Julie and Zach - A Dos Picos County Park Wedding

Every wedding day is special to us, but this wedding was especially important to us since we've known the bride, Julie, since Jenny and Julie were in Junior High together. Somewhere, we're sure, there is evidence of the two of them from an impromptu photoshoot in front of twelve year old Jenny's orange bedroom wall. Julie and Zach planned their dream wedding, only to have their plans interrupted by the best of news: Julie was expecting a miracle baby. So, they married each other in a quiet ceremony and agreed to have the wedding this June instead. What a blessing it was to have their sweet baby girl there with them on their wedding day. 

And with new priorities and responsibilities as parents, they changed their wedding plans and moved it to the gorgeous Dos Picos County Park. When Julie brought us to see the park and show us the areas that were important to her, we could tell how excited she was to be getting married amidst the oak trees, in front of the lake, in a park where their closest friends and families could not only gather to celebrate, but also stay the night. We were equally thrilled to be included in a wedding anticipated with so much joy. 

In fact, we were extra excited because Julie was actually the first person to ask us to photograph a wedding. We initially said no because we didn't have enough experience and wanted her to have a strong photographic team to capture the fun loving day we knew she would share with Zach. After spending the year getting the experience we felt we needed to do their wedding day justice, it was such a privilege to be able to photograph their wedding, since they had faith in us as wedding photographers before we did.   

Just like we are sure the rest of their lives will be, their wedding say was filled with love, laughter, and a few well timed tears. Julie and Zach’s fun loving nature shined through the entire wedding. The dance floor was packed all afternoon as their family and friends shared in the fun. 

Julie and Zach, thank you for letting us be a part of your wedding. We love you both. Congratulation to the Krafts!

Kunal and Jason- A San Diego Backyard Baby Shower

Today, Kunal and Jason's friends and family gathered to help these two dads to be prepare for fatherhood, and showered them with gifts, love, and advice. From the Doctor Seuss "the places you will go" themed party decorations to the elephant themed nursery, it was obvious that this dad and baba duo are preparing to take their little "super girl" on all the best adventures in life-whether they are near or far. And when things get difficult, because parenthood always has those moments, they have the best support network to lean in to, both in the friends and family present, and in those from across the country that found a way to be a part of this special day. Congratulations Kunal & Jason! 

THE BEST SAN DIEGO FAMILY AND ENGAGEMENT PHOTO LOCATIONS: MISSION TRAILS

By virtue of an entire childhood spent in Santee and La Mesa, we are East County girls. So often, we find ourselves drawn out of East County for photos, but honestly, when we get to choose the location, it is frequently one of those places our parents brought us to as children. To be fair, they brought us all over on Sunday morning hikes, so we have a lot to choose from, but still, the sage brush, rising hills, and dusty trails speak to our hearts, and our cameras, in ways that other areas just don't. And our most frequent East County haunt? Mission Trails. 

We've dedicated an entire blog post to just this "one" location because we have so many options to choose from here. 

Mission Trails-Corner of Jackson & Mission Gorge Rd

Why we love it:

This spot is all about the light for us. There is this hidden little bridge with a tree that the light filters through in the prettiest way about 90 minutes before sunset. This spot is seriously one of our favorites for pretty light that is guaranteed to make you glow.

We like to start in the pretty light and then head out into the shade. There is this cute little trail with a tree that arches perfectly over it, framing your family as they take a stroll. Then, we’ll wander back up to the main path and take advantage of what should be golden hour light by that time. This location has variety-from green down on the lower trail to the glowing hills of the upper trail, and we love it for that.

Mission Trails-By the Visitor Center

Why we love it:

This location is easy to get to and the gate stays open later than the other areas of Mission Trails, so we don’t have to worry about wrapping up before sunset here. Depending on the time of year, you may get a glowing, golden field, green as far as the eye can see, or somewhere in between, but it is always pretty.

Within a couple feet of each other, we can find areas to photograph the wide expanses of hills (sometimes glowing pink and purple) and a tree lined trail. Simply put, your session will have variety here.

The trail is easy and fun for kids, but isn’t a busy one.

What to be aware of:

Parking is tough here. You don’t want to park in the lot because it closes early, but the street parking is limited. You’ll want to arrive early.

There is a small walk for this location, but it isn’t difficult. Depending on the weather, the path could be muddy. We’ve also seen a sprinkler system here, so maybe it’ll be muddy even if it hasn’t rained recently.

This is a great spot to bring a blanket for seated poses with your family or sweetheart.

Mission Trails-Grinding Rock

Why we love it:

This location is a new one for us and it is only a viable option when the water level is high enough. And that, my friends, is the primary reason why we love it: running water. Running water that I feel okay letting my kiddo puddle splash in. Running water that doesn’t look brown!

