There is nothing more important than spending time with family. Shared experiences, secrets between sisters, the love of parents for their children, are all woven into who we are and what we'll become. As families grow, it's sometimes hard to find time to get together as a group, to reconnect and remind ourselves of those all important bonds. When the opportunity to get together presents itself, we owe it to ourselves and our families to take full advantage. That's exactly what one of my pet portrait clients recently did. She organized everyone for a picnic at Ft. Desoto Park (which was recently named the best beach in America by the way) I was honored when she asked me to photograph the event.

From a photographer's perspective, light is the single most important factor in creating great photographs. While we all hope for great models, great surroundings, and great interactions, light can make or break the final outcome of an image (at least technically). The best light for photographing people outdoors is when the sun is at a low angle or better yet....softened by an overcast sky. The worst is when the sun is right overhead and direct. Harsh shadows, squinting eyes, and extreme contrast are all the result of this "worst" light.

On the day of this event, the sun couldn't have been brighter. The sun was blaring. Even when facing away from the sun, eyes were squinting from the light reflected off the sand and water. I confess to being very worried about the final outcome of the shoot. I didn't want to use artificial light (flash) to fill in shadows or even reflectors because that would require more controlled and posed photos.

Luckily, light became a secondary consideration. I quickly realized this family's joy and exuberance would be all I needed to create some great photo memories for them. I stopped worrying about the light and just focused on them, their interactions, their playfullness, and their willingness to cooperate with the process.

What could have been a photographer's worst nightmare became a photographer's best case scenario.

My thanks to Theresa for inviting me to shoot this fun family event!