SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

San Francisco Family Photography, Unposed.

Relaxed sessions at home or on location throughout San Francisco, Marin, and Napa, capturing your family as you really are together.

The photograph you'll still love in twenty years is rarely the one where everybody was looking at the camera.

Family of four laughing on the bed at home with their yellow lab
Two fathers with their newborn in the nursery, black and white
Son and his mother looking at each other, black and white
Parents playing with their daughter and her stuffed animals on a bed at home
Mother and toddler walking hand in hand at the water's edge
Mother lifting her toddler in the air in his nursery

HOW A SESSION WORKS

Family of four sitting together on the floor at home, laughing, black and white

No One Has to Perform

We pick a place your family already likes being: your living room on a Sunday morning, a beach you go to anyway, the backyard. Then we mostly let the session happen. I direct when it helps and step back when it doesn't.

Small kids do what small kids do, and that's fine. Twenty-plus years of weddings taught me to work with a room rather than fight it, and toddlers are no harder than a reception running forty minutes late.

You'll get a handful of classic posed frames too, the ones grandparents want printed. Those take about ten minutes and then we're done with them.

View Family Gallery ↓

WHY FAMILIES BOOK ME

Four Things I Can Promise

  • The chaos stays in

    A three-year-old refusing to cooperate is not a failed session. It's usually the frame you'll still love in twenty years.

  • You don't manage anything

    A private online gallery of individually edited images, with high-resolution downloads and easy sharing with family anywhere. A curated set rather than a promised number.

  • No forced smiles

    I direct toward good light and real interaction, not into poses. Nobody has to hold an expression they don't feel.

  • Made to outlast the trend

    Edited the way I've edited for twenty-six years: clean, warm, and unmistakably of your family rather than of this year.

What's Included

  • The Session

    One to two hours, at your home or a location we choose together. Timed around the light, and around naps if that matters.

  • Your Gallery

    A private online gallery of individually edited images, with high-resolution downloads and easy sharing with family anywhere. A curated set rather than a promised number.

  • Albums and Wall Art

    Handcrafted fine art albums and framed prints, ordered straight from your gallery. Made to last generations, not years.

COLLECTIONS

Sessions & Pricing

Every collection includes the session, a private gallery, and a print credit toward albums or wall art

The Session

One hour

$1,150

Monday-Thursday • $1,450 Friday-Sunday

Private online gallery
Ten high-resolution downloads
Ten additional images sized for sharing
$50 print credit
10% off gallery orders

MOST CHOSEN

The Full Session

Two hours

$1,550

Private online gallery
Every image available to download
Full print and sharing rights
$100 print credit
20% off gallery orders

Any day of the week

The Heirloom

Two hours, with an album

$2,250

Private online gallery
Every image available to download
Full print and sharing rights
A 20-spread 8×10 album, or a 16×20 canvas
$150 print credit
25% off gallery orders

Any day of the week

KIND WORDS

“We first met Tara when she photographed our engagement and wedding, and years later she photographed our family with our little one. She has an incredible talent for capturing those moments you never want to forget, while keeping everyone, including wild, wiggly kiddos, laughing and having fun. I’m already conjuring up another reason to work with Tara again. In addition to her gorgeous photographs, she’s just a great person to be around.”

