Even the best family photographers need to get their pictures taken once in a while.
How We Met
This August, I had the privilege of photographing Kara Gotsch, Darren Cambridge, and their sons, Oliver and Max. I’ve known the Gotsch-Cambridge family for about four years. Our sons go to the same school, and Kara was even the co-chair of the PTA the year before I was. I’ve gotten to know them both over the years through all the various school events. This year, they happened to place the winning bid for a family session at the school auction.
Darren is an avid and talented amateur photographer. Over the years, he’s done a wonderful job documenting his family. However, part of the problem with being the family photographer when you’re the parent is not getting in the shots. Darren rarely has the opportunity to appear in the photos alongside his family. Both Kara and Darren were really keen on getting a family photo with all four of them for a change.
The Session
For our session, we headed out to their neighborhood of Eckington, and around McKinley Tech High School. I enjoyed strolling around the neighborhood with them. Darren’s recommendation of heading to the high school was perfect for the morning light. There was some nice architecture and plenty of open shade. This was particularly good since our session was in the height of the hottest and most humid part of summer. Luckily, the temps stayed bearable throughout our morning shoot.
Just like my own son, the two Cambridge boys are very active. Photographing busy boys generally comes down to one thing: distraction. I had to keep them busy and moving in order to get the shots I wanted. By keeping their minds working on other things, I was able to get them to engage naturally with their parents. I think all of the shots turned out so well!
The Selection
The family chose to have a number of prints made for both their home, and Kara’s new office.
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!