Kids grow fast. Sometimes it may feel like it is too fast.
Now that I am a mom I can totally say it even more because it feels like it was yesterday that my oldest was born and we are about to celebrate her third birthday soon.
For this reason I jumped right in when Andrea called me and asked if I could photograph her son and her niece who was coming with her mom to visit. Andrea moved from California to Virginia a couple of months back and her sister had the chance to come visit for a few days. They both wanted to capture images of the little cousins together. At age two and nine months, the changes are so many and so quick. I definitely wanted to be a part of their story.
Newport News City Park in Newport News, Virginia was the perfect setting. They both had a lot of fun and we might have lost a dinosaur in the process. The moms also got to share some silly memories and had the chance to anchor memories in their minds and their hearts. As a bonus, they now have great pictures to give to grandpa and grandma.
Although these two cousins are living apart from each other, they have these pictures and I am sure they will have many more. The key for this successful photoshoot was:
- A toy for the toddler to focus on
- Letting them be and not make them stand still
- Lots of hugs and kisses
- Tennis shoes for mom in case the toddler decides to run for it
Whatever the age of your child, capture them in the moment. Ask them to dance or run and capture that moment. Little girls love to be ballerinas or princesses. You will get great results. And if they decide they want to pose, then let them strike that pose and capture that too. They will thank you for it.
Whichever is the reason, I would love to help you out. In the meantime, have fun.
Here's a few pictures of the amazing afternoon we had at the park.
Hermarís