by the shore line.

Leave your worries by the shore line,
and run your bare feet through the sand,
Let the water be a soft bed,
when you cannot bear to stand…
Let the water hold your sadness,
and wash it right out to the sea,
so like a message in a bottle,
all your worries are set free…
— e.h.

when i was in oregon, we were given an opportunity to photograph a family applying our themes and visual goals. the weather couldn’t have been more miserable, but somehow that didn’t matter. it took the pressure off of making “perfect”. aaand, i learned that in oregon, you don’t postpone things due to rain. i was so happy that my turn happened to come with this particular client. naturally, i have a special love for big families. but what’s more, from the little i knew of their story, they’ve walked through loss. there’s such a beautiful depth in hearts touched by grief. it makes the moments of joy all the more lustrous. i wish you could have heard their sweet chorus of voices (in harmony, no less!) as dad strummed his guitar on that cold, wet, windy beach. it was pure gold. after our session was interrupted with a flash hail storm, we headed back to the beach house for hot chocolate and snacks. while yan worked her magic, we observed and i snuck a few shots through the windows. and now i want to shoot through windows all the time. those layers! :) just might be incorporating more of that into some sessions in the future… what a sweet experience and what a gift to spend the afternoon with such a dear family.