A Wander in the Wild...

So last Wednesday Richard and I met up with his cousin Claire and her gorgeous son George, both of whom we haven't seen in quite some time. We popped over for some dinner and caught up on the past few months events.

It really is crazy just how fast time flies. The last time we saw Claire and George was at his birthday in October. I couldn't quite believe it when I worked it out. A whole six months without seeing either of them was a long time. Surprisingly though, not an awful lot had happened in that time other than George starting nursery and all of us being ill at some point or other. 

That being said George had grown up... a lot. When we used to pop over and see him he was always very shy and looked utterly confused by the pair of us (a look shared by many people). This time he dashed out to meet us by the door and was very affectionate, not to mention chatty which took us both by surprise. For someone like me who works with children on a daily basis I expected George to start talking when he started nursery and always reassured Claire so. I had seen it time and time again with children who were shy and intelligent. I must admit it did take me by surprise and I felt myself getting quite emotional, looking down at this lovely smiley and talkative young boy. His confidence had grown enormously and he had a very polite manner about him, constantly checking up on us all and telling us about what was going on around him. He is honestly one of the loveliest children I have ever met (and I'm not just saying that because he is family) and I have seen my fair share, both good and bad. 

After a rather delicious meal we headed off to Mentmore which was their local park. Armed with a frisbee and Claire's rather large and confusing looking new camera we began to explore the woodland. George had a few first experiences- learning to play frisbee, the nasty stinging nettles and also blowing dandelions. We had a wonderful time in the cool April breeze and Claire snapped happily away with her new camera. 

I cannot sing Claire's praises enough. She is an absolutely incredible mother, with boundless amounts of energy, enthusiasm and patience. She is also a rather brilliant photographer too. 

I have worked with many different photographers- I have my brother and sister who are keen photographers and many of my friends who studied it at college and have moved on to other career paths but still hold this hobby close to their hearts. Claire is one of the best, it has to be said. She is so natural, so unassuming and has such great vision she can make a beautiful shot out of just about anything which is only enhanced further from her sympathetic editing.

This particular shoot was no exception and she has delivered some stunning action shots of the days events as well as some lovely portraits. George's eagerness to join Richard and I in ours just shows how much his confidence has grown and how affectionate he is. Claire is lucky to have such a willing and gorgeous model of her own and I wish her all the best with her company's relaunch.

I guess this post is a reflection on just how much time and new experiences can change people and that you really do have to make the most of your own free time because soon enough these precious moments can pass.

To see more of Claire's work please visit her website or like her Facebook page.