Bring Siblings into the Studio!

I have always been fascinated by siblings.  My own, my friends'.  It can be such a striking relationship.  And it's something I absolutely love to photograph.  The look on a baby's face when his older sibling comes near him has to be one of my very favorite things ever.

One of my favorite, and most surprising sibling sessions, was with a 12 year old (shown below) and his 5 week old sister.  I had never had a 12 year old in the studio before -- I had thought before this moment that 12 was too old to be in there.  I was focusing only on babies and toddlers.  But this mama brought both of her kids in.  I did most of the session with just the mom and baby (you can find those images at the top of this page, if you're curious!), but I invited the older brother to come play with his sister at the end.  Seeing the two of them together was really breathtaking.  And it shifted my idea of what a Bonding Session could be.

I absolutely loved photographing this mama, below, and her two boys.  The boys loved to play around, tumbling and chasing, but they also were just so incredibly sweet and calm together.  I always melt when I look at these nursing images.  What love.  What deep affection.

I'm also really moved by older siblings.  This beautiful family, below, came in for photographs when the kids were 3 and 5.

And this session, below, is one of my all-time favorite siblings session.  This mama brought her four children in, and they truly just played the whole time.  It was kinetic, vibrant, and so full of love.