Burget Family - fall photos in wichita
Thanks to a friend passing along my name, I had the great pleasure of getting to meet and photograph the Burget family! We decided to use the beautiful Eastborough Park, because in all my hunting I have yet to find a spot with so many beautiful trees all concentrated in one spot in the fall (that wouldn't require trespassing onto someone's private property, ha).
When talking with Dani, I could tell she was a bit concerned about how the session would go with two boys who had never been big fans of photo sessions. And as a mother of two boys very close in age to hers, who also do not care to spend much of their time taking photos, I was anxiously excited to see if we could make some photo magic happen!
We started in this spot, making sure to steer clear of the playground, because once kids have eyes on that, it's game over. Parents, if ya know, ya know. But we had a great time picking a few red berries off the trees, walking along the water and watching the ducks, having mom & dad toss the kids in the air, and always saying much sillier things than "cheese" to the camera!
In having two boys under 7, I get to watch how they most enjoy interacting with new people every weekend at church. They're often meeting adults in the lobby, and I've learned so much by watching how other people talk to my kids and what makes those interactions more fun for them. For example, if you get down on their level and ask them about legos, robots, dragons, bugs, etc., you're much more likely to get a hugely animated response (and potentially a new best friend). So I've begun trying to really connect with kids - probably more than I even get to connect with the adults - especially at the beginning of the session, to help them feel seen and feel super cool.
And honestly, kids are just amazing. I love watching them open up and get excited talking about their favorite things. By the end of the session, these sweet boys were offering to help carry my bench around the park and would just light up anytime I gave them a high-five for rocking their photos. Nothing makes me feel quite as happy as when I've helped kids feel comfortable and have fun in front of the camera. *cue sappy tears of joy*
This little one reminded me so much of Grayson when he was this age. It's that stage where they want constant movement, and to get the genuine smiles, you're going to have to be silly and highly entertaining (and also quick on your feet)!
Parents: I know this toddler age can feel like such a headache to get family pictures taken. Truthfully, we may all be sweating by the end of the session. But take it from me, now that we're past this age with our oldest - these are photos you'll cherish when they're grown, and it's worth it. The time goes so fast.
