K Family Urban Holiday Session

This is a fun family to work with.  Mom takes the time to think about and plan out the boys’ outfits and finds a clever and simple way to incorporate some holiday spirit into their session.  She wanted to schedule her session in an area with more nature, but urban was all I had available, and I’m so glad! I think it was the perfect backdrop to capture the energy of these boys, as there was so much for them to explore!  They have really matured since last year, and I was able to capture both more candids and posed shots that are ‘So You’ for them.  I can’t wait to see what fun holiday spirit this family brings next year!

Derek, Drew, and Danielle

I’ve photographed older families at B’nai Mitzvahs, Sweet 16s, and weddings, but this was my first session with all grown kids.  The older ones were in town from college for Thanksgiving, so mom thought it would be a great time to get some portraits taken.  While cooperative, they weren’t super into the idea of being photographed at first.  So I’m sharing my favorites from the session, where I think I managed to break through their cool exterior and capture their true selves and the bond they share.  My goal isn’t to capture perfectly posed mannequins, but to capture ‘So You’, as you really are!

Christina, Mark, and Ava

Last year when I photographed this family, Miss Ava was not yet walking.  This year she is, and had to be woken from her nap to come take pretty pictures with me, so mom came prepared with a furry friend and some snacks.  Ava wanted to bring Minnie Mouse, but mom selected a matching bear, which completes their look beautifully!  One of my favorite aspects of this session is that we mirrored some of the shots from our last session, like a close up of Ava in dad’s arms at the start of our session, Ava on dad’s shoulders, watching mom and dad kiss, a mixture of posed shots and candids, and even looking at flowers together (this time real ones).  It can be fun to continue this trend and watch the growth and change!

Roselyn, Angel, and Gabriel

As this family has a young toddler, I suggested they read this blog post, where I discuss a previous successful experience with photographing these young, independent thinkers!  Mama came prepared with a whole bag full of cute toys and friends of Gabriel’s.  As Gabriel hadn’t napped, Mickey, McQueen, and Woody took turns providing comfort, play, and making an appearance in this family’s photos.  I especially loved when Gabriel and dad held Mickey’s hands like he was part of the family.  I may not have been funny enough to elicit many smiles yesterday, but we were rewarded with a fairly calm session, and plenty of eye contact.  With Riverwalk providing a beautiful backdrop to this equally beautiful family, I’d say we achieved holiday portrait success!

Rebecca and Miki's Thanksgiving Wedding in NY

Even when I’m a guest at a wedding, I can’t help but experience the event through my photography, so I went ahead and brought my camera.  I traveled light, with one flash and my lightest lens (I normally have several of each), and enjoyed capturing some moments of my family as we celebrated with Rebecca and Miki. 

They had a traditional Jewish wedding, where the men and women greeted guests separately.  The groom makes his way to the bride accompanied by dancing and singing and peeks under the veil to confirm he has the right bride.  Following the ceremony, they had a joyous celebration. 

Thursday night after the wedding, the family got to celebrate again for Thanksgiving.  After the meal, the blessings from the wedding ceremony were repeated over a glass of wine.  There are 7 blessings, which will be repeated for 7 nights following their wedding!  What a way to start a life together, surrounded by blessings and family and friends.  I was happy to make the trip to celebrate, and equally happy to have captured these moments.  I look forward to celebrating more happy moments with this family!