We were delighted to hear from Emilia’s mother just as the pandemic “safer-at-home” orders were coming to a close. It had been eerily quiet for too many weeks in a row, and as a small business, that never bodes well. =) Emilia was turning 14, and had expressed how much she would enjoy a professional portrait session… Our favorite kind of people!

It seems there are at least two types of people at photoshoots…

The reluctant ones who are dragged, drugged (kidding… kinda – haha!), bribed, or threatened to be there. A lot of the time, they end up actually have a great time by the end of the shoot when they see that we’re fun people and we try to make it a pleasant and even hilarious experience for everyone so we can capture some authentic smiles and laughs.

And then there are those who really genuinely love portraits, photography, and know the value of the printed portrait now and in years to come. Emilia and her parents were in this camp, and that always warms my heart and makes me that much more excited for the shoot.

With her birthday coming up, we wanted to be sure we got Emilia these favorites that she could share on social media and enjoy while she waits for her gorgeous canvas grouping to finish production and arrive.

Here’s what we designed for the family, using our really helpful system for previewing the favorites all together, and insuring they’re sized appropriately for the space…

And, of course, I can’t help but share the favorites individually, too, so you can better see each one. Emilia was such a natural in front of the camera, and really had a great time. Pup Bruno was a superstar and jumped in for a few special portraits with his human, too. What an adorable face!

Spring in Oklahoma is so beautiful… We had perfect weather with a mix of clouds and sun, and it wasn’t even windy! I was SO happy we didn’t miss out on putting that great weather to work and using it to create some beautiful portraits for Emilia and her family.

In these uneasy and uncertain times of coronavirus and COVID-19, I’ve found that many are realizing the value of beautiful artwork on their walls, of the people and things they love most. We are careful to maintain space and photographing outdoors allows more fresh air and room for anyone who may be feeling a little worried about risking exposure to the pandemic — so don’t let that hold you back if you’re ready to start planning your high-school senior or family portraits now that things are opening back up again!