G R A S S Y S A N D D U N E S
There’s something about the texture and color pallet…
A V I L A B E A C H
That perfect mix of beach and textured rocky cliff…
M O N T A N A D E O R O
The most epic location… requires a little adventure… and yes, that’s the Long’s. Again. Because they choose the best spots!
P I S M O B E A C H
P I S M O C L I F F S
Another epic spot requiring a little adventure…
S L O G O L D E N H I L L S
What’s better than rolling hills….
M I N I S E S S I O N D A T E S :
SLO HILLS Sept 8-9
GRASSY DUNES Sept 2 and 16
VISALIA AREA OCT 21-SOLD OUT
FRESNO AREA OCT 1
NEW VISALIA AREA DATE: OCT 28
30 MINUTES | $375 | ABUNDANCE OF IMAGES
Email with any questions! ka@kelliavilaphotography.com
6/21/23
Freedom. Confidence. Security. Unashamed. Uninhibited. Fearless.
All are characteristics women should have, often we don’t, we forget, we hide. We look left and we look right before we do anything to be sure we have the company of other women and the approval of whomever we value as our influencers. We forget that we can own the air in any room we enter with our presence. Our smile and our energy can change the atmosphere where ever we go. For good and for bad. Leading with that gift is so powerful and such a gift to those around us. It’s easy for us to get small and forget how necessary we are in this world.
Something happens when I photograph boudoir and even senior portraits and maternity. The women who leave my studio are different from when they arrive. It’s something that happens as they believe in their own unique beauty. They decide to smile truly and allow me to really see them. I don’t know why vulnerability cultivates confidence but if I could bottle it up and share it with every woman, that’s what I would do. That feeling of watching woman giggle as they walk down my stairs is a gift to my heart. Sometimes it makes me cry, a good cry. It’s special. I want to create images that cause more of that. But not just with boudoir, with classic, timeless, bold portraits. Portraits with emotion and truth. Portraits that capture the mess and the beauty. Portraits of women in all seasons and stages of life.
I invite you to come to the studio for a portrait session. Maybe it’s boudoir. Maybe it’s maternity. Maybe you are or have a senior graduating and want to offer her the gift of being photographed in a way that elevates their self esteem. The investment is nothing compared to the outcome. Let me do what I do, give me creative freedom and expression. Don’t look at what someone else has done. Don’t try to copy a look or a pose. Just come, be free, confident, beautiful. If you’re ready, click below and let me tell you more about what we can do together…
Studio Portrait Sessions starts at $375 | Boudoir Sessions $700 | Headshots $175
2/21/23
You’re not in any of the photos because of 2 reasons.
1. You’re taking all the photos.
2. You hate to see yourself in a photograph.
I completely understand but I think we need to change our mind. We are raising humans. We grow them, birth them, catch them when they fall, we loose sleep, we worry, we have every curve of their face and every expression they make memorized. We’re the first person they need when they are hurt and they’re the only ones who know what our heart sounds like from the inside. We are the real MVP’s. In all our imperfections and mistakes, we are the most valuable person to our children. We deserve to be remembered with photographs. Beautiful, authentic photographs. It’s part of our legacy.
This is what I do. I do it well. I do it fast. And I do it at a price that is worth your time and effort for the quality you’re getting. I’m a mother of 14 years. I have 4 children here on earth and 3 in heaven. I know so very well the ins and outs of motherhood. I’m a photographer of 10 years. I’ve been documenting families and children for over a decade. I know what I’m doing and I love what I do. I’d love for you to trust me with your littles.
Here’s a gallery of some precious families and children I’ve photographed. From the studio in downtown San Luis Obispo to the beautiful beaches and hills of the Central Coast. Motherhood photography is what I do.
9/22/22
If you’ve followed me for more than 5 minutes, you know how much I love photographing and championing women. Not that I don’t love men, I sure do, but as a women who’s struggled in all the ways women struggle, I want to shout from any pulpit or platform I can that women are incredible beings with many super powers and if we fully understood what we are capable of and made for, the world and more importantly, our families, would be better for it.
