Wedding • Family • Surprise Proposals • Family Reunions • Senior Portraits • Headshots • Elopements
Category: Portfolio
Portfolio of photographs by Cambria photographer Debbie Markham. Elopements & small weddings up to very large wedding events. Wedding photographer for beach weddings, traditional weddings, winery weddings, church weddings, garden weddings.
This Thanksgiving, I had the joy of photographing many beautiful family reunions along our Cambria and Cayucos coastline. Beautiful trees, small coves and sweeping views while wandering the bluff trail. Playful adventure with twirls, piggyback rides, and snuggles overlooking the ocean. There are endless locations and fun to be had!
I’m always amazed by the traditions woven into these sessions, sentimental classics, goofy “outtake” poses, the same shots from 8 years ago as kids grow taller. However we shape the time together, it’s always delightful. I drive home feeling so grateful to be invited into these moments and to witness, again and again, how much love lives within a family.
If you’ve ever dreamed of a surprise proposal in Cambria, there’s no place more romantic than Moonstone Beach. With its rugged Pacific Ocean cliffs, soft light, few people, and the sound of waves rolling against the rocks, it’s a breathtaking backdrop for the beginning of any love story.
For Austin, this spot held just the right mix of beauty and simplicity. After ten years of dating Lauren, he wanted to propose in a way that felt natural surrounded by the wild California coast.
Austin reached out to me to help capture the moment quietly from afar. Using a telephoto lens, I photographed from a distance so the proposal could unfold naturally, without interrupting their private exchange. Lauren had no idea!
As they walked along the cliffside trail overlooking Moonstone Beach, Austin paused, knelt down, and held out the ring. Scrappy wagged and circled them, as Lauren literally jumped for joy!
Capturing a surprise proposal in Cambria, allows couples to stay fully immersed in their moment, while still having stunning, emotional photos to relive later. The surprise, laughter, and pure joy (the kind of emotions you can’t stage or redo) is contagious to me and it is truly one of the most fulfilling gifts I receive as a photographer.
Whether you’re planning a quiet cliffside proposal or something more elaborate, hiring a local Cambria photographer to document the moment ensures you’ll never forget how it felt.
Moonstone Beach, with its dramatic views and peaceful atmosphere, truly is one of California’s most magical places to say “yes.”
We all need to remember moments of PURE LOVE and JOY, so when times get hard (all humans experience hard times)the photos can provide immediate relief…remembering the essence of LOVE that always exists deep inside, beyond our behaviors and auto-pilot habits. Photos can serve as a tool to help our minds and hearts get back into alignment, as a starting point to remember what LOVE looks like.
Recently, I was hired for a Terri + Jerry’s family photo session in Cambria // 60th wedding anniversary; the soft golden light felt like an additional blessing on the skin!
The couple, celebrating six decades of love, were surrounded by their grown children and two grandteens… three generations laughing together. We walked the cliffs, then down to the sand, and finally made our way up to the wooden boardwalk, pausing near the cypress tree, as the sun lowered more.
Moments like these remind me why I’ve loved photographing families and weddings here in Cambria for over 20 years. Every image tells a story of connection, resilience, and the beauty of being together through all of life’s tides. It’s also such a beautiful gift for me to be hyper-present noticing their connection and our human connection with the elements of nature. I’m a lucky recipient of the ripple effect of their joy.
The anniversary couple shared one more hand in hand moment walking the boardwalk, and I imagined them smiling at each other the same way on their wedding day 60 years ago.
