I really love my sessions with the Chamberlains – every one of them. They’ve become a great way to see how much the kids have grown. Big brother Ryan is now 9 (10 is going to be here quicker than we think). And little Alison is 1.5 – a challenging age for many photographers. Though I did manage to get a few smiles, and I’m very proud of them.

Honestly the not-so-smiley faces can be great as well. (Please note the photos in which she is totally, totally mean mugging me. I love them!) I know when I take photographs of my own kids, some of the more UNIQUE expressions definitely end up as favourites. It makes sense, right? Capturing the imperfections, attitudes, and meltdowns is part of the memories, so why would you want to skip them? I think patience with children is part of the job when you’re a photographer. And I think I can honestly say I have never felt real annoyance with a clients’ children. They’re all special and capturing their quirks ends up working out for everyone.

So much sweetness in this family’s portraits! Ryan is such a sweet kid. I hope he never loses that. He is the absolute best big brother (I may be a bit biased .. I am his stepmother after all) and you can really see that come through in photographs of him with his mom and sister.