Los Angeles Wedding and Portrait Photographer | Karen Ard Photography

Jewelry Giveaway!

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:17:53 -0800

I love giveaways, don't you? Don't get me wrong, I love getting stuff, too - a lot. But giving things away - meaningful things especially - is so much fun!

This month's giveaway is from the oh-so-creative and inspiring Tina Steinberg and her line of personalized jewelry. I was so excited when I saw her work and just thrilled when she offered her 'Truly Bracelet' for a giveaway. It's a sterling silver bracelet with a single fingerprint charm, customized with a loved one's fingerprint and a short inscription on the back of the charm.

The winner will receive this one-of-a-kind, customized bracelet (worth $180 ). A kit will be sent to you to make your fingerprint. Adult sizes may be on larger charms or reduced so that, if you don't have any little ones, you can get your older kids fingerprinted or even your brand new hubby!

The giveaway will run until Sunday, Sept 12th at midnight (PST) and a winner will be randomly picked the following day. In order to enter, please visit Tina's site and come back to leave a comment about your favorite piece. But wait, there's more! You can get additional, multiple entries by doing one or more of the following (you will need a separate comment for each entry, please):

1. Follow me on this blog (RSS feed above) and then leave a comment letting me know. If you are already following me, leave a comment letting me know.

2. "Like" Karen Ard Photography on Facebook, then come on back and let me know. Again, if you already "Like" me, you still qualify - just leave a comment (I like you too, by the way).

3. "Like" Tina Steinberg Designs on Facebook, then come back and let me know.

4. Copy this message into your Facebook status: Enter to win a gorgeous customized silver bracelet by Tina Steinberg Design by visiting Karen Ard Photography at www.karenard.com/blog, then come on back and let me know. (You must friend me so I can check!)

5. Copy the same message into Twitter then come on back and let me know. (My Twitter handle is http://twitter.com/karenard)

Bar MItzvah Portraits-Malibu

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:38:34 -0800

I had a great time photographing Jeffrey for his Bar Mitzvah portraits earlier this week. He loves the beach and boogie boarding so it made perfect sense to head down to the ocean for these. We got an amazing, sunny morning and he was a perfect model.

Jeffrey, I'm looking forward to your big day next month!

Ventura Wedding: Catherine and Michael

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:27:08 -0800

What's a girl to do when you're being winked at? Normally she wouldn't have responded but Catherine says his warm smile and gentle eyes won her over. And when he proposed, Michael was sneaky enough to video tape the whole thing. But of course he's romantic. He composes beautiful romantic music for a living. And after seeing how radiant Catherine was on her wedding day, there is no doubt that she is his muse.

Catherine and Michael's Ventura wedding was my personal cup of tea. The closest feel to my own beach wedding eleven years back. And although they didn't actually get married on the beach, the whole beachy, Tommy Bahama theme was just perfect for this intimate, laid back wedding.

This will now be the third wedding this year that I've photographed were the bride and groom help each other get ready. I'm seeing a new wedding trend emerge and I love it. It's so sweet to see the tender moments of preparing together. They had rented a beach house for the week, a place for out of town family to come and share before the big day and lucky me the light was fantastic.

I was excited to open the closet to find this flirty little Tommy Bahama dress and Aldo sandals.

This stunning bride's maid bouquet, as well as the bride's, was created by Greenwich Floral Design. I love the color and textures that she used to create these.

Catherine was glowing the whole day, her eyes and smile full of joy for what was about to come...

Because they saw each other before the ceremony we had plenty of time for great portraits so off to the beach we went...

The blended family...

The ceremony and reception took place at Tutti's Off Main. They had the whole courtyard to themselves, which was perfect for this intimate affair.

This may be my favorite wedding topper ever. I almost wanted to slip it into my camera bag but I thought they may have noticed it was missing. And I loved the way Jana's Creative Cakes carried the whole theme.

They had an amazing singer/acoustic guitarist, Mike West, that set the tone perfectly. I had to keep looking over at him because I'd forget it was a live person. His wife Meg was the event planner and this girl didn't stop moving all night!

For more of their wedding, please check out the slideshow below. The music was composed by Michael and if you are a creative professional that purchases licensed music, please check out Michael's songs over at Triple Scoop Music.

Malibu Family Portrait Photography

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:19:49 -0800

Do I always brag about the great clients I have? I know I say it often but it's true. Otherwise I would say something generic like, um, "My clients are so.... tall". But no, they're fab. Take this family for example. They are so good about getting Miss O's portraits done regularly. Last week we did her year and a half session and it's been really wonderful watching her grow from our first session when she was just four months to this latest one. Of course we always throw her big brothers in for a few too and they are truly the best, most protective big brothers any girl could hope for.

In case you'd like to follow along with the photography sessions of little Miss O, you can find the four month session here, eight months here, and year session here.

