April: The Month Where My Kids Have Birthdays and We're Not Done Unpacking Yet

My daughter, Alex turned 2 this week, and earlier, my oldest child, Noah turned 5! It’s hard to believe my husband and I have been parents this long. I’ve had dreams of finding room for a mini-studio, and though we’re totally up and running in our new home, there always seems to be that ONE ROOM that has all the boxes we haven’t unpacked yet. The “I am not sure where this stuff goes” room. It’s the office/photography equipment storage/LEGO organization/unopened boxes for our new baby arriving in 1.5 months/unhung framed photos room.

But hey, to make it at least a little cozy in one direction, we have a new teal couch and awesome cushy rug and some furniture that bodes well for portraits. So as a momtographer (that’s a word, right?) we did some annual birthday portraits. I really love this corner of our home — I hope we can transform it the way we wish soon!

Some technical notes —
I lit these Sony A7RII 35mm shots with a Godox 120cm / 47.2in Portable Octagon Softbox Umbrella with a constant light source: LimoStudio Full Spectrum Lighting Bulb 85W Photography Photo CFL 6500K. There are two windows for natural light in this room, with one to camera-right. But I like to light my subjects up inside just a tad more for their birthday faces. :)

The couch is from Overstock and our 8x10 rug is from Target. Tutu from Honeyskull.


Happy 1st Birthday, Austin!

A year ago today, Austin came into this world to join his parents and big brother, Hudson. Check out his newborn pics... he was so teeny tiny! He's grown into one of the most expressive, funny (yet chill) babies I've ever known.

We opted for a light and bright session at home in just a plain diaper, a traditional Korean outfit, followed by a little backyard sunset playtime in his "formal wear". Happy birthday, buddy! Thanks Judy and Anthony for inviting me to capture another milestone. xo

Why I Love San Francisco's Crissy Field + Baby Bradley Turns 1!

I have a couple of special things happening here. First -- mini sessions are nearly sold out, and I'm so happy I'll be reunited with families from last year, as well as meeting new faces! Some slots are available for the incredible, colorful, family friendly Hayes Valley, but Crissy Field is sold out. If you're still interested, let me know and I will open up a new date. stephanie@marilee.co

This brings me to the other special thing -- one of my newborns turned 1 year old! Proud parents Grace Ann and Brad brought baby Bradley to play in the late afternoon sunshine, and I was bewildered to see him walking (even chasing me!) in the blink of an eye. There is such joy from behind the camera over this past year. Thanks G&B for inviting me to cover his first year! 

If you've never visited Crissy Field before, you'll see amazing views of the San Francisco Bay, but the most prominent part of your view will be the Golden Gate Bridge. Crissy Field used to be a former U.S. Army airfield until 1974. Residents now enjoy a huge stretch of grassy field right along the water. 

We met & hung out by the Warming Hut for a few reasons: 1) great parking, 2) there's a pier! 3) beautiful proximity to Golden Gate Bridge and the downtown skyline, 4) lots of grassy fields, 5) tree line to create some shade when needed, 6) there's a little beach! All this is within stumbling distance, so it was great for baby Bradley to roam around. So if you've booked a mini session with me, you'll get to see some of these scenes. 

Here are a few of my faves! Enjoy.