A BREAK IN THE WEATHER: JOHNSON COUNTY FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

I’d been watching the forecast in the days leading up to this beautiful family photography session. The radar showed nothing but clouds and rain for more than a week (it’s still showing rain, as a matter of fact), and I was anxious. Even if the rain stopped, what would the river look like? Would we have a dry place to sit and play or would it be a flooded mess?

Luckily, the weather pulled back its curtain just in time — so to speak — and the clouds parted. We were left with nothing but a gorgeous sun during the golden hour.

When I photograph families with young children, I prefer to take them somewhere that has a built-in activity that will hold their attention. Whether it’s playing with rocks and sticks or climbing trees, I find that if the kids can stay active, they stay engaged. And that makes for natural-looking images.