Kathy + Sergio |Strawberry Farms Golf Club Wedding

Kathy + Sergio

Strawberry Farms Golf Club Wedding

 

These two. Oh let me tell you. They are so incredibly in love and it shows. Kathy & Sergio tied the knot at Strawberry Farms Golf Club and they had their small group of friends & family there to witness their very touching love story. It was incredible to see their guests moved to tears and so much laughter during their vows. These are the weddings I live to document , the ones with raw emotion and connection. Kathy & Sergio are so incredibly easy going and made my job super easy. 

They had their dinner reception at Cucina entica Newport Beach . When I stepped in the restaurant, I died a bit inside because it had seeping sunset light with hanging plants everywhere, tons of greenery (all of which are my fav. ) and lots of gorgeous touches of details that my camera was so enthused to document. 

These two are just so incredibly fun and it shows in all their wedding day details!

This wedding was one I will never forget and I love that I can truly call Kathy & Sergio my “friends” after being a part of such an intimate day ;) 

The McKay Family | San Juan Capistrano Family Session | Hamilton Oaks Winery

The McKay Family | San Juan Capistrano Family Session | Hamilton Oaks Winery

My little Audrey ... Turning the BIG TWO!

My little Audrey ... Turning the BIG 2!

I can hardly believe you turn TWO today! And rest assured, I will be saying this for every birthday you and your sister have for the rest of your life, so you might have to get used to it.

Your little body is always on the move, usually at top speed and you have no trouble keeping up with your big sister. You have a big personality and an even bigger attitude. I think my favorite thing about you is the incredible bond you have with your sister. Your love each other fiercely and it shows. You play and snuggle and read and sleep together. You turn to her when you need help and she protects you like a mama bear. She is the first person you look for when you wake up, and you light up when she comes home from school at the end of the day. It is my fervent wish that you never lose the relationship that you have with your sister. It is precious and will carry you through so many tough times ahead. 

You challenge me on an hourly basis, never taking no for an answer – determined to march to the beat of your own drum. While it drives me crazy, and makes our daily life that much more difficult, it also reassures me that you can handle whatever comes your way. That you won’t be pushed into things you don’t want. You know your mind and aren’t afraid to speak it, so I have no doubt that you will always be able to stand up for yourself. You are a strong little girl and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

I have been working more than usual lately and it hasn’t escaped your notice. You have turned into a snuggle bug, constantly wanting to curl up in my lap and wrap your arms around my neck. You crawl into my bed in the wee hours each morning (or the middle of the night) and burrow yourself right up next to me and truth be told, I love every second of it. You won’t want to snuggle with me forever, and your tiny body won’t fit with mine the same way much longer so I am soaking up every minute that it still does. 

I would love to keep you exactly how you are at this moment forever, but I know I can’t. What I can do is cherish every single second of right now. Savor your high pitched giggles and tickle your quickly disappearing baby thighs.

Your daddy , big sisssy & I all love you more than you could ever imagine.

Happy, Happy 2nd Birthday Baby Girl…..wishing you a million days that reflect the possibilities you see.

#Audreyellie

The Clark’s Family Newborn Session // Orange County Newborn Photographer

The Barron’s Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Montage Laguna Family Photos

The Barron’s Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Montage Laguna Family Photos

A few of my recent clients have asked me , “Does the time of day you shoot at the beach make that much of a difference?”

Heres my answer : The golden hour occurs from about half an hour before, until about an hour after sunrise in the morning, and then an hour before sunset, to about 20 to 30 minutes after the sun has gone down in the evening. When you shoot in this soft light the light is golden in colour and often changes colour from yellow, to orange to magenta. 
-The light is soft, i.e. no major contrast such as hard shadows and very bright highlights. 
-Colors are more exaggerated, the color of the light is far more emphasized, much more oranges, reds and magentas are visible in the scene.
It is for these reasons that photographers choose to shoot in the early morning or early evening, these times produce the most dramatic images.

Many of us were taught to shoot under bright sunlight, in the middle of the day, with the sun behind us. Sure, that can work, but you won’t get dramatic results every time, in many cases, your images will look very average. This is because light is harsh at this time of day.

