Embracing the Chaos

I went to see a play with my friend Maia recently. We started out with dinner at The Yard in Greenwood - a funky place with friendly staff and a laid-back vibe.

We were having a great conversation, when Maia suddenly realized she couldn’t find her phone. We figured maybe she left it in the car, so after dinner, we walked in that direction to go check. On the way, she thought it could be hiding in her bag or a pocket, so she used her watch to ping it.

My phone started ringing.

“Um, Maia, you're calling me.”

“No, I'm pinging my phone.”

“Well, your phone is calling me.”

I showed it to her.

“That shouldn't happen…”

So she tried again.

My phone rang.

Maia tried again.

My phone rang again.

At this point, we were both laughing out loud, feeling thoroughly confused - so I answered.

“Hey there!” I said, looking at her.

“Hi!”

It was Joey, Maia's husband.

What…?

It turned out Maia was pinging her phone, which was at home making noise. Joey was there trying to figure out what was going on, and called me to let us know she'd left her phone behind.

For a few seconds, it was a whirlwind of pushing buttons, scratching heads, and wondering why nothing was working. But now... mystery solved.

It was a light-hearted moment not too different from the first time I photographed Maia's family.

They came into the studio for my Cornered project, and let's just say… it was not a quiet session.

Maia’s family in the Corner

Maia & Joey’s three kids were running around the studio, exploring the toys and props, rolling on the floor, grabbing light stands, and generally having a fantastic time.

We went with the flow of the kids' energy, and amidst all the chaos, we rounded them into the corner and found the magic.

In the end, Maia & Joey selected a portrait of their family in the corner to frame for their living room wall.

I think about sessions like Maia’s when parents tell me they're worried their kids won't cooperate. We don't need everything to go perfectly. In fact, when we cooperate with them, things go better than you can imagine.

At our studio, kids can be kids.

Things can get crazy.

We're allowed to get caught up in the chaos for a few minutes. It's perfectly fine—and even fun.

Because while they're having fun, they show me their joy-filled faces, those real expressions, those little moments that happen when they’re being themselves.

And that's when we flash the lights and get a keeper.