YOLO Spotlight-Christy Hayes of Mojo’s and Kitchen 428!
Welcome once again to YOLO Spotlight! This month we are focusing on women small business owners to highlight Women’s History Month. Luckily, we were able to interview/photograph Christy Hayes, owner of Mojo’s and Kitchen 428, entrepreneur, veteran, and benevolent community member.
Christy’s vivacious smile was easy to capture in photos and we noticed that her eyes sparkled with humor even during serious moments. She is not used to wearing makeup, but graciously consented so as to undergo the full KLJ Studios experience.
Christy had worked in restaurants starting in high school, working in both the front and the back of the house. It was natural that she would get a job bartending at Morrison’s when she came to Woodland, eventually becoming a part owner and then the owner in 2012. During her “free” time (yeah, right!), she went to UC Davis for two quarters anticipating becoming a veterinarian, and then switched to Sac State to eventually complete a degree in Public Relations and Event Coordinating. It was a big leap from employee to owner and she learned much of the business on the fly. Event coordination continues to be a passion for her.
One of the hardest aspects of the restaurant business is providing consistency, Christy says. There are so many moving parts between the food and the service you can never relax and you must always be on your toes. And consistency is the key to good customer service.
The pandemic has certainly changed things. As her staff receives their vaccines, Christy anticipates gradually re-opening for lunches in April, extending their hours, and, finally, the re-opening of the bar section of the business.
FUN FACT #:
Christy signed up for the Air Force while just graduating high school in the Morro Bay area. As a diesel mechanic she worked her way from Dover Air Force Base to Fairbanks and ending up in Fairfield at Travis. As a member of the Air Force Reserves she needed to live within 100 miles of Fairfield and chose Woodland to settle down.
FUN FACT #2:
During her down time, Christy enjoys watching TikTok videos. She finds she can even keep up with the news this way. She is also looking forward to gardening as the weather turns nice. And she loves every opportunity to hang with her dogs.
FUN FACT #3:
Christy buys all of her clothes, and many other items, at thrift stores. Her wardrobe is pretty cool and so are the decorating touches she incorporated in the décor of the restaurant, which, if not a thrift item, was probably bought at a low cost auction.
WHAT’S GOING ON AT KITCHEN 428?
1. Sadly, business is down 70% this year for obvious reasons, but Christy has implemented several fun weeks, with other local restaurants, that have helped keep them going. Who didn’t love Harry Potter Week? Or County Fair Week? Or the recent Amusement Park Week? We can thank her degree in Event Coordinating and just some great creativity for these much needed distractions during the past few months.
2. Her hours are spent differently now, of course. There’s more stress, more exhaustion, and she spends much more time bartending (cocktails available for takeout, folks!) and taking orders. Before, she spent a lot of her time in meetings, office management and attending events. So when you order take out, remember to take advantage of her bartending expertise and order cocktails to go!
3. Christy predicts it may be a slow, yearlong rebuilding period. But as she helped us out with special take home meals for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day, she is planning another special menu for Easter. And through this all, she has still considered the plight of our veterans and set up a GoFundMe page for the Feed Our Woodland Vets program. This program helps to feed veterans who can’t, or shouldn’t, go out and get their own meals.
Restaurants have been hit hard. But Christy has proven a little creativity, with a big dash of hard work, helps to get through the worst. As they begin to open and rebuild, let’s remember to support them and all of our Woodland eateries. Life would not be as much fun without Prime Rib Wednesdays. (A personal favorite.) Or French Dip Thursdays (another personal favorite.) Or Fish and Chips Fridays. (Seriously, maybe my favorite of the favorites.) Okay, honestly, I just like them all.
I pointed out that growing a successful restaurant is not easy and, even under normal times, restaurants have a high rate of failure. Christy clued me in on “how to make a small fortune from a restaurant. Start with a large fortune.” Easy peasy, right?
Get some takeout from Kitchen 428 and then next month head down in person at 428 1st Street in downtown Woodland. You can phone in your order at 530-661-0428 or just put them on speed dial.
And remember, cocktails to go!
Interested in booking a session ?
YOLO Spotlight - Marilyn Clark and SL8 Fitness!
