This one was a good ‘un….
Christi is one of my very closest friends from my time living in London, so any chance to spend time with her gang is one I’ll jump at. When I planned my trip overseas, she was my top priority visit because it had been far too long since we’d had a chance to hang. The last time I spent any time with the Joyces, she was about 4 months pregnant with Leif, who is now almost 3!
There was an extra perk to the timing of this session: Frank and Sandra were over from Iowa for a visit, so I managed to get a couple of frames that included them, as well. Annual visits from Grandma and Grandpa are definitely something worth catching on camera!
Our plan of attack for this session was SUPER simple: get outside. They chose to head for a nearby arboretum because it would give us lots of fresh air and greenery, and it would let the kids just be kids somewhere with lots of space.
Winkworth Arboretum is such an interesting spot for a family session. The playground has a lot of fun angles and features that gave both the kids and me room to play. The trails lead to all sorts of treasures, helped along by the fact that they were running an Easter egg hunt while we visited, so the kids had specific things to look for instead of just taking off at full speed in three different directions. :)
Watching Christi and Tristan parent their kids through this stage of childhood is so much fun. I can see the two of them navigating ways to foster a desire for exploration, encourage independence and support the kids when they’re trying something new (although, swinging across monkey rings while wearing a cast didn’t make that cut – probably wise!). Tristan’s love of photography has shown up in Ellie, who brought a camera with her for this session and was often somewhere behind me photographing our scenes. Christi supervised while the boys act like true boys – tumbling, climbing, running blindfolded across the grass and generally experimenting with different ways to imply that their safety may soon be in peril. My favourite moment when going through these images was seeing a look on Christi’s face that I often used to be on the receiving end of. It brings me endless joy to know that she’s got a little person in her life who is as ridiculous as this particular big person was when I lived near her. ;)
From hunting for pinecones to testing tree branches, this entire session was about exploration and I loved every second of it. Bonus points that it was happening with a family I love as much as my own.
Here’s a look at what we got up to that afternoon:
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 outdoors! I also love getting in amongst the bedlam so that I can document the perfectly imperfect realities of daily life. Want to to see another example of an outdoor documentary family session? Start here!
