Millerton Lake, Friant California is only a short distance from where I live, and yet can be such a magical place for a session. Millerton is a man-made lake thanks to the Friant dam about 15 minutes northeast of Clovis.

It’s very very bright at the lake due to the sun reflecting off the water. At this time of year, the best time of day for photos is later in the evening. As we approach summer, the hour before sunset gets later and later. This session started at about 6:15, now just a few months later, I would probably wait until 7:15 to start! The hour before sunset lends itself well for breathtaking photos for several reasons. The first is it’s not as bright so the glare coming off the water is reduced. Second, as the sun starts to go down in the sky the color or temperature of the light changes from a neutral bright white light to a softer warmer golden light. And third, you catch all the colors in the sky as the sun sets.

I love how the colors turned out in this session, especially the colors that graced the sky as the sun started setting. A family session is one of my most popular sessions because they document and preserve stages and moments in time. It’s also the one session in which my clients are most emotionally invested and many choose to use these images to adorn their walls. An image of your family gracing your wall will make you smile every time you walk by. A little lift in spirit and a soft melt of the heart every time you look at those little smiling faces.