the camerons • home movies that rock! with tara and michel sandy • orange county photographer

How Michel and I got connected to this family is a little like six degrees of separation.

Emily (the brown haired daughter) was at her cousin Maren’s house a few months ago. I have photographed Maren and her children. I have gone to Thailand with Maren. Maren happened to show Emily her slideshow. Emily freaked out because she is also friends with Alexis, and has been to Alexis’ home and seen the photos I have taken of her family. When Emily asked who did them, Alexis said something like, “Oh, my friend Tara!” (great job on the referral there Lex!) ;) So it wasn’t until Maren’s house, while looking at my blog that she put two and two together. Alexis’ friend was ME.

And then she emailed me with a plan. And she was so excited and sweet and adorable that I fell in love with her immediately. She wanted to gather her siblings plus their children, use a special song from her childhood, and create a surprise movie for their parents. Her parents used to put this song to their home movies as children!

Michel and I were so in.

At the last minute, her parents found out and crashed the party. I normally don’t like to shoot large family groups like this because it becomes a different type of animal session than the ones I enjoy. But the moment I met up with all of them I knew it was going to be okay. Better than okay. It was going to be amazing.

Watch for yourself. :)

They are just as beautiful on the inside as what you see on the surface. Stunning people, through and through. A family of six that has grown over the years with grandchildren. It is kind of special to see a family similar to my own…just many years down the road. I can only hope our connection will be as close and real as the Camerons.

Music: Secret of Life by James Taylor

(if you are new to my blog and have not seen the other home movies we have filmed, please take a look here and here!)
xo

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85 Comments

  1. THAT was insanely good. You and Michel are an unbeatable team. I don’t even know these people, but Michel’s video and your still images make me love them and WANT to know them. What a beautiful gift for the parents. Terrific work, as usual. So inspiring!

  2. Just simply amazing! Beautiful. Funny. Adorable. Endearing. Magic, that’s right. . . MAGICAL! You two did an amazing, unforgettable treat for that entire family. ANd for all of us who see this post. Tara, you are terrific! ox, Joan

  3. TARA WHITNEY!!! You just made me feel bad for having one child, and not just throwing my hands in the air and getting along better with my sister. OH. MY. that.. was GOOD!!!! Loved it. You are THE dynamic duo.. well done!

  4. WOW….WOW….WOW….couldn’t be anymore beautiful. you and michel are amazing! those little ones are so sweet AND could the ‘sons’ be anymore gorgeous MY GOD!! what a perfect song, a perfect home movie and perfect images within! WOW! (i keep saying that, like i don’t know any other words…lol!) this one gave me goosebumps!

  5. ya’ll are just flipopin AWESOME at what you do!! that was beautiful!! you guys (Tara & Michael) are WONDERFUL colaborators!! always enjoy these video’s you do. sniff, sniff… flippin beautiful!!

  6. Tara – you don’t know me, but I am Stan’s mother and all those beautiful kids you filmed are my grandkids and great-grandkids! They are indeed beautiful inside and out and I love them all so much. Great job and thanks to you so much for sharing them through your “lens of life”.

  7. What a treasure! I mean, this is one of those videos that you can watch and go on an emotional roller coaster with. First you are just in awe of their love and the fun that they are having. Then you try to imagine it being your own family. And you end with happiness and bliss as an admirer on the outside, looking in. Beautifully done!

  8. emily and jon are some of my dearest friends and you captured them exactly how they are. never met a family that spends as much time at the beach as they do. beautiful.

  9. HI Tara! Im new to posting on your blog, BUT a long time stalker and follower of your work. Had to break down and give a shout out this time! Everything you touch turns to gold… Each video you two do together has me in tears. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us. I’d love to discuss having something like this done for me and my family!

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