On embracing the energy…

Why, oh why would I be so cruel as to blog about a beach session when those of us in the Boston area are currently enduring Arctic like conditions? Is it just to torture you or make you desperately long for warmth and salty air and soft sand beneath your toes? Well, all of those things are worth dreaming about and the prospect of summer certainly does help me hang on through our seemingly endless winters. But really, I chose this session to share because it was one of my very favorites of last year and I wanted to share what it was that I loved so much about it. I actually intended to share it in early October just  after I finished editing it but fall madness kicked into full gear and time got way from me.  As I start to look at my plans for 2018 sessions though and how to capture each family that I photograph in a way that is true to them, I look back at certain sessions from the past year where everything just clicked, where the outcome was a gallery of images that perfectly reflects what I saw and what I felt at the time. This was one of those sessions and as I get ready to take on 2018, it seems fitting to pass on what I took away from this.

This was my third time photographing this family. From the first time that I met them, Melanie told me that her boys were energetic and always on the move and like with many moms, I sensed that she had some worry that this may pose a challenge with regard to photos. I completely understand this worry. As parents, we want photos of our kids that reflect who they are but at the same time, we want to see those sweet faces, not a full gallery of the backs of their heads as they run away gleefully, as authentic as that might be. We want to remember that wild and mischievous face that they sometimes make, not a staged smile that feels empty and forced. We want them to be themselves, but I think that most parents (especially those who are new to family photos) all have at least a tiny bit of  anxiety about how that will translate in photos.

We met at the beach in Nahant where Melanie told me they try to bring the boys as often as possible. This was a weeknight after work for both parents and daycare for the boys but we were meeting abut an hour before sunset to capture the best light. The golden hour before sunset is magical as far as the light but sometimes it’s a tough time of day for young kids, especially after a long and full day.  But I truly had nothing to worry about. From the minute that I arrived and started shooting, the boys were off and running but here’s the key: No one fought them on that!  Instead of running to collect the kids, Melanie and James ran WITH  them and played and laughed WITH them. It became immediately apparent to me that this was  how their time at the beach typically looked and that I had an opportunity to really document a slice of this special place for them. Because they were able to fully embrace the boys’ energy and essentially go about their time playing and exploring and splashing about as if I wasn’t even there, the moments captured were joyful and real and the love that they all have for one another is palpable in the final images.  By the end of the session, the boys were soaked from the ocean and covered in sand and my heart was full from getting to witness such love and connection. The appreciation that Melanie and James had for who their boys are right now made all the difference and I hope that they love their images as much as I do.

One caveat: This was an hour long session and if you have multiple kids and/or young kids who you might describe as high energy, then a one hour session is really the most appropriate option if you are looking  for these kinds of natural and candid moments. While the fast pace of a mini session works well for many families, 25 minutes goes quite fast and if you have multiple energetic kids going in different directions, it will limit our opportunity to really relax and let things unfold in an organic way which is where the most candid and real moments happen. Knowing that we had an hour at this beach session definitely allowed me more freedom to observe what really caught my eye and spend 5 (or more!) minutes at various times just shooting one child exploring shells or connecting with Mom or Dad without worrying that we would end up missing other important moments before the time was up.

Here are just a few of my favorites! I hope that they warm you up on this very cold day. 🙂