game day

when heather asked me to take photos of her family these were my thoughts:

1. yes! 

they are all so beautiful! 

tall, artistic, lovely heather (wouldn't i love to be tall?). 

dark handsome happy Jose (quick to laugh).

emily who is the oldest and is creative and beautiful with great taste and perfect freckles on her nose. 

sweet and cool sabrina who dresses funky and has a great laugh. 

and of course gavin (who has a soft spot in my heart because of how much he reminds me of my tiny ty) with his own mischievous ideas and a heart melting smile to go along with them.

2. i am not good enough to do this.

heather is so creative herself. 

she thinks i have better skills than i have.

i am going to get too stressed.

3. i feel a little bashful/nervous/inadequate/babyish.

but who else can i just shove that all aside with than a friend who i've known and loved since i was a girl?

who else is worth my best try?

even if i fail....and i still might not....

and if i can just do my best to see this family as they are, and try to capture them, then i am at least obeying the call that i feel on my heart.

awesome photos or a good try, it's still obedience.

so i took their family to a little spot that i love in san juan capistrano and they brought all of heathers vintage suitcases filled with old games like dominos and bingo and tiddley winks.  they drank coke out of glass bottles and i snapped away as they teased each other and tried to pretend that it was completely normal to stand in a line and hold hands and kiss while their kids watched.  then, somehow,  we realized that time was up and the sun was down. time sure flies when there's a crazy lady with a camera telling you to snuggle....

and i did it.
there are lots of things i feel tempted to say could've been better about my skills....

but instead i will say, that these photos perfectly capture what i saw that day.
the love and action and personality and silliness and beauty of this special family.
they are a real family.
they have rad outfits and compromises.
they have hand holding and rolled eyes.
they have "closed eyes" laughter and bashful kisses.
they have long legs and cute freckles.
they have perfect smiles and dirty knees.
beautiful.

these photos also represent this moment in my photography journey.
and capturing this moment is....beautiful too.