What I want to remember about January, 2017:
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It’s not for everyone, this documentary family photography thing.
I thought it was, initially.
I thought, This style is so meaningful, so beautiful, so magical – anyone would be thrilled to have these sorts of photographs in their home.
But I’ve slowly come to see, it takes a very special kind of person to see the value in documentary photos and family films – and choose that gift for their own family.
I’ve noticed, over the years, that those that do, all share these three defining characteristics.
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Every time I watch this film, I'll remember these 10 things and so much more.
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Growing up, my grandparents were the sort who would drop everything for my sister and me.
My grandfather would chat away with us during "coffee time", which included slices of apple pie and a Sun Drop for us girls.
My grandmother was always available for curling up on the couch together with a book or teaching us to knit for the 100th time.
We'd feed the cat, play Clue, and beg for another guided tour of the basement "treasures" - the highlight being a set of animal traps my grandfather used for hunting as a boy.
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I believe there is something truly magical about photos of your family, taken in your own home, doing the things you normally do.
I believe the details in the setting of your house will take you back to this time and revive sweet memories you've forgotten, every time you look at them.
I believe the little interactions within your family scream love.
During Eliza's Film Session, I also photographed her family. After a year of hospitalization, Eliza is finally home, and the beautiful connections they share definitely scream love.
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Whatever your favorite traditions are, I'd like to challenge you to take photos of your family actually living those traditions this Christmas.
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After a year of hospitalization, including major heart surgery and a throat surgery to correct breathing issues, Eliza is home!
This film is a celebration of Eliza's life, her homecoming, and the love her family shares, both with her and for her. My hope, is that in the years to come, they'll look back and see how far they've come.
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You may be someone who absolutely lives for the Christmas season, and if so, 1 – That is awesome, and 2 – I’m jealous. Feel free to delete this email and continue singing carols.
But for me, December is the most stressful month of the year. Between the extra high expectations from everyone, our overly full calendar, and the general admonishment to be joyful at all times, I find it all a bit overwhelming.
So I made myself a Survival Guide to follow this month.
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I’ve been photographing real families in their homes for almost two years now, and photographing my own for even longer. But last month was the first time I’ve been on the other side of the lens in this format, and I have to tell you, it was a little different than I’d expected.
Logically, I knew what this was all about, inside and out. But there is something different about being the family photographed, in a documentary-style photo session. It was a learning experience I couldn’t have gained any other way, and I want to share my top 3 take-aways with you.
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Our family has been a big fan of Montessori education for a long time. The individualized education and focus on independence, self-esteem, and peace just can't be beat. Each of my children has gained a solid foundation in math, reading, and geography through the hands-on materials and practical skills they learned in the Montessori setting, and I'm always telling people what a great experience a Montessori education is.
So when I got the opportunity to spend the morning at Mountain View Montessori to create a film for them, I was beyond thrilled.
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This fall has been a tough one for my family. My husband and I have had busy work schedules, and between the boys’ school and after-school commitments, sometimes it’s felt as if I couldn’t catch my breath. Can you relate?
In all the running from place to place, reviewing spelling words and Spanish vocab, and making sure lunches are packed every day, the weeks have flown by, with weekends whipping even faster.
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Melissa trusted me to see exactly what she sees every day - the chaos, the beauty, and the love in raising four little ones.
And just as importantly, she trusted her children to be themselves - kind, funny, creative, and connected - without directing them to do or be anything else.
The result?
A beautiful gallery of photographs - and a film - depicting a typical Saturday morning in this phase of their lives.
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While Melissa and I sat outside in the warm morning sunshine, brainstorming the memories she wanted captured in her family photo session, her four children played around us.
At one point, I remember her saying, "I wish a photo could capture their little voices. The way they talk to each other. The way they move."
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When you're expecting your first baby, it's completely natural to spend most of your time dreaming about your next phase of life.
Between the preparations to be made and the anticipation of meeting the little miracle growing in your belly, the future is an exciting time.
But right now, on the precipice of your life changing in this gigantic and wonderful way, is also just as amazing.
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What do want to remember about your baby's newborn days?
This time, filled with caring for and getting to know your baby, is truly magical.
The way you hold your baby in your arms, quiet her cries, kiss her sweet cheeks, and soothe her to sleep.
The way your husband scoops up your baby, pats her back, and whispers sweet words in her ear.
The way her fingers curl around yours. The way her feet fit in your husband's hand. The way she gazes as you both.
For me, the images that pull on my heart and bring the memories flooding back aren't the ones that are perfectly posed.
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When Colleen and Matt sat down with me to discuss their maternity and newborn photo sessions, they were on the fence about including a Fresh 48 session.
They loved the idea of having beautiful photos of their sweet baby's first few hours, but it's such a delicate and emotional time, and with so many unknowns about how the birthing process would go, they were understandably nervous about booking the Fresh 48 portion.
Having never had a Fresh 48 session when my babies were born, I couldn't share my personal experience, but I was able to tell them about Will's.
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Films are memories in motion. Preserve the sweetness and beauty in your life.
Documenting our lives in this exact phase, complete with sound and movement, film is the perfect addition for those of us who realize how wonderful these days truly are.
I'm so thrilled to now offer newborn and family films, along with my photography, to help you hold onto this fleeting time for a lifetime.
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I still remember my first visit to the Clickin’ Moms website.
It was four years ago, just after I finished my very first DSLR photography course.
I had learned all about the exposure triangle, and I was intent on using my Nikon – in manual mode! – to take a photo of my boys for our Christmas card.
The only problem was, I couldn’t figure out how to get all three of them in focus AND get the blurry background I wanted.
As I searched through the tutorials, finding the exact one to help me, I couldn’t help but notice the gorgeous photographs that filled the Clickin’ Moms website or that each article was written by women who were practicing professional photographers – Click Pros.
I remember sitting cross-legged on my living room couch that evening, and thinking, I cannot imagine ever being on their level.
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There are so many similarities between a documentary family photo session and a maternity one, especially when a family already has a child (or two, as Kaytee and Jason do!), but that's exactly what makes them so special.
A baby isn't born in a bubble. He's born into a family - and that family shapes who he is and who he becomes. When your family celebrates this stage of life in photos, it's truly a gift for everyone involved.
Whether it's your first or your third, giving your child the ability to look back in time and see how he was a part of your family's life from the very beginning is something he will always treasure.
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Get the emotional goodness of a family session when you sign up for my FREE Find the Beauty in your Every Day: 7 Day Challenge.
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