What is the Best Way to Learn: Look to a Child
We were messaging back and forth, one mom to another - making plans for me to shoot their upcoming, family photo session at the beach. We were talking about the style guide, coordinating outfits, and possible poses - when one sentence stopped me cold. Katelyn only had one request, and that was to capture a special moment...the symbolic casting off of their son’s reliance on a medical device. Little Cameron, only 20 months old, had achieved a milestone only the week before. He had his trach removed. All his mother wanted was for me to get a family shot commemorating his progress, some shots of the children, and a portrait of all them. Why did reading that sentence stop me cold? I would like to think that I am always as thankful as I should be, but how often do I take my health for granted, my own Cameron’s? Angela Schwindt said, “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”
The day of the session, I was so excited to meet the family – and to jump into the plans that I made for the kiddos. As with all sessions with “littles”, plans are fine, but spontaneity has to be one of the bullet items in the plan. Because the day of the shoot was so hot, by the time we got to the beach, Cameron was no longer enamored with my camera. If I was going to get great shots of him alone, I was going to have to chase him – so, I did. He loved it. I loved it, too, because I realized what a blessing it was for him to be free of his trach – running down the beach toward a future of promise.
Madyson, his big sister, was also precious, and she loved my “planned” surprise. Her face lit up when I pulled out a flower crown, which went perfectly with her long, floral dress. We were setting up to take her portrait on a dock on the lake – and she got the giggles. Some photographers might have put the camera down until she could strike a “perfect pose”, but I kept shooting. I wanted Madyson to see how beautiful her pure joy was, and as Dr. Seuss said, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” She doesn’t need to conform to the “picture perfect”, because the greatest beauty comes from within.
According to Don Bosco, “The first happiness of a child is to know that he is loved.” It is easy to see that the children know they are loved in the Martin family. It is so apparent in these captured moments. Madyson’s face exudes pure adoration as she is looking up at her Daddy while he is twirling her. The children’s faces show so much joy as Katelyn is holding them on the dock. For these children, and for all, I would like to express, “To every child – I dream of a world where you can laugh, dance, sing, learn, live in peace and be happy.” Malala Yousafzai
~ Blessings
Lisa