Why Family Photos Are So Important: Golden Hour Photos at Centennial Beach

As a mom, I know how important it is to capture every moment with my family. Whether it's a small milestone or just a moment of joy, I try my best to capture it all. That's why when the Bazzard family reached out to me for a family photo session, I didn't hesitate. We decided to take the photos at Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen during golden hour, and it was an experience I'll never forget. In this blog post, I want to share with you why family photos are so important, and how this photo session was a beautiful reminder of that.

1. Memories: The first reason why family photos are so important is that they capture memories that will last a lifetime. When you look back at them, you'll remember how you felt, what you were doing, and who you were with. That's exactly what the Bazzard family wanted to do with our photo session. They wanted to make sure that they had beautiful photos to look back on when their daughter is all grown up and they can reminisce about their happy days spent together.

2. Connection: When you take family photos, you're not just taking pictures of faces, you're capturing the connection between family members. You'll see how much you love each other and cherish each other's company. That's exactly what happened during our photo session at Centennial Beach. The love between this family was palpable, and it was a beautiful reminder of why family is so important.

3. Milestones: Another reason why family photos are so important is that they capture milestones in your life. Whether it's your child's first birthday or their first day of kindergarten, these moments are important to remember. In our photo session, we captured the Bazzard family's daughter playing in the sand, searching for seashells, and laughing with her parents. These are the moments that they will look back on with fondness, and they will see how much they've grown and changed over time.

4. Happiness: When you take family photos, you're capturing pure happiness. The joy that comes from spending time with your loved ones is something that cannot be replicated. During our photo session, I saw firsthand how happy the Bazzard family was. They laughed, played, and just enjoyed each other's company. It was a beautiful reminder that happiness can be found in the smallest moments, and family is what makes life worth living.

5. Love: Finally, family photos capture love. It's a love that is indescribable but can be seen in every photo taken. I saw that love during our photo session with the Bazzard family. They had a love that was so pure and genuine, and it was a beautiful reminder that love is the foundation of family.

Family photos are so important for so many reasons. They capture memories, connection, milestones, happiness, and love. Our photo session at Centennial Beach was a beautiful reminder of that. It was a reminder that no matter how busy life gets, we should always make time for family. We should always cherish and capture those special moments because they will last a lifetime. So, take those family photos, and don't feel guilty for doing so. Because when you look back at them, you'll be reminded of just how lucky you are.

Capturing the Ward Family: A Family Photoshoot Experience at Community Baby Studio in Tsawwassen

Photographing a family can be a beautiful and rewarding experience, especially when the family is as warm and loving as the Wards. Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing them in my new home photography studio, and it was an absolute delight. Their calm, kind, and positive energy made the whole session such a wonderful experience, especially as baby sister giggled at her big sister during the shoot. I am excited to share with you my experience of capturing the beauty of the Ward family during our family photoshoot at Community Baby Studio in Tsawwassen.

As soon as the Wards entered my studio, I could feel their positive energy and love for each other. It was easy to see the special bond between the sisters as they laughed and interacted. The Ward family came prepared with outfits that matched perfectly, which worked beautifully in creating a stunning family portrait. During the shoot, we used various props and backdrops to create a fun and fresh atmosphere. The playful expressions and smiles of the Ward family were truly a joy to capture.

We started the session with some playful shots of the sisters together, big sister was so excited and giggled throughout the entire shoot. The love between them was evident, and it made the photoshoot all the more magical.

Next, we moved on to the beautiful family portraits. Every family is unique, and the Wards are no exception. We caught some amazing group shots that really captured their love and joy for each other. Incorporating the natural light of the studio, we were able to bring out the warmth and beauty that radiated from their family.

As the session continued, I noticed that the little one was getting a bit fussy. So, instead of trying to force more poses from the babies, we decided to focus on capturing candid shots of her and momma interacting in a natural way. This approach created some of the most beautiful moments of the session: authentic, loving, and sincere shots of the family enjoying spending time together.

Photographing the Ward family was such an enjoyable experience. The love that they shared for each other and the positive energy they brought to the studio made the session full of laughter and magic. Community Baby Studio in Tsawwassen provided the perfect backdrop to capture the beauty of the Ward family. Through our session, we were able to capture not just pictures, but moments in time that they will cherish for years to come. As a photographer, I feel so blessed to have been a part of the Ward family's story, and I hope to capture more stories just like theirs in the future. To all the moms out there, cherish your loved ones and don't forget to capture these precious moments on film. They are moments that will last a lifetime.

xo Paige

A Golden Hour Family Photo Session with the Findlay Family & Grandparents

As a photographer, one of my favorite moments of the day is Golden Hour, that magical time of day when the sun is beginning to set and the light is soft, warm, and beautiful. And that is exactly the time when I had the pleasure of taking photos of the Findlay family and their grandparents. I have worked with this family before, and it was an absolute joy to see them again and capture their love and connection at a little forest nook in Tsawwassen.

