Cathy has been capturing our family's most precious moments since 2021, and I couldn't be more grateful for her dedication and professionalism. From maternity sessions to newborn shoots and first birthdays for both of my children, she has beautifully documented every milestone. Each photo she delivers is stunning, and they only become more meaningful as my children grow. Looking back at them always brings me so much joy. Truly, once you experience Cathy's work, it's hard to imagine working with anyone else What sets Cathy apart is her incredible attention to detail and organization. She takes the time--before, during, and after each session--to ensure everything turns out perfectly. She's easy to communicate with, genuinely listens to what you want, and goes above and beyond to make it happen. Her studio is also spotless and welcoming, making the entire experience comfortable for everyone. Highly, highly recommend! read more

We did 1yr old/cake smash photos for our little one. Cathy was very easy to work with, super communicative and accommodating. We had a hard time selecting outfits so she even looked for some outfits for us on Amazon. She took a family portrait of us with 7 adults, 1 baby, and 1 dog - amazing! Also we requested Chinese Zhua Zhou (brought our own props) in the photos to honor my culture, she accommodated that. Lastly, she's very honest about what's recommended and what's not based on the baby's attention span. I really appreciated that as a first time parent. In conclusion, highly recommend!! read more

Cathy is not only a great photographer who knows how to shoot best photos for babies, but she is also someone who went above and beyond to help my family to have perfect memory together. thank you! read more

We had the most wonderful experience with Cathy Murai Photography! Cathy is warm, friendly, and incredibly talented. She is the kind of photographer who instantly puts you at ease and makes the whole process enjoyable. She truly goes above and beyond for her clients, and it shows in every detail. We booked Christmas photos with her this year, and her backdrops and props were absolutely spectacular. It honestly felt like stepping right into a magical Christmas village. Normally my daughter isn't excited about photo shoots but she was excited for this one because of how exciting and magical Cathy makes it. She delivered our photos in under two weeks, and her pricing is incredibly reasonable. We absolutely loved how the images turned out as she captured our genuine happiness so beautifully. The quality, creativity, and care she puts into her work make the entire experience truly worth every penny. We couldn't be happier and highly recommend Cathy Murai Photography to anyone looking for beautiful, heartfelt photos! read more

Where do I even start! My wife and I were unsure if we even wanted to do a newborn shoot as welcoming in our first child was a challenge already. The day of our arrival we were so sleep deprived and it was already hard to make it on time. As we started to speak with Cathy, we knew right away that we had chosen the perfect person to capture our son in his newborn phase. She was so welcoming and took so much time and effort to ensure we were happy every step of the way. The day was filled with memories that we will cherish for a lifetime. When Cathy first showed us the initial proofs were so BLOWN AWAY. Every single shot she took was amazing and we could not be happier with how everything turned out. Our parents loved the photos and were so pleased with all the products that we purchased. The mini-accordion books were a hit with our moms! We are so happy that we went through with getting these photos. I can honestly say that if anyone is on the fence about capturing newborn photos, Cathy will make your hesitation disappear and make sure you are happy every step of the way. By the time we received all the photos our little guy had already grown so much, so it was definitely special to have captured memories of his newborn phase with such beautiful photos. Thanks Cathy and team! read more

We were gifted a photography session with Cathy and I'm so happy that we were able to work with her! She gives you plenty of information so that you know what to expect going into the session and very professional. After meeting with her, she exudes such comforting and warm energy. She does wonderfully capturing moments with your family and she goes above and beyond to get those great shots. We had such a hard time narrowing down all the great pictures she was able to capture that we ending up getting more pictures. My family and I will definitely be coming back for years to come! read more

Cathy Murai Photography - Going out of her way to get our baby to smile to capture a great moment! - Session Photography Near Me

