People who spend any time with me at all know that I have 30 ideas in my head at any one time.  This one started as I was helping my friend, Sarah, rethink her web site and social media content.  It happened that she had been contracted to create a cosplay costume of Scarlett Witch for Comic-Con here in Indy.  I admire a lot about Sarah.  She’s crazy-good organized, but she’s even more talented at fashion design (find her at sarahbethdesigns.com).  I felt like Sarah was not initially excited enough about this. I, on the other hand, have faithfully watched all Marvel content with my family, and we had recently finished the Wandavision series.  Sensing my fandom, Sarah graciously invited me into the process as she shopped for the right material and dyes to create something only a professional could.  I suggested we photograph the final fitting so she could have some photos for her social media feeds and her web site as she rebrands.

That was just the beginning…

At the final fitting I was snapping away as Sarah did her expert thing – wowing her client.  I could tell by the sparkle in her client’s eyes… and her kids… and her husband’s.  As I do, I get to know people. I started asking questions about Comic-Con and found out they were going as a family, including her mom.  Apparently the whole family loves to get in costume!  One of those 30 ideas started rising to the front of my brain and I found myself asking (and trying to sound like I wasn’t begging) to do a superhero session for their family.  To my delight, they were agreeable!  And… after waiting for them to move houses, the weather to cool off, sickness to wain, and the rain to hold off…  The time had come!!!!

I loved that I could do this for Sarah’s business, but even more I loved that I could capture this family in a way that was uniquely them!

I began their superhero session just like a normal session – we had a planning consultation.  I got to hear their stories, learn about their personalities, and play with some ideas to see what really resonated with them.  And, as normal, I became a fan.  Their story is one of commitment: Commitment to their faith and commitment to each other.  They both grew up in complicated families, so they made some promises to each other about what their family would look like.  Yes, the dad works long hours to provide for his family, but he puts the hours in at the beginning of the day because from 4:30 p.m. on, he belongs to his family.  It’s obvious how much they all adore each other!

When it came time to photograph them, I brought Sarah along with me so she could enjoy the fruit of her labor.  Plus, she had a super big fan that helped keep everyone cool (because, after all, it’s still July)!  I felt like I was on a fashion shoot the way she just popped in and out setting up props and straightening hem lines.  She even offered to hold my light stand after a gust of wind swept in and toppled the whole rig!  There was a battle of super powers: The youngest had a remarkable talent for suddenly hiding his giggles and smiles as soon as I brought my camera out.  I played, “Come and get me” with him for a while without my camera to get him to loosen up.  Just as I thought he was more comfortable with me, I raised my camera to get his gorgeous all-out-playful smile running toward me, and he froze with the most sober expression you can imagine. He did this over and over again; so much so that we were all laughing about it.  However, my super power of persistence and flow-with-it-ness won the day!

I do this to put a smile back in the world, and every time it puts a smile back in mine.

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