Growing With Me

Recently, a couple of other photographers have pointed out that my subjects are getting...well...older. Not entirely, but often enough to point it out. That, a lot of the kids I have the privilege of getting in front of my lens are not toddlers anymore. Inevitably, when the other photographers mention this, they add how scared they are to have older subjects. Truthfully, they used to scare me, too...but not anymore.

Partially, it's because a lot of my clients--over half of them--are repeat clients. These kids have grown with me. They know me and I know them. There is a comfort level that comes from using the same photographer over and over again. But, it's also because my own kids are older now(and so are their friends), so I have gone from talking Backyardigans to Pokemon to Minecraft...and my comfort level around older kids has grown.

I love older kids. They have interesting stuff to tell you. And, they take direction...you can have them run and jump with a balloon over and over again to try and get a better and better shot. In fact, most of them LOVE it--that feeling like they are a part of creating something. And, you know what I've learned this fall? I love it, too.

This beautiful girl and I just met...so, we didn't have that comfort of knowing each other. But, I listened to her tell me stuff...and she has had an amazing life so far. Truly amazing. And, then...she ran and jumped and ran and jumped and swung her hair around and giggled and goofed around. See...11 year olds like to play just as much as toddlers :)

~ Dana