Starting Graduation Photos at Fantasyland

Gotta love starting the session with a Genie to grant three wishes as you transition into another phase of life!

The Sleeping Beauty Castle is an icon of not just Fantasyland, but of the whole of Disney. So of course we have to use it as an essential background for our graduation photography.

And of course it’s not a graduation photography session without a cap and gown photo.

Some more Fun Grad Photos in Toontown

Toontown is a great place for silly and fun graduation photos, with the cartoony curves and theming.

Finishing the Graduation Photos at DCA

We hopped over to Disney California Adventures to finish the session in front of the DCA Pixar Pal-A-Round ferris wheel. It’s definitely one of the most recognizable and iconic backgrounds in Orange County.

And then we wandered over to Cars Land for more fun grad photos.

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Starting in a Long, Picturesque Hallway at Pasadena City Hall

We started the family photography session in a long, large hallway on one of the four edges of Pasadena City Hall.

And of course we have to get a cute family portrait of the three children together!

Individual Child Portraits

We then got individual portrait photos of each of the three children.

The Pasadena City Hall Water Fountain

The HUGE water fountain is in the center of the courtyard and makes for a great backdrop for family photos. It’s definitely a centerpiece and is awesome for family photography at the Pasadena City Hall.

We got a little creative with this family photo, using a technique of “dragging the shutter” to blur out the children.

And here is a cute collage to wrap up the part of the session in the courtyard of Pasadena City Hall.

Family Photos at Pasadena City Hall

This a a family photography portrait session at the Pasadena City Hall in Los Angeles County. It’s an icon of the city and a cultural centerpiece. It’s a great backdrop for family photos in Pasadena. This session includes an Asian family with a husband, wife, and three children (specifically two daughters and one son).

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Starting the Pasadena Graduation Photos with Portraits

We started with individual grad portraits in a long hallway.

And we squeezed in family photos with mom and dad while we were at it!

And Some Family Photos Too

We did more family photos with her whole family, all the sisters and brothers together. We don’t mind combining the two sessions together.

She brought large balloons for 21 as a prop, and we got her in front of the large water fountain in the middle of the courtyard.

And we had her blowing some bubbles for a quick and cute grad photo, because why not.

Changing From Graduation Clothes to a Gown

After that, she changed into a lovely purple gown for us to finish the session, getting more Pasadena family photos with her parents and siblings.

Pasadena Graduation Photography in Los Angeles County

This a an example of a graduation portrait photography session at Pasadena City Hall in Los Angeles County. Pasadena City Hall is a historic building and is considered an icon of the region. It’s a perfect spot for graduation photos and also for Pasadena family photography, of which we often combine the sessions together if time permits. Make sure to look around the rest of our blog to see many examples of graduation portraits in Los Angeles County.

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Starting under Grand Ave in Downtown Los Angeles with Family Portraits

We started under Grand Ave. for some portraits of the three sisters.

Walt Disney Concert Hall Family Photos

From there we headed up to the garden level at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The green tree leaves contrast nicely with the smooth, curved metal panels of the concert hall.

And here are individual portraits of each daughter. You can guess who the goofball is….

And look at how they walk in this family photo. It’s an amazing shot.

Sunset at the DWP Building

The DWP (Department of Water and Power) building in downtown Los Angeles has a view of the sunset and the LA skyline. The sunset that day was incredible.

And here is that colorful sunset with the Los Angeles skyline in the back of this awesome family photo.

Grand Park Water Fountain at Night

We finished the session at the water fountain at Grand Park. The colors were perfectly lined up with the blue hour (after sunset) and the colorful ambient light of the massive water fountain.

Downtown Los Angeles Family Photography

This family portrait session in downtown Los Angeles showcases how we handle such a modern and urban environment, even in low light situations. We use remote lighting to light up our family to match the awesome colors of the sunset, along with the amazing colors of the Grand Park water fountain. You can look around our blog for more examples of downtown Los Angeles family photography, along with more examples of family photos at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Also look for more examples of family sessions at the colorful Grand Park water fountain.

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Starting on the Streets of Downtown Los Angeles

We started with the family strolling down Grand Ave. They have two grown daughters, but you can tell that they are a close family.

Walt Disney Concert Hall Family Photos

We then went to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for more portraits at the front entrance.

Up to the Garden Level

We then proceeded up the stairs to the Garden level, which features the nice contrast of the green trees with undulating reflective metal panels.

We love how the tree was blooming beautiful red flowers, casting them softly on the ground below.

