, which I thoroughly enjoy. The drive up was fairly easy.. we packed our lunch to save a little money but ended up eating it at an
IN-N-OUT table which confused my oldest son Jaden.. “Cheeseburger? Where’s the Cheeseburger?” It was pretty humorous. Taking the drive up the
Highway 99 was quick and peaceful. I was amazed at the number of tractor sales/rental dealerships I saw. It seemed like for every two parcels of farm land there was one tractor dealership. Once we arrived at my sister’s house, we had some great visit time. Jaden and my nephew Luke went straight to work playing, with Maddy doing his best to tag along. The first few images below were captured after arriving. I love capturing images of my family.. sometimes I feel like I don’t do it enough.
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The next day, Saturday, we drove up into the Western Sierra’s for some snow time! We ended up in the
Shaver Lake area which is South of
Yosemite National Park. We were very excited to go “play” in the snow, as this was the boys first snow experience. We attempted a trek up to
Huntington Lake first which is at a higher elevation but decided to return back down the hill after multiple hilarious attempts at parking. With my courageous wife at the wheel, and several “locals” watching the “city slickers”, we tried to park our feeble 2-wheel drive mini-van with no tire-chains in an icy, snowy parking lot… let’s just say it provided for some great comedy! From there we went to the closest sno-park and had a great time. We were especially excited when the white, powdery stuff that apparently is called “snow” started falling from the sky. After a great time playing and sliding we headed back down the hill. On the way, I captured one of my favorite images of Shaver Lake, see below.
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On our final day in Fresno, we spent some time at a local park. It was a joy to be able to get Bev, Ashley and Luke in front of my lens. Of course I also took some pics of my sons as well. There was one moment that was pretty hilarious. While I was taking photos of my sister and her kids. I turn around and see the silhouette of a little boy peeing against a tree. It looked pretty funny and endearing, so I proceeded to grab a few pics. Apparently Jaden didn’t think it was too funny because he was VERY mad at me! “Daddy, I don’t like that”.. “Daddy, why did you do that” etc etc. Ultimately I promised him that I would NEVER take pics of him peeing in public again. Please enjoy a few of my favorite grabs from the weekend below..
My georgeous wife! I'm a lucky guy...
My Neice, Ashley
My son Maddy
My son Jaden
A snowy Shaver Lake
Love this image of Jaden!
Boat dock covered in snow
Maddy is such a cutie!
My sister Bev looking angelic with her kids..
Classic scenario! The bros..
Thu. January 21, 2010 at 10:36am
I wanted to share one last image from Kim & George’s engagement session. I love this image because it seems so quaint… a cute black dog with perky ears, a classic diner setting, ketchup & milkshake in the window… and of course, a kiss!
Thu. January 7, 2010 at 10:57am
I had the joy of photographing Kim & George’s engagement session yesterday in Pasadena, CA. I’ve been looking forward to this shoot for quite awhile! I knew it was going to be a fun, carefree and exciting session.. From my very first encounters with Kim, I could tell that her bubbly, happy spirit was going to translate into great images.
We started the session at a Johnny Rockets diner in Old Town Pasadena. Shooting there was was both sentimental and extremely fun! It was at this spot that Kim & George had their very first date. As a photographer, I always enjoy shooting at a location that’s unique, special and out of the ordinary… so basically it was the perfect place to start. Adding to the fun, Kim & George brought along their beloved pooch Spock! He’s so adorable and the admiration he showed for “mom & dad” was touching.
The session started in front of the diner and then we moved inside. I was uncertain as to what the diner’s policy was regarding photography. Most courtyards, restaurants and private properties are a bit leery about professional photography. To my surprise, they were more than accommodating… before long we were taking down signs, standing on stools, moving furniture and event sitting on the counter tops… Hilarious!
Every time I shoot a session I try to step outside my comfort zone.. I continually want to reinvent my style, composition and craft. The first image below exemplifies this. From a visual element it is one of my favorites. The brick segments, lines and leading edges all point to Kim & George. I feel like I’m virtually drawn into their story. All of the images below move me to some extent for various reasons. There is an image below that I photographed from a low angle inside of the diner. You can actually see the underside of the counter top and all the corresponding gum. I like little details like that (however gross it may be!)
Ultimately we ended walking up Holly Street near Pasadena’s City Hall. There were so many great nooks to create amazing images that narrowing down where to shoot was the hardest part of the day for me. As quickly as the session started.. it ended with a boom! (a different story for a different post) In the end, I had such a great time getting to know Kim & George a little better and I can’t wait for their wedding on April 3rd at La Quinta Resort & Spa, in La Quinta, CA. Please enjoy some of my favorite images..
Thu. December 31, 2009 at 6:20pm
As each year comes to a close, I always enjoy reviewing my work over the past 12 months and reliving some of these captivating moments. Please enjoy this small selection of images which have helped to highlight the year and have offered a lasting reminder of why I love what I do!
Tue. December 22, 2009 at 1:32am
I love this time of year! Not only because of the holiday cheer, but also because I get to shoot so many fun family sessions! It allows me to make connections with new clients and re-connect with old friends. A couple days ago I had the pleasure of photographing a past wedding client from over 10 years ago! It was so fun to reconnect with Liz.
