If you've had a chance to talk to me in person or if you've taken a look around my website, then you definitely know by now what motivates my work and why I think photography is important. And if you've been following me on social media this past week, then you've gotten a taste of a few little legacy relationships I have with some of my clients. For me, as a photographer, as a third party coming in and charged with documenting these families, it is an honor to not only be welcomed into these moments, but it is also an honor to be able to create for these families, a consistent look for the narrative of their lives.
I recognize that for these families it can be a big leap of faith inviting someone into their home and trusting them to be around their kids and having enough confidence in that person that they are committed to capturing the love, idiosyncrasies, and honest moments of that time together. It is the weight of this commitment that pushes me to do the best I can for each session. The weight of it all is compounded each and every time I'm invited back to photograph. I may only be there for an afternoon out of the entire year but that doesn't make the time I'm there any less special.
When I was looking for photos to accompany this post, I was brought all the way back to my first "real" photo session...
It was a beautiful morning out in the country with the sun just rising. I knew the family prior to the session which made things a bit easier. Back then, they were just expecting their second child and their first was still in diapers. Now, they've got three wonderful kids and the oldest is now so big! I've photographed milestones, holidays, and those special times throughout the year when the extended family gets together. It is truly a delight now, when I'm invited back. They know what to expect and so do I. We can take our time and more spontaneous, genuine moments happen in front of the camera.
There are many families I work with that I've seen grow over the years and there are more yet, still growing and it is so exciting to bear witness and to give them something that they can use to mark their time together. There in lies the magic of photography, its ability to document your days.
