You want to know what makes me incredibly happy? Repeat clients! Right before Mother's Day, I was contacted by Melissa, whose wedding I shot last September. She and her sisters wanted to gift her mom with a family session, and I was thrilled to do it. For one, Melissa has become a great friend of mine, and her entire family is a delight. I knew we would have a blast together, and it certainly doesn't hurt that they are all gorgeous!
We scheduled for a Sunday afternoon in June, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. The sun was shining, there was a little breeze, and a few wispy clouds here and there in the blue sky. I was a little bit giddy to find out that they had a giant swing set in the yard, with two over-sized wooden swings as well as a bench swing. Now I'm dreaming up having a big swing in my own backyard...
We started out with a few shots of the whole family under some shady trees, then the girls dismissed Dad so he could go hang out where it was cooler. He tried to convince them to do some photos with "the Jag" but all three daughters groaned and rolled their eyes at him. I could tell this was a running joke in the family, and sure enough, they told me that their dad always tried to get them to ride in his vintage Jaguar when they were all in school but that was "far too embarrassing" for the teenagers they were at the time.
So the four ladies headed over to the swings, and I started snapping away. Melissa's sisters, Heather and April, made me nervous with how high they were swinging! They told me their dad got the swing set when a playground updated their equipment, when they were all younger and living at home. It is so perfect sitting out their on the big lawn, and I can only imagine how much fun that was for the young girls to have that to play on. I moved all four of them onto the bench swing for a few shots, and what do you know - Dad came cruising around the corner in the Jag! It was so completely unexpected, and we all just cracked up. Luckily I got control of myself long enough to grab a photo.
The property had no shortage of perfect spots for photos. A big wooden horse barn, the swing set, the stunning view...I wish I could set up camp there permanently! But truly, the subjects were what made this one of the most fun sessions I have ever done. The family is warm and loving with one another, with just enough teasing and banter to keep things lively. And of course, it doesn't hurt that they are all beautiful!
It was getting pretty hot towards the end of the session, so we grabbed a few more shots on the swings, then headed into the shade for some ice water and chatted for a bit.
I had so much fun that it was hard to bring myself to leave, but I knew Melissa and April had to get on the road to head back to Boston, and the rest of the bunch were going boating to finish out the day. It was so rewarding to visit with them all and take fun family photos at their amazing home. I certainly hope that I will have many more opportunities to photograph them all in the future!
