From what my photographer friends tell me, it sounds like I’ve been lucky in that my kids have never really totally detested being in front of the camera.  But this was an all new high.

After a day of “America’s Next Top Model” marathon recently, my eight-year-old daughter saw a prime opportunity.  If you are spending a Saturday dreaming of being a supermodel (side note – not to worry, we had a good talk about the importance of intelligence, strength and solidity of character being far superior to appearance, as well as discussing the fact that the girl who felt “fat” was crazy), then you should ask your photographer mom to style a session, set up the lights and shoot your very own super model session, right?!  It was so fun to be able to do this for her – and a dream for me to see how much my daughter has grown up in these years that have flashed past like a bolt of lightning.

So off we go to get out the makeup bag for a fun makeover (again, not to worry, this is maybe the fourth time in her life she’s had makeup on her face, two of which were for dance recitals).  Makeup applied, I sent her upstairs to plan her wardrobe.  She skipped down the stairs looking most assuredly ready for the runway, the beauty dish (for those non-photo-geeks, that’s a piece of photo equipment) in place, we were off to the races.

I couldn’t believe how much she has paid attention over the years.  Now, after years of practice with her mother saying, “Move that left finger together just a little bit” (oh, my, that sounds quite crazy in type – maybe I need to rethink that LOL) she now knows exactly what to do and can strike quite the perfect pose (in this photographer mom’s opinion, anyway).

And you know, since the day she was born, I’ve looked at her almost every day (excepting possibly from ages two to three, but let’s not think about those years) and said to myself, “She’ll never be more amazing than she is today.  It will never be better than it is right now.”  And that amazement and awe I felt deep in my heart staring at her as a newborn… it hasn’t changed one bit.  She’ll never be as amazing as she is today.  It will never be better than it is right now.

Quick makeup removal, and we’re back to her adorable eight-year-old life.  But playing pretend supermodel was awesome for an afternoon. 

I so want to type a long and meaningful post, and I do so adore this client.  But, alas, I just do not have the time.  I have too many sessions to process and orders to fulfill (lucky me, honestly!) to be eloquent at the moment.  But I refuse to NOT get this sneak peek up as a result of my procrastinating in an effort to create a fabulous blog entry.

So I’ll leave this one at a big, huge THANK YOU to E for allowing me to photograph your family again!  As always, it is a genuine and absolute pleasure working with you guys!

Thanks to Mama T for allowing me to photograph you again this pregnancy. I look forward to meeting your new little surprise baby and seeing the rest of your family again!

For today, let’s start with photography… a session.  Today, let’s feature a recent senior photography session.  From the moment A walked into my office, I could tell I was going to like her and her mom.  You know, as we grow up (and as I stare middle age dead in the eye), I think there’s a part of us who always feels like the same person we were in high school.  When I mentally revert to my high school self, I am positive that A is absolutely a girl I would count in my circle of friends.

We would be very different, but we’d share similar interests, I think.  She’s a cool, quiet girl, but I can tell there’s so much going on inside.  She seems thoughtful and pensive, an artist both in practice and in spirit, and her love of Bob Dylan reminds me of my love, in high school, of bands like The Beatles and The Clash – definitely not of our respective times but interesting none the less.  So, although I am happy to endure music that’s not totally up my alley when I plug in any senior’s ipod in the studio, I really did enjoy plugging in A’s ipod and rocking out the Bob Dylan while shooting the studio part of her session.

So, since she’s more than 20 years younger than me, I get to just imagine the fun of being her age, her generation, and what it would be like to be her friend in high school… and I get to enjoy, from the perspective of my own generation, imagining her looking at her future and seeing all the amazing things that will surely be in it.  Here she is, the lovely A.

(click on one of the photos if you’d like to read the whole article)

When I arrived, I was greeted by an enthusiastic, “KATEPARKER (single word intentional)!!!”  From that moment on, I was “Kateparker.”  “Kateparker, come with me!”  “Kateparker, would you like a treat?”  “Kateparker, listen to this song!”  Her parents, being the wonderful and polite people they are, insisted that she use her manners and refer to me with the appropriate title of “Miss Kate,” or “Miss Parker.”  M’s response?  “Or Missus Kateparker, Daddy… if she’s married.”  Did I mention that M is three years old? 

So from then on, I was “Missus Kateparker,” and I couldn’t have been more happy with the title.  At one point, I sat on the floor as her mommy was changing her brother’s diaper and getting him ready for the session.  M sat down with me, and I asked her if I could tell her a secret.  She leeeeaaaannnneeed in and offered her ear.  I whispered, “You are one of my FAVORITE little girls.”  Her face lit up.  She asked, very quietly, in a sweet little whisper, “Can I tell my mommy?”  Then, as any good mother should, I gave her my brief motherly advice… Of course.  Never, never, ever keep secrets from your mommy… especially not if a virtual stranger tells you it’s a secret.  (I hope my kids are reading this.)

When it was time for me to go, M offered me, with all her love, a gummy butterfly.  I thanked her and placed it carefully in my bag, telling her I would save it for later.  M asked me, “Missus Kateparker, are you going to eat that in your car?”  I answered that I would.  She replied, “Missus Kateparker, you know it’s REALLY important for you to have BOTH hands on the wheel when you drive.             So you might want to eat it in your car before you leave.”

Thank you, M.  For keeping me safe.  And for giving me wonderful stories to share.  And for making my job amazing.

And I have to shamelessly point out that getting a photo with two toddlers AND their parents all in the same frame smiling AND looking at the camera… well, it’s like the Holy Grail of family photography.  So I’m more than a little proud of that family shot (*excusing myself for the loud tooting of my own proverbial horn here*). 

Thanks to this wonderful family for coming to my studio again!  I’ve been photographing them since Big Brother was a wee newborn, and it is always a pleasure (even now that it’s two toddlers running around the studio!).