When your children grow up and start leaving the nest, it sure leaves a mama heart full of mixed feelings of pride and sadness. Melissa knew this was the moment to make some beautiful family memories together during their Colorado vacation and get it all on camera!
Melissa is a sweet mama of five wonderful children. They live in Kansas City, but came to vacation in Colorado for a few days before continuing on to a wedding in Utah. Planning her family's photo session was so special and important to Melissa. We talked extensively before her session, and she told me how she spent so much time carefully putting together her family's outfits to coordinate. They stayed up in Divide, and got to enjoy much of the wonderful food and attractions in nearby Woodland Park and Colorado Springs - she so appreciated having a photographer that could give her tips for the best food and places to go with kids of a wide age range (her oldest is 19, her youngest is 6!) especially for times outdoor activities would not be as comfortable - because Spring in Colorado is notoriously unpredictable!
And oh man, did both of us say our prayers over this photo session because Colorado did NOT play nicely for their short time here! Only a day into their trip, a nasty storm rolled through the state. While most of the snow landed north or in the mountains, it still brought the cold temperatures and icy, biting winds that do NOT make for a good photo session especially with little people involved. So our Monday session was rescheduled to Tuesday morning, during a break in the weather before more moisture and wind arrived.
And then one of Melissa's kids came down with a tummy virus.
So our Tuesday session was moved back to Wednesday evening - our last chance before they had to leave for the wedding. The family actually extended their visit by a day!
By Wednesday, the weather was MUCH nicer (and warmer!) and everyone was healthy again, praise the Lord!
One more small hiccup - Gold Camp Road ended up being closed! Perhaps due to the snow and/or damage to the road. Thankfully, the place I use is a short walk away, so all was well.
Melissa greeted me in the parking lot with a warm hug. I also enjoyed finally meeting her after months of long-distance communication and everything we both went through to make this happen! I was so impressed by her family, dressed so nicely, and her kids amazed me the entire session with their cheerful attitudes and cooperation - even spicy little Emily, who is so like my own daughter that I just had to laugh the whole way through. Wonderfully cloudy conditions had given way to full sun by the time we arrived, so I had to get creative as the spot Melissa has been dreaming of since we planned her session was being blasted by full sun. One benefit to Gold Camp Road being blocked was we could easily use the road for some family walking photos to start, shaded by some canyon walls, without having to worry about traffic (except maybe a rare cyclist). I was also able to use careful positioning of the family and using trees to block my lens from the sun to accomplish some additional photos with even more scenic backgrounds. As the sun lowered in the sky, the shadows increased and the light became softer and we moved ever closer to the coveted overlook, and finally, after so much waiting, were able to capture Melissa's DREAM family photo right as the sun dipped below the mountains! Hallelujah!
Melissa, I'm truly honored that you chose me to capture these photos of you guys and your precious kids. Y'all are SUCH a sweet and fun family and I enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you, capturing these sweet moments as your oldest two move on to new things beyond your home, changing your family dynamic forever - but not for worse. You've created special bonds between all of you that will change, but not weaken as the years pass. What a legacy for your family. I hope our paths cross again one day!
