When school is in session and the three oldest kids are gone to school all day Sam is always with these two. They follow her around like little ducklings. It’s pretty darn cute. One morning in May she was reading a book to both of them. I had to get a photo with my Rolleiflex.

These two little girls comprise the second wave of little kids in my family. The first wave has grown up past the little kid stage now. The first wave of little kids went from ’98 to ’05. It was a difficult time for me. I was mostly grouchy through that time. It seemed to drag on forever. I was working really hard and taking care of three little kids put me over the edge quite often. Suddenly they grew up to be big kids and now all I have to remember them with is photography and what my weak memory can call up occasionally.

A lot of the photography of my older kids is close up pictures of their faces and “portrait” style photography. I have some photography of them interacting with Sam or myself but mostly close ups isolating them from their environment. I’ve looked back many times at those photographs. I learned that the images that I really enjoy from that time period have a lot of context around the kids. Context like our old cars, old houses, furniture, the atmosphere, Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles, friends and other things that help me remember so much more than just their cute faces. I also learned that the photographs of the adults with the kids are as interesting, if not more interesting than the photography of just the kids.

So this time around I’m trying to include more context and environment in my photography. I hope it comes across nicely.

–Image taken onto Portra 160 film with my Rolleiflex FX. Exposure 30th at 5.6