Fitzpatrick

I had the honor to photograph the Fitzpatrick | Sorter family when Molly was just 4 and thought it would be fun to recreate one of our favorite images from that session. Although Amy may not be able to pick her up now, like she did then…I’d say we got pretty close.  Also, don’t feel bad. You are one of five families (so kidding!) in which years have passed and you realize, we haven’t had family photos done since Jonny was four? How is that even possible?

It was one of those amazing, insanely gorgeous San Diego fall evenings. Amy of course showed up with her hair blessed from the Gods and her always on point, amazing sense of style, which the rest of the family got to partake in. It was so much fun! We laughed so hard, I remember there were points I was just bent over laughing ….far from shooting.

It was a good night.

Seid Family as Featured on Encinitas Living Magazine

This beautiful, fun-loving family with such a sunny disposition, who were also our next-door neighbors for five years, and what a joy it was to live next door to them.

This session is especially special to me. I met these three wonderful, talented, ever-so polite, gorgeous (I could go on and on!) and fun kiddos when they were just two months, two and six years old. How I have so loved watching them grow up. To tell you how sweet these kids are, I was thinking back to when both Zach and Kaylee were just three. They would come to our front door and walk into our house to explore. Cohl, Cameryn and I would show them around and tell them about each of the toys or rooms they were so curious about. They would ooh and ahh, ask inquisitive questions, jump on the trampoline and go on playing. Gosh, those are the sweetest memories.

These images are true to form, as they capture the beautiful connection between each of them and their parents and all the love, fun and shenanigans between all of them.

So Seid Family, this is for you!

& thank you Encinitas Living Magazine for the feature! @encinitas_living_mag

July

This shoot has been on my mind for.. gosh…. a few years now.

Yet, I’m sure you can relate.

Life gets busy and it never happens, so FINALLY we just made it happen.

The Friday before the 4th of July, Cameryn and I went a whole mile from our house to the ocean (I know, I know all the more reason it should have happened sooner!) and captured a few images.

I had so many more ideas, yet I was in vacation mode and forgot to charge my camera battery. (Me shrugging).

This beautiful flag that’s meaning goes beyond just another American flag.

The government sent it to my stem-mom after my dad passed away seven years ago, for his service in the Vietnam war.

He was a 19-year-old mechanic who worked on the helicopters and that’s as much as I know.

I never once heard him talk about it.. I guess as most vets don’t.

I never probed and I wish I would have.

So this is the story I’ve created.

This all American boy who lives for the ocean and skate boarding, gymnastics, surfing, Mexico, Mexican food, all the jokes and all the pranks. Oh I could write a short story about the pranks.

He is as full of love and laughs and wit and is as FUN as they come.

Just a boy standing on the sand honoring an extraordinary, gentle man with a heart of gold, his grandfather, who was as free as the freest of spirits, just like his grandson here.

Take it from me.

Ask your family to tell you stories of their lives, even the hard ones. Better yet, have them sit down with you over a tea, a beer, a glass of wine… whatever is your jam (a draft ale would’ve been my dad’s) and record their words.

Record their story.