Your Family’s Story, Beautifully Preserved
Serving Laguna Hills and Orange County families with a guided, heirloom-focused experience.
OC- WORLDWIDE
WHAT I OFFER
A personalized family photography experience with thoughtful planning, gentle direction, and a focus on connection — finished with custom-designed wall art and albums meant to be enjoyed for generations.
Your Family Photographer For Life.
One of the greatest privileges of my work is walking alongside families as they grow. From the early days of new babies to senior portraits, reunions, and milestone celebrations, many of my clients return year after year—many for over 20 years—because they value having a photographer who truly knows them.
That long-term relationship allows me to anticipate what matters most and create a tailored, thoughtful experience that results in images that feel both timeless and deeply personal.
Families Through the Years
Returning to family photos year after year turns moments into meaning — and images into a legacy.
Martinez Family
For seventeen years, I’ve had the honor of photographing this mom and her two girls — watching them grow, change, and step into new seasons of life, including senior portraits. Yearly photos become a visual history of love, connection, and who you were together in each chapter of life.
Caruso/Carreon Family
For sixteen years, this family has been photographed through the many seasons of their life together — from little kids to growing teens and all the moments in between. Returning to family photos year after year creates a visual history of connection, growth, and who you were together in each chapter.
Riesengerg Family
For twenty years, the Riesenberg family has been photographed through babies, baptisms, milestones, and the unfolding seasons of family life — from young parents with little ones to families with grown children. These images show how long-term family photography creates a lasting visual history of connection, tradition, and the values that shape a family over time.
Cadenhead Family
Over the past twenty-five years, I’ve had the rare privilege of documenting nearly every chapter of their life together, from family portraits and senior portraits to missionary photos, weddings, and the arrival of grandchildren. These images show how long-term family photography becomes a living history, growing richer with each passing year.
Photographing Families Through Every Season
Moments, milestones, and everything in between.
Extended family
From coordinating large groups to capturing meaningful connections across generations, extended families are one of my specialties. As the oldest of five and a mom of four, I bring both experience and calm leadership to portraits that matter most.
Vacation portraits
Whether you’re visiting Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, or making memories near Disneyland, I specialize in effortless, memorable portraits for families traveling from near and far. I’ll guide you every step of the way so your vacation memories feel relaxed and beautifully documented.
New beginnings
From anticipation to tiny details to the joyful chaos of early childhood, I love documenting families as they grow. These sessions are gentle, unhurried, and focused on connection—because every chapter deserves to be remembered.
Senior portraits
Senior portraits are a celebration of who your teen is becoming—confident, individual, and on the edge of something new. I create images that feel authentic and timeless, with a personalized experience that lets their personality shine.
Seasons of love
For families I’ve photographed over the years, I’m honored to continue the story into new seasons of love. These sessions are reserved for returning clients who want the same thoughtful, relationship-centered approach on a bigger milestone.
Travel & minis
I frequently travel for family portraits and love photographing meaningful moments wherever life takes you. This is also where you’ll find my themed and limited-edition sessions—seasonal experiences designed to be both fun and beautifully crafted.
Stories from the other side of the camera.
Janene Falsone
Vanessa with Vanessa Kay Photography is INCREDIBLE! She made myself and my family feel so comfortable during our shoot and really captured us just being us. She was able to capture the perfect outdoor lighting for our beach shoot, funny moments, touching moments, and we were done with the shoot with huge smiles on our faces in probably within an hour. We had TONS of great photos to choose from! She is warm, professional, kind, and creative and SO KNOWLEDGEABLE. I now have a wall of precious memories that came to me professionally wrapped and framed and ready to hang! If you need ANY special moment captured don’t hesitate! She can shoot anything and is OC’s PREMIER PHOTOGRAPHER!!!
The Photographer Behind Your Family’s Story
Hi! I’m Vanessa. I’m the oldest of five kids and the mom of four — which means big, lively, beautifully imperfect families feel like home to me. With over 20 years of experience behind the camera, I’ve spent my career not just photographing families, but building lasting relationships with them as their stories grow and change.
