Everyone has a story...

"Everyone has a story." It's a quote from one of my favorite movies.

I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to go out with a new mother and photograph her baby. As usual, with any portrait session, I was all stressed about it for weeks. Things like lighting, expression, and posing, had me as concerned as they always do.

I'll admit, I went with a bit of an expectation for what I wanted. The primary subject was the little boy, and the mom really didn't want to get in the pictures, but what I really wanted to capture was the experience of a new mother showing her little boy the world. I wanted to capture the joys, the wonders, the compassion, the love, the mystery, and the magic of it all. Talking to a friend a week before the shoot, I made the comment that I really didn't want the mom to feel rushed at all. "I want her to sit down and play with her little boy," I had said.

This little guy is very photogenic, and we had several really nice shots where his personality came right through. But it was when we walked past this road covered in leaves that I felt like something was there, lying uncovered. And luckily, the mother did just what I'd hoped, she sat down and played with her little boy. I swapped out for the longer lens and retreated to a distance to catch the magic as it happened.

What do you think? Success or no?

But wait, there's more...

Everyone has a story. The story of this mother and baby boy, is that she was childless for over fourteen years before this miraculous little guy came along. The dad is my Nephew, and we work together every day. Because of all that, I've known about some of the frustrations, despairs and unfulfilled desires that they went through over the years.

Since "Eli" came along, I've personally watched them both with fascination. I've watched the mother fawn over this little guy as though he were her whole world, and that's what I really wanted to capture.