I’ve known the Herr’s since I started to know myself. They are one of the most loving and welcoming families around. On a recent sunny Friday afternoon I headed out to their home to hang out on the porch, under a tree and in the grass – the perfect way to be in the company of Papa Bird, sweet Lia and beautiful Mama Herr…and various animals.
I have photographed Angela Carter before and I have photographed her children. But it wasn’t until this warm, spring, Saturday morning that I had the pleasure of photographing Angela and her children atthesametime. For Mother’s Day, Angela’s husband gave her the gift of a photo session…a Mother’s Day Mini! A special session just for Angela and her two beautiful daughters. We met at Spitzer Art Center, the home of both of our creative studios, and basked in the lush greens that the grounds provide. This location is significant for many reasons and will become even more so on June 6, 2014 when Angela celebrates a lifetime of efforts in the launch of her first book “Memory Chose a Woman’s Body”. What better reason to bring her sweet girls here, to this spot, to document their love. A mother, a wife, a friend, a writer, a poet, a community poetry circle organizer, a professional duty juggler and soon…the author of her very own book. Go ‘head girl!
A springy senior mini-session in the Valley sunshine is a great way to spend a Saturday morning. This young gal is soon to be college bound and I can see a future in her as bright as her eyes and smile. 
Jess is an old friend of mine and a mommy-daughter photo session seemed like the perfect excuse to get together for a catching up session. Sweet little Bella was a moving target of all moving targets. But with a swift mama and beautiful spring weather, I didn’t mind the challenge.
I met the Johnson Family in Bridgewater for a co-co-cold morning session. The river had a magical blue hue while flurries fell and children shivered. These guys were troopers! The warmth of their smiles and love will fill your heart. Go hug someone you love! 
I spent one chilly Saturday morning with the Sims family and their precious new baby girl. Their house reminded me so much of my childhood home. This darling little lady filled my lens with cuteness and lots of yawns. What a joyous way to spend a morning. 
I met with the Newton Family on a day with a forecast of 100% chance of rain. All day. When they arrived at my studio, the rain stopped and it didn’t come back until the very last set of shots! Yesss. There is so much love in the Newton Family…like a sunshine-followings-them-around kind of love. 🙂
When I asked Rachel to say something to make Andrew laugh, she uttered “explosive diarrhea” without skipping a beat. Ok, it’s like that. And it worked – we all laughed. Except for Alexander who sat comfortably in his freshly changed outfit with a look of guilt across his face. What a sweet little laundry maker.
Rachel and Andrew invited me into their home to spend some time with them, their sweet dog, Foster, and their new baby boy, Alexander. I love love holding a session in someone’s home. I’ve been a guest in the Jenner house many times but never for the purpose of photography…and that changes things. I love seeing the way people live, unapologetically, on a day-to-day basis. I love the way coats rest and dish towels hang and blankets are tossed and plants bask in the sun. I love the smells. The sounds. The light. And on this particular occasion, the baby and his furry big brother were pretty easy on the eyes too.
Yes, the title is correct. This is a ‘mini’ session, meaning the session was only 30 minutes in length. And yes, that’s the family pictured below with 21 (twenty.one) smiling faces. I don’t typically work with this large of a group in such a short time frame but this gathering of families from as far as Florida was a moment I wanted to help them capture. I arrived on this extra chilly and windy afternoon to catch them just before their Christmas meal. They managed to look completely content through their cold chills and hunger pangs for lots of loving photos. Happy Holidays everyone!
The boy of many faces…that’s Waylon. I had so much fun getting to know Jennifer and her adorable little boy on this Saturday morning in my studio. They share a loving bond that needs no posing or prompting. I simply acted as their paparazzi that we happened to call a ‘session’ and below are the moments I captured. 
Brandy Somers Photography 