Pismo Beach is where this sweet family of five comes to vacation, and it’s always such a joy when I get to photograph them. We’ve documented their family here before, and I love that these sessions become little time capsules of who they are in each season of life.

This time, we ventured through the Monarch Grove off the Pacific Coast Highway and down the long boardwalk that leads to the beach. There’s something pretty magical about this particular stretch of Pismo. Eucalyptus trees—old and new—cascade around the shallow dunes, opening up to those gorgeous coastal views looking back toward downtown Pismo. And then there’s the light. Give me a California sunset along this coastline and I’m a very happy photographer.

But what I love most about photographing families as they grow is watching how the experience changes right alongside them. When the kids are little, family sessions are often about embracing the chaos—playing, running, being silly, chasing each other around, and letting everyone simply be kids. There’s movement and laughter and a whole lot of energy to document.

As the kids get older, something shifts. The session becomes less about keeping everyone moving and more about connection. Sitting together. Sharing stories. Enjoying the closeness that comes from knowing each other so well. Hanging out as a family and simply being together. And honestly, there is something just as beautiful about that.

These five are so immensely sweet. The way they interact, laugh together, and naturally gravitate toward one another makes my job incredibly easy. I get to stand back, watch these little pieces of their family unfold, and preserve them exactly as they are right now. Because these seasons don’t stay. The kids grow, family dynamics change, and the things that feel so ordinary today become the very memories you miss someday. So I’ll keep showing up with my camera, freezing the belly laughs, the hugs, the stories, and the simple moments of being together.