Welcome to YOLO Spotlight! Once a week we will focus our KLJ Studios blog on someone in the community because we believe everyone has a story to tell.
Since March is Women’s History Month we will focus this month’s Spotlight on local women business owners. The good news is there are many to choose from! The bad news? There are many to choose from! It was hard to narrow down, but we figured anyone we missed we can catch in a later month.
So, to begin.
How fun that our first “victim” is a lovely ball of energy and fun in a human shaped package. And, if you have met Marilyn Clark, I am sure you agree. She is approachable, intelligent, and packs plenty of charisma.
Marilyn co-owns SL8 Fitness, a woman-centric gym in Esparto, and when the opportunity to also buy former Oases (also a woman-centric gym) in Woodland came about, Marilyn and her partner took the plunge and found themselves trying to keep two gyms alive during a pandemic. They have used a creative combination of virtual classes and personal training to keep going until just recently they were allowed to have in person activities. The layout of the gym allows for good social distancing and other COVID safety protocols are followed to keep everyone safe.
FUN FACT #1:
Marilyn, a Massachusetts native, worked her way out West via college in Connecticut to New York to Seattle to the Bay Area, eventually moving to Woodland where her husband is from. Extra fun note: she met her husband on AOL back in 1997 before online dating was even a “thing”. This woman is a trailblazer in more ways than one. She loved Woodland from the first and loves being part of this community.
FUN FACT #2:
Marilyn “retired” from a state job to now spend 12 hours a day at her business. And anyone who owns a small business knows it is essentially a 24/7 gig. She keeps her sanity by exercising and reminding herself to celebrate self-care.
FUN FACT #3:
SL8 is named to remind everyone that you can always start with a clean slate and its never too late to try something new. Her own personal training experience was so positive she became certified as a personal training and a nutrition coach in order to help others get that second, or even first, chance at a healthy life. As Marilyn says, “I want to find a way to make health a priority in your life and to find a way to make it work”.
WHAT CAN YOU FIND AT SL8?
1. SL8 Fitness on College St in Woodland is surprisingly large and has an efficient layout. There are separate rooms for cardio, weights, and classes as well as three tanning beds and, when allowed to do so, sauna and showers. There are also makeup and hair styling services available.
2. You can still enjoy virtual classes and personal training.
3. SL8 Fitness has designated March as “Women’s Empowerment Month” and wants you to claim one goal for yourself. Empowerment will come when you achieve your goal and motivate you to take another step.
Every year SL8 chooses a word or phrase for the year. For 2021, the word is resilience, which perfectly sums up 2021.
Go grab a guest pass at 1317 College St in Woodland (530-662-4444) or 15856 Yolo Ave. in Esparto and try it out. Or you can email at info@sl8fitness.com.
As Marilyn says, you are a culmination of all of your experience. Make your experience a healthy one!
Interested Booking a Session?
New baby! No problem!
Congratulations! You are having a baby!
KLJ Studios loves photographing newborns and their families. COVID19 has changed some of the ways we accomplish these sessions. Yet we can still help you capture these most precious moments in a couple of ways.
You are still welcome to come to the studio and take advantage of our family friendly amenities and newborn posing station and props. We have very strict county approved COVID19 safety protocols in place and can review those with you. We have successfully photographed dozens of newborns in the past year without incident.
But we also understand if you are nervous about coming in. Some new parents are hesitant about even going out in public right away with their newborn. We get it. You have been through so much and even veteran parents have not experienced the differences a pandemic makes when expecting and giving birth. We have heard stories about what new parents are going through and it seems the rules vary from hospital to hospital. We applaud you and our hearts are with you during this confusing and strange time.
But you deserve the same delightful newborn images that everyone has. To help you out, we have been providing in-home sessions for newborn families. We come to you, take advantage of your natural lighting and can still showcase your love and happiness. Sometimes the intimacy of your own space is just the ticket to beautiful images. And we use the same strict safety protocols that we use in the studio.
To find out more call us at 530-723-5332, email at info@kljstudios.com, or stop by to set up a consultation. (Remember your mask!) We are the boutique photography studio located at 424 1st Street in downtown Woodland. Our drop-in hours are temporarily noon to 5 pm from Monday through Saturday.
