Julie was the planner.  I was very impressed.  Julie contacted me several weeks before their photo shoot to schedule it.  She knew that she wanted a big family photo with the grandparents and then both individual families on their own and then some with the cousins together.  She knew they wanted their session at Descanso Gardens.  In fact, that’s where she found my work, through a google search for photography and Descanso Gardens.  I mentioned that they have a fee for photography at Descanso unless they wanted to try to fly under the radar, but there is a chance we would get kicked out.  She surprised me, saying that she was already aware of the fee and had confirmed the amount with Descanso.

Fast forward the Saturday afternoon of our photo session.  Julie called me when I was just a few minutes away saying there was a problem.  Whoever she talked to on the phone was misinformed.  Not only was the amount she was quoted on the phone double, but they don’t allow photography at all on the weekends.  And now that they knew our intentions, they wouldn’t let us in at all.  So much for planning ahead and doing things the right way.

So in the middle of the parking lot, we had to scramble and find an alternate location, all the while the light was fading fast.  We decided to head to Lacy Park in San Marino.  And I’m so glad we did.  I love this park.  The lighting was spectacular and the surroundings were beautiful.  I don’t think they could have found a better location. This is Julie and her family.

You don’t have backdrops like this at Descanso.

Or lighting this fabulous.

I love their piercing green eyes.

And here’s Julie’s brother and sister-in-law (I hope I got that right) and their family.  They informed me that they were more traditional, not so much into running and skipping the little ones were doing.  I said that was just fine.  I think we found some pretty backdrops for them.

And here’s everyone all together.

The cousins had some fun running and playing together after our group shots.

Love love love their fierce expressions.

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