Ralphie Rough Road

It was a beautiful fall day.  There was a slight chill in the air and a family awaiting their photo session in Lockerbie Square.  When I arrived I could not believe how much little Rowan had grown.  I had photographed her with her parents 2 years ago almost to the day.

Then, she was an infant along for the ride.  Now, she runs the show, as we all quickly discovered.

To start, I attempted to direct the threesome into a family pose.  Rowan had other plans.  She sat down on the steps in front of the church we had designated as our meeting place.

This was the first photo I took & I loved the way it turned out.  No posing here, simply letting her do her thing & snapping the camera at precisely the right moment.

Her parents wanted the session to be mostly about her with some family photos mixed in.

As we headed over to the lovely cobblestone street in front of the James Whitcomb Riley house, we chatted & watched Rowan’s curiosity with everything.  To see the world thru a child’s eyes, everything is magical.

We went with the group shots as allowed by Ms. Rowan.  She was in charge & we quickly fell in line.  I let her choose spots to “pose”.

With my camera ever at the ready, I simply followed her hoping to capture her sparkling personality & super cute smile.

We went with the group shots as allowed by Ms. Rowan.  She was in charge & we quickly fell in line.  I let her choose spots to “pose”.

With my camera ever at the ready, I simply followed her hoping to capture her sparkling personality & super cute smile.

As we all fell into a groove, Chris & Jessica informed me they were expecting their second child in May.  After congratulations were issued, they said they had a sign for Rowan to hold.   She was less than thrilled with sign holding duty.  I managed to get a few shots before she dropped the glass frame & cracked it.

With a quiet street & no traffic, Rowan was free to wander about with her parents close by.  Amazingly, she found ways to entertain herself.  She spent some time playing with sand & pebbles.  Lots of opportunities for the back of the head shots.  🙂

While she was occupied with her “construction/art” project, we snagged the opportunity to get a few shots of mom & dad alone.  When you have a little one, those moments are few & far between.

When it was time to re-direct Rowan her dad stepped in with his cell phone & her favorite game to distract her from the sand.  I loved this candid moment between father & daughter.

Using a fountain as an excuse for mom to pick her up to see, I was able to get a few of Rowan with just her mom.  Finding creative ways to get a young one to do what you want is half the fun & part of the challenge.

After spending some time taking different candid shots it was time to head back.  We finished up when Rowan discovered how much fun it could be to jump up & surprise the camera & us as she ducked behind a wall & popped up.

In the end, everyone enjoyed themselves.  With quick adapting the photo shoot was a success with many great pictures for the family to enjoy for years to come.

Playing peek through the railing allowed me to capture one of my favorite shots of the day.

Tips for photo sessions with young children:

1.  Let the kids be themselves & have fun.

2. Let them run the show.  It’s easier capturing great shots when the child is happy.

3.  Bring along some of their favorite toys &/or snacks. Bribery is highly encouraged.

4.  Leave the expectations at the door, let the shoot happen.

5.  Enjoy this fun time with your little ones.  Leave the work to your photographer.

6.  Don’t worry about getting your kids to pose.  Most of the above photos were simply taken in the moment.

7.  You must be ready at all times, you never know when the perfect shot will present itself.