The day of the photo session was beautiful, and sunny but super cold for early spring (you’d never be able to tell from the photos though!). I arrived at the location a bit earlier to scout the area, find the best spots to take the photos.

When the Findlays arrived, I greeted them with a warm hug and introduced them to the location. We talked about their outfits, the poses and what to expect from the session. They were SO relaxed and excited, and that made my job so much easier. We started with some photos of the kids and grandparents, and then we moved on to the family portraits.

One of the things I love about family sessions is that each family has its unique dynamics, and it's my job to capture them on camera. With the Findlays, I could see the love and affection that they have for each other, and that made my job so much easier.

As the sun started to set, the light turned into a golden and warm hue, and that created a magical atmosphere in the photos. We moved around the location, trying different poses and spots, and the family was always game for it.

After about 45 hours of shooting, the kids were getting cold so the grandparents took them back to the car to warm up. This gave me the perfect opportunity to focus on the parents photos. And oh my goodness, so much love between these two!!

At the end of the session, I knew that I had captured some gorgeous and meaningful photos that they will cherish for years to come.

A family photo session during Golden Hour at a beautiful location is a magical and meaningful experience for the whole family. As a photographer, my job is to capture the love and connection that your family has and freeze it in time. If you are thinking about booking a family photo session, I would suggest finding a location that has meaning to you, wearing outfits that make you feel comfortable and confident, and bringing some props or accessories that represent your family's personality. But ultimately, my biggest advice is to relax, have fun, and let me capture the beauty and magic of your family.

xo Paige

Centennial Beach Family Photos | Kuelen Family | Community Photography South Delta

I’m so excited to finally be posting this dreamy family photo session. Summer time, hands down, is the best time for family photos. The wildflowers are out and Centennial Beach is at it’s finest.

I met the Kuelen family in Bounrday Bay to start the shoot. Their outfit choice was my favourite, ever! Light, neutral colors always photograph so beautifully with my photography style. We played in the flower fields and the kids loved spending time with mom and dad. As the sun set, we made our way to Boundary Bay beach. The water was warm and I loved how by the end of the shoot the family were all knees deep in the ocean.

Thank you to the Keulen family for letting me take these photos for you. You guys are the best to take photos with! Hopefully we can do it again sometime soon :)

Paige :)

Centennial Beach Family Photos | Tsawwassen, BC | Community Photography South Delta

June family photos in Tsawwassen may be my favourite! The weather is warming up, the wildflowers are out and Centennial Beach is at it’s finest.

This photo session was special for me because these are two of my good friends and their sweet baby Bowen, who is just the sweetest little guys!

I met Candice and Brent for their family photos in Tsawwassen and we started in a flower field. Bowen was all smiles and the yellow flowers complimented the sun shining off the trees. When the sun set a little more in the sky we moved to the beach in Boundary Bay for sunset photos. It was approaching baby bedtime as the sun set so he just snuggled up against mom and feel asleep for part of our session :) I love big smiles from kids but I almost love snuggly moments more. Once the sunset, Bowen work up for one last hurrah and was all smiles for the send of the session. Seriously, scroll down, it doesn’t get any cuter!

Thank you Brent and Candice for such a fun and memorable family photo session in Tsawwassen. I loved taking these photos for you guys and I can ‘t wait for our next milestone session together.

xoxo Paige

Tsawwassen Family Photos | Centennial Beach | Community Photography South Delta

This was a super cool family photo session for me because I graduated highschool with both Alysha and Neil. SDSS class of 2005! And here we are, 16 years later, both raising our kids in Tsawwassen.

It was awesome to reconnect with these two and meet their beautiful daughter Brooklyn. We met for their family photo session at Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen. I generally like to schedule the start times of my photoshoots around sunset, however, that can be super late for little kids in the late spring and summer time when the sun doesn't set until 9pm. We met around 5pm and captured some beautiful and bright photos at this time.

