Raised Side by Side, in Lavender Light and Full Bloom


An evening at Our Buena Vista Lavender Farm with three sisters, their cousin Whose like a sister, and the children who tie them even closer.

 

Purple lavender flowers bloom in a sunlit garden with trees and golden sunlight filtering through the branches.Our Buena vista Lavender Farm

The golden hour wrapped around the lavender fields, bathing one of our favorite extended families in soft, magical light. That sunset felt like a quiet kind of wonder. 🌿

A group of four friends in elegant dresses pose together outdoors during golden hour on a summer evening.
A group of people in coordinated pink and white outfits stand together in a sunlit garden with lavender flowers at sunset.

Three sisters, their cousin (who might as well be a fourth), and a lively crew of kids filled the evening with laughter, light, and love. Their joy echoed through the rows of lavender, weaving together generations with a bond as fragrant and enduring as the fields themselves.

Couple embraces in a lavender field at sunset, while wearing coordinated blue outfits and standing amid purple blooms.

I wandered barefoot through the rows with my camera, chasing sun and silliness, soaking in all the tender chaos and connection that unfolded.


A tender moment captured in golden sunlight among lavender plants as three people embrace in a peaceful outdoor setting.
A tender black and white moment captured in a meadow of tall grass on a sunny afternoon.

 

Two of the sisters are mamas now — one with a sweet little boy, another with two kids of her own — and watching this next generation grow up together felt like a gentle kind of magic.

 

Black and white photo series showing a group in coordinated dresses posing playfully together outdoors.

The way they tumbled through the lavender, picked flowers, and wrapped their arms around one another reminded me: family isn’t just who we’re born to. It’s who stays close. Who shows up. Who raises kids side by side, just like they were raised.

A joyful moment captured in a sunny garden with a floral dress and green shirt against trees and lavender plants.
A floral sundress among blooming lavender flowers in a garden at golden hour with sunlit trees in the background.
A family sits together dangling their feet off a wooden dock over a tranquil pond on a summer afternoon.
A group sits together on a rustic bench in a field at sunset with evergreen trees in the background.

 

The evening moved naturally — full of belly laughs, tangled hands, tender smiles, and twirls in the golden light.

 

A group of people in white dresses walk through a sunlit meadow with pine trees in the background.

Between the laughter and play, there were also still moments — the kind you don’t realize are everything until they’ve quietly passed.

Two people playing joyfully in a sunlit meadow with tall grass on a bright summer day.
Three people stand together smiling in a lavender field on a sunny summer day.
Black and white portrait of someone in a floral dress standing in a dreamy outdoor setting with tall trees and lavender.
A purple floral dress creates a dreamy summer scene among blooming lavender fields at golden hour.
Backlit figure in white dress dances through a colorful lavender field at sunset creating a dreamy summer scene.
Black and white portrait of a bridal party standing together in a rustic field with tall grass and trees in the background.
A young dancer twirls with joy in a floral dress surrounded by lavender flowers during a golden sunset.
A child in a teal t-shirt smiles joyfully while sitting outdoors in a field of purple lavender flowers at sunset.
Two friends with curly hair sharing a joyful embrace outdoors in a sunny field at golden hour.
Small child in mint green outfit peeks out playfully from behind purple floral fabric in golden sunlit setting.
Small white garden shed with green-trimmed door and tall grass in a rustic outdoor setting.
A parent and child share a joyful moment together in a sundress and floral dress against a natural outdoor backdrop.
A group sits together on a wooden dock overlooking a pond during golden hour while their dog plays in the water below.
Family in light summer clothing poses on a wooden dock by a tranquil pond with cattails and trees in the background.
A couple stands on a wooden dock surrounded by tall reeds and trees reflected in a tranquil pond at sunset.
A peaceful lakeside scene shows three people sitting together on a wooden dock surrounded by reeds and green foliage.
Silhouettes of pine trees against a vibrant orange and yellow sunset sky during dusk hours.
People walking and lounging on small wooden footbridges across a serene pond surrounded by lush green vegetation.
Group of people sitting together laughing and having fun in a grassy field at golden hour sunset.
A group sits together laughing outdoors in a field at sunset with lavender plants and evergreen trees in background.
A joyful group sits together on a rustic wooden bench in a sunlit field during golden hour.
A collection of silhouetted figures gazing at a vibrant orange and purple sunset across multiple framed images.

As the sun dipped low behind the hills, the sky turned lavender too — like it was in on the moment. We packed up slowly, not quite ready to let go of the light or the laughter. Sessions like this don’t just get documented — they stay with you.