At the Beach, At the Park, Blue Sky's Promotions, Creative sessions, Event Photography, Family Holiday Cards, Family Photography, In a field, In home, Kids Photography, Orange County Photography, Portrait Photography, Uncategorized, Urban Photography

Why OC Families Should Book Christmas Photos in July

🎄 Why OC Families Should Book Christmas Photos in July

Yes, Christmas in July is a thing—and for Orange County families, it’s the smartest way to get ahead of the holiday chaos.

At Blue Skys Studio, we believe the best time to plan your family’s holiday portraits is now—while the sun is shining, the kids are out of school, and your calendar isn’t already packed with holiday parties, gift shopping, and school events.

Here’s why savvy OC families are getting their portraits done early—and how our Christmas in July Special makes it fun, easy, and stress-free.

☀️ 1. Avoid the Holiday Rush

Fall and winter get busy fast. Between back-to-school, sports, travel, and the holidays, scheduling anything for your family becomes nearly impossible.

Booking your session in July gives you the flexibility to choose the perfect day, time, and location—before our calendar fills up with last-minute bookings.

🌤️ 2. Take Advantage of Perfect Weather

Let’s face it—July in Orange County is gorgeous. Golden sunlight, warm evenings, and vibrant greenery make it the ideal time for glowing, natural family portraits.

Unlike December, you don’t have to deal with chilly winds, rain delays, or gloomy skies.

🌿 3. Nature Looks Its Best

From Laguna Canyon’s wildflowers to golden hour light along the Newport Beach coast, summer showcases the best of OC’s natural beauty.

Whether you want ocean views, a tree-lined park, or a rustic field, we’ll help you choose the perfect backdrop.

4. Take Advantage of Our Christmas in July Special

We’re making it easy—and irresistible—for your family to get ahead this year with our Christmas in July Special. Each session includes everything you need to knock “holiday photos” off your to-do list in style:

✅ A full-length, customized portrait session tailored to your family’s needs
✅ 25 custom-designed holiday cards using your favorite images
✅ A full gallery of posed and candid photos, including family portraits, sibling shots, parent combos, and individual portraits
✅ Wardrobe consultation and location guidance so you look and feel your best
✅ Options to add on custom albums and wall art to showcase your favorite images at home

But don’t wait—we only have limited time slots available, and this package is an amazing deal that families return for year after year.

At the Beach, At the Park, Event Photography, Family Photography, Orange County Photography, Senior Photography, Summer Family Photography, Uncategorized, Urban Photography

Capture time with a family photo during senior session

Why Every Parent Needs a Professional Family Portrait (and How Senior Portraits Can Be the Start)

Time moves fast, especially when you’re raising kids. One day, they’re starting kindergarten, and the next, they’re graduating high school, ready to take on the world. As a parent, these milestones are bittersweet, you’re beyond proud, yet you wish you could slow time just a little.

That’s why professional family portraits are so important. They freeze these fleeting moments, turning them into treasured keepsakes that last long after your children have grown. And if you haven’t had a family portrait in years, a senior session is the perfect reminder to book one.

Senior Portraits: The Perfect Starting Point

Senior year is a huge milestone, not just for your teen but for your whole family. It marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. A senior portrait session is a wonderful way to celebrate your high schooler’s personality and achievements, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to update your family portraits.

Many parents realize during a senior session just how long it’s been since the last full family photo. Maybe the last professional pictures you had were when your kids were toddlers, or perhaps you never got around to scheduling one at all. This is the moment to change that! Why not turn your senior’s photoshoot into a full family session? You’ll capture their milestone while also preserving memories of your entire family together.

Why Professional Family Portraits Matter

Life gets busy, and it’s easy to put off scheduling a family session. But here’s why you shouldn’t wait:

Kids Grow Up Fast – You blink, and suddenly, they’re off to college or starting their own families. Having a professional portrait ensures you have tangible memories of this stage in life.
Professional Quality Matters – A professional photographer knows how to pose, light, and edit your images to make sure everyone looks their best.