Alysha looks SO stunning in her beautiful green dress and her hair and makeup was perfect. Little Brooklyn reminded me of my own kids, fun loving and busy! She had just found how to walk and that's all she wanted to do. We played games with her and she was just so happy to be with mom and dad :)

Tsawwassen Maternity Photos | Centennial Beach | Community Photography South Delta

Do you want to check out the dreamiest maternity photoshoot at Centennial Beach, ever?! Scroll down! I met G + T at Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen for their maternity photos on a beautiful, snowy winter's day. Centennial Beach was a winter wonderland with a fresh blanket of snow. Tanya wore a beautiful white maternity dress that complimented the snow perfectly. I've taken family photos 100 times at Centennial Beach but I've never seen it so beautiful before. We spent the hour before sunset, hanging out and taking photos with Tanya's beautiful baby bump. I had to give these two little directions as they both were just so natural in front of the camera. It may have been beautiful but it was also SO cold by the time the sun set over Boundary Bay. But just look at the photos, you would have had no idea by how these two look :)

It was a photoshoot I'll never forget. Maybe one of the most beautiful with the way the Tsawwassen Beach looked with these two gorgeous parents to be.

At Home Newborn Photos | Ladner, BC | Community Photography

One of the best parts of being a part of a small community is that I get to build relationships with my clients that go beyond just the photoshoot. I was so happy to get to know Pilar and her family during their newborn shoot. I have since been doing her fitness classes (Pilarfit) and they are so great!

 

Even though she said she was nervous to be in front of the camera, Pilar was a totally natural and really put her family at ease during the shoot. She had the ability to like create such candid genuine moments between her and her family. Her two older boys were so lovely, took directions beautifully and were so gentle with their new baby sister. It was such a treat to photograph.

 

We did these photos when Freya was six weeks old which is a little bit older that I typically shoot newborn sessions. I actually really enjoyed it because she was so smiley which you don’t get with the really teeny tiny newborns. She was just so sweet in front of the camera.

 

At the very end of the photo session they wanted to bring a little bit more of their personality into the photo so they all changed into camo for a couple quick pictures which I think is awesome!  I think it's great when people want to bring their own style and create photos that are a true representation of they family!

 

Thanks so much for including me in your beautiful family photos Pilar! I’m looking forward to you kicking my butt in a workout this week!

Billinger Family Photos in Boundary Bay || Tsawwassen, BC

I can’t think of a year where documenting your happy family memories has ever been more important. Time moves fast and can change in an instant Or, it can feel like a blur of days, weeks and months that are all the same, especially in 2020, the year of Covid. Which makes it super important to capture the moments on camera.

Remember the summer of 2020? The summer days felt like everything was almost back to normal, or maybe we were just getting used to our new way of life. It was great.

Looking back on these images, everything felt so soft and lovely and romantic, and I just loved how the Billinger family made one of my much loved photo locations totally their own. Carlie, Shawn and their beautiful golden haired daughter giggled, snuggled, laughed and tickled their way through this gorgeous family session,.

Thanks Carlie for asking me to take your family photos. I love shooting with you and your family. It is such a pleasure and I can’t wait to do it again sometime soon :)

xo Paige

Tsawwassen Newborn Photos with the Findlay Family

Lifestyle newborn sessions are my favourite! My goal is to capture all the snuggles, love and soft moments shared between a family in the first couple of weeks after baby comes home from the hospital. I had a perfect Saturday morning with the Findlay family after their beautiful baby girl Emery (LOVE this baby name!) came into the world!

I loved this session for so many reasons. First, Mom Kayla - Ann was amazing at preparing all the small details for the session that make such a BIG difference in photos. She had her hair and makeup done before the session, she brought two outfits, one casual and one a little more dressed up with added an amazing variety to their photo gallery and had a few different pattered swaddles that brought in amazing accent colors. Second, the dynamics between Mom and Dad was amazing! Both so photogenic and the way they moved together I really didn’t need to give much direction. They were both so relaxed infront of the camera and with each other. Lastly, baby Emerey was a DREAM baby to photograph! She slept for most of the session and when she was awake was not fussy, just wanting to be cuddled by mom and dad.

Mom and Dad looked happy, at ease and in love. Grandma arrived at the end of the photo session for some beautiful moment with her grand daughter and daughter.. I loved capturing the three generations all together.

Thank you to the Findlay family for allowing me to capture these special moments for you. I love shooting with you guys and look forward to doing it again this summer!

Paige :)

Centennial Beach Family Photos with the Marelic Family | Tsawwassen, BC

I hope this blog post brings you a little sunshine on such a classic Vancouver snow day! This family photo session was taken on a balmy summer evening last summer. It was the first day the Washington State wildfire smoke rolled into Tsawwassen. I was on the phone earlier in the day with Mom Chelsea (of Plasma Skin Pro - side note, she gives the BEST manicures and facials too!) and we even considered cancelling because of the smoke…and I’m sure glad we didn’t. The smoke, as unfortunate as the wildfires were :( made for really pretty lighting for their family photo session.

