The Cowley and Doerr's on Seabrook Island Beach, SC
Seabrook Island is just outside Charleston, I see it as the more secluded and less resort-like of the gated islands here in South Carolina. There is such a calming presents about the beaches here, even in the busy summer months. The sunsets are spectacular here, too. As you might already know, extended families have become a huge client base for me, I really enjoy working with large groups, dogs, kids- like, give me all the chaos and I will find that peaceful nature in it all. I will say a huge contribution to my calming of chaos this past year was my assistant, Zon. She loves animals and gets an absolute kick out of talking to kids. She is my eyes and ears once I'm in laser focus and helps me organize. This was a session that definitely called for her, and we pulled it off miraculously.
Let's start here, dogs are obviously a huge part of people's families. You don't get a dog just because you like the idea of having a dog. You have a dog because they become a part of your family. Sometimes they go on vacation with you, they love you unconditionally, they grow old with you. I absolutely love having dogs a part of your family portraits because let's face it, they are the one member of the family you know will not always be with you but you create some of the best memories while they are with you.
You can understand my excitement knowing that all three furry members would be a part of this complete family portrait. These kids will look back on these images in their 30s and 40s (except for maybe the baby) and be able to tell you what they remember most about those dogs, every one of them. And that makes my heart so happy. So if you're on the fence about including your dog in your family portrait let this be a sign for you - DOOO ITTTTT
Okay so now that I've gotten my PSA about including your dog in your family portrait, I'll go on to show you how amazing this session was despite having a baby, 2 young kids, and three dogs in one 45 minute session time at sunset.
I would hands down work with this family again and again, year after year. I love their laid back attitude and how they just all really appreciated being around one another. I actually think that I saw more of this the last two years given the circumstances of the world. I mean I feel it myself, having to cancel plans or change things because of the pandemic has been really challenging for a lot of people. So being able to escape that, even just for a week, to spend time with the family and people you love in a place that is such a paradise is a gift that no everyone gets. I think it's so important to no take for granted these moments. I think it's important to capture these moments.