Arabia Mountain is one of my new favorite spots.
Granted, it's a little far from me and a bit of a drive from Marietta - but wow! when you see how stunning these photos turned out, I think you'll agree it's worth it. The Duke family is absolutely precious and the kids brought so much joy to my heart. There's really nothing I love more than an energetic bunch of young kids... Probably comes from my being the oldest of six!
It was really chilly, but they were troopers and met me at the top! When Olivia agreed to that, I knew she and her fam were going to be a fun group - it's not often that people agree to meet you at the top of the mountain. With the youngest being a toddler, I knew we'd be short on attention spans and time, because it's hard to be a little kid and have your picture taken. When there are little ones in the group, I like to start with group pictures because it's more likely that they'll look at the camera because they aren't bored yet.
I love how they wore cooler colors to their session because it really helped them "pop" against the warm fall tones.
Height differences can sometimes make it challenging to pose people, but truly I enjoy a good challenge. Having to think fast on my feet and go with the flow to make things work has always been one of my favorite things. Besides, the ups and downs make nice visual variety.
Catching candid moments is key for me during sessions. Those are the moments that tell the story and show off everyone's personalities the best. Posed pictures are good and all, but I live for the real moments and the authenticity. It's literally impossible to fake the reality of love and relationships on camera, so watching for the candid moments are a big part of any session.
As always, when the kids need a break from photos, I took some time for some "just Mom and Dad" shots. I really just love seeing the maturity and richness of the love between two people who have been married for awhile. Also giving them the steamy, more passionate prompts is always fun because 9 times out of 10 they'll start laughing hysterically or blush and snuggle up. It's important to make time for them to just relax and connect with each other - as a mom, I totally get that!
Anyway, we had a blast! Memories were made, fun was had, and I can't wait to photograph this sweet family and all their golden curls again in the future. If anyone else wants a family session at Arabia Mountain, know that the bar was set high by the Dukes ;) but I'm happy to meet you there!
Enjoy a couple more from this sweet session:
