Family Photos 2015

We took family photos this past weekend. We thought it was challenging last year, but Erin is a lot less patient and isn't the best listener, so it made photo taking this year a bit difficult.

Some details from the shoot:

Photographer: We had the lovely Candice Benjamin take our photos (she's almost as tall as Ken, so it really makes a difference with angles!). 

Location: Trabuco Canyon, CA  - Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park

Erin's dress and shoes: Zara

My dress: Free people

Ken's shirt (If anyone cares): Hugo

Color palate this year:

 

A little tip for taking somewhat more successful photos with an active toddler: bring treats. We brought some m&ms for Erin. She has never had them before, so she was definitely excited about getting the opportunity to eat them. We used these as an incentive and hoped that she'd stay still or smile on cue. To be honest, the m&ms didn't work 100%. Erin was still running away, showing her underwear, not smiling, and etc. But if we didn't have any treat to give her at all, we probably wouldn't have had any decent photos of her. There were a few of Erin smiling with chocolate teeth, but at least she was smiling! Here a few photos of the chaos (Though Erin wasn't listening, I liked these candid shots. It really captures the true essence of toddler-hood and parenting):

Here a few photos of when the m&ms were working its magic:

I loved how these photos turned out. We were lucky that it didn't rain during our shoot. Although by the end of it, Ken was sweating and I was exhausted, I'd say the "chaos" made for some great photos. Getting your photos taken is hard work and I'm only imagining how much more of a challenge it will be with another kid.