Family photos at Arizona Cactus Garden

Nicole and Mark, parents to adorable little Kaia, met in high school in the Bay Area. They are currently based in the UK, but were flying back for the first time with Kaia. With both their families being back in the Bay Area, they decided to make the most of it by scheduling a family photo session with each of their families. What a sweet way to celebrate this happy trip for this family of three!

This session was at the Arizona Cactus Garden in Palo Alto, with Nicole’s family - her mom and her two brothers. Nicole wanted a background that showed off that they were in California, so we had to show off the succulents and cacti in this garden. We met early in the morning to avoid the June heat wave, as well as accommodate Kaia’s jetlagged schedule. She was an absolute doll, donning the cutest headband with a flowy white dress and gray socks (I mean look at her ankles!!!). The whole family came coordinated in a neutral pattern. I especially loved Nicole’s mom’s pink organza scarf - I think materials like organza or tulle add the most luxurious accent to any outfit.

I loved photographing this family’s interactions - from the formal multi-generational portraits, to Kaia’s uncles helping her walk across the log in the Cactus Garden, to the parents sharing a rare parents-only moment while their family watched their toddler. I hope that Nicole’s family can look back on these images for years to come and reminisce on this time spent together.