It’s always a good time for wedding clients to come back for family photos! Dustin and Brittany were married a couple years back at the Laguna Village Occasions in Laguna Beach. I ran into them a few weeks ago in Irvine and we arranged for a family session.

My family sessions are done with a mix of structured and unstructured photos. Behavior from little ones tends to be unpredictable and so great pictures can be achieved usually by just playing, waiting, setting up for a portait, playing, waiting, portrait, . . . you get the idea.

Prepare yourself for a full cuteness assault . . .

Don’t try to hide from the photographer! I’ll find you!!

See you next time!

You are going to love these pics! A little background: I photographed Jorgen and Elieen’s wedding a few years ago at 7 Degrees Laguna Beach. It was fashionable and artsy, just like the location and the couple. Little baby Oliver has since joined the family and I have visited them twice now for family photos. You can see a few of their first family pictures here.

Besides having one of the coolest names ever, Oliver Skold is one super cute Hapa baby. So these are some of my favorite family photos ever, taken at the Skold house in Irvine. The images are so relaxed and genuine . . .


After I was at the house for about fifteen minutes, Oliver decided it was napt time. Photo shoot was wearing this guy out! Hahaha! Timing is very unpredictable with kids. . .

This gave me a chance to take some detail shots of Oliver’s room . . .

And also a little photo session with Mom and Dad! Equally as fun . . .

Boom! Oliver is up!

Outfit change and we are good to go!



There they are! Good looking family.

See you next time, Oliver!!

Huntington Memorial Hospital
100 W. California Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 397-5000

I photographed Jennifer and Kevin’s Aquarium of the Pacific wedding last year. It was such a uniue and beautiful wedding, I will never forget it. Jennifer wore this beautiful light blue wedding dress while they exchanged vows before the the blue waters of the main aquarium. Well, they created another unforgettable memory for me this last week when they invited me to photograph 2 day old Mason Alexander. This turned out to be an emotional experience because it reminded me of my own baby being born 6 months ago.

This is my favorite Mason photo of the session. He looked at the camera and was so inquisitive, it was a perfectly captured moment . . .

Mason chillin’ in his “box” with his lojack on . . .


One of the most beautiful moments of the hour was when Kevin came in and held his baby. Little Mason kept grabbing out at Kevin’s face and just wanted more of him. They say that a baby can recognize his father’s voice the moment the he comes out of the womb – this was proof enough.

I had bugged Mason enough for some photos and he really just wanted to pass out in his Mommy’s arms. He did just that right before I walked out.


Jennifer had Mason’s “going home outfit” laid out and ready to go! She was excited to take her little man home and start a family.

Thank you Jennifer and Kevin for sending me updates on your lives and your baby. I look forward to seeing you again in a few months.

Photographing families is such a fun experience. One of the reasons is that families (like people) come in all shapes, sizes and personalities. As a photographer, you never know what kind of photos you will end up with until the session starts rolling. The result is always something unique for each family.

The following pictures are the result of “mini-sessions!” These were scheduled all on the same day and are the result of one “Mommies Group” doing some sweet planning. All I had to do was show up and the families started arriving every half hour for photo sessions. Mini-sessions are a perfect way to introduce your kids to a photo time. The sessions are short and can be very candid as well.

Look at Cameron in this top photo, he was so shy at first even though we have worked together several times. It was just a few minutes later though that he gave me a wonderful welcoming smile . . .

Guess who’s turning two?!?!?! hahaha . . .

Older brother with his younger siblings (yes, they’re twins!!) . . .

The little guy on the right was so serious the entire time, so funny . . .

This little girl can melt your heart, beautiful . . .


This little miracle baby was born at 7 months, now fully healthy and ready for his first photo shoot! . . .


How to get your kids to cooperate?!? Bribe them with some Smarties . . .


Contact Hoffmann to schedule your next portrait session – family, baby, children, etc.

Central Park
18000 Goldenwest St.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 536-5486

Bennett and Eily came all the way from Burmingham, Alabama just to see me!! Actually they came for Disneyland and family, and I just happen to be close by. Hahahaha. I photographed their Mama and Daddy’s destination wedding a few years ago in Laguna Beach and they come back once a year for family photos! This is my first time meeting Eily and she is VERY sweet and very camera friendly. She is a champion upright sitter at 6 months and she even brought a couple outfit changes. She knows how to handle the photos shoots!

Bennett is a little different! haha, he can hardly sit still for a few minutes. The best way to actually get photos of this little guy is to just let him run around in circles and jump off of things! Such a boy . . .

Let’s see if I can get one good one before he gets bored . . .

hahaha . . . this kid is cracking me up . . .

Bennett!! Come back!! Just one more!! hahahah. . .

I photographed Crystie and Mike ’s wedding a few years ago at the Bowers Museum. They must have liked their pictures because they keep coming back for more photos! Their daughter Emmie keeps getting cuter and cuter every single time. I photographed her just a few days she was born, so awesome (check out the pictures here). Well here they all are again, looking as good as ever in Huntington Beach for a family photo shoot . . .




Thanks for coming back, see you guys next year!!

I photographed Mike and Crystie’s wedding a couple years back at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. You know who to call when the family starts growing!! Yeah!! Welcome little Emmie to the world . . . .










I wrote a BLOG once about the family pets who like to watch me work. Click here to view. Anyhow, while they are watching me I like to turn the tables on them and point my camera their way. They become “innocent bystanders. . .”

Thanks for inviting me over. See you guys in a few months.

We are ALREADY back with little bubba Cameron! He is a very quiet and happy little fellow who has most recently learned to sit upright and also roll over sideways. . .


See how close Hoffmann can get with his 2.0 lens, hahaha . . .



Way to go Cameron!! You are a champion!!