Forget what I said last fall about warm, cozy sweaters, the crisp breeze, and pumpkin lattes... I am loving this spring weather we're enjoying here in San Diego.

I'm not a big fan of weather that is so hot, you feel like dropping wherever you are into a heat-induced slumber. No, this time of year when there is the sweet scent of flowers in the warm air... it's so wonderful. It makes me want to take long walks with my camera, bare-shouldered and enjoying the sunshine.

These two photos were taken last spring... the cherry blossoms in San Francisco and the green grass in my front yard.

I remember first being around Aric and Brenda, right after they were married. On the one hand, I was so happy for them - newlyweds all young and starry-eyed. On the other hand, I was a wee bit envious. How are they so happy ALL THE TIME? How can two people possibly have that much fun together? While my brother is a pretty funny guy, they were constantly laughing at each other's jokes and giggling about everything.

Now, several years and two kids later, their newlywed status has long since worn off. But still, they have more fun together than any other couple I know.

I recently asked my brother, Aric, and his wife, Brenda, if they would be interested in doing a family session with me. We all got together a couple years ago (when a career in photography was just a glimmer in my eye) and had a family session that turned out "just okay". While I was fairly pleased at the time with the results, it wasn't exactly what I had envisioned. And so, with a couple more years of experience and oodles more confidence under my belt, I asked if they would be interested in updating their family photos.

We met on the beach at La Jolla Shores - Aric, Brenda, and their two kids, Emma and Cole, in tow. They also brought along a couple friends (Mickey & Michelle from a couple posts down) so we had a pretty good group. Having those extra people meant that I could really have fun with Brenda & Aric during their "couples" shots, knowing that the kids were being watched.

Although I may be a bit biased (I am related to these people, afterall) I really, really loved this session. I mean, they are a good-looking family to begin with, but they are also so much fun! They have so much fun together as a family that the only hard part was trying to capture it all with the camera.

Thank you so much for spending the afternoon with me! (And since there were too many awesome shots to choose from, stay tuned for Part II of this session!)

So many fun things going on right now, not the least of which is my new logo!

You probably noticed that I finally added a banner to the top of this blog... I feel like I am finally personalizing things and I love my new logo so much, I am glad that I finally get to show it off. :)

The couple who look like they are having a ball (also in the banner) is my brother, Aric, and his wife, Brenda, and they are indeed having a blast... although I think they tend to have fun wherever they go. We had a family session a couple weeks ago and I am excited to give them a sneak peek into their photos... they were all fantastic! (If I do say so myself.)

And last but not least (for now, anyway!) I bought a Polaroid SX-70 off ebay this weekend. I should get it in the next week or so and am so so excited! I have been wanting to get back into film for a couple years and have been amazed at some of the things people are able to achieve with vintage Polaroid. I'm sure there will be a big learning curve, but I'm anxious to get started! (For a look at some work by an accomplished Polaroid photographer, check this out.)

I had a family session scheduled with my brother and his family over the weekend, at one of the beautiful San Diego beaches. In addition to my cute niece and nephew, they brought along a couple friends of theirs, one who is just starting out in photography and wanted to get a few pointers by watching an actual session.

Although she had no plans to get in front of the camera, her boyfriend and I coaxed her to go along with an impromptu session (during a break with my brother's family) and get a few photos of the two of them together. I am so glad I had the opportunity... their chemistry is awesome and I was so lucky to get a chance to capture some of that affection and love for them.