Sunset Family Photos at the DWP Building

After the Concert Hall, we walked over to the DWP building, right in time for the amazing sunset and the array of blues, pinks, and purples that graced the sky.

See how the colors get progressively more saturated and beautiful? We live for moments like this, and this is where it pays to have a family photographer that knows lighting and timing for a sunset.

The water fountains of the DWP building came on that night. We have shot at this location for many years (over a decade), watching as they suspended the water fountains during times of drought. We loved watching them come back on to grace the Los Angeles skyline for amazing downtown photos.

Grand Park Family Photography

We then walked over to Grand Park to finish the family photography portrait session. The lighting of the blue hour was in perfect alignment with the ambient light from this massive and … grand … water fountain. Look at how amazing those colors are, which is a rare thing in most family photos. This is what urban and modern family photography looks like.

Downtown Family Photos – Los Angeles

This is an amazing example of how urban and modern family photos in downtown Los Angeles can look, varying from soft, natural light family photography at the Walt Disney Concert Hall to dramatic and rare sunset family photos at the DWP building (with a view of the Los Angeles skyline) to the colorful and modern family photos at Grand Park at nighttime. This also shows a portrait session with two daughters, but grown children (that listen a lot more than our toddlers!).

Check out more of our website for examples of many types of family and maternity photography, including photo sessions in downtown Los Angeles.

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Starting in Front of the Walt Disney Concert Hall

The steps in front of the concert hall are always a great way to start the family portrait session. They have two adorable little boys.

And look at these two toddler brothers.

The curving metal panels of the Walt Disney Concert Hall make for a modern and urban backdrop. The silver and light blue tones match well with most any outfit.

The Broad Museum in Downtown Los Angeles

After the concert hall, we walked over to the next block for the Broad Museum (pronounced BROHD) and the awesome organic texturing of it’s exterior walls. They do have restrictions on photography, but not if you are being polite and unobtrusive.

Family Photography with Water Fountains

Then we headed to a water fountain that more so resembles an edgeless pool (same technique as an eternity pool).

And how cute is this next sequence of the two toddler sons playing and laughing with each other?

This is right around the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).

And it’s always nice to get some family photos of just the parents by themselves.

And look at this amazing vertical water fountain

There is this amazing vertical water fountain that makes for phenomenal family photography (it’s like a waterfall), but access has been severely restricted since some photographers started irking the security guards. When we can squeeze them in we do it quickly, and the family photos we get from it are something unique to downtown Los Angeles and the large water fountains.

Downtown Los Angeles Family Photography

This a great example of downtown Los Angeles family photography, showing the unique look and feel of a modern and urban location. We started the family portraits at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (WDCH) on Grand Ave. in downtown. We then headed over to the Broad Museum for more family photos along the exterior of the large building. We finished the session with nearby water fountains near the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), along with a beautiful waterfall water fountain with water droplets falling all around our loving family.

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Starting with Family Photos at the Front Steps of the Concert Hall

We started this family portrait session at the front steps of the concert hall on Grand Ave. and First St. This always makes a nice backdrop to start the session, easing our family into the WDCH family photos. Often with children (in this case two sons), it’s important to ease them into the shoot, but get the best pictures before they get worn out by the shoot itself.

We thought this was a cool candid shot of our family. The little guy looks quite dapper with that outfit and flat cap.

The 2nd Level of the Walt Disney Concert Hall

We then went from the street level up to the second level on the front side of the building, where the curves of the metal panels of the concert hall frame so many of the family photos. We tend to shoot more vertical portraits to capture the towering structure of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Garden Level Family Photos at the Concert Hall

We then headed over to the other side, where the garden level of the concert hall is located (south-west corner). It includes more trees and plants that work in beautiful contrast with the modern, urban panels.

Grand Park Family Photography

After the sunset, we headed to Grand Park to capture family photos at the massive water fountain. We lit them at night to get the colors of the fountain as it lit up.

Family Photos – Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles

Here is a great example of a family photography portrait session at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (WDCH) in downtown LA. Family portraits are a specialty of Dreams and Darlings, with more than 10 years of experience capturing loved ones in Los Angeles and Orange County. The concert hall is particularly personal location, since it’s where Judy started her journey with photography with Gavin back in 2006. We have watched this amazing location stay the same as we and our families changed over the years.

Please look around our website for more examples of family photography in Los Angeles County. From downtown to the beaches to the suburbs, we cover our families and their loved ones with a gentle hand and friendly voice, coaching them into genuine and warm pictures. Contact Judy today to book your own session!

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Starting at the Huntington Hyatt Regency

We started the session at the large water fountain at the Huntington Hyatt. Here are their two loving daughters hugging each other.

