MSU Campus

When we scheduled our hour session for the following Saturday it was warm and sunny. I don't believe either of us expected the weather to change so significantly. It is Michigan, though, and one thing you can count on here is a change in the weather. The other thing you can count on is a gorgeous spring day, however cold it may be. Our scheduled shoot was planned at 10:00 a.m. at Beaumont Tower on Michigan State Campus. Despite having been born and raised in Lansing, the campus has always been a labyrinth to me. Fortunately as I exited my car the tower in the near distance struck its third quarter hour, leading me directly to its base.

Beaumont Tower

I scoped out the area quickly, taking in the best locations, styles, props and backdrops nearby. It was quiet with only a few students walking by. The animals were out full force though and I was able to get a couple of shots of a pretty cardinal and some squirrels chasing each other through the trees.

Cardinal

With the morning being a lot colder than I had planned I half expected my clients to cancel. I frequently checked my phone for the message. Then the tower struck 10.

Not much later a young couple holding a little girl dressed in fluffy, soft pink came walking around the path towards me. I smiled, knowing they were my clients and our session would begin quickly.

I introduced myself and made friends with their daughter. She immediately smiled and I knew we were going to have a great shoot!

My first thought was to have their daughter sit on the landscaped edge and up angle shoot to get the Beaumont Tower in the shot. They agreed and we set about to begin, just as 10 MSU graduates showed up with a photographer. We patiently waited our turn, but as they continued shooting different poses I realized they were planning to be there a while. I suggested we move to a nearby bench and if I shot at the right angle I could avoid the graduates but still get the tower. I like the way it turned out.

Little P sitting on a bed of Magnolia flowers and Beaumont Tower in the background

Realizing we probably wouldn't be able to shoot at the Beaumont without getting the others in the shots we moved on to a new location. But first I noticed this pathway that was quite pretty. Little P was only 11 months but she could stand. I asked the parents to set her up in the middle on the path and we'd give it a shot. I love the way these turned out.

Sweet baby on brick path on MSU campus

When we scheduled this shoot my client had suggested shooting at the gardens. By the time we finished shooting in the pathway little P was getting cold and a tad fussy. I had earlier noticed a beautiful bench and flowering trees nearby and I suggested we go there instead. They agreed and we headed that way. I had also brought a few blankets for posing and we used them to warm their daughter up.

Snuggling to stay warm Little one posing on the blanket I brought

Finally I suggested while their daughter warmed up and munched on a cookie, I could get a few photos of them. Couples tend to overlook getting their images done, but I try to suggest it at every session. They agreed and we moved around our private little photography "studio" getting multiple posses while their daughter watched from her picnic blanket. If it wasn't so chilly it really would have been perfect.

Beautiful couple

It's really easy to plan your outdoor session. You can even bring a picnic lunch or dinner and make it a grand event worth remembering.

Making memories