2017 Adventures | My Family

I am going through photos from our last-week’s overlanding trip to Black Rock (last year we went to Mammoth area) and realized I haven’t shared any images from our other adventures this year.

This year we traveled and adventured across California. We visited Death Valley, hitting up Warm Springs after crawling over Steel Pass. The boys loved hiking through Joshua Tree and playing at Bass Lake. JTree is always a favorite and we’ve been a few years in a row now. Looks like we need to keep up that tradition and get another vacay there on the books. Our adventures took us up into the Sierra Mountains, Truckee, and Lake Tahoe. Living so close to the Sierras is incredible and we take full advantage of it.

We went to Pismo Beach, Burney Falls and Crater Lake California edition. One weekend we lounged by secluded swimming holes in the foothills of the Sierras. Oregon called our names, and we explored Ashland, Crater Lake, and Klamath Falls. The cool caves in Lava Beds National Monument were awesome in the summer heat. Crater Lake was a huge check on our bucket list and we are already planning our next trip there. Tahoe is blue (and I will always love it there) but Crater Lake is BLUE blue. Crazy blue.

We spent countless nights in Tepui rooftop tent. Heading down dirt roads and looking for the perfect place to camp is our routine. We love waking up to quiet. I love people but it is refreshing to head out into the wilderness and not see another soul for days. It’s peaceful beyond peaceful.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy some of my faves from the year! I hope 2018 can be half as amazing as this year was.

September 19, 2017September 19, 2018

Photographing Children | Summer Lake Tahoe

Photographing your child in Lake Tahoe – Tips and Tricks for Amazing Vacation Photos!

There are no tricks to photographing children except to let them be themselves! I met a fun family for a children’s photo session while they were on vacation in Lake Tahoe. The parents chased after the toddlers behind the scenes (with coffee mugs in their hands) while I worked some magic down by the lake.

I was introduced to this extended family by Jenna – you have to check out her Lake Tahoe family session here!!

Photographing a handful of kids is always challenging. My favorite thing to do is get the kids moving. Giving them an activity where they are looking happy is key to grabbing some great images. This works for my own boys and for every family I meet and put in front of my camera.

When kids are on vacation they are on sensory overload. This is especially true for the youngest in your group. Morning sessions are always better! If you want happy vacation photos with your kids, grab your camera first thing in the morning and take them out for a hike or to the beach. I love scheduling my sessions with vacationing families early in the day. This gives the kids an easy session, fresh off their night sleep. Families then have their entire day left to explore and have fun!!

I love photographing families, but these kids were awesome. We ran around the beach, climbed on the dock, threw rocks in the water, admired our dresses, and had a great time. I appreciate all of the families that trust me with their images!

Photographing children summer Lake Tahoe Child Photography Lake Tahoe

photographing children on vacation

September 15, 2017September 15, 2017

Sacramento Family Photographer Day-in-the-Life | The Kroskeys in Roseville

What is a “Day in the Life” session? It can be less than a day, maybe a couple hours, maybe half a day. A “Day in the Life” session is in-home. It is intimate. The kids are happy and mom and dad can fully relax knowing they are in the comfort of their house. This year I am offering in-home sessions where I spend time really watching a family do their thing, be themselves, and have fun doing the things they do as a family everyday. I met Christa and Brian at their home near Sacramento, in Roseville. I spent a couple hours with them and their daughter, Ellie.

Christa is an amazing person and has a lovely kindness about her. She is always checking in and is one of those people who stays connected. Christa genuinely cares about those in her life and it is always fun to catch up and see what’s going on in their lives!

I have had the pleasure of meeting this family years ago, when I photographed their engagement, wedding, maternity, and newborn. I saw Ellie at her one-year session, and watched her change from a sweet baby to an ever sweet toddler. They now have an adorable little girl in the center of their world, and it was an honor to document them at home. She skipped her nap the day of the session and loading her into the car and out for a shoot would have been stressful on her and her parents. Everyone was at ease with the session at home.

Ellie loves to read (or pull books off the bookshelves) and sat quietly looking through her picture books in her room. They ran and played and tickled her, which she loves and laughed nonstop. We sat outside on their porch swing and Ellie smiled and giggled at her dad. Brian absolutely melts when he’s around his daughter and there’s nothing better than a strong daddy-child bond. When Ellie got tired, we headed back inside for some more snuggles before I said my good-byes for the evening.

browse other in-home Day in the Life photography sessions: