Developments of Life Photography

Developments of Life Photography Portrait and event photographer capturing moments throughout Southern California and beyond. My styl

I am available for both Wedding/Event and Portrait photography throughout Southern California and beyond. My goal is to provide you with amazing pictures that you will want to show off to everyone, without charging you an arm & a leg to have them. For more information please visit my website at developmentsoflifephotography.com

The couple that slays together stays together!
09/11/2026

The couple that slays together stays together!

What You Don’t See in This PhotographYou can see the photograph.Three adorable siblings.Three sweet smiles.Three sets of...
09/09/2026

What You Don’t See in This Photograph

You can see the photograph.

Three adorable siblings.
Three sweet smiles.
Three sets of eyes looking right at the camera.

It looks pretty perfect, doesn’t it?

Well… there’s something you can’t see.

This is actually THREE photographs merged into one.

Because apparently, getting three children to smile and look at the camera at the exact same time is asking WAY too much.

One smiled but wasn’t looking.

One was looking but wasn’t smiling.

And one apparently had other plans entirely.

So we did what photographers do…

We took more pictures.

And then a little Photoshop magic happened.

A smile from here.
A look from there.
A cooperative moment from somewhere else.

And voilà!

Three angelic children, all smiling sweetly at the camera as though they had been perfectly behaved the entire time.

Spoiler alert: They weren’t. They were silly and playful and so much fun! And that’s okay!

This is one of the things I love about photography. The final photograph doesn’t always tell you what it took to get there.

Sometimes there’s a whole lot of chaos, laughter, patience, and a little bit of Photoshop happening just outside the frame.

Because every photograph has a story.

Sometimes you just have to know what happened five seconds before the shutter clicked.

Do you have a photograph that has a story nobody would know just by looking at it?

If you like the stories behind the photographs as much as the photographs themselves, stick around. I have plenty more to share.


 
 
 
 


Senior Sunday|The Last First DaySomewhere, there are parents taking a picture of their child’s first day of school.And s...
09/06/2026

Senior Sunday|The Last First Day

Somewhere, there are parents taking a picture of their child’s first day of school.

And somewhere else, there are parents realizing they’re taking a picture of their child’s last first day.

And somehow, that one hits a little differently.

Senior year is filled with lasts.

The last first day.
The last football season.
The last homecoming.
The last school dance.
The last year of high school.

And while your senior is busy looking ahead — toward college, careers, independence and whatever comes next — you might find yourself looking back.

Wondering how you got here so quickly.

I had the honor of photographing Sabrina’s senior portraits, and there’s something extra special about getting to do this for a family I’ve photographed before. I also had the privilege of photographing her older brother, Garrett, for his senior portraits.

Two siblings.

Two senior years.

Two very different chapters.

And that’s exactly why I believe this year deserves to be remembered.

Not just the cap and gown.

Not just the beautiful portraits.

But who they are right now, before this chapter closes and the next one begins.

Because someday, you’ll look back at these photographs and realize just how quickly this season passed.

Senior parents — what “last” are you having the hardest time wrapping your head around?

Follow along for more senior inspiration as we celebrate this very big little chapter.

The In-BetweenMy favorite photographs are often the ones that happen between the photographs.The ones nobody really plan...
09/05/2026

The In-Between

My favorite photographs are often the ones that happen between the photographs.

The ones nobody really planned.

Like this one.

The wedding was over. The big moments had happened. Everyone was getting ready for the reception grand entrance…

And in the middle of all that activity, this little flower girl stopped to give her mom a kiss on the cheek.

Mom’s eyes closed.
A little giggle escaped.
And for just a second, it was as if the rest of the room disappeared.

That wasn’t a pose.

I didn’t ask for it.

They were simply being themselves.

And those are the moments I love to photograph.

Because these aren’t “throwaway” images.

They’re the photographs that show the relationship.

The love.
The laughter.
The little things they do without even thinking about it.

The moments that happen when nobody is trying to create the perfect picture.

Sometimes the most beautiful photographs aren’t the ones where everyone is looking at the camera.

They’re the ones where you’re looking at each other.

Are you more drawn to the posed photograph or the in-between moment?


 


Throwback Thursday | Before They Grew UpThis is one of the reasons I love photographing families more than once.Because ...
09/04/2026

Throwback Thursday | Before They Grew Up

This is one of the reasons I love photographing families more than once.

Because sometimes you don’t realize just how much has changed until you put the photographs side by side.

The kids get taller.

The hair changes.

Their personalities start to shine through in different ways.

And sometimes… the family grows, too.

These are photos of Jen and her family, taken about 8 years apart.

That teenage boy and little girl in the first photograph?

Look at them now!

And somewhere in those years between the two sessions, this family added another beautiful daughter to the mix.

Same family.
Same love.
Same crazy, beautiful life.

Just a few more years of growing, changing, laughing, and making memories together.

That’s one of my favorite things about family photography.

It’s not just about having a beautiful photograph from today.

It’s about creating a visual record of your family as you move through the years.

Because one day, today’s “big kids” will look tiny.

And today’s baby will be the one everyone says, “Wait…weren’t you just THIS little?!”

