Rain Rain Come Again

Being from the desert my whole life, any day that rains is a good day. Somehow, at 2.5 years old, my little guy has already caught on to this.

It was slightly drizzling out a few days ago and as my youngest ran past me (I'll enjoy saying that for 6 more months until our next little one arrives) I scooped him up to look out the window to see how gorgeous it was outside. Not content to just watch, he had to be out there to really check it out.

I recently read that one of the ways to get a great picture of kids and direct them into a pose (like catch rain drops) is to subtly suggest an action. For example: instead of saying "why don't you sit here" say "Do you think that chair would feel like sitting in Papa Bear's chair or Baby Bear's chair in Goldilocks?" and wait to see what they do. The action they take in response will result in a natural looking pose that they've initiated, thus revealing more than them just sitting in a chair. It gives their individuality and personality an opportunity to shine through. I love it! I can't wait to play with this approach more!

A year and a half ago I wanted a camera because I was tired of canned studio pictures of my kids from department stores - but it has become so much more to me than that. Photography has challenged me to see things in a different way, to enjoy the simple moments that I so easily overlooked before, and an absolute joy as I preserve the memory of a gorgeous rainy day with my little one that I would have otherwise forgotten years from now.