When I was a kid, I loved playing dress up with my dog or my brother (yes I said my brother) and taking photographs with my little red 110 camera. I pretended to style a photo shoot (as I do today) at age eight by dressing up anything or anyone I could get my hands on. In my bedroom I would create handmade backdrops from bed sheets and then place my subjects in something fierce like a pink satin dress, plastic pearls, and blue eye shadow. I had a great time make believing and being creative but I like to think I never lost that inner creative girl. She was just lost in the day in, day out world of work, family and home.
Today I ask her to come out and play with me whenever I get the opportunity to shoot a toddler. I need to dig deep and remember that little girls love all things pretty and sparkly, let might also like to roll in the mud. As was my session last week.
My inspiration was pulled from a book I read to my girls, “The Princess and the Pea.” I gathered up 3 mattresses and found a location back in the woods to serve as my "enchanted forest." Additionally, I found these great crowns on-line from If the Crown Fits, and a little stuffed frog to be my Prince. My three year old subject sparkled just as I knew she would. As for myself and that inner child – well I got to roll down in the dirt getting low to capture her magical eyes (a subject I blogged about in the prior weeks).
I wanted to share a few of my favorites from the session and remind you that no matter what you do in your day to day world, never lose sight of what you loved as a child. If it was a sport, volunteer to be a coach. If it was music, pick it back up and play again. If it was writing, . Or if it was an art (like photography for me) grab the needed tools and go out there and get creative again. For years I was scared to put my art out for the world to see – I'm not scared anymore and feel like a much fuller person because of it. We can all learn from that little 8 year old that lives inside us.
If you want to see more of this fun session check out my blog
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-Ang
www.angiecoxphotography.com or LIKE me on Facebook
