dave & dori
I will admit to being a chronic power user of the word “favorite,” but it should be made clear that the people in the photos below are *actually* two of my FAVORITES ever. They’re my parents!!!
I’m so grateful for them! They made my day by asking for a session of just the two of them, so they could mark this meaningful season of their transition into my dad’s retirement. Can we all agree their generation doesn’t do this enough? Yet I feel the urgency of having my parents captured at this stage in their life as equally as I feel the need to capture my children in all their stages and changes and milestones. I will treasure these photos of them forever. For. Ever.
Dori is a million wonderful things, and one of her best qualities is her ability to find and express laughter in nearly every situation. I don’t know anyone else so willing to laugh at herself and find humor and fun and joy in every station. She’s also strikingly beautiful, and I am so proud to be her daughter.
Dave’s retirement is recent (like-last-week-recent) and in our celebrating, my family had the opportunity to hear from incredibly special people in his life about his impact on them. Much of what they had to say boiled down to his kindness and care for people, and that’s just plain accurate. He has kind eyes and a genuine smile and he’s beyond humble and very, very loved.
Two of the many people who love them so dearly (my oldest two daughters) were allowed to come along on this session. They deserve some serious credit for putting their grandparents in the sweet spot of their comfort zone with genuine happiness glazed over their faces. Thanks, Claire and Jane! Maybe it’s almost time for you to come assist on more sessions…MAYBE. 😉
When there are hot pink azaleas, they absolutely must be the backdrop for your mother. That’s a no-brainer!
While I did ask them to stand this way (on the left), it’s not an unusual pose for them. I’ve caught them this way as they take in views of what’s important to them – usually family members – and it feels like a comfortable, well-worn stance for them. Close, safe, and at rest. The snickering together (on the right) is also spot on “them”.
Oh, look, my littles made it into a pic! If you have a takeaway from perusing these personal, treasured images I’ve shared today, please let it be this: ask, nudge, encourage, and insist that your parents or grandparents or whomever is special to you step into the frame of a photo, at least every now and then. You’ll be so happy you did.
