A Heartfelt Family Photoshoot at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco

There are photo sessions that make you smile the entire time behind the camera — and then there are sessions that quietly move you to tears. This one at the Palace of Fine Arts was both.

It felt almost surreal to see this family again after all these years. The last time I photographed their older daughter, she was just a one-year-old toddler taking her first steps. Fast forward seven years, she’s now a confident, joyful young girl twirling in a white tulle skirt, gently guiding her little sister through poses as if she’s been in front of the camera her whole life. I’ll admit, I got a little emotional watching her — time truly flies faster than the shutter clicks.

The session took place under the soft afternoon light at the Palace of Fine Arts — golden columns glowing in the background, reflections shimmering in the pond, and laughter echoing between them. The girls played, danced, and shared piggyback rides while their parents looked on, smiling in the same warm way I remembered years ago.

I love how these images captured not just their togetherness but also the rhythm of growing up — still full of wonder, yet with a deeper bond that only time can create. It’s moments like these that remind me why I do what I do — preserving love, connection, and the quiet beauty of time passing.

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