San Diego is one of those places that wins my heart over every time I’m there. There’s so much to love about it- eternal sunshine, dreamy sunsets on the beach, endless burritos, tons of outdoor activities balanced out by amazing city amenities like museums and diverse restaurant options. Another unmistakeable pro to San Diego- not only is it home to my first college, it is home to some of the more beloved people of my life: my sister Kirstin and her amazing family. (I may be biased, but at the same time- I *triple dirty dare* anyone who has met any of the folks that comprise this family unit to describe them as anything short of completely wonderful, kind, compassionate, and hilarious)
I had been on a short visit to San Diego this past summer, primarily for the sole purpose of snagging sunset burritos with Kirstin, Jason, and their two children, dancing superstar Gia and surfing champ-in-the-making Mateo.
Previous to my meeting with Kirstin, I spent an afternoon of waltzing around Ocean Beach area, vacillating between reminiscing on my first college memories and what it looks like now, 13 years later and in full-force COVID-era. The set up of the Ocean Beach Farmer’s Market then, completely bustling over with color and life and loudness- and now, softer and more quiet, but still not lacking the ever-present backbone of the local beach grit that gives OB its character and undeniable charm. There’s still açaí bowls and there’s still a few remaining antique stores. Azucar, once the new café on the block, now an old favorite. The new plant store around the corner is now a new favorite that feels like it’s been there forever. There’s something bittersweet and beautiful about watching this neighborhood age.
The sun was beginning to settle into the ocean by the time that Kirstin and I got together at Kellogg Beach. For the record, Kellogg Beach is the epitome of cool, understated, simplicity- something that in retrospect, I am not surprised at all would be the location of choice for Kirstin. I’ll probably bookmark this beach as my go-to for future times, to be honest.
Her husband Jason and their two children soon after came bearing gifts of aforementioned burritos and beach necessities, like sand pails and boogie boards. Gia, a true Gemini, danced her way up and down the beach, jumping and living as loudly as every girl oughta (if you ask me). Mateo, a soft spoken but incredibly observant and thoughtful boy, was a borderline beach archaeologist, finding all sorts of cool stuff and sharing his findings with the kind of intention of sharing your knowledge that I find completely and irrevocably endearing.
As the sun’s “golden” hour (I only say “golden” with quotations because the more accurate term would be “soft magenta perfection”- holy pink skies!) came closer, we got to taking some photos. I want to point out- these photos are all very casual, I know. My long-standing love for documentary style photography means that I’m not huge on overly posed images; while I do direct some, I really love incorporating as much genuine movement as possible. Plus, this family already knows how to party in a way that makes a beautiful photo just happen on its own. There’s something amazing about being a witness to (and having the honor to photograph) the tiny, organic, and intimate moments in a family’s life. The way you can hear Gia’s laughter like glitter when looking at a photo of her unfiltered joy, the way you can feel the love that Mateo comforts in when his mother is holding him.
I think of all my most prized memories as a child, how much I cling to the details when in a present world of seemingly endless chaos. Then I think- THIS. These are the photos that your children will have to cling to in the future. When they are reminiscing on old streets and beaches, when they want to remember what they used to look like when they’ve discovered something new in the sand, when their world was being held together by their heroes known as their parents. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to see it happen- to be a part of the documentation of this immeasurably special part of your family’s life.
Thank you thank you thank you, sweet fam.