Awkwardness Round 2 {Los Angeles Event Photographer}

I had another fabulously awkward time shooting the Awkward Family Pet Photos book signing event! Mike and Doug launched their second book (in a an awkward serious I hope *wink wink*!) at the OK Store in Los Angeles.

We had a great time meeting everyone and their pets!

These pups and kitties were such great sports for letting us be as awkward as we wanna be….

(although, I’m pretty sure the treats helped!)

Krystal’s Big Hat Bridal Shower {Los Angeles event photographer}

I’m shooting Krystal’s wedding next month, and I can’t wait!

I had the opportunity to meet her friends and family at her bridal shower, which was dubbed Big Hat Bridal Shower. I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, until I got there. I was expecting big crazy hats, but instead they were wearing the most beautiful Royal Wedding inspired hats I’ve ever seen!

Here are some pages from her album, check out the hats!

It was so great to meet everyone, and love the hats!

Love to see them grow! {Santa Monica Family Portrait Photography}

I met this family years ago when I first started my business. I had seen them a few times along the way, for a variety of shoots (dad is an amazing chef and I photographed his food for menus. mmmmm), but unfortunately a couple of years got in the way and I didn’t get to see them as often as I liked.

I got a phone call from Mae, she had a little addition to the family and it was time to update their family portraits!

I was so excited to see how big Braeden had grown, and couldn’t wait to meet little Mateo.

And just as I remember, we had a great time during the shoot!

cutie pies! Can’t wait to photograph them again over Thanksgiving with the extended family! And Nic, do you need any more food photography?!? I’d love to help (as my tummy growls)!

Meet Jordan {Santa Monica Portrait Photographer}

Jordan is an amazing young woman! I met up with her at her home for her portrait session and while getting my gear ready for the shoot, we chatted about why she needed portraits.

She told me she is a motivational speaker, works with young girls teaching them to truly love themselves, and is writing her first book. She needs some portraits for her book cover and her blog. All at the ripe old age of 22.

I headed over to her blog, www.whoisjordanbrown.com and after reading many of her posts, I was truly inspired. Jordan has some amazing insights for girls to love themselves, live their lives to the fullest and be the best they can possibly be.

Check out her blog for some motivation and inspiration, and in the mean time, meet Jordan:

Pet Photography {Los Angeles Photographer}

I had an opportunity to photograph a couple of pets for an upcoming pet photo book (more on that later, don’t want to spill the beans!). I have worked with pets before, dogs and cats in particular, but this was my first time ever, photographing a fish.

Porky is not a standard goldfish.

I could have sworn he swallowed a golf ball! It was a fun, and an extremely challenging  shoot, and it went great!!!

Meet Porky

After Porky, I photographed Din Din, a beautiful, well trained and extremely gentle pup. I forget the type of dog she is, but I do know she was a rescue brought back from China. The sweetest pup ever!

Din Din

New website! {Los Angeles Photographer}

I have been working on my website for months now, and finally, I am happy to announce the new and improved look for Julia Varga Photography- The Art of Life.

Please take a look at the new site, let me know what you think! I love to get feedback!

JuliaVarga.com

Allison ♥ Chris {Los Angeles Engagement Photographer}

Met up with Allison and Chris for their engagement session and we had the most beautiful afternoon at the beach!

Allison and Chris wanted to include their motorcycle in some of the shots so we headed up the coast to Pt. Mugu, and who could blame them, I would love a motorcycle ride up the coast!

Great afternoon with many, many laughs!

You guys made it awesome, looking forward to the wedding!

Miss E turns 3! {Santa Monica Children’s Photographer}

Time flies when you’re having fun!

Miss E turned 3 this year and for our portrait session she came dressed in her finest Minnie Mouse outfit and handful of balloons!

We had a blast at the park playing (shhh, don’t tell her I was actually working!), and getting some fun shots while Mom and Dad got some one on one time.

Thanks Miss E! And a big congrats to Mom on expecting her second little one!

Krystal & Louis {Santa Monica Engagement Photographer}

Met up with Krystal and Louis in Santa Monica for a fun, easy-breezy engagement session, and we had some laughs! Louis, you crack me up!

Looking forward to the wedding in October!

They grow up too fast! {Los Angeles Children’s Portrait Photography}

My niece, the light of my life, graduated from preschool a couple of weeks ago, and she’ll be starting kindergarten this fall. I can’t believe how fast she’s growing up! It feels like just yesterday I was photographing her for her first birthday….and now, here she is, 5 years old!

After graduation (and a few tissues later, yes, I cried during her graduation), the family went out for the day and enjoyed some SoCal sunshine.

My niece has, thankfully, grown out of the awkward posing for the camera stage and now she is just a big ham! She loves having her portrait taken!

