Two going on Teenager

One of the best parts about family photography is watching a family grow over time. And one of my favorite things is to celebrate their milestones, like birthdays.

I photographed this little girl for her first birthday and had the recent pleasure of photographing her again as she turned two!

Both sessions included some tears, but for different reasons. During her birthday shoot last year, she did not like the idea of being on the ground when she wanted to be held instead. This year, all she wanted was her sippy cup or pacifier. Both times, we let her have what she wanted. A happy kid is a happy photo session after all.

Whether a kid wants a toy or to be held or just wants to cry, it makes no difference to me. I will let them be themselves in the moment and feel what they want to feel. We'll play games and try some distractions to get them to feel comfortable and smiling. But either way, I'll take photos of them smiling, crying, running around, being held, holding a toy. Everything they do is worth capturing, especially when they are little and growing up so fast. Plus you get the best, caption worthy, images when kids are being themselves.

I love these pictures because they capture her and she is. There's an element of real life to it even though she's alone on a bridge downtown (I say alone, but her parents are there of course). I also like the family wanted an ubran background, something a little different for a kid's portrait session.

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