Lexi's session was for herself and her boy, out on the sand at Papamoa an hour before the sun dropped.


At the start I told her not to worry about how he behaved. That was my job, not hers. She said okay, and I could tell she didn't quite believe me yet.


For the first while she kept an eye on him, ready to step in, the way you do. A couple of times I saw her about to prompt him. Then somewhere in the middle of it she stopped. Later she let me know it was nice to not have to worry about it.


That's when the good stuff started. Him throwing sand into the light. The two of them tipping over backwards in the dunes. A flower tucked behind her ear. Him climbing onto her back on the wet sand while the tide came in.


He said afterwards it was fun. Four year olds don't say that to be polite.


Lexi, thank you. It was a great evening.


— Tony

A young boy holds his mother's hand while running along a sandy path surrounded by greenery.
A mother and young child walk hand in hand along a dirt path surrounded by lush green trees and grass.
A joyful young boy in a striped shirt runs with arms outstretched on a sandy beach path.
A young boy hugging his mother's legs outdoors in a sunny, natural setting.
Couple cuddling on sandy beach dunes at golden hour, surrounded by lush green trees and warm sunlight.
A young child runs along a sandy nature trail surrounded by lush green grass and trees on a sunny day.
A laughing child hugs an adult with long blonde hair, showing a joyful and loving embrace from behind.
A mother lying on sand smiling at her young son who sits on her lap outdoors in nature.
A laughing young boy in a blue striped shirt plays in the sand with a woman during a joyful beach outing.
A mother and child pressing their hands together palm-to-palm outdoors in warm golden sunlight.
A joyful mother and young boy laughing outdoors on a sunny trail, sharing a playful moment together.
A mother and young boy share a joyful high-five moment outdoors surrounded by lush green trees.
A barefoot boy in a striped shirt runs playfully on a sandy beach path toward the camera at golden hour.
A woman in a floral dress sits on sandy ground laughing while a young boy in a striped shirt plays joyfully behind her.
A mother kneels in a golden field, sharing a tender moment with her young son at sunset.
A smiling woman in a floral dress sits on sandy dunes while a child plays behind her at golden hour.
A smiling toddler boy sits with his mother outdoors in a sunny field, both looking happy and relaxed.
A child places a small yellow flower in a woman's hair near her ear with star tattoos.
A joyful boy laughs while sitting on his smiling mother's lap in a sunlit grassy field at golden hour.
A young child with a flower behind their ear cuddles closely with an adult outdoors in a tender embrace.
Smiling boy sitting in a sunny field holding a small rabbit, with a yellow flower tucked behind his ear.
A mother lovingly embraces her smiling young son while sitting in a sunlit grassy field outdoors.
A young boy in a striped shirt and green pants stands on sandy beach with arms outstretched, pretending to fly.
A young boy in a striped shirt runs barefoot on sandy beach dunes during golden hour.
Child playing in sandy beach, falling backwards with arms raised in joy on a sunny day.
A woman carries a laughing child on her back while playing on a sunny sandy beach with dunes and blue sky.
A mother and young son sit together on sandy beach dunes, smiling in warm golden sunlight.
Woman and toddler laughing together on sandy beach dunes at golden hour sunset.
A joyful young boy laughs while holding an adult's hands at a sunny beach, wearing a blue striped shirt.
A joyful mother swings her young child on a sandy beach under a bright blue sky.
A young boy sits on sandy beach throwing sand while a woman in floral dress stands nearby on a sunny day.
Woman swinging a young boy on a sandy beach under a blue sky, sharing a joyful moment together.
Mother hugging her young son while sitting on grass surrounded by green trees outdoors.
A young boy kneeling on sandy beach tossing sand into the air against a blue sky.
A smiling young boy sits on grass, playfully interacting with an adult's outstretched hand outdoors.
A mother and young boy playing hand games together while sitting outdoors among green trees.
A young boy kisses his smiling mother on the cheek while sitting outdoors in a sunny green field.
A mother smiles softly while her young son rests on her back outdoors among green trees.
A smiling woman outdoors with a young boy sitting on her shoulders playfully pulling her hair.
Two children stand on a sandy beach at golden sunset, surrounded by tall grass dunes and a glowing coastal horizon.
A parent joyfully lifts a child on a sunny beach with golden grass and ocean views at sunset.
Two people playfully reaching toward each other on a sandy beach at golden sunset with grassy dunes in the background.
A woman gives a young boy a piggyback ride on a sandy beach at golden sunset, both smiling joyfully.
Couple embracing on a sandy beach at golden sunset, woman smiling joyfully, ocean and cloudy sky in background.
A young boy in a striped shirt sits cross-legged on a sandy beach at golden hour, holding a stick.
A mother tenderly kisses her young child while lying together on sandy beach in warm golden sunlight.
A woman and child playing joyfully on a sunny beach with calm ocean waves in the background.
boy chasing his mum on the beach
boy holding mums hand and walkingo on wet sand at sunset
Mother and child playing on a sandy beach at golden sunset with ocean waves and warm sunlight glowing behind them.
A mother and child hold hands while wading in shallow ocean waves on a sandy beach at golden hour sunset.
Barefoot person walking in shallow ocean waves on a wet sandy beach at sunset wearing khaki shorts.
A young boy in a striped shirt and green shorts runs barefoot along the shoreline at sunset.
A mother and child laugh while splashing in ocean waves at sunset on a sandy beach.
A young boy joyfully runs through gentle ocean waves at a beautiful golden sunset beach.
A mother tenderly hugs her young son on a sandy beach with dune grass in soft golden light.
Mother kissing smiling young boy on cheek at sandy beach dunes during golden hour sunset.
Mother and young son posing together on sandy beach dunes at sunset, boy holding toy dinosaur.