We would love to hear from you before your baby is born, but we have been known to squeeze people into the schedule if we can. Contact us to set up a consultation. And, again, congratulations!
Meet Empower Yolo
What is Empower Yolo?
It is a non-profit organization in Yolo County that provides 24 hour emergency shelter, crisis intervention, counseling, legal and other services for those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking and child abuse.
While it is such an important resource for so many who needs its assistance, Empower Yolo can only survive with the help of the community. You can help with donations of diapers, wipes, laundry supplies, and gift cards, but monetary donations are also important.
KLJ Studios has teamed with Empower Yolo for a monthlong fundraising event. The February Boudoir Beauty event allows participants to gain confidence in themselves and their appearance and can be interpreted in many different ways. Some clients have gone for the sexy vibe, some opted for upscale street clothing, many others somewhere in between. It’s all about you wearing what makes you feel confident, self-assured, and essentially YOU!
10% of the proceeds from this photography event will be donated to Empower Yolo to guarantee their programs will remain successful.
To learn more about Empower Yolo, go to their website: https://empoweryolo.org/
To learn more about Boudoir Beauty or to book an appointment call KLJ Studios at 530-723-5332, email at info@kljstudios.com, or come by our boutique photography studio at 424 1st Street in downtown Woodland. Please note we have reduced our walk-in hours to noon to 5 pm Mondays through Saturdays.
With your help, Empower Yolo can provide aid to so many!
Valerie’s Newborn Portraits
Valerie was one of the best babies we have had. She slept the entire time. Being so good, her session only took an hour and a half when most newborn sessions take 3 hours. Joshua, Valerie’s older brother, was not happy to be photographed with his little sister. We are not sure if it was “stranger danger” or perhaps the mask and face-shield that we require our photographers to wear for every session, or maybe a mixture of both. However, Kaylyn was a fantastic photography assistant and she made it possible for us to capture two images of the three siblings together. This should have been nearly impossible, but Kaylyn is a magician and we are so grateful she was there to help.
Newborn Portrait, Newborn in headband and wrap
On the afternoon of Wednesday, December 16th, 2020, KLJ Studios was fortunate to capture Newborn Family Portraits with little Valerie, older brother Joshua, and big sister Kaylyn. The Newborn Portrait session occurred in-studio at KLJ Studios, 424 1st Street, in downtown Woodland, California. The session was booked from a newborn model call to capture Valerie’s newborn stage, as well as to test out some new tie-backs which were made by Hand Made by BGBarrettes, a new local business which creates newborn clothing and headdresses. The lead photographer for the session was Kelly Lynn and the Photography Assistant was Ashley.
Valerie was one of the best babies we have had. She slept the entire time. Being so good, her session only took an hour and a half when most newborn sessions take 3 hours. Joshua, Valerie’s older brother, was not happy to be photographed with his little sister. We are not sure if it was “stranger danger” or perhaps the mask and face-shield that we require our photographers to wear for every session, or maybe a mixture of both. However, Kaylyn was a fantastic photography assistant and she made it possible for us to capture two images of the three siblings together. This should have been nearly impossible, but Kaylyn is a magician and we are so grateful she was there to help.
Kaylyn had done her own hair and makeup for the newborn session. She should go into the makeup industry. Everything looks like she got her makeup done by a licensed professional. The makeup read so perfectly on camera that we just had to mention it! Another note is that Valerie was on the older side of being considered a newborn, but with her mom’s knowledge of her sleeping schedule, we were able to get her sleepy enough to get some great images.
Something to note for new parents: The session was photographed with a little bit of wiggle room as far as age goes. With an older newborn some of your typical newborn poses can’t be done like our bucket poses. This is due to the size and weight of the baby. Also newborns that are a little older in age typically don’t like to be on their belly so capturing them in the “froggy pose” is a no go. Older newborns are more aware of what their bodies are doing.
Julie Ann, thank you so much for allowing us to use Valerie as the model for these headbands. She made them stand out beautifully. We can’t wait to photograph the whole family in the future.
