I started to title this post “Fall family portraits,” but it looked too much like “Fail family portraits.” With a family as adorable as this, it would be hard to fail. I mean, really. Just look at them.

Fall family portrait

This family amazes me. With a family of four young kids, the smallest fewer than four months old, the parents are juggling their multiple roles between work, going to school, schooling their own children, taking care of other children, and staying very active in the life of the church. When I had a three-month-old baby, I got out of bed and fed the baby. And rocked the baby. And fed the baby again. And changed the baby. And wondered why the baby never slept. We certainly weren’t up to wearing coordinating clothing, unless you count pajamas accessorized with matching spit-up stains.

Not that I am bitter, and the three-month-old is now ten years old, and can now baby-wrangle for me and hold camera equipment, so it’s all good. And he can make sure the kids don’t fall in the lake while I take pictures of their lovely parents.

Fall couple portrait fall portraits couple

And my assistant can help get the kids’ attention for their pictures when needed. But honestly, the oldest two kids didn’t need the extra help. They are both natural little models. The little girl is a miniature copy of her beautiful mother.

20161021_7690 Fall portrait boy Fall portrait boy

And the little girl is such a responsible, motherly thing that we could trust her to hold the baby while we got the four kids on a stump picture. Because nothing tests your mettle as a family photographer like getting four littles on a stump.

Fall portrait kids

Honestly, though, they were so well-behaved that I don’t think I earned any badges of honor on this one. The credit has to go to the parents and their beautifully-raised kids. I wish the weather had been a bit warmer for them. It was actually cold and windy, but you wouldn’t know it from their brave smiles. They were a delight to work with!