One of my favorite things about doing portrait sessions with young families is every moment is unpredictable. What three-year-old wants to sit still and smile at the camera for minutes, after all? With limited time and light, as well as the distractions that arise with little ones, family sessions have become a rewarding challenge for me. 

When sweet friends ask you to take their photos, say yes!I recently had the opportunity to work with a childhood friend because she saw my work and reached out to me on Instagram. Our portrait session turned into a fun summer evening as we caught each other up on the exciting things happening in our lives. Here’s a little piece of her story on my small corner of the internet. Cheers, girl! You are a gem to work with. 

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, these photos from a beach day in Cayucos could not be more timely. A quaint coastal town nestled in Central California, Cayucos offers the perfect creative retreat with the best parade and fireworks show around. Since I’ll be missing the festivities this year, I wanted to share some moments from a recent trip to this little gem by the sea. The pops of red and blue (and, of course, ice cream) speak to the sweet taste of summer.

As you drive along the California coast, you’ll find the charming little town of Cambria, California with beaches that make for some dreamy photos. Moonstone Beach is one of them. It happens to hold a special place in the life of two incredible people, Shaelyn and Josh, who I get to call both family and clients. A while ago, we chose to do a portrait session during the early morning hours, while the fog still lingered and created a soft and natural light.