~ Kelly
Photos by:
KLJ Studios Lead Photographer: Kelly Lynn
KLJ Studios Photography Assistant: Ashley
Little Annie’s Newborn Portraits
On the morning of Friday, December 4th, 2020, KLJ Studios had the pleasure of capturing Newborn Family Portraits with Ashley, Miguel, and beautiful little Annie. This was an in-studio Newborn Portrait session at KLJ Studios, located at 424 1st Street in Historic Downtown Woodland, California. The session was booked to capture Annie’s newborn stage. This is the first time we have had the pleasure of photographing this family. They found KLJ Studios from a newborn model call to test out some of our new newborn poses. The Lead Photographer for the session was Kelly Lynn and the Photography Assistant was Beckie. Makeup was provided by Veronica Gersalia Makeup Artistry.
Newborn Portrait, Newborn baby with floral headband in bum-up pose
On the morning of Friday, December 4th, 2020, KLJ Studios had the pleasure of capturing Newborn Family Portraits with Ashley, Miguel, and beautiful little Annie. This was an in-studio Newborn Portrait session at KLJ Studios, located at 424 1st Street in Historic Downtown Woodland, California. The session was booked to capture Annie’s newborn stage. This is the first time we have had the pleasure of photographing this family. They found KLJ Studios from a newborn model call to test out some of our new newborn poses. The Lead Photographer for the session was Kelly Lynn and the Photography Assistant was Beckie. Makeup was provided by Veronica Gersalia Makeup Artistry.
During the session Annie was a complete dream and let us get through a total of 5 different looks. The typical newborn session takes about 3 hours. Annie was so good that it only took an hour and a half. Our little diva was so great for the portraits by herself, but then became a little fussy during the portraits with her parents. This little one is meant for the spotlight.
Some advice I could give for new clients is to bring your little one in for newborn portraits from between 5 to 8 days old. 5 days after birth gives you time to relax and 8 days is right before babies start cluster feeding. When a baby is cluster feeding, and therefore constantly feeding, the session gets interrupted, and the baby becomes over-stimulated. At this point the baby will not want to do anything for the session. You can also account for date of birth, so if the little one was born early you have a little wiggle room as to when they will begin cluster feeding.
Ashley and Miguel, thank you for trusting me with your precious bundle of joy. Annie was the perfect model and so sweet. I can’t wait to capture more memories for you.
~ Kelly
Photos by:
KLJ Studios Lead Photographer: Kelly Lynn
KLJ Studios Photography Assistant: Beckie
KLJ Studios Makeup Artist: Veronica Gersalia Makeup Artistry
Little Rilah’s Family Newborn Portraits
On the morning of Thursday, December 3rd, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography captured Newborn Family Portraits with Erica, Michael (excellent photography assistant), Saylor, and little Rilah. This was an in-studio Newborn Portrait session at KLJ Studios, located at 424 1st Street in Woodland, California. We remember almost exactly 3 years ago when we photographed Saylor’s newborn portraits. We have been so fortunate that this amazing family has been coming to us for all their special moments. We have been there for engagement portraits, wedding portraits, newborn and milestone portraits like the one-year and six-month baby portraits for Saylor.
Newborn Portrait, newborn baby photo with white bow and red sash
On the morning of Thursday, December 3rd, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography captured Newborn Family Portraits with Erica, Michael (excellent photography assistant), Saylor, and little Rilah. This was an in-studio Newborn Portrait session at KLJ Studios, located at 424 1st Street in Woodland, California. We remember almost exactly 3 years ago when we photographed Saylor’s newborn portraits. We have been so fortunate that this amazing family has been coming to us for all their special moments. We have been there for engagement portraits, wedding portraits, newborn and milestone portraits like the one-year and six-month baby portraits for Saylor. The lead Photographer for this session was Kelly Lynn and the photography assistant was Beckie. Make-up was by Veronica Gersalia Makeup Artistry.
During the session Saylor was a little jealous that Kelly was Photographing Rilah since Saylor is so used to Kelly Photographing just her. Saylor even turned to Kelly during the session and said, “You are my Kelly,” so adorable! Kelly made sure to photograph some portraits of Saylor by herself so that she felt included. Erica brought the cutest white bow for Rilah and Kelly was super excited to add it to the portraits. Kelly Lynn is an absolute bow fanatic. Making sure to bring in something meaningful for the portraits adds just a little bit more of the family into the photographs.