The creek runs through this area and the trees provide enough shade to filter the light, so if you are looking for a riverside retreat, this is your best option. Plus, it is so fun to just sit here and enjoy the babbling brook and the breeze. It’s a great place to bring active kids, as long as you don’t mind them getting wet, and spend the day with a picnic. You don’t need to leave when we do, so feel free to linger and enjoy some unstructured outdoor time here. Also, my 10 year old, who hates photos at this point, loved this spot so much that I didn’t have to argue about smiles.

What to be aware of:

This spot is located part way down the road that connects the visitor center and Mission Dam. In a car, it is only accessible from the Visitor Center area and the gate locks early.

There is a small pull out for parking right by the trail down to this area, but only two cars will fit there. You may end up parking in a different pull out and walking.

It can be tricky to find if you do not know what you are looking for, so make sure we give you detailed directions to this one.

There is a short, five minutes or less, walk to the river. It is down (and then back up on the way out) a steep set of stairs built with rocks, and then wood. It IS NOT stroller friendly.

You and your kids will get wet. Bring a change of clothes.

The best time for this location is in the 2 hours before sunset. The shade here gives us a little more leeway than in other areas.

Mission Trails-Mission Dam

Why we love it:

Kids love to play here, and happy kids make for happy families.

The dam itself is iconic for those of us that grew up in East County, and provides a lovely place for your family to sit together and enjoy an afternoon. A short walk from the dam, there is a bridge that we also love for photos. And, along the way, there are trees that filter the light and give us little patches of light to work in for the golden glow look.

The smooth, gray rock photographs exceptionally well with blushes and pinks, and we love the look it lends your photos.

What to be aware of:

Parking at the dam can be tough, so you may end up parking along the road and walking. Sometimes the walk is up to half a mile before you reach the actual dam parking lot, so a stroller or wagon might be ideal if you have little ones with you.

If you want a true sunset session, you’ll want to park at the lot on the corner of Bushy Trail and walk in, otherwise the gate locks early.

Depending on the time of year, there may be ample water flow or none at all, and that is all part of the adventure here.

We lose light early in this location, so it is actually best to start a session here about 2 hours to 90 minutes before sunset.

There is enough shade here that we can make a wider window of session times work in this location.

This location isn’t ideal for sweeping vistas of the areas hills, so if that is a priority for you, we suggest the Horse Park or the Visitor’s Center Area.

Mission Trails-Horse Park

Why we love it:

This location has the prettiest light in the hour before sunset. It filters through trees right by the parking lot to give a golden glow. Then, the hills light up with the setting sun. There is also a short trail to a wide open field that glows-yes, glows-and makes me dream of a sweet couple or family cuddled up as the sunsets. We don’t have photos of this particular field to share, but we’ve seen it and commented on the photo potential multiple times.

What to be aware of:

That gate locks early-which is a trend by now!

Parking is EASY here.

Of our Mission Trails locations, this one involves the most walking, so you’ll want to come prepared with the right shoes.

THE BEST SAN DIEGO FAMILY AND ENGAGEMENT PHOTO LOCATIONS: THE BEACHES

Over the next several weeks, we will be highlighting some of our favorite areas to photograph both couples and families. We hope these posts will help you select the location that best suits your family because, ultimately, our goal is to find the best fit for YOU. Here are our top two beach locations.

Scripps Pier-With a Bonus

Why we love it:

No discussion of the best San Diego photography locations would be complete without Scripps Pier. You actually get two locations in one here, without any added travel! We’ve got a secret little bonus area at Scripps Pier that we like to photograph in first to get some of the “safe” shots that you want out of any family photo session. That way, if your little ones go wild down on the beach, you won’t feel as stressed about it. In fact, it might even make for a better session if we get the safe shots first and then let the littles be little and rush head first into the ocean or cover themselves up to their waists in sand. We love those sessions, too!

And as much as we would share the “secret” with any photographer who asked because community and collaboration over competition-we really try to both live AND preach this concept- we’d rather not post it online and find it as swarmed as the pier is next November.

After our secret spot, we walk down a set of stairs to the beach and embrace all that the environment has to offer. Sandy toes, windswept hair, crashing waves are all part of the vibe here. Which, as San Diego natives, we love.

The pier is iconic for family photos, and your friends and family outside of town will love seeing a little slice of our local heaven. We normally get a few key shots here and then move to the beach just north of the pier.

This beach is backed by gorgeous, pink-ish sand cliffs that make a stunning backdrop for more relaxed photos of your family walking down the beach or playing in the water.

