Some of you may not know that I specialize in seniors, families and newborns. There are so many reasons I love working on these specific styles. But today I thought I’d share what I love most about family sessions. Let me start by saying… that I truly believe family photography is so SO important and I’ll get into why below. I love working with my families, getting to know them better, and creating awesome portraits to showcase who they are and capture those special fleeting moments! So here’s my 6 favorite things about family photography!

Getting to Know You
One of the things I love to do when working with my families is schedule a pre-session consultation. This gives me a chance to get to know my families before their session. Even on the session day, I love to get to know each member of the family. The last thing I want is for a session to be stressful, awkward or unpleasant. Taking time to get a feeling for how everyone is feeling and their personalities not only allows me to capture better portraits that more accurately reflect the family but it also helps me ensure that everyone enjoys the photo shoot as well! Nothing makes me happier than hearing a dad say he actually had fun, and I’m so proud to be able to say I hear that often!

Capturing Growth
Kids and families grow so quickly! A baby is born and a family of two becomes a family of three. Each new addition results in growth in the family. And each little one has his or her own unique personality – their own contributions to the family dynamic. And these little ones grow so fast! Capturing their growth each year is a privilege and a joy. Before you know it – little ones have grown into adults with families of their own and it can be hard to get everyone together, but equally as important. Capturing the growth and evolution of families is so important.

Reliving Memories
As we just touched on, our children grow so fast and often we are simply left with our memories of days gone by. Photographs create a beautiful and special way to relive those moments over and over again. Things like the way your little guy holds his hands over his mouth when he giggles. Or how your daughter bites her lip in this certain way. Or the way your husband looks at you or your kids. All these little things are so important and special and deserve to be preserved for you and your loved ones for years to come.

Boosting Children’s Self Esteem
Research has shown that when children are able to see and enjoy photographs of themselves within their families, it significantly boosts their self-esteem. It is really important to show a family as a family unit. It lets children learn who they are and where they fit. They learn their genealogy and the the uniqueness of their own family and its story. Unlike a digital image, photographs on a wall or in an album have a degree of permanence to them that not only allow a child to constantly and consistently see themselves as a valued member of their family. As a photographer, I believe it is my job to create portraiture that captures this very sense of belonging and love that children so need.

Preserving for Posterity
I know that I, personally, love looking back at old photographs from my childhood and photographs of my parents, my grandparents, and beyond. It’s fun to catch glimpses into my past and the past’s of other members of my family – to see what they looked like, how they dressed, what life was like. What I get to capture and create for my families is designed to last. I love knowing that someday your great-grandchildren may be looking at these images wondering what their great-great-grandma was like.

Creating Unique Finished Products
Lastly, there are so many wonderful things we can do with your portraits to create pieces that are not only beautiful but will be cherished for years. Some of my favorite things to create are beautiful wall art and custom artwork albums. I love each of these items because they are perfect for capturing your family and telling your story in beautifully designed artwork!