I am lucky enough to have photographed this family from the very start! I shot Emily & Shamus’ engagement session, their wedding, and three previous family sessions (this one when their oldest was itty bitty, this one when he was a bit bigger, and this one when they were a family of four!). This age proved to be the most difficult for kids who tend to be shy. The thing about this age–little-big kid age–is that they’re not longer amused by antics that toddlers find funny, but they’re also not old enough yet to be able to force a smile on command. I understand this so deeply with my own children, who are also very shy, and I made it my goal to capture the Freeman’s reality and not to force the boys into something they weren’t comfortable with. As a result, we got some somber, wary expressions, but also some beautiful (maybe even funny) memories to look back on in future years.