Family Portraits Make Great Gifts – Whether for grandparents or displayed in your own home, a beautiful family portrait is a meaningful keepsake.
You Deserve to Be in the Photos – Too often, parents are behind the camera instead of in front of it. A professional session ensures you have images where everyone is included.

Making It Easy: Combining Sessions

If you’re already scheduling senior portraits, consider making it a two-part session. We can start with individual senior shots, then bring the whole family in for some group portraits. It’s an easy way to check both off your list while everyone is together and looking their best.

Don’t Wait for ‘The Perfect Time’

Many parents put off family portraits, waiting for the “right” moment—when schedules clear up, when everyone is available, or when life slows down. But the truth is, there will always be a reason to wait. Instead, make it a priority now. Your future self (and your future grown kids) will be so grateful you did.

Let your senior’s big moment be the reminder you need to capture your entire family. These portraits will be ones you cherish forever. “If you’re enjoying these tips, I dive even deeper over on my main site—Blue Skys —where I share exclusive resources, templates, and behind-the-scenes content you won’t find anywhere else.”

Ready to book your senior and family session? Let’s make it happen!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out our previous blog: Professional Senior Portraits: A Meaningful Way to Celebrate Your Kid’s Milestone to see why senior portraits are a special way to honor this milestone and how they can seamlessly lead into a full family session.

Event Photography

Laguna Beach Photographer: Barefoot 3 Club Classic

SchoolPower’s Barefoot classic is the last fundraiser of the calendar year and definitely worth attending whether you are a golf expert or you just want to attend for the great food. Thanks to Mark Christy for always making it a memorable event.

The event started with the biggest group of golfers to date complete with fun outfits and strange props. The rules of the game, you can only use three clubs, no shoes and have fun! And if your a guy and want to make sure your toes look great, then by all means get a pedicure prior to the event!

Those that only made it to the dinner, were treated to great food and music in a gorgeous environment! This year the dinner was under the stars and the atmosphere was amazing.

Thanks to Mark Christy and many other generous donors, the silent auction was a success with the most popular item being a “Glaming trip” in the old Girl Scout camp at the back of the Ranch property.

Enjoy some highlight images from the event. To download images, go to the link at the bottom of the post.

To download images click here! If you post any online, we would love credit @blueskysstudio!

Event Photography

Laguna Beach photographer: Lumberyard Chef Challenge

One of the best parts of being a Laguna Beach Photographer is being a part of the community. And one of my favorite charities is Laguna Beach is SchoolPower education foundation. SchoolPower is a volunteer-based organization whose mission it is to raise money to enrich the educational experience of students in Laguna Beach. I have been volunteering my time with SchoolPower for more than 7 years.

Laguna Beach Lumberyard event photography

The Chef Challenge a three course meal is sponsored by the Lumberyard restaurant. There are two menus, each selected by two of the four principals in the Laguna Beach School District. The Middle School and High School Principals Allemann/Salberg vs the Elementary School Principals, Conlon/Duddy.

Chef Challenge Winner at Lumberyard Laguna Beach

And this year’s coveted Golden Spatula award goes to… Principals Conlon and Duddy for their delicious menu.

Lumberyard event with School power photography

Winning menu from Laguna Beach school fundraiser

Thanks to all of the volunteers who made this another amazing evening. I am so grateful that Blue Sky’s Studio has the opportunity to document these events that make the Laguna Beach School district so amazing!

Winners of the Chef Challenge at Lumberyard in Laguna Beach

To see all of the images of the day and download your favorites, click here!

Event Photography

2019 SchoolPower Gala at the Ritz Carleton Laguna Niguel

It was my honor, once again, to be a part of the SchoolPower 2019 Gala. If you watched my story on Instagram, you saw how generous all of the amazing donors where who attended the event. Especially the Wilson family, who has been a part of SchoolPower since the very beginning. I am humbled by their generosity and kindness to Laguna Beach Schools.

If you attended the event and would like to download the images, you can click on the link. We do request that if you post them online, you give Blue Sky’s Studio some love by tagging the images @blueskysstudio

SCHOOL POWER GALA IMAGES

Thank you so much for once again including me in the beautiful event. If you are interested in booking a session with Blue Sky’s, please visit our website at: