Firsts and Lasts

I know you’ve walked into a small business before and seen a framed dollar bill behind the counter.  It is the first dollar bill they made in sales, and so its significance is frame-able.  There’s just something about “firsts”.  This session was a first for me – it was the first time a senior’s family took me up on my offer to do a free family session in addition to the senior session!  Yes!  Because why not have updated family photos to go along the really great senior photos?!  And this is their first child to graduate high school – another first!

There’s also something significant about lasts.  In particular, this is the last family photo they’ll have with all three kids under their roof.  I’m actually chuckling as I write this, because even though I edit the photos and show them to my clients within a week, this family had already dispersed in different directions before then!  What’s that phrase? There’s no time like the present?!

I learned a little bit about this family while I was doing their oldest’s senior photos, as I already mentioned.  Seeing the family dynamics play out, however, is an entirely different and entertaining experience all together!  Posing 101 for family photographers informs me that everyone in the group should be “connected”.  That means there should be touching: hand in hand, arm around waist, hand to shoulder, head to head, et cetera…  It gets really funny when there are one or more family members that are not affectionate via physical contact – especially when all the kids are teenagers!  They just prefer their own personal space!  Add in a couple of really long torsos, and this vertically-space-efficient photographer had to come up with some creative stances to put people in.  “Trust me… It feels awkward, but it looks great!!!”

Trust me, they did, and now you can see for yourself!

In all seriousness, this is a great family! They have a respectable work ethic, clear goals, and a solid foundation of faith.  They share a love of running and the great outdoors, as well as some incredible smiles.  Their sense of humor is infectious, as is their love for one another (even if they don’t want to touch each other).  I’m so glad they took me up on my offer of a free family session!  Now for the fun part…. Choosing what to order between the senior session and the family session.  I hear some of these are going up above the fire place, so I guess you could say this “first” is frame-able, too – just like a small business’ first dollar bill!

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