Cornish Maine Photographer // The Carter Family // Fryeburg, ME

I don’t think that its a secret that I don’t shoot a lot of family sessions anymore. It’s just as simple as it’s not something that I love to do like weddings, maternity or newborns. There is one exception to that. When I have watched a family grow from the beginning, of course I love to get to reconnect with them!

This is the case with the Carter family. Stephanie was literally my first friend when I moved to Maine in 2005. At that time, she just had one baby (and, a husband.) I have watched her have 2 more babies and welcome many, many foster animals into her family. I definately had a “I’m super old” moment last year when I did her oldest son’s senior portraits.

I went to their house in Fryeburg. They have an amazing field that over looks the mountains right in their front yard. We shot their pictures there every year and they always come out pretty awesome, so that’s where we found ourselves!

Her daughter had missed her school pictures this year, so we started with her. We went off into the field, she told me all about school and her job, while I snapped away. The two brothers came next and then we added their sister back to do some group shots of all of them. Even Judy, their pug, joined in and tried not to get stepped on while she weaved in and out of their legs.

Then the rest of the family joined in, yes, including Judy. We watched as the sun set over the mountains. Lastly, I forced Stephanie and her husband to jump in. I’m a firm believer that the couple is just as important as the kids when it comes to pictures. Stephanie and her husband are just super goofy together and that just makes them that more fun to photograph!

I can’t wait to do it all again next year!