I am always confident I can get all the images anyone would ever need to capture their family's moment in time in less than an hour.  But soon after we started this next sitting, a call came in that cut it short (15 minutes was what we had together).  I am excited to share with their mom how great her kids did, but wishing there was time to get a few more of this dynamic duo together...next time.  I still hope these bring some smiles for years to come.

The importance of photos

I have been fortunate to photograph this family of six for a few years running.  I am grateful for their return each year and am always amazed at the growth and change that takes place in a year.  Earlier this year, I received an email sharing an image from a wall of their home.

It was fun to see what she created from the years of imagery.  While we were in the midst of this sitting, she mentioned a few times to her kids, "Remember, this is going is for the photo wall."  The kids would straighten right up and fall in line, leaving me to believe they loved the photos on the wall as much as their mom did.
This reminded me of something I heard many years ago from another client.  She filled her home with wall canvases of all sizes of her four children.  When I visited her home, she said, "I think some people may think I am a narcissist with pictures of my family all over my home, but seeing my children's smiles always makes me smile AND someone once told me that it is important for children to see themselves in pictures.  It is good for their self esteem to see happy, beautiful images of themselves."  I have come to believe this very true from my own childhood experience with limited images, my children's experience with numerous images in our home and now through seeing these children's' reaction to their mom's mention of their photo wall.

I appreciate her sharing this image with me and giving me the opportunity to add to her photo wall.
I hope she loves these images as much as she has loved years past.

Family Focused

A few years ago, three families rallied to coordinate their busy schedules to gather for a sitting with their parents.  What I loved about that shoot was their focus on coming together as a family.  They did not stress that there were a few sprinkles falling from the sky; they didn't stress about having pressed shirts or matching clothes; they didn't stress if there were a few tears from the youngest in the bunch.  They were just so happy that the stars aligned allowing for a window in their schedules to fit in family pictures.  The connectedness and love that come through in my time with them easily made every image special.
This summer, they contacted me hoping to capture their families again before the craziness of school set in.  They expressed their regret that one family would be absent due to a European move, but they did not want to let the opportunity pass to document their families again with a small nod to their parents 50th anniversary this year.  I really looked forward to another great time with them.
They definitely did not disappoint.  The youngest in the bunch was a little reticent at first, sharing a few tears when he emerged from the car.  But soon enough he turned the corner and he was on the go trying to keep up with his cousins.  (So much so that getting him for a solo pic with his sister ended up being the coup of the day--all evidenced by the tryptic of him with his sister).
I love the smiles, laughter, love and connectivity shining so brightly in these images.  They are a reflection of such a great family.  Happy 50th anniversary!!