So to many of you who are wondering, yes, the time of day can make a HUGE difference in the outcome of your photos.

The Deprima’s Family// Orange County Family Photographer

These guys came all the way from Vegas to enjoy sunny Cali beaches, They were so excited to be here to soak up the sun and it was a great evening for family session with all that golden light shining. We shot their session at Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach to really capture the diversity of open sand + rocky shore with pools of salty water, pebbles and boulders. Just love this spot and these sweet families I get to meet along the way who travel from all over to visit where we live. 

Jackie & Sebastian // San Juan Capistrano Engagement Session

Jackie & Sebastian // San Juan Capistrano Engagement Session 

When I first met Jackie & Sebastian I knew they were going to be epic people. These two are so madly in love and constantly glowing with joy for each other, like the kind of love you see in the movies and wonder, does that really exist? Yep. They laughed a lot during our session and twirled under the sunlight, kissed & held each other . Pretty much made my job super easy. Don’t even get me started on their outfits. I loved how true they stayed true to who they are by incorporating so much of their own style into our session.

Jackie and I chatted about locations and we loved the idea of hanging out under the trees in the mustard fields for the first half of our session and then maybe grabbing some coffee & relaxing in the cute coffee shops for the second half of our session (We did this at SOCO, Costa Mesa). If you haven’t been here yet, you should go! This spot has a killer Farmers Market, amazing little vendors , great coffee shops & super yummy trending restaurants! It has a rustic modern vibe with super neat architecture surrounding you which is pretty much heaven for any photographer! Ok, I got a bit off track here  ... This session was honestly  SO much fun with these two rad people and I can’t wait to capture their wedding in April! 

The Schwartz Family // Vintage French-style girl’s nursery and newborn photos

The Schwartz Family // Newport Beach Newborn Session // Nursery Inspiration

This sweet family invited me into their home to document their new little addition to the family . When I entered into this nursery that this mamma pieced together and designed for her little girl arriving , my jaw about dropped. For starters, every last detail was so intentional and the color palette was pretty much a photographers dream!  Second, big brother Fin was super excited to show off his new little sister and definitely stole the show (in a good way) Every mamma wants their baby’s first ever room to be special and Nicole definitely nailed it ! I mean c’mon,  look at that hand made bracelet with baby girls name spelt out, how stinkin cute & personal is that?!

The aesthetic of this nursery is honestly to die for and I couldn't stop swooning over it our entire session, clicking away on my camera. 

CREDITS: Photographer: Cori Kleckner Photography / Horse, Cie La Vie, & Swan artwork: Rylee and Cru / Roses print: Rifle Paper Co / Baby Fawn artwork: Susan Windsor / Stay Wild My Child print: Love Supply Co / Elephant dish: Anthropologie / Name bracelet: MySoCalCreations / Himmeli mobile: Meandshestudios / Bassinet & Crib: RH Baby and Child / Woven wall piece: Wioux / Faux fur stool: Target / Boho Kilim Nagar Rug: World Market / Cream wool rug: Rugs USA / Wooden shelf: Urban Outfitters / Cat doll: Pottery Barn Kids / Dog doll: Blabla Kids / Wooden sign: Heartcraftedco

Crystal Cove Family Session | Orange County Family Photographer

Crystal Cove Family Session | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

Elizabeth + Robert | Shaw’s Cove Maternity Session | Orange County Maternity Photographer

Elizabeth + Robert | Shaw’s Cove Maternity Session | Orange County Maternity Photographer

For this mamma-to-be we wanted a session full of earthy soft pastel tones. When Elizabeth contacted me to document this special time for her and her husband Robert, we brainstormed a color palette similar to the colors you see during the sun going down at the beach. We decided on a dreamy beach location; Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach. As a SoCal photographer, I'm a sucker for a rocky shore with pools of salty water, pebbles and boulders and this spot had just that for us.

Elizabeth picked up some flowers at the local market to incorporate in her session . She wore a flowy gown and then changed into a tighter more fitted gown that accentuated her belly a bit more. We really made our visions come to life! This was such a dreamy romantic session! It was a great day for a maternity shoot.

Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach | The Dunbar’s Family Session

Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach  |  The Dunbar’s Family Session   

The Dunbar Family has allowed me to photograph them for quite some time now, all the way from when their sweet Paisley was just a little baby! She is now 2 yrs old  & going to be a BIG sister this coming April! I just seriously adore this sweet family and love being able to document this special time for them and watch their little family grow! I feel so honored when families trust me to capture such precious milestones for them . One of the most rewarding parts of being a photographer is getting to witness & document a couples journey into parenthood and so on. It was a gorgeous day for a maternity/family session and we lucked out on some of the best sunset light at a gorgeous little beach location

Being a business owner & stay at home mommy | Audrey + Jaelene | Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach CA

Being a business owner & stay at home mommy to Audrey + Jaelene

These two. They have my whole heart. Some days I feel overwhelmed with gratitude to be a stay at home working mommy while other days it can be very challenging and I forget to take the time to really relish in this beautiful time of them being little still and even needing me at all. Right now I’m juggling potty training a toddler, school pickup & drop offs, sports, homework with my oldest and all the other tasks of mommy duties all while running a business . Running your own business is no piece of cake. Neither is raising a family.  Though I always say family comes first , before work or house duties - it isn’t always easy.

There is enough guilt to go around for any parent, so I make a conscious effort to let it go and focus on the positives. I may have a hectic schedule, and, as a result, my children are learning how to be independent and self-reliant. I also know one day they wont need mommy to  brush their hair or make their lunch or tuck them in at night, and some days I have to remind myself to slow down so I can enjoy these everyday in-between moments. The messes on the table, legos on the floor, dirty laundry piled everywhere ; one day they wont be there. I will miss that when its gone (well maybe not the laundry part;). Right now I’m juggling running a business and being home with a toddler and up-keeping a house (which is the first HOUSE we’ve ever lived in) and it can be a lot to keep up with it all. Daddy works long hours too and finding a balance can sometimes be hard for all of us.  But days like today, where I'm soaking up the sun watching my girls build sand castles so innocently in the sand, I remember that homework can wait, cleanup can wait, dinner can wait;  quality time with these two little beautiful girls (and my husband) is whats most important right now. Giving them my undivided attention when they ask - that is what I am doing my best to work on as a mommy who feels so busy and rushed for time all the time. I know they see that. I know they watch as I frantically run around like a chicken with its head cut off so that work is caught up, house stuff is caught up, everyones needs are met and the ’to do” list is all checked off. I know they see me regularly nod my head to them as they are sharing something with me:  “mommy look at the painting I made” as I am trying to return an email to a client or finish editing a session.  I know I should pause whatever it is I’m doing to give them those valuable minutes of  attention & time because all else can wait .  I know. I know. I know they wont be this little forever. 

Some days feel really short though guys, don’t they? Like their aren’t enough hours in the day to get breakfast started, shuffle to school & sports, prep dinners, clean the house, devote time to work and still manage to find time for yourself.  It’s all about finding a healthy balance. The truth is you can do it all if you just change what your definition of balance is. There are times where my business gets more attention than my kids and vice versa. In the end I like to believe that it all balances out. Part of being an entrepreneur is being comfortable with changing direction quickly. 

Entrepreneurship, just like motherhood, is not a 9-5 job. Some days I stay up until 3 am working and then have to do a 7 a.m. child drop off at school. Be kind to yourself. Make time for you even if it's just to breathe and smell the air. Kids are going to make messes, they are going to eat your reports and download viruses to your computer. Your best weapon is a sense of humor. Enjoy your mommy entrepreneur life, wear the title proudly. We are basically super heroes.

My goal for 2016 is to not sweat the small things (i.e.: messes, missed nights of homework, running late in the morning, getting behind on work. . .etc), not push myself to do it all and be it all- all the time; but to be present in the moment and give my family more undivided attention - Because believe me when l tell you, nothing in the world is more important to me then my family.

PS: These photos of my girls were taken on a whim one day when we decided to head down for the beach to catch some sun rays. I will cherish these photos of my two girls and their incredibly close bond.