Trisha had been meaning to book family photos for four years, but life kept happening — and every year their photos ended up “in the dead grasses or springtime grass.” Two weeks before their San Diego trip, she decided this was finally the year for the beach. Richard, Trisha, Trisha’s mom, Raelynn (14), and Trever (11) met me on the sand. Here’s Trisha:
What were you hoping to capture? “Our family as a whole, individually, and in different groups. I wanted ones where we were all looking, and the candid photos. The ones that show the true us, and the love and joy between all of us.”
Do you have a favorite photo from the session? “How can I pick a favorite?! There is one of my daughter and me holding hands, standing in the ocean with our backs to the camera. It probably wouldn’t be a typical ‘favorite photo,’ but it brought a tear to my eye. It’s all the life lived that no one else knows about that is wrapped up in that picture. I’m her person — the one helping her navigate life as a neurodivergent. So many tears, so many laughs, so many hugs, so many conversations. I will cherish this one photo so much.”
Any sweet or funny stories from the shoot? “Funny would be all of the seaweed that kept attacking us, and my husband almost letting go of me while we were spinning. Sweet would be my daughter and her stuffed animal. She takes ‘Strawberry’ everywhere with her, and we make sure there is at least one photo of her anytime we do professional photos.”
(I lobbied for a shot of Strawberry solo in the sand. Raelynn was not going to let that happen.)
Describe your family in three words: “Kind, outdoorsy, loving life.”
Did you do anything else fun while you were here? “SeaWorld, surfing, a wedding, swimming, beach day, boogie boarding.”
Trisha couldn’t narrow down which photos she wanted for her wall, so she’s getting a giant digital frame to display all of them . . . plus a few big canvas prints. That works too.






















































