Rain Plus Sunshine equals Magic | Fort Collins, CO Photographer

This has been a busy year. I embrace the busy. I even thrive on busy. I am not only a full time professional photographer, I am also a full time Mama of six. There really is nothing BUT busy here. Not having yet had the opportunity to blog all of my sessions is almost painful. I have been sitting here for well over an hour trying to figure out what to share next because I pretty much need to share every single session. I have had the best families this year. It has been one crazy, fantastic blur.

And not every session has gone as planned. There have been hiccups and tantrums and rain storms and just about everything else you can imagine. It might sound even crazier, but I love that.

You see, I adore spontaneity. I love all of the things that can happen in a session that you maybe just aren’t planning on happening. Some might see these things as a hitch or a hindrance. I know in the moment these surprises aren’t always welcome (if you are the parent), but I don’t quite see them in the same light.

I see them as inspiration.

These little things that occur out of the blue and aren’t planned do one very special thing. They add character. They set sessions apart. They make this session unlike any other session I shoot. Many people shy away from the imperfection. They are afraid of the honesty that can occur when things don’t go quite as planned. I get that. I do. You spend days and weeks and sometimes even months planning wardrobe. You schedule a hair appointment or maybe even have your make up done too. You bribe and plead with your children to be on their best behavior all the way to the session.

But if it takes the pressure off a little for future sessions at all, friends.

I don’t want your perfection. I just want your honesty. I in fact actually need your imperfection. I don’t care if your clothes are a little bit wrinkled (but it’s okay if you prefer them to be clean for at least the very beginning.) I don’t mind if your two year old (or eight year old) has a total melt down because hello, six kids. I am looking deeper. The images you have seen in my portfolio that drew you to me in the first place… those weren’t achieved by perfectly behaved children and completely scripted moments. Those are real. And your images can be just as amazing if not MORE so.

You just need to come and love on your family. Hold hands and tickle and giggle and dance and heck, let them get naked. Let them get muddy. Let them show off… or be shy.

We are a team and this isn’t just your photo session– this is a real day in your real life. It’s okay to be completely authentic.

That’s all that I expect from you.

dvan