Candid and charming Charlotte is now two

I had the immense pleasure of meeting up again with Jordan and Lauren and their charming daughter Charlotte to do a family photography session. Last year we met at Fort Calgary with Charlotte’s grandparents and this year we met up with Jordan’s parents, brothers and their families for an extended session following our time together.

I stumbled across this location while I was out scouting and was immediately drawn to the bright colours and rich textures. Plus, it was so fun to incorporate an element of the Calgary Stampede. I always approach photographing children in natural and candid ways and this session was no exception. If they are relaxed and having fun exploring their surroundings and interacting with their parents then I can really capture all their unique expressions. People often ask me if I would ever have a studio, but I believe a plain background and box of props and costume changes don’t allow me to capture spontaneous connections and document new discoveries in the same authentic way. A photograph should show you how people feel not just what they look like.

Charlotte is such a delightful two year old. She is bright and lively and has a mind of her own, which makes her so fun to photograph because she’s always on the move. It’s hard to identify a favourite image from this session, but I would probably choose the sequence of her getting her face washed and her priceless reaction to the dandelion seeds stuck on her face. Oh how I love the honest and raw emotions of toddlers! We adults can learn a lot from their transparency and honesty.

Jordan and Lauren celebrated eight years of marriage this summer and are two of the kindest and loving parents any child could hope to have. I love seeing how happy Charlotte is being with them and capturing that raw joy is what I truly love about photographing families.

Lauren has recently started an amazing blog where she is chronicling her journey of healthy living after a health concern has left her unable to participate in any physical activity. I would really encourage you to visit her blog if you are at all interested in learning about balancing your nutrition and gaining access to some amazing healthy recipes. Her heart to help people get their health back without having to eat plain and boring food is inspiring. Her blog is FitlessFlavor.com.

Without further adieu, here is ‘Charley’.

See more of Charley here at Fort Calgary last year.