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the mcgarveys • home movies that rock! with tara and michel sandy • san diego photographer

michel’s request: a rockin’ family
my request: backyard bbq, football out front, lisa’s margaritas

when deciding what video or videos we would like to do to build our portfolio, we decided we wanted to find two very different families to work with. so that we could create two things with very different feels in order to try and reach many types of families. our first collaboration was a magical, almost fairy tale of a piece with a family of little elfin girls. the best way to change things up? find a family of wonderful and energetic boys. and make a funny, happy, energizing movie for them. and i knew just the group.

lisa and her boys.

i guess i am incredibly lucky, because lisa is another friend of mine in whom i have a sister. our boys connect. major. we connect. major. my childrens eyes light up when i tell them we get to visit seamus and finn. they all think lisa is the best thing since money in a birthday card. she is like an auntie to them. they adore her. lisa is like the pied piper. kids will follow her anywhere. i love watching her interact with her kids and mine. i learn so much from her open interest in them. how she spends her time with them.

her two young men are ALL BOY. they have a portion of the backyard dedicated to “seamusland”. its a dirt section with a tree for climbing, a picnic table, and a small fort. complete with holes dug and then covered as traps, contraptions, and did i say dirt? the boys spend a lot of time there creating and scheming and i love that she gives them that space. i love so much about her house and yard. its got the greatest vibe. she has family photos hung almost floor to ceiling along her hallway, where skylights shine sun upon your head once you stop to admire them. and you will. the boys artwork is framed and hung for everyone to see when walking in the front door. she is surrounded by beautiful trees and the sun shines on their home in the afternoon like it was created just for that purpose. you are naturally drawn outside, because there is always a cool breeze. you can hear her wind chimes along with the slam of the screen door as the kids play and we relax on the front porch. there is always music playing too. great, great music. in fact, the song used in the movie was heard at her house that day.

i knew that her family would be able to give us exactly what we were looking for.

we showed up as the lobsters went on the grill and the margaritas were poured. and then spent two wild hours hanging out with them as they had a typical afternoon at home.


Mcgarvey Family Film from Michel Sandy on Vimeo.

music: ray lamontagne, you are the best thing

michel, you did it again! xo

by Tara Whitney

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Clare - You and Michel rock! Another brilliance piece of work. Well done guys! And what a fantastic family!

jen - Oh My Gosh. This is SO brilliantly made. What a wonderful family. I laughed so many times. I have a big smile on my face now. Thank you Tara and Michel!

Alice - Um, you guys? You really need to stop this. Enough with the making me cry okay? AWESOME!

1Mom - I am so happy I checked in before going to bed. Tara, I just can't imagine having something so special. I am going to have such happy dreams tonight!

Angela - Yet another amazing home movie! I am SO jealous of these movies, I want one of my own!

Shannon Taylor - AWesome, awesome, awesome!!!! Great choice of music!! Great fun! A household I can totally relate to! GREAT FUN!!! You two are GREAT at capturing families! Count me in as jealous too!

arliec - this is one of the best things I have ever watched. Made me so very happy. Super job!

Jen - You and Michel are amazing! The video is so unbelievably awesome!

shawn - so i'm smitten with these videos...they bring tears to my eyes which is of course ridiculous since don't know this family from adam...if you ever visit florida and have a giveaway of these movies....i'd do pretty much whatever was necessary to win one...minus selling my rugrats because then of course my movie would be less interesting...anyway...love them.

stacy t - tara/michel - that is amazing!! i loved that so much. and the music ROCKED! amazing job - both of you!

Whitney Gray - LOVE it!!!! Love the family, the photos and video, the laughing, the action! But MOST of all I love the kids rolling around in the yard in their shirts- that was hilarious! A wonderful video! Sure wish you were closer (I'm in NC)

kayla grace - I LOVE IT!!!

teaworthy - These are soul-affirming. I adore everything about your amazing art and vision.

Bridget - That is awesome!

Fabi Moraes - great job, both of you! the music was perfect! every family would love to have a video like that!

Bonnie - This was so cool. My husband even came over to watch it.

jess@studio3z - I am sobbing like a baby! What an amazing thing to have as a family. Beautifully well done by both of you.

Mel - Amazing, love watching the videos, seeing the photos and also seeing you are work Tara. Thanks for sharing!!

Crystal Chick - I love it! That was awesome! Beautiful!

