Sailing on Lake Mendota

Meet Fred! Not only is this just an awesome name for a boat by itself, but it's also Swedish for peace---and this is such perfect fit boat name for these incredible humans!

Seagulls and clouds dotted the blue sky.  Students, gathered on the UW pier at the Terrace, dipped their toes in Lake Mendota when the Parsons belly upped with their yet-to-be-named, 26-foot chariot.  I stepped aboard among the LaCroix-sipping crew, and we put the Madison skyline in our rear view. 

Hark, now hear the sailors crySmell the sea and feel the sky

Let your soul and spirit flyInto the mystic

-Van Morrison

Family on a sailboat in the middle of the lake. Sunny day.

Katie and Craig alternately captained the boat as we moved toward the lake's center. Bright chatter and light winds bounced around the space as the Capitol appeared smaller and smaller.Midway through our sail, we anchored in a prime location to rinse off the sticky 86-degree day. Preparing oneself for the first brisk entry is always a meditative experience

Boy and girl smiling on the sailboat. Profile shadows cast on the sail.

Mother and daughter on a sailboat, laughing.

Daughter gets ready to jump in the lake from the sailboat. Both parents and brother on the boat.

young girl looks under the sail beam on a sailboat

Boy and girl get ready to jump of sailboat.

Boy looks out over the bow of the sailboat while two adults behind tie up the ropes.

Boy jumps into lake. His sister's shadow lands on him.

Girl jumps into lake with extreme joy!

Black and white. Man uses rope to swing and jump off sailboat into the water. Young boy in foreground, white low hanging clouds in sky.

woman holds onto sailboat beam while watching daughter swim back to the boat.

Girl starts to intentionally fall into lake from the boat, while man steps up from the lower cabin and older boy is pulling himself up out of hte boat.

Young boy smiles from behind a towel sailing on Lake Mendota on a Madison family photography session

Girl does cannon ball into the lake at sunset.

Girl stands behind sailboat wheel; boat instruments. Madison family photographer sailing on lake mendota

I'm in love with Reece's shadow on Rowan's mid-jump.Jump, swim, smile, repeat.  The sun continued to kiss us the whole night.JOY. I always feel a sense of connection and ease around the Parson crew.  And in all honesty, there is an authenticity to them that just makes you so ding dang happy to be with them.I mean, can you EVEN!? I can't. 

Mom and son on sailbaot with sunset behind them.

Mom, daughter, son, on sailboat at sunset. Very colorful.

Black and white. Family on sailboat, connecting with each other.

Girl and boy on sailboat at sunset.

Girl lies on bow of the sailboat with sunset reflected on the horizon. madison family photographer

Seeing Reece kick back on her bow, I can feel the gentle rocking, the temperature of the air, and the stillness of the scene. The pink and lavender clouds,  the soft billowing sail (which is code for not making hearty clip across the lake!), and her relaxed body position that mimics the shape of the bow can bring me right back to this moment.

Top down view of girl on the bow of the sailboat. She is camera aware, laying on a pillow, relaxing.

Boy at dusk on sailboat, Family of 4 at dusk on sailboat.

Black and white. Mom and daughter laughing on sailboat at dusk. very low light. madison family photographer

As the sun sets behind us and the moon rises before us, the city beckons us home.I saw Katie and Craig and the kids shortly after our session and they had decided on the boat's name. 

Katie shared her thoughts about working with me on this uh-mazing session:

Wow...just WOW! Jen agreed to accompany us for a photo session on our sailboat at sunset! Picture this, 2 difficult to photograph children on a small sailboat in the elements! Nothing Jen can't master! Our sail felt just like taking a friend out for a sunset cruise! She's got family shoots DOWN!! Her suggestions based on light, kids mood... were spot on. I wish I could show you all my pics....they were simply nothing short of AMAZING. I can't recommend her enough. If you want to capture a moment in time with your family....could be as simple as making pancakes in your kitchen....Jen's your photographer hands down.

5 star review for Jen Lucas Photography

I totally disagree that she had "2 difficult to photograph children" --they were gems, I tell ya, GEMS!

xo,

jen 

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