I think most kids regardless of age find joy in playing in the mud and getting dirty.  Lately, one of my favorite things to do is watch my son play in his "mud pit" in our back yard.  He digs, he creates, imagining everything from road construction to digging for dinosaur bones, and the joy he has doing it reminds me of the simple pleasures of my childhood doing similar things.

This series of photos "Mud Play is Fun Play" is all from one day.  One day where he played for hours in his mud pit; one day where his silliness and creativity was awe inspiring.  Not only did I enjoy creating these photos, but I just simply enjoyed watching him be completely silly and enjoy getting as dirty as possible.

Making memories as a family is important, not only for now but for the future as well.  Memorable moments come from daily life, but also from the adventures you take and what could be more memorable than a cross country trip with the family?

I distinctly remember my cross country trip as a kid.  My best friend invited me to spend a couple weeks with him and his family as they drove from Pittsburgh, PA to San Diego, CA.  I remember the amazing sights, both the fun and monotonous moments of riding in the car, and the cool folks we met along the way; we made some awesome memories!

Fast forward to January 2018, and my family was planning a trip across the country as we moved from San Diego, CA to Virginia Beach, VA.  My wife and I had made the reverse trip in 2012, but now we were bringing our 4 year old son, and our dog and cat, so we had to do a little bit more planning.  As I write this blog post, I'm happy that we did because now I get to share all the awesome stuff we saw and the memories we made.

All the photos included here were created by me with either my iPhone 6, Nikon point and shoot camera, and my Canon 5D Mk III and 7D.

Photographing family is always fun for me.  I not only enjoy the chance to spend time with them, but also creating images which I know will be cherished by other family members.

Shortly after moving back to our home in Virginia Beach, my brother-in-law Brian mentioned needing some photos; I of course was more than happy to help.  We choose a day which worked for both our schedules, and a location not to far from the house.

One of the nice things about Virginia Beach is the abundance of neighborhood parks.  Not only do these parks provide a great place for the neighborhood kids to play, but they also provide great locations for photos.  Choosing a park for his portraits provided both for us, a chance to take some photos and the opportunity play with his nephew after the photos.  Win-Win!

We didn't spend a bunch of time creating photos, but we had a great time and they turned out pretty awesome.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Having your photos taken doesn't have to be this crazy process.  Simple, easy to get to and use locations, and planning a little fun (like playing on a playground) afterward help to ease the stress of having photos taken, especially for families.

If you're ready to get your photo session planned, I'm ready to help you out!  Use the link here or at the top of the page to Get in touch with me today!

If you've read my previous blog post, "Photographing a Camping Adventure:  Toddlers & Nature", then you'll have a little clue about where this post is going...

Family adventures are, in my opinion, an important part of growing up.  These adventures can really be anything that gives the family an opportunity to explore new places, see new things, simply spend quality time together, and make lasting memories.

For my family, camping isn't an every month thing, but it's a something that we all enjoy doing.  For me and the wife, it's a chance to get outside, enjoy nature, and relax away from the hubbub of normal everyday life.  For our son, it's a chance to explore nature and get as dirty as possible doing it; it's also a chance for us to spend time with him, bending our bed time rules, and imparting important life lessons.