Janet’s extended family photos in San Diego were planned way ahead . . . because getting so many people together at once doesn’t happen by accident! I’ll let Janet tell the story of her session:
We had a wonderful time vacationing in La Jolla and San Diego! With adult children married and living out of state, it’s not too often that we get to spend time all together anymore, so everyone marked their calendars many months ahead to make it happen. As we looked for possible places to visit, our son Miles suggested San Diego. The kids began gathering information on things to do from friends and family, and the variety of activities provided literally something for everyone. There was hiking, kayaking, and burgers at Hodad’s; baseball, the zoo, and exploring Coronado Island . . . and tacos galore! Just enjoying each other’s company in such a beautiful setting was a real treat. Being from south Louisiana, an escape to the picture perfect weather of San Diego was fabulous!
Our daughter-in-law Crista asked about having family beach portraits made while we were visiting. We had not had any family photos since Eli, our youngest grandchild, was born nineteen months before. After a little research, I came across Amy! Her photos were beautiful, and thankfully since I got such a last minute start planning, Amy had time available. We were staying in a vacation rental, and Amy suggested Crystal Pier at Pacific Beach because of its proximity to where we were located. Little did we realize that the beach and pier was our beautiful view from the house until we went to meet her. We opted for that last hour before sunset, even though we knew it might be tough for Eli to stay awake. He was a little trouper, but one of our favorite shots turned out to be his big yawn as he was playing in the sand with Amy’s child friendly props!
Getting ready to photograph eight people in coordinating outfits, two of whom were under age four, was a bit daunting. I’m not certain we did too well, but Amy made us all look great! She was so helpful answering questions and sending information ahead of time to make the process as easy as possible. She got to work quickly and snapped constantly to catch special moments with the little ones, even using her wonderful props to allow them to play.
I have several favorite memories from our session . . . wet feet and legs from the waves; Eli’s sleepy yawn; the sweetness of standing back and watching my grown children interact with their family; and Amy’s super limber, ninja stances on the beach to capture great shots.
It’s hard to choose just one favorite image! I love the girls together and the guys together images…just to see the generations! I also love the genuinely happy smiles of Aunt “Memmy” and Uncle Kyle with niece and nephew, Angela Grace and Eli though their homes are separated by 1100+ miles. Children are so quick to know who loves them and return that love.
We chose some favorites for an album and can not wait to send holiday cards. I plan to frame several of my favorites to display at home and give as gifts.
I got an update from Janet today, when she received her beautiful album!

❤️
Interested in booking your own extended family for a photo session this fall? Contact me below, or book your session here.