Valentine's Day is upon us and love is in the air! And what better way to show your love for your family than with an unconventional holiday portrait?!?!

That's exactly what the Lecours family did when they came to my portrait studio. They wanted a family portrait for their Valentine's Day card, instead of the usual Christmas or Hannukah card.

The shoot was full of surprises, especially with their 22-month-old son who was both wildly entertained and completely distracted by our 15-year-old German Shepard studio dog/photo assistant, Reno. I couldn't help but laugh as I saw the little boy's face light up with glee every time Reno came close to him. Reno, of course, can’t stand not being the center of attention, though he had to settle for being just out of frame as we shot.

To be honest, I was a bit worried that the strobe lights would be too much for the little guy, but he seemed to be quite amused by them. Maybe he thought they were a special effect for his entertainment? Who knows! In the end, the winning shot was one where he was staring straight at the huge 7’ strobe lit umbrella.

But of course, we all know that 22-month-olds have a pretty short attention span, so luckily for us, his grandmother was also on set to coax his attention away from the dog through a game of peekaboo. It worked like a charm, and we were able to get some great shots of the whole family.

It was refreshing to see a family not take themselves too seriously and try something different for their holiday card. And the result was a beautiful and fun portrait that perfectly captured their love for each other.

So if you're looking to do something different for your next holiday card, why not try an unconventional portrait? You never know, you might just end up with a photo that brings a smile to everyone's face.

At our studio, we're always happy to help you capture those special moments in a fun and creative way. Whether it's for Valentine's Day or any other holiday, we're here to make your family portraits unforgettable!