Cake Decorating 101: 1 of 8

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:29:00 -0800

My daughter and I love watching all the cooking and baking shows that we can find. We record them and watch when we can, talking about all the different cupcakes, designs, flavors, etc... Well, we decided that we needed to take cake decorating classes, and I love that she is old enough now that we can do fun stuff like this together. (She also loves scrapbooking with me! Yeah!)

We had our first of eight classes today. We made the cakes and frosting at home then brought them in for decorating. Assignment number one: a butterfly cake. Things I learned:

Making everything from scratch is the best.

Licking frosting from the mixer makes me feel like I'm five again.

Making a basic butterfly shape is easier then I thought. Just cut the 8" round in half!

Frosting a cake properly is a lot harder then I thought. There is definitely a technique to getting it to stick to your cake without your super yummy, moist cake falling apart. My daughter and I are assuming we will get better at this.

We learned to make our own gel, piping bags using parchment paper, and colored frosting. There were certain techniques we were being taught so our designs all looked fairly similar but that's okay.

Spending two hours with my daughter, laughing, talking and having a great time is priceless. Here is her finished cake.

And here is mine.

The tip we used for the edging was a #17. And we were both very excited to use a bit of edible glitter! We had a blast and I bet your local bake supply shop has classes too. We are learning at Kake Kreations in Canoga Park. I've gone here for a gazillion years to pick up baking supplies and I always stopped to watch the people in class - now that's us. I also love that you can take the classes whenever you want so if you need to skip a week or two it's no big deal. I'll post again after our next class and hopefully you'll see an improvement as we get better.

Family Portrait - Chatsworth

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 00:15:42 -0800

The Lew Family bid on and won a portrait package with me from a local elementary school fundraiser a few months back. When they called to say they wanted to shoot soon because their precious Lab Emma had cancer, we pulled it together right away. They were great, meeting me early morning for gorgeous light and Emma was in great spirits.

I've really been enjoying the pet photography I've been doing lately as more and more people bring their dogs along for the shoot. Please let me know if you too are interested in pet portraits.

Here's a little sneak peak of this super sweet family and Emma.

And one more of Emma... my fav...

I donate photo sessions to many non-profits throughout the year. I enjoy helping my community through my art. If you would like a donation sent to your organization, please email me directly.

Granada Hills Wedding Photography

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:21:20 -0800

Elisha and Gideon have been together for a long time. When a mutual friend called them over to console him after a break up, the two of them ended up talking all night. That was ten years ago. When you see them together you can tell that the connection between them runs deep. And they are funny. So funny. There is so much affection and joy between them, I felt it was my honor to be there to record their marriage. For another reason as well. You may have recalled me talking about my connection to Elisha here. Seeing her aunt at her wedding, my childhood friend, made me feel like part of the family.

Elisha and Gideon, it's been wonderful becoming friends with you. Thank you for making me feel so welcome. I hope you have a chance for this sneak peak (or this one! my fav!) on your honeymoon... or maybe not! ;-)

The two of them, with the help of family, did a great job pulling together this DIY wedding at the Knollwood Country Club.

I love these place cards. The hearts are recycled-flower-seed-paper! And instead of table numbers, each table had a photo with a title. So cute!

Elisha's family had two pages of notes on how to get her into her beautiful dress.

Hilarious...

Thanks to the following vendors for making it a great day:

Venue: Knollwood Country Club, Granada Hills

Florist: Exotic Green Garden

Cupcakes: Vanilla Bake Shop

Dress: Maggie Sottero

Shoes: Report

Suit: Calvin Klein

For more of their wedding day, check out the video:

Things I love

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:52:07 -0800

Hi my name is Karen; I'm a snacker. (Do I hear you all saying "Hi Karen"?) I'm one of those eat-six-small-meals-over-the-course-of-the-day type people. I just don't have the appetite for big meals. And there's is just something about bit size food that I love. And cheese. I could eat cheese at every meal. As much as I try to be a vegetarian, I could never be vegan. A life without cheese is not something I want to ever experience.

So for this month's 'Thing's I Love' post, I bring you my new favorite culinary obsession: Chevre Goat Cheese (with herbs preferably) on Trader Joe's Pita Bite Crackers. I could eat the whole log in one sitting. (I'm so glad my metabolism hasn't completely gone to pot yet!)

What is your favorite snack?

Santa Clarita Engagement Photography

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:16:09 -0800

I always love meeting new couples and hearing their stories. And I love hearing what's instore for the wedding day. These two plan on having some unique features to their wedding and I can't wait until November. (Well, I can since that would mean the holidays were right behind and I'm not ready for those yet!)

Besides planning their wedding , these two have also decided to buy a house. Not just any house but a brand spankin' new house! So what better way to celebrate all these new beginnings but with an early morning photoshoot in their unfinished home! With three of their over 25 pets! Did I get that right guys? Somewhere around there but that's a story for another day...

Los Angeles Wedding Photography

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:58:38 -0800

A quick sneak peak of yesterday's wedding... I love my clients!

Photo Fundraiser

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 22:12:06 -0800

I first met Brittany a few years back when my daughter started playing softball. She is also going to high school with my son and playing softball for the school. Brittany always has a warm smile and big hug for me - Just a sweetheart!

