January 01, 2024

Why Winter is the Ideal Season for Portrait Sessions in Southern California

January 01, 2024/ Val Westover Photography/ Westover

Family portraits capture cherished memories, freeze moments in time, and celebrate the love shared among family members. While many people associate family portraits with bright sunny days, the winter season in Southern California offers a unique and enchanting backdrop for capturing stunning family portraits.

Including Your Pets in Your Family Portraits

June 19, 2019/ Westover

Stephanie and I have always had dogs, cats, birds and horses in our lives. All of our children have grown up with a house full of loving animals. We would always try to include our pets in our family portraits whenever possible, which created wonderful family memories.

We encourage those who have pets to include them in their own family portraits, as we have many pet friendly outdoor portrait locations.

The Cohee family included their spectacular horse and their beautiful dog in their last family portrait session. The rustic natural trail was the perfect backdrop for their family portraits…

All American Pet Photography Month May 2019

May 08, 2019/ Westover

In recognizing our fuzzy, fluffy, feathered best friends, celebrate the month of May with pet photos that capture the unconditional love that they have towards you and your family.

One of my favorite jokes that highlights the dedication and unconditional love that our pets give us, goes something like this:

How can you tell who loves you the most? Your dog, or your wife?
Put them both in the trunk of your car for an hour, then see which one is the happiest to see you.

Looking back at photos of my childhood, some of my most memorable times were shared with my dog “Queenie”. Our family photos always included my dog, whether we were camping, hiking, at a picnic, or opening Christmas presents, she was always there by my side. I strongly believe that she was a key part of my great childhood. Every time I see a childhood photo with my dog, it brings me right back to that moment in time.