We used Cathy for our son's one year smash cake session. Our experience was so wonderful and I have nothing but great things to say about her! She was great to communicate with and provided all the information we needed and more! For a smash cake session, I would DEFINITELY recommend her. She gives you everything you need to know and bring and what to consider. We arrived at her home studio and everything was so clean - she even had plenty of snacks provided! She had literally a box of toys to get the baby's attention. Everything was set up already. She was so patient and wonderful with our little one. Even after the mess with the smash cake, she provided towels and baby soap for a quick bath for the bub. She provides lots of options! and everything is very organized! Love Cathy!! read more

We are thrilled with the photos of our first newborn! Going into the photoshoot, we really didn't know what to expect or do in preparation. Our biggest fear was that our baby would cry or fuss through the whole session and we wouldn't be able to get any good photos. Cathy put us at ease by providing us with tips and advice prior to the photo shoot that definitely made things go smoothly the day of. Cathy is a true photographer that specializes in newborn photography and is also a baby whisperer. She was very gentle and caring with our newborn. The session was actually relaxing and it was so cool to watch the entire process. Cathy also has a ton of props, clothing, blankets and accessories for the photoshoot to get the look that you want. Cathy really takes her time to get the photos right. Cathy has her in-home studio set up to a comfortable temperature for the baby and had a great beverage and snack station us parents which was awesome. The studio was clean and cozy. She also followed Covid protocols by wearing a mask throughout the session and using hand sanitizer, which was important to us because our baby is vulnerable at this age. We also liked the follow-up Zoom call to go over the photo selection process. We found that for us, it can be a little overwhelming to pick photos when there are so many good ones. Having Cathy guide us through the process, showing us the photos and providing her expertise was really helpful in selecting the final prints. It's amazing to see the actual prints from the session. We got emotional seeing the prints and we will definitely cherish the photos forever. We are so excited to share them with our friends and family! read more

As a first time mom and mother of twins, all I wanted was to capture the beginning moments of my girls. Babies grow so fast and I wanted to remember them during their newborn stage. I'm so happy we found Cathy to capture these moments for us! Cathy works out of her home where she has made it comfortable for us and our girls. She even has a snack and beverage station to keep mom and dad comfortable during the session. Here are some of the things we loved about our session: COVID Protocols: She has great COVID protocols including cleaning of all props and swaddles after each session, one session per day, and wears a mask throughout the session. This was important to us since our babies are brand new. Preparation: We were asked a series of questions prior to the session that including what style, color scheme, etc. we were looking for. When we got to her home, Cathy already had everything ready to go. This made the session very efficient which is important when babies are involved! Participation: As the session went on, we got to help choose little accents like headbands and specific shades of swaddles. I loved being able to be included so I could get the poses and images I have been envisioning. Care: Cathy was GREAT with our twins. As a first time mom, I didn't even feel myself with holding my newborns. You can tell that Cathy is a professional and has had lots of experience working with newborns. We even picked up some tips ourselves while watching her work! Communication: There was excellent communication between us and Cathy. You can tell that she loves what she does and wants to make sure we are happy with her photos. From inquiring about the photography session to the session itself, we never felt out of the loop. We would absolutely recommend Cathy for newborn photography and look forward to working with Cathy again in the future! read more

We are in love with the photos!! We cannot wait to share them with family and friends! Thank you so much for all that you did for us and for capturing our love and the beauty of our baby girl; we will cherish these photos forever. If you are looking for a photographer to capture the beauty and love of your family (new or growing), I HIGHLY recommend Cathy Murai Photography! You will not be disappointed. read more

Our experience with Cathy was amazing from the moment we met. This was our first time doing a family photoshoot and our daughter's smash cake. Cathy made every step of the process so simple and easy to understand. During our appointment she was super accommodating and made sure we were comfortable with everything going on. We really appreciate how communicative she was and made sure that we knew exactly what was going on. The pride she takes in her work and the quality she presents is top notch. We would whole heartedly recommend her to any family looking to have amazing photos read more

Cathy is extremely professional, caring, and well organized. It was an absolute pleasure to work with her. She pours her heart and soul into the entire creative process and it is clear in both the finished results as well as the multiple sessions we had working up to the final delivery. I would recommend Cathy to anyone who is looking to do newborn / milestone pictures. My family absolutely LOVE the pictures we received and will be treasuring them for years to come. read more