The fabulous Miss B graduates from CSUCI! {Los Angeles Portrait Photographer}

I met Miss B years ago at the photo studio I worked before starting my business. At the time, she was getting her high school senior portraits done, and now look at her, graduating from Cal State Channel Islands!

Congrats Miss B! Good luck to you in all of your future endeavors, I know you are going to do great things!

woohoo!

Spending the day with the light of my life {Los Angeles Children’s Photographer}

For my niece’s birthday, I scooped her up and took her to Downtown San Diego to check out the New Children’s Museum.

What a great place to spend a few hours playing (and learning shhhh, don’t tell her that part, too busy playing!)

Every exhibit is a hands on experience, we painted, we drew, we climbed and bounced and had a fantastic time! Stop by if you’re ever in the area, it’s well worth it!

After the museum, we headed for lunch. And what better way to have a birthday day with Auntie, then to have blueberry pancakes for lunch!

With bellies full of yumminess, we headed to one of my favorite places in San Diego, Balboa Park. When I lived in San Diego, I would go there to hang out, check out the art museums, the photographic museum and my favorite, the Botanical Garden. Unfortunately, the garden was closed the day we went (not a problem, just another reason to go back!), so we walked around the park, played, danced and even played photographers.

I used to sit in front of the reflecting pool for hours. Niece and I sat here while we ate our ice cream, I explained to her how this is my favorite spot in the whole park. She snuggled up next to me, looked up at me and said “You’re my favorite spot”.

I was a puddle of goop after that. She could have asked my to buy her an elephant at that point and I would have!

 

Family Portraits! {Los Angeles Portrait Photographer}

I met the D family at my booth at the Camarillo Preschool Fair last month and instantly fell in love with them! They are all so warm and cozy, I could have hung out with them all day!

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas is around the corner! {Los Angeles Portrait Photographer}

I know you know, Christmas is next week! Can you believe how quickly it came upon us?!?!

If you have yet to find that perfect gift, why not think about a portrait photo shoot gift certificate?

There are two sessions to choose from, the Mini Session, which is a $100 30 minute quick and easy shoot in the location of your choice.

Or, the most popular session,  the Full session, a $200 1-2 hour photo shoot  at your location of choice. This session also includes a complimentary 8×10 print of your favorite image.

Photo shoots can take place at your favorite beach, park or even in the comfort of your home.

Gift certificates are available for sessions, or in specific dollar amounts that can include print credits.

Contact me as soon as possible and I’ll create a custom gift certificate!

Happy Christmas Shopping!

(now off to do my own shopping!)

The light of my life {Los Angeles Children’s Portrait Photographer}

This past weekend I headed south to photograph my brother and his beautiful family for their annual holiday portraits.

We had a great location to shoot their portraits and fantastic weather!

It seems like just yesterday I was photographing my little niece for her first Christmas portraits, and now? Just look at her! She’s such a big girl!

These are my absolute favorites all time! Of course I’m a little biased, she’s the light of my life!

 

Precious Baby! {Santa Monica Baby Photographer}

Meet little Baby C, she’s a doll!

I just love her little pink crocheted hat…just precious!

 

The O family at Temescal Canyon {Santa Monica Family Photographer}

I photographed this beautiful family at Temescal Canyon last week, even Otis, the family dog got in on the action!

and sometimes even the crying shots are cute!

then the smiles are back…

Johanna & Sebastian- Wedding at El Pescador Beach {Los Angeles Wedding Photographer}

Oh how I love the internet!

Johanna and Sebastian contacted me via email all the way from Germany regarding their wedding on a beach in Malibu.
They traveled two weeks ago from Germany with two couples of best friends,  to get married and for their honeymoon all in one fabulous trip!

Initially, the intimate beach wedding was to be held at El Matador Beach, but Hollywood decided otherwise (due to a movie being filmed) and we moved over to the next beach, El Pescador. Honestly, couldn’t have been a better move! We had the beach all to ourselves…

The weather was perfect, the waves were perfect, and the couple….perfect!

I’m madly in love with Johanna’s dress and shoes, which she brought from Germany. I joked (kind of!) that if she was to wake up the next morning and not find her dress and shoes, I’m the one who snatched them up!

From the beach, we headed up to their Beach house for the week and had some more fun!

Congratulations to the beautiful couple, and happy honeymooning in Huntington Beach!

Little Hannah {Camarillo Children’s Photographer}

I first met the H family a couple years ago when Hunter was only a few months old. Now he’ grown up to be such a big boy and introduced me to his little sister Hannah.

And I’m in love with them all over again! They both have the biggest most beautiful eyes I’ve seen in a long time.

