Imagine.

Imagine that every time you went to take a photo, you were faced with this.

A small space.  A dark hotel room.  Lots of other photographers jockeying for position and “that” shot.

Imagine.

Imagine spending a full weekend with MeRa, her husband Brian, and 20 other very talented female photographers.

We talked, learned, laughed and dreamed.  We photographed babies one day, and families the next.  All-in-all, it was  wonderful.

MeRa wanted us to work outside of our comfort zone, and boy did we ever.  As promised, the process and the settings (indoor hotel room or city street, large groups of photographers trying to take the same shot) did push me creatively — because I didn’t get to set up my shot and because I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with the clients.  It’s hard to build rapport with a five year old when 7 other women are also trying to do that at the same time.  Not wanting to overwhelm the children, I tended to fall back and wait, getting the shot from the outside.  And wait.  And then take a creatively composed shot so to avoid other lenses (and photographers) in the shot.

Here were some of my favorite shots from the newborn/baby session.

When this little guy was born, he barely weighed one pound, and was the equivalent in size of the TV remote.  Look at him now at 9 months.  I loved this shot because of his mother holding his tummy, and more importantly, of his own hand resting on her arm.  They’ve been through so much together.  Protection and dependence.

At the end of the sessions, I came into a room where a couple of moms had put their babies in a chair together.  Look at him analyzing her.

And there they sat.  Could they be any cuter?  What a great way to end the first day.

The next day we focused on families and child portraits.  Again, here are some of my favorites.  This one says so much to me.  Daddy and his little girl.  You can just feel his love and likewise, feel the way she feels safe in his arms.

I love this next shot.  It just speaks to me.  One of those days…

This photo is one moment of peace in a very active household.  To get all three children into one shot was a challenge.  Here, they were quiet in their mother’s arms.

I loved the colors in this little girl’s outfit, from the silver shoes to the bright flowers to the purple leg warmers.  Loved it!

She had a way about her.  Quiet and confident.

And this shot is all boy.  Here are 4 little boys, 2 sets of brothers (1 and 3 are brothers, and 2 and 4 are brothers), never having met before.  But within two minutes, they were all climbing together, making up adventures together, fighting monsters together.  They had their own world while the grown-ups worked around them.  It was wonderful to watch.

More than simply participating in photoshoots, what made the weekend so worthwhile was the opportunity to spend such quality dedicated time with MeRa and Brian.  In addition to being world-renowned wedding photographers, they are happily married and devoted parents.  They shared so much of their lives with us, including the opportunity to meet and hang out briefly with their adorable children.  Thank you to Pascaline and Blaze for sharing your parents with us.  And thank you MeRa and Brian, for everything.