California: Part Two

On our first day in California, my friend Stephanie and I decided to head out to Santa Monica Pier. Our mutual friend from Moody Bible Institute and his two little girls met us at the airport and joined us for the day. The weather was perfect!

Here's Stephanie, Kevin, Madison, Taylor and I at the Santa Monica Pier.


I had also arranged to meet up with a couple other friends throughout the day as well. First, I met up with my cousin Maurice, his wife Stephanie and their two children for a very quick family portrait session. After that I met up with my friend Wendy who used to go to church with us here in Texas.

Wendy and her family moved back to California about 6 years ago. We had great fun getting some pictures for her upcoming website. But my favorite part of the day was our conversations together. Some people just get you. Wendy gets me. We caught up on life, did a little shopping, and had a wonderful meal together. All-in-all, it was the best day I've had in a long time! Thanks for making the long drive up from San Diego, Wen.


What's up with my hair, you ask? Do I ALWAYS wear my hair in a pony tail? Seems that way, doesn't it? I tried, really I did. That morning I woke up at 4:00 a.m. to leave the house by 5:00 a.m. to catch my flight into LAX. I had every intention of curling my hair only to discover at the last minute that I had failed to turn the curling iron on. So much for looking my best.

Besides, after finishing up Maurice and Stephanie's family pics just moments before, I discovered once again that pony tails are in deed a photographer's best friend on a windy day at the beach. Don't worry. I may not have worn my hair down that day, but I did "let my hair down" (as the saying goes) and had a great time.

I'll be posting pictures from Maurice's family's and Wendy's sessions later on, but for today I wanted to post pictures of Kevin's family. He and his wife Sarah were so gracious to host Stephanie and I for the weekend. Kevin, we enjoyed getting to know all the special ladies in your life. And the hot-tub wasn't bad either. It was so great to see you again! I think Stephanie would agree that the weekend went by way too fast.

My plan was to take Kevin's family pictures on Monday night, but Disney Land went a little longer than expected for them and Stephanie, so that didn't happen this time around. Fortunately, I had taken some pictures of the girls on Sunday afternoon. What dolls!

Kevin and Sarah's oldest little girl Madison is three years old. Seriously, she has to be one of the sweetest little girls I've met - ever. She's just precious - a true angel. In the mornings, Stephanie and I would take turns getting her dressed. After putting on the dress you see below, she jumped off my lap and ran into her bedroom. With all smiles, she came prancing back to me with her Cinderella headband on. Sarah says she's very into her headbands these days.

Isn't she adorable? Gotta love her Sleeping Beauty sand cake too.




Her little sister Taylor is no different. Though she was sick all weekend, she was generally a very happy little girl. At 17 months, she is full of energy, joy, and hugs. Man, I miss my hugs from Madison and Taylor!




After this last shot, I knew it was time to move on. Poor Taylor just needed a good nap. Fortunately for me, there was one more member of the family left to photograph. I absolutely could not leave him out. After all, he's just as much a part of the family as Taylor and Madison are. He's also just as sweet, just as lovable, and just as adorable.

Everyone, meet Score.




Score, I'm so sorry my allergies kept me from loving on you more. I really wish I could have pet you all day long. You are one awesome dog!

Now all I'm missing is a great picture of Sarah and Kevin and one of the whole family. I hope I'll have the chance to visit again, so we can get that taken care of.

Kevin and Sarah, thanks again for letting us crash at your place and for putting up with our crazy food restrictions. We had a wonderful time. Please, come visit my family in Texas. You are welcome any time!

Stephanie, thanks for being the best traveling buddy ever. I miss you already.

A Boy, A Ferry, and his Bob {Newport, Balboa, CA travel photography}

Most mornings in California this past weekend started out dreary and cloudy. But, by early afternoon the sun would find its way out from among the clouds and we would enjoy the rest of the day embraced in sunlight. This day was no different.

