Capturing The Essence Of My Three Boys
As a children’s portrait photographer in Groton, Connecticut, I’ve spent countless hours capturing the joy, curiosity and unique personalties of other families’ children. But today, on my first blog post, I want to share a little glimpse of my world and introduce you to 3 of my inspirations for everything I do. My sons.
This is Cameron. At 8 months old, he was the subject and start of my momtographer dreams. He’s 15 years old now (how?!) and tries to avoid my camera at all costs. He is my original muse that now comes with a side of angsty sighs and eye rolls. The joys of a teenager. But there is a quiet brilliance about him that he hasn’t yet unleashed… and I’m actively working to bring it out of him. He doesn’t like to admit this, but he is incredibly imaginative and an amazing artist.. having had a sketchbook in his hand since he was 5. He may not dress up with random things he’s found around the house-cosplaying his favorite anime characters anymore, but his creativity pours out into his sketchbooks, notebooks or the side margins of his classwork. There really will be no stopping him once he realizes his full potential.
Incoming Cairo. The quintessential “middle child” with a wild and free spirit that is both inspiring and so very terrifying. At 9, he navigates through his life with so much independence and confidence… seemingly with ZERO fear which is why we have to keep a trained eye on him. True story: We were on vacation in Niagara Falls and our family was on foot waiting to cross the street to get to some shop or tourist destination. I blink once and Cairo is gone… hightailing it alone across a busy Canadian roadway. So yeah, even though he keeps us on our toes, his excitement and drive to experience new things are what I love about him.
Last but not least, meet Caiman, the “baby” of the family. At 5, he lives in a world of pure wonder. From the toads and bugs he loves to catch on our property to the wilted dandelion that he plucks out of the ground and proudly gives to me… seeing the world through his eyes reminds me to enjoy the simple things. So when he runs off the bus and down our driveway with his painting in hand flailing along with him… I share his same joy. The dried out coconut that he brought home from one of our vacations sits right on a shelf near his bed as one of his prized possessions. His innocence and curiosity remind me of why I fell in love with photography. There is beauty everywhere… especially in the simple, little things.
My three boys… A perfectly imperfect mix of love, mischief, wonder, moodswings, and heart. They are my daily reminders of how blessed I truly am. My life is fuller, louder and complete because of them.