Beach Family Session- Santa Rosa Family Photographer Angelika Mitchell

Do you know what my favorite part of photography is? Seeing children and families grow over the years. There is a special place in my heart for the families who come back year after year, and share their journey with me. One family that blessed my lens this fall is our Masto Wyatt Warrior family. I have had the pleasure of working with the kiddos several times, but this fall I put Mom and Dad in front of the camera too.

Mom has always been someone who I greatly admire. She is the best fundraiser I have ever seen, rallying for research into Wyatt's rare skin disorder.  I have never seen such grace under pressure, with an enduring attitude of gratitude and hope. Wyatt is a treasure, that's for sure. The big kids are SO much fun to photograph, they are naturals in front of the camera. 

While we may live hours apart from one another, we found a beautiful beach in the middle to meet at. Rodeo Beach in Sausalito, Marin County, provided the most picturesque backdrop to our family photo beach adventure. The family was impeccably styled, as usual, with no coaching from me at all. We tested our luck with the fall coastal weather; hello fall rainy season-which came out of nowhere! We ended up with the perfect day. 

I really love beach photos. The Sonoma and Marin coastline can be tricky, so we don't attempt these sessions as often as my heart would like. The summers tend towards foggy sunsets, and the fall and spring are pretty cold and windy. It's really such a glorious synchronistic moment when you get a beautiful family, a beautiful beach, and nice weather all at the same time. God smiled on us that day, for sure. 

Masto Wyatt Warrior- Bay Area Child Photgrapher Angelika Mitchell

New site, new look, and a new story to share with you all.

If you know me in my everyday life, you know that I have a love affair with children's clothing. It's one of the reasons I love styled portraiture so much. I think it all traces back to my love of dress up as a child. Especially that highly coveted frilly white shirt in the dress up box at preschool. I loved dressing my little boy in dapper outfits from the time he was born. When I had a girl, and then another girl, I took to finding cute little outfits like it was my second job. I discovered so many cute brands. I also discovered that there is this whole world of groups dedicated to buying and selling these cute kids clothes, and that this world was full of people just like me!

Mind blown. 

In one of these groups I met a Mom who shared my love of classic and beautiful clothing. Clothing that emphasizes the sweetness and innocence of childhood; where little girls dressed like little ladies, and little boys like dapper young gents. This Mom has three beautiful children, the youngest of which was born with a very rare skin disorder called Diffuse Cutaneous Mastocytosis. His tiny body makes too many mast cells, which makes his skin blister easily and puts him at risk for severe anaphylaxis. Many Moms would feel crushed by a diagnosis like this, but not Shannon. She took the diagnosis in stride, and then went out full force educating people, advocating for her son, and raising much needed funding for research. She is a true inspiration. 

Last month I was given the opportunity to help raise money for Mastocytosis research. We had a photoshoot with a group of Moms, who all met through a love of clothes, and together we raised money for Wyatt! Below are some of the photos from our Let Your Light Shine Benefit. Please consider making a small donation in Wyatt's honor. Every dollar counts, and this handsome little boy would love to have your support.