Anyone need a caddy?

Well, he might run off with your with clubs and balls,
but he'll keep you entertained!

Barrett Russell::18 months

We finally did it...Barrett's 18-month portrait session! Things have been so busy since his 18-month milestone on July 18th, that we had to put it off. On Sunday evening, we grilled out, had dinner as a family, and then gave Barrett a bath. I told him at dinner that he was going to have his pictures taken by a "nice lady," and he needed to be a good boy. I told Justin the same thing :) It was after Barrett's 3-month pictures (the last time we paid to have them done), that Justin told me I did a much better job, and we were never paying anyone else to do them again. Thanks, Honey! So I told them at dinner that we were taking this seriously, and acting as if we'd paid for the session...AND we needed to be there at 7:30 sharp for our appointment.

It was a beautiful evening when we headed out to the 12th hole at Quail Ridge Golf Course. We'd already been out the night before to scope out the greens and pick an area for the shoot. Unfortunately when we got there, a couple was playing the 12th hole, and someone else was behind them on the 11th. So we got some shots on another hole, and along the dirt road beside the course until we could get onto the 12th green. This is my most {favorite} green on the course...I had always hoped we could go out there before our wedding for some fun shots in my wedding gown, but it didn't happen. The green sits right along the dirt road, and is surrounded by trees. It is always so beautiful in the evenings as golden beams from the setting sun peek through the trees.

Here are some of my favorites from the evening:

This was the only picture we got of me with Barrett...
and he was mad because I took away his golf club!

I knew I wanted some pictures of Barrett in this rocking chair,
and the dirt road was the perfect spot. This was my chair when I was little.

Here is the miracle family shot!! I set my camera up on a tripod with the self-timer, and would run to sit down with Barrett and Justin before it went off. Amazingly, we got this shot on the 3rd try! I have no idea how we managed to get Barrett looking right at the camera and saying "cheese," but it happened, and I LOVE it!

In all honesty, we were hot and worn out by the time we left the golf course at 8:30. It was getting dark, or I would have pushed for a few more shots. Barrett was being a little maniac most of the time, running around swinging golf clubs and throwing golf balls. Justin and I were both worried we hadn't gotten any good shots. I guess that's the way most of my clients always feel at the end of a session. Apologizing for their child's behavior, and giving me that nervous look of "did we get at least one shot"? I reassure them we've got plenty, and they are always surprised at how many they love when they get their proofs! I too was pleasantly surprised with these!