Melissa and Family at the Boca Raton Resort

Spring is a season when many families gather to celebrate, and this family chose to fly down from the North to spend their time together in sunny South Florida.  They vacationed at the beautiful Boca Raton Resort, which is rather fitting for an equally beautiful family!

I'd never been there, but I'd seen (and researched) photos of it.  The property is expansive, and beautiful, with Spanish Architecture and well manicured gardens.  While my tried and true photo spots are great and I know them well, a new location is always fun to shoot, because it feels like exploring, and in addition to capturing a family, you're capturing your exploration together.

And what better way is there to freeze their time together than to have a family portrait session!? 

Janisse and Family

This family was getting together for Easter weekend, and wanted to have some photographs of their time together as a family, as they don’t all live locally, which made their visit extra special.  We met at a shady spot in downtown Miami this morning to capture this family and their love for each other before they headed off to brunch.  With twin toddler boys, I had my challenges getting everyone looking their best at the same time, but with some patience, sillyness, and a few head swaps in editing, here are some of my favorite moments from our session.

Ice Cream Store Mini Session with Rachel, Greg, Ellie, and Cullen

I was out doing a beach session a few weeks ago, and on my way back to my car passed this adorable ice cream shop, Sloan’s in Lauderdale by the Sea!  I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting photo spots, so I approached the owner and asked if she’d be open to me scheduling some family photo sessions at the store.  She was up for it (thanks Debbie!), and I posted the idea on my Facebook page.  The response was overwhelming!  I had 2 sessions this past weekend, and have 11 more coming up 2 weeks later!  The awesomeness of this session made me that much more excited for the rest.  Could this family be any cuter?!  I just love how their bright colors compliment the brightness of the store!  And it was great how the environment really allowed me to capture some genuine family moments, including happiness!  Who wouldn’t be happy in an ice cream shop with candy, a moving model train, and the smell of fresh waffle cones?!

Kim Kevin, Chloe, Caitlyn, and XX or XY Gender Reveal

This mom saw the gender reveal photos I had taken for a friend, and contacted me to make the arrangements.  I of course, was so excited, as this is one of my favorite milestones to photograph.  Permission was given for Kim’s doctor’s office to release the results to me, and mom explained that she was really hoping for a boy for her two daughters.  She also expressed doubts that it was possible she was carrying a boy, so when her office told me the gender, I got goosebumps, and made them double check!  Mom’s surprise and excitement is so genuine; it was a truly special morning to be able to capture these moments for them.  If we had a video too, you would hear Kim saying, “I still can’t believe it’s blue!”

Ethan and Sabrina

I’ve driven by this location every day for about 3 years of my life, but never stopped to walk around.  When this mom called me to schedule a session to capture some updated modeling headshots for her kids, this location came to mind.  I stopped by the day before to explore, and knew immediately that it would be perfect for our session.  Mom was in charge of styling, and she did a great job!  She went through the kids’ wardrobes and selected outfits that blended well with each other, and even knew which ones to put on for the various backgrounds we were to be shooting with, and re-styled Sabrina’s hair too.  She did so well, I may have to call on her for future session styling!  And Ethan and Sabrina were a pleasure to work with!  Ethan and Sabrina accepted my gentle guidance in front of the camera, while making it their own and letting their personalities shine through.  I really couldn’t have asked for a better session, and the results speak for themselves!