Sneak Peek of Family.

(I know, 3 posts in one day.  What has come over me??)

So, most of the time I choose one or two photos for a sneak peek, so that my clients can get a quick taste of how their session looks while all the remaining photos are being processed.  But.  Well.  I don’t always follow my self-imposed rules.  This, dear reader, is one of those times.  I cannot wait to show this family all of their photos.  Can’t wait. Because they didn’t just trust my ideas, or just quietly go along with my vision.  Nope.  They trusted me, yes, but they brought it all on their own. They knew what they were doing, how to stand, which way to set up the shot.  They knew how to be comfortable and enjoy each other. And they were awesome to work with. That makes for some happy family photos.

Okay, so this image may be my favorite family shot of all time.  The blurred pavement that makes you feel like you’re underwater.  The stance of the people, that just says, “We’re family.”  The fact that you don’t even need to see facial expressions to know they are comfortable together.  The colors.  The shoes that say, “Summer.”  The road receding in the background. I like it.

35mm f2.8 1/640 sec ISO 400

Meet Owen.  Yes, he gets top billing.  Because… well, just look at him!  :)  That’s why.

35mm f1.4 1/5000 sec ISO 400

Then there’s this next one, which makes me smile.  Because no matter what life brings, it’s inescapable.  You are just a part of each other.  Through thick and thin. No one knows you quite like your siblings and your mom and dad, right?  The original family.

35mm f1.6 1/1250 sec ISO 400

This is my sister (and second-shooter) Kara’s take on the original family.  ‘Love it. How the cairn is in focus, with the family in the background.  The spot is meaningful, because gardening and landscaping are a beautiful part of this home.

60mm f2.8 1/160 sec ISO 200

But then we can’t forget the ones who make the family what it is today- the little spice and sweetness added to life as we grow.  We can’t imagine life without them, either.

These type of photos like the next shot happen through a little plan I sometimes use.  I ask the clients/family/couple to get in place while I test the light.  I tell them they can ignore me and just interact, since we aren’t on a roll with the posed portraits just yet.  So I do test the light, and get my exposure settings, and then, just before I have them look and do their thing, I grab a few more images without them knowing that the light test is over.  And this is what happens:

35mm f2.5 1/250 sec ISO 250

Sometimes, people don’t need a lot of direction.  They come up with ideas on their own.  And that makes my job both easier and a lot more fun.  That’s definitely the case with this family.  They knew they wanted this style shot, got themselves set up, and then I told the parents that they could talk or look at each other for a minute.  They looked at each other, sure, but then they leaned in.  And that makes for a happy picture.

35mm f2.01/400 sec ISO 400

Okay, I know, that was the longest sneak peek ever.

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Oh, fine, just one more.  Because those baby blues deserve a special spot:

35mm f1.4 1/5000 sec ISO 400

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Ginny& Bill, Brooke & Tim, Joy & Ryan, and Kelly & Mike, I have lots more to share, and can’t wait to put some more up for you to preview.  ‘So nice meeting you all– thanks for a great evening!