Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

As I write this, I’m watching hail beat down on my back deck. It’s March in Seattle, and it’s hailing. That’s unusual, to say the least.

Less than a week ago, I went out with a boy, his mother, and two of his friends. The temperature was in the low 30’s, there were snow flurries, and the wind was ferocious. It was picture day. Now, you might think it was a bad day for photos, and we should have rescheduled. But I would have to disagree.

It was an unusually cold day, and ice had formed over all of the puddles from previous rainfall. The kids were freezing, but they quickly found ways to make the day fun. They walked on the ice to see if they could break through it with their weight. They found walking sticks, and began using them to break the ice as they walked by.

Eventually, it became a team project to stop at every puddle and destroy the icy cover together! Kids are amazing in their resilience. Put them in a tough situation, and their adventurous spirit will emerge. Then you make sure you have your camera ready to capture the sparks that are uniquely them.

When our session was all said and done, we wrapped things up, and headed out for hot chocolate and cookies. It was a worthwhile afternoon, with good friends and good fun. You should try it some time.

My taste of winter for the year

I find that photography opens my eyes to fun that I might not have found otherwise. Had I not gone and played in the snow with this family that morning, I probably would have wasted my time watching TV or something. I love winter, and Seattle pretty much didn’t have one this year. We saw a snowflake or two float down from the sky one evening, but that was the extent of it. I’m so glad I had the chance to romp around in the snow at least once this year.