Erica and Michael, I can’t thank you enough for selecting me as the person to photograph all your portrait memories. I have loved spending the time with you and watching Saylor grow, and now with Rilah. You guys have become way more than clients. You are our friends and we love you.
~ Kelly
Photos by:
KLJ Studios Lead Photographer: Kelly Lynn
KLJ Studios Photography Assistant: Beckie
KLJ Studios Makeup Artist: Veronica Gersalia Makeup Artistry
Top Newborn Photography Tips for New Moms and Dads
A newborn baby is a blessing, and here are some tips to help with photographing that bundle of joy.
A newborn baby is a blessing, and here are some tips to help with photographing that bundle of joy,
Top Newborn Photography Tips for New Moms and Dads
1. Safety First!
There are some poses that can hurt your baby! Many of the adorable newborn poses that you see online are composite shots. In composite poses, the baby is supported the entire time by one or more people and then the images are sliced together in Photoshop. This means someone has their hands on the baby, supporting the baby, throughout the entire pose. Hands support the neck, back and bottom to ensure the newborn is stable. Shots where a baby is hanging in something are also composite shots. Do not attempt to hang your newborn baby in anything.
Even in less complicated poses, you still need to be able to read your baby. If the baby squirms and or fusses, the current pose you have them in is most likely uncomfortable. Testing the pose with your little one is the best way to ensure they will be comfortable. At KLJ Studios we set the baby in the pose in our laps before placing the newborn on the posing station. Testing poses allows for the baby to have less tension. Having the least amount of tension on the newborn during a session is best because we can take a greater variety of shots. Less tension and strain on the newborn will allow the newborn to sleep heavier and longer which allows us to quickly capture different angles, props, and backgrounds.
For more on infant safety, visit apnpi.com.
2. Include Yourself in Photos of your Newborn
You and family should definitely be posing in your newborn pictures. Family pictures have the same power as photographing just your newborn. A picture brings us back in time and is a great way to reminisce. They are also a part of our legacy. In years to come, grandchildren and great-grandchildren may someday ask to see pictures of the family. Wouldn’t it be sad if there were few or none to share? Having pictures brings the family together again as they look back on their lives. Do this for your kids. Your kids won’t care that you may have a few extra pounds or that you haven’t had the time to fix your roots. Our kids grow and change so quickly so you will want to remember how little they are at the beginning, and they’ll want to remember you.
3. When Should I Take Newborn Photos?
Newborn Photos should be taken between 5 to 8 days after birth. At 10 days babies begin cluster feeding, which means that the baby is eating all the time. This means that the baby can become easily overstimulated during a photo shoot. Overstimulation is a bad thing. The baby is more bendable prior to the 10-day mark as well. Also starting around 10 days the newborn may become more alert and want to sleep less. A sleepy comfortable baby is best for photo sessions!
Newborn Sessions take around 2 hours. Note your newborns sleepiest hours. This will help your photographer find the best time for you to come in for your newborn session. Over the years I have noted that the best times are earlier in the morning.
Date of birth also needs to be considered when determining when to take pictures. If your newborn is a preemie, then you have a little bit longer of a time frame to take pictures. For example, if your newborn is born 4 weeks early, you could maybe get away with having them photographed between 1 to 4 weeks.
4. The Binky
It is widely debated whether or not to use a pacifier. However, the pacifier is preferred by most photographers. This helps calm the baby down when mom isn’t directly near the baby. The binky also allows the photographer to transition from pose to pose and soothe the newborn at the same time. While the binky is a great soothing tool, make sure not to include it in the shots of your newborn. This looks tacky, and you want to remember your little one without their binky. Ultimately it’s the parent’s decision with what they feel comfortable with. As a photographer we will find a way to work with anything.
5. Capture Detail Shots
Babies feet, hands, and little button nose only stay small for so long. Making sure to capture how tiny everything is, is key. When capturing detail shots of a newborn, I will also make sure to capture them with something where I can tell their size. For instance, photographing a baby’s feet with mom and dad’s rings on them, or photographing the baby holding onto daddy’s pinky finger.
6. Print Pictures Out
Digital files are not sustainable. Printing out images keeps the longevity of the portrait. And just in case anything happens to your digital files, you then have the print to create another digital copy. Also printing your pictures out ensures that you actually enjoy them. Its much more fun to see a nice framed and matted print blessing the walls of your home.
