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

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128 Comments

  1. 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!

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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!

  6. 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.

  7. 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!

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