And it’s always fun having the two children play during a shoot. It breaks up the family photography session, making it easier on the kids.

Family Photos at the Huntington Hyatt Bridge over PCH

We then walked over the bridge that connects the Huntington Hyatt resort with the beach (of Huntington Beach). It has great converging curved lines that frame a family photo so well.

We can see the sun starting to get closer to the horizon, so it’s off to the beach to capture that sunset.

Family Photography under the Huntington Beach Pier

We did some quick family photos under the Huntington Beach pier, right before the sunset. Again, the Huntington Beach pier has awesome converging lines that help frame a family photo so well.

Sunset at Huntington Beach

Then we caught the sunset, which was a glorious rich orange tone that day. We love how the sunlight was bouncing off the swash zone and beach face.

Huntington Beach Family Photography

This is a great example of Huntington Beach family photography, starting at the Huntington Hyatt Regency Resort and ending at the Huntington Beach Pier for the sunset. We got family photos at the Huntington Hyatt water fountain and the bridge that spans PCH, along with under the pier. Make sure to look around our blog for many examples of family photography, including more examples of family photos with piers.

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Starting at the front of the Walt Disney Concert Hall

We started the session at the front steps of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Family Portraits on the Garden Level of the Concert Hall

We then headed up to the garden level of the concert hall. It’s such an amazing gem of a location in downtown Los Angeles, providing both green and nature tones from the very well-groomed trees and plants along with the gray tones of clean concrete smooth metal panels. We first did portraits of both of the two kids.

Judy added a little backlight to help the family pop more from the dark, shadowed background.

And how goofy and silly are these two? Gotta love a brother and sister having fun with the family photos.

That Amazing Tunnel of Metal Panels

There is this sweet spot on the garden level that has metal, curved panels on both sides. It has awesome lighting and a distinct background. Note that any color you wear really sticks out against the gray (or grey) metal panels. Their choice of green and blue color tones that blended with trees now sticks out more.

Using the Sunset at the Walt Disney Concert Hall

Sunsets in downtown Los Angeles are hard to capture due to the tall buildings preventing a clean lie of sight with the horizon. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still take advantage of the blue sky changing colors!

Here is a good example of remotely strobed versus natural light family photography. The strobed one is dramatic and high contrast, darkening the background and making colors richer. The natural light one below is more white and washed out with softer tones. Both have a place, purpose, and preference, but we like to capture both when we can to give our families options.

Note that in the natural light photo you can see Grand Ave., while with the strobed one you see the sky.

Wrapping up with Grand Park Family Photos

We finished the family photography at Grand Park with the bright colors of the water fountain lights. The Grand Park water fountain was lit in perfect alignment with the blue hour of the set sun in the sky.

Walt Disney Concert Hall Family Photography

This is a Walt Disney Concert Hall family photography portrait session in downtown Los Angeles with the {G} family. We took them around the concert hall, including shooting them at the front steps, the garden level with trees, the metal panels of the the 2nd level, and the sunset caught on the top level with a view of Grand Ave. Then we finished the family photos at Grand Park with the massive water fountain there. Our family wore a green color theme for their clothing, with a subtle blue undertone. They have two children, a son and a daughter.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall is home to the LA Philharmonic, which we advise that you see them at least once! It lets you see the beautiful interior of the concert hall, along with supporting the arts here locally in Los Angeles.

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Family Photography at Pasadena City Hall

We started with the {S} family photos at the very large water fountain in the central courtyard. It’s the perfect spot to start the session and ease the family and their two sons into the portrait session.

And look at how this little guy poses for the camera. What a pro!

A Corridor of Pasadena City Hall

Pasadena City Hall is defined by the columns and corridors, making amazing perspective and converging lines in our family photography composition.

Here’s some mother son family photos.

And daddy son family photos.

And pics of the two brothers together

More Family Photos in the Courtyard

The courtyard is beautiful and very well-landscaped. There are often pink roses in bloom and Judy loves to take advantage of that!

And here’s more portraits with that massive water fountain in the courtyard.

Pasadena City Hall Family Photos

This is a Pasadena family photography portrait session at the city hall in Pasadena. Family photos at the city hall are characterized by long corridors with merging and converging columns and arches, by a large courtyard with clean landscaping, and a massive, classic water fountain. People who are fans of architecture and history often chose a place like this for family portraits. This family has two sons and chose to do adorable suits for the boys with accents of pink.

Please make sure to look around our website for more examples of our work. For example, we have more examples of family photos done in Pasadena here in a gallery of articles.

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