Anyone out there remember the swimsuit company Raisins?  I think my first 2 piece bathing suit was Raisins, and I was far too obsessed with it.  Anyways, as a teenager, Monique modeled for Raisins, and several other companies.  Looks like her son could be following in her footsteps.  For Monique and Garet, we shot an engagement portrait / family portrait session.  These days, many engaged people have children already, so it’s just natural that they’re included in these photos.  Garet and Monique’s love for each other is so obvious, and what’s better is that Garet shares a very special bond with Monique’s son.  Hopefully these images reflect the love this family has for one another.  I’m looking forward to Monique and Garet’s Laguna Beach wedding in the summer of 2010!

Portraits should be about the people, not the background. Simple backdrops help keep the focus on the subjects, & not be distracted by a busy background.

The Fun Zone on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach has lots of fun, colorful walls to use as backgrounds.

The great thing about the Fun Zone as a portrait location is that the beach & pier are right across the street. You can have both an urban and nature look.

This spot by the Balboa Pier has a perfect view of the sunset, though not a great view of the coastline like many Laguna Beach locations offer.

The Balboa pier makes a cool background, and it’s fun to shoot pics underneath it too.