And, if we wrap up your session at sunset, there is a good chance that we can get some stand-out silhouettes. The kind that you have printed on metal to use as wall art in your home. When the weather cooperates and we get a colorful sunset, we love the silhouettes from the end of a session so much that they’ll be the first photos we seek out to edit when we start processing your session.

What to be aware of:

There is a good chance that we will have to wait for our turn to use the area under the pier. Your kids may get dirty. You may get dirty. This beach just invites playtime like no other beach we know, so be prepared for that instinct. We say, go with it. And bring a change of clothes for the way home.

Parking can be tricky. There is a UCSD lot that you can sometimes pay to park in, but otherwise it is street parking and endless laps to find your spot. Plan to get there early. You can always hang out right outside that lot and people watch from above the beach.

Like most beaches, this spot is best in the 60 minutes before sunset or after sunrise. 

The Beach Behind Hotel Del Coronado

Why we love it:

You can have beach photographs with the Hotel del Coronado in the background. Those red roof lines are as iconic as it gets.

If you are from out of town, the recognizable nature of this landmark makes it one of the best San Diego photography locations. If you are a San Diego local, you probably have fond memories of this place that make it a necessary part of this list as well.

Beyond the iconic factor, we love that there are beachy plants, a rock jetty, and, of course, white sand for miles. I’d venture to say it is the best white sand beach San Diego has to offer. There is so much variety without traveling to a second location, all while boasting of a clean, family friendly vibe.

And, you can always hang out afterwards and watch the last minutes of sunset with your sweetheart at one of the Hotel Del’s outdoor bars or hunt stroll the beach with your family.

What to be aware of:

Like a lot of locations, this one is best in the 90 minutes or so before sunset. The closer you get to an actual sunset session, the more likely you are to have lovely color in the sky behind you.

Parking can be difficult here, so plan to arrive early. There is street parking on both the North and South sides of the hotel, but we often have better luck on the South side.

Tea for Two: A Second Birthday Tea Party Session at Mission Trails

When Bekki contacted me for a “tea for two” themed birthday session for sweet Hailey, I knew I was in. How cute is Bekki’s style? She designed this entire set-up!

Hailey knew she was in from the moment she saw the table all set up too! It was all we could do to get her to look at the camera before digging into the goodies, but who can blame her?

And when she did finally dig in, she went right for a coconut macaroon only to discover that she was not entirely sure about the texture. Once momma handed her a raspberry cookie though, she got into the spirit and spent quite a while dunking her cookies in her tea cup.

The same sunny weather that made our shoot so pleasant brought a lot of hikers out to Mission Trails, so we had a few visitors during our tea party. Just like us, though, they were taken by Hailey’s sweet smiles and often stopped to visit for a minute.

If you follow us on social media, you’ve probably seen my comments about loving second birthday cake smashes, and this one was no exception. Two year olds totally get what to do with sugar and it almost never makes them cry. First birthday cake smashes are as likely to end in tears over the weird textures and flavors as they are to end in smiles, but second birthday cake smashes are almost always full of bright eyes and sunny grins. Hailey was no exception!

We wish the happiest of second birthdays to Hailey!

5 Reasons Why We LOVE the First Look

Early in the planning process, when a couple is deciding how many hours they want to book us for at their wedding, we have the first look conversation. One of the first things we share with our couples is that we love-and I really mean love-the first look.

So first, what is a first look? In the simplest terms, it is when a couple sees each other before the ceremony. While, traditionally, the couple waits until the ceremony to see each other, more and more couples are choosing to take a few minutes to see each other and connect before the ceremony, transition into their formal portraits before the ceremony, and then hide away before their guests arrive and see them.  

If you have a vision of your future spouse never seeing you until you walk down the aisle during your ceremony, we absolutely want to support you in that, but if you aren't sure, or maybe never thought about that moment, we want to share why we love the first look so much. So, here's what we love about them:

1. It is an authentic, emotional moment that is focused only on the two of you. 

You don't have an audience (other than us), and that shows. The reaction of your partner isn't tempered by being nervous in front of a crowd. Your tears or smiles  aren't shared with anyone but your partner.  It is intimate and focused only on the two of you. The rest of your day might be a blur, but this gives you a few quiet, intimate moments to be with each other and remember why you are even here in the first place-your love for one another. You can whisper to each other, share a love letter, and focus on only the face of the person you are marrying instead of the audience. 

2. It doesn't lessen the impact of when your partner sees you coming down the aisle.

There is something totally different about seeing your future bride or groom dressed and ready and seeing them walking down the aisle. The full weight of how lucky you are to have found each other and be spending your lives together is still going to hit each of you-and we'll get that photo for you, too! You get to experience the quiet, intimate, sweet moment of seeing each other AND the more public moment of knowing you are about the be joined together forever, and neither moment takes away from the other. 