Marianne & JD Ridgeway
Wedding + Family Clients

Two young girls smiling outdoors in a park, forming a heart shape with their hands.
Smiling children outdoors with trees and greenery in the background.
A diverse family group of seven people, including children and adults, smiling and posing together outdoors in a botanical garden with various desert plants and cacti in the background.
A young girl is smiling widely while hugging someone, with her face close to that person's shoulder, in a black and white photo.
A family of five smiling together outdoors in front of vibrant red and orange autumn leaves, with a man, woman, two children, and a baby.
Two young boys sitting on stone steps outdoors, one with a surprised expression and the other waving, both wearing striped shirts and shorts.
Two children, a girl with curly hair wearing a floral blouse and a boy with short hair wearing a graphic t-shirt, holding hands and smiling outdoors in a grassy area.
A happy man with a beard on his face being carried on shoulders by another man, with a young girl smiling and sitting on his shoulders, in a park with trees in the background.
Family of five with a dog walking along a rocky beach during sunset. The family includes a woman, a man, two young boys, and a puppy, all dressed in light-colored clothing at Rodeo Beach in Marin California.
A man and woman are kissing, with a young girl between them touching the woman's face. The woman has long, light brown hair and the man has short, dark brown hair.
A family of four adults and one young girl with a dog sitting on rocks at the beach, with a rocky hillside in the background, during the late afternoon at Rodeo Beach in Marin California.
Group of seven adults, five women and two men, standing on brick steps outside a building with large windows and a door, smiling for the photo.
A man and woman walking in a vineyard with two dogs, among rows of grapevines in fall with colorful foliage.
A woman and a girl sitting on a wooden fence outdoors, facing each other, smiling, and wearing long dresses, with trees and a house in the background.
A multi-generational Asian family of five standing outdoors against a brick wall, smiling at the camera.
A woman and a young boy walking on a sandy beach during sunset with rocky cliffs in the background at Rodeo Beach in Marin California.
A black-and-white photo of a boy and a girl smiling and facing each other outdoors. The girl is reaching out her hand and touching the boy's chest with her fingertips. The boy is looking at her with a smile. The girl has curly hair tied with a big fl
An elderly woman with blonde hair, wearing a red Christmas sweater with colorful pom-poms, holding a young boy with black hair, also wearing a red sweater with a dog design, at Montara Beach in Half Moon Bay.
A family of five poses on the front porch of their house in front of a large red door with ornate black ironwork and decorative trim. The family includes a young boy, a middle-aged man, a woman, a teenage girl, and a Labrador retriever.
Four children and one adult sitting on a bench against a green hedge wall, with a bunch of colorful balloons held by one of the children. The children are smiling and laughing.
A happy multi-ethnic family of six standing outside in front of vibrant red autumn leaves, smiling at the camera.
A woman with blonde hair embracing a young boy with dark hair. They are smiling and holding each other outdoors in front of a vine-covered wall with autumn leaves.
A happy family of four, including a man, woman, and two young girls, standing outdoors on a sunny day surrounded by autumn foliage, smiling at the camera.
A man holding a young girl who is kissing him on her cheek outdoors during golden hour, with sunlight creating a warm glow.
Two young children playing outdoors, one leaning over a wooden log and the other sitting on it, with a large tree in the background.
Two young girls with blonde hair and blue eyes lying on straw, facing each other with foreheads touching, smiling and holding each other's faces in a rustic setting.
A young boy with short brown hair, blue eyes, and freckles, smiling while sitting on a tree branch in front of cactus plants.
Black and white photo of five smiling people, including an adult woman and four children, hugging each other outdoors with a blurred leafy background.
Family of six people, including three children and two adults, sitting on a blanket outdoors surrounded by red poinsettia plants and colorful trees, smiling for the camera.
Multiple feet of adults and a baby, all raised in the air, resting on a patterned surface with a background of indoor lighting.
Two young girls in ballet tutus and floral crowns smiling and hugging each other in a black and white photo.
A young girl with light brown hair and blue eyes holding a small brown and white puppy. She is hugging the puppy close to her face, smiling softly. The background is dark, and part of a wooden post is visible on the right side of the image.
Family of three with a dog playing on the beach, with cliffs and the ocean in the background at Rodeo Beach in Marin California.
Five children walking on a dirt trail in a forest with a bulldog. The children are smiling and dressed casually, with sunlight filtering through trees in the background at Marine Fitzgerald Preserve in Half Moon Bay.
A woman with long, curly hair is cuddling a smiling young boy in a suit outdoors, both looking happy.
A young girl with curly red hair, wearing a light blue dress and a white bow in her hair, sitting on a gray surface outdoors, holding a small, fluffy puppy in her arms. Green bushes are in the background.
Two men sitting on a window seat, smiling and talking, with two bulldogs between them. The window behind them is bright with greenery outside. The man on the left is wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans, while the man on the right is wearing glasse
Two girls hugging outdoors with sunlight creating bokeh background, one with a red headband and curly hair, the other with straight hair and a black dress.
A family playing on a beach with mountains in the background. The man is giving a piggyback ride to a woman, while a young boy in a plaid shirt runs beside them.
A woman and a young girl are smiling as they look at a baby lying in a crib. The scene is in black and white.
Older man and woman smiling and holding hands outdoors among green ivy and trees.
A young boy with brown hair and light skin is dressed in vintage-style clothing, including a gray checkered vest, white shirt with pink stripes, and a red bow tie. He stands outdoors in front of green foliage, with his hands on his chest, looking dir
