Photo Shoot

We have a fabulous forest preserve just about 5 minutes from our house. We've had picnics there, as well as scout camp outs, hiking with friends, and sledding. It's also one of my favorite places to take pictures of the kids.

Considering the cost of professional pictures, we've been trying to go a less expensive route. Of course, I have about a billion candids of the kids, but I've been trying to take some more "formal" portrait-type shots of them too. I've been pleasantly surprised by the results. While I make a lot of stupid mistakes (like forgetting the flash in the following two pictures),


I am capturing a lot more genuine smiles than I have ever gotten at a portrait studio. I'd like to think that's because they are smiling at their mom rather than a photographer they just met. (Or maybe they are just smiling at their brothers and sister goofing off in the background!)

There are just so many sweet little moments to capture, like this one where Evan was supposed to be smiling at me, but instead was distracted by a bird. (I might not have gotten that cute profile and expression had it not been for that bird!)

I can take many, many pictures, some good, others ok, but I'm learning through each picture I take.

But so far, so good.

And it's ever so much cheaper than Picture People!


Hopefully after school tomorrow, depending on the weather, we'll be able to go back and shoot some pictures of the big boys.

After the photo shoot, we went on a hike in the woods. It was drizzling and misting pretty steadily, but we still had an excellent adventure. Doesn't the rain in this picture look like snow?!
Seth wanted me to take a picture of him jumping off of this stump...it turned out kind of fun! :)