Fourth of July felt extra special this year. I think part of it is that the third season of Stranger Things came out literally on July 4, set in  1985 (fabulous year) and centered around Independence Day. The larger than life holiday + 80s vibe of it all spoke to me. So when I met the Zamora family in downtown Carrollton for their family session, I saw the words HAPPY JULY 4TH on the marquee and it felt meant to be. The marquee looked kind of vintage to me, and highlighted the holiday we’d just celebrated. Combined with the colorful, primary-based palette the Zamoras chose for their outfits, it was perfect.

Nothing says summer like sunshine, and I personally love the color yellow. I know a lot of people don’t. But it speaks to me! It’s so bright and happy. So when I saw Laura approaching me along with her daughter Brooke, both dressed in yellow, I was beyond thrilled. Dad Bruno and big brother Brad broke up the color scheme a bit in red and blue – again, hello July 4!

Since it was about a thousand degrees outside, we decided to keep our session short and sweet, as well as low-key. We beat the heat (well, kinda) by staying mostly in open shade and using the urban setting to our advantage. We used the quaint streets of Carrollton as our backdrop and chatted comfortably as we strolled the streets. Brooke and Brad could not have been more cool – laidback kids like this are a dream to work with.

Zamora family – thanks for bringing a little cheer to my summer. With your smiling faces, your color choices, and the awesome time we had in downtown Carrollton.  (Is that yellow building not the best? I scouted it before I saw the yellow dress and top, and I think it worked out so perfectly!) Y’all have a fantastic rest of the summer.