Helvin + Ang | Nostalgic Love Story (Engagement) Session | Coronado Island, CA

Helvin + Ang weren't necessarily looking for love when Helvin got clocked in the back of the head by a piece of ice thrown by a pretty girl at the bar. But eyes locked and love was born that evening. Below are a few more details from H + A’s love story and why they chose Coronado Island for the backdrop of their engagement / love story session.

We met on Coronado Island. I was visiting on a girls weekend and Helvin was there on the island to depart. We randomly met at a bar, I was talking to someone else when my friends were trying to grab my attention throwing ice cubes. Those same ice cubes hit Helvin and his friends and we all ended up having breakfast together at the Night and Day Cafe just down the road. Long story short, we became pen pals and our relationship blossomed from there. …Coronado fits us best and reminds us of the beginning of our love story. It has most things we love, the beach, the Navy, the nightlife and quaint feels. We like the mix of scenery and relaxed vibes from being there. We envision this session will capture us relaxing in Coronado whether that’s downtown or on the beach. Coronado is a special place for us as our meeting spot and a place we frequent often as Helvin comes and goes from there often and I am usually there on the pier the day he leaves.

We LOVE to be together! Our favorite pastime is golfing together and being active. When we aren't working out together, we like to drink coffee, drink wine and many other adult beverages. We love to be silly together, just goofing around. AND we love holding hands, catching hugs, kisses and any type of snuggles.

What was she like as a little girl? Angie comes from a family of 4 children, 3 boys and her. She is the princess. She was quiet but fierce and adventurous. She loved fairytales and still does. A true sucker for a love story. Angie was always involved in school and extra curricular activities.

What was he like as a little boy? Helvin was brought up to be a strong, independent little man. He was always getting into mischief and looking for adventure. He grew up with a younger sister and his parents in Long Beach, Ca. Helvin was often playing in the neighborhood, riding bikes, skate boards, dirt bikes and trying to stay out of trouble.

Helvin + Angela, you guys are crazy fun! What a treasure to be part of this season of your life and trusted to capture this sliver of your love story! | LKM

Los Angeles Celebrity Engagement Session | Potato Mountain, Claremont | Jeff Campanella & Emily Weprich

//THE WARNER BROS. STORY//

So now that the TV SHOW has aired, i can share the backstory about a cool unprecedented opportunity we had earlier this month! A few weeks ago Warner Bros. called and asked to use an engagement picture in one of their episodes of MAJOR CRIMES. My client, Jeff, had landed a role on the show and part of the story line involved a fictional fiance. They asked if he had any recent sweetheart pictures and voila! LKM got the call asking for a few high res images to use in their fake mock up of a wedding site, we negotiated release, copyright limitations, usage and and the episode aired on TNT this past Wednesday! It's a 2 second clip (i'me efficient with my 5 minutes of fame ;D). Watched it in my pjs last night with a surreal thankfulness for cool opportunities and exposure! Check out  Season 4 Episode 10 Here :) 

So in other details that are highly more important and not nearly as narcissitic... Jeff & Emily are a riot. Highschool sweethearts. An actor. A fitness model. Vegans. Lovers. Laughers. 

I'm delighted to be trusted with capturing a piece of their love story during this season.

This session was set in this crazy random hole in a hill called Potato Mountain in the Claremont foothills of Southern California. We hung out in the last few rays of sunbeams, reached a few inner childs (yes i know that is not grammatically correct), and got to know each other. Having shot their family reunion several months prior, I had only seen slivers of Jeff's erratic (cough) goofy side and Emily's soft-spoken but eye-twinkling exuberance. Their affection is natural with longevity sprinkled all over it. :) ....

// CLIENT REVIEW //

(i swear i didn't pay him to say these things)

There i was, in my pjs watching a tv show flash this sweetheart picture created by LKM STUDIOS. I was pumped. Jeff then sends a follow up email titled: "REVIEW" with the instructions: Post this. It sounds like i'm not your spokesperson but a real client. And if i couldn't get any more narcissitic, I figure sharing the review hammers in that nail for the day. 

