I’ll guide you step-by-step through the photoshoot, so you can relax, have fun, and be yourself.

I personalize each session and based on your preferences, and your thoughts, I’ll bring your idea of perfect photography to life.

How long will the shoot last?

It depends on the package. Please arrive 10 minutes earlier to leave enough time walk to session location and get “camera ready”. Please allow extra time for traffic.

Premium Session: I want to be able to take my time with each family so I know that we will have fun and get the photos we want. On average a photo shoot will last up to 1.5 hours.

Special Mini Session: On average a photo shoot will last up to 45 minutes, please note that this session is for groups of up to 6 people.

Within two weeks of the photo session, you will be sent a link for a password protected online gallery, so you can choose the best images, which I will then edit and release to you.

You can also purchase all high resolution images from the session for additional fee.

From the online gallery you can share these photos with your friends and family, or buy prints, canvas, mounted prints, metal prints of images, with various sizes. Final images can be downloaded as High Resolution images (300dpi JPG) ideal for printing, or in addition you can choose to download Web-Size (1024px) ideal for sharing on social media.

Images are developed by specialized lab, color corrected for optimal printing to deliver exceptional quality products.

This will depend on the location that we choose to do the shoot.

Keep in mind your child’s nap and eating schedule.

The important factor in photography to consider is light, specifically what is the source and temperature of the light?

In the studio I control the light, thus we can schedule the session based on availability.

On-location (outside) I recommend early morning or late afternoon have warmer light and longer shadows creating dramatic effects.

The best time to schedule a family photography session is the Golden Hour, one hour before the sunset.

Golden Hour .. what is it?

Golden Hour is known among photographers for it’s special warm light qualities. The effects of the golden light present on the subject, the landscape, the sky and over the sea enables myriad of creative possibilities.

We would meet about 1 hours prior to sunset, to leave ample time to get setup, walk to the beach, or park and have a memorable session.

Some of the beach locations are best at low tide, some at high tide. I will balance the Golden Hour with the tides to make sure we choose the right beach, so we have still some sand to walk on.

Styling is important

As a general rule for family portraits photography, I always say to coordinate your outfits with similar tones but do not match.

Try and find patterns and textures that compliment each other.

Pick outfits that best bring out your family’s personality. Simply start with one piece and build the wardrobe around it.

Consider location – beach: softer colors, park/trees: richer colors, at home: colors that match your home decor to assure the pictures on the wall will blend in.

Make sure the outfits are comfortable to wear. I love the look of twirly dresses or skirts.

However, whatever you bring make sure it is clean and ironed. If your clothes are wrinkled and stained this will show up in the photos.

Accessories can be fun to add – hats, scarves, etc.

I can help with styling

Contact me if you are not sure what to wear. I will consult with you about the look and feel you want for your shoot.

Every family is different and this is what makes each photo shoot unique.

Styling: Allow enough time to plan the outfits, minimum a week before.

Hydrate: Drink plenty of water prior to the session, to help your skin to glow.

Haircut: If you are considering haircut before the session, do it at least a week before.

Clothing: Choose clothes that fit and compliment you, if you are unsure, consider a stylist.

Food: Bring some snacks, and water, specially for those little ones.

Directions: Check the directions to the location prior to the session and make sure you know how to get there.

Waves, reefs, currents and rip-tides in San Diego can be dangerous. Moss builds up on the reef and it can be extremely slippery!

Please make sure you watch after you and your family’s safety on the beach, and supervise children closely.

Learn more about San Diego Beach Safety.

This is a personal decision for family, the goal of the location is to fit the idea or vision you have in mind.

Outside (on-location) allows access to lot’s of backdrops, arrangements that Mother Nature provides for us to use. Family Portraits created outdoor have natural look to them and the range of backdrops, light, color and composition is infinite.

If you have a location in mind, please let me know. I will do a location scout to suggest most interesting, and will send you GPS location of the session.

There are many beautiful locations on our beaches, preserves, parks or hills around San Diego county.

What retouching is included in the Session Package by default?

I retouch images after you have selected the “Final” images from the photoshoot. Retouching is a time consuming process that requires me to inspect and adjust each image.

Included is minor skin smoothing and fixing any minor glitches from the photoshoot.

For example sometimes you may have a perfect image but one piece of hair is covering your forehead – we will remove it. You may have a skin blemish that showed up the morning of the shoot – we will remove it.

What retouching is outside of the scope of Session Package, not included in the price?

Body reshaping/enhancements, chin fixes, face sculpting, scar removal, eye and teeth whitening are all personalized portrait retouching requests outside of session packages offered. I do offer this level of personalized portrait photo retouching for $35 per image.

Learn More About Personalized Retouching