The deepest black and thunderous clouds rolled overhead as we arrived on the steps of the yard where I was about to photograph their family.
We had traveled from PA to NC through clear skies…clear skies for days. Can you possibly imagine the deepest coal grey set against the blue brilliance that had been that afternoon? It was undeniably striking…and in my heart of hearts…devastating.
I cannot describe to you my heartache as those clouds rolled in. They were dark. Darker than anything I had witnessed in a long while. 507 miles traveled and I had one day…one chance to do this.
And so….we waited.
The air thickened
My nose nearly pressed against the window glass while I prayed the storm would pass before sunset….

The skies roared and shattered into pieces as hail cracked angrily against the porch. I’ve experienced bad weather during work but this…I’d never seen anything like it. I checked the time every few minutes….an hour…two went by..and we continued to wait.
Then as quickly as it arrived…it slowed….suddenly…the same way you come to a sliding halt on a bike. I stepped onto the porch alone and closed my eyes…I could hear the sweet chatter of the house behind me mingling with the low and now distant rumble in the air.
I whispered…”please..God…let magic happen…I cannot leave them empty handed.”

I quietly asked Kerry to step out onto the enclosed porch so that I might at least attempt to meter and test the lighting.
It was dim…the ethereal southern light that I ached for was nowhere in sight. Kerry obliged and stepped into the entrance. The hazy storm light kissed her through the screen and I knew this was our only chance.
Again the thunder rolled…
We worked quickly to beat twilight and still I prayed that we would see even just twenty minutes of sunset. I Prayed for just a moment of the after storm sky firelight that I knew could be possible after such an angry wave of rain.
Quietly our time passed…sifting through the laughter and thunderous little footsteps that nearly matched in earnest the now far off rumbling storms. I stepped back and took in every moment (as well as the moments in between) with them.
The sky cracked open and poured once again- This time it wasn’t rain…no. A perfect ray of pure gold and red split through the deep set pines illuminating a doe just behind us. The six of us…myself, sweet clients, and little doe utterly entranced by one another as the clouds burned a low otherworldly glow and our evening together ended. Oh this..this was indeed magic.

Do you dream of heartfelt honest family photos? I’d love to capture the beauty of your everyday