A Family History in Portraits

Meet the Mitchell family. Over the past eleven years I’ve photographed them ten times (missed one year in 2015) watching them grow from 8 people, to 14 of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I’ll be honest, it’s work to coordinate this every year and shoots with six kids under 12 years old is ALWAYS a challenge. That said, how freaking cool is this to have a history of your family, growing year after year. We’ve shot these family portraits at a myriad of different locations, from their backyard to their front yard to the Hotel Del Coronado to little parks right off the side of the road, to the beautiful beach in Del Mar, but really, the location is secondary to the people in the shot. Showing up is 95% of the battle. So my advice to any young family is (and I need to listen to my own advice), MAKE THE EFFORT! Do a family portrait once every year and you will be so happy you did when you can look back at a gallery like this.

The Lecours Family's Unconventional Holiday Portrait

Valentine's Day is upon us and love is in the air! And what better way to show your love for your family than with an unconventional holiday portrait?!?!

That's exactly what the Lecours family did when they came to my portrait studio. They wanted a family portrait for their Valentine's Day card, instead of the usual Christmas or Hannukah card.

The shoot was full of surprises, especially with their 22-month-old son who was both wildly entertained and completely distracted by our 15-year-old German Shepard studio dog/photo assistant, Reno. I couldn't help but laugh as I saw the little boy's face light up with glee every time Reno came close to him. Reno, of course, can’t stand not being the center of attention, though he had to settle for being just out of frame as we shot.

To be honest, I was a bit worried that the strobe lights would be too much for the little guy, but he seemed to be quite amused by them. Maybe he thought they were a special effect for his entertainment? Who knows! In the end, the winning shot was one where he was staring straight at the huge 7’ strobe lit umbrella.

But of course, we all know that 22-month-olds have a pretty short attention span, so luckily for us, his grandmother was also on set to coax his attention away from the dog through a game of peekaboo. It worked like a charm, and we were able to get some great shots of the whole family.

It was refreshing to see a family not take themselves too seriously and try something different for their holiday card. And the result was a beautiful and fun portrait that perfectly captured their love for each other.

So if you're looking to do something different for your next holiday card, why not try an unconventional portrait? You never know, you might just end up with a photo that brings a smile to everyone's face.

At our studio, we're always happy to help you capture those special moments in a fun and creative way. Whether it's for Valentine's Day or any other holiday, we're here to make your family portraits unforgettable!

Family Portrait Session with their Furry New Addition

Recently, I had the pleasure of working with the Hoskins family, who had recently welcomed a new addition to their family – an 11-week-old golden retriever puppy named Teddy. The shoot took place at the family's beautiful home in Carlsbad, CA, and it was a blast working with the three young boys and their energetic new pup.

One of my favorite images from the shoot is a black and white shot of Teddy sitting slightly in front of the three boys. In this image, Teddy is in perfect focus, while the boys are slightly out of focus, creating a sense of depth and movement. The image has a boy band vibe and it captures the playful energy of the family through the faux seriousness of this image.

Working with animals can be a challenge, but Teddy was a natural in front of the camera. The boys were also great, and it was a joy to capture the bond they shared with their new puppy. The Hoskins family's home was the perfect backdrop for the shoot, and it was a pleasure to work with such a lovely family.

I'm happy to have been able to capture such a special moment in the Hoskins family's life and I look forward to working with them again in the future.