I guide you every step of the way — from thoughtful planning and location help to gentle direction during your session — so you can relax and simply enjoy being together. From there, I help you turn your images into meaningful heirlooms, including custom wall art and albums designed to live beautifully in your home for years to come.
A THOUGHTFUL, GUIDED EXPERIENCE
YOUR STORY, CAPTURED BEAUTIFULLY
From the first conversation to the final images, my sessions are intentionally calm and collaborative. I create space for genuine moments to unfold, capturing the subtle expressions and relationships that make your story uniquely yours.
CONNECT
Share your vision and what matters most. We’ll chat in the way that works best for you —in person, on the phone, Zoom, text, or email.
CUSTOMIZE PLAN
Together we’ll select the perfect session details. You’ll get location guidance, style guides, tips, and an easy online portal to keep everything simple.
CREATE
Relax and enjoy your session while I capture authentic, beautiful moments. You’ll see your images in a personal reveal session or online gallery.
ENJOY
Choose your favorites and transform them into artwork. From albums to framed prints or custom products, everything is delivered ready to be treasured.
MY PROCESS
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN EVERY SESSION
01.
Pre-session consultation
Every session begins with a personal consultation so we can talk through your vision, preferences, and any questions you have. Whether by phone, email, text, Zoom, or in person, we’ll connect in the way that feels easiest for you.
02.
Expert guidance on locations, outfits, and posing
From locations and timing to outfits and gentle posing, I guide you through every detail with intention and care. With over 20 years of experience, plus planning sessions and curated guides, you can relax knowing everything is thoughtfully handled.
03.
a session you’ll all enjoy
Sessions are designed to feel easy, fun, and surprisingly stress-free—even for reluctant husbands or shy, wiggly kids. Families leave with both beautiful images and happy memories of the experience itself.
04.
bespoke image & product delivery
After your session, you choose how hands-on you’d like to be—whether that’s a simple online gallery or a fully guided, in-person ordering experience. I’m happy to help you design wall art, albums, or heirloom pieces, and can even assist with placement and installation in your home.
The best of both worlds
Posed and Playful
Because the best family galleries include both the portrait and the memory.
Every session is thoughtfully structured to give you the best of both worlds. I’ll gently guide your family into flattering, natural poses for those heirloom-worthy portraits — and then invite movement, connection, and play so your true dynamic can shine through. The result? A gallery filled with both frame-ready images and joyful, candid moments you’ll feel every time you look back.
Playful & Posed
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
CLIENTS SAY
I am SO excited about these pics! They are so much fun!
“I’m So excited, they turned out perfect!! Dan LOVED them!! This whole idea was his,
so he was excited to see it actually all come together!!…What makes it great is the memory of the photo shoot… it was so fun to be able to play ‘tough’ for a change and not worry about having the perfect smile on everyone! :-)”
She captures the sweetest moments and personalities of my children in every photo.
“Vanessa has been taking my family photos for as long as I can remember! I have canvases and photos displayed all over my home and they have become my greatest treasures! Sometimes it seems like a lot of work and preparation to have photos taken but have never regretted it or been disappointed. I would highly encourage everyone to capture these special moments in time.”
I have never gotten so many compliments!
“Thank you for taking the beautiful pictures…We haven’t gotten so many compliments ever…not just on the cards but the pictures!!!!
Thank you again for all your hard work, creativity, and artists’ eye! -“
You are a uniquely talented photographer
…and I truly appreciate your patience and determination. You generously take a multitude of photos and then manage to turn so many of them into masterpieces. I think that what sets you apart from other photographers however, is your ability to take the photos to the next level and make them tell a story
Love this photo of the boys by Vanessa Kay
“– it was our ten year anniversary doing photos with her and there’s no question that these annual family pics are the single best investment we make every year. These kids will be gone before we know it so capturing these moments is priceless (and please don’t ask me how she got Matt to smile and all three to put one hand in their pocket. It’s magic!)“