A client sent me a message saying she has four generations of fellas on her husband's side and could we do a session to celebrate that?  The answer was ABSOLUTELY!  We got everyone together on a beautiful day in February and went onto the back porch of their home to take these images - a special gift for Great-Grandfather's NINETY-SEVENTH birthday.  I had each fine gentleman hold an empty frame and simply pose as they would.  I wanted them to look as natural and 'themselves' as possible  I played with angling a bit and that was it!  It was that simple.  When I got back to my office, I worked some Photoshop magic on it and we had an amazing heirloom image to be celebrated by many, for many generations.

They used the frame in the image to frame the print making the final product look so sleek and perfect.  It was an amazing idea!  She definitely won "best gift" at the big birthday celebration.  What everyone remarked upon the most is how each personality is captured perfectly. I love that every one of them is so similar yet so different.  It's one of those images you look at and find something new to think about it every time you look at it.

One of my favorite details that you can't see is, we took these at my clients' home (my clients are the youngest Dad and his wife...their son is the little boy in the image).  For this part of the story, we'll name these guys Great-Grandad, Granddad, Dad and Boy.  So, Granddad bought this house with his wife and brought up Dad there.  Then Dad (and wife) bought the home from Granddad and now lives there with Boy (along with Wife and Girl).  So, not only is the image full of generational history, but so is the backdrop; that brick is the chimney of the home where three out of four of these fellas lived/live.  How fitting.  (Were you able to follow all of that?!?!)

---

Finished with our most important work, we moved on to take a few more shots of the guys together, and then went inside to play.

Every boy wants me to take a picture of their butt.  Every boy.  And I always oblige.  It's one of my secret weapons.  If I agree to take a butt shot, they'll agree to give me a nice smile later. 

Works like a charm.

Many of you might recognize this from Leap Day this year.  It was my "Happy Leap Day" social media post.  I couldn't resist!

Now that we were just playing around, Sis got in on the fun too! 

This next one is completely candid.  Let the kids have fun at a photo session and you'll get magic like this.

I seem to be revealing all my tricks today.  Here's another: we coerced Grandmum to get into a photo with the kiddos.  How did I get the kids to have such awesome smiles?  I told them a secret.

"Psst: Guys.  OK come in close so no one hears the secret.  Here's what we're going to do.  You go over there and smile nicely for the camera.  When I say 'go,' you GET 'EM!"  Kids love secrets and they love evil plans.  It's even better when the other subjects don't know the plan.  I love the reactions of the grandparents here!

Can't leave without a family portrait!  Mum and Sis weren't planning on being in any shots but I LOVE this one.  Such a fun family to work with and to know.

Thanks for a great session everyone!  I'm so glad you suggested this idea to me!  It's been such a fun journey!-Kerry:)