Prints, prints, prints! I'm so passionate about printed photographs that I'm giving a complimentary set of archival 4x6 prints for all family sessions this year. Your memories deserve to be off devices and experienced in real life. There’s something really amazing about holding a print; something tangible that can be viewed intimately, shared or framed for display. Let me save you time and stress by having your images delivered to you in their final form to be enjoyed. To inquire about a session, please email me at mary@marygrahamphotography.com
Best of 2017
Thank you to everyone who stepped in front of my camera this year. Your support and encouragement mean so much to me. In 2017 I was able to witness new little lives brought into this world, siblings meeting for the first time, a family’s first photo session in 11 years, swam in a pool of sprinkles, and documented love in so many forms. Thanks for sharing part of your year with me and happy 2018!
2017 Fall Mini Sessions
Hey L.A.!
I’m saving Saturday, November 4th for you to do Fall Mini Sessions!
The Details : 30 minute lifestyle session, a private online image gallery, and 20 hi-res digital files. $250
Where:
Option 1: In morning in the comfort and convenience of your home where the hard work of parenting is done and real family memories are made.
Option 2: Outdoors in a location near your home; to catch that golden hour light. There will be 2 of these available from 4-6pm.
Send me a note and let me know if you're down!
Feels Like Fall
In Southern California, the transition between seasons is pretty subtle. We recently visited Los Rios Rancho to pick apples with the kids and for a few hours it started to feel like fall.
Apple picking may be a new tradition for us! What are some of your favorite fall family activities that you want to remember?
Feels Like Summer
I don't think that I'll ever get used to going to the beach in September. #Oregonianatheart
The Museum of Ice Cream | Los Angeles Destination Photography
Cheryl and I have known each other since our days in retail (which feels like a lifetime ago). I was excited when she reached out and said that her adorable family were going to be in town and that they had an extra ticket to the Museum of Ice Cream in Los Angeles! It was a real treat to document a bit of their family vacation. Check out the awesome Ice Cream Tees that the kids are wearing which were made by J la la VIP babes and the ice cream Toms shoes. The beautiful necklace on mama was handmade by Jen Emert Walsh @em_erge designs. Tickets for the Museum of Ice Cream in Los Angeles are currently sold out but if you're in the bay area, it looks like they are moving to San Francisco this fall!
Our Favorite Thing To Do is Hug
"What is your favorite thing to do as a family?", I asked the kids. "Our favorite thing to do is HUG!" they yelled and giggled. How sweet is that?! I had the recent pleasure of photographing the winners of my free mini session as part of the fundraiser for the Cresenta Sports Association. These 5 year old twins welcomed me with such joy and were so eager to show me around their home. I'm pretty fluent in toddler / preschool kids so we had the best time playing, dancing and telling jokes (Question: What do you call a bear with no teeth? Answer: A gummy bear!) It was great to capture memories from this age before they start kindergarten in the fall (where does the time go??).
If you're interested in my holiday mini sessions, be sure to sign up for my newsletter here to get all the details or contact me to schedule a full session here
Hello, Darling | Brentwood Newborn Session
I love getting to know my families and their stories. Lindsey and Adam are college sweethearts who recently welcomed their first child, Felicity. Their session felt relaxed and easy, just like friends hanging out. Lindsey's parents were in town visiting and I'm so glad we were able to include multiple generations in this session. I'm so excited for this family's new adventures together. Welcome to the world, darling Felicity!
365 | February
A few of my favorite personal photos from the month of February. We started off the month with a family vacation to Brian Head, UT. The kids loved playing in the snow and we all enjoyed taking day trips to see Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.
Oliver started baseball for the first time this month. It's a family affair; Grandpa is the team manager while George and his brother are the coaches.
A few moments from life at home. Amelia would get up right around sunset most mornings. The kids are having more interactive play with each other. I'm just trying to capture it all as creatively as possible.
Adventures around town : We love exploring Descanso Gardens ahead of the cherry blossom festival.
Pictured below: We bought Oliver a new bike on a whim, Oliver getting his haircut and Oliver's first purchase (candy buttons from Galco's).
