I pulled into the parking lot at Great Falls and my heart sank. The parking lot was packed and I wondered if we’d even find a space. I thought, “Yikes, is EVERYONE hiking today?” I’ve been there several times and had never seen it that packed, even on the weekends. I hadn’t thought to check the park’s calendar (though in future I will!) and it turned out there was a huge event there for the evening! Ahhh! It was a relatively warm, super muggy Saturday evening, and I thought the weather alone would pose a bit of a struggle, especially with little ones. I felt terrible for Joe & Danielle who were on their way- trying to keep little kiddos still for a photo can be tough and stressful for parents on its own sometimes, so when you add in heat and lots of distractions it’s even tougher! But to my surprise, these four strolled up the walkway to meet me with big smiles and gorgeous outfits ready to rock and roll with whatever we needed to do to find good light and get some sweet portraits! All four of them were troopers and we ended up having a great time despite the crowds and the heat! Hallelujah!

I would like to take a moment to point out that I have always believed all moms must have superpowers to be able to do what they do on a daily basis, but after this session I’m thinking Danielle in particular deserves an award, a celebratory parade, AND a cape! Why? Because she not only carried her two year old for pretty much the entire first half of their session over boulders and between trees in 85 degree heat and 2000% humidity, she did it in sandals and a dress and managed to look flawless the entire time AND was calm and sweet with her little guy who wanted so desperately to roam free!! Girl, you are a rockstar, really! It was a delight for me to capture little moments between Danielle, Joe, and their sweet kids as we explored the trails. These kiddos are so spunky and have big personalities, so they were a blast to photograph…when I could catch them!! Haha! I always joke with parents that I get a workout in during sessions with little ones, and I love it!! By the end we were all sticky sweaty and the kids were ready for some ice cream! My heart was full!

Danielle and Joe, it was such a pleasure to capture these moments for your family! Thank you for being so flexible and cheerful during our time together! You both definitely deserved ice cream by the end of this, too, haha! I hope you enjoy your blog post & are excited to see your gallery!!

What a gorgeous family!!


Such cuties!!

This just cracks me up every time I see it – what a ham!!

That look on the left is her “Blue Steel!” Spot on! And on the right, little man was just reclining to take a siesta on that boulder. They’re hilarious!



And then between all that energy, I caught moments like this one. He loves his Mama! So so sweet.
We made it back to the overlook just in time for the most perfect light! The kids loved looking out at the falls!


What a beautiful pair you two are!!

xoxo,
Amanda