Some families fly home from vacation with a camera roll full of blurry phone pictures and one decent group shot from a stranger on the beach. The Gillettes flew home with a gallery.

Tyler and Jennessa were in Monterey on vacation with their daughter, and instead of hoping the photos would somehow take themselves, they set aside one slow morning for a session — no rushing, no agenda, just a walk through a eucalyptus grove and bare feet in the sand before the rest of their day even started.

It might be my favorite kind of session there is.

We started in the eucalyptus grove

If you’ve never stood in a Monterey eucalyptus grove in the morning, it’s hard to describe how quiet it feels. The trees go up forever, the light filters down in soft ribbons, and everything smells faintly like mint and sea air. We wandered down the path while their girl held her mama’s hand, and I hung back and let them just be together.

No stiff posing here — that’s never been my thing. A few prompts to get them laughing and snuggling and moving, and the grove did the rest. Dad in his blue button-down, mom in a flowy neutral dress, their daughter in the sweetest little cream dress — they looked like they belonged there.

Then we headed for the beach

This is the part I love about the Monterey coast: ten minutes after standing under hundred-foot trees, we had our toes in white sand with the whole beach practically to ourselves. Morning light on the water here is soft and forgiving — no squinting, no harsh shadows, no crowds photobombing the background.

And this is where the session really opened up. Their daughter twirled and danced and ran down the shoreline until her hair was everywhere.

Tyler and Jennessa stole a few quiet moments to themselves while she played.

We ended with all three of them piled together in the sand, laughing at nothing in particular. Those are the frames I know they’ll come back to.

Why vacation photos matter more than you think

Here’s the thing I’d love every traveling family to hear: vacation is one of the best possible times to get family photos taken.

Think about what a vacation actually is. Everyone’s together — really together, not squeezed between school pickup and soccer practice. Nobody’s checking email. You’re relaxed in a way you almost never are at home, and it shows on your faces. And you’re somewhere beautiful that you chose on purpose, a place that will forever be part of your family’s story.

Years from now, “that trip to Monterey” won’t just be a memory you try to describe. It’ll be your daughter mid-twirl on the sand. It’ll be the way you held onto each other under the eucalyptus trees. The trip ends; the photos don’t.

The other quiet gift? Mom and Dad actually get to be in the pictures. Not holding the phone. In them.

Planning a trip to the Monterey coast?

If Monterey, Carmel, Pacific Grove, or Santa Cruz is on your travel calendar, I’d love to save a morning for your family. One relaxed hour, and you go home with your favorite souvenir — I promise it beats anything in the gift shop.

Inquire here to book your session →