I have been photographing this family for the past 7 years. It probably has something to do with with the fact that the mom is my friend and cousin, and we have a sweet deal going on. Literally, a sweet deal. I photograph her family and she makes my kids’ birthday cakes. To say “makes” their cakes is an understatement. She creates masterpieces in the form of edible deliciousness and it is the one of the things my kids look forward to. Leah’s birthday is coming up and it has already been discussed what kind of cake she wants….a rainbow unicorn cake…for the 3rd year in a row.
Each year I meet this family at a different location, a location that they have spent time as a family and want to capture those memories for their wall. One year we met downtown Pittsburgh and I photographed them as they walked the Strip, enjoying Peace, Love & Little Donuts, buying flowers, and checking out Wholey’s. That might have been my favorite session ever.
Last year, they were given a membership to Phipps Conservatory and we had all kinds of thoughts of how to document that. I have this dream of offering seasonal family sessions…capturing a family during each of the four seasons and tying it up with a bow in a beautiful album at the end of the year. Last year was the year to do it and we decided to visit Phipps each season. Perfect. Right? Well, we all know what happened and none of us visited Phipps.
But they did frequent the local creek during the summer months and when it came time to pick a spot for their family session, that was the place. And it was perfect. Sometimes…or I will say most times, the location that is perfect for your family session is a place where they feel comfortable, have memories, and will create more. It can be your backyard, your grandparents’ farm, the local ice cream stand, downtown, or anywhere where your family will laugh and have fun. These won’t just be pretty pictures on your wall…they will be memories.
