One of the things I enjoy most about photographing returning families is getting to see them again and catching up on everything that's happened since their last session. And when it comes to the Bowlds family, there's never a shortage of conversation or laughter!
I've known Heather, Neil, Grace, and Emma since 2022, when I first photographed Grace's senior portraits. They returned for family photos in 2023, and this fall, I had the pleasure of working with them again at West 12 Ranch in Lodi. It's a location we're all pretty familiar with by now, since we've used it for all three sessions!
This time, though, we had two additional family members joining us. Heather's parents, Wayne and Barbara Schaff, came along, giving us the opportunity to photograph three generations together. Having her parents included was especially meaningful to Heather, and I was happy we could make that happen.
Three Generations, One Family
With Wayne and Barbara joining us, there were quite a few different family combinations to photograph. Of course, we wanted photos of all six together, but we also made time for smaller groupings, including Heather with her parents, the girls with their grandparents, and a few portraits of Wayne and Barbara on their own.
One of the things Heather had mentioned before our session was how much her mom wanted a nice portrait of the two of them together to share with family members. I'm glad we were able to include those, along with photos of Wayne and Barbara surrounded by their daughter and granddaughters.
We also photographed all four women together, which was a nice addition to the usual family combinations. And I have to mention the matching dresses! Heather and Barbara wore the exact same blue dress, while Grace and Emma coordinated in black. Even Neil and Wayne were dressed in shades of blue, so everything worked together nicely.
The grassy area near the windmill gave us room for several of these combinations, with the trees and ranch scenery providing a lovely backdrop. I especially liked the portraits of the entire group gathered around Wayne and Barbara.
Back to the Barn and That Red Truck!
If you've ever been to West 12 Ranch, you know there are some great rustic spots for portraits. One of my favorites is the main barn, especially with the old red truck sitting inside.
Heather had mentioned that her dad would probably enjoy having his photo taken near the truck. Since the family had liked this spot during their previous session, it was a natural place to include again.
The barn has such an interesting look, with the chandeliers hanging overhead and sunlight coming through the wooden walls. We photographed the entire group there, along with several smaller combinations.
Some of my favorite photos from this area are of Neil with Grace and Emma. We took a few more traditional portraits, but I also really liked the ones where the girls were gathered around their dad. Those three looked great together in front of the truck!
I also enjoyed photographing Heather with the girls. With Grace now in college and Emma in high school, it's nice to see how much they've grown since I first met them. Grace has always been outgoing and talkative, while Emma is a little more reserved, with a sassy sense of humor that comes through in some of her expressions.
And of course, we couldn't leave the barn without getting a few photos of the sisters together in front of that truck.
A Little Fall Color Around the Ranch
October was a great time to be at West 12 Ranch. Several areas were decorated for fall, and the warm afternoon sunlight looked especially nice against the pumpkins, autumn leaves, and old trucks.
The red truck outside near the hay barn was filled with pumpkins and fall decorations, giving us another spot for family portraits. I particularly liked the photos of Heather and Neil sitting together on the back of the truck, along with the girls sitting side by side among all those pumpkins.
We also photographed Wayne and Barbara together in the grassy area nearby. Between the portraits of the two of them and the different combinations with their grandchildren, we were able to give Heather's parents a nice variety of photos from the afternoon.
One of my favorite things about this location is how different the backgrounds can look without having to go very far. Between the barns, grassy areas, trees, and trucks, we had plenty of options to work with.
A Few Laughs and Some Fun Poses
If there's one thing I can count on with this family, it's that we're going to have a good time! They're outgoing, they enjoy joking around with each other, and there's always plenty of conversation happening between photos.
We had some fun with a few of the poses this time, especially the ones where everyone stood with their arms crossed and gave me their best serious expressions. I liked seeing a little of everyone's personality come through in those.
We also used the rustic bicycle decorated with sunflowers and hay bales for a few portraits. Grace and Emma looked great together in that setting, and the sunflowers added a nice pop of color against their black dresses.
The grassy area under the trees gave us another chance to photograph Heather and Neil together, as well as the four of them as a family. Some of my favorite portraits are actually the simpler ones, where everyone is together and just being themselves.
Another Great Afternoon With the Bowlds Family
I've really enjoyed getting to know the Bowlds family over the years. From Grace's senior portraits to their family sessions, it's always nice to see familiar faces and pick up right where we left off.
This session was especially nice because Wayne and Barbara were able to join us. Having all three generations together added something new to our time at the ranch, and I'm glad Heather has these photos of her parents with the family.
Thank you, Heather and Neil, for inviting me back to photograph your family again. I always enjoy our time together, and this afternoon was certainly no exception!
To see other Family Sessions, see below:
