"I honestly don't even know where to start."

"This is kind of intimidating."

"I have some ideas, but I'm not sure if it will all look good together."

Is this YOU?

Our case study.  Meet the Acuno family.  Lauren was totally open to having her family's outfits styled for their photoshoot.

Our colors.

Suggested outfits for the family.

How it went!

As you can see the burnt umber and teal really pop, and play nicely with some warm neutrals and mixed patterns.  

If you would like help styling your shoot, let me know and I'll create an outfit "recipe" for you all to look fabulous!

I like to reserve my use of the word "epic" for occasions where it is truely warranted.  Overuse is a problem; then nothing is epic.  But I feel like this family shoot qualifies.  What do you think?

Greater risk yields greater rewards.  The forecast called for clouds on their shoot date.  And often people ask me to reschedule.  But the clouds created this incredible atmosphere.  Here in Pleasanton, we often only get clouds in winter and early spring.  This is a key reason to book photoshoots then!  Embrace it!

About their outfits: the Matsumo family kept things pretty simple for their photoshoot but it looks cohesive with white, ecru, and khaki.  They ordered most of their clothes online for this shoot.  You probably could find the guy's outfits pretty easily over at the Livermore Outlet Mall, or Stoneridge, but the dresses - honestly probably not.  They are both from Joyfolie.

Bring the dog.  Why not?  Especially if we are working with smaller kids, and wind- there's going to be chaos no matter what.  Let's embrace it.

Being open to non-traditional style portraits opens you up to creating artwork of your family that is more layered and nuanced.  

Is it ok that not a single person is looking at the camera in your family portrait?  Yes!  This is a prime example of an environmental portrait where the Matsumo family play the lead roles, and the hills of Pleasanton are supporting characters.

Notice the textures on the dresses.  Textures are wonderful for portraits.

People have mixed opinions about solar flare, as shown above.  I specifically aim to capture this, when possible.  I love the golden glow it contributes to your family pictures.

Now it's your turn.  I'm here to help you create an epic portrait of your family.  Let's work together to create some magic for you!