A Founder’s Hall Hershey Family Photo Session
Clients' journeys to find me are often interesting stories that get buried in the deliciousness of their sessions. This one was too good to let go…
After photographing Marc and Angel Chernoff’s conference, Think Better, Live Better, in San Diego two years in a row, in 2018 and 2019, a friend of theirs, Chad from Pennsylvania, was talking with them about wanting senior portraits of his oldest boy, Aidan. Angel immediately gave a glowing recommendation to call me. As a doctor, Chad did, but he got lost in the business of life. The session was never officially secured and didn’t happen—it’s part of the business. We move on.
Six years later, Chad decided it was time to update family photos. With my email still in his contacts, he sent me a message. Chad intended to give his wife, Bridget, a session for Christmas so that it would happen soon after. I kindly let him know I wasn’t scheduling new sessions until the spring, but he was welcome to plan now to ensure the session happened during my busy season in April.
We set a date, and I didn’t hear back from him until early April, when I emailed asking what they would like in a natural-light, outdoor location. We decided on the area around Founder’s Hall in Hershey, PA. I arrived early, as usual, and was glad I did. The entire area had been reconstructed since the last time I had shot there. It was beautiful, but there wasn’t a lot of shade for this sunny day. As an expert in natural light, I didn’t panic. I had the perfect plan to follow the ideal light throughout their shoot. What I couldn’t have accounted for was the wind…
It wasn’t just windy. It was blustery. Like, really blustery.
Chad’s wife, Bridget, emerged from the SUV, obviously worried about it. Instead of my customary hug, I offered reassurance instead. The plan went out the window, and we worked with the wind forecast instead. Sometimes, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. At one point, there was a Hershey bus tour watching us. We ignored them and kept on shooting—and laughing. You have to laugh through less-than-ideal weather circumstances.
Everyone thinks, “What happens if it rains?” But no one wonders what happens if it’s super windy. I’m thinking back to Heather and Nick’s Pine Crest Country Club wedding last year! Well, I’m going to tell you what we do. We work with it! Sure, your hair may blow, but that is natural and can elicit real emotion as you inhabit that reality together. If you can let go of the worry, the most magical photos can be the result. As I tell many clients, the most dramatic weather can lead to the most epic photos if you embrace it.
I’m delighted with how the images turned out. Please enjoy a small sample of the photos they received in their full gallery.
