Hard to believe it’s been five months since Whitney Cummings was frantically trying to save animals from Malibu’s Woolsey Fires, which destroyed 97,000 acres of land. That November also marked round two of chemotherapy for me, so I kinda know what that sort of destruction to property feels like. Hi, I’m Arax, Roman’s wife and now his official website linguist. His site was full of pictures - and no words - just like the books he likes to read (this is both untrue, and not very funny - so now you’ve got a taste for my writing style). But much like my head, the hills of Malibu slowly self repaired, and got a super-boost from the rainfall we’ve been having. Coincidence? Yes. Noteworthy nonetheless.
This was my first official project with Roman’s photography business. And it was so fun! Elizabeth and Hayk are long time friends of ours, and we were beyond thrilled to hear of their new baby girl on the way. Ello and I went back and forth sharing inspiration photos and creating a mood board to see what she likes and make sure we’re all on the same page. The mood board dictated location - and that was one of the first lessons in photography I received this day. The photos we liked on Pinterest showcased the growing belly in a halo-like glowing light with lush nature in the background. When Roman and I looked over the mood board, he immediately thought - Malibu Creek State Park.
On the date of the shoot, we met at our home studio, and took some studio portraits for an hour. Roman wanted to be in Malibu at 5:30pm to get the perfect lighting. I thought it was clever of him to schedule the studio photos right before we drove to Malibu. This way, he was able to get some great shots in using controlled light, while we wait for the sun to be at the perfect angle for the outdoor photos. Elizabeth wore some beautiful casual maternity dresses she’d brought. To try something fun, we also took some photos of her draped in some beautiful sheer fabric, wind blowing drapes. She looked super glamorous and it was such a fun look to create.
Elizabeth and Arman share a moment between photos. “The photo between the photos” as Roman calls it.
The photos at Malibu creek beautifully showcase the lush landscape, and the lighting was nothing short of whimsical. I love the halo-like glow he gets in pictures, and will pick his brain for more tips for you guys. Malibu was so full of life, my baby hairs were so full of life, and Elizabeth was quite literally full of new life - coming soon to a stroller near you.
When we wrapped up the shoot, I just stood there smiling with my fellow scantily-haired dandelions, our centimeter long hairs blowing in the wind - really grateful for this spring.
Enjoy the photos and leave some feedback!
