Mark brought his three boys to San Diego for their first family session in years — and the first since becoming a single dad. He wanted sunset beach shots, and some one-on-one time with each of them, and some intentional memory-making before this fleeting season passes.
Easton is sixteen and loves tech . . . coding, building websites, custom programs, all of it. Owen is fourteen and, as Mark puts it, is “all about sports and girls.” And Pierce, eleven, is the peacemaker and Dad’s shadow, always helping, always sweet. I loved getting to meet Mark’s boys and witness the bond they have with each other and their dad.
That was especially apparent given the circumstances. Just three hours before our session, Pierce was stung by a stingray. He did his best job being strong, hobbling around the beach with his good attitude fully intact. We had to rearrange some poses and get creative a few times, but I think we all came away from the experience feeling like the stingray situation added to the memory instead of ruining the photo session.
One of Mark’s favorite shots is actually Pierce riding on his back. He said, “It just reminds me how amazing he was at having a good attitude and fighting through the pain. It was just a sweet moment.”
They stayed at the Hotel Del, went deep-sea fishing, and got out surfing, which is fitting, since Mark founded Elevate Surf. His take on the whole experience: “My boys actually had fun doing family pics. Who can actually say that?”
