Category: photography

I was at a client’s home last month, a mother of three little girls, and she shared with me her last experience with a department store photo studio. (I’ll be nice and not name names.) They were photographing one of her girls and they hadn’t quite gotten the shot when the photographer, obviously, ready to move on, snapped in a not so nice tone, “She’s done. We have enough of her. Let’s get the next girl.” The mother was so turned off by this and actually seemed broken hearted that he daughter was being tossed aside and the person behind the camera wasn’t interested in trying to help her get the shot she wanted. I thought that was a really sad story. Having your child’s photo taken is supposed to be about capturing who they are at that age and what you love about them during that time. That photo, on that day, will just document how that child looks and for that family, probably nothing more.

One of the great things about having a photographer shoot your child or your family is you get to see them in a whole new light. You get to see the shy side of your child come out when they first meet the photographer. Then the curious side as they get to know them better and want to see what they are doing. And if your photographer is doing a good job, then you get to see your kids completely at ease and their true personality at full force by the end of the shoot. You’ll notice that your photographer has fallen in love with your kids in their own little way. My friend Rachel, who is a photographer in Michigan, told me something really interesting once about studio portraits. She said that 30 years from now, when kids are looking back at photos, it’s the ones of them in their homes they will cherish. The carpet on the floor, those spider man sheets, the drapes in the living room will tell the story and take them back to their childhood. Having a backdrop behind your child takes that away. Ok, this is turning into a hate blog on studios. No, no, no, that’s not what I’m trying to do! I’ve got studio shots of Miles with a white backdrop that I love and I know lots of people love that kind of photography. I think it’s fun to try all kinds of styles, unless you get the grouchy photographer as mentioned above. Then just grab your kids and get outta there! My point is that I’ve just spent the evening looking at a shoot that I think really tells the story and I’m really happy I was able to tell their story.

So that’s what gets me REALLY excited about getting out there and photographing kids. I’m not just capturing how they look at age 3. I’m capturing the story to be told someday in the details that surround them. It’s really exciting! What an honor it is that not only am I invited into their home now, but I get to come back in 30 years when they drag the photos out to show their own kids.

I brought this up tonight because as I was finishing up Gabe and Joe’s photo shoot I found this photo that John shot.

Little Gabe wasn’t so excited about getting his photo taken not so long into the shoot, so I hopped in and played with him for a bit. The look on Gabe face melts my heart. Photography isn’t about twisting kids into poses and trying to get them to look a certain way. It’s about engaging them and allowing them to show you the story you will tell.

Ok, thanks for letting me babble on and on. After going through this shoot tonight I’m just really feeling how much I love photography and wanted to share it. John and I will sometimes just feel a big burst of love for each other and we’ll say, “Wow, I’m really feeling it for you today.” So I just wanted to do the same thing for photography and really for my clients that allow me the opportunity to do so.

Since I’m already talking about Gabe & Joe, I might as well post two more photos from the shoot! (I know, these guys have gotten quite a lot of blog time, but what can I say? They were my last shoot of the year and I had a nice long deadline to keep looking at the shoot with new eyes. Not to mention these too are ADORABLE! Hmmmm, maybe I have a soft spot in my heart for these cutie boys too because of my own son Miles.) I’ve got some ideas for future blogs when we are all snowed in and have cabin fever next month, so you’ll be seeing more of my other past clients too.

Nighty night everybody! Thanks for hanging in there with my long winded blog. It’s late, and I get long winded late at night. Sorry!