One of my favorite ways to photograph a family is in a This Season session.  This style of photographing results in tons of details, variation, and a series of photos that in traditional portraiture are eliminated to show the “just right” moments.

engaged family portrait sitting down with baby

This Spring I drove a couple of hours to visit a family I have been photographing for a few years to photograph them at their new home. Since I had seen them, they had a new baby, a new home, and big brother had grown up so much.  They are in the thick of rock piles and squishy baby legs, singing the ABCs and soft-fluffy animals, and decorating a new house (with tons of PLP photos!). Their new home is near a special grandma who loves to snuggle her grandbabies, and that is certainly part of this season to share.

preschool boy gathering rocks in Missouri

baby pulls on sunhat

crawling happy baby in missouri family photography

family portrait in columbia MO with baby girl

happy grandma with granddaughter

potato toy on couch

preschool and baby siblings portrait

preschool boy at desk playing with lego toys in MO

preschooler turning three with sunglasses in MO

STL photograph of boy on the floor

board books at home

collection of books for preschoolers

excited baby girl portrait

preschool boy whispering to grandma

One of the special parts of a This Season session to me is that we can include so many of the moment we might otherwise neglect, like those quiet moments when a toddler is feeling shy and needs some comfort from loving parents.

shy preschooler comforted by parents

These are tender, special moments, which for a parent are precious memories, and for children help them view their preciousness in strong imagery. These send powerful messages to our children about their worth.

baby pulls on dads whiskers

boy looks out window in columbia mo

Having photographs of details and moments are such a gift as we have them to look back on and remind us of little things so quickly forgotten.