And one of the best things about Southern California are the palm trees that grace our neighborhoods and campuses. Orange County is covered in this iconic tree.

One of the best spots for CSUF grad photos is at the very large TITANS logo in the middle of the Fullerton campus. It’s larger than life, unless you use forced perspective to get your subject larger than it!

And here is the California State University Fullerton Seal in a graduation photo.

Here is the main entrance on the south side of the Fullerton campus, framed with iconic palm trees.

And we LOVE this awesome grad photo of the CSUF gate and our soon-to-be grad framing it perfectly!

Our grad is a product of the visual arts program at CSUF, so it was only fitting to get a few images after dusk in front of the visual arts building.

The post {E} CSUF Graduation Photography | Cal State Fullerton appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.

Starting at the Fantasyland Castle in Disneyland

I love this photo in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland, which is the picturesque entrance to Fantasyland.

Here’s using the iconic Disneyland Carousel (also known as the King Arthur Carousel) as a backdrop for these graduation photography portraits. We do a lot a photography sessions at Disneyland, so check out the many other examples we have on our blog.

And they aren’t graduation photos without a cap and gown.

Toontown Grad Photos

After Fantasyland, we hopped up to Toontown for grad photos at Mickey’s house.

And yes, there is a graduation pin that you can pick up at the Disneyland City Hall.

And you gotta love retaking a photo from the past in the same spot over It’s a Small World ride.

California Adventures Graduation Photography

We headed over to California Adventures, since the background of the Incredicoaster and the Pixar’s Pal-a-round is unmatched. It was previously known as the Sun Wheel and Mickey’s Fun Wheel, but we like to call it the Death wheel (You can get soooooooo dizzy on the sliding ones).

Gotta love doing graduation photos with the Pixar Pier in the background, capped off with a cap and gown.

And it’s always a good time to bust out your letters jacket for the grad portraits.

Finishing the Session in Carsland

We wrapped the session in Carsland.

The post {M} Disneyland Graduation Photography | Anaheim Grad Photos appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.

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.

The post {L} Disney California Adventures Graduation Photos | Disneyland appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.

Carbon Canyon Redwood Trees

We started the session at the Carbon Canyon Regional Park Redwood Grove. It’s a local secret spot that requires a little bit of a hike, but it’s worth it for the amazing backdrops.

Then we brought in the grandparents for some pictures of the whole family. Three generations of an Asian family. That also could explain the red color theme.

And it’s always cute to get a grandparents family photo with their adorable granddaughter.

And a family dog too!

Gotta love the towering redwood trees, all in Southern California.

There is a wooden fence that can make a beautiful frame for our lovely family. One trademark of a good photographer is the ability to compose, using the foreground and background to tell a story about the subject.

How adorable is that little smile?!

These are some of the moments that we love to capture the most. A glowing family with their baby girl. The smiles. The laughs. I can hear the baby giggling that laugh that only infants do.

Carbon Canyon Family Photography at the Regional Park in Brea

This family photography portrait session was taken at the amazing Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea, CA. There is a Redwood grove with many adult redwoods along a hiking trail. This is a great example of how Judy captures a family with three generations, grandparents, grandchildren, and the lovely couple that joins them. This is a Chinese family from Orange County. There are lots of trees and trails in the photos above, and how often does one get to do family photos with redwood trees?

Are you searching for a family photographer in Orange County that can capture you and your loved ones? Judy is a family photographer that covers the OC and LA region, capturing families with comfort and familiarity. Make sure to give Judy a call to see if she can help you capture your own family with memorable and amazing images.

The post {H} Carbon Canyon Family Photography at the Regional Park appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.

Disneyland Maternity Photography

It happened to be that time of the year, and who can’t resist taking photos in front of a huge Christmas tree!

Starting on Main Street

And gotta love that iconic statue of the man himself, Walt Disney.

Here is the Disneyland castle in the background. We love getting the angles where we aren’t competing with a huge crowd of tourists.

Making a Wish in a Well

There is a wishing well on the right side of the Disneyland castle, specifically Snow White’s wishing well.

And when there is a lot of people, sometimes it’s nice to use them in the maternity photo!

Then we hopped over to the nearby carousel for more photos with what is practically a historic landmark.

Then we walked over to Frontierland, where they have red rock formations for our session.

And no pregnant woman should ever go onto Thunder Mountain, so this is the next best thing!

For the sunset, we hopped over to Rivers of America to use the large mass of water as a backdrop.

Then we finished in New Orleans Square with walking around pics and finishing with a Mickey Beignet.

Mickey shaped Beignets are a must for almost any Disneyland visit.

Disneyland Pregnancy Photography

Disneyland is the world’s most recognizable theme park, located in Anaheim in Orange County, California. It’s a place that we have been to at least 100 times due to season passes. We’ve seen so many small, hidden spots that we use for each session, moving based on them and how crowded that day happens to be. We know how to work around the many tourists and crowds to get images that look clean and iconic.

The post {E} Disneyland Maternity Photography appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.

Maternity Photos at Mission San Juan Capistrano

These are the iconic and historic bells of Mission San Juan Capistrano. They make the perfect background for our loving couple and parents-to-be.

These large, brick arches are beautiful and iconic.

We love to use foreground objects to frame our subjects, so what better than colorful flowers!

Love, love, love the cascading arches that disappear into the background.

And this hallway really reminds me of Italy

And here are some more pink flowers that perfectly frame our pregnant couple.

Gotta love the beautiful light of the setting sun creating solar flares.

These backgrounds are so unique and classic.

I’m trying to imagine what this church looked like 200 years ago. The Mission was founded in 1776 by Spanish missionaries.

Maternity Photography in Orange County

Here is a great example of maternity photography at an extraordinary location. The Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of the oldest historic buildings in California. Make sure to look around our website for many more examples of maternity photos in Orange County.

It’s important to choose a maternity photographer that knows what it means to be pregnant, twice. Judy will help you feel at ease with your beautiful, pregnant self and really bring out the “glow” in you. With over a decade of experience and a kind, warm smile, Judy will help you capture you and your growing families with comfort and ease. And the images speak for themselves; we capture our couples in many beautiful ways. Make sure to give Judy a call to schedule a maternity photography session today.

The post {M} Mission San Juan Capistrano Maternity Photos appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.

Starting in the Redwood Grove

Carbon Canyon Regional Park has a 3 acre redwood grove that is absolutely amazing for family photos.

Here’s our cute family with two daughters and the family dog.

I love the way the sun comes through the redwood trees.

And here’s some more photos of the two sisters with their adorable dog.

I love the way the wooden fence runs between the trees.

Back up to Carbon Canyon Park to finish the Family Photos

After the redwood grove, we hiked back up to the lake (and yes, it’s a 1/2 mile hike) to finish up the session. The lake has a dock that lets us catch our family over and across the water.

Family Photography in Brea

Carbon Canyon Regional Park is a great place for family portraits. It has tall redwood trees that aren’t seen normally in Southern California. It has hiking trails, some with scenic and rustic wooden fences. The small lake has a dock that makes for awesome family photos across the gentle water. Contact Judy if you are interested in a family session that might involve a little hiking and a lot of beautiful images.

The post {L} Family Photos at Carbon Canyon Park appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.

Starting the Brea Family Photography at the Redwood Grove

We started the session the redwood grove, which is conveniently 10 degrees cooler than the surrounding area due to the towering trees (it was a hot day).

Family Photos of the Parents with Each Child

Then we got family photos of each parent with their children, just to see what would happen.

And then this happened LOL!!

And here are the two brothers playing with each other. Such a cute and adorable moment.

The Fenced Trail in the Middle of the Grove

For some reason we really love using fences, especially wooden fences, for props in our family photos. Sometimes it’s a piece of furniture to sit on, and sometimes it’s an object in the foreground. Sometimes it’s used for guiding eyes to the family in the center of the image.

See the converging lines that bring your attention to the loving family in the center? That’s why we love fences! But seriously it’s a composition thing.

Orange County Family Photography and More

Judy does family photography in Los Angeles County and Orange County (Brea is in Orange County). If you are in the OC and would like a family photographer that is experienced, friendly, and fun, please make sure to book a family portrait session with Judy the next time family photos come up. We are also wedding photographers in LA and OC.

The post {B} Brea Family Photography at Carbon Canyon Regional Park appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.

Starting with Brother and Sister Portraits

Here are the two, both dressed and matching in blue, brother and sister hanging out. How cute are these family photos?!

The brother started playing the guitar. We love it when our families bring props for a photo session, since it adds personality and flair to it. The guitar is something specific to their family.

And now the whole family

We started capturing the whole family after easing in with the brother-sister family photos.

How beautiful is this background for a family photo in Orange County.

We found a rocky creek bed or stream bed for another backdrop for our portraits.

Family Photos in Front of a Tunnel

We then got more family photos in front of a tunnel in Irvine.

Above is an article about Irvine family photography in Orange County. This family chose blue as their color theme for the portrait session. They even had a guitar as a prop. This shows Jeffrey Open Trail Park in Irvine, with family photos in a field, with trees, in a stream bed, and in front of a tunnel along the biking and hiking trails.

Make sure to look around the rest of our website for more examples of family portraits, whether it’s family photos with the color blue or one of the many locations that we have covered.

The post Irvine Family Photography Jeffrey Open Trail, Orange County {P} appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.

We then moved into the wooded area for more shade and a forested look.

Here we have the two daughters with their mother.

It’s always fun to add a little humor into the family photo session.

And here is the large family portrait, with two grandparents, two daughters with their husbands, and four grandchildren.

And it’s always great getting a grandparent and grandchildren family photo.

We then walked over to a hiking trail with a long wooden fence running along one side (which makes a great backdrop for portraits!).

And of course we had to get individual photo portraits of all the grandchildren.

There was this amazing pier sitting on the edge of the small lake. Note that the mom is hiding right there in the bushes to make sure her son is safe!

This is a great example of family photos at the Yorba Linda Regional Park in Orange County. It’s also an example of how Judy handles larger families and groups, getting a variety of poses and configurations. In this case, it’s a large family consisting of grandparents, grandchildren, and two families from the two daughters. You can find many more examples of Orange County family photography on our website. You can also find more recent examples of our work on our family photography instagram.

The post {B} Family Photos @ Yorba Linda Regional Park appeared first on Dreams + Darlings.