Worked Her Magic In the Midst of the Rain

My friend Kim sent me a text at 12:22 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon.

“I was going to see if you might be up for a last minute extended fam photo shoot today at 3. Our photographer is sick and just cancelled.”

The text didn’t mention there were FIFTEEN people involved in these photos.  Or that the weather forecast was for “scattered showers.”

I normally don’t work on Sunday’s but I was free.  And I know how much work it is to plan outfits, coordinate schedules, and talk husbands into saying “YES” to spending money on family portraits.  Plus it was Kimmee.  She’s a total gem, not to mention a really good sport with an awesome and funny family.  It was a No Brainer to say “Yes” to this session.

We scrambled to get ready and my daughter Katie and I met Kim and her family, her brother and his family, and her awesome in-laws at an industrial building by the railroad tracks.  We got everyone positioned beautifully and then the sun came out, sending laser beams of light into everyone’s eyes.  We waited twenty seconds, the sun went behind the clouds, and we took some photos.

I set everyone up for the next pose and one of the little kids asked, “Did I just feel a rain drop?”  Please say no!  There was no shelter or covered area anywhere close by.  Plus the sun was shining again, a sure sign there wouldn’t be rain, right?  WRONG!

Out of nowhere, the skies opened and all fifteen of my clients plus my daughter and I got caught in a massive downpour.  Hail and rain dumped out of the sky like buckets and we scattered anywhere we could find shelter.

The storm ended as quickly as it began, leaving everyone wet, cold, and laughing pretty hard.  Instead of giving up, this family asked, “What’s Plan B?”

We moved to the local college that has covered buildings and finished the session there.  The McDonough’s and Woolsey’s were a little water-logged, but full of genuine smiles and we all had a blast.

Here’s what Kim had to say about their session,

Planned on a whim 24 hours prior and shot in the middle of a true Oregon down pour, this photo session turned out to be a blast!  With a great sense of humor and flexibility, Jodi Stilp Photography LLC worked her magic to capture images in the midst of the rain, the ‘I’m freezing’s’ and the ‘Are we done yets?’ Thanks for the fantastic work, Jodi!

Thank you McDonough and Woolseys’ for one of the most memorable sessions to date.  You definitely win the award for Worst Weather during a session and also the Best Attitudes award.