I met up with the Marelic family at Centennial Beach just as golden hour was approaching. I LOVED the dress Chelsea had chosen to wear and her two girls were in the most beautiful dresses from Little Luxe Children’s Boutique in South Surrey. Chelsea had also brought the most gorgeous flower crowns from Our Little Flower Company. Small details like flower crowns always make for the most memorable photos!

We spent the next hour hanging out at Centennial Beach, playing in the water and the Marelic family just enjoyed time being together! So much love between these four and it was so great being able to capture these moments on camera for them.

To the Marelic Family, thank you for meeting up with me on this beautiful evening at Centennial Beach for your family photos. It was such a pleasure shooting with you guys :) I hope we can do it again sometime!

xo Paige

Boundary Bay Family Photos with the Dewaele's | Tsawwassen Family Photos

One cool part of my job as a photographer is it's provided some totally amazing chances to re-connect with people from my past. Along with a little business driving force called social media, it's allowed my work to be shared, be seen and draw in new clients, some I've known it seems like forever!

Amy Dewaele, a rockstar South Surrey/White Rock Real Estate agent, reached out to me after she had seen photos on from my sister’s family photo session on Instagram (check out the pics HERE!). Growing up, we had been family friends so it was so nice to re-connect all these years later!

I showed up early to our Boundary Bay photoshoot location, which I always do, just to check out the beach conditions. When I arrived, I noticed the city had cut the grass in the location I had been starting out portraits all summer. And it wasn't just a little 'haircut' it was an actual hack job, a bad buzz cut of all the beautiful flowy grass that was tried and true for stunning photography. So I had to improvise and I found another location with beautiful light! It always pays off to show up early for work :)

We got into taking family photos and I just loved the energy from the two boys. Happy kids with fun energy (even if I have to chase them around for a bit :) are the best to photograph. They always make for genuine candid moments, big smiles and lots of laughs. Mom and Dad went with the flow and kept smiling the whole time. The evening in Tsawwassen was beautiful and not a cloud in the sky - a perfect night for family pictures. 

Thanks to the Dewaele family for meeting up with me in Tsawwassen for your family pictures. It was such a blast keeping up with the kiddos and re-connecting with you Amy. I'm sure we'll run into each other at Tap Restaurant one of these days!

One cool part of my job as a photographer is it's provided some totally amazing chances to re-connect with people from my past. Along with a little business driving force called social media, it's allowed my work to be shared, be seen and draw in new clients, some I've known it seems like forever!

Amy Dewaele, a rockstar South Surrey/White Rock Real Estate agent, reached out to me after she had seen photos on my sister's Instagram (check out the pics HERE!). Growing up, our families had been very close so it was so nice to re-connect all these years later! It was a blast from the past to see her, and Amy is so warm and charismatic we didn't miss a beat catching up.

I showed up early to our Boundary Bay photoshoot location, which I always do, just to check out the beach conditions. When I arrived, I noticed the city had cut the grass in the location I had been starting out portraits all summer. And it wasn't just a little 'haircut' it was an actual hack job! A bad buzz cut of all the beautiful flowy grass that was tried and true for stunning photography. I found another location with the most beautiful light streaming through the trees…it always pays off to show up early for work :)

We got into taking family photos and I just loved the energy from the two boys. Happy kids with fun energy (even if I have to chase them around for a bit :) are the best to photograph. They always make for genuine candid moments, big smiles and lots of laughs. Mom and Dad went with the flow and were smiling the whole time. The evening in Tsawwassen was beautiful and not a cloud in the sky - a perfect night for family pictures. 

Thanks to the Dewaele family for meeting up with me in Tsawwassen for your family pictures. It was such a blast keeping up with the kiddos and re-connecting with you Amy. I'm sure we'll run into each other at Tap Restaurant one of these days!

Paige :)

Centennial Beach Family Photos | Kwong Family | Community Photography South Delta

I met the Kwong family at Centennial Beach their photo session on a day summer was slowly moving into fall. It was such a pleasure to capture the special moments between this little family, there is something so special about photographing first time parents.

The weather was ideal for family photos. A soft pastel light that matched beautifully with their Ah-Mazing outfit choices!

The sky turned the most beautiful pastel blue at sunset. The perfect backdrop for this family to cuddle, laugh and enjoy their time together.

To the Kwong family, I loved taking these photos for you! Jessy, it was so nice to reconnect after all these years and meet the newest addition to your family!

