May 8, 2013

Home is Where the Heart Is. Orange County Family Lifestyle Photography

“Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished,
there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.”
~Henri Cartier-Bresson


Often families with babies and toddlers are diligent about getting photographs.  Because little ones are only little ones for a very little while.  But before you know it, little ones have become big ones with busy schedules, and faster than you can ever imagine, the big ones are leaving the proverbial nest and flying off to college.  Which brings us right to the doorstep of the reality of the B-Family.  Our goal was simple:  capture life as it looks right now, in this fleeting moment, while everyone is still at home.


A little background:  if a “Renaissance Man” is one whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas (think Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Copernicus), then this is “Renaissance Family”.  They sing, dance, act, play piano & guitar, draw, debate, create, teach, ride unicycles, host church in their home, study broadly, have founded & oversee a beautiful & powerful ministry to abandoned children in Nicaragua and the Phillipines, play tennis, cook, sew, and love deeply.

Benson-167Benson-28Benson-37Benson-47Benson-81Benson-86Benson-58Benson-76Benson-78Benson-79Benson-99Benson-117Benson-107Benson-146Benson-155Benson-186Benson-203Benson-217Benson-237Benson-250Benson-269Benson-270
Benson-284-2
Funny story. Near the end of our session, we wanted to get pictures outdoors with pretty, glowy light. They suggested we drive to a nearby park. I pointed to the hill behind their backyard and asked, “what’s up there? Land or rooftops?” They said, “Oh that. It’s just ugly brown grass now. But there’s a fun rope swing…”
(ps. check the slideshow for rope swing action; rumor has it, one of the swinging marvels may have almost knocked over the photographer!)Benson-290-2Benson-296-2color or bwBenson-304-2b-fam1b-fam2Benson-343Benson-331TBenson-386Benson-388Benson-405Benson-397Benson-474Benson-487Benson-490Benson-503Benson-518Benson-508Benson-524Benson-529Benson-531Benson-536 post signature

11 comments:

Leslie said...

This is the most beautiful session, all the individuals of the kids in there rooms are breathtaking,. The boy in black and white. WOW.. and the girl with the whom shall I fear... I adore it.. This whole session is beyond dreamy, ping pong, juice.... running in fields. Well done Susan. Stunning.

Rebekah said...

Susan, do you know what your pictures have done? They've made me fall in love with people I've never met.

Amy H said...

That's the prettiest "ugly brown grass" I've ever seen. :) I love you work, because you know how to take a "blah" location and make beautiful photographs out of it!

Tracey said...

I loved them all. I especially love the very last one! I loved all the color in their home, that they were juicers, and that they had a water slide going into their pool? Am I right that it is a water slide?????

Anita Johnson said...

Oh, Susan,
I don't know what to say anymore. These are stunning.

Christina said...

Amazing. I agree with Rebekah! This family will love these pictures forever!
I have to say, I giggled when I read "ride unicycles" in the middle of your renaissance description! :)

Skeller said...

Thanks, All - this was truly a super special session and so much fun. Amy - that was the funny thing: it was anything but a "blah" location; it was spectacular! And yes, Tracey, that is a water slide into a pool - a pool that was totally empty 'cause a leak is being fixed.

Melissa DeMers said...

Amazing! I LOVE lifestyle photos. Great job!

Nancy @ Ordinary Miracles & The Crazy 10 said...

What wonderful images that are an amazing representation of this family. I can't imagine that they are anything less than thrilled with these!
nancy

Kathleen said...

Absolutely lovely photos. Just love every one of them!

alpinekleins said...

Such an inspiring set, a keepsake forever! They change so fast . . . The last photo of the set is my "favorite"!

Kristin