The rope swing at Hippie Tree has a way of making everyone forget the camera’s there. I’ve been photographing this family since their first was a newborn. Now they’re running through golden hour light with a second in tow, and the joy just keeps multiplying. Their older daughter spread her arms wide in genuine delight. Their toddler’s bright blue eyes caught the sunset glow. Their parents laughed so hard holding them both.

A woman in a taupe cardigan holds her toddler in a purple top along a sunlit dirt path, with tall trees backlighting the warm golden hour

Young girl with curly hair beams at the camera in a pink heart-patterned sweater against blooming white flowers and green foliage

A curly-haired child grins widely while swinging from a rope beneath oak tree dappled shade

A mother playfully holds her toddler while her older daughter smiles beside them on a sunlit dirt path lined with golden trees

A family of four stands on a dusty trail surrounded by golden autumn trees, the mother smiling warmly while holding her youngest child in pink

A family of four smiles warmly on a rope swing beneath a massive eucalyptus tree, bathed in golden afternoon light with rolling hills behind

Three children in coordinated pink tops grip a rope swing, beaming with genuine joy against rustic wooden beams and dappled sunlight

Four females on a rope swing smile warmly in dappled sunlight beneath sprawling oak branches, the youngest child gleaming with joy

Tiburon’s Hippie Tree gave us everything that afternoon: dappled shade under those massive eucalyptus branches, open dirt paths flooded with warm light, white flowers blooming in the background, and those rolling bay views behind them. I worked the intense sunset light by moving between the trees, finding pockets of softer illumination when the direct rays got too strong. One frame caught the mom kissing her toddler’s cheek while golden light filtered through the canopy, no posing, just her eyes closed and love happening in front of the lens.

A man with curly hair lifts a laughing girl on a rope swing while another child watches nearby under a sprawling eucalyptus tree

Mother with closed eyes gently kisses toddler's cheek beneath blooming tree, soft golden light filtering through canopy

A mother with curly hair and warm smile holds her laughing toddler in a pink hoodie beneath dappled sunlight filtering through tree branches

A toddler in a pink polka-dot sweater beams with a genuine smile while held by an adult wearing a gold bracelet, backlit by soft golden hour light

A mother with curly hair holds her laughing toddler on a weathered rock beneath a sprawling tree with dappled sunlight filtering through

Mother and toddler laugh together under snow-laden eucalyptus branches, golden afternoon light warming their faces on the hillside

Beaming toddler in magenta sweatshirt sits on plaid blanket while parent holds her, golden afternoon light illuminating her bright blue eyes and joyful expression

Four years of sessions with this family means I know what makes them tick. I know their rhythms. I know their kids will actually smile instead of tolerating the camera. By the time we wrapped at Hippie Tree in Tiburon, we had everything: the swing moments, the running-through-leaves moments, the quiet tender moments. The kind where you can feel the real thing through the photograph.

Two sisters with curly dark hair beam with genuine joy while sitting together on a plaid blanket, their matching pink polka-dot tops creating visual harmony against the sandy beach backdrop

Two young girls in matching pink polka-dot sweatshirts sit on a plaid blanket, the older child beaming while cradling her toddler sibling on rocky terrain

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Toddler in purple polka-dot shirt beams with open-mouthed joy while crawling toward camera on plaid blanket, golden-hour sunlight illuminating her bright blue eyes

Two adults and two young children smile warmly at the camera on a sunlit path, with blooming white flowers softly glowing in the background

Two adults and two young children in matching mauve outfits share a joyful moment together, golden afternoon light filtering through the forest behind them

Two curly-haired toddlers in matching mauve polka-dot outfits share a tender moment, with the older child gazing down affectionately at the younger one outdoors

Mother holds her toddler aloft with genuine affection, both beaming with joy against warm autumn foliage and soft natural light

A curly-haired toddler beams while gripping a rope swing as her mother watches with genuine warmth beneath dappled tree shade

A child in a pink jacket jogs across the sun-dappled hillside with the Golden Gate Bridge glowing across the bay behind her

I’d love to be there.

Toddler in mauve ruffled dress beams with pure joy while held by parent, golden afternoon light catching her bright eyes and curly hair

Family of four walks hand-in-hand beneath a sprawling oak tree during golden hour, soft light filtering through the branches

A mother kisses her laughing toddler while a family member watches, golden afternoon light illuminating their joyful outdoor moment

Two young children in matching purple shirts beam with infectious joy, their bright expressions and close embrace radiating warmth in soft outdoor light

A mother lifts her toddler toward hanging eucalyptus branches, golden afternoon light illuminating their joy against the bay vista

Two parents laugh joyfully while holding their two young children on a sunlit hillside overlooking a distant bay and forested landscape

Parents hold their two young daughters on a dusty hilltop trail, backlit by golden afternoon sun with the misty bay and hillside homes visible below

A joyful family of four beams at golden hour on a hillside overlooking the bay, warm sunlight illuminating their genuine smiles

Two adults laugh together while one holds a toddler in pink, bathed in golden sunset light beneath eucalyptus trees

Family Session at Hippie Tree in Tiburon — Marin County · November 29, 2025