And you’ll be very, very glad you took the picture.

How long has it been since your family had a photograph taken together?

Follow along if you love watching families grow through photographs.


 
 
 


The Beginning of ForeverEvery wedding photograph is really a photograph of a beginning.Not just they got married.But the...
09/02/2026

The Beginning of Forever

Every wedding photograph is really a photograph of a beginning.

Not just they got married.

But they began a new chapter together.

This past weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of spending some time with Tawnya and Robb for their engagement session, and these two were SO much fun.

And they didn’t just show up for photos.

They showed up as themselves.

Renaissance-inspired garb? Absolutely.
A crown? Of course.
A sword? Naturally.

And somehow, it all felt completely perfect for them.

There was so much personality, laughter, excitement and anticipation woven into our time together — the kind of energy that makes you stop and think about what an incredible moment this really is.

They’re standing at the beginning of something new.

A new chapter.
A new adventure.
A lifetime of choosing each other.

And that’s what I love about engagement photos.

Years from now, I don’t just want them to remember what they looked like.

I want these pictures to take them right back to the feeling of this moment — before the wedding, before the next chapter unfolded, when forever was still just beginning.

Tawnya and Robb, I am SO excited for you both and cannot wait to see where this next chapter takes you.

Here’s to the beginning of forever.

What do you remember most about the beginning of your love story?

If you're planning a wedding or just love a good love story, follow along. I have plenty more coming.


 


Magic Monday | The Magic Doesn't Have an Expiration DateNone of these photographs were taken this month.And that's okay....
09/01/2026

Magic Monday | The Magic Doesn't Have an Expiration Date

None of these photographs were taken this month.

And that's okay.

Because one of the things I love about photography is that a photograph doesn't have an expiration date.

The families have grown.
The little kids have gotten bigger.
The weddings have become anniversaries.
The moments have become memories.
But the stories are still there.

Throughout August, I've been going back through some of the sessions I've photographed over the years and sharing the stories behind them—the little moments, the personalities, the relationships, the laughter, and the pieces of people's lives that made each photograph special.

And looking back through all of them reminded me of something:

I don't just get to create photographs.

I get to preserve pieces of people's stories.

Some of these photographs are funny.

Some are emotional.

Some remind me of a moment I never want to forget.

And some simply make me smile every time I see them.

They may have been taken months or even years ago...
but the magic doesn't have an expiration date.

Thank you for spending part of August here with me—whether you've been following along for years, you've just found me, or you simply stopped scrolling because a photograph caught your eye.

I'm so grateful you're here.

If you love photographs with a story behind them, I'd love for you to stick around. There's always another chapter coming.

Senior Sunday | It's More Than a Cap and GownSenior portraits don't have to look like everyone else's.Yes, we'll get the...
08/30/2026

Senior Sunday | It's More Than a Cap and Gown

Senior portraits don't have to look like everyone else's.

Yes, we'll get the beautiful portrait.

Yes, we'll celebrate the cap and gown.

But I also want to know who your senior is.

Ethan had his own sense of style, and I absolutely loved it—especially that bow tie. He also loves skateboarding, so there was really no question about where we needed to take his senior portraits.

We headed to the skate park and let him do his thing.

We got the portraits.
We got the skateboard.
We got the action shots.
And of course, we got a few photographs with Mom and Dad, too.

Because someday, when you look back at these photographs, you won't just want to remember that your senior graduated.

You'll want to remember who they were right before they stepped into their next chapter.

The things they loved.
The way they dressed.
The places they felt at home.
The personality that made them uniquely them.

That's what I want their senior session to capture.

What would we absolutely HAVE to include to make your senior's session feel like them?

And if you're a parent of a future senior, follow along. I'll be sharing more senior stories, ideas and inspiration as we head into the next graduation season.

Special Moment Saturday | The Tiniest DetailsSometimes the tiniest details hold the biggest pieces of a memory.A newborn...
08/29/2026

Special Moment Saturday | The Tiniest Details

Sometimes the tiniest details hold the biggest pieces of a memory.

A newborn’s impossibly tiny fingers wrapped around a parent’s hand.

Those little toes tucked against Mom or Dad.

Tiny hands. Tiny feet. A brand-new little person who somehow already holds an enormous piece of your heart.

These photographs don’t need faces to tell their story.
They tell us about connection.

About comfort.

About protection.

About just how little they once were.

And that’s the thing about photographs...

Those tiny hands and feet won’t stay tiny.

One day, those little feet will be running through the house. They’ll be walking across a stage. Those tiny hands will be holding a pencil, a diploma, and maybe someday, their own baby’s hand.

But right now, they’re small enough to fit perfectly in yours.

Sometimes it’s the tiniest details that become the biggest memories.

What little detail in a photograph takes you right back to a memory?


 
 
 
 
 
 


If you’re in the Murrieta Hot Springs area, swing by the Carl’s Jr lot and get your car washed by Chaparral High School ...
08/29/2026

If you’re in the Murrieta Hot Springs area, swing by the Carl’s Jr lot and get your car washed by Chaparral High School cross-country team. These kids are working hard in the sun and did a great job on my filthy car wash

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