When Wes reached out to me about doing a family photo session with him, his wife Alix, and their three cats, I was thrilled. I personally love animals, and in terms of photography they always bring extra surprises and smiles to a photoshoot. Then, Wes explained to me that a big reason why they wanted to capture memories with their fur babes is because their oldest cat, Millie, was nearing the end of her time and they wanted to remember these twilight days with her. Suddenly, the mission felt even more important.
From the moment I entered into their home, I felt totally at ease. Wes and Alix were relatively new homeowners, and I could see how they were being intentional about adding a personal touch to their home. Wes’ musical instruments stood prominently on display in the living spaces. Photographs of good times and loved ones decorated the walls. Quality literary titles lined the shelves, from Bradbury to Brontë. Cat toys lay about the floor at the ready. It was easy to know what mattered to them.
Much of our time together was spent zmeaningdering throughout the house and watching the antics of Fortuna, their youngest feline darling. She is blind, but you wouldn’t know it by the way she confidently asserts herself. Captain is an absolutely massive fluffy boy, and I was caught between being mesmerized by his green eyes and laughing at his varied facial expressions, from regal to cantankerous. Miss Millie only made a brief appearance as the shyest of the three. It was so sweet to see Wes and Alix shower her with love.
One of my favorite parts of the session was taking photos of Fortuna and Captain playing with a homemade curtain of flowers that Alix had made prior to the session. The fact that she made that showed a lot of creativity, craftiness, and passion. The kitties loved to peek through the flowers, and it also made a beautiful backdrop for some pet portraits.
My other favorite part was getting to take some portraits of just Wes and Alix. They’re such a gorgeous couple with a lot of sweetness between them. It was also very cute to see how Alix’s more outgoing nature and Wes’s more introverted style complement each other. Wes and Alix, thank you for inviting me into your home and sharing your precious fur family with me!