Paige :)

Tsawwassen Family Photos | Centennial Beach | Community Photography South Delta

My favourite type of new client is a referral client. It means they have heard a raving review from a friend, family member or colleague, most likely seen my photos and are ready to make the investment in their family portraits. I love my clients so when their friend drops an email to have their family photos taken, I know they will most likely be as lovely and cool as the person who referred them.

This was totally the case with Daria. From the start, she was excited to have her family photos taken and so lovely over email. I had taken her friend's maternity and newborn photos last year and she wanted me to create the same images for her. Her family photo session took place a couple weeks after the Covid - 19 restrictions began lifting; the session was booked back in January so I was so happy we were able to finally go ahead with her session!

When I met with her family, I asked them if they would be okay walking a block because there was a gorgeous patch of wildflowers that I knew would photograph beautifully. And I’m so thankful we did! You’d never guess we were in a small ally that led to the beach. It looks like we are in a meadow far away from everything! The dynamic of this family of three was everything. The more time we spent shooting the more fun everyone was having. We nailed so many beautiful locations during this shoot making their gallery diverse and stunning. I loved the dynamics between both mother and daughter and husband and wife, making so many beautiful special moments.

Dear Daria and family, thank you for making the drive to Tsawwassen for your family photos. It was a true pleasure meeting you and taking your photos on this summer evening. I hope we can do it again soon :)

xo Paige

MATHONY FAMILY PHOTOS | BEACH SESSION, TSAWWASSEN

Being a photographer who lives just outside of Vancouver, even if our town nickname is 'sunny Tsawwassen', I still have to deal with the fact that it rains. All. The. Time. Especially as a family photographer, I have to be uber flexible with rain checks because what little kid will last more than 10 minutes in a rainy photoshoot? None! The Mathony Family originally had their family photo session scheduled for October, which was rained out. We moved it to November and it was rained out again. At that point we decided to move it to the spring, and hoped the third time would be a charm.

We didn't completely escape the elements for their photo shoot, for it was the most WINDY day I've ever shot it. A day when all of the kite boarders were out in Boundary Bay. A day too windy for people to set up camp at the beach. Like seriously windy. 

I met the Mathony family in the parking lot and I noticed two things right away. Their amazing outfit choices. This year I'm seeing so much more color than past years and they had amazing bright color combinations that fit together beautifully. Second, they all have the most striking eyes! All bright and icy blue. 

When we started to shoot their family photos, I was amazed at how natural the whole family was in front of the camera. Both kids took direction beautifully and both mom and dad were hands on and super fun; the kids just totally followed suit. We shot in a field for the first while (because it was protected from the wind) before we went down to the beach. The second we were exposed on the sand, holy smokes, the wind just took over! To keep warm we had to keep moving. I felt more like a drill sergeant than a photographer as the wind was so powerful I literally had to yell directions to the family to be heard. Even with the crazy wind, both kids kept smiles on their face and laughed the whole time. By the end of the shoot, the sun peeked through the clouds to make for some beautiful lighting for our last set of photos. Right before both kids ran off the beach and back to the shelter of the car. 

To the Mathony family, thank you for meeting with me on the windiest night ever down at Centennial Beach. You guys were the ultimate troopers for battling the elements and keeping smiles on your face the whole time. I'd love to do it again sometime. Maybe in the heat of July or August on a night when there isn't a cloud in the sky and zero wind lol. But seriously, you guys are the best. Thank you!

JERICHO BEACH FAMILY PHOTOS | KITSILANO, VANCOUVER

As a Tsawwassen family photographer who lived in Vancouver for the good part of my 20s, I love any excuse to some back into the city. Especially when I can go to my old stomping ground of Kitsilano (beach volleyball anyone?!) to take family portraits. I’m in love with the white sand beaches, city landscape and the towering mountains. It makes me want to pinch myself that we get to call this gorgeous city our own!

I met up with the Morrison family for their family photos at Jericho this fall. Kate felt like an old friend after our correspondence back and forth organizing their photoshoot. I love a good !!!! in my e-mails and so does she! So I know we’d get along well :) Their son Luke was just over one year old. My favourite age to photograph. This age they are on the move and make me WORK for the shots, however, the result is always the most candid and genuine.

It was a crisp fall day for their family photos in Vancouver, which is always my favourite because it makes for a crisp and clear sunset. We had a blast taking photos on the beach and had the BEST sunset over the mountains.

Thank you Kate, Tim and Luke for coming to meet with me for your family portraits. I always love coming to Vancouver and it was especially made great because I met all of you! I hope we can do it again sometime soon :)