While I love capturing my clients year after year and watching their families grown, I also love every opportunity I get to work with new families. Beth + Jerry are first time JFC clients and were referred by our longtime friends Luke + Lydia. Lydia and Beth work together and she has always commented on how much she loves Lydia’s photos. When it was time for Beth + Jerry to take updated family photos after the arrival of son, Lydia insisted she call me.

I met Beth + Jerry, their daughter Lydia and son Joey at the Gettysburg National Cemetery. There’s a beautiful area when you first enter the park before you get to the grave sites that was ideal for capturing this family of four.

Choosing the right outfits for a family session can be challenging but Beth did a nice job of coordinating her family’s looks. Two-year-old Lydia wore a sweet little pink tulle dress while nine-month-old Joey was dressed in a mint top and the cutest little suspenders. To tie it all together, Beth coordinated with both of her kids while Jerry rocked a bow-tie (my favorite look on a guy for any session!).

From Beth: We are in this crazy chaotic phase and trying to soak up as much as possible before it’s gone.

Joey is one of the happiest babies I have ever seen. In almost every picture, he has a huge grin across his face and was not shy about having his picture taken. Lydia, reminded me a lot of my oldest daughter and took a little bit longer to warm up in front of the camera. She and Beth have a beautiful bond and her shyness allowed me to capture some sweet snuggly photos of their relationship.

One of my favorite shots from their session came at the very end as the whole family were walked back to the car. Lydia has a stuffed rainbow colored dog that she calls “Puppy”. While it was tucked away for the session, Beth handed it to her as they walked back towards their car. In that moment, the wind blew her hair and flowy dress perfectly.I was able to capture the most precious shot of her holding Puppy tightly.

With young daughters of my own, I know how much their comfort items mean to them. Being able to capture a small but meaningful part of a client’s life in an artful way is something I try to do for each JFC client. These items and moments in time can seem like something that wouldn’t stand out as something to be photographed and become just a part  of everyday life, but once they grow out of that stage it’s images like these they will cherish the most in years to come. They are part of your legacy that should never be forgotten.

Beth + Jerry, thank you for allowing me to capture your family this year. It’s been great getting to know you and your little ones!

-xo-

Jamie