The De Hoyas Family Portrait.

What do children and animals have in common? Perhaps if you don’t like children you may think they are both the same. But in my world children and animals are the most difficult subjects to work with. That is – in terms of communication and getting them to stay still.

The key is to work fast and before you start shooting have everything in place – especially the camera settings. The last thing you want to to (in any portrait scenario) is to be fumbling around with your camera while your subject is waiting for you. Pets will begin wandering off the set and children may lose focus and babies will fall asleep on you.

It was over a year since the DeHoyas family had professional pictures taken. Plus getting their kids mobilized to a studio can be a mission. She loved my work and the idea of having a full camera studio come to her place couldn’t have made things any easier!

During our consultation we discussed several ideas. Such as father / daughter, just the girls, just the boys, etc. But there was a picture I have been wanting to do – but required at least 4 people. Given they’re a family of 6 the DeHoyas family fit the bill. I pitched the idea of having a profile picture taken in black and white of her family and she was game. And Voila!

Here are some other images I created during our session…