The Scaramie Tradition
Laramie has always had a little Halloween magic. As a college town, it has a way of keeping people young at heart, bringing students, families, and longtime residents together through shared traditions. The University of Wyoming, the state's sole land-grant university, is an important part of that community spirit. On Halloween, downtown Laramie becomes a gathering place where generations of families can make memories together.
When my children were young, Halloween meant choosing among several local festivities. We had the Territorial Prison State Historic Site, the University of Wyoming Union's Trick-or-Treat and Family Night, Trunk or Treat events, and my personal favorite, Scaramie, the downtown Laramie trick-or-treat tradition. As a mother with a sweet tooth, I enjoyed the fun as much as the kids did. But with so many opportunities to collect candy, my children could come home with as much as three pounds of it!
Our family dentist at the time, Dr. Adams, offered a clever solution. His young patients could bring in some of their Halloween candy and exchange it for treasures from his treasure chest. Eventually, even that became difficult to sustain because his office was practically swimming in candy. Halloween certainly had a way of keeping everyone busy!
Pictures Last Forever
That's when I began noticing just how adorable my children looked in their Halloween costumes each year. I know, I know. Every parent thinks their kids are adorable, but at that age, they really are! Before long, the idea for free Scaramie Halloween portraits was born. That was more than 25 years ago. Now I'm dating myself!
As I often tell people, adorable children and their families have a way of keeping me young at heart. After all these years, I still find photographing children just as fun and energizing as ever. Who could resist capturing those adorable little faces, sometimes with a lollipop in hand?
I'm also proud of the experience I've gained throughout my career. I've photographed more than 3,000 Laramie children through school portrait sessions alone, not counting the many children I've photographed at Scaramie over the past 26 years. Photographing children of all ages, from newborns to high school seniors, has taught me to adapt quickly to each child's personality and energy.
Scaramie puts those skills to the test! In just two hours, we welcome children of all ages for portraits, often on a chilly fall day when little ones may be tired, overstimulated, or running on a remarkable amount of Halloween candy. Getting natural, happy expressions in those circumstances takes patience, experience, and a willingness to meet every child where they are.
At Ludwig Photography, we look forward to Scaramie every year. We're proud of our partnership with Laramie Interfaith and love being part of an event that brings our community together. Free portraits give families something lasting to take home, while their donations help support neighbors in need.
Just look at these adorable kiddos, parents, grandparents, and pets! Happy Halloween, everyone!
Photographer's Note
Ludwig Photography has been part of downtown Laramie's community events since Svenson Studio first opened its doors in 1905. Anne has always enjoyed carrying on this family tradition of supporting the Laramie community. For the past 26 years, Scaramie has been one of the highlights of the year. Capturing photographs that last a lifetime is especially rewarding. After all, the candy may be gone in a day or two, but the memories in a photograph can be enjoyed for generations!
The following photographs are from Scaramie in 2009. We no longer have the candy from that year, but we still have these adorable memories. These three little characters are my own children!
Alice in Wonderland is my oldest daughter, Emily, who is getting married next June. The Little Mermaid is my beautiful middle child, Laura, who is studying in Strasbourg, France. (Yes she is safe regardless of the protests occurring which have shut down Paris.) And the Clown is my youngest, Nick, our family's forever clown who never fails to bring us smiles. He's now graduating from high school in the Spring.
These printed photographs warm my heart every time we share them with friends and family. They remind me why I believe so strongly in preserving life's special moments in print. The years pass, children grow up, and life changes, but these photographs let us revisit the people and moments we treasure.
And Justin, my soon-to-be son-in-law, are you paying attention? Alice is your adorable soon-to-be wife!