I don’t just photograph women as seniors and women as mothers, I photograph Boudoir because I believe in intimacy and self love. I love to see a women realize her unique beauty and how that can change her confidence and her relationship. Marriage is damn hard. Intimacy makes it easier. It’s literally the key.
Not every woman is ready for Boudoir. And Boudoir is not the only way to recognizing your beauty and significance. Sometimes, seeing yourself in a portrait through the eyes of someone else, can change how you see and understand yourself. As a mother, I’ve recognized that how I love myself, care for myself, see myself directly affects how my 14 year old daughter does. She’s learning from me simply by being near and watching. She’s absorbing whatever cutler I create in my home and it can have huge impact on who she grows into. For the good and for the not so good. So be careful with yourself. Be careful how you treat yourself. Be careful how you love yourself. Someone else’s heart my depend on it. Not to mention your own.
Last week, my sweet client and friend Cambria came to town with a blue dress and an excitement to shoot. The day was grey and gloomy but we decided to embrace the moody vibes and play in the dunes amongst the Eucalyptus. The black and whites are my favorites but holy damn, that dress is fire!!! Cambria wore it well, as she wears everything so well. It’s the smile for me. And the hair. And the incredible personality and heart. She’s an all ’round babe in every way. Check out her pretty Instagram and notice the Bohme link in her profile where you can snag that ridiculous blue dress!
If you love what I captured with Cambria, I’d love to photograph you as well. Maybe it’s not in a formal dress on the beach. Maybe it’s in my living room with a backdrop and good window light. Maybe it’s Boudoir, maybe it’s a formal headshot, maybe I come to you…. I’d love to photograph you.
8/08/22
You guys! I 100% know how hard portraits sessions are on moms! My last portrait session left me in tears because everyone was crazy and uninterested in the etherial vision I had in my head! But, I hired a pro and she made magic. I’m not even showing you those photos because it was 3 years ago and I’m ASHAMED of myself for not booking a session since. Seriously. I’m clearly not getting my own memos. But, I mean what I say and regretting not documenting every season of life feels terrible so don’t be me, book the session Mama!
Here’s some ideas to make the planning and session smooth. I’ve collected these ideas from my 10 + years shooting families and from hundreds of mamas I’ve had the privilege of photographing, they absolutely know what they’re talking about at this point…
- FEED THE BEASTS! And bring snacks with you. Food is the answer to their heart and attention.
- Prizes and bribery, no judgement here! Let them pick out a prize and once they’ve done a great job, they get it! We can even take a photo with said prize, that always makes it special 😉
- Get your hair and makeup professionally done. If you don’t love yourself in the photos, you won’t hang them up or even print them and that’s a huge waste of time and money.
- Plan the wardrobe around your own! You’re literally the most important person at the session, buy the dress, the hat, the boots…. DO IT ALL!
- Decide on a color palette that fits the esthetic of your home so you can hang those portraits like art!
- Pay attention to the emails I send you! Once your session is booked, I’ll send you lot’s of info on how to prepare including wardrobe Inspo, color palettes, hair and makeup referrals….
- Let me take your photo. Do not shy away from the camera! You deserve to be remembered.
- Let go of expectations. Get off Pinterest. LET ME DO MY JOB! If you let the session unfold naturally, the images are much more authentic and beautiful than trying to force a styled agenda with toddlers, teens and especially husbands.
- If you have small kiddos, my favorite thing is to let the little boys take off their shirts and get dirty, jump in the puddles, climb the trees, do all the things! Those are even more cherished than any other photos. I have some favorite images of my kids having a mud fight in their diapers. There’s nothing better than that memory in our first home.
- Book in advance! I’m a mom too so I’ve got the same duties as you. Sports x 4 kids, homework, house keeping… We do allllll the things. My availability is limited so book early before the good spots are taken and you have time to plan.
I hope that helps! Here’s a link to current availability.
