When Natalie asked me to photograph her family, my heart lept. They are a large family (love) and live out in the middle of nowhere (love) and they are a fostering/adoptive family (love) and they are precious (double love).
They are the kind of people that make you stop and examine your own self. Not in a bad way, not in a compare and feel bad about yourself way, but in a ENCOURAGING way. In a way that makes you want to do more GOOD in this world. They are precious and so warm.
When I start communication after someone reaches out to do a photoshoot the first think I usually ask is “what kind of shoot do you envision”? I usually suggest shooting at home. Some people are so gun-shy about allowing themselves to be photographed at home because they have fears that their place isn’t “big enough” or “light enough” or “clean enough” or even “decorated well enough”. I always try and assure that these photos are not about the appearance of your home. It’s about the love in it <3.
The Stephensons were all in for an in-home session (YAY!) so we went with it. I went over an hour and a half before sunset. It was SO WINDY. Again, not a reason not to shoot outside! Wind=movement in photos. love.
We spend a good amount of time in the back yard with the kiddos just playing. The beginning of the shoot is usually just about the family getting comfortable with me being there. I let the kids play and the family just naturally do what they normally do in the back yard, play :) It makes for wonderful candid moments when people are just in their element doing what they do. Think about your favorite photo of your grandmother as a child. It’s probably when she’s standing in her kitchen or in front of her childhood home. Mine is one of my grandmother sitting on her porch. It’s just a stripped down version of just HER.
We transitioned to the front porch to get in some optimal light and then naturally headed out to the garden. The kiddos wanted me to see their. pumpkins :)
We ended the shooting out in the back pasture. Mom and dad wanted photos on the cattle trailer out back. Perfect. If it means something to the family, it will show in photos.
The sun was setting beautifully by this time so I suggested the family sit with the sun at their backs so I could get some beautiful sun flare shots. I told them to just sit and talk and tickle or tell jokes. Just be comfortable (not always easy).
I knew as I drove away I had captured some of the essence of this sweet fam. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to get great shots when people are most comfortable. At-home shots are the best opportunity to see that happen.
I hope to be sharing more of my shooting process in the future. I get lots of questions about it!
