When Terrica called and said that her baby girl has grown up and it was time for a mother & daughter portraits, I suggested to do this mini shoot outdoor at a near by park. I knew the fresh green background would pop their beautiful complexion, and bring out their bright smiles. So off we went to the park for a mini shoot. I arrived early to walk around, taking snapshots of good locations with my iPhone, and by the time I met up with Terrica and her daughter, Kyra, I knew where to go to take their portraits. (iPhone can geo tag the location, so I usually create a Lightroom Catalog with only the scouted locations, for future shoots.)

It was such a beautiful and pleasant day. I am not a fan of hot weather (I know, I live in Georgia...), so the nice breeze and mild temp were awesome for me! I started the shoot under the canopy near the small pond, where I could use the lush trees and lights coming through it to create a nice background, then moved on to the little pond.

Mother and Daughter Mini ShootBeautiful Terrica and Kyra with nature background Terrica & KyraMother & Daughter Mini Shoot at the Park

I love when mothers and daughters look like sisters! Because of their laid-back, down to earth personalities, it was so easy to pose them and have fun shooting. They had a cute, matching casual outfits, and we went with poses that naturally bring out their fantastic relationship.

Terrica & KyraMother & Daughter Mini Shoot at the Park

As I was editing the images, I thought about how important and meaningful Mother & Daughter (or son) shoot is. As a mom, I often thought the portraits with my kids were for me to preserve MY memories OF THEM. It is, but that's not all. Portraits with mothers, to our children, mean so much more than we mothers think. When my daughter just joined ARMY and went away for boot camp, she held on to the photographs of me and her, and every time she came back on leave, she insisted on taking a shot with me in the frame. It's behind the camera that I feel most natural, and I don't care to be in front of the camera. But to my daughter, it didn't matter how I felt I looked, I was her mom, beautiful and powerful, the source of her strength and encouragement on days and moments that challenged her. So I know that these portraits are not just for Terrica, but more importantly, for Kyra, who will soon fly away the nest, but always remember who she is, because of her mom. So if you are a mom, preserve your legacy in photographs with your children, for your children. If you are a daughter or a son with your mom still on this earth, you are truly blessed! Be good, be honest, be the kind of person your mom thinks you are. And tell your mom you NEED to take photographs with her - trust me, it will be one of the most important things in your life.

KOKO

P.S. Here is a snapshot of me and my daughter, Selene, who visited me right before she left for South Korea in May. She has a tattoo of me when I was young, doing the traditional Japanese dance.