A Wide Horizon
The world today can seem so very close - the way technology brings people continents apart to a single screen, or how you can go into cities and find cuisine from all over the globe. When I connected with this family, I didn't know the perspectives I'd be sharing, both near and far!
We met up at Lubber Run Park, near the amphitheater. It was my first time at this park, and it is so charming! The stream cuts just behind the theatre stage, with several trails, a picnic area, and gorgeous views right within a minute's walk. The Bacares family has been here many times, bringing their children when they were younger. As we talked about how the park had changed (there's a bridge that's no longer there), we worked around another photographer to find a few locations. The trees still held on to some color, and the ground was covered in a blanket of yellow and orange. With all the beauty around us, we set to work!
I always start with a family pose, helping get everyone acclimated without feeling too much like strangers. It was a teeny bit chilly, so that didn't really help with smiles, but we did manage to pull a few out of the chilly teenager and his younger siblings as the session went on. We grouped the kids together, some of each individually, and then the kids with each parent (and the parents by themselves, too). With a 20 minute session, this can sometimes be a bit of a task, but everyone was cooperative and we accomplished all of it! As we chatted, I learned that this family crosses all sorts of cultures! A Polish-German mom, a dad from South America, living here in Virginia for many years. They've travelled a lot - and some to my hometown stomping grounds in Western NY! It was a lovely happenstance to talk about places like Rochester, Buffalo, and Niagara Falls (and, of course, NYC), but also hidden gems like Watkins Glen, Taughannock Falls, and food stops like Dinosaur Barbeque. It definitely made me smile!
We wrapped up and the kids grabbed their coats, ready to be out of the wind. I left with a lovely sense of how culture can truly be a unifying aspect of humanity as we share experiences, foods, places, and memories of the world 'round. Thank you for sharing your family, your smiles, and your time with me!
