Once upon a time, way back in 2017, there was a photographer. This photographer had a friend who lived in Naperville with her two sons.
One day, the photographer saw a picture of his friend with her two boys taken on a bridge at the Naperville Riverwalk. As fate would have it, he and his friend were discussing taking pictures of her and her boys for that year’s family shots. The photographer came up with a bright idea: As part of the shots taken, why not re-do the picture, showcasing the yearly change as the boys had grown.
And from there, a yearly tradition was born. It was decreed that each year we’d do family shots, and re-create the original image as a way to archive the son’s growth over years.
The first year we did the shot in mid-Spring. Since then, we bumped the shoot to early Fall (usually sometime in October). But regardless of the time of year, it’s always a great occasion to mark a special moment in the family’s lives. The sons are always eager to do the shot—it’s a family tradition to them now.
The first three years we re-created the shot were fairly the same. We’d get everyone in position—with mom as the base. We’d wait for the river walk denizens to get past the bridge, usually accompanied by comments like, “Sorry, we’ll be out of your way in a moment,” or “What a great idea,” (when they would find out what we were creating.
The only difference was this year, mom could no longer be the base, that position now being taken by the oldest son (four years of growth will make that happen). As I was taking this most recent shot earlier this year, I recalled seeing that first image a few years back. I was reminded that this is why we capture these moments. We’re helping a family record its’ history. We’re helping record the natural changes that occur in families over the years. We’re documenting a family’s love for each other.
The mom took the idea one step further. She has the series of images in frames hanging together in her house. It’s a splendid way to have a constant reminder that thought families change through the years, the bond of love is always there—even if the boys aren’t quite as small as they used to be. ?
We’re already looking forward to next year’s shoot, and adding to the pictorial legacy we’ve established up to now. A beautiful family. A killer idea. a lifetime of memories and smiles.
It’s safe to say this family lives happily ever after.
