One of the reasons I love photographing families is because there is so much opportunity for emotion to surface.  With younger families, you get the emotions of glee and wonder and total baby infatuation.  But with older families, I can really start digging and getting into the depth of the emotions as the kids become able to verbalize what they feel.  And this family, the Chorley Family, pulled out all the stops.  They didn’t realize they were doing that as we were shooting – but it was amazing.

After our intial warm ups and hanging out and laughing, I started asking them tell each other things.  Some things evoked laughter.  Some heartfelt comfort and pride. I started with Mike & Shannon (who are some of the sweetest friends I’ve ever been fortunate enough to know and love) and we began with some easy, goofy questions that made them relax and have fun.  After a while, we moved into more introspective conversations – and honestly – all I did was give an invitation for them to experience their feelings for each other.  They did all the work – I was only there to capture it.  They will be married 25 years this April – and they love, love, LOVE each other.  They are the real deal. And they lived out loud in front of my camera while they told each other things like what they admired in each other, why they still love each other, what they dream of for the future and as you can see…they just delight in each other.  What a blessing to witness that.

I moved onto the kids next, each taking their turn snuggled and nestled in between their parents and I had them exchange words of gratitude.  I heard things like, “I’m proud of you because…  I love you because…  Without you in my life, I would have….”   As they gave words of encouragement to their parents and as they received words of praise from them, I just watched as their hearts soaked in every single word. Every nugget, that maybe they knew inside, they had been longing to hear.  It was FA-REEZING cold by the time we finished, but there was such a warmth within the family.  Such a lilt in their steps as we hiked back out to the cars.  (Which could have been from frostbite!)

Shannon and the kids later tell me with tears in her eyes, as she read a thank you card from Grandma for the Christmas photo gifts, that the experience of bonding and healing they had during the shoot was so special.  The kids told me how seeing the photos of being held and loved and delighted in made them feel loved, and protected and safe.  And mostly they felt grateful to have such awesome parents.  Fantastic. Just fantastic.  If all kids could know that…could see with their own eyes how truly and deeply they are loved…our world could be different.

It’s why I do what I do.

{segway} 2012 is going to be a year of shooting and working with more intention.  Of creating opportunities for couples and families to connect. To be making bigger differences. I’m so serious, excited and passionate about it that I hired a dream team to help me build…I don’t even know what yet. Something bigger than what I can do alone.  The whole discovery, building and unveiling of my bird-brain ideas (and believe me…I have about a million of them…) are going to be documented live on their website – so…if you want to follow that and watch me grovel around…you can do that right here.  We had our first meeting yesterday and today is #2.  I’ll be chatting it up here as well…but only if it’s going good. Hahah..just kidding.  (I wonder why I’m having dreams about being naked in front of the classroom…yikies!)

Mike (who btw is an ah-mazing craftsman and I want a house built by him someday) & Shannon (undercover Hot Mama) – I know you say you’re not cool – but I couldn’t disagree more.  You’re are so favorite and I’m humbled that you all let me into your moments of tenderness as a family.  The way you love each other is a testimony to many of how love wins.  It’s so easy to be with you. Thanks for loving our family.  We are so, so, SO fortunate to have crossed paths with you.  So fortunate.

Here’s the full length slideshow of the tenderest shoot of 2011.

Love you much,

Treacy