Megan Hartley Photography » Los Angeles County Family Photographer

The Garris Family

admin — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:23:03 +0000

“The days are long, but the years are short.” – Gretchen Rubin

That, folks, is parenting in a nutshell. Though there are days as a parent that seem impossibly long, every time your child’s birthday comes around you can’t believe another year has passed so quickly. And then comes that most mixed of all days – the day they leave home. When one part of you is bursting with pride at what you and they have accomplished and one part is fighting every urge to try and squeeze your adult child into a pair of footie jammies.

That is exactly where the Garris family was when we took these photos just days before their oldest son left for college. You can tell from these pictures how deeply connected they are to one another and it was such a pleasure to capture them right as they begin this new chapter in their family story. And thankfully, for all the parents missing their babies as they head off to college, Thanksgiving is only 78 days away.

And then came Dallas …

admin — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:32:41 +0000

Dallas is finally here and his parent’s couldn’t be more overjoyed! Even amongst the stresses of life with a newborn and enduring the lack of sleep, Casey and Elise only have looks of love and adoration for their sweet baby boy. He is a beautiful, precious, amazing gift.

Meet 3 week old Dallas …

Look at that multi-tasking! I always knew Elise would be a great mom, but she exceeded even my high expectations. Elise simply radiates love for her son.

And then came Finley …

admin — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 17:44:17 +0000

Amanda is efficient. As owner of In the Now Weddings and Events, Amanda is used to planning and executing events flawlessly. She’s so efficient, in fact, that she gave birth to baby Finley in 2.5 hours. Start to finish. And had time to stop for a bagel in between. That pretty much makes her a rock star in my book!

Now that Finley is here, Amanda and Josh have settled into their new parenting roles with ease. They are a team, through and through. In the midst of diaper changes, baths, and feedings their love for one another and their sweet baby girl is so evident. When sleep is in short supply and poop isn’t, it can be so easy to snap at a spouse or to speak less than kind words due to exhaustion. Not Amanda and Josh. At every opportunity they encourage and affirm one another with words of love and kindness. Finley is so blessed to have them as parents!

Josh, Amanda, and Finley – thank you so much for inviting me into your home to capture these photos of your new, beautiful family. Finley is absolute perfection!

Meet 11 day old Finley …

Toby, Britni, Ava, and Alister

admin — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:29:57 +0000

Ava is three and is just as beautiful as ever. Her big brown eyes make me melt and the fact that she said she wants to grow up and take pictures just solidified her place in my heart. She’s energetic, playful, engaging, and she is over the moon in love with her little brother. Ava calls him “Buddy” and they really are the best of friends.

Buddy, also known as Alister, is just about to turn one and he is such an important part of his family that they can barely remember life before he was born. Between his sweet curls, tiny teeth, and great personality, he’s perfection in baby form.

Toby and Britni, thank you so much for allowing me to capture your family photos again. I am always sad when our sessions are over because you guys are such a joy to be around! You’ve weathered the transition from one kid to two with such grace and I am very thankful to have your family in my life!

Onto the photos!

Alister is a man of many expressions! I loved going through the photos and seeing all of the cute faces he makes.

Ava is such a beauty!

Probably one of my favorite pictures ever

A Family Hike

admin — Sat, 26 May 2012 04:39:51 +0000

A family hike on a warm spring day.

Bubbles to play with, insects to marvel at, and a super sweet Sportsmobile to ride in.

A new baby girl just about to make her arrival into the world.

Delightful.

Justin, Beth, and Addi

admin — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:56:59 +0000

She loves Elmo, playing with her hair, and her Mama. She points like nobody’s business and can’t get enough of Dr. Suess. She’s Addi, and, if you ask me, she’s pretty amazing.

I think she officially won my heart when she wiggled out of her mom’s arms as soon as she got outside because she just couldn’t wait to feel the grass between her fingers. Or maybe it was when she reached out for me to hold her and then cried when I put her down. Regardless, I think it’s fair to say that Addi has won the heart of most everyone she’s come into contact with, except for maybe her fellow passengers on the plane ride home from Hawaii last month. Addi’s parents look at her with such love in their eyes and they have created a fun, welcoming, and beautiful home in which Addi can grow.

