Sometimes all you need in life is an ice cream cone, right? In the case of the Compton family, the promise of an icy treat to come – unbeknownst to Ziem – kept the kids impressively focused on the shoot. Whatever the motivation, though, this family could write the book on “how to prepare for family portraits” or “5 tips for a successful family photography session” – and it shows, doesn’t it? From the moment they arrive until the camera is removed from their faces, there is a sense of calm and lightheartedness (from parents and children, alike) that is felt. The resulting images never disappoint.

Ziem has had the privilege of shooting this family over a number of years, starting when Braylon was only two – and a towhead! He is pretty much a professional at this point. Violet took a little bit of time to warm up, but as soon as she did it was easy to get a lot of genuine giggles out of her.  This adorable brother-sister duo couldn’t have been better behaved. Ice cream promises aside, they were as sweet & giggly as could be #dreamclients:

Perhaps Ziem’s favorite moment of the shoot was when Mom & Dad requested a shot of just the two of them. Z has found that giving children a break from the camera mid-shoot and briefly focusing on the parents increases the little one’s willingness to cooperate thru the end. Besides, most couples like these high school sweethearts haven’t had professional photos taken since their wedding, so it brings her great joy to be able to capture images like this and add to their amazing photos from Greece:

So grateful to the Compton family for their continued business & friendship!!