I’ve photographed Valerie & her family a couple times before, and we always have a great time together! It’s so fun to see how much Owen has grown each time I see him. The first time they came to me was for my Mommy & Me mini’s I did a couple years ago, and then we also did some family photos last year.
I love Valerie, her (now) fiance, his parents, and Owen. They ALWAYS coordinate the best outfits! I swear, I’m always in awe of the perfect color matching, adorable bowties for the guys, and gorgeousness of the ladies. This year was a little different, and let me tell you why. Owen is at that age where he is TOTALLY in charge. I believe they call it the Terrible Two’s for a reason, right? He wants to do what he wants to do. And I get it! It happens with just about every child I photograph at that age! Some of you out there may be nervous about getting your photos taken because your child is in that stage, so let me let you in on a little secret. It’s OK! We could tell pretty early on that Owen wasn’t going to smile and POSE, that he wanted to run around and be a kid. So, you just have to adapt. We were at a place that had lots of great distractions for a kid, and we really just let him think he was running the show. We let him play with rocks, run around structures, laugh, and have fun. The shots we got may not have been what Valerie & her family were anticipating, but they were real, lifestyle, photos. He was so happy! Valerie messaged me after she received the photos and told me she was so shocked–she didn’t think there would be many “good” ones, and was pleasantly surprised! We got some excellent shots of Owen & his Oma & Opa, and mom & dad.
