A Luminous, Filoli Garden Family Session

When the light dances just right, and the company is simply perfect, you play. I met up with this wonderful bunch on the heels of Summer for this luminous Filoli Garden Family session. It was a beautiful, warm September afternoon and I had been looking forward to seeing these faces forever. There were freckles, and lingering summer tans, and the most welcoming outstretched arms and smiles. 

The kiddos had grown up, in what seemed like a flash. It had only been but a couple years, but with teenagers especially, the change seems significant.  I mean, those incredible boys are now almost taller than their mama. Howww?

The sun was high in the sky, and the gardens, simply stunning in their seasonal plantings, were begging to be explored. With every visit (and there have been many over the past 12 years) I am always in such awe of these 16 acres of English Renaissance gardens. Every corner boasts such thoughtfully laid out beds and borders, bursting with color. And yet in all those stunning textural layers, there is an underlying (and unifying) theme of simplicity.

We caught up that afternoon as we explored those brilliant bright spots and areas of dappled light through the tree canopies. Jake and Tara will forever have my heart. I love the way they laugh and how respectful they are towards one another. I loved hearing about their past and their present ~ Tanner’s upcoming driving test, stories of Brook’s namesake and being born in the UK and seeing Reese so excited and confident, requesting a portrait by herself behind the sunken garden.

The girls gently gathered their soft linen, scalloped dresses, as they walked along the gravel pathways. I was eager to learn more about Tara’s successful floral business, Blooms by Tara, which has made such a name for itself already in the Bay Area! Her romantic, organic artistry has caught the eye of so many as she continues to grow. Yet in all her success and the common tendency to push forward, she eagerly expressed gratitude for right now … and for her family. And that in a nutshell is why I love her and her family so much. Their humility and perspective are beautiful. And Tara’s stunning designs … well, they speak for themselves.

My cup was beyond full after our time together.  The opportunity to connect, dance in the light, and make art with friends, is surely a blessing. ~ Kent Avenue Photography

Kodak Portra 400 scanned by the wonderful Richard Photo Lab.