We took Shichi-Go-San photos with Cathy for our 3-year-old daughter and she had so much fun! It was her first-time getting hair and makeup done and wearing a kimono and she loved every minute of it. Cathy's studio is clean, spacious and is stocked with snacks, drinks and toys. When I first heard that the session will be over an hour from beginning to end, I wasn't sure how my daughter would do but she had a blast, and the time went by quickly. Cathy knows how to entertain kids and does a great job to get them to smile. We can't wait to have a photo shoot for our son in the future. We're forever grateful to have captured this moment and it's something we'll enjoy seeing for years to come. read more

We use Cathy for ALL our photography needs...she has such a positive and fun attitude and our kids especially respond so well to her. She's captured some of the most beautiful and hilarious photos of our family that we will absolutely treasure forever! read more

Every year, I have family and children photos taken during our Christmas mini session with Cathy. Even though it's called a mini-session, the content is always fantastic, and every year, I get to see wonderful photos with different ideas. This year, I chose a Christmas tree farm and a toy shop and I received photos that exceeded my expectations once again this time. It all began with a newborn session for my eldest daughter, and since then, I've continued to document the growth of my children with sessions tailored to each milestone, including those for my second daughter's newborn stage. Every time, I am deeply moved. It's a testament to her sense, effort, and skills. She possesses a remarkable ability to understand our parental requests and consistently provides the best shots for our family and children. The photos that follow are so breathtaking and heartwarming that I am consistently in awe. This is all thanks to her talent, dedication, and expertise. I am confident that the photos I receive will remain a treasure in my life, truly becoming invaluable moments captured through her lens. Thank you Cathy! read more

I am so happy we found Cathy Murai Photography to capture our daughter's newborn photos. From the moment we connected virtually, Cathy was responsive, reassuring and incredibly flexible to meet my needs as a FTM in the thick of postpartum recovery. Her a la carte pricing made it easy for me to plan our budget and it was so much fun to shop through her selection of props, materials and backdrops to match our nursery theme. Cathy's incredible attention to detail went beyond her photography session, her studio is clean, well organized, warm and inviting - she even greeted us with a beverage and snack basket which I desperately appreciated. My goal going into our photography session included capturing a family photo with our Toy Poodle, Wally. I wasn't sure how open photographers would be to this idea given the complexity of corralling a newborn baby and a dog adjusting to their new sibling. Cathy was thrilled with the challenge and even offered to split our photography sessions to focus first on our daughter then on our family portrait. We love the results! Thanks Cathy for helping us document this fleeting moment in our growing family and being so sweet and comforting to tired new parents. We appreciate your proactive communications, incredible patience and creative guidance. I'd highly recommend Cathy Murai Photography for anyone in the Orange County area looking for someone who specializes in newborn photography! read more

Cathy Murai Photography - Cathy Murai Photography - Session Photography Near Me

We were so thrilled we chose to do our family photos with Cathy! She had every toy imaginable to keep our 6-month-old happy and engaged. It was a pleasure working with her in her beautiful studio from photo shoot planning through reviewing the final, gorgeous prints. Those family photos make our little girl smile every time she sees them, and they make us smile, too. Highly recommend! read more

Cathy Murai Photography - Happy baby - Session Photography Near Me

See all

We can't say enough about Cathy! We initially were not planning on taking newborn + family photos, but decided last minute to find a photographer the week our son arrived. After combing through countless websites and social media pages, we found Cathy! She was able to accommodate us when our son was only 8-days-old. We packed our car with our toddler and baby (and everything in our nursery it felt like) and set off to Irvine. Cathy made us feel right at home in her studio. She did everything possible to make our 3-year-old feel comfortable (he's very active + camera shy, what a combo!) We couldn't be happier with how our photos turned out! We appreciate the accommodations and communication with us every step of the way. We plan on seeing her again for future family photos. Thank you Cathy for going above and beyond for us! read more

