Is there a perfect time?

When is the last time you had a family picture taken? Before your youngest even had their first tooth? Two children ago? 25 lbs ago? What has been holding you back from booking a family photo session?
Is there ever a perfect time to have photographs taken of your family?
It’s so easy to say-
“We have so much going on”
“I’m too fat”
“Sue is still in braces”
“We’re too busy”
“Maybe next year”

I just want to say STOP IT! We need to take the time to appreciate the value of family photos, if not for ourselves (because we’re too fat or whatever), then for our children. In 20 years, your children are not going to say, “I really love this photo but I wish my mom had waited until she lost some weight or that my sister was out of braces.”

I have had occasions in the past where this has been brought up with a sad reminder to me. Like the call I got just a few weeks after a wedding. We had some time before the reception and per the brides request we had taken some individual shots of the families that were there. One of those family shots was of an Uncle and his family. They called me wanting to know if they could get that picture right away as they wanted to use it at his funeral services. He had been out trimming a tree and taken a fall that was fatal. This was the only family pictures they had all together in many, many years.

I have had some humbling reminders of this again last week as I got a call to please come and take some family portraits before a beautiful and beloved daughter; sister, mother and friend had to have immediate surgery to remove cancer and then started immediate chemotherapy treatments.


We never know what tomorrow will bring. Life is quickly racing by. So my answer to my own question is, there is no “perfect” time to take a family picture, so as Nike would say, “Just do it”.


Thanks, to this family who allowed me to again share some special moments and trusted me to capture the language of love that their family speaks. Thanks for reminding me what is truly important.

Kevin and Bree's Album

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.


This is quick look at an album I designed and ordered last week from a Newport Beach LDS Temple Wedding from a while back. It will be a 10x10 Art Leather Album. It’s smaller, only 10 pages (20 sides) but I think they did a great job of picking pictures to tell the story line of their day. I know it’s hard to see the details in the little slide show pictures but it gives you an idea of what a beautiful bride Bree was and talk about gorgeous colors.

It been a while since I’ve had a wedding in Newport but I just love photographing there as there is almost always an ocean breeze to keep things pleasant and except for early in the mornings you are usually blessed with blue skies.

Dan and Rebecca

What a magic day. You take one gorgeous bride, one handsome groom; add in some wonderful friends and family and some picture perfect weather (Only 89 in mid August in Southern California) and it was a perfect day! I am only going to post a few pictures here for now. As you can imagine I have more than a few pictures to go through so I hope this will to do for now. A full blog posting will come later. For now if you want to see more of their pictures you can go to their online albums at www.printroom.com/pro/crphotos

Forever in our hearts...we will always remember.

I don’t really put personal things out here on my photography blog but today I really feel like I have to take a moment to remind mostly myself to always take the time to spend with friends and love ones and to never forget the events of September 11, 2001.

As fall approaches and the weather cools I find myself getting nostalgic this time of year. For me, fall is a season for remembering. Yesterday would have been my brothers 45th birthday. I still miss him. Nine years ago today our nation was changed forever. I still cry. It was nine years ago today I found out I had a heart because it was ripped from my chest when the towers got hit and collapsed, as the pentagon got hit and as the heroes took that plane down in an open field to save the lives of so many others.

We are a strong and resilient people, but we must always remember. Remember that day, remember the lives lost and remember that life is short. Let us remember what is important and be thankful for the blessing we do have in our lives. One of my favorite sayings is, “Some things are urgent, some things are important…learn the difference.”

Today I challenge you to reflect on the things that are important in your life and to be sure to always remember. Remember this day of tragedy with an affirmation of life. Take today to remember who and what is important and take the time today to share a very precious moment of life with them.


Below is a clip that my brother carried around in his flight planner. You might recognize the last three words that Nike has taken for one of their slogans but now you have the rest of the story.

May we all step outside our comfort zone and really live life. I love you forever Bro!