A Target Family Christmas

When Molly Approached me about taking her family Christmas pictures at the Hudson, WI Target store I wasn't sure exactly what to expect! Taking family pictures (a family with two very young kids) in a retail store sounded a little daunting, I'll be honest. She explained to me why she wanted to have her pictures taken there and then it all made sense. (I'm a Target lover myself so I can appreciate her love of the store.) Target is a weekly integral part of her life so it was just as natural for her to want her pictures there, as it would be for an ocean lover to have their pictures taken by the ocean! Who says that family portraits can't be done in non-traditional spaces? And if someone has an idea and hands me creative freedom with it? I say yes please!

As I thought about how best to portray Molly's family I decided to fully embrace the Target shopping experience. From the confines of the shopping cart:

To the toy aisle where kids experience that full range of emotions (ecstasy to monster meltdowns....if you're a parent you know what I'm talking about):

To that open range of white polished floors begging to be explored and ran upon:

To the merchandise with its siren call promises of added comfort and beauty to the shopper's home:

And of course Molly's ritual pit stop at the little cafe for her Diet Coke and snacks for her kiddos:

The creative shooting opportunities were fantastic! I chose to not only photograph the family together for a "family picture", but to create portraits of what the young family shopping experience at Target looks like.

I love that Molly chose the colors that she did! They tie directly in with the main color palette of the store, another symbol of her loyalty! 

When all said and done, it was a blast, and a fantastic exercise in creativity! I hope for more opportunities like this because it brings a whole new twist to family photography!

If you could have your family pictures taken at your favorite family destination where would it be?