When I tell you that for the first time in my career, I had an emergency and was so worried my session with the Garfia family would have been cancelled!

My son had a little incident. (nothing major but we did have to see a dr!) as I was heading out to the session 🤦🏽‍♀️ And right away I was scrambling to see how we could still have our session and so we decided for sunrise the next day because there was no way I’d get there by sunset.

I was stressing big time but they were so kind to reschedule and I was determined to get some amazing photos! AND WE DID IT!

Sunrise is just as pretty and gives you something more unique than the staple sunset. I love morning sessions too and this way you have the whole rest of the day to enjoy your vacation. Win-win.

We also saw lots of baby turtles who had just hatched and were making their way to the ocean, it was magnificent!

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I absolutely was floored by how amazing Amber & Carlos look in these photos! We had to reschedule due to flight issues and rain and timing. But when we settled on a day and time it was absolutely PERFECT.

It was drizzling, and even at one point rained. Amber was going for a bright, soft, and relaxed look to her photos and I think we nailed it!

Which reminds me… I’ve gotta get these published somewhere!

Getting to photograph families is something that I enjoy so much because I get the chance to create something that will be passed down through generations.

Someday, these girls will look at these photos and remember the amazing vacation they took amidst one of the worst pandemics in the world.

Together and united they enjoyed a little rest and relaxation at a top destination, Marival Distincts Resort, in Nuevo Vallarta.

With all the safety regulations in place, families can get a little vacation in and enjoy the beach, pool, and restaurants in Puerto Vallarta even during this unprecedented time. Resorts are only at 30% capacity, maintaining all of the sanitation regulations and helping our locals get back to work.

Partnered with Localgrapher for this session.

Beach portraits are wonderfully unique because of the location! The beaches here in Bucerias and Puerto Vallarta are breathtakingly beautiful and offer long stretches of beach and sunsets like no other.

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However, because you’re on a beach there are a few things to consider when you’re having your portraits taken.

Sunset Golden Hour is the best time

The best time to schedule your session is about an hour to an hour and half before sunset. I’m sure that you’ve heard it as it’s the infamous “golden hour”. This is when the sun is going down, making it less harsh but giving it such a beautiful golden wash to the photos.

The sun sets behind the beach here which makes any time between 11am and 4pm brutal to photograph in. The sun is still behind the water a bit however, the sand will reflect all of that light back onto you making it hard to see, often resulting in squinty or closed eyes.

Why start so early before sunset, isn’t it still too bright?

Having enough time to photograph your family fully is always the best bet. I want to make sure you have lots of photos that you can revisit time and time again. If we only photographed during sun set, we’d have only about 10 minutes to photograph your family.

This way, we can also walk around, have fun, splash in the water, and get individual photos and candid photos of your family being themselves. It also gives me time to hang with you and get to know you better!

Don’t worry if we photograph at a different time than sunset!

Maybe you have a tour scheduled and won’t make it in time, or perhaps nap times have to be considered and I can definitely understand with my 2 year old!

Don’t worry, I got you covered. If we do photograph your session at a different time than sunset, we can still get absolutely stellar images that you’ll love for many years to come!

The difference here is that there will be less posed photos and more interactive photos. This is because the sun is pretty bright any time after 9am and so rather than having you cringe and squint trying to look at the camera, I’ll have you play and interact with each other.

But don’t worry, if there is shade, we’ll definitely use it! If there isn’t, I’ll try and position you so that the sun isn’t so harsh.

Keeping you comfortable while still photographing your family interacting make for the most emotive photos! These are my favorite type of photos to create!

Do what’s best for you and your family

Choosing the best time for your family is always the best way to schedule your session. I am comfortable and experienced in photographing at any time during the day so that you have the most beautiful photos of your family on vacation.

So if we need to photograph at 10am because of a nap time, I’ve got you covered. After lunch time when tummies are full and every one has lots of energy, let’s do it.

The time that is best for you and your family is when I want to photograph you. This is a sure way to get the best expressions, energy, and have the most fun during a session that everyone will love!

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Have you had a family vacation session before? Are you interested in scheduling your next session while in Puerto Vallarta? Contact me so I can send over all of the info and get your family photographed!

I am so happy to photograph such beautiful families who come to Bucerias and Puerto Vallarta and spend a few days in the sun and sand. Nothing like spending time together and getting to witness the most beautiful sunsets on the pacific coast.

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Everyone in this family was just sweet and they were such a joy to be around. Thank you to everyone for having me take a little bit of your time on vacation to capture your beautiful family!

And isn't this baby just adorable! Loved her! 

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Sunset sessions are laid back and easy. If you're visiting this area let me know and we'll schedule your session so that you can always remember your time on a beautiful Mexican Beach Vacation.

This family was just the most fun loving, happy, and playful family I have photographed in a long time! Then again, all of the families that hire me to photograph them have lots of fun during the session!  

Visiting Bucerias from Canada, they came to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, which is no feat, and deserved a very fun photo session! It was very endearing to see the couple so in love, their family having fun, and the all around great vibe they gave.  They light up any room!  

If you're visiting this beautiful area of Bucerias, Sayulita, San Pancho, and Puerto Vallarta, make sure you schedule your family portrait session, because there is nothing like these beautiful beaches and even more beautiful sunsets!