7. Lighting
Good lighting is crucial to good photos. The best lighting is natural light, or window lighting. At KLJ Studios we have a light box that is the same coloring as the sun. This makes for beautifully colored pictures.
8. Props
Include props that have special meaning. Some examples we have had in our studio are blankets knitted by a grandparent or someone special or gifts that have meaning like stuffed animals or any other keepsake.
9. Heat the Room
78 to 79 degrees is a good temperature to heat a room for a newborn. 80 degrees tends to be too much as this can cause people to start sweating. And if parents are going to be in the photos, you don’t want them to be sweaty.
10. Vaseline or Aquaphor
Newborn babies peel. This is simply a consequence of being in the womb for 9 months surrounded by amniotic fluid. Put Vaseline or Aquaphor on the peeling and the baby will look as though they are not.
11. Full Belly
Make sure to hold off feeding the baby until right before the portrait session. We have our parents wait until they get to the studio to feed. This does not throw the baby off a feeding schedule. Once everyone arrives, we have parents strip the baby down to the diaper (making sure they don’t need changed – a clean diaper is better for swaddling) and wrap them in a warm blanket before feeding them.
Once the baby has a full belly our photographers take the baby and begin photographing the baby while Mom gets pampered in the other room where mom can still see her baby. We do this for two reasons. First, Mom gets the chance to get pampered. She most likely has had really hard nights and not a lot of sleep. This is a great time for her to relax. Second, a newborn has a strong sense of smell and can smell Mom right away, so keeping Mom at a slight distance helps the newborn adjust to working with someone new.
12. No Clothes is BEST!
There are many adorable outfits out there, but many of them will “swim” on a newborn baby. This can make the newborn look like they have no neck and will also make them look frumpy. Professional photographers will have specialized outfits specifically to be used for photographing newborns. They are made of nice stretchy fabric that will cling to the newborn’s body and typically are made low cut to ensure the baby is safe and that you can see every detail of the baby. At KLJ Studios we also have swaddles that are used to keep the baby warm but can also help the newborn get comfortable with the session. Since swaddling gives the newborn baby the sense of being in the womb again, this can comfort them and give the photographer the opportunity to get the newborn used to their voice. When photographing a newborn baby, I make sure I use their name and talk to them about what I’m doing. I do so in a calm voice, and I feel that it calms the baby while I’m positioning them.
Can you think of any more suggestions or tips for new parents? Please email us at info@kljstudios.com with more tips and suggestions to include in this blog post.
FFA Senior Portraits
On November 10th, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography was honored to photograph high school senior, Hayley. The session took place in and around our studio at 424 First Street in Downtown Historic Woodland, California. The Lead Photographer for the Session was KLJ Studios' Lead Photographer Kelly Lynn, with the assistance of Ashley.
Senior Portrait, Senior black and white pose on steps
On November 10th, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography was honored to photograph high school senior Hayley for her senior portraits. The session took place in and around our studio at 424 First Street in Downtown Historic Woodland, California. The Lead Photographer for the Session was KLJ Studios' Lead Photographer Kelly Lynn, with the assistance of Ashley.
Congratulations to Hayley! All those years of hard work are paying off and Hayley will be one of our proud Woodland High graduates next year.
Hayley's time as a Yolo FFA officer for the Woodland High FFA piqued her interest and she will be pursuing a degree in agriculture after graduation. We know from working with her that she is bright and lovely and will can do anything she wants to in the future. We look forward to hearing from her and keeping up to date with what happens.
Because she will be one of the graduating classes during the "Great Pandemic of 2020" we know she will have special skills of resilience and flexibility. Best wishes to an amazing future!
Thank you ~ Kelly
Photos by:
KLJ Studios Lead Photographer: Kelly Lynn
KLJ Studios Associate Photographer: Ashley
Hair and Makeup: Veronica Gersalia Makeup Artistry
Little Snowman Newborn Portraits
On November 18th, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography was honored to photograph Dustin, Hanna, Andrew and their newest addition, Tyler. The session took place in and around our studio at 424 First Street in Downtown Historic Woodland, California. The Lead Photographer for the Session was KLJ Studios' Lead Photographer Kelly Lynn, with the assistance of Ashley.
