I recently worked with R&B singer songwriter "Jahliz" for her promo shots and album cover in Newport Beach. When Juliette first called me over the phone, she was so excited because she was finally taking the first steps towards her dreams. She was just signed and was already working on tracks for her debut album, "Transformation," a title describing the improvements she has made and continue to make to both of her physique and state of mind through hard work, dedication, and self-belief. After doing some research, what impressed me the most about her was her appearance on Showtime at the Apollo where she impressed the notoriously critical audience and had them dancing on their feet with her amazing vocals.

This photo of Juliette was recently published in the popular Filipino newspaper Balita.

Screenshot from Balita Print Edition

Anaheim Hills, California.

I photographed these six adorable girls while my wife was pregnant with our own daughter, so it was a little more fun than usual because I kept thinking about what's in store for me. These girls are all really close friends so you can imagine how much fun they had playing together at the park. I did manage to gather them together for a few portraits, and here are six of my favorites:

Seal Beach, California.

Autumn and her sisters wanted to surprise their parents with portraits of themselves for Christmas. They are so much fun and it showed during the shoot. When you put three sisters together, you don't really need to come up with too many poses. It just comes naturally.

Resa was a referral from one of my favorite brides so I knew I was going to like her even before we met for the shoot. She and Max and Taye were great to work with just as I had expected. The lighting was perfect for the kind of shots I wanted to do and the little one ran around a lot; I always try to use kids' spontaneity to my advantage for fun photos. Here are some of my favorites:

Irvine, California.

I've known Teresa since high school and we both went to UCLA, so we've been friends for a long time now. She and Jeff wanted me to do their bride and groom portrait session, two years after their wedding. She was four months pregnant and this was about the last chance we would have for her to fit into her wedding dress. I know, you can't even tell that she's pregnant! Here are some of the photos of the cute couple:

Laguna Beach, California.

Nested between Laguna Beach and Newport Beach is a cozy little beach called El Morro. That's where Graham used to hang out and surf as a kid, so it has significance. We met Graham and Meesh there and had so much fun shooting and chatting. There is a pleasantness about them that makes them easy to talk to and photograph. Meesh has a radiant smile that the camera loves, and if it wasn't for her belly, you could hardly tell that she is pregnant!

I read recently that they will be doing major construction on this beach, so it's nice to have photographed it in its current serene state.

Good luck with the delivery Meesh!