lake family lifestyle session in jamestown, ky
What an absolute dream session that was two or three (we couldn’t decide which) years in the making. It started with a conversation many years ago, then with a winter special three years ago, then a summer full of being rained out, another summer with rain and the session where I played a rookie mistake and accidentally didn’t have any charged batteries with me (I mean…really…what the what…for which momma responded with “it just wasn’t meant to be”…I love them), and finally happening this year with no rain…no reschedules. I don’t tend to worry about reschedules because it just always seems to be “meant to be” on the date it winds up being on. There’s always a conversation about how the date the session actually happens on was just the most perfect date. This certainly was. I do not exaggerate when I say this was an absolute dream session.
Photographing families in the place that makes them the most happiest is absolutely what I want to do. You know…we all have that place. The place that is sacred. The place where our families come alive and feel engulfed in love. For us that is our backyard and the beach. For them, it’s the lake. Side note…mommas take note…if your husband just isn’t that into photo sessions, take them to their happy place. I got to see this Dad at his happiest and most relaxed. They called him the mayor and it was obvious why. Also, a drink for each of us adults may have helped a tad. I don’t think I’ve ever carried wine in a covered coffee mug in my camera bag before. But it felt appropriate for the lake.
As soon as we started, the girls had me cracking up. The first images below, on the beds, was just them being themselves. They make each other laugh and love each other so. I did absolutely nothing to pull that out of them. It was just what they do. G with her exuberant snuggles and E with her big sister love and each with their big laughs and silly jokes. The three of us, me and the girls, just started laughing immediately when I had them lay on their tummies next to each other. Seriously, that’s all I did. After that we drove around the neighborhood on a golf cart in the areas that momma had dreamed about for three years. She had this down and knew exactly what spots she wanted. They were perfect. Overlooking the lake and providing laughter and fun.
After a quick change we were off to the boat. The girls skipped rocks and I watched as the sun danced behind the boat houses. We all gathered onto the boat as the girls got their life jackets on and I watched as G showed her independence and desire to do it herself, momma pushed us off and dad backed us out. We listened to their music and they did as they usually do (well…mostly). Boat snuggles, dancing, finding the perfect spot, driving the boat with dad, and jumping into the water a thousand times. One of my favorite things was watching E, big sister, as she soaked it all in on our drive. She was at peace on the lake. There were two moments in particular where she just watched as we drove by the spots she had driven by most of her life, with the wind in her face and a heart full of love and joy. I imagined a grown up E, with her family along side her, feeling the wind on her face and remembering the days with her baby sister and mom and dad at the place where she felt so much joy.
The girls jumped in the too cold for June water a million times and every single time they laughed as hard as they did the first. G got out of the water with her hair looking just like our president’s and didn’t have a care in the world. I hope she always remains this way. No worries…just jumping into the cold, deep water.
We got back to the house and after a quick change, E gave me a hug and a “thank you so much for coming” and we headed out the door for roasted marshmallows (with chocolate INSIDE them…life changing) and S’mores. I listened as the girls made up a song about how much fun they were having and my heart just swelled with love.
It was perfect. It was a dream. It was worth the two or three year wait.
So much love,
Cilla
PS…if you connect to and feel love in these images and would like a session that holds onto your love, it’s not too late to book your summer family lifestyle session (or get a jump on fall and book it). Just click HERE to reserve your session today. xo
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