When You Allow Kids To Be Themselves
There was a time when everything I did as a photographer was so carefully thought out. I would purchase large paper backdrops and props, ensure children were sitting in JUST the right spot, and once all the conditions were perfectly met, I'd start photographing. Those days are gone.
It's become so apparent to me that the best images are taken when I am not directing at all.
During my last 12 years as a photographer I've spent a great deal of time learning. One of the biggest lessons was that the images I love most are authentic, they happened naturally, and they truly reflect who my subject is, as a person.
These lovely images of my own son Henry make me so happy! I've photographed him countless times, but I never know what to expect with him, as he's a little hyper and unpredictable. :) So how did we create these gorgeous captures?
I just told him that he could play with the toys in my studio while I photographed.
Just like these images of Henry, I love it when parents let their kids be kids. When they can see their little ones in images the way they really are. Authentic and honest, adorable and sweet. It is amazing to be able to capture their little lives as their personality comes out to play and their grin splashes on their faces. We get to watch as they discover the world and the people in it, as they learn how to do things, as they are loved just for who they are. And their journey is worth capturing, it is worth photographing, it is worth being held in frames and wallets and up on walls. It is worth celebrating.
These days with our babies are so very important. We are shaping who our children are as people. It is no small thing, we are making a difference, so they can as well.
These little ones we hold in our arms now, the ones who crawl on our floors and race up and down the hallway, these ones will do great things.