Snowman Newborn Portrait
On November 18th, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography was honored to photograph Dustin, Hanna, Andrew and their newest addition, Tyler, for his newborn portraits. The session took place in and around our studio at 424 First Street in Downtown Historic Woodland, California. The Lead Photographer for the Session was KLJ Studios' Lead Photographer Kelly Lynn, with the assistance of Ashley.
We love our pandemic babies! Having a baby during normal times can be exhausting, but accomplishing this during a pandemic requires even more strength and energy. All of our moms who have newborns during the last part of 2020 (what a year, right?) are so gracious and tough, we salute you all.
Because of the season, we thought Tyler would make a perfect little snowman. And he did! He also loved posing with big brother, Dustin, and acted like a sweetheart while also posing with mom and dad. He is a wonderful addition to the family and is certainly an early Christmas gift.
What a blessing to photograph these special times with you guys. We love you! And can't wait to photograph more images for you in the future.
Thank you ~ Kelly
Photos by:
KLJ Studios Lead Photographer: Kelly Lynn
KLJ Studios Associate Photographer: Ashley
Hair and Makeup: KLJ Studios Beauty Team Member Jazlynn
Beautiful Reindeer Newborn Portraits and Toddler Birthday Portraits
On November 20th, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography was honored to photograph Amaya & Elianna for Amaya's newborn portraits and Elianna's birthday portraits. The session took place in and around our studio at 424 First Street in Downtown Historic Woodland, California. The Lead Photographer for the Session was KLJ Studios' Lead Photographer Kelly Lynn, with the assistance of Aimee.
Newborn photo, newborn baby in a wrap with headband
On November 20th, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography was honored to photograph Amaya & Elianna for Amaya's newborn portraits and Elianna's birthday portraits. The session took place in and around our studio at 424 First Street in Downtown Historic Woodland, California. The Lead Photographer for the Session was KLJ Studios' Lead Photographer Kelly Lynn, with the assistance of Aimee.
With her beautiful big eyes and full of sisterly love, Elianna is very protective of her little sister and watched carefully to make sure she was safe at all times. Though easily bribed with cookies and gummy bears, she refused to leave her post watching over Amaya.
She is a strong big sister because she hadn't seen her parents in a few days while Amaya was being born. (Some hospitals allow dad to be present but once dad is there, he is not allowed to leave and come back. So, many dads spend several days at the hospital with the expectant moms.)
Amaya recognizes her big sister protector and already relies on her. She was happy to go along with the upcoming holiday season and be a reindeer for us.
This will be one strongly bonded sibling pair in the future. Be strong, dad! You will survive this.
Thank you ~ Kelly
Photos by:
KLJ Studios Lead Photographer: Kelly Lynn
KLJ Studios Assistant: Beckie
The Littlest Santa Newborn Portraits
On November 20th, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography was honored to photograph Brewer's newborn portraits. The session took place in and around our studio at 424 First Street in Downtown Historic Woodland, California. The Lead Photographer for the Session was KLJ Studios' Lead Photographer Kelly Lynn, with the assistance of Beckie.
newborn photo, newborn baby in Santa’s arms
On November 20th, 2020, KLJ Studios Photography was honored to photograph Brewer's newborn portraits. The session took place in and around our studio at 424 First Street in Downtown Historic Woodland, California. The Lead Photographer for the Session was KLJ Studios' Lead Photographer Kelly Lynn, with the assistance of Beckie.
At three weeks, Brewer is already acting like he is three months old! He tries to lift his head already and has begun to look like he is going to be rolling over soon. Because he is a special gift for the holidays, he agreed to meet up with Santa for nap time and offered to help with the reindeer and sleigh. He was all smiles as he waited for Santa with cookie ready, because he knows chocolate chip is Santa's favorite.
Check out those big, blue eyes. It will certainly be hard to say "no" to him in the future, right?
I really enjoyed working with your little guy. Those amazing blue eyes and adorable smile made my day. Can’t wait to capture more memories of your family in the future.
Thank you ~ Kelly
Photos by:
KLJ Studios Lead Photographer: Kelly Lynn
KLJ Studios Assistant: Beckie