Carmel State Beach - Carmel, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Ben + Allison

On the first of October, I drove out to Carmel State Beach to photograph Ben + Allison’s gorgeous micro-wedding. It was such an amazing event!

It doesn’t matter how big the wedding is when you love someone the way Ben + Allison do! There was something so special about these two celebrating with only their closest family and friends.

The wedding was flawless. They chose the most perfect spot on Carmel State Beach that had a view of the Pebble Beach Golf Course. This made for some absolutely stunning photos! I’m obsessed.

Both Ben + Allison are excellent golf players, and apparently, Ben went semi-pro! He proposed at the Pebble Beach Golf Course, which is why this gorgeous spot on the beach was such a good location for them. It really ties their story together!

We decided last-minute to climb up to the exact spot where he proposed, and took some stunning photos up there. It was a workout to walk across the sand with all my camera gear, but boy, was it worth it!

Ben + Allison were super easy to work with. I swapped between my 35mm and 85mm lenses to get a variation of close and wide shots. Both are so romantic. I’m glad that I brought them!

The 35mm has been my absolute favorite lately because I’ve learned to frame things so artistically that it seems like you’re there at the session when you look at them. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: don’t rob yourself of amazing photos like these! Hire a pro!

Since Ben + Allison drove all the way from Sacramento, which is about 3.5 hours one-way, they spent the weekend here in Carmel. After the wedding, they all headed to Alvarado Brewery to have dinner with their families.

On the way, we passed their favorite house on the coast. They’ve tried looking it up online before, just to see how much it’s worth, but they can never locate it, so they call it their “mystery house.” I hope they do find it one day, because this couple is so sweet!

Ben + Allison, I can’t tell you what an honor it was to be a part of your special day. I’m so happy for both of you, and I wish you all the best as you run forward in this new stage of life together. Congratulations!

Pacific Grove, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Melissa + Kevin

Melissa + Kevin love the outdoors, so it felt perfect that we had our family photo session at a woodsy location in Pacific Grove!

This family shoot was squeezed into Melissa + Kevin’s engagement and wedding package. It was a pleasure for me to rework their package to include it! Family photos are so important, especially with a wedding around the corner!

Kids are always a blast to photograph, and these guys were all that and more! Letting them jump off stuff makes for great photos. I also love to play games like Simon Says with them, or crack terrible jokes to make them smile.

I love capturing them at this energetic stage of life. The kids are into soccer this year and just had their first game prior to our morning session. They were so well-behaved, and had tons of beautiful smiles!

Melissa did an amazing job with everyone’s outfits! The color coordination was on point. I love it when the family shares a similar color theme, but they’re not dressed identically. This gives everyone individuality.

Melissa wore a hat, which added a classy touch to their photos. We took some with it and without it so that they would have options! I can’t decide which ones I like more.

As always, we scheduled our shoot for the optimal light. That’s usually in the morning, like this session, or in the evening. That way, the sun is low enough for us to capture some amazing backlight!

Backlight makes the family pop! It makes hair shine and faces glow, adding so much more depth to each photograph. It makes a good photo great, and a great photo even better!

Melissa + Kevin are about to tie the knot, and their wedding is set for next August! I’ll be photographing that event, so stay tuned! I’m so excited that we were able to squeeze this family shoot into their package.

I’ll also be shooting Melissa + Kevin’s engagement session next month in Monterey. I can’t wait to see how they turn out. Thanks for choosing me to document all of these amazing milestones, and see you soon!

Garland Ranch - Carmel, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Mari + Juan

I was so excited when Mari + Juan booked me for a family session last month! I did their family photos about a year ago. That time, we photographed Mari’s side of the family, and this time I got to meet Juan’s!

They were just as much fun to work with. It was so cool to see how much this family cherishes each other. Mari + Juan’s kids have grown up so much!

Our session happened at Garland Ranch. I convinced them to go for a 4pm time slot, and boy, was that the right call!

The weather was one of those 10/10 days, and I could not have been more happy with how nice it was. The sun was just right, which gave us the chance to use all sorts of photography techniques like backlight.

This family loves western attire, and this wardrobe choice shines in every photo! The western theme is so perfect for showing off their personalities. They played with it!

With extended family shots, it can sometimes be a bit tricky to make sure that everyone has their eyes open, but we had such a good time! I kept things moving and paid close attention to all of those little details so this family has perfect memories to look back on.

Some of Juan’s family were even visiting from Mexico for the first time in many years. To be able to capture their reunion was such a blessing!

I took so many photos of everyone together, but I also set aside some time to capture just Mari + Juan’s family! They are such a joy to work with, and I look forward to hopefully seeing them again soon!

Mari + Juan, I was so happy to see you again! I can’t thank you enough for choosing me again to photograph your beautiful family and extended family. When looking at these photos, I hope you fondly remember the memories we made that day.