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2/02/22
I’m not going to make this long and I’ll be straight to the point. Those who I’m hoping are reading this won’t have time or patience for anything more. I just wanted to extend some truth and observations about this job of motherhood we do. There’s so much to be said but I’ll leave it at this:
Motherhood is thankless, sacrificial, life changing, emotionally challenging, physically challenging and truly the most important job in the world. I think I can speak for us all when I say that it doesn’t feel any kind of beautiful or graceful most days. Or even any day at all. There’s nothing beautiful about me when I’m cleaning pee of toilets. There’s nothing graceful about loads of laundry and screaming children wondering where lunch is while I answer emails. I definitely do not feel beautiful after a night of terrible sleep with multiple children in my bed trying to get breakfast cooked, kids dressed and to school on time and I’m still in my robe with yesterday’s mascara down my face….
But the thing is, the beauty isn’t in what it looks like through our worldly standards and eyes. The beauty is in how we care for our kids at any cost to our selves. It’s in the late nights and early mornings that no one sees or thanks us for. It’s in the security they feel with out even knowing that we provided that for them with every crust cut pb&j, every tuck in, every I love you, every owie tended to, every question answered, every “what!” when they say our name. The beauty lies in those moments. And the grace, it’s in the hugs they still give us even though we yelled 17 times today over God knows what because we’re tired and stressed. It’s in the songs they sing while playing around the house carelessly because they are so grounded from our love that they can sing with joy freely! It’s in the flowers picked, pictures drawn, and hands held. If there was no grace for our imperfections and mess-ups, those sweet little moments wouldn’t happen. But they do and we need to stop and receive it, believe it, and rest.
There is beauty and grace in what we do. It doesn’t fit into an instagram square but it’s true and it’s ours. Motherhood is beautiful in a way that is literally out of this world. Don’t try to make it of this world, it’s too great to fit into our sometimes shallow culture. Motherhood is the stuff of superheros. If you forget this, just pull out your kid’s elementary school Mother’s Day gifts from the archives. The things they wrote about you and cute little hand print hearts they made. Pay attention to how necessary you are in the day to day, minute to minute. You’re the life source and no one can replace you.
Motherhood is beautiful and full of grace. That’s just the truth.
7/03/21
My sweet friends became parents and I’m sooooo happy for them! Per usual, these two giggled their way through our session adoring that sweet baby who just arrived. Snuggling baby Drake was everything my ovaries needed 😉 Here’s some of my favorites from my time with Lance, Kayla & Baby Drake…”God’s Plan”
6/15/21
The Long Family is welcoming a son! We enjoyed a little adventure on the beach at sunset to celebrate and capture the bump before he comes. We barely made it out as the tide rose, trapping us in this pretty little cove. It really was an adventure and well worth it as you can see…
6/15/21
This scene just played out in my house… One boy is peeing. Door is open, another boy comes in and spanks peeing boy super hard on his bare bottom. Peeing boy almost falls, Pee is spraying everywhere. Other boy laughs and runs away. Peeing boy goes after him with pants half on, no flushing, no washing of hands, no turning out the light, no cleaning up the pee. End scene.
My house is riddled with Nerf bullets, legos and hot wheels. My laundry is full of inside out jeans with underwear still in them. I buy them at least a dozen pairs of shoes each year. A fraction of everything they eat stays on their face and shirt. And, they don’t care if I’m going number 1 or 2, they’ll tell me all about some amazing Minecraft/Star Wars/Hot wheels… something or other because I’m sitting there with no where to go, I have to listen to them.
My boys are 8, 5 and almost 2. I absolutely love raising boys. I love my girl for sure, but I think there’s a reason I only have one. You feel me…. My boys think I’m beautiful on my worst day. They have a grace for me and I have a grace for them that is just different than with a girl.
Sometimes Ari (5) will grab my face and tell me how bootiful I am and how much he wuvs my whip stick. He asks me to marry him daily and does this charming little thing where he snaps his fingers and points at me while saying, “Hey babe.” It’s stupid cute.
Ren (20 months) has always been obsessed with my hair. He puts his arms around my neck and with both hands, plays with it incessantly. If it’s up, he pulls it down. He also loves to be face on face with me. It’s like he can’t get close enough to me so he just smashes himself against me while wearing this cute little grin showing how happy it makes him to literally suffocate me with his love.
