I love kids.  And when I sense a curiosity and spark in them, all the better.  While doing a bar mitzvah pre-shoot with Andy so that his parents could have pictures for an invitation, signing book and slideshow, Andy's younger sister Catie was helpful ("Can I carry your bag?") and interested ("What's the difference between your two cameras?") and beyond adorable. 

I offered her the camera I wasn't using, showed her how to focus and do a light meter reading, and off she went to photograph her dog, her brother, and me as I climbed up to do a portrait of Andy through a basketball net!!

I loved that she got up high for some shots and was willing to lay in the grass for others. She waited for fun moments and nailed them!!

It's always really fun, as a photographer, to get to know a family before a big event, to learn more about the spirit and connections within a family and to just offer everyone an opportunity to get comfortable in front of the camera and with me.  The family is wonderful and I'm looking forward to the December bar mitzvah at the Basketball Hall of Fame, a perfect place for an athlete to celebrate with family and friends!!

And one with Marvel, by his favorite brook in Forest Park to go swimming in!!