Winter Break Family Camp 2017 - Ramah Darom - Clayton, GA

Last week, we had the pleasure of attending Winter Break Family Camp (WBFC) at Ramah Darom in Clayton, GA (about 2.5 hours North of Atlanta) for the second year in a row.  When I have vacation time, I like to travel, and travel days are filled with a morning activity, an afternoon activity, and an evening activity.  No naps, little rest.  I want to see each city as though I'll never return.  

Family camp is different.  It gives us a chance to slow down a bit.  I like to describe it as a cruise, but on land.  That's the easiest way to explain it to someone who's never been.  There are activities for the kids, activities for the adults, family time, 3 communal meals a day, and more adult time after the kids are in bed, all in the beautiful mountains.

Last year I did the Odyssey Ropes Course challenge during the day.  When I went to sign up this year, the day group was full, so I went on the first night!  Not being able to see where I was going in the dark definitely added a new layer of challenge!  After that, there was lots of singing and dancing, some spiritual time, yoga, sports, arts and crafts, and a camp fire with s'mores. One family even celebrated a Bar Mitzvah up at camp!  A New Year's celebration rounded out the week and was a great way to finish camp and head home into 2018. 

Maya, Spencer, Adelyn, and Emma - Ft Lauderdale Lifestyle Family Photography

I've known this family for a really long time.  This dad's mom and my mom have been very close friends since college!  So it's been fun to get to know him as an adult, along with his wife Maya and their beautiful girls.  One of the main ingredients in a session with me is fun, and this family definitely packed in the fun!  The girls were high energy, enthusiastic, and creative, which gave me so many 'so you' moments that were so full of life, and that really capture the spirit of their family.

Jennifer, Jonathan, and Hannah: Lifestyle Family Photography at Morikami

What a beautiful session with a fun and loving family at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens! A great combination of a family hanging out and snuggling together, and parents observing as baby girl started exploring on her own.  And when she feels free to explore, the whole family treasures those snuggles so much more!  This is my favorite kind of session, where everyone is laid back and we give the moments a chance to unfold.  So many 'so you' moments!

Carly and Cameryn's B'not Mitzvah

These lovely sisters were so much fun to work with at their Mitzvah Pre-Shoot, I was excited to capture them on mitzvah day!  We met in the morning to capture some portraits of them before their ceremony at the synagogue with the Torahs, and again in the evening when they celebrated with mostly their friends at a vibrant DJ dance party.  They are both beautiful, poised young ladies who are adored by their friends, and I wish them and their family lots of mazel!

Shayna, Marvin, and Brody - Lifestyle Family Photography

I started this session as I usually do, by greeting the family.  When Brody and I first met, he was enjoying the A/C in his car seat, and I went over and said hello.  And I guess we bonded, because he took my hand as we were walking to and from our photo spot, and he gave me lots of camera eye contact!  I had so much fun spending the morning with this lovely family, and just as much fun reliving our time together when I was editing the photos.  And as I always say, when you relax and enjoy yourselves and each other in front of my camera, it gives me many 'so you' moments to capture!  I think in this case, it's obvious that Brody was given the space to be himself, and that's exactly who I captured!