Justin and Beth, thank you so much for inviting me into your home to document Addi as she turns one. She is so special, beautiful, and fun and I know she gets that from you two! I hope these photos capture Addi and the adorable person she is at this exact moment in time, because as all parents know, it just goes by so incredibly fast.

Here’s Addi a few days shy of her first birthday …

Melissa, Jorge, Max, and Oliver

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:54:49 +0000

They told me his nickname is “Mad Max” but I didn’t see anything other than a sweet, precious, wonderful baby. Max is 3 months old and beyond words adorable. He is strong, giggly, and so incredibly loved by his Mom and Dad. Oh, and the family dog, Oliver. He loves Max too. He loves him so much his new favorite hangout is right under Max’s crib. Yep, Max is one loved little baby and it is easy to see why – as you’ll see in the photos below, he’s utter perfection.

Melissa and Jorge, thank you so much for inviting me into your gorgeous home to photograph your family. You guys are amazing and even in the few short hours I spent with you I could just feel the love radiating from your home. I look forward to staying in touch and watching sweet Max grow!

And then came Olivia …

admin — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:50:04 +0000

Is it possible to have baby fever when you still have a baby? A week ago, I wouldn’t have thought so with my own non-sleeping 9 month old at home, but spending an afternoon with 2 week old Olivia made me long for tiny newborn goodness all over again! Every stage of a child’s life is so fun, but few are as uniquely sweet as the newborn phase. Everything is so small and precious! Those little newborn grunts and squeaks are so endearing and lovely! Yes, there are those endless sleepless nights, and the diapers, and the hospital bills … but have you seen those itty bitty SHOES that newborns have? The shoes alone are enough to make me want another little one! I am sure cooler heads will prevail (i.e. my husband’s) but Olivia and her adorability are just too impossible to resist!

Laura and Nick, thank you so much for inviting me into your home to take these newborn photos of darling Olivia. She is already such a blessing to all who meet her and it was my privilege to spend the afternoon with your sweet family.

Daniel, Rita, and David

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 22:47:09 +0000

One of the things I love best about being a photographer is getting glimpses into the lives of my clients. People watching is one of my favorite activities and when I’m actually invited to do it behind the lens of a camera rather than trying to sneakily do it at a restaurant behind sunglasses, well, that’s even better. And a whole lot less creepy. And since trying to be less creepy is always a good goal, finding clients who’ll let me take pictures of them being themselves is the direction I feel my photography is headed.

My favorite thing about people watching and photographing people is watching how they interact with one another. The way a Mom gently brushes her child’s hair off of her face. The way a husband reaches out to grab his wife’s hand as she steps off a high curb. The way a baby lights up at the sight of his sibling. These are the moments that make up real life and these are the moments I love capturing in photos.

The following photos are perfect examples of my favorite kinds of photos to take – 3 people just being a family. No props, no gimmicks, just pretty light and lots of love. Daniel, Rita, and David … thank you so very much for choosing me to capture photos of your precious little family. Our time together was short but so enjoyable for me. My goal was simply to capture you three being yourselves and I hope that was accomplished. Thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your lives and I hope you enjoy your photos!

Meet this sweet family …

And then came Stella …

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:08:10 +0000

There is simply no way for expectant parents to truly understand the way their world is going to be turned upside down by the birth of their baby until it is, in fact, turned upside down. It’s so easy to wonder “what did I get myself into?” when you have baby poop under your fingernails, spit up on your shirt, and fuzzy teeth since brushing your teeth is now a luxury rather than an expectation. But then you look … really look … at that tiny little person who caused all of the chaos. And you remember that she’s worth it. Every stinky second of it. And your start to realize that you can’t even really remember what a right-side up world even felt like anyway, and even if you can remember it, there’s no way you’d go back. That, my friends, is parenthood.

Hayley and Nate, welcome to the parenting club. Our members may be tired, have less money, and say the word “potty” more times than anyone should, but I guarantee you it’s one of the best and most rewarding clubs you’ll ever join. You two are already exceptional members – your love for Stella and one another is so beautiful and even in your exhaustion, you are still finding time to appreciate the wonder of your daughter. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of Stella’s first days – she is truly something special.

7 day old Stella …