Giving Thanks

With Thanksgiving upcoming, I wanted to share this story...

Recently I photographed this special family.

At first,  I was a little intimated by dad who looked so tough, but ultimately melted by the way he handled his autistic son.  Initially, I wasn’t even aware that he was autistic, but it dawned on me as he squirmed and didn’t respond to my “kid jokes”. 

When he wouldn’t make eye contact, I realized I needed to change my approach.  We slowed down, took a walk and sat down in the grass.  Ann-Marie, my assistant, started singing “wheels on the bus” and we sang it together....“the wipers on the bus go swish swish swish…” and then, * it *  happened...  He looked at me with those big, beautiful brown eyes. 

I don’t know how many family photographs this family has with their beautiful boy looking at the camera, but I’m going to guess that it isn’t very many.  I don’t think they saw me crying as I clicked the shutter. 

This is why I am a photographer.  This is why I photograph families and kids. 

So special thanks this Thanksgiving to this special family for reminding me how much I love what I do.