Tessa's Three Year Portraits

People ask me why I take my kids to a studio, when I am a photographer. I enjoy taking photos of my kids, and have more than a few shots that I totaly love of them, but they are usually "lucky" shots, or moments where I was just having fun and so were they. There is something about MOM telling you to do something that is different from a photograher giving direction and it just invites defiance. My brain works chronologically, and it is important to me to have an annual photo of my kids as they are growing. I don't like to leave this event to chance. If possible, I plan the photo sessions for when my mom is visiting so that she can help entertain, or wrangle, the child in question. Even with two or more adults the sessions are typically comical to those around us. Out of 30 shots taken of Tessa here are 5 that I thought were decent (to no fault of the photographer).

And on a different day (it would have been ludicrous to think we could handle two photo sessions in one day) we tried to take photos of the girls together. I finally jumped in to try and keep Tessa in one spot and that ended up being the best one of the girls, unfortunately. When I decided to use this shot for our Cmas cards Tim was worried that people would wonder why he's not in the photo. I told him they would just have to be in suspense until next year's photo. :)

And the winner is....

(Notice the treat in Tessa's hand - I am not above bribes!)