I started shooting the Cecil family at their residence in the South Bay City of El Segundo. Liz had requested a few photographs in front of their Christmas tree prior to heading out. After grabbing a few images, her husband Jason began to change their 21 month old daughter Casey for the next leg of the session… While chatting with Jason, I glanced over at Casey and saw a wonderful opportunity to capture a moving series of images. A beautiful window light gently illuminated Casey and simultaneously cast deep, moody shadows. I did my best to playfully entertain her and operate my camera as quick as possible (A must when photographing children). It was definitely a highlight for me. See image series below
From there we went to a local park called Recreation Park. It was here that I first witnessed the circus-like act of “Daddy Acrobatics.” Jason is fearless and Casey enjoys getting tossed in the sky! Quite a combination… So after witnessing the first high-flying spectacle I was only slightly shocked, as I myself am a dad and understand the need for “Mom Shocking” stunts. The result was that I was able to capture some amazingly dramatic moments. Between the swing-set, slide and playing airplane, Casey was a blast to photograph.
After the park we made our way to the Manhattan Beach Pier. Here we finished our session with a classic beachy flair. I love the underneath portion of this pier! The beams and framework provide an interesting backdrop. These features, combined with the soft light that pours in from the sides creates optimal portrait conditions. One of my favorite images from the beach was an image of Casey sitting in the sand, smiling with her parents in the back. Ultimately I had a great time with Liz, Jason & Casey. They have such casual and fun personalities that it hardly seemed like work.
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Thanks! Danny
Thu. December 17, 2009 at 12:59pm
I’m very excited to share with you about a maternity session I photographed this last Tuesday. I traveled to Lisa’s parents house in Calabasas, Ca and set up a “mini studio” in the living room. It was a beautiful house with many features that I new immediately would lay the foundation for many wonderful images. The main living room was light and bright, provided by a large window source directly behind me. I set up my supplemental lighting and various necessities and prepared for the session. Although I prefer shooting more “available light” situations with very little artificial lighting, I’ve attained the abilities to be as versatile as necessary over the years.
The moment I saw Lisa my thoughts were… “Wow, she’s very pregnant!” and then “This is going to be REALLY easy.” After a few minutes with Lisa I came to the conclusion that she’s a bubbly, warm-hearted soul and that she really wanted to have fun with this session. This was no surprise because Lisa was referred to me from some of my favorite Calabasas/West Valley area moms who are extremely fun and engaging. I personally had a blast taking these images. A maternity session can be many things: intimate, fun, serious, sexy & playful to name a few. There is such an expectant joy that is prevalent in a maternity session and it’s a joy to be able to capture this.
The images below are some of my favorites from the session.. you’ll obviously see a range of expressions, moods and general feel. The very first image, directly below, really moves me. I love the way Lisa is casting her eyes down. Her eyelashes stand out nicely, she has sweet/soft expression and overall looks very 60’s between her falling hair and white top. Another one of my favorites is the image of the Cocker Spaniel that made it’s way onto the backdrop… a great reaction from both! I’ll let the rest of the images speak for themselves… enjoy,
Danny
Click here to see my Los Angeles Portfolio website
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Calabasas Maternity Photography
Thu. December 10, 2009 at 11:27pm
This last Wednesday I had the pleasure of visiting one of my favorite clients, Rachel Yousif, in one of my favorites cities, Manhattan Beach. It was especially fun because I got to meet her little angel, Baby Zachary for the first time. I’ve known Rachel for several years and up until now we’ve pretty much matched up, child for child. My son Jaden was born in March 2006, her son Benjamin was born within a couple weeks. Likewise with my son Maddy and her daugher Julia were born in the Fall of 2007. Of course now she’s passed me up with child #3..!
Baby Zachary was born in early October and I had the joy of capturing some of his little features and Rachel’s tender, motherly interactions. This was my first time shooting in Rachel’s home in Manhattan Beach and I was immediately impressed with her style and choice of decor. We started shooting in her bedroom… it was clean, white and beachy with a nice illuminating window light. After a series of images in various ways, my favorite images came with Rachel playfully laying on her bed, cuddling, cooing and kissing her baby boy.
From there we went to a seaside park. Chasing and playing with Ben & Julia was truly a delight. The last image in the series below is one of my favorites. Ben is smothering his sister julia with kisses.. the look on her face is priceless!!!
Mon. December 7, 2009 at 11:56pm
This past Thursday I had the joy of photographing one my favorite families. I definitely look forward to the moments I can get them in front of my camera.. not only because it’s fun, but also because they always look so freaking good!
On this particular day, things started a little on the shaky side. Kaitlyn was having a tough time at the beach.. cold and breezy can do that to a little girl. After 15-20 minutes of minor frustrations, the next plan was to head back through the Las Virgenes Rd. and stop at Malibu Creek State Park. It was here where we had most of our success.
This first image is one of my favs… Kaitlyn is sitting between the tree trunks looking up at me. This is special because up until now her head was buried in her turtleneck most of the time. She gave a very sweet, sensitive and inquisitive look that I captured instantly. The image of Jacob crawling away from his smiling family is another image that impacted me. The rest of the images speak for themselves: fun, candid and captivating.
Ultimately it was a successful day and once again, I had a blast with the Calligeros family!
Please enjoy a few of my favorites,
Danny
Copyright 2009 Epic Imagery Photography http://www.epicimagery.com
by Danny
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