Sam (8) is the man of the house. He opens my doors, takes out the trash, checks the mail, always asks to help me. If I’m upset, he’s upset. He drinks coffee with me in the early mornings because he likes to sit and have quiet moments with me. (really it’s cream with a side of coffee but whatever, it’s sweet) He feels big and I love his tender heart.
It’s such an important job raising boys. I know the movement of the hour is for women but we’d have no need for a women’s movement if we raised our boys to be gentlemen. We need to teach our boys to be strong and still tender. Brave and still wise. Respectful and responsible. That’s a more challenging job for some over others. How do you do that when there’s isn’t an example present? I don’t have all the answers but I think I’m doing a few things right…
I tell them how I see them even if they aren’t functioning well in it yet. I tell Ren that he’s a strong boy with big love in his heart. He’s actually not that strong because he’s 2 and when he sticks his finger all the way up my nose just because, there’s not much love in his heart but, I say it anyway. I always call them to their best. When Sam makes his bed and it looks like there’s still a body in it, I ask him if that’s the best he’s got. I wait to enter through a door until they open it for me. I rarely have to wait long because it’s become natural to get the door for other people first. Ari is still learning this but Sammy is setting a great example. I remind my boys often that girls are precious and need to be treated as such regardless of how they act. I also remind them that most girls have a daddy and they’ll have to ask that daddy’s permission before they go near her. That convo was introduced after receiving a text message from Ari’s teacher about him chasing, proposing and kissing girls the first week of school. Dear God…
A very wise friend told me this once: Boys get their worth from their momma while they learn how to be a man from their daddy. Girls get their worth from their daddy while they learn how to be a woman from their momma. I’m so thankful to know this bit of wisdom….
One of the most important things I’m learning about parenting is to let them see us as people. People with interests and hobby’s, people who over come hard things, people who are kind to other people. They need to see us being good humans so they can become a good human. We have to live out loud in front of our kids. With our kids.
That’s all I got. Fingers crossed and a lot of prayer I get this right.
5/11/21
Some say don’t pose, just let it all happen organically. Well actually, there’s nothing organic about a camera and a stranger in your face so, I say, both!
When I’m with clients photographing families, children, seniors, couples.. I’m shooting for more than just the client. The client likely has a grandma, a mom, an auntie, a future self… While wind blown hair and big laughs are full of life and natural, Your grandma doesn’t always want that on her wall and your yearbook requirements are likely a bit different. So I’ve made it a priority to pose some and direct organic moments all at the same time.
A timeless portrait with eye contact and smiles is a unicorn photo when you have small kiddos but it’s not impossible. It’s what I start with and then I let moments unfold. When your toddler waddles away and begins to explore, I’m tagging along, capturing chubby hands in the grass and little feet in the sand. When your sweet baby girl reaches up to be held, I’m capturing daddy lifting her up and giving her a little toss in the air to cheer her up. Dads are good for that. When you bend down to discipline your 5 yearly for not listening during family photos, I’m shooting your hands on his face and your eyes locked on each other. You have no idea but I’m grabbing all the moments in between the ones I set up. I’m also setting scenes with easy instruction. Kiddos, do what you do, run as fast as you can to daddy and then tickle him! Or 12 year old, hug your mom and hold her for a minute. While you’re there, tell her thank you for being awesome and promise you’ll never get a girl friend;) If a sweet moment + laughs unfold,I’m high speed shooting all of it!
So If I tell you to stand in a way and look at the camera but then it all falls apart, that is ok! I’m there for it. The moments you think are wasted and no good, I’m finding the memories.
5/11/21
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photography mentor, mama and guac lover.
Hey, I'm Kelli Avila.
With actionable advice and tailored tips from a photographer who’s been through it all, turn your small business into a flourishing brand.
I’ve been at this business for 10 years. It’s the very thing that lets me provide for my 4 children as a single mom. I know what it’s like to feel inadequate and overwhelmed. Your business should be a boost to your income and your confidence level and yet, at the beginning, that idea can feel like a far-fetched dream. Let me show you the ropes with real talk, perspective and discerning advice. You’ll leave inspired and informed.