Miss C is 1! {Children’s Photographer}

Oh how time flies! Miss C turned 1! I can’t believe how big she is, and her big sister Miss S, well, I can’t even describe what a big girl she’s become!

I know I say this all the time, but I really feel so fortunate to have such wonderful and loyal clients. I get to watch their families grow!

Vacationing in Los Angeles {Santa Monica Portrait Photographer}

K & C contacted me while they were planning their vacation to the Los Angeles area, and wanted to have some fun portraits taken while they were here. Traveling all the way from Texas, where better place to have some fun pictures than in Santa Monica.

We had a great time shooting ‘guerrilla photography’, stopping randomly at brightly colored buildings and cool signs for some awesome shots.

Hope you guys had a spectacular trip!

Kids Snapshot Contest Winner {Los Angeles Children’s Photographer}

Little Jadon was the Kids Snapshot Contest winner from April. He got me with those big brown eyes and that amazing little smile of his! Look at him, such a cutie!

Jadon was even nice enough to let his two older brothers in on the shoot too…

I think these boys are going to grow up to heartbreakers!

Fun Family Portraits with the S family {Family Portrait Photography}

I’ve been meaning to post these for a while!

I met up with the S family at my favorite location, Conejo Creek Park a while back. It was a beautiful afternoon for family portraits, and from the looks of it, everyone had a lot of fun! Congrats to John and Joseph who will be graduating from high school and junior high respectively. Good luck to both of you in all your endeavors, where ever they make take you!

Intimate Beach Wedding {Los Angeles Wedding Photographer}

I met Michelle one evening at my best friend’s house, she’s her neighbor. During our Iron Chef night of cooking, eating and drinking, Michelle and I hit it off right away!

Few months later, I get a Facebook message (yay for social networking!) from Michelle telling me she and her boyfriend are tying the knot and would love to have me come shoot the wedding. She told me it was to be very small, family and a few friends only, and it will take place at El Matador Beach atop the bluff.

The day of the wedding, I woke up to May gray, overcast skies and surprisingly cold. Uh-oh, I was worried. But the day could not have turned out to be better! The clouds burned off, and although there was some wind, it was perfect beach weather!

Michelle, you Grecian Goddess! You made a beautiful bride! And Kevin, you were so much fun! Family and friends were so gracious and wonderful, I wanted them to adopt me as one of their own.

Congratulations to the two of you, I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!

awkwardness {Los Angeles Portrait Photographer}

Meet Doug. Hi Doug. That’s Mike behind him. Hi Mike.  Mike’s doing the peek-a-boo pose that many old school photographers loved oh-so much.

Mike and Doug are the masterminds behind AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com a site that features so many awesome family photos their readers submit.

This site has always given me a good laugh, not only because my family has some photos that could definitely be in the top 10 of any list on there, but also because as a portrait photographer, there are so many professional photos that make me say out loud “What was that photographer thinking posing them like that???”

I follow the fabulous website on Facebook, and one day they posted a link to a show the website was featured on, Graham Norton. (He’s on BBC and just about the funniest host ever! Forget any of the American talk show hosts, Graham drinks wine with his guests and has the best one liners ever!!) I commented on the link telling them how fantastic it is they’ve gone global and how I use the site as a threat to my clients.

Many of you have heard me say it haven’t you? “If you guys don’t give me good expressions, I’m sending your portrait in to Awkward Family Photos.com!”. It’s all in good fun, and I usually get great smiles and laughs, (and I have yet to actually send in anything, so that’s a good thing!).

Well, apparently that comment caught the attention of the great people over at AFP and the next day I received a message about shooting their book launch party. I do many types of event photography, and I was more than happy to do the gig. However, while speaking with Mike, he told me to forget anything and everything I’ve learned in photography school and wants me to intentionally pose people awkwardly and just have fun. Oh, I’m down with that!!!

Mike and Doug had a book signing and then headed over to a fabulous restaurant called Tart for the party. I was there, ready to go and start shooting some Awkward Photos.

You really need to check out their book, it’s hilarious! The captions with the photos are some of the funniest things I’ve read in a while, and even better yet, many of the photos have stories describing them by the people who are in the photos. It’s really well done and every comment is in good taste, nothing is mean-spirited. And yes, I asked, the people in the book did sign off on the photos being published!

Go check out the website, then go out and buy the book, get one for yourself then some for family members, and smile in knowing that your family is not the only one that is Awkward!

Here are some of my favorite awkward shots from the night

and the gang at Tart got into the spirit too!

Thanks guys for allowing me to be as Awkward as I wanna be! This was the best event by far that I have been apart of.

Congratulations on the book, and it debuting at #3 on the New York Times Bestseller List!

Wishing you much success and looking forward to part 2!