Lanne - TARA! My first thought was .. oh no you missed your calling. You could be a realtor. I would move in to their home JUST from reading your description. Then I saw the photos and breathed.. ahh exactly what you are supposed to be doing ;) You and Michel ROCKED it.. big time. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this one.

Melissa - Pure Magic. Everything about it. You guys are amazing. Dreaming of one day when you guys can work that magic with my little family!

elizabeth - Oh This brought me to tears.. not even sure why.. just the love that family has.. so well done.. LoVe This TaRa.. hey.. what lens do you shoot with? E

Mic - That lobster looks so good! And the boys hiding under their shirts doing summersaults made me laugh out loud. Perfection!

Kirsty - if only you came to the UK..if only .....**sigh**

Valerie - I love your work and Michels too of course. Seeing the pictures you create puts a smile on my face and a tear (of joy) in my eye. Keep on Rockin' it!

tricia - I don't even know Lisa, but I feel like I do through your words and Lisa's scrapbooking. I love her! And you! This video was absolutely amazing. It made me cry. It makes me want to go get my boys out of school, skip work, and just play! Thanks for sharing.

Mary - You two make everyday life beautiful!

nicki - wow...I have been a fan of Lisa for a long time. I love this video. I found myself laughing and crying too...awesome.

Shari Schwarz - As a mother of 3 little boys (and one big one!) I have to say that was great! So much fun and you are seriously tempting me to save every last penny to book one of these!

jamie v - ANOTHER... bring tears to the eyes!!! I can NOT believe how the 2 of you are able to capture a family so honestly.... WOW

Beckie - That was fabulous!! I found myself smiling the whole way through. Great work!!

angela - inspiring. simply inspiring. LOVE IT! :)

Sam Pearce - coming out of lurkdom to say how much I adore these! Every one so far has made me cry! Just awesome, keep them coming! Wish I could get one with my family.

Jessica - That was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVED IT :)

Clair - Families! What an awesome thing to celebrate! Loved this one!

Stacy - DITTO DITTO DITTO! You nailed it again my love!

Tara Whitney - elizabeth-that is the 24-70L

Jennifer J - wow wow wow wow! Oh how I wish I lived closer and could book you guys! What a beautiful magical thing! Seriously, so special! I really can't even put it into words.. I am trying... but just can't. Perfect capture of a moment in time, in every way possible. Beautiful you guys!

Lisa - Amazing. I just love the collaboration of both you and Michel Sandy. I headed over and check out the video he did of your family. Emotion tugging for sure! Thank you for sharing!

Bethany F Photography - Beautiful videos!!

shannon m - Oh my gosh, tara, that was sooo perfect. This captured them so perfectly! What a treasure.

Jenn Powell - That made my heart happy. :) (And I LOOOOOOOOVE me some fellow Steelers fans...yes I do!)

Sasha - another fantabulous video - so inspiring!

Kate Callahan - I love these videos sooooo much. You guys are doing an AWESOME job. It's one thing when the family loves their video. After all, it's their children and memories. But it says a lot when complete strangers (like moi) fall in love with it : ) Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

jamie - i love lisa. i love the way lisa loves her boys. i love you. and now i love michel. :)

alison - i love ray lamontagne. i love the silly string. i love tara and michel's work. so fun and beautiful.

kim - you do it everytime, and now you and michel do it everytime. it's sick! really.

Dawn - I have yet to watch one of these wonderful videos without getting teary eyed and I don't even know these people! Brilliant. Now to convince my husband we need a trip to California AND an appointment with you two. :) Bravo Tara and Michel!

Amy Tangerine - those lobsters made my stomach growl. you are an amazing team!!! gotta save up my pennies and perhaps have more than just a furbaby family so i can get you guys up to lalaland :)

tanyawebster - i have goosebumps!! i cant wait until October!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is so beautiful and heartwarming and EXACTLY what every family should have to look back on someday....exactly.

Melissa - So much fun! You guys are very versatile!

Kim - You guys did it again....I cried like I did when I watched the Falconbridge family.....I feel like I know both families....and makes me want to be adopted by both.

Ashley - This almost brought me to tears! Tara and Michael you are unbelievable! I can't wait to see more of you both working together!

kelli - Tara, that was beautiful. I loved it. You are such an inspiration!

Michelle - Ohhhhh Myyyyyyy Gooooood. We are so getting this done if we have to drive our Canadian butts down there to do it! Way to go guys!

Alexandra - Sweet! So cute! You guys did it...AGAIN!