3. It frees up time later in the day-which means you get to enjoy more of your wedding day with the people you love! 

If you do a first look, we get to do couple and wedding party portraits BEFORE the ceremony. There is almost always more time before the ceremony than after it, and that means none of us will be rushed and you will probably enjoy the process more, and you might even be able to enjoy most of your cocktail hour with your friends and family. Without the first look, we are normally trying to squeeze in the couple portraits, the wedding party portraits, and the family portraits into the cocktail hour-which means you miss it. 

We really want you to enjoy your wedding, being able to attend the cocktail hour and be congratulated by your guests improves your experience. It might mean you get to have a quiet dinner with your new spouse and spend a little less time traveling from table to table because you were able to mingle during the cocktail hour. Or, it might mean you actually get to spend quality time with your favorite aunt that travelled 2,000 miles to be with you on your special day. Whatever is important to you, it frees up time to let you experience those important moments that you will remember for years to come. 

4. It calms you both down. 

Think about this: When you are stressed, worried, or nervous, who do you go to? I bet your bride or groom is pretty high on that list. Now, imagine being in the middle of a day you've been planning for, saving for, and stressing over for months or more, and not being able to reach out to your partner for support. 

Seeing each other, spending a few minutes talking, crying, kissing-whatever your style is-helps you ground yourself and be more present in the moment. You can let the stress and nerves go and remember that this whole thing is about love. I know I've already mentioned that idea, but for me, weddings with first looks always feel more romantic and more focused on the love story and on joining two lives together and less focused on the event itself. Whenever we can take a moment and refocus on the people and relationships involved, and less on the moving parts of a wedding day, the better the day goes. 

Also, you don't have to worry about having an audience, and for many of us, that is a big deal. 

5. I get that we are photographers, and are a little biased about the photography part of this, but it is worth mentioning that the first look photos end up being some of our favorite photos, and they make the formal couple portraits better too!

Okay, so this isn't a first look photo, but this is just moments after their first look, and it was so easy to capture their connection during the formal portraits. 

We can control most of the environment for a first look-we choose a location with the best lighting, backgrounds, and ambience to allow you to focus on one another and allow us to capture the best photographs. The ceremony is more documentary style-we capture things as you planned them, and they will be beautiful images that you treasure and pass on through the generations, but there are more elements out of our control during the ceremony than during a first look. Anytime we can all slow down and enjoy ourselves, we have an opportunity to make your big day better, and that's worth considering. 

Also, the first look really is sweet and romantic, the images make me cry while I edit them, and that mood carries into your formal portraits. You are already more comfortable in front of the camera and with each other, and your portraits show it.

Scripps Pier Family Photo Session - Deptala Family

Oh my goodness, guys! I had such a fun session tonight with the Deptala family! I have to admit, Marisa is good friends with my cousin, and we actually went to high school together, but we never really got to know each other. Tonight made me realize what a shame that is! They are such a fun, loving family who were a dream to work with. 

I got to run, jump, and show off my super secret fairy wings with them. We had so much fun that I almost forgot to take their photos - just kidding! 

This little fairy is so excited to be a big sister! She secretly hopes that the baby is a girl. But just in case, a little brother would be super cool too. We have no doubt that either way, that baby is going to be very loved. And big sister is going to teach them all sorts of fun fairy songs. 

I wish every session ended with all of us taking our shoes off and running into the water for a quick splash - even if Dad says there are yucky bugs in the water. 

P.S. Marisa, I think I finally nailed a silhouette! Thanks for the vote of confidence. 

Oh, yea, we wanted to show you how much fun a photo session with us can be. Check out this sweet little video below.

Mission Trails Family Photo Session-Getelman Family

When Dayna contacted us for their annual family photos, I was super excited because I know that little Ellie is just so much fun to work with. Her parents happen to be lovely people and good sports too! 

When I asked Ellie who gives the best kisses, she whispered "Dad" much to mom's dismay! She was quick to show me how much she loves both mom and dad though, and spent a little extra time snuggling mom to make it up to her. 

Dad and mom each took a turn racing Ellie up the trail, we danced, we snuggled, and then we took a little extra time to look for the bee that Ellie says flew up my sleeve. Lucky me, I think that was just imaginary. 

Just as we were getting ready to leave this Mission Trails family photo session before we got locked in by the rangers, we snuck in one last pose as the sun dropped to that perfect golden light position. I asked Kevin to lean in and give mom a kiss on the forehead, and clearly not one to be left out, Ellie joined in on the action.