This young man and his sister are everything you would want your kids to grow up to be. They are kind, filled with love and respect, and they love each other. Because I know them and their parents so well, I know their relationship.
Posing
I had this pose (facing page) in mind because I wanted to do something with them that was a little different. Because they are brother and sister, I was not looking for the same intimacy that a parent or a couple would have. I wanted something that showed their independence and, at the same time, emphasized their connection to each other. I posed her leaning on the back of a sofa, resting her chin in her hand. Then, I had him lean in and rest his chin in his hand in a stronger pose. It appears that there are two independent portraits, yet they are together in the same image.
As They Grow
As children get older, the posing cannot be what it was when they were young; that’s especially true if the client wants a more serious, timeless portrait. The siblings have to be connected in a more appropriate fashion.
This young Kentucky man was about to embark on his college career in California, while his younger sister would remain at home, growing into a young lady. I felt that having her eyes look back at the camera kept that level of connection with home. The young man, looking into the distance, was entering a different stage in his life. As you can see, there was a lot of thought that went into this photograph.
Additional images from the same session.
Mom and Dad bought four images from the session to display on their wall at home, and this one was the centerpiece of the grouping.