The Ultimate Family Photo!

 If your kids are like mine, they cringed when I announce we are going for family photo's. Sometimes I am convinced they sabotage the session on purpose thinking I'll cancel it, when in reality it just makes the fun go on for much longer than anyone likes!

I am a huge fan of family photo's.  We take them at Christmas, in the Summer, in the Fall, at birthdays, on the ski slopes, at the beach, at the park. . . you get the idea.  My kids roll their eyes, grumble under their breath and eventually smile pretty for gorgeous memories I am positive they will thank me for one day!

However, at our most recent photo shoot, I did not need to beg smiles out of them.  They were all over the family photo shoot when I told them their props would included climbing ropes, our warehouse, ski's, pretty dance costume and a goofy expression!

You see, you have not had an ultimate family photo until you have met Justin Van Leeuwen! I was introduced to Justins work via another very unique family photo of Julie Coles family of 8. Thinking my family wasn't large enough to qualify (only 5) I starting chatting with Justin on Facebook and Twitter.  I was in the market for not just any family photo, but one that showed the real us.  No pretty clothes and cute matching shoes, no studio, no fake smiles. The criteria was: it had to show our family, our personalities, our business and tell our story.

Justin was the perfect photographer for the job.  It began innocently with me sending Justin photos of our business space, links to our websites, blog post about our family, and a few shots of the kids to help him get to know us.  Then Julie Cole visited our office and sent a silly tweet about how great a photo would be of the kids climbing the racks of IronKids & Adult Essentials Gummy Vitamins in our back warehouse.  Justin's light bulbs started firing and The Lowther Race to the Finish photo was born.

It took only 6 hours of shooting which included 2 hours of arranging vitamins, 1 hour of wardrobe changes, 30 minutes of suspending one child by ropes and harness, 20 minutes of fan blowing, 1 finish line, 1 bike, 1 pair of running shoes, 1 pair of ski's, 1 pair of skates, 1 fork lift, 1 amazing assistant and a few hundred photos.

I hope you love our new family photo as much as we do.  I don't think it needs explanation.  It is us. Our family, our business, our story, our passions, our fun side.

Here are my photos of shooting day. Below is the amazing finish product.  What do you think?

For the photographers own summary of our amazing day, visit jvlphoto.com

Our Family 2011

For more on our family business, visit our Iron-Kids website.