Door County's Crossroads at Big Creek | Mini Winter Photography Sessions for Friends
It’s the holidays again, and this year I wanted to gift my friends photography sessions. I blocked off 3 hours on a Saturday between Christmas and New Years, made a Facebook event, and got planning. Although many of my friends were out of town with their own families, 11 were able to make it to Door County’s Crossroads at Big Creek for mini sessions!
Becky my wife is the ultimate hostess; no detail is too small when it comes to the perfect experience. While I was photographing each group, Becky entertained everyone else with a spread of chocolate chip cookies, house coffee, a hot chocolate bar, and festive tunes from a pop-up hosting station in the back of our car. I regret not grabbing a picture of her work because it was a lovely setup!
Steve and Laura were my first couple, and they’re no strangers to my camera! Not only have they done a couple’s shoot before, but they also helped me create a piece displayed in The Miller Art Museum’s recent exhibition Abstract Thoughts. To make their session different from what they’ve already done, they decided to dress up like pioneers and have a little fun.
Steve and Laura are in an exciting time in their lives, and they’ve actually gotten engaged and purchased a house all in December! With a few minutes left, they swapped into their “adult” cloths for a few more shots in the flurries.
Caleb and Kayleigh Sinclair were my next couple, and their session meant a lot. This is the first time Caleb has been home since starting National Guard training in August; he got to spend 12 days home for the holidays, but he won’t be back again until April. I’m thankful I could make their time together extra special :)
Oh, and they brought along Santa Cat dress clothes for an intentionally awkward prom pose and cat impersonations!!
We finally had some sunshine when Natalie and Quin’s session began, and it was nice to feel the warmth! I learned that Quin was very ticklish, so we obviously exploited that :)
Grace and Brian were our last couple of the day, and their session was particularly fun because it was the first time I’d ever met Brian. With that being said, they warmed up to the camera in no time!
It’s 8:20 PM, so it’s time for me to wrap up this blog post and get to bed. But before I do, I want to leave you with a few thoughts.
The first is something I’ve learned in my time as a photographer: if you want to be happy, give yourself permission to be a child. No judgement, no barriers, and no restrictions. Be fearless and wear a silly outfit. Seek tickle fights. Throw snow in the air. Race back to the car. I challenge you to break from your busy life and remember what it’s like to be seven.
Finally, check out this picture of Grace and Becky. They haven’t seen each other in over a year, and yet when they get together it still feels like they live under the same roof. Friends are awesome, so make time for them as much as you can. Happy holidays, and we’ll talk again in 2019.