Win a Family Mini Session Benefiting the Cresenta Sports Association
Cresenta Sports Association (CSA) is celebrating its 70th year in the area. CSA is an all volunteer, non-profit organization based in La Cresenta and serve families from the entire Cresenta-Valley, Glendale, Eagle Rock and surrounding communities. CSA has 30 teams ranging from 3 year olds to 12 year olds. Their main fundraising event each year is Slugfest which is scheduled for Saturday, April 8th 2017 from 9am-1pm. Slugfest will feature games, food, silent auctions, sporting challenges and the annual 'All Star Games'.
I'm excited to donate a 30 minute Mini Photography Session to their annual fundraising event this year! Details are below.
How adorable is this team?? 3 and 4 year old players from the Foal Division at the Opening Ceremony
What You Could win:
30 Minute Photography Session*
20 Digital Images and 4x6 Print of each image
1 Kate Spade photo album (holds 80 4x6 photos)
Print Release
Valued at $350
(*Maternity, newborn or family session only. Must be used in 2017.)
Come by the Cresenta Valley Park (3901 Dunsmore Avenue, La Crescenta, CA 91214) on Saturday, April 8, 2017 between 9am-12pm if you'd like to bid on an item.
At the park, you'll find the area for the silent auction. Simply write down your bid next to the basket of goodies you'd like to win!
Bidding will close in waves between 12pm and 1 pm. All purchases must be paid for and picked up by 2 pm. Cash and checks are accepted.
Thank you for supporting families in our local community! Contact me if you have any questions by clicking here. Hope to see you at Slugfest!
Baby Liv | Newborn Session
When I photograph families, there are two audiences that I keep in mind - the parents and the child(ren). For parents I look for the details of your little one (oh those tiny toes!) and your environment (the nursery decorations, the little dress, etc.). For this sweet baby, I wanted her to have images of how much her parents love her and each other. Welcome to the world, baby Liv!
You can view images from Emily's maternity session by clicking here
6 Tips to See the Super Bloom at Walker Canyon
Southern California is experiencing a super bloom of flowers thanks to an unusually wet winter. So to witness this in-person, we decided to take a hike at Walker Canyon (just outside of Lake Elsinore off of the 15 freeway at the Lake Street exit) to see the wildflowers! I'm sharing a few of my favorite photos from our visit as well as a few tips for bringing your little ones along.
A few practical tips for visiting Walker Canyon with your little ones:
1. Before hitting the road, pack a light bag of essentials for the hike. Things to consider bringing along are a camera, water, sun screen, snacks, a change of clothes for the kids, a diaper and wipes. The trail is really dusty, so bring comfortable shoes for the hike and you might want to bring another pair of nicer shoes if you plan on taking full body portraits.
My sweet hubby carrying our bag of essentials
Dusty trails and steep hills ahead! Don't forget your walking shoes!
2. There aren't any restrooms near the canyon so stop at the exit before or after the Lake St. exit for those last minute potty breaks.
3. Parking near the canyon can be limited. Don't be surprised if you end up parking near the on and off ramps of the freeway.
4. Be sure to hand the camera over so that you get to be in the frame too.
I'm definitely more comfortable behind the camera but I'm so glad to have a photo of myself together with the kids
5. Be prepared for your little one to ask for a treat. There might be vendors at the bottom of the canyon offering water and popsicles.
He had strawberry and she had an orange with cranberry popsicle which hit the spot
6. Pick a spot and enjoy the view
It can be crowded but there are pockets of places to sit and enjoy the beautiful view
Planning on seeing some wildflowers in the next few weeks? Here's a resource of other great hikes in the area:
https://modernhiker.com/best-wildflower-info-for-california-hiking
Happy hiking!
365 | January
This year I've decided to take on a 365 photo project in which I take a photo a day. My goal is to have a personal project that helps sharpen my eye and document the big and small moments while the kids are little (and actually enjoy hanging out with me :)). Here are a few of my favorite images from January.
She loves to hold her camera and in this rare moment, is holding it correctly. She usually holds it with the lens facing upward and shoots tons of selfies.
After school pick up and my attempt at getting in the frame
Wherever she leads me, I will go ;)
hide and.....
seek!
Kids don't need fancy new toys. It's not a box, it's a car!
Amelia uses (clean) diaper wipes as blankets for her stuffed animals. She's a good mama :)
He loves to give me "flowers"
Baseball practice with dad. We're starting our first baseball season in February.
Much needed rain for L.A.
