And I love them for that!
I grew up in a land of girls. I have a sister, and a lot of girl cousins. Although I am a touch of a tomboy, I really was not prepared for the “boy world”. Of course my first was a girl, and I assumed I would have more girls, that is all I knew and understood, and did well. As most of you know I do have two boys, and boy are the different, but in a totally cool way. My daughter is as girl as they get, dainty, princess, and anything else girly. My boys are the polar opposite, as they should be. But this is a large learning curve for me. I have had to learn to accept a ball in motion in my home at all times, dirt littered shirts since apparently boys do not use napkins no matter how many times you tell them, the belly laughs from fart sounds, guns, swords, sticks like swords, or even wrapping paper tubes that to me were telescopes, to them, weapons. It is amazing how they are inherently different. They have an angst that comes from inside, a drive to wrestle, run, jump, throw and fight that exceeds any ounce of energy that I have ever exuded. But they are just awesome, and I adore learning their world. My daughter on the other hand, totally annoyed (as any pre-teen should be of two younger brothers).
So last week I drove to Warrenton to meet a new client and her family. We had planned to do the shoot at her house. I get there and are greeted with two gorgeous smily little guys nearly the same age as my boys. Tech Decks, strewn across the floor (my coffee table is now a skatepark, so I totally get that), and Darth Vader and Superman t-shirts. Dad asked mom if those were the shirts they were wearing…she said “yep, that is them, that is what they are most comfortable in” and I was relieved. My ideas for the shoot totally evolved at that moment. I know how impossible it is to get my two boys to sit still for two seconds or wear a collared shirt. The only way to capture them is to let them be them, and they will let me shoot forever, and even give me ideas…and that is just what these guys did. We climbed trees, got eaten my mosquitoes, played stick drums and swords, got eaten by some more mosquitoes :), skateboarded, jumped in puddles, etc. Boys being boys. Of course once they got the “energy” out, we threw on a couple of polos and did a few family shots too, but mom, those I will save for the gallery!
I would love to do more of this type of session. Letting the kids just do what they do. Capturing them in their element, doing what intrigues them, or taking them places that they can interact. It was fun, and the kids had fun, and I drove home thinking nothing more than about my two boys. 