It turns out Brittany has recently gotten very ill and three weeks in, she is still in ICU but showing improvements and getting stronger. It also turns out that her parents do not have health insurance. After all the debates on health care going on in this country, here is a first-hand account of a hard-working family struggling to get their daughter the care she needs.

This is where you and I come in. I'm hoping to help rally the local community to make a difference for Brittany's family by coming out for a PHOTO FUNDRAISER. 100% of the proceeds will go toward Brittany's medical expenses.

Please join me by booking a ten-minute mini-photo session*. For $50 you will get a beautiful portrait and two retouched digital files. This might be a perfect time to get your holiday portrait taken; the headshot you've been meaning to get; or even a portrait of your new puppy! The studio will not have a deal THIS good for a long time!

When: Sunday, August 29

9am - 12pm

Where: Shadow Ranch Park in West Hills

I will be booking sessions every 15 minutes, so it is important that you call to book your time. If all the slots fill up, I will happily extend the time to help Brittany as much as possible.

Please call now, operators are standing by! (Okay, I couldn't resist that one!) Really though, come out with your family and make a difference.

*Please note that this is for one set-up and one look only.

A little artsy photo from the field...

The Magnificent Seven

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:33:53 -0800

On Sunday morning, Helena and Richard blended their families together to create probably the best looking brood in Pasadena!

But let me back up... it was a beautiful drive up the coast to Santa Barbara, where Helena and Richard were having a morning wedding at the Four Seasons Biltmore Resort. { I don't know why more couples don't have an early ceremony and luncheon. It was such a pleasant departure from the norm.} Although they had an overcast day, it was warm and beautiful and without sounding too cliche, full of love from friends and family - some that came as far away as Brazil.

Surrounded by their family, they helped each other get ready which made the first look and portraits easy. {This is only the second wedding I've shot where the couple helped each other get dressed and I love it. It's so intimate and sweet.}

I loved the non-tradional vision Helena had for her dress and other aspects of the wedding day. Isn't this Lily Pulitzer dress perfect for a summer beach wedding?

GQ Magazine called... they want their model back!

Calvin Klein Kids called too...

Helena told me she wanted her flowers to look like a sunset and I think Joni of Hearts Bloom did an amazing job!

Such a sweet moment when all the kids came over for a family hug...

Merryl of Merryl Brown Events did a superb job as day of coordinator.

Delicious cake by The Four Seasons Biltmore...

Additional thanks to:

Kellie at The Four Seasons Biltmore Rosort, Santa Barbara

Gorgeous acoustic guitar by Roberto Montero, a classy touch!

I know this is a long post but for even more images, check out the slideshow:

Bat Mitzvah Photography

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 21:13:34 -0800

Leah had her Bat Mitzvah at the Knollwood Country Club last Sunday. It was a beautiful afternoon as everyone arrived to celebrate Leah's special day. This job was a bit different for me as I was brought in to just photograph the reception with Tom from Video Syndicate so I didn't get any of the rehearsal or ceremony. It was still a lot of fun, with an amazing buffet, foosball and other arcade games for the kids and a live band for most of the night. I'm excited to be going back here in two weeks for a wedding.

Leah's Mitzvah project has helping a local food bank so everyone brought food to be distributed by the Jewish Family Services. Love it!

Event Planner: Shifrah

Catering: Simon's Caterers

Live band: Nefesh Music

New Wedding Album Sample

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:42:36 -0800

I'm excited to share this new album sample I got back last week. It's a leather bound 12x6 album with watercolor paper. When open, it is 12x12 and I love the texture and thickness of the paper. The photos are slightly subdued, giving everything a soft, romantic feel. These albums are also available with a photo on the cover. Let me know what you think. (Other sizes available as well.)

Hopefully you can see the paper texture on your computer monitors...

(Wedding sample from Sandra and Kevin's beautiful event)

Woodland Hills Bar Mitzvah

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:12:51 -0800

Last week Jake had his Bar Mitzvah at Temple Chabad. (You may recall our portrait session a few weeks back.) It was a full day of ceremony and celebration. Although I was only able to take photos at the rehearsal, I hear the service was wonderful, after which I met up with them for some family portraits then onto the Braemar Country Club that night for the reception.

Jake's uncle Rob was a huge part of Jake's Bar Mitzvah and that is his great-grandmother, mother and little brother beaming so proudly!

The event planner Jackie of The Korman Group, along with Cindy at SRO Events, pulled out all the stops transforming Braemar into an X-Games themed venue.

Needless to say, the Laker Girls were a huge hit!

During the already emotional candle lighting ceremony, Jake was presented with his black belt. Quite a night.

Besides an airbrush artist, a tattoo artist and the very cool Dancing Heads as entertainment, there was an awesome candy bar that seemed like a mile long from Nina Bracker Events.

Additional fabulous vendors were:

Video: Tom at Video Syndicate

DJ: Gil at Z Entertainment