Childhood Unplugged
One of my favorite things to photograph is kids being kids. I love this window of time during childhood when imagination and creativity are in full force. There's no filter, anything is possible and everything is new and exciting. It's also pretty funny to see how the minds of toddlers work. :)
Here are a few photos taken over the past couple of months of childhood unplugged.
This is how a two and three year old play hide and seek. Where could they be?
Run for your life, Bruiser! The kids are coming!
It became quite in the bedroom, a little too quiet. I came into the room and found them in the closet like this.
Superhero masks and capes for stocking stuffers
Ironman and Bat Girl
She found my makeup in a drawer and had no idea what any of it was. I'm guessing that it must have looked like crayons to her two year old mind...so why not color your feet?
They're always on the go
Baby Jasper | South Pasadena Newborn Session
Boy, do I love newborn sessions! The warm squishiness and smell of a new baby is unbeatable. Also, the pride and joy that exudes from new parents is palpable, which I totally understand. You wait your whole life to welcome this little soul into the world and although the pregnancy may not have been easy and the delivery more difficult than you imagined, he's finally here. And he's perfect. Congratulations to Rupal and Andrew on your sweet baby boy!
Baby holding onto mama's hand - love it!
team work
It's always nice to get a photo of just mom and dad together :)
Complimentary 20 Page Layflat Photo Book when you reserve your 2017 session in January
I'm a big believer in getting your memories off of computers and smart phones and into your hands. I love snuggling up with my kids and being able to show them their baby photos without being plugged in, which is why I'm excited to offer this promotion! Book any full session for 2017 during the month of January and you'll receive a free 8.5"x 8.5" layflat photo book with 20 of your favorite images!* These books are beauuutiful and feature professional grade ultra-thick pages that lay flat when open and customizable foil stamp cover (valued at $175).
This is a great opportunity for anyone expecting a little one! Or, for anyone that wants to photograph your family this year at some point (hellooo, holidays!). You don't have to know your exact date for your session now. Simply pay the deposit and sign the services agreement and the session date can be booked for a date later in the year. Please email me at mary@marygrahamphotography.com for further questions!
*Offer valid on full sessions only (maternity, newborn and family sessions). Not available on mini sessions, events or headshots. Free layflat book offer is only valid on full sessions booked during the month of January 2017. To book a session, you must sign the service agreement and pay an initial deposit prior to 1/31/2017. The exact date of your session can be determined at a future time but must take place before 12/20/2017.
Stay Sunny, San Diego | San Diego Family Session
We were supposed to go to the beach that day. "Have you checked the weather lately?", my husband asked. Yes, I had been tracking it all week and it said clear skies and no rain until the following day. Half way on my drive down to San Diego the first rain drops appeared. Luckily, heavy rain never appeared so we went to local park instead. It seemed as though every family was there with a photographer taking their holiday photos! Thank you to this sweet family for waiting so patiently with me, being so open to my ideas and for sharing their afternoon with me!
And Baby Makes Seven | Glendale Family Session
I always ask for the names and ages of the kids before a family session. Knowing the ages and stages helps me prepare with children's characters references (e.g. Thomas the Train) or silly jokes that help break the ice with kids so that they feel more comfortable with me. When mama Allison wrote back that she had 4 children (ages 9 -2), plus a newborn and grandparents who would be in a few frames, I started to sweat! This family couldn't have been more fun to photograph though. They trusted me, played and shared some of their favorite spots around their neighborhood. The fun they have as a family really comes through in these snaps. Welcome baby Dylan, you are so loved!
the new family of seven
grandfather and grandson
I love it when grandparents are a part of a session
the brothers!
I'm constantly amazed when I see animals in the middle of L.A.
proud grandmother
Kat + Matt + Stella | Palm Springs Family Session
We had never been there before but decided to make the drive and explore. When we arrived Stella woke up grumpy which I was not expecting. "I'm her aunt, she'll be SO excited to see me!", I foolishly thought. Ha! Toddlers. After some animal chasing and other silliness she started to take in her surroundings and have fun. Some of my favorite photos from this session are of those where Stella is looking back for me with that smile of hers.
Katherine
In honor of my sister's birthday today, I'm sharing a few photos that I recently took of her at her home. We both grew up learning piano for several years and music continues to be a large part of our lives. Happy birthday, Katherine!! Love you!
