Family photography offers a chance to meet new people, which is one aspect of my business I really enjoy.
When I met the Baileys I was immediately struck by the relationship between father and son. Clearly this youngster looked up to his dad. And the more we worked together, the more I could see him striking similar poses to his father.
It’s always interesting for me to observe family dynamics in these sessions. Of course, as a photographer, I know everyone is trying to put their best face forward. As much as I try for natural poses that reflect real life, let’s face it, no really stands in the middle of a field smiling at each other all the time, right?
But still, it’s my job and my goal, with every family session, to try to put everyone at ease. In doing so the session brings out their natural best. The Baileys made this easy, because I sensed a sweetness and genuine affection for each other right from the start.
When I look at the highlights of their session, I see their young son trying hard to stand tall like his dad. His arms crossed, back straight, and his gaze into the camera, clear and direct. Like the old commercial from decades ago (yes I still remember it!) “like father, like son.” (Comment if you remember which commercial this was!)
One of my favorite types of shots involves allowing each parent to spend time with their children so I can capture a bit of each of those unique relationships. The images of mom and son here are priceless… the hugs, the glances and giggles. All those were as real as it gets.
I fully enjoyed this sweet family photo session, which captures not only the Bailey’s close relationships but showcases the beauty of Brentwood’s Smith Park in the early fall.
Tech specs/pro tips
For those interested in photography, one of the keys to a successful session is capturing beautiful light. This session was ideal because we timed it nearly three full hours before sunset.
While often this might be way too early, the sun “sets” early in Smith Park because of the western hills. With good timing, we were able to get the beautiful highlight glow kissing them from behind in the fields.
