There’s a perfect storm scenario that happens during some sessions: great light; kids of the right age; a willingness to explore independently; parents who are happy to let their kids roam freely.
And gangly limbs.
There’s something comical about kids who are in the throes of growth spurts. Those loose-jointed limbs seem to fly in all directions at once.
Rosie has gangly limbs aplenty. In fact, I commented after going through the photos from this session that I’ve never met a child who so closely embodies the word “akimbo.” She’s into handstands and awkward walks and throwing her limbs around like she’s Gumby. I was completely enthralled with watching her be her kid self and made it my challenge to capture as many of those angular movements as I could.
Rosie and her cousin, Kian, are only two weeks apart, and their bond was immediately obvious. They may not live in the same city, but these two are so close that they might as well be siblings. I suspect if they did live in the same city, they’d probably be inseparable. Their play was spurred on by each other, their friendly challenges pushed each kid to do something more, and their explorations together constantly led to new discoveries and new ideas.
As we walked back to the car (stopping to climb trees, OBVIOUSLY), I couldn’t help but feel a little sad that the session was coming to a close. There was just so much to enjoy about this gang – their humour; their own connections with each other; and the way they let the kids just be, while still happily engaging them and really playing with them. This whole session was really just about the joy of exploration and it was amazing to be a part of it. There were just sooooo many photos that could be made for them.
Here’s a little peek into an afternoon spent with Rosie, her family, and her wildly swinging limbs.
I’m Ang – a Cornwall, Ontario documentary family photographer with a passion for capturing light and photographing natural moments in life as they happen. My goal is to capture memories that you will cherish once your children are too grown up to curl into your lap for cuddles and the house seems oddly quiet at night. I love meeting new families in their natural environment and getting in amongst the bedlam so that I can document the perfectly imperfect realities of daily life. Want to to see more examples from this Ontario documentary family photographer? Why not start with this fun backyard family session!
