Licamele Family - Cary, NC Family Photographer


Some mini sessions go exactly as planned. And then there are the sessions where a thunderstorm rolls in five minutes after you start shooting, the skies open up, everyone gets soaked, and somehow… it becomes even more fun.


This family is one of my favorites for exactly that reason. We met at Lake Crabtree County Park for one of my summer mini sessions, and I was so excited to photograph them—and, of course, their dogs. One of the things I love about this location is that pets are welcome on leash, which makes it such a great option for families who don't want to leave an important members of the family at home. :) We had barely gotten started when chaos arrived in the form of a summer thunderstorm. And when I say pouring rain, I mean pouring. But instead of letting the rain derail the session, they just went with it.


That is one of the things I love the MOST about this family. They have these huge hearts, an incredible sense of adventure, and a willingness to turn the unexpected into something fun. There was no stressing about getting the perfect conditions or worrying that the session wasn't going according to plan. We simply embraced what was happening. And honestly? That's when everyone kind of let go of their inhibitions and went with the flow. Because family photos don't have to be perfectly posed or perfectly behaved. Your dog doesn't have to sit perfectly. Your kids don't have to cooperate every second. The weather doesn't have to be flawless. Sometimes the best memories happen and the magic is captured in the middle of the chaos.


What I remember about this session? The running, the laughing, the wet hair, the dogs doing whatever dogs feel like doing (I got one portrait of one dog walking another!), and the moments when everyone forgets they're being photographed—that's the good stuff.


This session was playful and completely them. And I think that's what I love most about photographing families: getting to capture not just what they look like together, but what it feels like to be together.


So if you're waiting for the perfect time to book family photos, consider this your reminder that perfect isn't really the goal. Bring your people. Bring your dogs. Bring your sense of adventure. I'll bring the camera—and we'll make something beautiful out of whatever the day gives us.