Portuguese Bend Riding Center

The drive to 40 Narcissa Drive in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA was absolutely stunning. It was a hot afternoon after a hot week that dried the air as well as the land to a slight crunch beneath your feet. On one side of Palos Verdes Dr was a steep incline to enormous boisterous houses with large windows, cream stucco siding, and Spanish tile roofs. And the other side was the great blue Pacific, stretched out to the horizon line meeting the teal haze of a California summer sky. A narrow winding road led us up to the barn, which emerged from the thick cultivated vegetation that appeared to stay in constant full bloom. Walking into the Mediterranean Villa Courtyard, I was moved by the simplistic beauty of such classic architecture style, mixed with the gorgeous landscaping and the picturesque rolling hills of the Transverse Ranges in the background.

Stylized Photo Sessions are always full of excitement and anticipation. There is a lot of planning and work that goes into the experience, but the end result can sometimes look ethereal or straight out of a magazine. We procured the florals from the flower district in downtown Los Angelos that morning, directly after being picked up from the airport. This 6 Block floral marketplace was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, as we walked through aisle after aisle of the most beautiful blooms with the most intoxicating scent I had ever experienced. The afternoon was spent designing and creating floral crowns and the large garland for the horses.

When I arrived and met the girls, I couldn’t help but notice how deeply they cared for their horses. Many of the photos that were taken that day conveys this love as the girls are often caught smiling at their beautiful ponies. I learned that this group of young ladies have been riding together for quite some time, and their friendship solidified by their common love for this extraordinary hobby. Kendall, Gigi, Preethi, and Calista, it was so fun getting to photograph you in your element and I am so happy we were able to capture this moment of time in your life in such a fun and creative way. Also, I was explicitly told to tell you to say hi to Sven.