PreWedding Beautiful!

*The Timeless Beauty of Tania*

Drake Family Reunion

I had the pleasure of photographing the 2010 Drake Family Reunion in Roanoke, Alabama. The blue and white color scheme offered a cool, crisp feeling to a very sunny and warm Saturday afternoon. My camera caught little girls with blue ribbons in their hair, teenage girls with blue highlights in their's and an elegant ninety-three year old woman all equally enjoying mingling with members of their immediate and distant family. The aroma of BBQ and the energetic laughter of children filled the air and in a corner a little boy played curiously with a blue balloon. Littles boys and teenage boys alike playing basketball and the men sitting under a shade tree.


I felt at home amongst this family who obviously love one another deeply. I laughed as I listened to old stories of fussing, fighting but mostly loving as sisters gathered in the kitchen the day after the reunion to cook Sunday dinner! I sat on the porch looking out at over what was easily ten acres of land nestled back off a dirt road and I realized just how precious this life is. Children in the yard playing under a tent, the men over at the table playing cards and me...taking it all in, sitting on the porch, as the sun kissed my brown skin and the breeze sang a nostalgic song.

Just as I was leaving, Aunt Annette (I have officially adopted this family) leaned in and hugged me then handed me a red velvet cake she cooked from scratch especially for me! When I got to the bottom of the steps that led me away from this home filled with love, I looked back and saw a family and it was that moment that I realized that I came as an employee to do a job and left as a sister, cousin, aunt, niece and daughter, but most importantly I left as a new member of this family!