Northern Blooms and Blossoms
A few times a year, I travel from homebase here in Northern Virginia to "home" in Rochester, NY to visit family. This year, this May, I was looking forward for a few reasons: a new niece to celebrate (hence the reason for the visit), an "extended" spring season with blossoms that have mostly disappeared here in Virginia, and connecting with friends.
As it happened, I had some friends reach out to see if I'd be able to do some family photos for them. They'd seen my posts on social media, and with a trip to me out of the realm of possibility, left a "wish you were closer!" comment. I remembered, and once the dates for my visit were set, I connected again to see if they'd be available. They were! Here's the special treat for me: the last time they'd had a family photo was almost 5 years ago - with me! I jumped at the chance and we scheduled a session for a late afternoon.
One of my favorite places to photograph families in Western NY is Highland Park. There are TONS of great spots, different backgrounds, and neat little places to pose in. Growing up in Rochester, the Lilac Festival at the park is part of memories, and going overseas for a few years made me miss the beauty and the start of festival season. Without realizing it, we scheduled our family session for one of the first days that vendors were setting up for the festival. Translation: not too crowded as nothing had officially "started," but we'd hit a sweet spot for temperatures, weather, and BEAUTIFUL blossoms. Magnolias, lilacs, azaleas, and even some lingering daffodils were still in bloom! Of course, a well-planned outfit selection helped to enhance the backdrop of the park, too.
Among other things I miss about Rochester (besides being close to family) is friends. This beautiful family is part of that category for me. The young lady in these photos was once a teeny little toddler (who I was able to photograph way back then, too), and in a season of my life, that toddler offered smiles and hugs that were free of charge and without strings. I cherish those memories, and the blessing of getting to know her mom and dad, and being around when they welcomed the youngest to the family. It's these sorts of relationships that I love building both personally and professionally, and it's a joy when they intersect.
Here's a glimpse behind the scenes: that dino shirt? Not part of the original outfit plan! But five year olds are not always down with the plan, and sometimes they arrive to the photo shoot with a shirt on backwards, shoes that don't go with the color scheme, and a less than cheerful outlook on what's about to happen. But turns out that the colors worked out just fine (spring is GREAT for this... lots of natural colors to work with. And with a little small talk, some candy bribes, getting to "pick" spots for the next photo, and a little fun with dad can work wonders! The joy of working with families, in all the varieties, with all the messes - that's why I do what I do. I am so glad I was able to work with you again, to capture some moments amid a gorgeous season, and to leave with smiles on everyone's faces.
