Boom, whoosh, drip, whirl. Boom, whoosh, drip, whirl. The soundscape was melodic and hypnotic. I watched well-dressed and impossibly fit hikers sporting prAna, Pearl Izumi and Patagonia scamper across the meadow. As these active and outdoorsy folks dashed for the trailhead and their vehicles I became acutely aware of a few things: 1. Yet again a storm was threatening to derail a photo shoot this time with a lovely family and an absolutely adorable little gal who was turning one. 2. The parking lot would surely empty out soon. 3. If we can wait it out a bit, the storm just may blow through leaving an excellent possibility for the kind of light this photographer dreams of.
If you live in Colorado you know the weather changes ALL-THE-TIME. Especially in or near the mountains. I checked my gear once more to get my initial settings and prime lens configured. I greatly enjoy the endless surprises that come with photographing energetic families and equally energetic weather. However there is no way we are going to photograph little Lilah in a thunderstorm. I text back and forth with my clients on my "retro" flip phone (please send texts without emoticons so my phone can read it!) and go over the shot list once again. Almost every single photo session I've had has dealt with sketchy weather leading up to our scheduled time. And it is absolutely OK. It is all part of the ever-changing landscape for an outdoor lifestyle photographer in Colorado and I adore this. Often, the weather breaks and we end up with incredible and varied light conditions but occasionally, we need to reschedule. It's part of the package and I try to convey this to my clients. Luckily these are INCREDIBLE clients who have a great sense of humor, a solid understanding of the unpredictability of nature in Colorado and patience. We decide to give it 15 more minutes and I continue to wait, prepare and perhaps hold my breath...
15 minutes pass. Then the light changes. It begins to break through the grey sky and I am giddy with what's before me. I send a quick text letting this fabulous family know that I think the storm has moved on toward the eastern plains. We are ALL excited. They hop in their car with their little gal and head to Chautauqua in Boulder where they easily find parking on a weekend afternoon (no joke!) Thank you rain! We are golden.
When I asked Lilah's parents what she loves and her mother said, "honestly, us." I knew I was lucky to get to spend a summer afternoon playing and photographing this family. True to her mama's words, Lilah absolutely adores her parents. She already is an excellent judge of character. Both mama and dad were fabulous to work with too. They were all animated and joyful. These are my kind of clients! Even though she is learning to walk, Lilah is already an adventurous gal who loves to explore and was a joy to photograph. She is sweet and happy, beautiful and lovely. A big thank you to the entire family for waiting out the storm, playing among the Flatirons with me and reminding me how much I love to work with incredible families in Colorado. I cannot wait to see what the years bring for the three of them.