Here’s the back story, in my client’s words:
“When my mom turned 60, my aunt Jane wanted to get her something special. The photo session was Jane’s idea, but she was still thinking along the lines of photos from Sears, so I gladly proposed the idea of a photography session in a real-life setting and was happy to find Jen, our photographer, online. The photos are of my mother, my younger sister, her daughter, and me, and my aunt was seeking to showcase the part of us that is, in her words, “deeply connected, radiant, and powerful.” My aunt explained to me that she sees each of us at really happy points in our lives right now, and she believed that a series of photos could capture the essence of our lives at this moment in time. She wanted to document the joy, love, and success that we are each experiencing and give a physical incarnation of those intangible treasures as a gift to my mom for this milestone birthday. It was a really good idea.
When I first saw the photos, I was very excited. They turned out beautifully and, I believe, captured not just our relationship as a family but also our individual personalities. My mom, sister, and I have always been close (though we are all very different people), but our relationships have evolved dramatically over the years. Our mother isn’t one of those moms who maintains the “mothering” role long after her kids are grown. Our mom had kids to have them grow up and be smart, confident adults who are her confidants, inside-joke-getters… her friends. She’s always been a support to my sister and me, and now the three of us (and my niece)—as different as we are—enjoy laughter-filled sessions no matter what we do together.
I think that not only was my aunt’s kind, loving vision fulfilled with these photos, but the three of us are grateful to have a lasting memento with which to remember ourselves and each other at such a fun, happy point in our lives.”
While a departure from my typical maternity, newborn, or family sessions, I was so happy to receive this inquiry and work on this project. When I first consulted with my client about the goals of the session, she told me about herself, her sister, her mother, and her niece. I learned these women truly are deeply connected, radiant, and powerful. All are single, yet have achieved different versions of success in each of their respective spheres in career, life, and their relationship with each other. The laughter came easily as they walked, talked, hugged, and teased one another. The warmth of both their individual radiance and their deep connection with each other was almost palpable through my lens. It’s no secret I am drawn to the subject of motherhood in my life and my photography… It was an honor to be invited to illustrate one mother’s influence played out in herself, her daughters, and her granddaughter.