Cathy captured the most precious moment and people of our lives beautifully, and with great professionalism and warmth. Cathy is very gifted in working with newborns and is a talented artist who is very dedicated to her craft. We will forever cherish the prints from our session with Cathy. Thank you!! read more

Cathy has now captured both my son's newborn pictures two years ago and now my daughter's newborn pictures. My husband and I chose to come back to Cathy for pictures because of the "Cathy Murai Experience" as we like to call it. She makes you feel right at ease even before coming to the door with her promptness and professionalism. She even has snacks and drinks ready for you which is a big plus for us. When I came back to view the pictures, I hadn't eaten breakfast yet so she offered me a toasted bagel with cream cheese, can't beat that. :) We really wanted to get a family picture with my 2 year old son which we knew was going to be challenging, but she somehow made it happen. Cathy really went above and beyond for us by making sure every single picture was perfect, giving us updates on progress she was making, and hand delivering our album to us with a hand written sweet card. Having this special time captured for us on camera by Cathy was another wonderful "Cathy Murai Experience". :) read more

Such an amazing person and photographer! Her studio was very welcoming and comfortable. I absolutely love her energy! My pictures came out beautiful. Thank you Cathy read more

Let me just start by saying, I am so so SO glad that I chose Cathy to take our Maternity & Newborn photos!!! I had not taken neither one for my first baby girl who's 6yrs old now, so it was really important for me to get them done this time around. Cathy made the whole experience so fun for us! I wasn't feeling so great during the last part of my pregnancy, with round ligament pain and a rare type of fibroid pain. Cathy was so caring and made sure that I felt comfortable during my whole maternity photo session. She even managed to somehow make me feel and look beautiful :) Cathy is great with kids as well! She brought out natural smiles from both of us. My daughter had a great time in front of the camera. For my baby boy's newborn photos, I was worried about if he was going to cry the whole time, among many other things I was nervous about. All my worries faded away as the session started and Cathy worked her magic...and when I say magic, it was MAGIC!!! She would use her gadgets and tricks and her soothing hands to guide baby to sleep and keep him asleep in order to get the best pictures with him in these amazing poses. I ended up not having to stress at all during the session, and as a bonus, got to learn a few neat tricks to calm baby down and put him to bed :) Cathy's studio is so nice too! It is so clean, bright, and welcoming. She has many props and costumes, especially for baby (tiny beds, stylish baskets, adorable clothes and beautiful fabric). And there is a space to relax with a couch and TV while You are on break. So many things I want to write about! But the most important thing I would say is how pleasant and fun it was working with Cathy. She knows how important these pictures are going to be for the rest of our lives, and makes sure she only gives her best in everything she does for her clients. On top of that, she is sooo friendly and fun to talk to :) And last but not least, the final photographs... it made me cry when I first saw them. They are beyond beautiful, and they will forever be our family treasure. Thank you so much Cathy! I'm recommending you to every expecting mama I know!!! read more

We've been having our photos taken by Cathy every year, and her holiday mini-sessions are simply the best. The experience of taking pictures with Santa is unforgettable for my children. And Santa is such a nice guy! What stands out the most is her dedication to producing quality work; she takes pride in every photo she captures. Her Christmas photos are highly recommended. read more

We are incredibly happy with our newborn photos from Cathy! The photography session was wonderful. As a first time mom, I was really nervous to bring my newborn around other people - especially during COVID. Cathy went above and beyond to make sure everything was clean, safe, and welcoming. Cathy is a baby whisperer. I even learned some baby-calming tricks from her during the session that have been really helpful in our day-to-day life. The final product images are stunning! Cathy is a perfectionist in her poses, editing, and even in the quality of the prints. We're going to treasure these photos forever. I highly recommend going with Cathy if you're looking for a great photographer to capture those newborn moments! read more

Thanks Cathy! We will definitely cherish these for many many years! I hope you do more of this Heirloom style photography, you're so good

