This spring I had the absolute joy and pleasure of photographing Jenn, James and Ethan for a spring family session at the Jule Collins Smith Museum in Auburn, AL. The hydrangeas and garden florals were in full bloom and the space was perfect for little Ethan to roam around and play. They were traveling from their home in Destin to visit with family in Auburn so it was the perfect time to do a quick family session to capture some sweet updated portraits for them.
I had the joy of second shooting Jenn and James’ wedding a couple years ago as well as Ethan’s at-home newborn session so it was so special to get to capture these family portraits for them. It’s always such an honor to be a part of these major milestones and get to see their family grow.
For this session, we chose to keep it very laid back and follow little Ethan’s lead. If he wanted to run around, we followed and played! Toddlers tend to be very energetic and curious and rarely like to sit still in new places let alone be forced into posing or sitting for the camera. These types of family sessions lend to more documentary and playful images vs static poses which I believe is perfect for little ones. After all, we want to remember our kids as they were when they are little- playful, curious, and full of energy- not too stiff or forced to smile. (And trust me- they won’t smile they’ll just glare at the camera! Haha!) I loved using the grounds of the Jule Collins Smith Museum as a backdrop for their portraits- the gardens give that European vibe I love so much and the light was just perfect.
These quick family sessions have quickly become some of my favorite sessions- it allows for enough time to capture the posed moments as well as lots of candids but doesn’t tire everyone out. And these days, I’m all about documenting these fleeting moments with littles. As cliche as it sounds- time is a thief. You blink and your little ones aren’t little anymore- so book the session, get in the photo and don’t wait for everything to be perfect. It’s worth it- I promise.
