Extended family portraits at Cincinnati Nature Center

What happens when you try to take extended family portraits AFTER a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese’s?

I was about to find out.

We wanted to do the family portraits at Cincinnati Nature Center at Rowe Woods, since it was special to the grandparents, who had dedicated many volunteer hours there over the years. We chose a time when the autumn colors would be in full force and the family would be together–which just happened to be the five-year-old’s birthday celebration at the pizza/arcade/party-your-preschoolers-out joint. Good times.

It was a sunny weekend afternoon in October, and the Cincinnati Nature Center was overrun with photographers shooting color-coordinated families, senior girls in lacy dresses that made me shiver to look at (sunny doesn’t always mean warm), and engagement couples trying to look lost in each other while young children photobombed them by popping out of cabin doors left and right. I counted at least five other photo sessions going on at the same time as ours.

We tried to be considerate of each other and share the space nicely. The good thing about Rowe Woods is that there are plenty of beautiful spots to go around. And it did encourage us to move around, so as not to hog any prime location for too long.

The cabin we had been eyeing was temporarily being used by the engagement photo shoot, so we moved along to a hill in the children’s play area. Ironically, this was one of the least busy places we hit.

After a few posed photos, we headed back to the cabin, hoping to claim it before another family moved in. We were successful this time, and you can see why it was such a prime location, with the texture and character.

After a few posed groupings, this toddler was happy for a chance to just bond with his truck.

The kids also enjoyed playing on a nearby rock.

I was, however, able to lure them away, one by one, to pose for me.

This little guy wanted to get his GQ on as well, but he needed to have his feet posed for him the first time.

But then, he obviously got the knack of just doing it on his own. What a cutie!

Dad wanted to do a baby toss. Well, more like a toddler heave. The way this child is growing, I don’t think he’ll be able to catch this much air next year. Um, do you think that’s a good idea after pizza, cake, and ice cream?

Another hot photo spot was the bridge, but the previous family was being shot facing straight into the sun. The light was nice and even on them, but I knew my family would be blind and squinting if I tried it. So we went the other way to get this soft, sun-flared look.

There were too many images of this beautiful family to share here, and I was grateful to my young assistant, who clowned for the kids to extract every bit of cooperation we could get. I was grateful to God who blessed us with the beautiful day, and that all the party food stayed in the little guys’ bellies.