Falling for Smiles
I have to admit that anytime I have a little one at an outdoor session, I find myself smiling a little more. The natural curiosity and the room to run and play and explore is so much fun to watch. When I first connected with Becca, she asked lots of great questions: outfit recommendations, what location or time of day worked best, etc. We went back and forth on finding a lovely natural setting, and Claude Moore Park ended up being the final choice.
I love photographing here, so I was excited! I met the family at the Visitors' Center, and the little one gave me the typical wary stare, but her curiosity took over once we started out of the parking lot. There's so much to see, and there were people out walking, other families and photographers, and a gorgeous fall day highlighting the foliage all around us. We started with some family photos, as this tends to help the younger kids warm up a little. The usual tricks didn't work - and mama even brought out the phone with videos. We opted to let her walk about and explore, and that worked a bit better.
We headed over to the pond at Claude Moore, and she was fascinated by the water! The next few poses were more candid and... active as dad kept watch for any darting toward the water and mom worked on diverting her attention elsewhere. The adventure was grand - tall flowers and grasses, benches to climb, and paths to run along! I loved that everyone got in on the fun, and the photos came out playful and candid while also capturing the season and the smiles.
We finally cracked a smile at the very end. Dad flew her through the air and mom "tickled" - it was the magic touch! I was so grateful that this young family chose to come out where we could take advantage of the autumn leaves and space, and I hope that these pictures capture the joy that was felt and shared in the session. Thank you!
