jill carmel photography | the blog

Zest for Life

These lovely people not only drove over four hours to meet me for their photography session, but they recently moved here from Ireland! I'm a big fan of the British Isles with my "mum" being English, so we got to chatting and hit it off right away. 

It was immediately apparent how much these two love and adore their little girl. Mom described her as "spicy" which was the perfect word for this three-year-old. She had such a zest for life -- running, jumping, exploring and laughing. Mom and Dad didn't miss a beat and they were like three peas in a pod, each one entertaining the other.

For that morning, I got to view the world through little Gracie's eyes. The fascination, the exploration, the always-ready-for-a-game-of-tag feeling that is so electric when you're a child.

Watching the world from way up high...

 

Exploring the dew drops on the flowers....

 

A quiet moment with teddy...

 

Tickles and giggles with Mom and Dad. 

What a fun morning! And I couldn't have spent it with better people. 

-- Jill

The Little Things

I'm delighted to be writing about these two. They are some of the kindest people you'll ever hope to meet and I feel lucky to call them my friends. 

Everyone's photography session is different. I like the fact that I never know exactly what I'm going to bring away from a shoot because what I'm looking for can't be bottled or reproduced. What I'm looking for is that little window, that split-second glimpse into that family and the unique moments that they share between one another. 

And these two showed that it's the little things -- the things that only they do in their own "secret code" kind of way. The soft nuzzle/giggle of affection, the playful glint in dad's eye, the little lean on the shoulder. Those are the things that I look for -- the window, the glimpse. 

Thank you for sharing, you two. I can't wait for the newborn pictures! 

-- Jill

Independence

Independence. At twenty-two months old, that was the name of the game for little Miss "R". However, at this age, I don't expect anything less and we had tons of fun on this hot summer day.

Sweet as a pea with her little ice cream cone.

You name it, she could climb it with impressive confidence and a smile on her face. It's a delight for me to see such determinism in children and I hope it follows her well into her adult years. 

Loved her bright curiosity for the things around her.

I feel like this picture sums them up - humorous, kind and completely in love with their little girl.

Teen Photography & Senior Portraits

Most of you probably don't know (because I've never mentioned it) that I used to specialize in high school senior portrait photography. I began my path working for a studio in Los Angeles while I was still in college and learning from the ground up. I worked solely in the studio but, after a few years, I grew bored of working indoors with artificial lighting and tired backdrops.

I dreamt of dewy meadows filled with flowers... 

 

And sun-kissed shoulders under the afternoon sun...

 

And capturing the person in front of me as they truly are.

It was just too much fun working with this stunning young lady. She was up for anything and it was refreshing to get back to my roots in a whole new way.

She's Just Perfect

As you all know, I have a Boston Terrier, Bueller. When he was a puppy, I took him to Blue Ravine Animal Hospital to get puppy classes. There we met the lovely Amanda who gave me the tools to turn my crazy, rambunctious puppy into a crazy-rambunctious-yet-willing puppy, using solely positive methods (which I'm a big fan of). Bueller has turned out to be a well-trained dog thanks to Amanda (and many, many treats).

When she called me to do her maternity and newborn photography, I was so excited because, first, I knew she was awesome and, second, because I knew she had a Brussels Griffon...

She and her husband were so wonderful to work with -- easy going, funny and oh so beautiful. 

Okay, I know. It should be about the baby...but I could help myself!

 

And yet more evidence that I'm a sucker for dogs...but I think Amanda is, too, so it's okay. ;-)

 

Since I seem to have started a nursery series, I thought I'd include this lovely shot. Aren't the butterflies sweet? I love how she combined the mobile on the left with the stickers on the wall.

I adore this shot. Simple. Beautiful. She's just perfect.

Newborns and Nurseries

I sat down to write this post and honestly, I'm a little bit speechless over how sweet this baby was. I mean, he slept FOREVER, let us put him in pretty much whatever pose we wanted to, and it doesn't get much cuter than this little man.

I'm in love with this blanket -- it was crocheted by his great grandmother. 

 

And who doesn't love a baby on a stack of towels? Mom had this shot envisioned for the perfect spot in their lovely powder room.

 

This baby was welcomed by such a warm and loving family. All of the grandparents were there for the shoot to help and admire. We snuck away for a few moments to get some intimate shots of the new family. This is one of my favorites of the day.

 

I think I have a new obsession with nurseries. I see so many of them and this one was really fun. They had a custom-made circular crib with an "E" carved into the front that is special just for their family's last name (which begins with E). The chandelier and light colors are a beautiful touch as well.

I can't wait to show the family the rest of their pictures - they're turning out sooo cute!

So Very Welcome

I'm back from Los Angeles with some uber-cute photos of a little guy who was only five days old when I got to meet him. His mama had done such an incredible job decorating the nursery, that I had to show it (and the baby!) off at the same time. Isn't this little window seat gorgeous with the light all soft and yummy?

 

Check out Mr. Handsome. He was soooo good for me. He slept and slept and was just a dream to photograph.

 

I'm in love with this picture below -- so soft, so loving. You get the sense of how incredibly welcome this baby is to the family.

 

Gosh, what a handsome pair. Dad looks so happy and proud -- as he should be with a sweet little bundle like that in his arms!