I absolutely love working with new families, and it was such a joy to meet the S. Family for the first time!

The family recently moved back to the Bay Area and decided to squeeze in a little staycation at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay before the girls headed back to school. We met up at Manhattan Beach for their family photo session, and despite a few little challenges, it turned into one of my favorite sessions!

Their oldest daughter was a little nervous about the ocean and preferred to stay as far away from the water as possible, while their youngest was very camera-aware and would immediately turn her head whenever she spotted my camera. But honestly, those moments are exactly what make family sessions so special. We embraced the candid moments, the little quirks, and all the in-between interactions—and captured so much genuine family love along the way.

Eventually, the girls warmed up, and we captured some of the sweetest and most adorable photographs. I especially loved their beautiful dresses, which were a thoughtful gift from a relative in France.

I’m so grateful I got the chance to capture these memories for the S. Family, and I can’t wait to see them again and document many more chapters for this beautiful family.