I recently had the privilege of booking some military family Mini Sessions while I was in Hawaii!
I can’t tell you what a privilege it was to meet and photograph these special families who sacrifice so much for our country. And to top it off, it was over Veterans’ Day weekend!
My first session included not just Mom, Dad and adorable 2 1/2 year old “C”, but Grandma happened to be visiting the island as well.
This wonderful family just moved to Oahu and I LOVED their choice for outfits… matching Hawaiian dresses! It made the whole session even more memorable.
One of the highlights of the session for me was capturing Daddy and daughter together! Especially knowing that part of Dad’s service to our country sometimes means having to leave for extended periods of time. It wasn’t until after snapping away at Dad lifting “C” up to the tree and feeding each other pretend apples did I find out they were playing one of their favorite, silly games… “apple picking”!
Mom and Dad brought some of Dad’s uniform and thought it would be fun to include them in the session. Well, as you know, trying to convince a 2 1/2 year old to do something that wasn’t in their plans can be rather challenging. (Especially when a playground is beckoning from afar.)
With the parent’s permission, I offered little Smarties to drop in the boots so “C” would at least get in the vicinity of them. It worked like magic! However, Mom and Dad really wanted a picture of her standing in the boots. Dad suggested to “C” she should put her feet in the boots and try to grab the little Smarties with her toes! Brilliant! She thought it was the best game and we were able to capture a fun, memorable picture!
If you are a photographer or a mom who loves taking pictures of your kids, Smarties are a great “tool” to have in your camera bag. They are small enough to drop in a lap or hide somewhere. The best part is when they do eat them during the session, they dissolve quickly and don’t leave their lips and tongues stained! I have used jelly beans before but then I would have to wait until the child finished chewing (and chewing, and chewing) or every image would be with their little mouths contorted in some unflattering way! (Of course, as with any food item, you should ALWAYS ask the child’s parent beforehand if it’s ok. Privately!)
I am planning on being in Oahu for most of the month of June, if you are interested in a Premiere Session or Mini Session, drop me a line. Also, if you know of any Juniors in high school that would be interested in High School Senior Photos… send them my way!