We used Cathy's service to take Shichi-go-san photos for our little over 2 1/2 years old boy. It was very challenging for little toddler to take directions or simply just looking at camera. Cathy knows how to work with toddler and she captured great moments for our son. I highly recommend her! read more

Hi all, I had really difficult pregnancy with my little one that I wasn't in a mood to take any pictures. My close friends and family told me I would regret it so I started looking for a photographer towards end of my pregnancy.I found Cathy via yelp and contacted her like last minute but she was kindly replied back to me and walked me through the steps. I had really great experience with her taking maternity pictures (she has lots of beautiful and chic gowns to choose from) she also listened to me on what color, poses I wanted and of course she had very good suggestions as well. My maternity pictures experience with her was AMAZING that I booked her for newborn at the same time.( and I glad I did, since she gets booked very soon) The newborn pictures came out to be more beautiful that I could possibly imagined ( we needed up purchasing one of each poses - total of 12 pictures just for newborn) Cathy, I want to thank you here for capturing the most beautiful moments of my life. So, for all moms out there please please go head and capture those timeless memories for your little ones. read more

Cathy has helped our office give two gift certificates for expecting mothers in my office. Cathy is truly someone very special. The photographs are breathtaking, and I've heard nothing but wonderful things about her demeanor and services. Even though it was almost a year between gift certificates, when I reached out, she remembered us. I would absolutely recommend Cathy Murai to anyone looking for a very special experience and beautiful photos to cherish. read more

Cathy has been taking our family photos ever since the newborn session for our first child and one of our favorite session is definitely holiday mini Christmas photos! The new idea she brings every year is so magical that our kids enjoy the session every year and she definitely captures the best smile out of kids for the year. We absolutely love her work and if you are looking for someone who can capture the best moment of your family, definitely go with Cathy! read more

Cathy is just AMAZING photographer! If you wanna get a newborn photo for your kids, she's the one. Super talented and super professional. Also, she's very patient for everything and she works so hard to make her clients happy. read more

Cathy took my baby's first 100th day photos a couple months ago. She was very passionate about her job. She is sweet, genuine and professional. I strongly recommend her to capture your special moments. Before my photo session, I discussed with her what kind of photographies I wanted regarding outfits, poses, angles and color scheme. I also additionally requested natural photoshops that Koreans expect. She did everything that I requested and the result was PERFECT!!! I like all the photos that I bought. My mom said the picture that I printed on canvas is her favorite and it makes her smile and happy. Everyone also said my photo album has really good layouts. I already want to take another photo shoots with her. I cannot wait to have a baby number 2. I will definitely chose her again read more

If you Google newborn photographers in OC, Cathy is one of the top searches that'll pop up and she lived up to the ratings you see here. We went to her for my second baby and since we didn't do a session for my firstborn, it was important that we capture a perfect sibling shot. Well, you probably guessed it based on the rating I left, not only did she gift me the prefect shot, she was also patient and caring throughout the session; we weren't rushed at all. Cathy was also efficient at making sure you get your order fast. I love everything about the session and photos. read more

We took our daughter for her 100-day portraits. It was a great experience with Cathy. She prepared us for what we would be doing during the session, and options we would have as far as our outfit selections, through emails before our appointment. She did an excellent job with our daughter capturing so many precious moments and happy faces.. which led to a really difficult decision process at the review session, because we want to keep all images! Cathy was very patient and understanding throughout the whole process, and for sure made this experience unforgettable for us! We will book with her again when it's time for our daughters one-year portraits! read more

Cathy was veryyy accommodating and patient. I was worried because we realized only late how soon you actually have to organize taking newborn pictures but she squeezed us in and really took her time! She's a perfectionist!!! I don't know how she has the energy, especially since we have twins! She had beautiful props and the results are amazing. We really appreciate how detail oriented she is! And I love how it captured the personality of each baby in one of the pictures, with our wild one staring right back at us and in the other one sleeping cozily, really awesome job! read more

