Redheaded Family | San Diego Photographer

Steele Canyon Bridge Portraits | San Diego Family Photography

The foliage matched the hair in this late-fall session in East County! Jessica and Brandon and their two adorable kiddos, Hudson and Hadley, met me at Steele Canyon Bridge for a holiday session just after Thanksgiving. I may have accidentally said something about their efforts to repopulate the world with redheads. They had probably never heard any cracks like that ever before. Anyway . . .

Once upon a time, back when my own kids were little, a college-age Jessica was a rockstar babysitter for Sitterwise. I actually have a very specific memory of a day not long after her interview. I hadn’t started on my photography journey yet, and I was a brand-new business owner, “on-call” for Sitterwise pretty much 24/7, taking reservations and filling jobs. I happened to be shopping at the Rancho San Diego Target when I got an emergency reservation—what we call an “ASAP.” I needed to find a babysitter immediately for a hotel client in a pinch. I texted Jessica, and she cheerfully agreed to drop everything and head to the job, saving the day and securing her place on the Sitterwise Superstar Board forever! Jessica was always loved by the families she served, so I had no doubt that she would be an amazing mommy when the time came. It was really a blessing to meet her family this year!

We met up in the parking lot, where we discovered that the plan to dress the kids on-site had gone a little sideways! Hudson’s pants had been left behind. No worries, though . . . Grammy to the rescue! Jessica’s mom ran across to that very same Rancho San Diego Target and got some pants for the little guy. As a result, the first images in the session are a little Hadley-centric. What a smiley, exuberant baby she is!!

Hudson, at two-and-a-half, is a little adventure boy, and he dug in the dirt and collected sticks and rocks while he waited for the appropriate attire. He got his chance once the new pants were ready, and we had a fun time with both posed and candid family shots, plus some sweet images of the kids with each of their parents and a few with Grammy (the hero of the day!), too.

Woman holding laughing baby up at Steele Canyon Bridge in golden light
Woman cradling baby close, looking down during Steele Canyon Bridge golden hour
Man holding smiling baby outdoors near Steele Canyon Bridge park
Woman and man both holding baby together at Steele Canyon Bridge
Toddler girl sitting on blanket smiling at Steele Canyon Bridge
Toddler girl on blanket, close-up detail at Steele Canyon Bridge
Baby on blanket smiling in floral romper, late-fall foliage behind
Baby in floral romper lying on blanket looking up joyfully at Steele Canyon Bridge
Woman and man kneeling with laughing baby, golden foliage backdrop
Toddler boy walking between parents while holding both their hands
Woman and man standing together looking at each other, fall colors
Family of four kneeling close together at Steele Canyon Bridge
Man kissing woman's cheek while she looks toward him, late-fall
Woman holding toddler boy and kissing his cheek, late-fall park setting
Man holding toddler boy posed against tree trunk, golden backdrop
Man and boy against weathered tree bark, golden autumn foliage
Woman kneeling beside toddler boy both smiling, golden hour setting
Man lifting toddler boy high in air, fall-colored trees behind
Man and boy playing together at Steele Canyon Bridge in late fall
Grandmother holding and smiling down at toddler girl, golden light
Grandmother holding baby at Steele Canyon Bridge during golden hour
Family walking hand in hand across grassy field, golden hour light
Toddler boy standing alone smiling in plaid shirt, late-fall
Toddler boy holding stick and smiling in late-fall at Steele Canyon Bridge
Woman holding smiling baby close in golden light with fall foliage behind
Family of four sitting together on tree branch at golden hour
Family of four on fallen tree branch at Steele Canyon Bridge

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