A knight and a fairy princess

If you've been around my children for any length of time you know that they often exist in their own little world.  Grace spins elaborate stories about fairy princesses and knights and Ethan happily plays along.  A few days ago the warm spring sunshine got the better of me and I asked the kids if they wanted to go play in the field near our house while I practiced with my 85mm a little.  They readily agreed when I told them they could wear dress up to play.  Grace wanted to wear her zebra shirt because it matched her new tutu we made last week perfectly.  I suggested the boots over Grace's choice of purple sandals because I knew there would still be mud.  Ethan was ecstatic to wear his Batman getup in addition to his knight's helmet and sword.  It's really impossible not to have a sword if you're a knight afterall.

We hung out for almost an hour in the field behind our house laughing and playing in the sunshine.  I didn't really pose the kids since all I wanted to do was practice nailing focus with the 85mm which is very different from my 50mm.  With a camera pointed at them so often I don't like to force them to pose for me every time.  I told them to play and do whatever they wanted to do and just have fun.  Every now and again I'd ask them to look my direction, but otherwise I got my practice in and we all had fun. 

My kids are so used to my camera that they don't even pay attention to it anymore.  And with the 85mm I am far enough back that I can capture them doing their thing without their getting their attention which makes for fun candid shots.

By the way, the capes were made by my inlaws for the kids for Christmas.  The Batman cape is worn pretty much every day.  He wore it to Safeway yesterday twice (I went three times for 6 bags of cheap sugar!).  I made Grace's new tutu last week with some friends as I showed them how easy they are to make.  She picked the colors out for this one because apparently I picked the wrong pink for the one I made her 4 years ago.