Believe it or not Southern California does have seasons: Summer, late Summer, Winter Summer, Almost Summer. Now that its is almost summer-the trees are once again filled with leaves, the grass is green, birds are chirping and pollen is in the air. I love it! I love also that families begin thinking about getting together for outings, vacations and even portraits. The summer marks the beginning of our busiest season for environmental portraiture. Though most of my work is done on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, occasionally a family will request something different. We have here in California a particular species of tree called the “California Pepper tree” It is similar in some ways to what one might know as the Weeping Willow of the midwest. Growing up in the Chicago area I had many of those in my neighborhood. Kids loved to play on them, they had long springy branches you could swing from -almost like Tarzan. I loved the one my dad planted in our backyard, it provided endless entertainment. Well I absolutely love the California Pepper trees growing in one of my favorite parks- but for different reasons. They happen to provide an incredible plume of open shade for portraiture. Moreover, the leaves and branches “light up” when the afternoon sun glistens through them at the right angle. For Professional Photographers like myself they are a gift from God. Below is an example of the unique beauty they provide in a family portrait. Did I mention the trunks are wonderfully “gnarly”
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