Asilomar Beach + 17 Mile Drive - Pacific Grove, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Yvette + Kitan

In mid-July, I had the pleasure of photographing a gorgeous maternity session for Yvette, who is an old friend of mine!

I met her five years ago through a mutual friend at Hahn Winery in Soledad, CA. Now-a-days, she and her husband Kitan have their home base in Exeter, so they made the impressive four-hour drive down to Pacific Grove!

We went to two different locations for our maternity shoot: Asilomar Beach and 17 Mile Drive. Both were so perfect for this growing family. At the beach, the sky was painted with a dreamy mist, and at the 17 Mile Drive, we worked with a glorious canopy of trees.

Yvette was a star in her flowing dress. If you’re ever wondering whether to go for patterns or solids, I say go for solids like Yvette! She looked so elegant in this wardrobe choice.

Baby Sebastian won’t be an only child! Big brother Leroy is looking forward to his new role. It’s a big job, but I think he is up to it! Yvette did a fantastic job coordinating all of the outfits. You all look so seamless!

During the entire session, Leroy was so energetic and playful. Some might see all that energy as a huge challenge, but I loved it! With a little bit of encouragement, we channeled all of that energy into positivity!

Energetic kids are always up to mischief, and it’s so much fun to use that to our advantage! During the session, Leroy tried to eat a handful of sand and regretted it instantly. Luckily, I caught a photo of his antics! Yvette told me later that it was one of her favorites. These small moments of real life are what you’re going to miss most.

I made the whole experience like a game for Leroy. I made him run towards me and back again. It was almost like a game of Simon Says! The games helped him relax and focus more on having fun than the camera lens.

In turn, Yvette and Kitan were so sweet during their couples shots. You can just see their excitement at becoming parents again! They were naturals. I’m so happy with how these photos turned out.

What an amazing session! It was an honor to document such a huge milestone for this spectacular family. And now, the wait is over! Baby Sebastian was born on July 29th. Welcome to the world, Sebastian!

Morro Rock - Morro Bay, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Ariana + AJ

Congratulations on your engagement, Ariana + AJ! To celebrate, they booked me for an engagement shoot at Morro Rock.

Ariana + AJ are brand-new clients, so it was fantastic getting to know them during our session! AJ loves collecting old cars and Ariana is a tattoo artist.

This couple is truly meant for each other! Through the entire session, I felt their peace and warmth towards one another. They are super in love, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they’re soulmates!

Since it was their first time taking professional photos, I was so impressed with how comfortable they were together in front of the camera!

They actually came all the way from Los Angeles to have their photos taken, which is about a three or four hour drive from here. They look so beautiful that I can’t even tell based on the photos!

Sadly, the Morro Rock wasn’t visible in our shoot because of the crazy amount of fog. However, that didn’t stop us from capturing an awesome session!

Since fog is pretty unpredictable, I knew it was going to be difficult to make the photos pop, but we fearlessly took on the challenge.

It was great Ariana + AJ chose to dress in black! That made them really stand out from the light background.

In the end, I think we did a fantastic job! We came out with a stunningly unique session with a spectacular couple. The misty fog suits their style and personality perfectly, but I still hope that it will be clear for the wedding!

I’m so excited to be photographing your wedding later next month! It will be so exciting to come back here to Morro Rock. I hope you both cherish this exciting time of life!

Home Newborn Session - Marina, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Baby Christopher

Caitlin and Stephen hold a special place in my heart. When we started our photography business, they were the one of the very first couples who booked us!

I’ve documented some of the biggest chapters of their lives, including their engagement, wedding, and maternity photos.

It’s such a huge honor to watch them welcome their newest addition to the family: Baby Christopher! Mom and Dad were both on about four hours of sleep, but they didn’t even look sleep deprived.

When shooting a newborn session, you’re on the baby’s time. We went through a few diaper changes, bottles, and some crying. Flexibility is key.

I didn’t mind waiting for the perfect moment between tears and smiles. We definitely captured plenty of precious moments!

The small details are often the most special! I love focusing on small hands and feet, tiny fingers and toes. Christopher won’t stay this small for much longer!

One of the best things about the nursery was that it had white walls to reflect the natural light. A well-lit room means amazing pictures, so we opened the blinds for even better results!

White walls help, but so do a splash of color! Christopher had an amazing “Hello, Christopher” accent wall painted over his crib. How cute is that!

Christopher doesn’t cry when new people visit, but he does when they leave! Caitlin texted me about thirty minutes after I left to tell me that Christopher shed tears on cue.

It was an honor to document another irreplaceable moment in your story, Caitlin and Stephen! Welcome to the world, Christopher!