after the success of our first family session day (as well as picking up some people who were out with flu or activities), gillian and i were sure we needed to organize a second day. first of all, you remember gillian from the last post, right? she runs <a href=”http://www.thewriteinvite.net/”>the write invite</a> in ladera ranch, and was the organizer of these events (thanks a million again, gillian! i cannot wait to work more with you in the future!)
and let’s get started here… mini session should equal mini-blog post, right? well… it doesn’t work that way… but i will try and keep the jibber jabber to a minimum. how’s that? deal?
appropriately, the day started off with gillian and her family. it was fun to spend even a little time with her entire family… and her boys are just too adorable.
as a new-ish father, and being one who cherishes my relationship with my own father, i have big dreams for the timelessness of shots like this:
every kiss may begin with kay, but some of the best ones end with a giggle
for the next family, we ended up at the more southern area of the montage beach area. i really do not have a favorite spot on this resort, because there is something to love everywhere. i do so love the “keyhole rock” that is in this area, however. how ’bout you?
the next family told me as we walked down to the beach that all they really asked was for a photo of all of them looking at the camera. i kind of chuckled, but i knew what a struggle that can be for even a family with just one child, let alone three boys that just want to go go go :) we got their shot, and then some… but those are just group family shots. and like i said in day one’s post… i am not really one to load up these posts with the family shots that are for their wall or frames. so, ironically, here is a shot i loved that had almost none of their faces in it…
if you read and looked through my recent post with the amazing family <a href=http://timwheaton.com/blog/index.php/archives/387>in the fog</a>, you got a good feeling on how i feel about the parents out there who do it on their own (and maybe an overload of it, really… haha). i met another warrior mama on this mini session day. and her little girl is such a little peach. oh, seriously… i normally get excited to do “day after” shoots with brides. i could have happily done a day after shoot with these two. spending time with little girls like this one is what makes me impatient for my little one to be just a couple years older.
i love observing the things people do, without even thinking about it. for instance, my wife is a twirler. she twirls her hair in and around her fingers like none other. when i talk to little ones while i shoot them, i try to keep my eyes moving and see if there is anything inherently them that i can capture. little t’s hands were so endearing while we interacted. (and look at those eyes!!!)
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the bond here is just something to behold. even for those parents who are raising their children together. this is what i love taking away from these encounters. for me to work harder as a parent to pour as much love into my child as a parent who is doing it on their own. love. the beatles were prophetic with the simplicity of their statement: all you need is love. truly… the world is better for it… so soak some of this in :)
the next family led us back to the southern section of the resort… and another reason i love that area. (you’ll see in the second photo) the dad told me he was hip to some of the “cheesier” side of family photos. and you know, there is something to that, i think. these make for a great storyboard, in my opinion.
now this spot is so fun in its variation throughout the day (due to tidal activity). we were there at a great time and got some fun shots to end their time section.
this next family was so fun. they had a brand new little one with them and, i think you will agree with me in a mental high fiving of the mom. you would have thought they brought their little niece or nephew with them. haha. the baby boy’s big sisters were a hoot… and fun to shoot… so, don’t pollute! (had to keep the inadvertent rhyme alive… anybody want a peanut?).
the middle girl was cracking me up nearly the whole time with them. it was interesting to get some pensive shots out of her.
the mom was wearing this incredible necklace that day. she said she wanted to get a shot specifically including it for her site. so check it out! :)
the last family for the day started as the sun was actually setting. we stayed up in the grassy area and you could hear passer-by’s commenting up a storm about the little boys.
the hat got passed around a bit during their time with me. fortunately i caught this one with it on and off.
this last shot needed a little wizardry to pull together. one of the aspects i most embrace about digital photography, is the ability to fix things that just sometimes happen. because, when you are shooting outdoors, in a public place, with multiple subjects… things just tend to happen. and i get film photography. i do. and i hear from some sides how digital editing has killed a lot of what photography originally stood for. however, for me, i embrace the ability to “save” an image that may have been a throw away for any number of reasons. and this was one of them:
and so ends day two. thanks for reading through all of this. apparently, the writer side of my brain has still not fully been walked off the plank by the photographer side. i am sure there will be some rejoicing when it does.
thanks again, to gillian and all of the families we worked with over the course of these. we will be doing some spring sessions next year, possibly in orange county and san diego county as well. so let me know if you have any interest on getting in on those. or just to do a normal session with me too.
by Tim
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