We are extremely happy with the job that Cathy did. Not only is she talented and great behind the lenses, she's also a baby whisperer! She was able to soothe our baby when she got fussy which made our photo shoots a breeze. I even learned a few soothing tips from her. Baby lessons are free of charge. :) Cathy was very easy to work with, flexible, and personable. She was able to capture exactly what we were looking for in our photos. We even brought in some props to incorporate in the shoot. She definitely has plenty of experience shooting newborns and all the 5-star reviews on Yelp are well deserved! We will definitely keep her in mind for Olivia's next photo shoot! Thank you Cathy! read more

See all

We absolutely loved our photos! Cathy is a perfectionist and really strives to make the client happy. We had picked a background for our photos that would not have pictured well with our clothes and thankfully, Cathy explained what the outcome would be and we changed the background. Our photos came out PERFECTLY thanks to her ideas! Cathy is a baby whisperer and we walked out with a tip on how to hold the infant car seat. My husband uses her technique now! We would highly recommend Cathy! read more

We did our maternity, newborn, newborn and family (with pets) sessions with Cathy! We are really happy about our experience and absolutely love the photos!!! Cathy is very professional, friendly and easy to talk to! The studio is neat, comfortable and relaxing. She is very patient and pays great attention to details. We truly enjoyed all the sessions we had with her. We feel lucky that we found Cathy and captured the precious and memorable moments in our life. read more

One of things I made sure to schedule before the birth of our baby was a newborn photography session. I found Cathy Murai Photography on Yelp along with a few other photographers and sent out inquiry emails. Cathy responded the same day with a ton of information about newborn photo shoots (they need to be carefully scheduled and orchestrated to ensure success!) and replied to my follow up questions promptly as well. Because of this (and because I loved the photos I saw on her website), I felt comfortable booking Cathy for our newborn session in June. I also liked that she charges a nominal session fee upfront, and then once you get the photos back, you can customize your package and pay the balance at that point. Cathy has a ton of wraps, throws, and cute knit hat and outfit options for your newborn baby. It helps to look through her website to see if there are any in particular you'd like to choose so you're not overwhelmed on the day of. Also, come with colors in mind that you'd like to incorporate into the session. Oh and bring lots of diapers! Newborn babies poop a lot. ;) Cathy captured so many adorable images of our baby, it was hard to choose which ones we wanted to include in the album. She was great to work with when designing the album as well -- open to feedback, quick to incorporate any changes, and proactive about keeping us up to date on when everything would be ready. We ended up with an album full of images that we love and can't wait to share with family and friends! We'd definitely recommend Cathy to anyone looking for a newborn or family photographer. Not only is she professional, she is super sweet and just a nice person to deal with! read more

Cathy is AMAZING with newborns and did an amazing job with our little man who was ONLY 6 DAYS OLD at the time of our session. Her patience, soothing touch, and awareness when it comes to babies is second to none. Plus she has so many cool props, outfits, and backdrops to help you create the perfect photo. I can truly say this was one of the best decisions we've made for our little Lucas and would highly recommend her to all of my friends and family who are interested in some newborn photos. CATHY MURAI IS THE BEST EVERRRRRRRR!!! read more

Cathy Murai Photography - Best Prop EVER!!!! - Session Photography Near Me

We decided to go with Cathy after reading all the positive reviews and checking out her beautiful work on her website. Our baby was 2 weeks old when we booked the session. Unlike most newborns our baby was awake and fussy most of the time. Cathy was so patient with us and our baby. She really knew how to soothe her. As first time parents we were so exhausted but are so glad we went through with it. They grow so fast and I would have regretted not having these amazing timeless photos of our love bug. Cathy was a true professional and is quite a perfectionist. Cathy is also very personable and makes you feel very comfortable. She has tons of props, baby headpieces, and wraps to choose from. It was so fun to go through them and decide which ones to use for our baby girl. It was like a mini baby fashion show. She called us in about 2 weeks to go through our selection and within about a week we got our wonderful photos. I really liked the editing she did to brighten up our skin and take away some unwanted wrinkles lol. I love the photos so much I can't stop looking at them! read more