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what might be our last friday-after-school-beach-trip until spring.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

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I love that I captured how she looks at me. (Taken while camera was hanging around my neck.) In both of these shots, there is the Anna smile that almost seems to be exploding out of her, and it’s all she can do to contain it inside. There is some kind of oreo cookie moustache going on here too, it looks like. Oh, I remember, we stopped for ice cream cones before going to the beach. That is definitely an oreo cookie moustache.

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A game that every child plays at one time or another with the waves.

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Jeff stays out there for hours, pushing the boogie board over and over and over and over for anyone who wants a ride. What you can’t see is the kermit smile hidden behind the board and her reaction when the ride comes to a stop. “YES! I DID IT! I SURF LIKE DADDY!!” Complete with a Mckenna donkey kick and fist pump.

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Not loving the orange cast from the board. (Will remember to pack the white one next time.) They love when the tide comes in, and they can float around like this in between sets.

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He can only pull off acting remote, cool, and uninterested for so long. He reminds me of a golden retriever. He also just turned twelve. My goodness. Ocean hair at its finest.

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I could take a million photos of her hair like this. This is getting framed.

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We couldn’t find any matching bathing suit pieces. I don’t care about that. I like this better. It’s very punky brewster. It’s very her.

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This sucker is getting framed too. Little bugger never relaxes for the camera anymore. He is in that stage. So I don’t bug him with the camera much right now. I was ever so lucky to get this. This look is also very him.

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Now that daylight savings is fast approaching (Nov. 1), our after school beach trips are numbered. So sad. But nice to go to the beach on other times and not have to fight crowds in the parking lot. This time of year is actually my favorite for our beaches. I love the cold. I love bundling up in sweatshirts and mexican blankets at a bonfire. I love the marine layer. But most of all, I love the peace and quiet.

xo

Tara

whitneywells

Posted in Life, Orange County Photographer

by Tara Whitney

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Katie Beverley - Tara! I LOVE these so much... you really are awesome and your family is adorable. I have known about you for some time, but just recently I have totally become a blog stalker-you're amazing!

Alexandra - Beautiful end of summer, Tara. You and your family in California and mine here in Florida. Thanks for sharing so many awesome and beautiful portraits of you guys. Makes me smile always. :-) Alex

Shona - Beautiful and seriously makes me homesick for the ocean...

Pascale - Tara, such lovely shots! I need to head out and take the kiddos on our last Cali beach after school day too. Before it's too late. :) That B&W of her wet hair is AH-MAZING. Love them all, though. Glad you had a pleasant family afternoon! :)

margie - love.

Jennifer Henson - Love the photos, and a glimpse into another family who enjoys spending time together. Thanks for sharing!

e - I was gonna say that wet hair shot is a framer, but you beat me to it. Yummy to my tummy!

Bonnie Berry - These are AWESOME. God how I miss the beach :) Anna is getting so big.

apryl - love these tara! anna's hair...the 12 yr old boy looks, i know those! question: how do you do that with your camera around your neck? i have seen you post shots before where you weren't looking through the camera - is that on purpose or a lucky shot? do you switch to auto? i would think my focus would be all off??? thanks tara!

Tara Whitney - Apryl, with a wide angle lens I shoot from the ground, from the hip, from above my head quite often without looking. I make sure all of my focal points are activated and just wait and see what I get. One of my favorite things to do. :)

Stacie Smith - Love the orange with the blue rash guard... some good came outta the orange. Wish we could go to the beach. We're waiting for after school skiing.

Jamie Sampson - love these, love your writing.

MelissaF - Love these...just gorgeous and natural.

jamie - peace and quiet. love it.

bobbi - I love your family.... and love how perfectly you capture them :)

Nicky Hurt - I love these pictures! And you're making me miss the beach all over again. That's the one thing I can't get here in Alaska.

Julie Cruz - Ohhhh Tara....you already know how much I adore your kiddos :) LOVE that pic of Anna looking up at you. Perfection as always :)

alison - *sigh* such a wonderful post, thank you for sharing a glimpse into your family time

kimberly reed - i love you and your fucking amazing photos.

