I love a good reunion!

Carolyn used to be my next door neighbour. For almost a decade, she and her husband Alex lived right beside us in Tsawwassen, before we ruined everything, packed up and moved up the hill last year! They were, hands down, some of the best neighbours we could have asked for. Whenever I was outside and Carolyn was too, we’d end up in a good long chat in our driveways. Those little conversations were a real blessing, especially during Covid, when a ten-minute chat with a neighbour could carry you through an entire week.

So when Carolyn reached out wanting to book an extended family session – her daughter Alisha, Alisha’s husband, their two daughters, and Alisha’s father-in-law, all in town visiting from Alaska – I said yes immediately. This wasn’t just a booking. It was a chance to catch up with two people I’ve genuinely missed.

We met at Deas Island Park and walked to one of my favourite spots on the trails just behind Burvilla House. If you’ve been following along for a while, you know I have a real soft spot for this park – it’s quiet, it’s green, and it photographs beautifully no matter what time of year it is.

The Real Stars of the Session

I have to be honest: I love Carolyn, but her two granddaughters were my favourite part of the session!

At the start, they were absolutely full of beans. Silly faces, bunny ears behind everyone’s heads, zero interest in standing still for more than half a second. If you’re a parent or grandparent reading this and picturing your own kids/grandkids at a photo session, you already know exactly what I mean. But it didn’t bother me one bit. This is par for the course with kids this age, and it’s a big part of what I actually enjoy about this work.

So I did what I usually do – I pulled the two girls aside for a little portrait session of their own, just the two of them. And that’s when everything shifted. Once we had a chance to chit chat, they turned into the most ready and willing photography participants I could ask for. They were affectionate with each other, full of stories, full of information they clearly needed to share with me immediately – and the eldest granddaughter genuinely seemed wise beyond her years. I have a strong feeling her little sister is cut from the same cloth.

After our little break-out session (and a very solemn promise from me that I would absolutely be photographing both of their cartwheeling skills before we left), it was smooth sailing for the rest of the afternoon. The whole family settled in, and the connection those two girls and I had built carried right through the rest of the session.

I truly adore the photos we captured that day. Scroll down and you’ll see exactly why.

If Your Think Your Kids Are “Too Wild” for Photos — Please Don’t Worry

I want to say this clearly, because I know it’s on a lot of parents’ and grandparents’ minds before a session: wiggly kids, goofy faces, kids who won’t stand still, kids who’d rather do bunny ears than smile nicely – I’ve seen it all, hundreds of times over.

I have so many tricks up my sleeve for almost any kind of kid, at almost any age. A side portrait session, a promised cartwheel, a silly question, a shared secret – whatever it takes to find that connection. I’m never worried about getting great photos. Honestly, this is exactly why I love working with kids so much. The magic isn’t in getting everyone to sit still and smile on command. It’s in finding the moment where they actually let you in.

If you’ve got family visiting from out of town, or grandkids who are “a lot” at the best of times, I’d love to help you capture it anyway. That chaos usually makes for the best photos.

Eran Sudds is a Tsawwassen photographer who specializes in fun & natural sessions for you and your entire family. She is available for maternity, newborn, family portraits and headshots at locations in South Delta, or anywhere in the Lower Mainland. Contact her to book your session!