Two young children, a boy and a girl, sitting outdoors on a blanket in a grassy area with trees and mountains in the background. The boy is reaching out with his hand, and the girl is sitting beside him, both looking at the camera. The image is in bl
A smiling family of four outdoors in a wooded area, with two women, one man, and a young girl with long blonde hair, all close together and happy.
A young girl with blonde hair smiling, standing outdoors in a pink dress with white hearts, in front of a stone wall, with a man and woman in the background.
A family of four enjoying time on the beach. The father, mother, and two children are smiling and holding hands. The mother is holding one child while the father is holding the other child's hands, swinging him playfully in the air on the sand near t
A group of five people, one adult woman and four children, sitting on a sandy beach with hills in the background. They are smiling and looking at the camera at Ocean Beach in San Francisco California.
Two young boys smiling outdoors, one is older with blond hair and the other is younger with light blond hair, sitting and playing in a dry, grassy field.
Three young boys hugging outdoors in front of tall grass and trees, all smiling at the camera.
A happy family of four, including two young boys, poses and interacts playfully against a brick wall, with shadows cast on the ground by sunlight.
A smiling woman with wavy hair lying on a striped blanket outdoors with a young boy, both making playful gestures with their hands.
Three young children sitting outdoors on a park bench, smiling and enjoying the day. Two boys are in the background with blurred faces, and a young girl in the foreground wearing a beige knitted sweater and a checkered flat cap.
A baby with a happy expression lying on a blanket, cradled by a person wearing a plaid shirt, while a dog licks the baby's hand. The scene is captured in black and white.
A group of six people, including two young girls, two adults, a baby, and a teenage boy, standing together outdoors on a balcony with plants and a cityscape in the background. One of the girls is holding a fluffy gray and white cat.
A woman smiling while holding a young girl on her back, at Travis Marina in Sausalito with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.
A man holding a young girl in a polka dot dress in front of a stone wall
An elderly woman with black hair and earrings sitting on a chair with two young boys, one laughing and the other holding his head, all wearing matching purple shirts.
A black and white silhouette of a family with a woman, man, and baby, looking at each other in front of a window with buildings outside.
A young girl with blonde hair held back with a navy hair clip, smiling and looking up, wearing a white shirt with black trim, a pearl bracelet, and holding a small, fluffy beige stuffed animal. An adult, partially visible, is holding her hand.
A group of six people, four men and two women, standing outdoors in front of green foliage, smiling and posing for the photo.
Two women smiling and laughing outdoors near a wooden railing and a tree, one woman wearing a leopard print dress and the other wearing a dark jacket, black and white photo.
Two men lying on the floor, smiling and looking at a baby wrapped in a blanket, surrounded by plush rugs and cushions.
A black and white photo of a young girl with long, light-colored hair, smiling and crossing her arms, standing outdoors near a wooden post with water in the background.
A family of seven standing outdoors in front of a house, holding hands, with trees and greenery around. The group includes three adults and four children, one of whom is holding a puppy. Everyone is dressed nicely and smiling.
Three men and a young child smiling outdoors with green foliage in the background.
A black and white photo of four people smiling, two adults and two children, standing in front of a wooden fence. The adults are in the back with one man on the left and the other on the right with a boy. The children are in front, with the boy on th
A woman and a young girl walk hand in hand through a grassy field during sunset, with hills and trees in the background.
A happy man and a smiling boy sharing a joyful moment outdoors, with the boy leaning against a wooden railing and the man's hand gently touching the boy's knee.
A woman and a young boy sitting on a blanket on a beach, with a large rock formation in the background. The woman is wearing a wide-brimmed hat and smiling, while the boy has curly hair and is also smiling. There are two dogs, one a large curly-haire
A family lying on a bed, smiling and looking at each other. The grandmother has long gray hair and is wearing a knitted beige sweater. The mother has long blonde hair. The father has short brown hair and a beard. The baby is lying in the middle, look
A family of six standing outside on a gravel pathway, holding hands, surrounded by greenery and large trees, with a house partially visible in the background on a sunny day.
People standing barefoot on sand, with toes visible and some painted toenails, close-up shot.
A diverse group of adults and children enjoying a gathering outdoors in the evening, smiling and posing happily, with a lush green hedge and trees in the background, decorated with orange lamps and a floral centerpiece.
A woman and a young girl are playing together on a grassy backyard on a sunny day. The woman appears to be excited and is reaching towards the girl, who is facing away from the camera. The background shows trees and a white picket fence.
Two children holding hands, walking outdoors at sunset or dusk, with their backs to the camera; girl wearing a layered ruffled skirt and girl wearing shorts and a t-shirt, both in a black and white photo.
Young girl with red hair, wearing a black shirt and floral skirt, crawling on a grassy field with a group of adults and children in the background in Alamo Square in San Francisco and the painted ladies visible behind them.
A family of eight standing in a desert botanical garden with large succulents and cacti, and tall trees, during sunset.
Four young girls smiling in a sunny outdoor setting with trees and bokeh background, wearing white dresses and accessories, embracing each other.
A woman, two young children, and two adult men lying on a plush rug, engaging in a playful and affectionate moment, with smiles and eye contact.
A woman with dark hair kneeling on one knee outdoors, smiling, with a young boy standing beside her. They are in a garden with green and purple foliage in the background, on a sunny day.

EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS

Let’s Photograph Your Family This Year

Tell me a little about your family and where you'd like to shoot, and I'll send available dates.

INQUIRE NOW