This past weekend I had the pleasure of taking family portraits for Dawn & Clement Burns. After packing my gear, repacking, and then going back for one more spare battery my phone rang. A last minute emergency had us changing locations and putting a rush on the session.

The second rule of outdoor photo sessions is to always scout the location in advance. This not only confirms that it is nice enough to shoot at but helps to start visualizing the shots you might take. However, the first rule is that things will go wrong, and when they do you need to roll with it and make the shots.

Arriving on the scene the family was waiting. However, not only were they ready, they were in matching outfits! Immediately I knew that my job would be easier. If they were prepared enough to get four daughters ready at the same time in the same wardrobe then they would be ready for anything.

This family is made up of stars. I could put any one of them in front of the camera and they were there with poses and smiles at the ready! Even at our lightning speed pace they were on point.

When the youngest daughter wanted nothing more than to ride her car around, instead of fighting it we embraced it and the genuine happiness that it brought shines though.

Surprises come up in shoots all the time, especially with families. Assessing the situation and deciding how to make it work is what makes the photographs. Sometimes you need to lean into the curve and embrace the unexpected if you want the truly memorable moments.