Simple Sophistication

Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ • Sessions by appointment only

Simple Sophistication

Balboa Island Family Photographer – Reunion

Family Reunion Portrait Session in Newport Beach

The Boyer’s were going to be in Newport Beach for their reunion and needed to find a Balboa Island Family Photographer. They were coming in from out of state and wanted to be sure they could find someone to document their amazing vacation. A couple google searches later, our phone started ringing! Most photographers that we know cringe at the thought of a 50 person family portrait – but we are always up for the challenge! Jennifer’s family has 38 people in it, so she is used to kids and chaos! We have a few tricks up our sleeves to keep the kids involved and happy for their family portrait.

Balboa Island Family Photographer

Balboa Island is a very popular summer vacation destination and we are there for photo shoots quite frequently in the summer months. We love to meet up with families at their beach rentals for a group photo and then take a walk to the beach for individual family photos. Afterwards, we recommend that you take a walk down to the shops for a world famous Balboa Bar!

Balboa Island History and fun facts

Balboa Island has a very interesting history! The island was only a sand bar in the middle of a mudflat in the late 1800’s. A couple of brothers bought the land in 1860’s and built a successful fishing wharf called Newport Landing. They decided to dredge the area in 1902 to create a place for larger ships to bring goods to the area. The railway eventually connected it to Santa Ana in 1891 and it remained a busy shipping hub until 1899. The government ended up building a larger port in the San Pedro harbor which would end the Newport Bay shipping center. In 1902, the brothers called it quits and sold the property for $35,000!

The new owners saw the resort and recreation potential of the area and started dividing the land into plots to attract summer home interest. The waterfront lots were $750 and inland lots were $600. Vacation home owners came from Pasadena to build summer getaways but they area lacked in planning. Inadequate sewers and roads made beach life rough and homes were constantly flooded by high tides. People began to lose interest and the area was littered with broken down shacks- values fell to $300 per lot.

They knew they needed a reboot, so money was invested in the small town’s infrastructure. Roads, sidewalks, street lights, and a wooden seawall was built. Sewers were repaired by expanding the pipes further out to sea. The Balboa Island Ferry was established (and is still operated today) They put on a massive 4th of July party in 1914 to attract more interest to the area and it was a success! They had entertainment, races, parades, and he even managed to sell 700 Balboa Island plots! It officially became part of Newport Beach in 1916. If you want to find out more about the history of Balboa Island you can read more here.

About the photographer

Gilmore Studios is a husband and wife team maternity, newborn, children and family photography studio in Orange County, CA. Contact us for more info about booking your studio or on location session in the Southern California area. Brian and Jennifer Gilmore specialize in natural light photography in Irvine, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and surrounding areas in OC and Los Angeles, CA. Call 949-698-3968 or email us to book your summer & fall 2017  family photography sessions at the beach. Balboa Island Family Photographer since 2003.

Balboa Island family portrait photographer
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Meet the Gilmores:

Gilmore Studios serves Orange County, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. We specialize in wedding photography, family portraits, newborn and branding photography. Our studio has been in business since 2002.

Fun Facts:

PLace we call home:

Newport Beach & Queen Creek

Number of kids:

3 boys

Years in business:

Since 2002

As seen in:

Family photography

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One of the things parents love about the Santa Experience…
You walk away with memories and a few keepsakes. A certificate for being on the nice list and a small themed gift that ties the whole experience together.

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Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 18060924863231802
One of the things parents love about the Santa Experience… You walk away with memories and a few keepsakes. A certificate for being on the nice list and a small themed gift that ties the whole experience together.

Loved tonight and spending time with these two. Did a session almost two months after their wedding in their wedding attire before they got it all cleaned. A fun, relaxing way to get some cool shots without a lot of pressure from the wedding day timeline (and needing to keep the dress clean)

44 0
Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 18083412527027050
Loved tonight and spending time with these two. Did a session almost two months after their wedding in their wedding attire before they got it all cleaned. A fun, relaxing way to get some cool shots without a lot of pressure from the wedding day timeline (and needing to keep the dress clean)

What would you give to relive this season years from now?

Family photos let you do that. The ones that capture who you are right now. My goal is always to give you images that feel like home.

35 1
Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 17929377144017513
What would you give to relive this season years from now? Family photos let you do that. The ones that capture who you are right now. My goal is always to give you images that feel like home.

It is not about rushing through a quick picture. It is about giving your child a moment that feels magical and personal.

They get time with Santa, they get to explore the Nice List, ask questions, read together, share a cookie, and walk away with a keepsake that makes the memory feel real long after the session is over.

If you have ever wondered whether a Santa session is worth it, ask yourself this…
What kind of memory do you want your child to have when they think of Christmas years from now?

#SantaExperience #GilmoreStudios #SantaMinis #HolidayPhotosOC #NewportBeachPhotographer #ChristmasMagic #SantaPhotos #OCMoms #holidaytraditions

33 3
Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 18073645892017746
It is not about rushing through a quick picture. It is about giving your child a moment that feels magical and personal. They get time with Santa, they get to explore the Nice List, ask questions, read together, share a cookie, and walk away with a keepsake that makes the memory feel real long after the session is over. If you have ever wondered whether a Santa session is worth it, ask yourself this… What kind of memory do you want your child to have when they think of Christmas years from now? #SantaExperience #GilmoreStudios #SantaMinis #HolidayPhotosOC #NewportBeachPhotographer #ChristmasMagic #SantaPhotos #OCMoms #holidaytraditions

If your kids are home for the holidays, do this one thing.

Take new photos together. When kids grow up and move out, opportunities feel smaller. Make the most of the moments you do have. These years are worth remembering.

90 9
Open post by gilmorestudios with ID 17952140286048805
If your kids are home for the holidays, do this one thing. Take new photos together. When kids grow up and move out, opportunities feel smaller. Make the most of the moments you do have. These years are worth remembering.

Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ

Session by appointment only

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