I smiled the whole way home from this photoshoot – so much to be happy about! I felt comfortable with the Capeners from the moment we met, and that can sometimes be tricky. All photographers must accept meeting new people as a part of the job. If I’m honest, it’s normally one of my favourite parts. And the last weekend was no exception, because I got to meet the Capener family.

Another happy: THIS PARK. Y’all. I have been looking for a willow tree for sooooo long. Ask my twin-mom friend.

This park, which is located in Farmers Branch, has just about everything. Different varieties of trees and flowers, a canal with a bridge and stepping stones, benches and swings. At Mallon Park, we moved around very little and got so many different looks for our gallery. The willow tree made a gorgeous backdrop both close up and from afar. When Michelle and I were planning the session, we tossed around a lot of ideas for locations. We landed on Mallon Park due to its historical significance: Michelle has fond memories of coming to the park with her mother as a child. Not to mention, bringing her own son there throughout the years.

As you’ve probably noticed, the Capeners are a tight-knit clan. When Michelle contacted me to take their photos, she mentioned that it would be just her, her husband Todd, and their 13-year-old son, Jordan. Uh oh. A thirteen year old? I would have been much more in my comfort zone with a three year old! Not only because I have smaller children myself, but also because I mostly work with babies, toddlers, and younger children. A thirteen year old – especially a boy, because you know how into taking pictures they always are – was sure to be a challenge.

I could not have been more wrong.

You can tell from the pictures that Jordan was one of the most pleasant and cooperative teenagers I’ve ever met. It actually shocked me. I kept waiting for the eye roll that never came. I kept waiting for him to get annoyed. And Jordan was the opposite – he actually got into it. By the end of the photoshoot, he was lending me his artistic sensibility; suggesting locations and poses, examining the back of my camera and granting me his approval. I was more than game for this assistance. I was struck by how polite and engaged Jordan was, and found myself hoping against hope that someday my own boys turn out like him.

Michelle, Todd, and Jordan, I hope you feel these family pictures capture the love and connection I sensed between you. I don’t think I could have wished for a more intuitive and laid-back family. (Seriously y’all – they were absolutely up for anything and put themselves completely in my hands.) It will be my pleasure to assist with your photography needs at any point in the future, because y’all are a blast!