Nothing like Santa Barbara traffic and a rain-soaked freeway to raise your blood pressure before a shoot. I left extra early, true crime podcast queued up, fully prepared to conquer the weather, and then promptly got stuck in what felt like the apocalypse on the 101.

Somehow, I still made it to Alice Keck Park with time (and light) to spare. And honestly? Totally worth the stress. That park is a dream. Rain-slicked paths, fresh blooms, moody skies, it was basically nature showing off.

Josue walked in like none of the chaos existed. Cool, calm, sharp. While I was still shaking off freeway flashbacks, he was already delivering those solid senior-session smiles and classic, confident shots. The guy nailed it.

We wandered the winding garden paths, found some killer pockets of light, and turned what started as a logistical nightmare into a laid-back, picture-perfect afternoon.

Sometimes the wildest starts lead to the best endings.

Thank you, Josue, for trusting me to capture this special time.