Being a photographer has brought so many blessings to my life, but meeting this family has to be among the top 10. I have been lucky enough to photograph two of their Weddings, a ton of family sessions, become super close friends with Christina (who did my makeup for my wedding and countless other shoots), and now today I’m excited to share with you their extended family photo session from last month! We all met up downtown at the Scioto Mile riverfront in downtown Columbus, where we are quite literally spent an hour and a half just laughing our butts off. I guess that’s the wrong use of the word “literally”, but you get it.
Everyone in this group is so easy going, funny, and ready for anything. They speak to you so naturally and make you feel like you’re the most important person in the world at that moment. They never passively hug, but grab you and wrap you up and hold you in an embrace that’s so genuine and true. In other words, I wish they would adopt me. Especially because I hear they make some killer Lebanese food for family gatherings. Why does my brain always land on food? Before I start writing Haikus about Baklava, let me finish telling you about this shoot.
From the Scioto Mile, we crossed the Main Street Bridge and took some more photos in front of COSI. It was Earth day, so a festival was going on. It seems like there’s always a festival going on in Columbus these days! There’s a grand staircase there that we used as an elegant backdrop for some tickles, hugs, and embarrassing mom moments (you know, when mom wants to grab and kiss you on camera, ewww!). As I was leaving this shoot, their mom hugged me, looked me in the eyes and said: “God bless your hands”. I remember doing what I do whenever someone gives me a compliment, and I thought oh, she’s crazy. But that comment has stayed with me. It was so loving, unexpected and poetic. Thank you all for being in my life, trusting me with your photographs and for letting me hang out with you from time to time! So without further ado, here are the photos from this electrifying shoot! XO Jess
