Fog! Thick soupy fog. There it sits like a bowl of marshmallow cream in the valley below me, and I'm wondering if I'll be able to see the family I'm about to meet at Big Rock Park. The weather man has said it will be warm today maybe even in the low 70's, but right now it looks cold and unwelcoming. I pray and hope for the best while I drive down Mission Gorge Road toward my destination. Eric, my assistant is due to meet me in a few minutes to help get my equipment ready. I made sure my battery pack was charged up, so I don't have a dead battery in forty-five minutes like I did at my last photo session. Lesson learned on that one!
If I were at the park just to enjoy the early morning quiet and a walk, the ambiance created by the slowly lifting fog would be delightful. But I'm not and I'm hoping that in another twenty minutes it will lift enough to get some great images of Gabriel, Jasmine, and their children, Dana, Joelle, and the little guy also named Gabriel. The Pina's are a neat family that I got to know last spring, so I really want to give them some nice images to choose from. Gabriel has told me that it's been six and a half years since their last formal portrait was taken. Gee, little Gabe wasn't even born then! It's definitely time.
Eric arrives and we are ready to go when the Pina family drives up all dressed in their Padres shirts. How cute! They love the Padres, so why not. Thankfully, the fog is lifting just enough to suit me and off we go. The kids want photos on the big rocks, dad wants photos on the swings, and I want photos near the creek where all the gorgeous, huge, and colorful leaves carpet the ground.
After each set of photos, I say, "Do you want to see?" The kids all respond gleefully, "Yes!" Little Joelle says, "Wow!" with lots of feeling when she sees each one. I tell her that I'm going to make her my official ambassador for my photography. She just smiles and seems pleased. Mom and dad are happy with the images they see and I think they may have a difficult time choosing just one.
Our session comes to an end, and while I say good-bye to mom and dad the kids run off to play for a few minutes. I've enjoyed the Pina's so much, and my session with them just reiterates for me why I enjoy my photography so much. The people I get the chance to work with are fun and full of life. I have the best job in the world. Thanks Pina family for a really great morning at the park. Enjoy your images!
You can see all the images from the Pina's photo session on my website, elizabethheathphotography.com.
Now, go forth and do something you love to do!
