Meet James...

and his big sister Eve (extras)

Well this pair are just the cutest.   Their Gran Alison asked if I would photograph them as James is now the same age Eve was when I photographed her (almost 2) and I was nervous but happy to oblige.

I knew it wouldn't be easy as photographing people, especially little people, takes me so far out my comfort zone that my comfort zone is just a dot in the distance.

They had hoped to be at mine at 1pm but unavoidable circumstances meant they didn't get here till 20 to 4, by which time the light was grey and flat and the wind had picked up, but I was game if they were.  And they were :)

We started off in the hall with them both sitting on the stairs.   Ally, their mum, wanted informal shots. nothing too posed or forced, which was just as well because this pair of live wires had their own agenda and the last thing on it was to pose for photographs.  

After the stairs we moved to the piano and the novelty of that saw them sit together on the stool for a few minutes at least.  Unfortunately by that time of day there's not a lot of light in the hall and I had to keep changing my settings to get the exposure right.  Of course by the time I did that, the little monkeys had moved and the settings were all wrong.  Even putting my camera on auto wasn't producing results.

Eve asked to go into the garden and we did but whereas last time she pottered slowly around and I could follow getting lovely shots, this time she was chasing her little brother hell for leather and there was no way I could keep up with the pair of them.

They eventually spied the Gin Palace and asked to go in.  Yay, at last some decent light and a contained space.  I quickly changed to my 50mm lens and managed to get some shots that I hope their mum and gran will be happy with.

Back to the house and Eve gave me a little gift for taking her photo.  So sweet.  I asked for a cuddle and she readily obliged.  I asked James for a cuddle too and he just looked at me like I'd asked him to give back the chocolate buttons I'd given him earlier.  His mum was laughing at his expression and told me not to worry as "James doesn't do cuddles."  

Then as they were leaving he came running back to me, his arms outstretched and grinning like mad.  I picked him up and he slipped his little arms round my neck, put his cheek against mine and squeezed like billy O.   It was wonderful :-))  

I can still see the shocked expressions on his mum and gran's faces.   It's amazing what chocolate buttons can get you ;-))