Before every shoot, I’m pretty much a big ball of nerves. “What if I can’t find a good place to get a photograph? What if I freeze up? What if I can’t get this child to give me a smile?” Then a shoot happens and I go into this … well, for lack of a better term, “zone.” It’s like, if someone were to ask me later about something that happened during a shoot, I’d be all “Wha? Huh? I’m sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
After every shoot, on the drive home, I’m pretty much a big ball of nerves. “Oh man … did I get that one photo she asked for? What if every photo is blurry? What if I didn’t get this child to give me a smile?” Nick can attest to this: I come home, give him this pathetic look, and he gives me a “Honey, I’m sure they are more than fine.” See, it’s sort of become our routine.
By the time I’m done picking out my favorites from a session, editing those favorites and making them into art, Gail Werner Photography style, I am reminded that to me — and hopefully my clients — these photographs are more than fine. I like to think of myself as someone who gives it everything I’ve got for the clients who book me. And in doing so, I envision myself capturing more than just a family photograph, but a documentation of what it means to be this family, at this exact moment in their lives.
This sentimentality washed over me while editing photographs from my session with the Shivelys. This was 2 hours spent with me in the “zone” enveloped by the craziness of a family whose life revolves around animals, beautiful children, short attention spans and love fostered amidst bean fields surrounding their hilltop home. And for the Shivelys, well … it’s a life that suits the five of them more than fine.
Remember what I said about pets? These are just a few… Bryce, 6, and Brooke, 4, also had to make sure I checked out the baby kittens in the garage! This, by the way, is Chino (on the left) and Emily (on the right). Yep, that’s right, they have a pet deer. How COOL is that?
Krissy wanted to make sure I got lots of photos of the family feeling their fallow deer. “I want the kids to remember this when they’re older,” she told me. “They really love it right now.” And you know, I thought that was so sweet of her to think of something like that. How many memories do we wish we had documented like this from our childhoods?
Krissy has such an incredible bond with her son. I hadn’t seen this boy since he was a baby, and to watch the two of them interact, to see her calm him when he got frustrated, draw him out of his shell and just be an amazing mother was pretty incredible. And oh yeah, these two LOVE a good tickle war.
Did I mention they love a good grass fight too? I suffered a bit of collateral damage getting these shots — came home and found grass IN MY BRA (oh yes Internet, I just told you that 
HA!)
Speaking of little ones, this is Miss Brooke, aka Future Homecoming Queen, Class of 2023. Isn’t she a doll? SOOOO sweet (and is it a pity to covet the hair of a four-year-old? ‘CAUSE I DO)
I love watching siblings interact. This shot just makes me smile.
Brooke, by the way, is a total daddy’s girl, which is why this next photograph makes my heart melt.
There aren’t a lot of trees on the Shivelys’ property so sometimes you have to improvise. And by improvise, I mean totally rock a bean field.
With every session, I try to pinpoint an image I might have taken that, to me, captures that person’s personality in one take. And well, in this case, it’s two for this couple:
This last addition here is something a bit different for me but these were the last set of frames I fired off from our session and I love how these photographs tell so much about this family — a ball of limbs and love and little ones.
And if you had fun viewing these, don’t forget to CHECK OUT THE SLIDESHOW (I think I found a song that’s p-e-r-f-e-c-t for this family!) Krissy and Matt, thanks for welcoming me into your home on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon! I had a BLAST!
what a beautiful family! and a beautiful day! and beautiful shots!
Oh Gail, I SO know what you mean about the nerves before and after all the shoots:) But you rocked out this session as usual!!
love the daddy/daughter shot. and the light with miss brooke’s! great job!
To say that I cried while watching the slideshow would be the under-statement of the year!!! Thank you sooooo much for an amazing and unforgetable day!
What a sweet little family, seems as if Gail has captured so much more then pictures, she captured the hearts of all in this. I felt so much emotion when viewing these pictures. God Bless you all !!!
Great job, Gail! Thanks for being transparent and sharing about your shoot anxiety.
I know I’m not alone! Also, love the song on the slideshow - it perked up my afternoon! Keep up the awesome work - I can see you love it and really put your heart into it.
Gail - you did such an amazing job !! Kris- I cried right along with you !!
Thank you for also freaking out on the way home from a shoot. I always feel that way! Goodness!!! These are wonderful Gail! I love that last series so much!!!
that daddy/daughter shot is perfect and precious….i think it would look awesome in black and white too
You go girl!!!