I can’t believe how much Reed has changed just since our last session in late April. He’s gone from being an adorable little baby, just beginning to crawl—into a true little man. Toddlerhood has struck, and there’s no turning back now.
The Session
We met at McCrillis Garden this time, which is a small public garden in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Bethesda. It was a terrific location to shoot in for a number of reasons. Not only were there beautiful backdrops, but the garden itself was nice and quiet. We only saw one other person the entire time we were there.
Because we were working around Reed’s naptime, we had a midday shoot. It’s not the ideal time to do an outdoor photo session due to the angle of the sun at that time of day. It does take some experience learning how to work in this type of light conditions. However, I’d much rather work in less than ideal light with a happy kid, than have an exhausted child melting down in beautiful light. And in my line of photography, I work with tons of kids this age, so being flexible with the time goes with the territory.
Reed’s mom, Caroline, had one formal outfit put together for him, which she joked was essential to show off his Southern roots (Caroline is from South Carolina, after all). And how adorable his outfits both are!
The Selection
Now that our three sessions are complete, it’s finally time to put together a beautiful first year photo album for the family. It’ll be a challenge to narrow down the number of images from the three sessions because there are so many lovely photos from each one. Those that make the cut will definitely be the cream of the crop and a nice variety showcasing how much this little guy has grown and developed.
About the Photographer and Author:
Julie Kubal is a child and family portrait artist and photographer serving Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. She is passionate about creating warm and meaningful artwork through modern portraits and lifestyle photography at a location of your choice!