Paquita and James reached out to me in the middle of a turbulent time. I’m referring to the pandemic, but I’m also referring to an aftershock of the pandemic in my personal life. I’m going to be very transparent here: I lost 95% of my work for the year. My main gig is shooting weddings, and I also do photography work for schools, theatre and film. Well, all the big weddings cancelled due to Covid-19, all the schools shut down, all theatre and comedy and film work shut down…! I went from consistently supporting my family with my photography to entertaining my housebound preschooler all day. It wasn’t long before my husband and I were unable to pay rent on our Los Angeles apartment, and had to move in with family in San Diego.

While I was in the middle of this big transition, I received a lovely, thoughtful email… Paquita wrote to me and said that all their plans for the year had been upended too, that she absolutely loved my work, and was wondering if I knew anyone like me in San Diego who could shoot a small beach elopement.

It was pure serendipity!

Because I had suddenly just become a San Diego photographer available to shoot small elopements!!

Not only that, but on our Facetime consultation we instantly clicked with each other — which is when I know we’re bound to make photographic magic together. Paquita and James are both very warm, friendly, adventurous, and have an incredible history together, spanning across the globe and over many seas. I mean that quite literally: they’re a nautical couple, obsessed with sailing and oceans and everything maritime.

Early in the morning on a cloudy July weekday, we all headed out to a secluded corner of Sunset Cliffs to witness the joining of their love, accompanied only by their parents (who were in their quarantine pod), their cat, and the gentle crashing of waves…

Their first dance on a cliff, with music faintly heard from a portable bluetooth speaker:

Then heading down to the waves to immerse themselves in the sea, where their love was forged:

We only had two hours at the beach and we loved every moment of it.

Fair winds, Paquita and James :)