If my kid is in the studio while you’re here, this is why….
If you come to my studio for a session you may see my son hanging around. He’s supposed to offer you a glass of water and help me do simple things. And that’s on purpose. Here’s why….
Last year I was prepping the studio before a new-to-be mom and her husband arrived for a maternity shoot. I was setting up the lights and my son came into the studio to ask if he could help me during the shoot. I quickly said no because I knew that my studio is pretty tight as it is. Throw in three adults, lights and wardrobe changes and it was going to be way too much for a 6 year old to not get in the way.
He was bummed but didn’t argue with me, and my shoot went on as planned.
After the clients left I was packing down all the gear and I heard my husband chatting with my son about photography in the adjacent room. My son's little voice so full of hope as he said, “Someday I’ll get to shoot in the studio with mama.”
And my heart sank.
I was such a hypocrite to myself because the truth is I have always admired the stories of so many great photographers. You’ll often hear them talk about their own parent who instilled the craft into them as a child. They talk about their parents always taking pictures, or how their bookshelves were full of amazing cameras, or the walls of their homes were plastered with huge iconic photographs, or how they watched their father or mother shoot some amazing characters. So many gifted artists grew into their craft because they got to watch their parents and understudy next to them. For me photography was learned, but for many others it’s in their blood.
What if it’s in my son’s blood? What if by watching me he himself grows into a photographer 10 times as good as me?
I don’t have it in my heart to kick him out of the studio again because I might be kicking him out of a really amazing creative outlet that he can grow with, learn from and use in so many ways.
Or even if he doesn't, maybe he just gets to watch mama do her thing, all while learning to serve my clients while he gets you water.
Either way it’s still beneficial.
So don’t be alarmed. He will probably be underfoot, at least for part of the time. Because I will inevitably kick him out mid-shoot because as all kids do to, he will trip on cords.
