Next time, I’m taking the train.
The Cayford kids and I teamed up recently for a woodsy photo shoot along the railways. While my go-to’s involve the Bernardo Winery and San Diego’s gleaming beaches, these kids made my job look easy as they posed in front of some classic, yet original pieces of California history.
I enjoy utilizing many different, nontraditional locations as backdrops to creative images. Vintage, woody places are some of my favorite locations to shoot at, but the train station that the Cayfords met me at took that originality to a new level.
They had fun. Try not to laugh with three siblings who keep shoving each other off the rails of the rail road. No one could stay serious as the kids attempted to straddle the railroad’s width.
They stayed together. The Cayford crew is a tight group. It showed in every picture, where all three siblings would have a mind-melt on a similar pose or facial expression. That isn’t with every family, but with this one, it was second nature.
They were themselves. People sometimes feel obliged to wear clothing that fits the theme of their shoot’s locations. For example, a railway location might call for more of a country outfit, which is what I would usually recommend. But the Cayford kids wore what they felt their best in, a Hawaiian shirt, a stylish pattern, and some stripes. The results were more perfect than what I planned. By wearing what they would usually wear, the Cayfords stood out compared to their backgrounds, enhancing the images in a unique way.
This photo shoot took place at the Poway Midland Railroad. For tips on how to make your local railway the best portrait location of all time, feel welcome to contact me, I’d be happy to offer my (professional) two-sense.
Brant, You are really good, I am glad we met you at church. All the pictures you have taken have been so original. So beautiful! Marlene Okeson