I was stuck.  Literally.  In a hole.  I had been concentrating on composing my shot and not falling into the lake that was less than a foot to my left, when all of a sudden I couldn’t move forward.  It wasn’t a creative block; my right foot stepped right into the middle of a small sinkhole and I was stuck all the way up to my knee.  I lowered my camera slowly and admitted to the family smiling before me that we’d have to take a short break – that I wasn’t kneeling to get a great angle… I was just stuck…  I pulled my leg out of the hole, and then got down on my knees to fish my sandal out of the hole.  ‘What in the world?!’ I thought to myself.  By then one of the boys had figured out what happened to me and came running to help.  And by the time the rest of the family figured it out, I was laughing at myself and brushing the dirt and mud off my leg.  “I’m fine! I’m fine!” I assured them through my laughter.  “But maybe it’s time to find another spot!”

The idea for this session started all the way back in March!  I met this mama at a women’s retreat and we clicked immediately!  She started sharing her story of overwhelming circumstances, all the while her hand on her abdomen – protecting the hope growing inside her.  When she found out that I was not only a speaker, but a photographer as well, she said, “You must take my family photo.  We’ve never had one before!”

The only problem was… She was in Chicago… And I was in Fort Wayne, Indiana… Or was it a problem?

Absolutely not!  You see, traveling is part of my gig!  I have traveled so much my entire life that it’s just part of who I am.  Remember the song, “And I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more… Just to be the (photographer) who walks 1,000 miles just to fall down at your door…”?  So we found a date that worked for everyone.  Of course, I didn’t know I would be falling (as the song suggests)…

It was a hot 90 degree day, but a friend of the family had recommended Herrick Lake in Wheaton – lots of a shade and a nice breeze!  They walked up to me, very coordinated – all in blue…  She let me in on a secret, “We’re using these photos as a gender reveal for the baby!”  What a great idea!!!

As I introduced myself to the rest of the family, the little girl admitted that she was scared.  She’d never done anything like this.  The oldest son couldn’t believe I already knew his name. The youngest son just wanted to jump and squat and laugh and spin.  It didn’t take long for little hands to find their way into my hands as we walked to different locations in the park.  I always find ways to focus on the hearts of kids – especially the nervous ones!  They know their have my camera’s focus, but what brings out their personality in the pictures is that they know they have my focus, too.

Thanks for reading!  This is just one of my ways of putting a smile back in the world!