Independence - Portland, Oregon Family Photographer

This shoot felt like a scavenger hunt. We drove around searching the urban landscape for places to take photographs. A broken window and old peeling posters, an olive wall, a loading dock.  It was fun to see where the afternoon would take us. Katie was a trooper through the heat until a brief nap in the truck with grandma, when I got to steal mom and dad for a few minutes. A cute couple, sweet girl and a gorgeous mama.

Little Katie is an independent soul. As a parent, one of the things I want my boys to develop is a sense of independence. I want them to feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. For most of the mom's I have talked to recently, it seems our little ones really start to show their independent spirits when they turn three. Three is a time of testing boundaries and testing patience. Three is also a time of heart warming smiles, proudly proclaiming "I can do it" and a glimpse of character. Katie is a beautiful, energetic and determined three-year-old. She knows what she wants. I admire that in a girl.