Hello and nice to meet you!

My name is Elena, and I’m the photographer and owner of Happy Vibes Only.

Have you ever looked at a photograph and instantly felt some emotion awaken in you?

That emotional response is what sets an excellent photo apart from an average one! 

When I am working on a shoot, I love to observe, and from my observations, and create photographic stories that connect with the viewer.

I have photographed about a thousand newborns doing Fresh 48 sessions at UCLA Santa Monica.

I love working with children. I have been told many times that I’m very patient. I think working as a newborn photographer at a hospital trained me to be more patient.

I feel blessed and fortunate to do what I love.

I have two kids myself, and we have an annual tradition of doing a photoshoot with them.

I think it is very important to keep this tradition alive, so I can see how they have changed over the years, especially when the days fly by so fast.

Fun facts about me:

1.  I was born in Leningrad, USSR (now Saint-Petersburg, Russia) and moved to the United States when I was 25.

2.  I’ve been published in several magazines, a photo book and have several awards for my photography.

3. I have taken Spanish and French classes, cooking, painting, ballet, yoga, salsa and tango classes.

4. I love kayaking, skiing and swimming in the ocean. I love to be outdoors. I believe connecting with nature is the best way to feel rejuvenated. When I have time, even if only for 30 minutes, I love to be by the ocean or in the forest.

5. I have a master’s degree in journalism. When I was a teenager, I worked for the Saint Petersburg’s Office of Finance, and wrote articles about the city’s budget. I bought a Nokia cell phone with my first salary. I was very proud of myself.

6. The main reason I moved from Saint Petersburg to Los Angeles was the weather. If you have ever been to Saint-Petersburg, you know that we have only a few sunny days a year. This is why I feel so blessed and happy to live in the warm and sunny state of California.

7. I like all forms of art, but I especially love ballet, theater, art museums and cinema.

8. My husband is a filmmaker and I’m a producer of one of his movies.

9. I love to travel. I’ve been to Europe, but not yet to Asia or Africa. My dream destinations are Japan and Kenya.

Feel free to say “hi,” ask more questions, or book a session with me and I will take care of the rest! I want you to remember special moments when you look at the photos with your loved ones.

HAPPY VIBES ONLY

Happy Vibes Only is about being in the presence- here and now, with your loved ones, in moments full of joy, laughter and love. I capture all of that with a touch of poetry, charm and magical inner light.

The goal from documentary family shoot is for you to feel all the pride and joy welling up to see how your kids grow, reveling in all that is good about them and all they can become. The image gallery you'll receive from your photo shoot is truly library of your memories to pull from and hold close.