Baby, Bumbo, and Bubbles | Alexandria, VA Baby and Family Photographer

I was excited, yet nervous, about my session with the "R" Family.  They had just had a new baby, upping the kid count to three boys (each two years apart - talk about a handful!). The family had had professional photos taken of the family when each of the two older boys turned 3 months old. Many of the photos are now hanging as huge canvas gallery wraps all over their house, like beautiful pieces of art on the wall.  I was impressed and inspired by how the photographers creatively incorporated every-day kid toys, and even food, to make the images original, playful, humorous, and very colorful. And they truly captured the personality of the family, as I can almost hear their laughter when I look at the images. 

So I was super flattered when they asked me to take photos of the family when the new baby reached the same 3 month milestone.  I was quite nervous about being able to provide images of similar caliber and creativity that would be worthy of hanging on their walls.  But I was inspired by the challenge and was determined not to disappoint.

Before the session, the mom and I spent some time brainstorming about colorful items that the kids could interact with that might make for interesting photos.  We decided to meet at the Caryle House Gardens in Old Town Alexandria since it is full of lovely greenery and varied textures and is a contained space, perfect for very active boys to run around. On the day of the session, the family arrived with a big red wagon full of gear and toys, and I brought along a stroller full of bubbles, treats, and other fun stuff. And of course, we were all well armed with LOTS of patience, since any photo shoot with 3 kids is a challenge, even without any props and accessories!

The most successful item that we used was their lime green Bumbo, which was a bit hit with the kids, as each wanted a turn in it. Love the facial expression on the baby in this one!

 

 

No, there's nothing wrong with the camera lens in this image. A mega huge bubble just floated in front of it.

 

Thank you to the "R" Family for believing in me and for challenging me to try new ways to interact with kids to create original and colorful images. And of course, thank you for all the laughs - there is a LOT of silliness and laughter with this family of 3 young boys!