It's so amazing to get to freeze time for families as they grow. I've been photographing these guys since before baby was born, and now she's 2! She's walking and talking, and her big brother and sister adore her so, and she adores them right back! Mom and dad are smitten with these kiddos too, and they're pretty chill as a family and in front of the camera, which means lots of 'so you' moments for me to capture!
I've always enjoyed Halloween. I love the anticipation of deciding what you're going to be this year, the challenge and creativity of making costumes (most years), watching as your neighbors' Halloween decorations go up, dressing up and getting ready to go, more anticipation as the sun sets and the air cools, walking around in the dark, knocking on doors, that moment of mutual appreciation when they open the door, the sound of the candy hitting your bucket, how that sound becomes less hollow as the night goes on, how your bag becomes heavier, dumping out your candy when you get home, the bright fun colors of your candy pile, the sweet taste of candy on your tongue, taking your costume off, showering, and going to bed completely satisfied.
As a photographer, I enjoy trying to capture the feeling of Halloween, of trick-or-treating, of community, of hospitality, of meeting new neighbors, of joy. While my camera can't capture the sound, or the cool air, or the sweet taste, I think it can capture this. And I like to shoot Halloween with available light and capture how that light changes from house to house, how it changes when the door opens, and fun that goes with it!
This lovely lady celebrated her Bat Mitzvah this weekend. She did so with poise and grace, and was surrounded by her family and lots of adoring friends. We had met some weeks earlier to capture these lovely portraits that adorned the room as decor at her reception. Mazel Tov to Gillian and her entire family!
I always aim to capture real emotion and connection within families when they give me the honor of stepping in front of my camera, and the more relaxed, and emotive, and connected they are, the more 'so you' moments there are for me to capture. And they were in this session in abundance. It was a hot morning in Wynwood Walls, but that didn't stop us from exploring the area together.
And there were moments when little dude wasn't feeling the jam of our session, but these parents just took it all in stride, kept their happy on, and let him have those moments. Now this is a photography blog, not a parenting blog, but as an observer who captures families, including parents, I have to say, the sessions where the children are safely free to be themselves are the most magical. Society has conditioned us to crave that perfect portrait of everyone looking and smiling at the camera. And yes, I'll get that for you, but I what I really want is for you to be real with me. For you to allow your kids to be real with you. If they want to run off, playfully redirect them to interact with the family. No scolds, no bribes ... well, ok, the promise of some ice cream on the way home never hurt... but really, they're not necessary. And that's where the 'so you' magic happens!
Jordan will be celebrating his Bar Mitzvah this Spring, but instead of waiting until then for family photos or a Mitzvah Pre Shoot, mom scheduled a Fall family photo session. This family knows how to make each other laugh, and I loved being able to capture some of that during our session.
