Authentic Family Photography

Just bopping in here to remind you: I primarily shoot weddings, but my heart + eyes are trained to capture your family moments in ways that are as authentic + beautiful as they can be. I’d love to get you in front of my camera this fall.

This’ll be the first year I won’t shoot any “mini session” day - but I will make time to get your family on my schedule in a way that works for both of us!

a post of favorites - film favorites Part 1 of ?

I shared on my Insta how I had over 300 favorite of film photos, and like, who even would want to look at that many images PLUS most of them are my family (I’m biased, but those are my best work!) PLUS why would I make them into a reel. I’m nobody to just do something because the social media world says I have to! SO here’s part 1 of ??? to share my favorite, but not oversized heavy on images favorites of the year.

each roll (ish) I try to take a nice portrait of most kids, because they’ll still let me!

so that batch was within the January - August…what happened in august. Well. We have had the same photographer shoot our family photos since 2016 - because I’m a big enough believer in practicing what I preach: we go the extra mile + do whatever it takes to get Yan Palmer to our house when she travels. If you don’t know Yan, you should. She is a force. She’s part photographer part family therapist part magic! Once that session happened, I had a new found, re-woken NEED to shoot all the beauty and find all the light. Part 2 will come soon with the photos living on the coattails of Yan’s inspiration!

pepper in some highlights

the off season is the time we photographers do all the things we try to do all year, but - for me - something’s gotta give, and it’s always the blogging and website updating!

and, as it’s Monday, there’s an advent calendar to attend to (anyone else out there scramble to get their activity in each morning before their kids wake up!?), and so I’m going to give this a little update here with some images I’m digging….hope your eyes enjoy this little visual party!

a return to myself

You know how, in life, you never know what you’re missing until you find it? Being a mom felt like that, for me. Finding a film camera (obviously not to the same extent) felt like that to me. When I picked up a film camera and shot ALL THE THINGS in 2016, it felt like I had finally started living a true version of who I was supposed to be. As I type it, it’s weird to feel such a sense of self entangled in this job that I do…but here we are.

I feel most like myself when I can tell a story. My mode isn’t paper and pencil or computer..it’s my camera. Not my phone, man I hated when the pandemic hit, and I stopped shooting film. It’s the dark ages of our family’s history. And there’s nothing wrong with digitally recording life, it just isn’t my mode of doing it. As I’ve been feeling something shift in the past few months, it’s felt like home. Picking up a camera and working to get the light reading in my head, getting the shutter stop and aperture set before I look through the viewfinder..that is a meditation sort of exercise that keeps me present in moments, in ways I didn’t even begin to understand!

from a “work” point of view, what I love about film is that it lets me feel like I’m capturing the feel of my clients. It doesn’t have to always be clean and bright…because sometimes life, and love, are blurry and fuzzy and remind you of the way the warmth was in that moment…plus, now that I’m developing at Midwest Photo Exchange (vs. sending to a lab across the country, holla for supporting local!), I have my film scans back the next day. THE NEXT DAY! WILD!!

So while I know digital is still queen, I’m so glad to once again WANT to see your world through a film camera + hope you see the light in that, and bring me along!!

Alicia + Luna | Married in Mohican

Mohican is a great option for a get away type feel (for vacation or for a wedding!) but staying in Ohio. My own family did our “fake Christmas” there this year, and it was perfect for all the ages of kids we have. Alicia + Luna threw a wonderful celebration + let me take them to all the amazingly sunlit spots for photos throughout their day.

Two of the things I’m most passionate about, when directing how a wedding day goes are: keeping your day running smoothly and letting these portraits dictate themselves.

1: if your day has any hint of chaos in it, guess what? You’ll feel it, and you don’t want that. I don’t want that either :) It’s my job to be efficiently finished with anything I require of you (because, yessss we ARE required to do some photos, despite candids > everything) with enough time for you so that you’ve had a minute to reflect + be present in the big moments. I won’t finish up the portraits as you’re rushing to make sure your lipstick is perfect for the walk down the aisle.

2. I can’t tell you how many people tell me they’re nervous or terrible in front of the camera. Well, duh! it’s awkward. It’s why creating an atmosphere of calm + candidness helps to calm your nerves. We’ll work together to schedule your day so that we aren’t doing a marathon photo session but rather; you’re leaving to be alone with your partner in times when you feel like, “PHEW! this is nice to be alone!” And guess what here? You’ll be so happy to be together and ALONE, we’ll make those magical moments you’re craving for your wedding images!

SO! that just so happens to be my recipe for a perfect wedding day. Does it strike a chord to ya? Let’s talk! smash that contact me button + send me all the info I need to know ;) (wow, that was just an experiment to type, and yah, no, that’s not me! ha!)

sweet William

Well hello! It’s been a while! It seems right to update my blog to include a new family session as I’ve revamped + put in work on my family section of this space. WHY THO? Because I’ve mostly spent the past 3 years overloaded with wedding work…reluctantly saying no to extra families…but I’m back. As my own family life changes, and I want to be more present on weekends, but still work, families present a great option. But, let’s be real, who will hire a lady without work to show for it! I was connected to this sweet family through flowers - she took some of my tuber babies last summer + we’ve shot two sessions since. I love this family + keep mentioning it, but it’s just so fun to revisit the “baby years” now that we’re “out of them” haha. Spent the last few minutes once we had stopped shooting reading a book to Grace because, while being a big sister is fun? It’s also nice to get some individual attention from a new person in your house :)

as you can see, my newborn sessions are VERY lifestyle and organic. I will get sweet photos of you + your baby, but I will not stuff your baby into a basket or physically impossible - photoshopped only - poses :) If you’re interested in chatting about newborn sessions, get in touch!