Dance Portraits Dawn Altier Dance Portraits Dawn Altier

Pasadena Ballet Portraits

This Pasadena photoshoot with Long Beach Ballet ballerina Sophia, brought me back in time to the year 2010. She had just started preschool and I was to be one of her preschool teachers. I had recently bought my first entry level dslr and had been granted permission to document the students and activities. It was the beginning of two journeys that would evolve and converge a decade later. 

At that point, (pun intended), Sophia had already been dancing for 2 years. It is amazing to see how she has grown. She is a beautiful young woman, dedicated and determined to master her craft. She is currently pursing an ambassadorship with Russian Pointe! I would not be surprised if she is chosen and am excited to see where her passion for dance takes her! Here are some of my favorites from our session. xoxo

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Portraits Dawn Altier Portraits Dawn Altier

Walker Canyon Portraits

Izzy is a dear friend, and for an afternoon, she was my model and partner in adventure and we set out to see the incredible Super Bloom of 2019! It was not until after our trip that I read that disturbing the flora can disrupt the delicate poppy ecosystem and even prevent the super bloom from returning. Lesson learned: stay on the path. Avoid the urge to, as John McCrae once wrote: “In fields the poppies blow, between the crosses row by row. Short days we lived, felt dawn, saw sunsets glow; loved and were loved, and now we lie in….fields…..” (An excerpt from the poem Flanders Fields.)

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Family, Portraits Dawn Altier Family, Portraits Dawn Altier

Long Beach Plant and People Portraits

After a Naples family session, I had arranged to pop over to Lisa’s house, from Succulents for the Soul Instagram fame, where we met for the first time! I photographed her amazing yard and met her adorable grandson named Dean. Lisa has poured hours into landscaping her beautiful front and back yards! She has created an oasis to surround her home. <3

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Maternity Dawn Altier Maternity Dawn Altier

Gum Grove Maternity Session

On a hot sticky summer’s afternoon, we braved an unexpected battalion of vampiric mosquitos to capture images of the little miracle growing inside Ariel’s belly. Eucalyptus oil pierced the breeze as we strolled down the path at Gum Grove. Despite the pouring sweat, we had a fun session! When we first met up, I asked Sam if he had a pocket knife. I wanted to cut a clean edge at the bottom of some reeds I’d picked on my way to the shoot. Sam went back to his car and emerged with a bowie knife!!! 😀 The thing was HUGE and came in SO handy! (No pun intended!) We cut out way through the rugged terrain again and again. It was totally worth the heat and bugs! Here are some of the results! Enjoy!

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Maternity Dawn Altier Maternity Dawn Altier

Seal Beach Maternity Session

My heart is full as I write this post. This maternity session celebrates the astounding joy that can only be embodied by *first*time* parents to be. Imagine the anticipation; the waiting for your new little wonder and creation to join you in full-fledge physical presence. Then multiply it by 100! Or even 1000! Through the help of modern medicine, great effort, and periods of heart break, Jackie and Scott are realizing their long-held dream of parenthood! I remember the day Jackie shared the news with me. It was around Christmas time last year. Jackie was then 6 months pregnant, but it was hard to tell. (She didn’t want to spread the news until they were certain this little girl was going to make it to full term.) As I sat across from her in her living room, she revealed the precious news. I wanted to sing! I wanted to shout for joy, cry, laugh, give her the biggest hug I could manage… I was ecstatic for her! Words can not do justice to the emotions I felt then, or the emotions she and Scott must be feeling. It was an honor to commemorate this special time in their lives. XOXO!

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