The Rudy Reyes Family Portrait

Last week while my husband was out of town, I dug out piles of family photos and spread them across our king-sized bed. I left them there for the whole week, shuffling just enough out of the way at night so I could crawl under the covers without disturbing them. So many times the loved one I was looking for was in the background, or the photo was out of focus. The other night, Emma was helping me, and she found a professional photograph of Herb and all his brothers dressed in tuxedos that I had been looking for. I was so happy.

Somehow taking family portraits seems to get put off. We haven't had one in quite a while. But I am going to change.

With this in my mind, and with the Reyes family constantly lifted in prayer, I wanted to share with you the story behind their family picture as told by and with the permission of photographer Kathleen O'Neill. The link above will take you to her photography blog and the Reyes family portrait. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Here's Katie's story:

On a personal note, I have to say the hand of God works in mysterious ways.
Over the summer, Margot had contacted me to make her family portrait before Christian went away to Syracuse for High School. She had her heart set on a 16 x20 wall portrait. Something that was big enough to enjoy from across the living room. She had never had a family portrait made and had a hard time convincing Rudy that this was important to do. She asked me for ideas on how to present it to him, because he personally did not like to be in "pictures ".

She said as she looked back through the years she noticed he had done most of the picture taking and was in very few photos and resisted being in pictures. I told her to tell him, the children are growing, the family is changing, the children are the ones who benefit from the family portrait. They want to remember what mom and dad looked like as they were growing up. He had concerns about spending money at a time when the children were going back to school and maybe we could do it at Christmas......I offered the 50 % off to parishioners plan, they loved it.

She called me again. We're getting closer.. I almost have him ready to go. I advised her to simply do the session as planned late August and come back and order the wall portrait anytime, at least we will have the session completed and Christian can go off to school . For now just get an 8x 10 and that should be good for now.

After 3 rain dates, we finally made the family portrait one evening 2 weeks ago. She ordered her wall portrait of her beautiful family and picked it up 3 days before his stroke. His reaction to the final portrait.." WOW !" He picked out the cute dress for 3 year old Gemma. Christian looked so grown up next to Mom and Dad in his suit and tie. The girls hair was so perfectly curled....

Katie O'Neill Portrait Design