My cousin Monique and my cousin's wife Stephanie and I all headed out for a Girls Day Out on Newport Beach and Balboa. On the agenda for the day: a leisurely afternoon of sight seeing and picture taking - some good old fashioned R&R.

Being raised for the majority of my childhood years near the dunes in Indiana, I have a soft spot in my heart for all things beachy. The waves, the water, the piers, the painted toe nails buried in the sand, the wind in my hair, the sound of the tide coming in...all of it makes for a very happy and peaceful Tammy. Living land-bound in central Texas for the past 12 years, the beach is exactly what the doctor ordered.

We weren't even out of the parking lot before we saw our first glimpse of beauty. Isn't this amazing!


To be perfectly honest, I wasn't there just for the R&R. I had ulterior motives. My husband and I were about to celebrate our 9th anniversary in just two days, so I enlisted Stephanie's help to capture some recent images of me for an album I had planned for Steve's anniversary gift.

Cheesy, I know. But, I wanted Steve (and the kids) to have recent professional pictures of me (without a camera in my hand). Some day when I'm long gone, I want them to remember me in what could very well be my very best years - still young (relatively), still healthy (thankfully), still full of enthusiasm and zest for life. This is how I want them to remember me for years to come.

I credit Stephanie for introducing me to photography as a business years ago. She did an amazing job with the images I selected for Steve's album. My new profile picture is one of hers. Thanks so much, Stephanie! The following image didn't make the cut, but it's where I'd like to start today's story - on the Ferry that took us from Newport to Balboa and back.


While packing up my camera gear that morning, I had in my mind that I wanted to keep my eye open for interesting local stories. I wanted the images that I captured that day to reflect the feel of the place, the local flair so-to-say.

Then I saw him...and I knew right away that I had found a story worth telling.


There he was. The picture of what I hope my son will be some day. A brave, adventurous, nature-loving, bare-footed, free-to-roam on his own, self-sufficient young boy - a boy content to spend the day alone with just a fishing pole and the dream of what he might reel in. How old is he? I don't know. 10, 11, 12...I can't tell. What I could tell is that he was totally confident riding the ferry on his own. He was a boy on a mission, and something told me he would get exactly what he was looking for.


We departed the ferry and parted ways - never expecting to cross paths again. We never uttered a word to each other. (Although I'm pretty sure he probably figured out my obscenely long lens was aimed in his direction and that I wasn't really taking pictures of the scenery behind him.) I assumed he went off in search of the perfect fishing hole, while my cousins and I headed off in search of local antique shops.

We strolled past waterfront cottages lined with flowers and bedecked for the holidays - Halloween, that is. It's fair to say the locals do it up pretty grand!


The whole town decorates for an annual Halloween tour. It's creepy and beautiful all at the same time.


Looking past the eerie decorations, we ogled homes that we dreamed about living in. If only that boat were our boat, that porch our porch, and that deck our deck... One such home was lined with floor to ceiling windows that would have made for the perfect photography studio. Stephanie and I were all about that house, for sure.


But, alas, those houses belonged to someone else. We wouldn't be hanging our beach towels over the front porch rails any time soon, but at least we could stop and smell the flowers while passing by.


And dream about raising our little boys there some day - to smell and care for their own flowers - just like this local lad.


Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, suddenly out of the corner of my eye just past the boats, I saw him. Our little adventurer. Casting his line.


And like predicted, he got what he came for.


And I think it's safe to say...so did I.

We stopped to ask him his name. "Chase," he said. (Which just happens to be the name my cousin has picked out for her next born son if they have another -and if she gets her way.) I asked him if I could take his picture and gave him my card so he could read his story here some day (you know a year from now when he cleans out his back pack and finds the card some crazy photographer gave him one day while he was out fishing). As for the fish? Chase named him "Bob".

How perfect!

Thanks so much for letting me tell your story, Chase! I hope you catch many more Bobs in the years to come. One thing is certain: You're one amazing (not to mention handsome) young boy! May you never lose your sense of adventure.