It’s always such a boost to spend an afternoon with a loving family, especially when the main subject is as adorable and energetic as little Anthony. It had been two years since the last time I saw him, and I loved seeing the enormous developmental leaps he’d made since then. Anthony is a little sweetheart. He’s generous with his hugs, he kisses boo-boos, and he always makes sure to ask if you’re okay. He loves reading his books, playing outside (soccer especially), swinging on anything, and goofing around with his dinosaur toys. I got the chance to see pretty much all of that during our shoot. Anthony definitely delivered.
Because it’s where Shanel, Jared, and Anthony spend so much quality time, we decided to use their lovely backyard as our main setting. Anthony and his dad kicked a soccer ball around, Anthony trotted out the aforementioned dinosaurs for a little play session, and Woody, the 4 year-old Havanese who’s essentially a full family member, made an energetic appearance.
As the sun began to set on the front of the house, we made a move to the front porch, and as we were passing through the house, Jared and Anthony decided to take a book break. Shanel says that Anthony tries to carry all of his books around the house wherever he goes, so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. The dynamic between all three of them was so comfortable and genuine—I got the feeling that what I was seeing was pretty much how it was all the time.
As we soaked in the last bit of sunshine on the stoop, Anthony got to show me his pumpkins, which he was obviously very excited about. Then again, this is a little boy who seems enthusiastic about pretty much everything. We chased the final streaks of sunlight down into the street for a few final family shots. It was the perfect ending to my time with this lovely crew.
