There is a picture on my facebook page's timeline of 3 girls in random positions infectiously laughing. It might be my favorite of all time. I love that picture because I believe it captured the essence of those sisters and their relationship and that is what a picture is supposed to do.

I am put off by sappy statements on photographers websites saying they love being surrounded by the love of the family and they pledge to make your photo shoot a memorable experience and have fun with you yada yada yada. Give me a break! No one hires me to take their family pictures because they want to spend the morning with me building a memory. And my customers don't love me when they arrive or when they leave because they have spent time with me. More times than not I sense tension and strain because at least someone in the crowd is stressed out about not being someplace else they would rather be. I totally get that.

So my job is to try to transcend that and make the shoot painless and relaxed and hopefully get a picture that catches the essence of the family (well ... unless the essence of the family is strain and strife, then I'm really challenged!). I am not always able to get that perfect picture but for this family I nailed it. Once in a while that happens. And that is when my job is most fun. Like in this family. Charlies Angels was their idea. I just released the shutter. What a fun job. And to their credit ... there was no tension for me to transcend. WAIT! Maybe they DID love being with me! One can dream ...