"This is not just a photographer. This is not just a pretty face with an even prettier personality. This is a force of nature. LKM is so good, that her photographs cross into different dimensions. It's true. One of our engagement pictures from our session with Laura was so electrifying, so vibrant, that it crossed from everyday land into TV land on the famous TNT drama 'Major Crimes.' How is this even possible? How could TV characters even find out about a photographer from a different dimension? Well, once you meet this woman, you will know that she is out of this world. Hate smiling? You will love smiling after your session with Laura. Feel unsexy? Laura will make you feel so darn sexy. Don't want to show intimacy with your significant other in public? Laura will make you feel confident, playful, and grateful to be taking pictures with the love of your life. Positive, warm, talented, and fun, book your session with Laura K Moore now!" 

Luke + Juliette | Corn Fields, Rock Quarrys + Shire-Like Hillsides | Engagement Session

I get another sister folks. Lets start with that. and this is her. and my brother. on their engagement session last weekend in the foothills of Mt. Baldy, Southern California. My brother is a prodigy of an artist. It's kinda rediculous. The things that he makes out of nothing (beat). They were highschool sweethearts and part of Luke's proposal included a series of paintings that told their love story as missionary kids in the Philippines, love birds and college students and now soon to be weds this summer. This is a snippet of some of their affection... 

Melo Family | Lifestyle Mini Sessions | Riverside, CA

Last May I pushed the 'play again' button my fitness journey. (see the "LKM beast mode journal" here) and it was initially because of this lady featured below with her family. Cindy started her own journey a few months prior and committed it to the public eye. She instagrammed the snot out of sweat. (-grin- there should be a t-shirt for that) I was curious to see what would stick. How long before she slacked... but she didn't. And it was encouraging to me. Convicting actually. I called her up and asked her about T25 and the rest is history. Over the summer we kept in touch, she snagged a mini session this last California visit and I beamed when I saw her...thriving and healthy with her little pod in Riverside. I am honored to capture a piece of this season in their lives. | LKM

(and if you are looking for a coach or just a dose of motivation...go connect with her here. she's wonderful at all that :D)

PORTRAIT FLASH SALE: 8 Reasons Why You Want to Tap Into This

LKM 2014 FLASH PORTRAIT SALE 

It's Monday. Day One of the rediculously insane LKM Portrait Flash Sale. I have been hosting a little countdown on facebook in anticipation and glory be, the response has been fantastic! 

Here are 8 reasons why you want to tap into this:

#1. 50% off guys. I'm a clarence junkie. I see this and I'm like, HOOK UP YO. = HAPPINESS. 

#2. Christmas Gift Certificate options just got a whole lot more cool. FOR HALF OFF. #yeababy

#3. You're gonna be like, that super prudent friend with fresh 2014 holiday pictures that are full of life and personality and milestones. #legit

#4. Christmas Cards get out early. Or at least ON TIME. #woah

#5. Two-fers. I.E. Two sessions for the price of one. #zealousmuch? It's a real thing.

#6. Shout out to you awesome entrepreneurs, social media gurus, sales peeps...be on the ball and roll out a fresh face-lift in January? #headshots 

#7. Empty nesters...both pre and post babies... you can strut your sweetheart selves #ownit

Which reason tickels your fancy? You have another reason? Post below in the comments and receive $10 off your session booking. "Share" the link and get another $10 off. Tweet about it.... same deal. You get the picture. Have fun. 

BOOK HERE on our updated "book a session" page!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Luke + Juliette | Sweetheart Session | Claremont, CA

It's my brother's birthday and I wish I were near him. with him. able to do something crazy somewhere in the vacinity of him. but he's working at some fancy firm doing some fancy design stuff in Silicone Valley, changing the world one fancy art development at a time. 

I hunted through a few pictures I had of him. And then realized...oh man oh man, i never shared his sweetheart session with his best friend and girlfriend, Juliette. 

