Some photos shoots are staged. Others just happen.
This family didn’t want a photoshoot. They wanted pictures of grandma with her family, especially her 4-year old grandson who lives in California.
I arrived early to the shoot like I do…I am almost physcially incapable of being on time or late. The family was going to meet at grandma’s house but hadn’t all arrived yet. This gave me a great opportunity to talk with this wonderful woman, and interact with her youngest grandson.
She was a college biology teacher in her professional life. She married a man she knew since first grade, who grew up to be an aeronautical engineer ( I hope I remember that correctly). He passed away 13 years ago. She spoke of her husband with great love and shared her struggles trying to find a job in fairfax county so many years ago. She told me about all her children, including a son who passed away at age 11 from cerebral palsy. His photo was close by. He was a beautiful young man. She had been living in her house — the house I was invited to and now sat in — for 52 years.
To say it was an honor to be there is an understatement. I was so grateful for being habitually early.
Her four-year-old grandson didn’t dissappoint, and entertained his grandmother (and me) with grace, patience and humor. It goes without saying but look at that face. What a great face. He was also one of the most polite children I have ever met.
So for this shoot, I took family pictures in a very normal, intimate sense. I got shots of them opening Christmas presents and being a family. It was special and lovely.
Merry Christmas friends. This is what its all about.
