My goal for a family portrait session is for everyone to have fun and enjoy the process. However, parents are usually stressed; kids want to be free and let loose. It has been said that “kids and animals are the hardest to work with,” but I beg to differ. This fun family session is a perfect example of capturing some magic if you don’t force it, embrace the chaos, and let things happen naturally. When I book a session with a client, I like to ask what location resonates with them. Is there a spot where you and your family love going and can engage in an activity and my camera won’t be distracting? For this family, it’s Rodeo Beach and playing in the sand. For this session, we had some extras on set, brown pelicans, who played along nicely. My favorite images are the ones where people are caught up in an emotion, like the joy of finding a treasure or a mom hugging her son because of a bit of fall. Capturing this family session was fun; the sand, ocean, and birds made it all extra special and stress-free.
