Friends with benefits get their turn in the limelight | Alexandria, VA Family Photographer

The "D" Family are dear friends of ours. They are smart, funny, and truly wonderful people. We see them often and I've taken many photos of their kids over the years (added benefits of being my friend, ha!). But like many other families, they don't have a single photo of their entire family. So this year, they decided that it was time to finally have a dedicated photo session with me.

Despite being so familiar with me, the older boy was rather reluctant to participate at first. But I worked my magic and he soon realized that there really wasn't anything to be nervous about and that my sessions are just one big playdate. He laughed at my goofiness, ran around the gardens with his brother, got tickled by his parents, and totally loosened up. Then, after his dad and I gushed about how handsome he was and he saw some of his images on my camera, he really started to get it. From then on, he was super cooperative and was practically beaming for the camera. That's when I know I've been successful!

Meanwhile, his sweet little brother is always glowing with a smile - no wonder my daughter loves him! He is a shy one, but armed with his favorite stuffed dog, he was a jovial participant during our session.

Here is a sneak peak.

While I was at it, I also took some glamour shots of the dad for professional usage. Future book cover, perhaps? What a handsome devil ;)

At the end of the day, it's not just about the images, it's about having a good laugh and enjoying our time together!