I had a session with these super-cute twins for their two year birthday recently… We tried a morning shoot for best light, and we had wanted an outdoor shoot to capture the beginnings of the fall colors. A nearby park with a pond had all the amenities we were looking for- tons of open grassy space, a pond and reedy marsh as a backdrop, a playground to burn off steam, and a tall, steep hill to roll down. Everything we were looking for… and then some. Given the location near water and relative seclusion, it was also a haven for Canadian geese… lots of them! And we all know what these geese like to leave behind as token reminders of their presence 
It took us about 15 minutes to realize that, as much as we wanted it to work, it just wasn’t going to and it was futile to force it.
So, it was back to the house and their yard. Although it didn’t have a reedy marsh, it also didn’t have the geese and served us well. We also moved inside for a few shots with the backdrop.
You learn something new every day…
Well, it kind of goes without saying that I learned a very valuable lesson on this day… be cognizant of geese and their preferred habitat. If not, it can make for a messy situation! As much as water and marshes can make great backgrounds, this time of year they own that space.
