Summer is a slow time of year for photographers here in Tucson, especially family photographers. Temperatures can climb to over 110 making shoots difficult for families with children to weather. No matter the temperature I’m always grateful for clients who want to book during the summer. When I was contacted about an extended family session for the Castillo family in June I was thrilled, but a bit surprised because they had a family of 18. As it turns out, it was three adult children who brought their families together to visit their parents. It was the first time in 15 years the entire family would be together, and they wanted photos to celebrate the occasion.
The meaningfulness of the session created a beautiful aura surrounding the shoot. Their session was hot, around 105 I believe, but everyone was in good spirits and a lot of laughter was shared. There were eight adults and ten children, from a toddler to a high school senior. I shot for the majority of two hours. Photos of each family, photos of grandma and grandpa and their kids, photos of the grandchildren, photos of each couple…many, many combinations. Everyone did spectacularly well considering the heat.
The hot afternoon gave way to a cooler and pleasant evening. After the sun set I captured the entire family with beautiful Gate’s Pass in the background. As we were finishing up the session I noticed the moon cresting over the mountains. It was June’s Strawberry Moon, and it was a spectacular sight. I wanted to capture the Castillo family with the moon, but everyone had already headed to their cars. So I photographed just the moon to use in post processing. I think it turned out magical, and is still one of my favorite family photos.
The Castillo Family Photos
