I really wish on some days here on the Olympic Peninsula there would be a soft light breeze. If you have visited the beach while visiting or living here, you know how horribly windy it can be! We do not have the sunny "Cali" beaches. We have different ways of describing the wind depending on how strong it is, lol! I love beach photos, but there is always a chance that wind will be a factor! Today's shoot was a constant strong wind kind of day with very strong gusts. The wind and very chilly air did not detour this entire family from making it work! They are a very sweet and determined family!! The entire duration of this shoot everyone, except dad, was frozen!!
We met up at the Sequim Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge Recreation Area. This family is from Denver Colorado so they really wanted the ocean as the backdrop. They are use to seeing the majesticness of our Olympic Mountains, but having the Pacific Ocean at our front door is so spectacular and new! I had to do a bit of a hike with this fun and outgoing family to the ocean to start their shoot! Why not get an experience out of it!! It is the perfect hiking distance for grade school kiddos and older! The views are absolutely stunning and if you are visiting to see the ocean...this is a must stop! We start our hike down to the water and not one of them is on the shy side...loving it! They are all so excited to tell me all they have seen and done already, and what is still on the agenda! We arrive to the water and the waves are crashing loud, the wind is blowing hard with gusts in-between, and the sun is shining down! They are loving it! The loudness of the waves is very exciting to the kiddos, but I think the temperature is more shocking! They were not use to chilly windy ocean air on a 65 degree day! Goosebumps from start to finish! This did not slow anyone down, or discourage anyone! I love that every single one of these fabulous peeps said yes to all my ideas. We had so many laughs...some staged, but not most!! We do one of the fastest sessions down on the water then head back up to the top of the bluffs to warm up and to get out of the wind. The bluffs are breezy, but not the strong winds that were nearly knocking us over, and we could hear each other!! The ocean greets us in the background still, just not spraying us in the face, or chasing our feet!
I loved capturing this vibrant, determined, and outgoing family! So much fun!!