If you ask my kids who have taken portraits with me 100 times, "what was your favorite time Mom took pictures of you?", they'll point to this shoot, 100%.
This portrait of my four kiddos is one of my favorites that I have ever taken of them. For years, I had wanted to do a session of my boys in jean shorts and overalls and when we had our newest addition, Alexander, I knew I had to make it happen.
There is a story behind this photo though - and the shoot that went along with it is the most requested shoot I get from my five year old, Timothy. Even a year later, he asks me "Mommy, when can we take pictures again?" I'm always up for taking photos of my kids, but what he means when he elaborates a bit more, is "Mommy, when can we take these pictures again".
What made this shoot so special that it still sticks out over a year later?
I let my kids break the rules.
Or, even more impressive...
I asked my kids to break the rules.
I will say, it made an impression. When Mom says you can break the rules and have fun doing it, it is a very memorable shoot.
So what made the magic happen? Prior to this picture, I asked my kids to go crazy and jump on my bed, and boy, did they go crazy.
Half of the photos I got were of the backs of their heads or their limbs.
But the ones that I did capture are portraits that I absolutely love, and because of the experience, they are portraits that they will love even after I'm gone.
It doesn't take a professional to take portraits like these, you could do it with your own family. I love the white sheets and blue jeans contrast, but it would be just as fun with kiddos dressed in any clothes. If you want a professional to capture these, I am absolutely up for it. It's a super fun session.
So if you need a Labor Day activity for your crazy bunch, grab a white sheet, some blue jeans and let them break the rules. These photos are unedited, some are technically imperfect, but they are engaging, fun, and the kids had a blast.
Kristian is the owner of Kristian Hutchings Portraits a ten year old luxury portrait service in Richardson, TX serving the surrounding Dallas and North Texas area. Kristian offers unique sessions with complementary hair and makeup, an overflowing client closet, and sessions that are less about watching the clock, and more about getting those perfect images. Kristian helps her clients from wardrobe to wall art to ensure clients get portraits that they love and that their art graces their family's walls for years to come.