In a sentimental series of family photos, pastry chef-turned-photographer Elizabeth Sallee Bauer documents the daily lives of her “three wild children.” After moving to Wisconsin, Bauer started photographing her kids in order to capture each of their growing personalities and keep far-away family members in the loop. However, this part-time project quickly evolved into a full-time passion, culminating in an ongoing collection of touching pictures.
Bauer’s series of family photos stars her two sons and daughter. With such a small age gap between them (when she and her husband adopted their youngest, all three kids were under the age of three), the children love to play together, giving their doting mom ample chances to capture their close relationship and hone her craft. “They are almost each other’s best friends,” she tells Flickr Blog. “They can be content playing with a pile of dirt on the top of a hillside for hours, which gives me plenty of time to experiment with images from every direction and angle.”
Favoring vivid color and bright lighting, Bauer enjoys shooting outdoors. This preference is evident in many of her photos, which often showcase the sunny summers and snowy winters of the Midwest. “We love to explore so most of the images are taken on our various adventures–even if it’s just hiking through the woods in our backyard,” she explains. While she notes that her kids “love to get dirty [and] love to climb trees,” they also seem to enjoy quiet moments at home, whether they’re playing a board game, cooking in the kitchen, or cuddling with their family pets.
Fully immersed in their mother’s passion, the children have warmly embraced photography as a part of their daily routine. Their close connection to the craft enables Bauer to perfect her practice and, more importantly, cherish these childhood memories.
Photographer Elizabeth Sallee Bauer documents her children’s lives through sentimental snapshots, highlighting each of their personalities.
Most of the touching photos feature the kids on outdoor adventures.
Some, however, capture quieter childhood memories.
Elizabeth Sallee Bauer: Flickr
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Elizabeth Sallee Bauer.
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