Kids are predictable in their unpredictability.

Every parent and every photographer knows this.

The benefit of being a photographer instead of being the parent is the kids may just listen to me over the parents. Not all the time, but most times. This takes into account that it’s generally a good day for the kid. That no teeth are coming in or a cold coming on or no monsters were found under the bed the night before. If the parents ‘accept’ me asking the kid to do something silly, generally the kids go along with it and we have fun. But even if they are having a bad day and can’t tell you why, this isn’t my first rodeo and plus, I’m a parent too! BTDT.

The most common thing I run into is kids wondering what is going on, who am I, and why is everyone here. And it’s all good. I get goofy. I play peekaboo. I make funny sounds. Get the kids to say funny things. And the kid warms up and we have a great session!

Here we have a sweet boo! He is adorable! Look at those eyes!

I start making a fool of myself. Making silly noises and hiding behind the tree, and slowly he gives me a small smile. It also helps that his parents are super chill. Kids are smart – they can pick up stress. They were great – nice and relaxed so their kid was too!

And then we had some fun with non posed time. Here I only want to capture the unguarded interactions – the joy of the parent and child relationship. The stuff you want to remember. Not the all the other stuff – sleepless nights, cranky kids, the they will only eat beige food phase…

No pun intended, it really is a joy to capture these moments for my clients. These images will be printed and hung on walls, given to grandparents, used in slideshows at graduation, and hopefully, shown to their children and their children’s children. Because we are in a golden age. There are less than a handful of photos of my parents when they were very young and only a few of them up and thru high school. Most of the photos are from when they were adults. And they are precious. But wouldn’t have been great to see my mom at 8, 14 or 18? My dad at 5, 12 and 23? But here – here is a moment in time, captured for this child. One he will be able to see when he’s older. And one, that if he has children, he can show them.