Kayla Renckly - I love your beach shots, never been a beach person living here in Phoenix but I like to look :)

j.ro - you can just sense the peace and calm in these photographs. so calming. and thanks for reminding me about daylight savings!

Fabi Moraes - Anna is so beautiful... She looks so much like you. They are all beautiful. I love the way you seem to capture their spirits in your pictures.

Amy D - i don't comment much at all, but i have been following your blog for a long time... i just LOVE how you capture people as they are. you inspire this mommy photographer! i love how, even with your kids, you know THEM, in front of the camera, if they're giving you the real smile, or playing it cool. and how you respect your son not wanting to be photographed much right now. makes me want to figure out my own kids, and how they change in front of the camera (and how to get my almost three year old to stop saying "Cheese!", which i am sure i taught her that). thank you. you rock!

olivia - Holy cuteness!!! Your family is absolutely lovely... absolutely!!

Charmaine - i really like that you "know" your family - and are willing to share the quirks with us - and your beauty makes me weepy (good) thanx!

Heidi Fazio - love the bw hair shot!! your kids are really growing up fast!

elizabeth - what wonderful captures of your family.. of moments in your life that you will always cherish.. taken with love.. it just ooozes from each and every photo.. Wish we had beautiful beaches like this.. ours aren't quite as lovely.. and hard to surf in lakes I think.. not sure.. but pretty sure..

april - Oh to have beach days after school! I long for the beach on these cold North East fall/winter days. ps...you constantly inspire me to capture the every day moments. The ones that slip through my fingers, often with no photographic evidence. Thanks for sharing, Tara! It's always an honor to be able to "see" the world through your lens.

Rhonda Steed - LOVE that one of her hair!!!!! What a beautiful place you guys live!

Christine Pobke - I love your personal posts so much! You are such a wonderful writer and awesome storyteller.... These shots are priceless! (And part of me is amazed that Tara Whitney suffers (probably very rarely) from color-casting too!) :) You rock my socks TW! :)

jodii - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TARA hope you have a great day filled with loved and happiness

Cheri - I wish so badly that I lived closer to you instead of in Arkansas so that you could take pictures of my family. I absolutely love your work. Someday, I will bring my family to California to have you take their picture :)

tara pollard pakosta - Anna does sure seem to have a magical chemistry to her personality, totally happy go lucky LOVE THAT! these are great pix tara! your boys are getting soooo grown up! it must be the age with nate, because savannah is the same way with the camera, dork faces all the time, he's 9 right? almost 10? savannah will be 10 in december! mckenna, adorable as always! I love your famiLY! tara pp

Brinly - Hi Tara, I love these! I have a question. When you go to the beach do you usually just have one lens on your camera, or do you switch it up? What lens did you have on during this outing? It really helps me to understand what I'm seeing. Thanks!

eleni - Hey Tara! Love your pics - as usual!!! Get rid of the orange cast with MCP actions - SKin Cast Blast! I couldn't live without Jodi's actions. Eleni

Tara Whitney - THank you for the birthday wishes! I am pretty sure I was using my 24-70 lens for these. Tara-yes-Nate will be ten in December also! :)

miranda smith... - simply beautiful!!! such precious times, love it!!! xx

Lesley - After school beach sessions?! Ahhh if only! :)

Kim - Great photos! I would be happy if I could get everyone in our family to agree on where to go to spend time together. Half of us have to be dragged lol.

Laura Reaux - Love SO much that you caught her looking up at you. Things like that are priceless for us as parents. Aren't they?

bridget - makes my heart sweal. truly. my god. the photos here are just awesome.

bridgette - i think we will move to the beach now :)

apryl - tara, thank you for your response to my question. now to figure out if i can activate all my focal points in manual, i haven't figured out yet if i can do that or not:)

Jlin - Tara... I check your blog weekly... I love it. I just picked up my first SLR and would love to know a lens you just can't live without. Your work is so Beautiful-Real... My favorite~

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