that cute chick in the pink sunnies is veronica.

the other cute people are members of her family.

she organized this session for them. she dressed them. she encouraged them to have a glass of wine while waiting for me to arrive. (she got them there early for this specific purpose) (in my opinion, a great idea to help everyone relax and be just a little silly)

my new motto?

just be drunk.

kidding.

her parents. so happy and soooo fun to be around. they raised up some really amazing people. it was so awesome to hang out with an established family with older children. gave me hope that i can make it through these young years, and come out the other side with amazing people to hang out with.

we saw these bar stools stacked behind a bar. um, (whisper) everyone grab a stool! there was an empty parking lot conveniently around the corner.

love, love, love this quote! so did they. so much so that they suffered through a large group of people waiting to get into joe’s crab shack staring at them while we got this shot.

just seconds after taking this shot…

…i got tackled by amy boring, a photographer who i knew online but had never met. she bum rushed me with a huge hug, and we talked for a few seconds before getting back to work with both of our families.

mom and dad with their kiddos. dad couldnt stop laughing. there was a major wrestling match going on between him and the boys just before their shots. loved it. and mom couldnt stop crying. loved that too!

and two more i loved.

thanks veronica and gang!

i have met up with this lively bunch once before, when i fell in love with their family dynamic and fell in love with their smart, quick, funny personalities. i began following their family blog, and i still do to this day. visty is a wonderful writer and makes me laugh and think everytime.

they were down in so-cal on a family vacation, and we met up near the balboa fun zone for their session. what i love about them, and many of my clients, is that they understand what i am trying to do, and in fact have hired me because of it. they are relaxed, and together, and open to me being there too.

they dont try too hard. they are just … themselves.

there were rare moments of setting up a shot for them, but mostly, i just hung out and shot things as they happened, without doing much at all.

they purchased a collage with these two images side by side-loved their choice.

momma and baby snuggling and laughing in the sun. it doesnt get better than that, does it?

i think this series is one of visty’s favorites. mine too actually.

and this was not posed, which makes me like it even more. the shot just after this was, but this was before they knew i was there. the two big kids were hanging out here while i photographed the littlest. she wandered over here and i was thrilled!

visty’s hilarious and “make me swoon” account of the session can be read here. love her to bits! you will too.

happy friday…

t

im feeling short on words this week.

the kids are home on spring break.

im finally caught up on things after getting sick.

this is the family of my good friends alexis and shaun, who i have written about here, here, and here. ive known them for eleven years. she does my hair. and i take her pictures. we share a common bond over depeche mode and most other 80s bands, it’s it ice cream sandwiches, and laughing about stupid things.

would you believe, they have painted this wall and door the same bland peachy tan color that the rest of southern california is?!?!??! I AM SO UP IN ARMS.

this is bowie. she is named after bowie himself.

this is finley, growed up just a bit since i last saw her!

nothing special was done to these foggy images. the beach was foggy and beautiful the day we were there.

there was a guy JUST to the left of this frame, on his cell phone, watching us like we were possibly crazy. you can see my laughing face just to the left of shaun in the reflection of the glass. i was shooting without looking through the camera. i wish i remembered what we were laughing about.

i just saw these three blonde beauties yesterday. for a hair/photo day. drew and nathan have new haircuts, i am mostly brunette again, and the girls got a trim. alexis, bowie, and finley romped in the weeds off the side of the road for me. those photos to come soon.