Kylie, Ben and Miss E - Family Photography in Lingle, Wyoming

We hear a lot about how farmers and ranchers are a dying breed and the industry is full of “gray hairs.”  It’s been touted as a cause for concern on agriculture blogs and industry pieces.

I know the population of our nation’s farmers and ranchers are aging.  But the industry is also growing at the other end, with younger producers making up almost 27 percent of the industry now.  Younger producers like this beautiful little family in Lingle, Wyoming.

Kylie and Ben invited me to their new home to take family photos.  And like most Wyoming families I meet, they were warm and welcoming despite the crazy world circumstances surrounding us in May.  They weren’t rattled by world events or scared of the future.  They’ve faced challenges before, looked heartbreak in the eye and came out on the other side as a beautiful couple and family.

Their pride in their new home, their cattle and their connection to the land was evident.  We took pictures with one of their favorite landmarks in the back (well, we tried…the Wyoming sun was out in full force that morning!) and enjoyed some sweeping vistas.  I loved that one of the mounts on the wall was from a cow trailed from Texas up north to the Rockies by Ben’s family when the West was still primarily wild.  Those connections, that pride in being part of the tradition of agriculture…it always makes me so proud of the industry and hopeful for our future.

We talked cattle, UW football, where they grew up, shared a few stories about a certain ag teacher we all knew and generally just enjoyed the connecting and spending some time in the Wyoming sunshine.

I didn’t get a lot of smiles from Miss E here, but I have no doubt she can light up a room when she wants.  I can already see some hints of mischief in those knowing eyes, along with a clear and simple joy at seeing mom and dad.

It can be hard and stressful inviting a photographer into your lives for family photos.  I think it’s even a little more intimidating if you’ve never met the crazy camera lady before.  Even just a simple family session requires some vulnerability and trust on the part of my clients.  So I’m always amazed and honored when a new family asks me to document a time in their life.  I value that trust so much and am humbled by the work I get to do.