I cannot. stop. watching. this film.
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You guys all know what a big fan I am of the every day moments, but traditions hold a big place in my heart, too.
And so, it was important to me to film it. To create this living memory of my little boys and my mother doing something I had done as a child, and something they'll do one day with theirs.
To be perfectly honest, though, I wasn't sure how it would go this year, or whether it would be worth filming at all.
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We all have a “One Day” list.
You know what I’m talking about - things we WANT to do…we just haven’t quite gotten around to yet.
“Tell me a story about when I was a baby,” he says, as we wait at the red light.
His legs stretch well below the car seat. His face is starting to thin. His eyes sparkle in anticipation, hoping for something funny.
The light turns green, and I’m struck with a memory.
What would you do if I came over with my camera for the afternoon?
Maybe you’d cozy up and read on the couch with your youngest. Maybe you’d bake something special with your oldest. Maybe you’d build a fort from start to finish with your kids – or try, until they took over to get everything just so.
Or maybe, like Nicole’s family, you’d just be.
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I just knew a fancy camera was going to be the ticket to better photos of our family.
“But you don’t know how to use a DSLR,” my husband oh-so-correctly pointed out.
“That’s what AUTO is for,” I confidently told him.
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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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