In June of 2011 I got a call from a woman who worked with my wife and she told me she was moving to the east coast and wanted to have some family portraits created before they moved. They had lived in San Diego for a while and wanted to have some Southern California style photos to remember their time spent living here. So we bounced some ideas around in emais and on the phone and decided to meet in Coronado and then take it from there. I wanted to plan the session as close to the golden hour as possible but decided to start a little earlier than normal since little ones were involved.
We met up in Coronado across the bay and started by getting a family portriat with the San Diego city skyline in the distance. Since this family had two small children, I knew I needed to keep things fun and exciting. You just never know with children when their breaking point is with pictures... so I got things moving and didn't stay in one location for too long. Sadly I didn't have the help of an assistant on this shoot, so I had to keep my lighting simple to just one Speedlight on a light stand triggered by PocketWizards.
I love how this portrait has that California cinematic feeling to it. The ice plant growing in the sandy hill with the family bigger than life standing ontop. Of course the token palm trees adorned with blue sky and puffy white clouds in the distance. And of course you'll never feel as free and invinceable when your dad holds you high above his head. These are moments in a childs mind that they will never forget.
Growing up in San Diego, I remember many times running down the beach with bare feet. That feeling of soft sand sinking between your toes, never seems to get old. So naturally I suggested that this little girl give it a try herself... of course I was there with my camera in hand to make sure I documented this glorious occasion.
OK, OK, I know this shot is overdone, but if you want to get a baby excited and laughing, try thrusting them over your head and then making silly faces at them. Plus father did it without me asking him to.
I guess if you asked a San Diego native to name some iconic buildings or places in San Diego, most likely the Hotel Del Coronado would come up as one of them. Plus I love that long and wide sandy beach that allows plenty of space for everyone to relax and explore. I suggested that we all take a casual walk down the beach put our feet in the water and get a better view of the hotel. I decided to walk on ahead to give the family a little privacy and to get these candid shots of the family having fun together.
In my opinion there is nothing more endearing than the bond between a mother and her daughter, so when I saw Ellen interacting with her daughter like this, I couldn't resist the shot. I tried to get the baby to look up at the camera, but she was way more interested in the wet and reflective surface of the shoreline.
My goal for this portrait shoot was to walk away knowing that everyone had a good time and to get a family portrait that both myself and the client would be happy with. I knew there were a few but this one was one of my favorites. We were pretty close to sunset at this time, so to see the baby smile like that meant someone was still having fun. Either that or I look funny. Many thanks to this family for keeping a smile on your face throughout the whole portrait session. I wish you all the best in your new home and hope these photos will remind you of your good times spent in San Diego.
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