Flintstone, MD—Doing a family session with my brother and his family was so memorable. My brother is one of the most charismatic people I know, and also one of the biggest goofballs. He and my sister-in-law, Lauren, have four boys. Every year they host Thanksgiving at their house and I wouldn’t miss it! After dinner we all head to the family farm in Western Maryland to settle in for the first day of rifle season, and this year they gave me the chance to do a family photo shoot. I also shot some candids of the guys preparing to hunt.
Thanksgiving weekend is one of our family’s favorite times of the year. Our grandfather and uncle taught us to love hunting season—especially on the farm. We loved hearing about their hunting trips to British Columbia and various places out West. They had deer, bear, cougar, and elk taxidermized and mounted on their walls. It’s been bittersweet to see the hunting shift from one generation to the next. One by one Ralph has taught his sons how to hunt. His youngest was the only one who didn’t venture out this year. During the hunting prep, I didn’t interrupt the flow…I was in paparazzi mode and I loved the natural feel of the photos.
Our first two locations for the family session were at the covered bridge and the barn. We had to stick to the barn and spots just off the driveway so we didn’t disturb the wildlife. These two spots had heavy shade. I’d like to say my Canon Rebel T6 doesn’t do well in low light, but the reality is I don’t know all the ins and outs of my manual settings. There were several blurry shots, and some perfect shots with closed eyes. I recently heard someone mention face swapping in an editing video, so I might have to check that out. One of the things I’m going to be more consistent with is giving a countdown before taking the picture because I didn’t consistently say 1-2-3….
We went on top of an open hill for a few shots and the light was better, but it was mid day so it was a bit harsh at times because it was partly sunny. I also tried some spotty shade at the farmhouse and that location may have worked with one or two people—I had 6! Their yellow lab, Tank, wanted to be in a few pictures at the house and it was a hoot watching them try to get him to sit and look at the camera. I ended up getting one of my favorite shots of the day.
Getting everyone to smile (at the end of one of their favorite weekends of the year when the kids knew they had to return to school in a few days) was a struggle. Ralph and Lauren were a big help with that, and I need to have some tricks up my sleeve the next time anyone is reluctant to smile. I think we’ve all been there!
For this shoot I focused on posing because I didn’t have ideal locations or great light. I have a feeling this is something I’m going to encounter many times, so I better get used to it! I experimented a little with the posing and appreciated the opportunity to improvise. I didn’t end up with many shots I love of Ralph and Lauren together. I am following some wedding photographers online and I have learned some poses from the online education they provide. But when you have been married for over 15 years, have four children, and a wealth of memories—the prom pose seems a bit shallow. I need to explore some poses that convey the deeper connection of couples with a rich history. I also noticed that my favorite images are the ones where the family is close together. I have a great shot of the family at a fence on the hill, but it isn’t the same as seeing everyone close and connected.
Slowing down is going to be critical. I’ve heard photographers say they need to get a bunch of images because a lot of them end up being blurry, so I’m not sure if a lot of blurry images is the norm or not. The blurry images are definitely my biggest struggle right now. I know how to focus and recompose, but I’m not sure I’m paying close attention when I’m trying to go so fast. I thought it might be a battery issue, but my battery was fully charged when I started and I had blurry images intermittently from beginning to end. I’m determined to go slow and steady and continue to search for a solution.
This is one beautiful family and I look forward to many more opportunities to take their portraits. Thank you Ralph, Lauren, Cort, Landon, Hunter, Kaleb and Tank!
“‘Cause we’re them old boys raised on shotguns”
Hank Williams Jr.