Mikaela - OMG!!! I soo dig this idea! Both of them are just amazing! I am in awe....and oh so inspired! ;) Keep up the good work Mikaela

amanda mankin - AWESOME WOW WOW WOW amazing and fab and SUPER cool! well done :)

em - if i were a boy i would totally want lisa to be my MUM! i love this :) so happy and such a cool/different vibe to ours. i think you guys are pretty.clever. xx

Amy - CRAP! You made me cry ... now I have to go rinse my contacts out before I can go anywhere today! I have a nine-year old boy and this "life with boys" video just socked me in the gut. Who thought to have them rolling around in their T-shirts? Cause that was brilliant. Amazing piece of art, Tara and Michel.

shelley e - so very cool!!!

Lesley - HUUUUUGE Smile was plastered on my face while watching this! Amazing! :)

Kathleen - The only word that comes to mind is "WOW!"

Jenny - i want an invite to lisa's for dinner! or even just to stand in her hallway! that was just excellent you tara and michel - the boy energy made me tear up (boy momma to the core).

Tara Whitney - amy-the boys started rolling in their tshirts all by themselves!

Wendy - grinning from ear to ear!

elizabeth - Thanks for the info Tara.. thats my favorite lens these days

Tina - Love this! We have four boys and this reminds me of my life...but it's more on the line of baseball than football (my poor husband would much rather it be football!) it brought tears to my eyes :) Thank you!

carrie@urbanbaby - no.1, they have great taste in football teams. no.2 you are everything that is wonderful and amazing and beautiful. what an amazing gift for a family.

lisamcg - I cant find the words to say how much Im grateful. Ive watched this video so many times and I cant help but wish that everyone could feel how I do when I see these images. You make me fall in love with my family over and over again. Thank you - to you and Michel. Love you. And thanks for all the comments everyone. :)

sarah W - WOW!!! I am speechless and would give anything to have something like that for our family!!

bridget@bethephoto.com - warmed my heart (being a mom to mostly boys!) and can so, so relate to this! Awesome work you guys! Bridget

annie - Beautiful....if you need another family to build your porfolio, we could totally help you out :) Really, we could :)

Michelle Davies - Just completely full of amazing-ness! You BOTH rocked it!

andrea d. - So great!! Everyone should have this for their family!!

cblackstone - This is insane. I knew I wasn't going to cry on this one and I SO did. When I watch these I feel like I am hovering above my body looking down, lol. Like a white light kind of thing. I can't even imagine being Lisa or Emily. This would make me finally go out and buy the fireproof safe:) I miss Lisa:( You're amazing Tara and Michel.

lilia - Oh, wonderful wonderful!!!

ria - you. did. it. again. amazing. everytime i watch one of your videos i have to run to itunes and buy the song. i loove your work. smiles ria

diana palmer - oh yes, there are tears... it kills me though how i want to see ALL the photos from the session like IMMEDIATELY. i can be patient, i CAN be patient....

gina@kiwistreetstudios - omg! i think i am SERIOUSLY lacking in what i thought was having fun with my family!!!!! perfectly done;)

Christie - I am torn between wanting to be Lisa's new bff because her family is so fun, or being insanely jealous of her and secretly booking a session behind my husband's back. Hmmmm. Don't run out of rad songs before it is our turn! Awesome work!

Kristi - That absolutely ROCKS! I love love love it!

Denise - Such an inspiration of how to capture life in all its simplest forms. Thank you for sharing.....

Stephenie - WOW I am just blown away again!! What a beautiful thing to have for your family :)

Kristi - what more can be said....goosebumps...so many fabulous real moments. really well done :) AND I adore Ray Lamontagne...he is playing here friday night, but I am off to a wedding :(

Tara - Oh how I wish I could afford something like this. It's so wonderful. What a treasure. Someday if I win the lottery..... unless! you need a family with awesome older kids, a couple so in love still after 15 years, two dogs and a happy peaceful life in idaho. We'd be happy to be your models. ;) Awesome work Tara!

Sarah Wheeler - i am absolutely, positively in love...

Stephanie - so.darn.cool.

Stephanie - so.darn.cool. what a treasure!

Lacey - You two make an incredible team. I would die to have something like this done. Come to South Carolina sometime........please!

Kim - fabulous!

Old Red Barn Co. - So. Damn. Good.

Cheiron - So beautiful! Love your work.

