A Family Portrait: What does it mean to you?

Who is in your family portrait? Everyone's concept of family is slightly different. During the holiday season I like to reflect on the idea of family and how much I am thankful for mine. Through my work I am able to get a glimpse of how other people define their family and I value the variety in their definitions. Some families are full of children running down the halls and in and out of rooms as they play. Other families are just in their beginning stages as they welcome a new baby into their lives. Many people consider their family to be their pets and treat them just as they would children. (I know our pets are our kids!) Then there are the mixtures of everything in between. My family are the people and animals I hold closest to my heart and the members in this group continue to grow. Over the years I have been able to create a family portrait of all types... Above is an example of a family portrait with many four-legged family members! It was one of the coldest days I have ever experienced in Santa Fe. The dogs didn't seem to be too concerned but my fingers were nearly frozen to my camera! Thankfully, the sun was shining and the group was so fun it made for quite a few laughs. Speaking of laughing...this family was so much fun to work with. The baby was obviously adorable and playful! This photo was taken on a shoot for the Santa Fean magazine. Here's a group of three that make an incredible family. All smiles! If you look closely you can see the dog smiling too! My ideal family portrait is always full of smiles.