I feel I evolved from a wedding photographer into a family and newborn photographer, slowly through small movements, small enough that I didn’t even realize it at first. Then I noticed it happening and it just felt right, so I walked right into it. I feel the Lord gave me peace about this shift – as seasons of life changed, this was a shift that made sense on so many levels.
I will truthfully tell you that I used to not be interested in family photography at all… mostly because I would picture it as the very traditional, overposed photos. The ones of my family where we were all wearing white tops and jeans and sitting on the beach (my family has these). Or the JCPenney posed ones. It didn’t inspire me, it didn’t spark any emotion in me.
I didn’t even seek out newborn photo sessions but found myself getting several inquiries for them. At first I could see newborns and families as part of my scope, but certainly not the focus. Then slowly, I continued to get inquiries for them and I fell in love with them bit by bit. Each time finding myself more excited, and as I got more comfortable, I was able to be more creative… having freedom to let a family unfold in front of me. Having freedom to create images with more depth and more connection in them.
As I felt myself thriving in these newborn and family sessions, I thought this makes so much sense for me. It balanced working in the Pediatric ICU where families are going through really tough times, their babies are sick and it is such a strain on families to have a child in the hospital. All day long I see how challenging it is for a family member to be bedside with a sick child when there are other kids at home, the parents both work, they live out of town (we get a lot of transfers from surrounding areas). So photographing families and healthy newborn babies is my balance. I get to see them joyful, laughing, snuggling in together and holding each other tight. I get to photograph eskimo kisses, tickling bellies, and toddlers racing their parents.
The more I got to know the families I photographed, the more I fell in love with family photography. Photography is an opportunity to tell a family’s story. To capture it and hold onto it in a special way. As we plan a session together and you tell me what you love about your family through my questionnaire, you tell me what family means to you, I get to know your family on another level. I have found myself so humbled by what these families share with me, both in the planning process and as we chat throughout the session.
Stories shaped by experiences, by love and by loss. Family photography didn’t have to be cookie cutter or generic because your stories sure aren’t. I want to emulate the same depth in my photographs. I’ve started to look at it as art, more like a blank canvas to be painted than a color by numbers to stay in the lines.
It feels like a natural fit now to be photographing families and newborns.
I love capturing the little details that make up your life.
I love those squishy newborn cheeks.
I love watching a mama snuggly up her precious baby after carrying them for 9 months.
I love capturing the tenderness of the first weeks of life.
One of my absolute favorites is watching a wife look at her husband holding their newborn baby as a father for the first time. A whole new kind of love.
I love watching how toddlers trust their parents and respond to them.
It is so special to document families as they grow and change, as babies grow into toddlers and into kids.
I’ve always been someone who loved photographs. Every time I would go over my Nana’s house, I would grab one of the photo albums and we would sit at her table and flip through it. I loved hearing the stories behind photos, hearing who each person is. I hope to create memories that your family can look back on for years to come.
I say this over and over, but I wholeheartedly mean it so I will make sure you hear it – I am honored to capture your families and always want to serve you well.
To document your family honestly, seeing the love you weave into each and every day.
Thank you for choosing me!
Let’s create more art together.