How I Capture Honest, Intentional Family Photos That Tell Our Story

I romanticize our daily life and rituals—the way the light hits the breakfast table, the muddy boots by the door, the quiet hum of togetherness. I try to bottle up the ordinary in a way that feels honest and a little magical.

Because taking pictures? It’s not really the thing we’re doing.

Sure, technically, I’m holding the camera. But what we’re actually doing is crunching through snow on a walk. Or splashing in the creek. Or visiting the wild poppies that surprise us every June.

The photos come second. The life comes first.

Another layer of intention comes from paying attention to us—to the rhythms that shape our family.

We’re creek explorers on warm summer evenings. We tromp through the neighborhood park like it’s our own little forest. We eat sticky slices of watermelon in the yard when July turns the grass crispy and the days long.

These aren’t just things we do—they’re the heartbeat of our story.

And capturing those same moments, year after year? It shows more than just tradition. It shows how we’ve grown. How we’ve changed. How the rhythm stays steady, even as we keep becoming.

I’m also always chasing how it felt, not just how it looked.

It’s less about perfect poses and more about the mood, the energy, the in-between. I put on my little cinematographer hat and think in scenes—wide shots that show the whole world we’re in, tiny details that would otherwise slip by. A pocket full of Lily of the Valley flowers. Hair speckled with snow. A half-smile caught before it disappears.

Because when we look back, I don’t just want to remember what it looked like.

I want to feel it again.

If any of this tugs at something in you, I’d be honored to step into your family’s rhythm—to notice what matters most and document it with honesty, care, and heart. Drop me a line, I can’t wait to learn about your family.