A family photographer, a set of nervously excited parents, and a couple of well-dressed children walk in to a room. The photographer take a couple of moments to lightly pose the family, then steps back with her camera, takes a photo and looks at the digital display. "Great!" She says, fake-putting her camera back into her bag. "We're done!". 

BADUM BUM! It gets laughs and loosens everyone up - every single time.

SPOILER ALERT: I use this joke a lot. I might just use it at YOUR next family portrait session.

It's funny because everyone knows you're not going to get that perfect family portrait on the first shot. With digital cameras, we have the luxury not only of being able to take almost unlimited exposures, but also of being able to look at the result immediately. But what's even funnier to me, as said family photographer, is that I know that it's not just the first photo that might a bust, but actually the first MANY mages taken in a portrait session. These first images are almost always 'throwaways' and will never see the light of day BUT they are still very important.

I use these first moments and images to ease into the session and get everyone comfortable. These first images can also be critical, because in working with children, you can NEVER predict what will happen. A feisty two-year old may decide that 1 minute in the family 'pose' is plenty and off she runs. A too-cool-for-school tenner might decide he's done having fun once he knows you've taken a couple of photos and he's earned his bribe. A newborn will wake up and start red-face crying for a feed 30 seconds after you have them posed and camera-ready. 

I will capture these first images so I know they're 'safe in the bag', but then I will continue to chat, adjust, cajole, joke, play and capture more moments until I know we've perfected our image. I know it because I see it - the punny, proverbial 'moment it clicks'. 

Every image we create together is a process, and it takes time. I love to lead families through this process, giving us all the time we need. 

Here's an example of the lovely Heather (not me - another Heather!) and her three sweet boys.