When I first starting photographing weddings, I had no idea this tradition even existed. At the time, I rarely even attended weddings so my knowledge of their traditions was something new and something I had to learn about-- fast!

The tradition comes from an Old English rhyme that a lot of modern couples are not too fond of keeping (or so I've noticed); however, the tradition still holds value to many. So I thought to break down what these traditions are, why people still love them, and a few ideas on how to achieve them.

I don't know what's worse... being in denial that summer is over and I'm asking myself where the year has gone, or looking at goals I had written down at the beginning of the year and seeing that I haven't accomplished any of them. Either way, there's a whole lot of truth in both statements.

In the recent months, I've been challenged with a family emergency that has led me down a road of so many emotions that caused me to reevaluate my commitments, test my patience, and prioritize what's most important to me... 

​My Family.

There are couples that I love working with for the sake of working with them, and then there are couples that I am in love with working with them.

Let me explain this a bit more...

I placed a model call for real LGBTQ+ couples in the Los Angeles County area who were willing to hang-out with me and get a some cute portraits while we were at it. Melissa and Alex were so generous with their time and energy to meet with me during their busy schedules. 

Jen and I met on Honeybook's creative online community of amazing business owners. I posted a collaborative request out to the universe, and then came Jen Anderson from Sha Sha Co. 

Sha Sha Co. is a boutique Event Design and Coordination company based out of Los Angeles, California. Just half a day spent this coordinator during our lifestyle portrait session, you'd be surprised what locations you'd be able to access with Jen on your side. 

As the temperature drops in Southern California, the little beams of glee come along that is everything holiday season.

And with one of the busiest times of the year for portrait photographers, I'm no exception to all that holiday glee.
In the past, I wrote a similar post: Spring Sessions: How to Prepare for Your Session.

Although preparing for a session overall is pretty much the same at different times of the year, there are some slight differences in the details that I want to make sure you are prepared for. And with holiday mini-sessions, there is exception.

Here are some tips on how to be super awesome at your next holiday mini-session...and if you get to the bottom, I've got a FREE downloadable checklist so you never forget what to take with you to your next family session.

As we closed up the summer time, the taste of the autumn love that is everything Pumpkin Spice Lattes is in the air and the months of August and September were good ones for creativity, ideas, and creating better habits within my business and in my personal endeavors. 

Over the years, I've laughed, cried, laughed some more and helped create some sweet memories with my clients. We've gone to tons of parks in the Los Angeles area and the west coast. But some of those sessions stick out to me more than others.
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I don't know if it was because of the location, the cute little squishy faces, or the stories of these little families that I just can't get over. So, to commemorate these little squishy faces I can't get over, I've put together a list of my Top 10 Holiday Mini-Session Moments that still stands the test of time.

Imagine you're about to walk down the aisle.

You've spend countless hours making sure everything goes as planned. You hired your dream photographer, your make-up and hair are on point. You're about the marry to person of your dreams.

And then as you start to walk, you're looking into the crowd of people you've hand selected to be part of your big day only to see the backsides of their mobile devices while they take snap shots of you.

Your eyes search to make eye contact with your soon to be life partner, but your aunt is standing in the middle of aisle to get a better glimpse of you as your uncle is calling out your name to look over to him so he can take a photo of you on his big fancy camera.

And all you could think of is:

WHAT. IS. HAPPENING.

The voice in my head kept hoping it would be over soon, but she just kept piercing her sharp elbows on my back and calves. The feeling of twenty knives cutting right through my body as I asked perhaps I should tell her to be more gentle with me. But I said nothing.

I laid there with my face down the hole as my massage therapist kneaded my muscles like she was kneading a stubborn dough to make into a loaf of bread. I contemplated telling her to stop or go easy on me.

My muscles were tense. My body kept fighting the "pain", and I refused to lose control. Stubborn and afraid that it would hurt too much-- that it would feel uncomfortable. Refused to let go until I realized...

I was only fighting one thing:

​Myself.