Puanani - I want to be in their family!

tammy t - I am in awe of the emotion that you capture both in stills and movie! Blubbering over this one too...but it feels so incredibly different. Amazing job. t

Abigail Todd - love it. beats 3 hours of making me dizzy, fast forward already, old vhs videos... great job you two!

Patrina - dang dude. you always make me cry. what a big fat baby. i was just on someone's blog and saw a ray lamontagne photograph. weird, huh? like right before i came onto your blog just a second ago, i was staring at it admiring it. spooky.

Tiona - Another "WOW!" movie. You and Michel are truly making magic!!

anita - this is beautiful! you guys really capture the beauty of family. i've never been big into videos, but you guys may have converted me. =b

Beth - tara - speechless. you are everything I want to be as an artist! You guys create something so magical.. keep it up :)

sarah - simply amazing. i would give anything to have something like this of my family. wow. ps what lens were us using??

sarah - oh never mind .... i see someone else asked earlier. my dream lens, of course!

Els - This is fantastic!!

debbi g. - Your photos are amazing...add the videos and it's just magic!! Love the song inthe video too...what is Lisa's play list?

mary alice - tara - these videos are STUNNING! i mean, i weep every time i sit down to watch them. the emotion they convey - man. unREAL! what does michel use to shoot? or can you share that info? i was just wondering if he used the mark II, or a different cam. you are SUCH an inspiration!!!

Kerry - I'm wondering how a family I don't even know can bring tears to my eyes. What a beautiful thing the two of you are creating. Wish I lived in CA.

Michel Sandy - Mary Alice, I use Sony HD cameras with 35mm adapters to capture this type of love.

mary alice - michel, thanks so much for answering my question personally. i have been in LOVE with tara's work for years (she is quite the inspiration, don't you agree??) and now this collaboration with you - WOW. all i can say is that i hope someday to travel across the country and have you guys capture my family!! love, love, love what you are doing...amazing!! you guys are both blessed with a one-of-a-kind God-given talent!

jane - AMAZING!!!!!!!! Jane

Amy - Absolutely Amazing!! What a beautiful family....<3 it!

stella - WOW!! if you ever come to australia ppplleeeeeaaassseeee come and 'shoot' me :)

stacymeyers - so unbelievably wonderful!!

Patti - This is so amazing. This is so inspiring and heartfelt. This is the next thing.

Cheryl Walsh - Love it! What shot the video? Did you use the 5D MrkII? What did you edit the video with? Please tell us about your video experiences:) thanks so much - loving all of it as always:)

Amanda - these videos are AMAZING! each one is better than the last. you really feel like you are part of these families you capture them so well! thanks for sharing =)

Michelle Huenink - I had a huge smile across my face from the kick off of the movie. By the end I had tears streaming down my face. What a hell of a way to capture a family. I would die to have something like this of mine. Beautiful perfection. XXXX M

Mendi - I love this! I just watched Emily's too & was laughing at the differences between an all-boy family & an all-girl family. Emily's was so peaceful & serene. The McGarveys' was just like my family (minus one boy- I have 3)... wild & crazy! Beautiful, amazing work you two.

lee kriel - as a mom of three boys....you captured the energy and love that goes into raising these wonderful creatures!!! thanks for sharing!

emily ruth - i end up in tears every time you put one of these up! the combination of great photos, video & awesome music just makes these videos the best thing ever...so wonderful...

Tamara - True talent... Priceless. I hope to have this for my family sometime sooner than later.. Thank you for sharing beautiful family.

Sandra - Hi, Just to say I'm just in love with your work. You're truly inspirational. I'm a newborn Portuguese photographer and when I found your work I found the perfect image of everything I've dream about doing. Congratulations. And thank you for so much fun. Sandra

Heather in Washington State, USA - Tara, this must be really fun for you to see footage of yourself in action as a photographer!

laura h. - again, amazing. beautiful. awe-inspiring. LOVE.

Jennifer - Love, love, love, love, love it! And, I don't even know this family! This is the second, amazing video that you two have done. I wish I lived on the West Coast so that I could play, too! Nice job :)

Emma Sharkey - YOU ROCK! This is exactly what life is all about. What a fun family. Thanks for sharing this video, it's wonderful.

e - I want to live in your home movies.

Camilla Mello - Brillant... I am in love with your photos. I thought you would like to know you are inspiring people all aroud the wolrd, including myself from Brazil. Many thanks for your share ...

sam - awesome work..... i love these home movies.... i wish i had a michel on the east coast.

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