So here is Luke and his woman. These beautiful people are my family and I'm sending you one solid air guitar your direction...  :) 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :) 

Bridgette | Lifestyle Headshot Portraits | Los Angeles Portrait Photographer

So there was this girl. I barely knew her. Had had more interactions with her on facebook than I had in real life. You could tell she was on a journey--soul searching. She embraced the quiet moments, reflected, sat still, appreciated little things, appreciated people--she loved them and served them and thought deeply. 

She is also a fantastic actress.

I didn't know where she was in her career as an actress but knew I would like to meet her and capture some of the spirit. I felt drawn and appreciative of the way her life made me want to sit still too. 

So on a whim, I connected with her during one of my trips to SoCal. I asked to treat her to a lifestyle headshot session. Hit or miss, we would get a diversity of emotions...Then traffic argued and fussed and light left quickly and we kept ourselves confined to her yard. We laughed. We thought of ranges of emotions and type-sets to capture. And my favorite ended up just being her. The ones with her down on the steps of her home...deeply authentic. simple.

The time post-shoot was spent sipping on homemade iced tea from mason jars, sitting on her bohemian couch in her quaint white bungalow in the heart of LA. I listened to more of the story I had tracked with in snippets over the years...and it was more special in person. We talked about patience for the right things. We talked about the beauty of not knowing. We talked about surrender and faith and loving others despite our own confusion. We bonded over authors and books. We shared stuff the other hadn't read or heard of. I met her dog Lucy. I. Love. Lucy. And now we are friends.

So here she is. My beautiful friend Bridgette. 

Nathan + Emily | Mt. Baldy Engagement Session | Shades of Blue, Creek Beds and Giddy Innocence | Southern California Wedding Photographer

430am rolled around quickly. I met Emily in PJs and giddiness with my hair/makeup arsenal prepared. We got fancy and mapped out concept and wardrobe for our early morning session in the Mt. Baldy foothills--the same place Nathan proposed one month prior.

I've known Emily since she was 4 years old. I was a clown at family birthday parties. I have watched her become an incredible woman and someone who I can truly call a friend...and soon to be sister. She is marrying my brother--a man happier and more free than I have ever seen him. 

Their affection has ripened these last few years. The wait has been long and sometimes hard, but the way they love each other more freely--laugh deeply and anticipate each other--makes my heart smile like a thousand bursting suns. Delayed gratification...patience...the arduous task of waiting for the right time. the right heart. the right place.......God is so, so good. | LKM 

Doug + Brienne | Urban Color & Sea-Spray Sass | La Jolla Engagement Session | San Diego Wedding Photographer

Our afternoon was spent in a variety of obscure locations around San Diego. Doug & Brienne met and dated in this incredible city and wanted to tell their engagement story in its context. So there is green and there is city and there are small coffee shops with perfect views and cliffs and secluded shores with singing seals and sea-spray that glittered in the setting sun. There was laughing and twirling and snarky banter and sarcasm and arm-punches and lots of kissing and sunbeams in the middle of parking lots and chai and large over-sized trucks honking at the wardrobe changes made in the back of cars. 

I love these moments. I love the silly and the sweetness. I love that Doug & Brienne let go; relaxed, trusted, flirted, laughed and let the sun set on a pretty wonderful adventure of an afternoon. Only one of many, I. am. sure.  | LKM

Disney Acrobate and Hollister Model Engagement Session | Padua Hills Theatre | Claremont, CA

{Lillie & Aaron | Disney Acrobate & Anakin Skywalker Engaged | Padua Hills Theatre, Claremont, Ca} So much giggles during this engagement session earlier this past summer! Anakin Skywalker (cough), i mean Aaron, dotes on his little lady and she gets equally googly-eyed. The whole time we shot he was strutting his model curves and she'd kidney-shot him from time to time. We were in stitches by the end of the day!

These two are getting married today! And I'm pretty sure there is nobody more giddy on the face of the planet than they are....wait. (time lapse). nope. i checked. | LKM