LACMA | Family Portraits

Just before my 30th Birthday my then girlfriend and I headed down to Rosarito Mexico for a weekend at her Grandmother's.  During that trip I met a man that would be one of the biggest influences in my life.  Growing up people had talked to me about God, and unfortunately like many I rejected that message.  While on the trip we were invited to a skateboarding competition, and we headed down to the event.  When we got there the competition had ended, but I was introduced to the organizer.  This was a meeting that would forever change my life.  

Well at the time the organizer Eric was having trouble getting his Jeep started and I went over to see how I could help.  We were able to get the Jeep started and then he invited us out to eat with some of the volunteers.  We decided to go with them and while at dinner I witnessed the way Eric was and how those with him were as well.  There was something different about them, they were so willing to give of themselves without wanting anything in return.  While at dinner he invited us to church and while my brain was screaming NO WAY NO CHANCE I opened my mouth and the words “sure what time?" came pouring out.  We went to church that Sunday and then headed back home to LA.  

For the next several weeks I spent quite a bit of time around Eric in Rosarito working on the skate park the church was operating.  For the first time I was shown and not told what it was to be a Christian. After several weeks going week in and week out to Rosarito to assist with the skatepark ,  I gave my life to the Lord and haven’t looked back.  The Martins have now been back in the US for a while still serving as a missionary family still touching other lives. 

Recently they let us know they were going to be in LA for their oldest daughter’s birthday and wanted to know if we would be available to do a family portrait session with them. We agreed to meet at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art near Hollywood.  LACMA is not only a great place to spend a day but it’s also a unique place for family portraits.  Eric and Regina have 3 amazing girls and have done an amazing job in raising them in the Lord.  It was a blessing and privilege to be able to capture an afternoon in their lives, and to be able to give back to someone that gives soo much.

Thank you for following your heart and God’s calling on your life.

Chasing Your Dreams

" You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." - Steve Jobs

As kids we dream big.  We dream of being professional athletes, artists, musicians, actors, doctors, and cowboys.  We dream of being famous, and of impacting the world.  We never dream about working in a cubicle or being receptionists, and I don't think there are many of us who dream of being accountants.

As we grow older those dreams start to be molded, they take shape, and sometimes they are transformed into other dreams.  They are shaped by circumstance, or even our inability to hit a fast ball.

However there are those who hold on to those dreams and chase them regardless of the cost, or the naysayers out there.  Those who refuse to give up and hold strong to that desire or calling.

Karina is one of these dreamers.  She was a child that loved to be center stage, making everyone laugh and enjoy themselves.  As an adult she's still the loving girl that wants to continue to entertain and be front and center.  She has taken that dream and shaped it into a career as a DJ on La Invasora 94.5 FM where she entertains and brings joy into people's lives on both sides of the border.

As her family we can not be prouder to see how she has grown from a young girl entertaining her family to a woman who is loved by her fans and has made a serious commitment to follow her dreams.  As artists we can not help but to be inspired to continue chasing ours.

Marina Del Rey Family Portraits | Montiel Family

We have been friends with the Montiel’s now for several years.  They are definitely a blessing in life, and probably our biggest cheerleaders.  With all of our busy schedules it had been tough to set our session with them.  We finally were able to set a date and time, and we also knew we wanted it to be different.  We headed out to Marina Del Rey to do an on location family session with a Southern California flair.