This was such a fun family mini session. We had perfect weather that day! There was little breeze and the sun shone warmly through the trees for just the right amount of natural lighting. I was in my photographer’s element out there with this super authentic, fun family of five!

James and Kelly are in a similar situation as my husband Chris and I were before moving here. James lives in North Carolina working a new job while Kelly waits in Tampa for the kids to finish school. Even with the move coming up, they made time for family portraits. I know busy this stage of life is for them, so we were honored they would use some of their valuable time with Dad home to get some new family photos. I wanted to really make it worth their while by building in some quality time to their session. And we had a blast! 

One of my favorite games to play with families is Who's Who. I ask the group questions like: who is the messiest, most adventurous, laziest, most creative, etc. I’ve yet to play a round that hasn’t erupted in laughs. With three teenagers in the mix, it’s a great way to get some genuine, candid smiles. 

Because this is such a momentous year for this family (and with their daughter graduating from high school), we also recreated a picture we took when the kids were little. How has this much time already gone by?! What beautiful and handsome young adults they’ve grown into, and what a pleasure it was to capture these memories for them. 

I wish them all the very best on the next part of their journey in North Carolina! Safe travels, friends!